Let’s Talk Cinema: The 2010s

There’s a lot to be said about the art of cinema—an artform so many of us have dedicated our lives to. It’s hard to imagine a world without it. Last week, I gave you a small glimpse into how I discovered my passion for film and the Oscars, and in return, I received a gracious welcome filled with kind words. I’m sincerely grateful.

Your response reminded me that we’ve all had that spark—that moment that lit our path into a world filled with the beauty and wonder of cinema. For some, it was witnessing strange new worlds open up before our eyes, filled with terrifying creatures or spaceships from galaxies far, far away. For others, it was seeing a hero save the day, or being moved by a deeply honest story that touched us to the core. I often chuckle when people refer to the “magic of cinema.” It sounds melodramatic—but truthfully, there *is* magic in cinema. It brought us here, touched us in unique ways, and filled us with a lifelong love. If that’s not magic, what is?

Someone recently asked me, as a “new” voice here, what’s your goal? Well, allow me to introduce you to the new series at Awards Daily: Let’s Talk Cinema.

For a long time, I’ve dreamed of creating a space where people can openly discuss movies. We’ve often chatted in the comments—debating films throughout history, Oscar winners, and infamous snubs. These conversations spark lively debates, and now, I hope to help guide and amplify them. Scott and Sasha will, of course, continue covering the current awards race (which I’ll also contribute to), but Let’s Talk Cinema is something different. It’s our chance to celebrate what draws us back to AD time and time again—the magic that inspires us.

Here’s a little roadmap of how this new series will work: We’ll start by discussing the films and Oscar races of the 2010s, and slowly work our way backward through time to the beginning of the Academy Awards. We’ll explore Oscar wins and snubs, and spotlight the films of each decade that we love, hate, or find overrated. When the time feels right, we’ll shift to the 2000s, and so on. It’s a simple idea—but one I hope will spark lively debates and encourage all of you to participate. Your engagement will be the heartbeat of this series. I hope it brings new voices into our community of passionate film lovers and expert Oscar predictors.

**The only rule here: Respect others’ opinions.**

It’s easy to take offense if someone dislikes a film or performance you love—trust me, I get it. But cinema is subjective. Not everyone will share your opinion, and that’s okay. Let’s remember that it’s perfectly fine to agree to disagree. The last thing I want is to see feelings hurt or friendships ruined over a movie take.

My hope for this series isn’t just to create a space for discussion—it’s to learn, together. If you didn’t catch my previous article: I discovered the Oscars (and my love of cinema) in 2008. The 2010s were a formative decade for me. I entered adulthood in 2010 and spent much of that time discovering directors, actors, writers—past and present—and figuring out what kinds of films I love most. My tastes are admittedly American-centric, and I lean heavily toward the so-called “Oscar prestige films.” So, as we dive into the 2010s together, I’m asking you: What should I watch? Recommend films. I want to discover new favorites alongside you—not just share my takes. Some of your suggestions might even become full articles. (That part of the roadmap is still under construction!)

To kick off this series, I thought it’d be fun to rank the Best Picture, Director, and Original/Adapted Screenplay winners from the 2010s. We’ll dive into acting categories later, but for now, let’s keep it quick and simple.

A 2010s winners refresher:

Best Picture

• The King’s Speech
• The Artist
• Argo
• 12 Years a Slave
• Birdman
• Spotlight
• Moonlight
• The Shape of Water
• Green Book
• Parasite

Best Director

• Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
• Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
• Ang Lee, Life of Pi
• Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
• Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman
• Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant
• Damien Chazelle, La La Land
• Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water
• Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
• Bong Joon-ho, Parasite

Best Adapted Screenplay

• The Social Network
• The Descendants
• Argo
• 12 Years a Slave
• The Imitation Game
• The Big Short
• Moonlight
• Call Me by Your Name
• BlacKkKlansman
• Jojo Rabbit

Best Original Screenplay

• The King’s Speech
• Midnight in Paris
• Django Unchained
• Her
• Birdman
• Spotlight
• Manchester by the Sea
• Get Out
• Green Book
• Parasite

Jerm’s Official Rankings

Best Picture

1. Parasite
2. Spotlight
3. 12 Years a Slave
4. The King’s Speech
5. Moonlight
6. Argo
7. The Shape of Water
8. Green Book
9. The Artist
10. Birdman

Parasite is, in my view, undeniably the best Best Picture winner of the decade. A brilliant film from start to finish. Spots 2–8 are debatable—they’re all solid, even if they weren’t my personal picks at the time. Number 10? Let’s just say it will forever be a thorn in my side.

Best Director

1. Damien Chazelle, La La Land
2. Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
3. Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
4. Ang Lee, Life of Pi
5. Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant
6. Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
7. Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water
8. Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
9. Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
10. Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman

La La Land. La La Land. La La Land. No one will convince me otherwise. That said, Bong Joon-ho and Cuarón (for Gravity) came very close. Rankings 4-9, are again, fine winners, even if they weren’t my top choices at the time. Number 10, well…..nevermind that.

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. The Social Network
2. Jojo Rabbit
3. The Big Short
4. BlacKkKlansman
5. Call Me by Your Name
6. 12 Years a Slave
7. Moonlight
8. The Imitation Game
9. The Descendants
10. Argo

Though not my favorite film of the year, The Social Network is a masterclass in screenwriting. Jojo Rabbit, was almost my top choice, and I typed it, erased it, rewrote it, then went with The Social Network. I love both of these works, brilliant in their own regards. Argo, though an entertaining flick, just loses its way in the script. Lots of great choices, and I mean that!

Best Original Screenplay

1. Get Out
2. Parasite
3. Django Unchained
4. Her
5. Spotlight
6. Midnight in Paris
7. Manchester by the Sea
8. The King’s Speech
9. Green Book
10. Birdman

Get Out is the most inspired screenplay of the decade—iconic and still widely discussed. Learn this now, I am a massive Tarantino fan, and I highly regard Django as one of his very best. A great list of winners, until the dreadful 10 spot.

That’s all for now! I can’t wait to dive deeper into these films (and the acting categories) over the next few weeks. I have more surprises planned as well. But now it’s your turn!

Share your rankings in the comments—and let’s talk cinema!