Every Oscars' Best Picture Nominee of the 2010s

12 Years a Slave [2013]

Grouped in tiers, ranked alphabetically, and with winners demarcated (+), here is a Film & Froth hierarchy of films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars in the 2010s (from 2010 through 2019). To be clear, this list does not include movies that were snubbed or passed over by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; so this list should not be considered a 'Best of the Decade' directory, just a chance to look back at past nominees and scratch our heads in bewilderment (for the most part).

Disclaimer: These lists are typically conceived whilst having an evening adult beverage or two. They're flawed. I reserve the right to change my mind and alter my rankings at any point in the future for any reason whatsoever. That being said, please send your grievances to film.froth@gmail.com, thnx.

Green Book [2018]

Tier 7: Why Was this Nominated?

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Thunderbolt and lightning, very very frightening me.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
Swap out "Loud" for "Lame" and "Close for "Crappy" and there's your review.

Green Book (2018)+
Racist schlock.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
War schlock.

Les Miserables (2012)
Russell Crowe's Javert performance isn't as bad as you remember... not that you should revisit this anytime soon.

Via imgur

Joker (2019)
Let the record show that Joaquin Phoenix remains unscathed despite this ranking.

Philomena (2013)
British schlock.

The Theory of Everything (2014)
'A bland movie about a brilliant person' describes most biopics, this included.

Vice (2018)
Fat Bale in a little role.

The Shape of Water [2017]

Tier 6: Worth Seeing but Maybe Only Once

1917 (2019)
Once you get past the production design and Roger Deakins' insane cinematography the first time, this one loses some sauce.

American Sniper (2014)
Why couldn't they just hire a real baby for the afternoon?

Captain Phillips (2013)
The last five minutes are the best of Tom Hanks' illustrious career?

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
It's alright, alright, alright.

The Fighter (2010)
Amy Adams is a bartender-turned-boxer's girlfriend named Charlene sure, sure.

The Help (2011)
Women helping women helping women.

Hidden Figures (2016)
Women helping women helping men get to the moon.

The Imitation Game (2014)
Benedict Cabbagepatch creates the computer and saves the free world.

Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Archie Yates is a comedic prodigy and he must be protected at all costs.

Via giphy

The Kids Are All Right (2010)
Give me more Mark Ruffalo, always.

Lion (2016)
C'mon, it's not like I didn't cry in the theater.

The Post (2017)
Meryl Streep stays dunking on everyone (and makes it look easy by the way).

The Revenant (2015)
Torture porn but with a mauling bear.

The Shape of Water (2017)+
If it wasn't so on-the-nose, it might be remembered more fondly. Alas, let's call it what it is: the fish sex movie.

War Horse (2011)
More war schlock but with a horse.

The Artist [2011]

Tier 5: Something to Recommend to Someone, Just Not for Best Picture

The Artist (2011)+
Ten years later and it's still boring.

The Big Short (2015)
Rich, white men doing rich, white men things except it's kinda funny but mostly sickening.

Black Swan (2010)
A multiverse where Padmé turns to the dark side.

Darkest Hour (2017)
Dad-core for history buffs.

Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Dad-core for grease monkeys.

Hell or High Water (2015)
Now seems like a good time for this- my current Chris Wars Ranking¹:

1. Chris Pine
2. Chris Hemsworth
3. Chris Evans
4. Chris Pratt

Hugo (2011)
Don't sleep on this Martin Scorsese movie (or any M.S. movie actually).

Inception (2010)
Christopher Nolan: "Hey Hans, what do you have?"
Hans Zimmer: "bwahhh bwahhh, BWahh BWahh, BWAHH BWAHH, BWAHHHHHHHHHHHH"
Christopher Nolan: "I luv it."

Life of Pi (2012)
Yo when Richard Parker dips at the end I was low key pissed.

Midnight in Paris (2011)
Corey Stoll's Ernest Hemingway portrayal is hawt

Via tumblr

Room (2015)
2nd grade Marlon Brando might be Jacob Tremblay.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Robert De Niro is Bradley Cooper's father, Bradley Cooper wishes.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
More Frances McDormand kicking ass in movies please.

True Grit (2010)
Dad-core for boomer cowboys.

The King's Speech [2010]

Tier 4: Memorable for One Reason or Another

127 Hours (2010)
Why did I go see this on the big screen?? To see James Franco cut off his arm???

American Hustle (2013)
It's a beautifully decorated living room except there's no furniture.

