Best Movie of the 2010s, Round of 64: Mega Movies Memorial Region
THIS IS OUR LAST BATCH OF FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS. Tom usually writes these because he does the coding, Google Docs, organization, research, and technical writing for this blog. (Note: Don’t forget editing - Tom). My usefulness comes down to any words that tumble out of my brain that I’m able to get down and save, unlike twenty minutes ago when I typed all of my stuff and none of it saved. Anyway, there were some great matchups in the Mega Movies Memorial Region, but in the mighty words of The Bachelorette, the goodbyes will just get harder from here. 💔
ROMA (2018)
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
Erin’s Pitch for Roma: This movie blew me away when I first watched it. I don’t think I have ever seen a black and white movie that FELT so rich and colorful. A true masterpiece, Roma asks important questions about class structure but it still feels intensely personal. It’s a gorgeous film that I highly recommend.
Tom’s Pitch for Roma: Roma is the joy of movies. Movies can take an idiot millennial from New Jersey and transport him directly into the childhood memories of a 57-year old man from Mexico and, in turn, the life of a housekeeper in 1970s Mexico City. Roma is a specific portrait of writer-director Alfonso Cuaron’s love, maturation, and regret. But it’s also a testament to the strength, resilience, and humanity of working class indigenous women. It was robbed by Green Book.
Erin’s Pitch for Mad Max: Fury Road: I saw this in theaters when it first came out and I was so weirded out by it. I knew it was GOOD but I was like…that villain guy is the purest definition of “ew.” Upon a re-watch…WOW. I am wishy washy on action films but this has to be one of my absolute favorites. It literally takes everyone’s favorite action trope, the car chase, and says “well yeah…that’s it.” I love it.
Tom’s Pitch for Mad Max: Fury Road: I had never seen any of the old Mad Max movies before I watched this, and I was worried about that, but this movie rules. I agree with Erin’s take on the car chase - the fact that this ENTIRE MOVIE is a car chase is absolutely genius. The movie’s great because not only are its hideous villainous creatures a critique of power, opulence, and blind faith, it also features like five of the most gorgeous people that exist on this Earth. What a great movie.
Erin’s Choice: This was a really difficult choice for me, so I picked Roma because the bass guitar weird guy from Mad Max gives me nightmares.
Tom’s Choice: I actually re-watched Roma for this (we didn’t in our initial rewatches) because this was such a hard decision for me. It confirmed what I thought in my gut: I’m going with Roma. Just a brutal matchup of two of my favorites.
The People: Roma - 4 (19.0%), Mad Max: Fury Road - 17 (81.0%). We’re not saying everyone likes Roma more than Mad Max, but you guys are telling on yourselves with this margin - we bet many of you didn’t see Roma! Go watch Roma!
WINNER: ROMA (2018)
EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!! (2016)
LEAVE NO TRACE (2018)
Erin’s Pitch for Everybody Wants Some!!: Richard Linklater king. This is the best “nothing happens and there is no conflict” movie. There is literally no conflict. I have never seen anything like it. It’s just the first few weeks before college starts. And it is also the ‘80s!! And there are TWO EXCLAMATION POINTS IN THE TITLE!! I truly truly love this movie.
Tom’s Pitch for Everybody Wants Some!!: Wyatt Russell is so absolutely hilarious in this movie. It’s got a great ‘80s soundtrack and it’s so much fun. It’s just a bunch of baseball players hanging out before college. It’s a baseball movie but there’s ONE baseball scene in the whole movie and it’s just the background for a different conversation. There’s no plot in this movie. It’s got the same playful, energetic, carefree tone as the Van Halen song it’s named after (which is featured in the movie!). If you like Dazed and Confused, this one’s for you.
Erin’s Pitch for Leave No Trace: It is a true crime that no one has seen this movie. Haha this is the most innocent use of true crime. Imagine they made an HBO docuseries on the unsolved crime of no one watching this awesome movie. Couldn’t be worse than The Vow.
Tom’s Pitch for Leave No Trace: This is the movie with the most “fresh” reviews on Rotten Tomatoes that has a 100% rating - more than Toy Story 2! It’s law that you have to watch it now. Plus, Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit) is about to be a major star. She’s featured in two movies coming up created by titans of film: Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho and M. Night Shyamalan’s Old. Go watch her breakout role before you watch her shrivel up and die on a weird beach later this month.
Erin’s Choice: Let’s go with some levity in this little competition. Geez, I picked 12 YEARS A SLAVE and SICARIO for crying out loud (spoiler alert). I choose the fun and flirty Everybody Wants Some!!
