Action films have been kind of awesome this decade. Baby Driver, John Wick 2, Skyfall, Free Fire, and a smorgasbord of others have absolutely blazed off of the screen. But there really isn't anything like George Miller's absolutely sublime fourquel, a roaring ballet of blood, sand and fuel that absolutely reinvigorates a classic cult series for what has to be one of the most eye-popping, dynamic, and purely exciting blockbusters of the last few years. The film is an absolute visual feast, and the non-stop chase plot makes for an entirely thrilling, batshit crazy bit of viewing, but the best thing about Fury Road has to be the subtext, the subtle shift away from Max in favour of Furiosa and her band of smuggled brides. Watching her lead the charge against Immortan Joe's totally definitely absolutely not relevant dictatorship is a thrilling reminder that Mad Max has always been about the politics. In a time of social discord, Miller answers it with... more discord, frankly, but amid the chaos is an allegory that really resonates without it ever being spoonfed to the audience. The social commentary sears, seamlessly blending in with the insane visuals, sly humour, genuinely touching moments of vulnerability and a skull scorching score by Junkie XL. And despite the fact that it's totally over-the-top, Fury Road really excels in its subtlety, never feeling the need to explain itself or give an abundance of backstory. Fury Road is, maybe moreso than any other actioner this decade, a pure experience of cinematic anarchy
19. Nebraska
Alexander Payne's studies of insecure men will never not hold a place in my heart. Nebraska is probably his most reflective film yet, a lovely black and white fable about a jaded man on an unlikely road trip with his father. Will Forte and Bruce Dern have such a believable chemistry here, constantly arguing but ultimately full of love. They're both incredible, pulling and pushing each other on a quest for a mythical sweepstakes prize. Through them, Payne explores an awful lot, like what it's like to need and be needed, and the importance of doing things for the people that matter. It's a poignant movie for sure, but it's never dewy or overly sentimental, instead taking a step back, beginning with the difficulties and frustrations and remembering why any of it matters in the first place. That final, wordless drive through town is a small thing, but it means so much, and it's that kind of thing that makes Nebraska so absolutely wonderful. It's a story about never quite getting want you want but eventually getting something you need, something you never expected. It's a quiet film, favouring mundane monochromatic visual poetry and unassuming musings on ageing and relationships, but in this understated story it finds huge amounts of meaning. Payne has made other good films this decade, like The Descendants and Downsizing (I like it, fight me), but for me, neither of them have what Nebraska does, which is a beautifully off-kilter and dazzlingly moving take on the fundamentally Payne-ish idea of a put upon man quietly exploring what gives his life meaning
18. Stories We Tell
I'd like to talk about documentaries and how they've been this decade, but I actually haven't seen very
many from the last ten years. Admitedly, the genre is a huge blind spot of mine, but I'd really regret not talking about Sarah Polley's absolutely beautiful unravelling of her family and their secrets. This is an intimate film, very gentle and almost playful, but it's not without purpose. What starts out as various members of the family telling stories and anecdotes soon transforms into something much deeper, heavier and utterly fascinating. Polley is very careful in how she reveals the truths here, delicately and passionately tracing the lines that define the lives of her and those around her, and if this doesn't necessarily prove that truth is stranger than fiction, then it absolutely proves that it can be just as captivating. Okay so it's about a family, but what makes that such a special subject? Well, Stories We Tell is cinema as a form of reflection, and it's not often that you see something that's this personal, and honest, and because of that it's that much more moving. Polley is literally putting herself onscreen, outlining what it is that makes her who she is, archiving her story for all of time, literally turning herself and the strange circumstances of her family into art. Yes there are secrets and reveals and strange truths in this documentary, but what really makes it great is how human it is. It's a translation of her origin that is specifically hers, but its that idea that we're all made of stories that makes it universal. Again, documentaries aren't exactly my wheelhouse, but Stories We Tell is just one of the most fascinating films of the decade, absolutely fabulous because it's completely real
17. Night is Short, Walk on Girl
This is not my favourite animated film of the decade (hint hint), but it's damn close. This film is absolute chaos and I love every minute of it. It's basically a huge, booze fuelled night out with musings on fate, romance and destiny. The animation is simple but unusual and charming, the humour is off-kilter but hilarious, and the surreal visuals make for one of the most endlessly fascinating trips this decade. It's like the amped up version of every wild night you've ever had, one that champions the idea that one night can change your life forever. It's also so busy, constantly moving and changing and providing some crazy hijinks for our characters to encounter. Book fairs, drinking contests, perverts, gods, mobile theatre, musical numbers, philosophy parties, mass flu and an intricate intelligence network are just some of the absolutely wild antics that happen in this movie. This has got to be one of the funnest films this decade, an hour and a half of pure animated madness, one that's almost like a modern fairy tale in its wonder-filled approach to a night of revelry. It's absolutely bonkers, brimming with creativity, and is just one of the most watchable films I've ever seen. It's a wild experience, but it's some of the most fun I've had with cinema, colourful and bright and just so enjoyable to watch. Night is Short, Walk on Girl is truly unlike any animated movie I've ever seen, so fun that it should be illegal
16. The Favourite
The Favourite's runaway success in this year's Oscar nominations made me very, very happy. Its ultimate failure to win most of them made me less happy, but the fact that we're at a point where movies like this are recognised is such a good sign for the film industry. Yorgos Lanthimos' take on Queen Anne is absolutely fabulous, a lavish, twisted, erotically charged, darkly funny and wicked spin on history. I think he's at his best when he's using his deadpan style to highlight the deep-set sadness in a story, and The Favourite definitely does this in its portrait of Anne as an ailing, deeply lonely woman who's willing to accept being manipulated for the sake of company. It's also his most interesting film to look at, with its fish-eyed camera and absolutely gorgeous production design. But come on, this film wouldn't be half as good as it is if it didn't contain that trio of incredible performances. Olivia Colman deserved her Oscar win as a woman who is as batshit crazy as she is achingly miserable, just as vulnerable as the rabbits she keeps. Emma Stone is truly formidable as the peasant who schemes her way into the Queen's heart, faux kindness giving way to a series of brutal stratagems. But it's Rachel Weisz who gives my favourite turn, enacting devious manipulations while delivering some truly tasty dialogue (her insult to Nicholas Hoult is an all-timer). The Favourite is just a devious bit of historical reinterpretation that explored power dynamics and the things that shift them in such a fascinating way. And finally, if all that didn't solidify this as one of the best movies of the decade, it's got Horatio, The Fastest Duck In The City. And what other film can say that?
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