Via giphy

Bridge of Spies (2015)
Some more dad-core but a notch better.

Brooklyn (2015)
'A deep-cut date night movie' is a recommendation I'm ready to make.

The Descendants (2011)
George Clooney with flow is a mighty fine thing let me tell ya.

Fences (2016)
Viola Davis and Denzel Washington doing the damn thing.

The King's Speech (2010)+
Very good lead performance - okay movie.

Lincoln (2012)
Great lead performance - okay movie.

Selma (2014)
Ava DuVernay remains undefeated.

Toy Story 3 (2010)
The 4th best Toy Story movie; please direct complaints to @filmfroth.

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Jason Clarke, Mark Strong, Kyle Chandler, Mark Duplass, Joel Edgerton, along with Édgar Ramírez and Chris Pratt, would make an incredible intramural basketball team. Even still, this movie belongs to Jessica Chastain.

Argo [2012]

Tier 3: Could Be One of Your Favorite Movies of the Decade?

Argo (2012)+
Totally satisfying to this day but definitely not elite.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
Quvenzhané Wallis is remarkable.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2015)+
This is a really, really great superhero movie.

BlacKkKlansman (2018)
“Dis joint is based upon some fo' real, fo' real shit.” Iconic stuff, Spike.

Via giphy

Django Unchained (2012)
The fact that Quentin Tarantinto had Rick Ross write an original song for this movie is a reminder that 2012 was an unexpected roller coaster ride.

The Favourite (2018)
Emma Stone is a heartless bitch.

La La Land (2016)
Emma Stone is an earnest theater kid².

The Martian (2015)
Cast Away but on Mars.

Nebraska (2013)
Show this one to a friend (unless they hate black & white movies, at which point, unfriend them).

A Star Is Born (2018)
Too high or too low? LOL I can't wait for everyone to hate this ranking one way or another.

The Tree of Life (2011)
Letterboxd hipsters and Terrence Malick-heads: you are seen.

Winter's Bone (2010)
Jennifer Lawrence's best performance by far.

Spotlight [2015]

Tier 2: Worthy of Best Picture Buzz

12 Years a Slave (2013)+
A major, essential viewing that is both expertly acted and crafted.

Arrival (2016)
Rib-sticking beauty.

Black Panther (2018)
A landmark achievement. And one of the most important mainstream films of the 21st century³.

Dunkirk (2017)
Here's a 1 hour and 47 minute trailer featuring Harry Styles. It's excellent.

Get Out (2017)
Likely in the lead for "film I've logged the most time talking about since seeing it" of the 2010s.

Gravity (2013)
Even solely as a technical achievement, it's entrancing.

Her (2013)
Thoughtful, elegant, concerning.

The Irishman (2019)
Despite the geriatric curb-stomp, this one will only grow in esteem as years pass (intentionally serindipitious to the movie's core theme).

Lady Bird (2017)
Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan deliver a beautiful coming-of-age story set in early-2000s northern California.

Little Women (2019)
Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan deliver a beautiful coming-of-age story set in post-Civil War eastern Massachusetts.

Marriage Story (2019)
Two of the best lead performances of the decade going head-to-head with an amazing script.

Moneyball (2011)
Baseball can be boring. This movie is not.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)
"My booze don't need no buddy."

Via giphy

Roma (2018)
Beautiful; the beach sequence is in the conversation for scene of the decade.

Spotlight (2015)+
Remember when Ruffalo goes full Ruffalo and starts yelling at Michael Keaton? Hell yeah, Mark is the best.

Whiplash (2014)
If only being a nerd in jazz band was actually this badass.

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
A disgusting, beautiful, loathsome, perfect mess.

Moonlight [2016]

Tier 1: Top-Shelf Excellence

Amour (2012)
Heart-wrenching.

Boyhood (2014)
Simultaneously innovative and timeless.

Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Heartbreaking.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Wes Anderson is one quirky dude, and this is him dialed up to 1,000.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
This has a strong argument for being the best movie of the bunch.

Via giphy

Manchester by the Sea (2016)
Heart-aching.

Moonlight (2016)+
A modern masterpiece of the highest order.

Parasite (2019)+
Without a doubt one of the best film-going experiences I've ever had.

Phantom Thread (2017)
Not expecting to see this here? I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Either way, you should check this out.

The Social Network (2010)
Over a decade after its release and after countless viewings, I still walk away feeling something different after every time I watch it.