Tom’s Choice: I also rewatched Leave No Trace for this! (And clips of Everybody Wants Some!! on YouTube). They’re both meandering tales of existence - and I mean this in a good way, but they’re totally different movies, so this is hard. I’m gonna go with Leave No Trace. It’s a father-daughter story about living in national parks and the meaning of a “home” - it’s just so real and heartfelt.
The People: Everybody Wants Some!! - 8 (61.5%), Leave No Trace - 5 (38.5%). Go watch both of these!! They’re two of our favorite hidden gems from picking up this project!! Two exclamation points!!
WINNER: EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!! (2016)
BRIDESMAIDS (2011)
ZERO DARK THIRTY (2012)
Erin’s Pitch for Bridesmaids: This is one of those comedies that gets better each time you watch it. The scenes that have proven to be iconic can probably now be counted on two hands. Melissa McCarthy is a revelation in it. Kristin Wiig on the plane, at the bridal shower, in that car scene with Rose Byrne near the end of the movie…pure genius.
Tom’s Pitch for Bridesmaids: I am actually watching this movie as I write this. Back in 2011, I was so averse to this movie’s style of humor that I never even CONSIDERED watching a movie where Melissa McCarthy poops in a sink. But times change and I’m now mature enough to watch women poop onscreen (shout-out Nomadland). I’m not a hero, it’s no big deal. Plus the Kristen Wiig/Rose Byrne speech scene and the plane scene are two of the funniest movie sequences I’ve seen in the last decade.
Erin’s Pitch for Zero Dark Thirty: I am always amazed by movies that are thrilling despite the fact that you already know how it ends. I was on the edge of my seat during the raid where they kill Osama bin Laden. As if I didn’t already know what would happen! And then, when I rewatched it this past year…the same thing happened!! What?! That’s amazing filmmaking.
Tom’s Pitch for Zero Dark Thirty: I think this was the beginning of the Peak Chastain Years where she kicked ass in every movie she was in (and she was in EVERY movie). The movie’s muddled depiction of torture aside (or, with the biggest eyeroll scare quotes for its technical name, “enhanced interrogation”), the movie’s a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller and a worthy follow-up to Kathryn Bigelow’s previous movie, The Hurt Locker. Spoilers: bin Laden dies at the end.
Erin’s Choice: Okay I just developed a theory that Zero Dark Thirty is actually based on Melissa McCarthy’s character in Bridesmaids. So I’m going with Bridesmaids.
Tom’s Choice: To be honest, Zero Dark Thirty is one of my least favorites of the final 64. Bridesmaids isn’t. It’s Bridesmaids.
The People: Bridesmaids - 20 (76.9%), Zero Dark Thirty - 6 (23.1%). Zero Dark Thirty might have killed Osama bin Laden, but it couldn’t kill Melissa McCarthy.
WINNER: BRIDESMAIDS (2011)
12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013)
WINTER’S BONE (2010)
Erin’s Pitch for 12 Years a Slave: A difficult and painful but essential movie, 12 Years a Slave expertly juxtaposes the horrors of slavery with the natural beauty of the American South. The performances in this film are incredible, and Steve McQueen is a wonder of a director.
Tom’s Pitch for 12 Years a Slave: Chalk this up into the category of movies that were so effective at portraying their point I’ll never watch them again (see also Requiem for a Dream). It’s a gutting 2 hours but it’s important to confront the past and understand the current-day racial context in America. Which is weird since neither the director nor most of the main cast are American. As in everything else, though, Lupita Nyong’o is INCREDIBLE in this.
Erin’s Pitch for Winter’s Bone: Jennifer Lawrence is the real deal. This is one of the reasons I am so glad we took on this movie challenge. Sometimes when an actor is everywhere or is marked as overrated, it is cool to check out more of their work. I told Tom at one point that I think pretty much every single really famous actor totally deserves to be a really famous actor. If you are lukewarm on Jennifer Lawrence as an actor, watch this one.
Tom’s Pitch for Winter’s Bone: Say what you want about her performances or oversaturation in the early 2010s, Jennifer Lawrence is an absolute star in Winter’s Bone. It’s a mystery about Ree’s (Lawrence) journey to find her missing father, and it tackles drug use, patriarchy, and Midwestern poverty along the way. The term “modern-day Western” is thrown around so often nowadays, but this truly is one.
