The Best Films Of The Last 10 years

?

After the wave of excitement that followed this year’s Academy Awards, we thought that it was about time we had a look back over some of the most memorable films of the last 10 years.



Gravity


Few films have been able to illustrate the incredible advances in film technology as 2013’s Gravity. This science fiction movie starred Sandra Bullock as a helpless astronaut who has to somehow return to Earth after a spaceship accident.

What made the film such a success was its excellent blend of heart-stopping drama and the very latest in highly realistic special effects.



The Dark Knight
This Batman film has become immortal in film circles thanks to the iconic performance of the Joker by the hugely missed Heath Ledger. But it was not only his performance that elevated The Dark Knight to great heights; the movie managed to redefine the comic book adaptation through its intensely dark atmosphere, complex storyline and the gritty cinematography.

The film’s success has also inspired numerous game tie-ins such as the Dark Knight video slot game on the Betsafe casino site that features a range of online movie games adaptations. 



Casino Royale


Another movie franchise that managed to reinvent itself to great effect was the James Bond film Casino Royale. This saw Daniel Craig in his debut performance as the British spy and was inspired by the 1953 Ian Fleming book of the same name.

But what made this a classic Bond film was the twisting storyline, a beautiful range of decadent European locations, and Craig’s reinvention of Bond as a cold and brutal killer.



The Social Network


Few films can accurately capture the social zeitgeist as 2010’s The Social Network. This massively engrossing movie brilliantly illustrated the fascinating mechanisms behind the rise of the social media giant Facebook.

And whilst many of the lead characters were wonderfully repellent, the film itself was wickedly addictive.



Walk The Line


Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the country music legend Johnny Cash in the 2005 film Walk The Line was another great moment for this actor, and added another Oscar to his trophy cabinet.

The film managed to circumvent the music biopic formula by investing the storyline with an emotional weight, as well as a string of great musical performances.



Boyhood


Whilst it may have just missed out on the Oscar plaudits this year, Richard Linklater’s deeply immersive Boyhood was a film like no other.

Following a decade of a young boy’s life in Texas, it was filmed over 10 years and cast a dream-like spell across audiences by illustrating that it’s the little moments in life that truly shape and define us.

Jacob Morgan

Jacob Morgan is 24 year old freelance writer, History of Art graduate, film lover/hater.