It’s been a wild ride for the film industry over the past 10 years. We’ve seen the shift of perspective and the progression of film-making over the decade and we can’t help but ask, ‘which film defined yours?’
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With the end of the year making its full turn, it’s safe to say that it’s officially the end of an era. As the approach nears, the MEGA Editors are looking back at their favorite movies of the decade.
Whether it be the cinematography, the story, the acting, here are MEGA’s top picks for movies from 2010 to 2019. It was a struggle to whittle down our personal lists, but here we are.
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)
“I have a love for the Harry Potter franchise that nothing else can ever surpass. The books and the movies have been with me from my childhood, adolescence, and all the way to my adulthood. I still remember the day I watched the last Harry Potter movie in the cinema, how I started bawling before the Warner Brothers logo even appeared. It was the end of a magical decade, but despite that, it stayed with me for years. The movie didn’t end without a glimpse of a hopeful future, though. This decade feels a lot like that too. It may be ending, but it was the decade that made the foundation of my life and it’s only just beginning for me.”
– Elyse Ilagan, Features Editor
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
“Let’s admit it: Marvel has always created the best character arcs when it comes to superhero movies—from Iron Man, Thor, to Captain America. And ever since Nick Fury has slowly and surely assembled the ever-growing Avengers, we can’t deny the fact our pleasure of watching our favorite heroes kick-ass again and again. But apart from all the Avengers movies that came out, Infinity War is really a cut above the rest. The roller coaster of emotions it gave everyone was so intense to the extent that it was literally jaw dropping, leaving each person in the crowd longing for more.” – Daniel Reyes, Fashion Writer
Gone Girl (2014)
“It’s unsparingly annihilating. Every time I would rate a film, I’d carefully look through it’s narrative and technical aspects. For the film Gone Girl, the cinematography was inimitable, the storyline brought a roller coaster of emotions, and there can be no other more suiting for the roles of Nick and Amy Dunne than Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. With its farfetched chain of events, it shows how far a woman can go to step out of her husband’s suffocating shadow.” – Alinea Hernandez, Beauty and Features Writer
The Martian (2015)
“With the top notch acting performances, an engaging story, and superb visuals, The Martian makes it one of the best films I’ve seen this decade. To be honest, I don’t really watch much of sci-fi films as it kind of intimidates me but with the sense of humor of the main character, it will have you cheering for him as he tries to survive against impossible odds.” – Shaira Bungcag, Multimedia Artist
Arrival (2016)
“A movie I have seen 3 times at the cinema (2 of which I’ve watched alone) and 12 more times at home warrants a definite top spot in my list of all-time favorite movies. Arrival single-handedly overhauls the sci-fi genre by infusing it with compelling emotions and then twisting it with an extraordinary—and truly unexpected—narrative. It’s at once ambitious in concept and fantastical in execution. The whole movie is anchored on Amy Adams who delivers a wonderful performance. And—without spoiling those who have not seen the film—the ending is one that will linger in your thoughts long after the credits have rolled. And I knew then that my favorite movie has finally arrived.” – RJ Roque, Social Media Editor
Roma (2018)
“If there’s anything I dread more than a phone call from an unregistered number, it’s being asked: What’s your favorite film? No matter what the qualifier is, I usually get backed into a corner, where I immediately sift through my random access memory of movies that have struck and stuck by me in one way or another. As a film enthusiast who eagerly anticipates awards shows as if it were a sporting event, the list is long and varied, running the gamut from mainstream gems to provocative and proficient masterpieces from decorated auteurs.
Honestly, it took me a while to figure out what film defines the decade for me. Everything from the cerebral challenge of Inception, the gut-wrenching psychological vacuum of Her, the understated thrill of Drive, the masterfully shot Birdman, the gripping intensity of Whiplash, the graceful culmination of Grand Budapest Hotel, the painful unraveling of nuanced emotions in Blue Valentine, the layered and relevant social study of Moonlight, the coalescing of lust and love in the poetic prose of Call Me By Your Name, the complex dissection of humanity in The Social Network, and the gnawing reality and philosophical introspection of Ex Machina, easily stood out, but one piece of cinema really hit hard, latching on my sense and sensibilities, compelling me to navigate the narrative with a hand to my chest, Alfonso Cuaron’s opus, Roma.
Shot in an evocative black and white, the film tells the story of Cleo, a domestic worker in 1970s Mexico City, who despite her adversities manages to take us in with a intimate and insistent gravitas that soars despite her life’s twists and turns. An exploration of the intricacies of the seemingly mundane, it attests that no story and spirit is too small to be washed away into the forgotten. A searing and poignant tale of triumph, Roma stays with you long after the film’s end, and even we’ll beyond the decade in cinema as a classic that is set to stand the test of time.” – Angelo de Cartagena, Digital Content Editor