Erin’s Choice: Both of these are great and if you haven’t watched them, give them a chance! I pick 12 Years a Slave. I also think that it is probably the most award-winning movie with an actual number in the title. Except for maybe 2 Fast 2 Furious?
Tom’s Choice: I realized last night that both Winter’s Bone and Leave No Trace are by Debra Granik, an amazing director. That’s just a fun fact. It has nothing to do with my decision. Unfortunately, both Granik movies are out - 12 Years a Slave is my pick.
The People: 12 Years a Slave - 13 (81.3%), Winter’s Bone - 3 (18.7%). Winter’s Bone got a tough draw here. 12 Years is an absolute epic.
WINNER: 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013)
GET OUT (2017)
A SEPARATION (2011)
Erin’s Pitch for Get Out: This movie is the movie that perfectly encapsulates why I love movies. 🤷🏻♀️
Tom’s Pitch for Get Out: I can’t believe the guy who wrote the “East/West College Bowl” which is literally just making up weird names for football players like “Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace,” “J’Dinkalage Morgoone,” and, of course, “Hingle McCringleberry,” also created the best horror movie in recent memory. Jordan Peele is the greatest.
Erin’s Pitch for A Separation: This movie about a couple splitting up is really interesting, with a great script and stellar performances. What I really like about it, though, is the last scene. I sometimes still think about it, which is the mark of a really thoughtful film.
Tom’s Pitch for A Separation: This is an Iranian Marriage Story, except it’s good. Writer-director Asghar Farhadi had to navigate harsh censorship rules just to get this movie made, and not only did he do that, but he did so while...not painting a particularly nice picture of the Iranian legal system or the intertwining of religion, class, and gender in Iranian society. It’s a beautiful movie.
Erin’s Choice: Watch A Separation, you cowards! That being said, I also chose Get Out.
Tom’s Choice: A Separation is a great movie, A Separation is a great movie, A Separation is a great movie, A Separation is a great movie. Get Out is my pick.
The People: Get Out - 26 (100%), A Separation - 0 (0%). There it is, our first shutout! Get Out sends A Separation to the Sunken Place.
WINNER: GET OUT (2017)
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2012)
KNIVES OUT (2019)
Erin’s Pitch for Silver Linings Playbook: David O. Russell aside, this really is a great movie. I particularly love Bradley Cooper in it, as well as the fact that it is set in Philadelphia. It’s a bit *yikes* with its portrayal of mental illness just a decade out, and something feels…I don’t know, just a little off about the movie. But it does a great job of finding joy in difficult circumstances, and there are complex characters that are fascinating to watch.
Tom’s Pitch for Silver Linings Playbook: Where Winter’s Bone is the beginning of Jennifer Lawrence’s ascent in Hollywood, Silver Linings Playbook is probably the beginning of the end (at least to date). I actually think she’s pretty good in this movie, and this was also one of the movies that made us realize Bradley Cooper is Actually A Good Actor. All that being said, I think the best part of the movie is Robert De Niro’s Eagles storyline because he and Jacki Weaver are the best.
Erin’s Pitch for Knives Out: CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER! My Canadian sweetheart. This movie rocks. It’s a murder mystery and just good fun. Daniel Craig is an automatic icon, and the cast is almost TOO good. I can’t wait for the next one.
Tom’s Pitch for Knives Out: This is probably my perfect movie. Daniel Craig’s Foghorn Leghorn accent, Ana de Armas’s cheesy vomiting tic, the twists upon twists upon twists...I don’t even know what to say. The movie is such fun from start to finish, and it’s so reverential to the mystery genre. It helps that the movie was made by the creator of the best Star Wars movie in the recent trilogy as well as the writer of two of the best Breaking Bad episodes (“Ozymandias,” and YES, “Fly”), Rian Johnson. Also, as a charter member of the Michael Shannon Fan Club, I absolutely adore him and this movie.
Erin’s Choice: It was Rian Johnson. With Knives Out. In the next round.
Tom’s Choice: I’m never going to pick David O. Russell over Rian Johnson. I’m just not. That would be stoopid, with 2 “o”s. And I didn’t throw up after I wrote that, so you know I’m telling the truth. Knives Out.
The People: Silver Linings Playbook - 6 (21.4%), Knives Out - 22 (84.6%). This was an efficient method of murder.
WINNER: KNIVES OUT (2019)
EASY A (2010)
SELMA (2014)
Erin’s Pitch for Easy A: I am 99% sure I saw this as a high school senior, and I am also 99% sure that it really shaped me as a young adult movie watcher. The script is just so so so funny and Emma Stone gives a performance that I think will be considered a classic in a few years. I think this one transcends the dreaded “teen” genre marker and is just a really wonderful movie about growing up, women in society, and finding a sense of self in the world.
