Most overlooked films of the past decade

I've been thinking about creating a list of films that went under a lot of people's radar this past decade. I will update this list from time to time in case I forgot any. Also, this list is somewhat opinion based so you have been warned. The films will be numbered but there's no particular order.

Starting off with...

10. Wildlife

Probably one of the most overlooked films this past year. Paul Dano's directional debut blew me away the first time I watched it. It's not the most exciting movie of 2018, but it's definitely one of the more compelling ones. Still, I found the performances to be great along with its script and subtle approach to family separation.

9. The Master

In my opinion, this is Paul Thomas Anderson's most complex film. The movie follows themes of religion and identity in the weirdest of ways. Philip Seymour Hoffman gives his best performance ever (may he rest in peace) and Joaquin Phoenix is great as always. It's currently on Netflix so if you want to get out of your movie comfort zone, this is a great one to start with.

8. A Ghost Story

In recent years, I haven't seen a film so heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. The themes of love/loss and life/death are shown in this film in such a tragic way. This one didn't get a lot of attention from audiences and was definitely snubbed for an Oscar for Best Cinematography. It's currently on Amazon Prime Video.

7. Only God Forgives

This movie was slammed by critics AND audiences upon its release in theaters and film festivals. I personally find the film to be beautifully shot and composed, but it is style over substance. Nevertheless, I think it's technically a very well made movie and Ryan Gosling is in it so...yeah. It's currently on Netflix and I do think it's worth watching if you're interested in super slick and cool looking movies.

6. Chef

Besides being a well-made comedy, Chef surprises its audience with the chemistry all the characters have on screen. It almost feels like we are watching real people deal with real-life events. I loved how this was simply a feel-good movie that made me super hungry after watching it. This is food porn at its finest. Very underrated indie movie that I think nearly all audiences will enjoy.

5. Inherent Vice

Another Paul Thomas Anderson movie made the list because Inherent Vice is probably his most underrated film. It has everything people love in a movie: violence, sex, drugs, early 1970s Los Angeles, and a great soundtrack. Joaquin Phoenix gives a funny and charismatic performance as a private investigator. It has a very smart script with great direction and performances. This is a fantastic mystery movie that has the greatest mystery of all: why isn't anyone talking about this film anymore?

4. Sing Street

One of the best pseudo-musicals of all time. Based in 1980s Dublin, a young man starts up a band simply to impress a girl. It's super creative, funny, heartwarming, and damn...the music is GREAT. Netflix should regret removing this gem off of their site. Whenever you get the chance to watch this movie, watch it!

3. The Invitation

Not many people saw this one, but it's INSANE. I don't want to even spoil the plot of this movie so all I'll say is that it's one of the most suspenseful films I've seen this decade. Although I wouldn't consider this a "horror" movie, it's a film that answers the question: How do you build suspense in a movie? Director Karyn Kusama gives this movie a sense of fear. It's currently on Netflix and if you love suspenseful/horror films, this one is right for you.

2. Hunt for the Wilderpeople

I've been a fan of Taika Watiti for a long time, but by far this is his most fresh and funniest film to date. Before Thor: Ragnarok, there was Hunt for the Wilderpeople. The script is so damn hilarious but the reason the movie works so well is because of Taika's unique approach to directing this movie, along with some great performances by Julian Dennison and Sam Neill. Definitely check this one out if you haven't yet.

1. Drive

When someone asks me what's a "perfect" movie, I almost instantly say the name of this movie. This might be a bit opinionated but the level of craft put into this movie is beyond me. From the script to its cinematography, Drive finds a way to be a perfect balance of style and substance. This is my favorite film of all time and I do personally think it's a pretty underrated film that didn't receive that much award recognition. The movie is perfectly shot, edited, and directed. All the performances are incredible and the music is euphoric. Highly suggest this gem.