Tom’s Pitch for Easy A: I was a big Emma Stone fan at this time (still am), and this encapsulates everything I love about her as an actress: she’s willing to look like an idiot because she doesn’t take herself too seriously, but she’s also able to imbue a potentially unlikable character with heart and wit and charm. Plus I’m a fan of anything that will deconstruct and poke fun at one of the worst books I ever had the displeasure of reading (or not) in high school, The Scarlet Letter.
Erin’s Pitch for Selma: This is a really wonderful film that highlights the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, focusing on MLK Jr. but covering so many important people who did so much for our country. It’s an excellent movie and the Oscar-winning original song (“Glory” by Common and John Legend) I think is the best original song for a film in decades.
Tom’s Pitch for Selma: I feel like “Glory” gets more shine than this actual movie does, but it truly kickstarted Ava DuVernay’s rise as one of the most important filmmakers we have. I’m not a big biopic fan anymore, yet Selma feels less like a biopic and more like a thesis statement about how far we are from the vision of Martin Luther King Jr. and his contemporaries. Even in 2021, where voting rights are being taken away left and right, Selma stings with relevance and urgency. It’s essential viewing.
Erin’s Choice: I wish that when I was in college I felt cool and cute enough to be Olive Pendergast for Halloween. I pick Easy A!
Tom’s Choice: Easy A is great and all, but I’m going with Selma. Right from the opening scene, it lets you know what’s at stake. And the cast is unbelievable. It’s a titanic movie.
The People: Easy A - 21 (84.0%), Selma - 4 (16.0%). Easy A continues its improbable run, knocking off a second Best Picture nominee on the back of the fan vote!
WINNER: EASY A (2010)
PRISONERS (2013)
SICARIO (2015)
Erin’s Pitch for Prisoners: I did NOT like this one for the first half hour. Too dark, too real, it really freaked me out. It did win me over though, and I was on the edge of my seat until the very last (controversial!) moment. It’s a thriller about child abduction, sooooo it’s a difficult one to just throw out a recommendation for, but it’s a really great film by a fantastic director.
Tom’s Pitch for Prisoners: This movie is so intense and deservedly so: it asks the question of what you would do if someone abducted your child. Denis Villeneuve is one of my favorite directors, and it’s in large part because of the experience of watching this movie. He pulls absolutely no punches, and Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Terrence Howard (oof), Viola Davis, and the entire cast are ALL IN on Villenueve’s vision. It’s a top-tier thriller that I’ve ever seen.
Erin’s Pitch for Sicario: Emily Blunt puts in work when it comes to almost every single performance I have seen her in. How she doesn’t have 7 Oscars (starting with The Devil Wears Prada) is beyond my comprehension. Sicario is a dark, gritty, worthwhile film that has so much suspense and action, but sneaky character development as well, and it asks some big questions. I really love it.
Tom’s Pitch for Sicario: Speaking of incredible Villeneuve thrillers, I am so mad that these two got randomly matched up together. My guy Taylor Sheridan did the script for this one, and he shows why he’s one of the best screenwriters we have. It also has the same cinematographer (Richard Deakins the god) and composer (Johann Johannsson RIP) as Prisoners and they are ALSO two of the best at their jobs. God, I don’t know what I’m gonna do here. But Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro kick ass in this movie, and it has pre-Get Out Daniel Kaluuya and an obligatory Jon Bernthal cameo. What more could you want? Sicario is amazing.
Erin’s Choice: Both of these are great! I pick Sicario because I didn’t turn to Tom half an hour in and whisper, “…why did you make me watch this?”
Tom’s Choice: I’m not sure I’ve ever been gripped by a thriller like I was with Prisoners. It’s compelling, intense, and not afraid to “go there.” It’s also my favorite Jake Gyllenhaal movie and Hugh Jackman movie (sorry, Van Helsing). Sicario is excellent, but it’s Prisoners for me.
The People: Prisoners - 7 (41.2%), Sicario - 10 (58.8%). This is the land of wolves now. Time to meet God, Prisoners.
WINNER: SICARIO (2015)
The first round is officially over! Thirty-two movies have advanced to the second round, and we’re going to keep pushing toward the finals. Thank you to everyone who’s voted so far - as you can tell, your opinions matter! Stay tuned on IG @motionpicturemadness for the next polls. Here’s the bracket update for the Mega Movies Memorial Region:
