Best Movie of the 2010s, Round of 64: AMC Hamilton 24 Memorial Region
It’s time for the results of the first round’s second region! This time, you broke two ties and we disagreed with you twice! But on the bright side, we agreed on three pretty big landslides. This has been a lot of fun so far - thank you so much for all the participation! Here are the eight movies that move on to the Round of 32 from the AMC Hamilton 24 Memorial Region:
EIGHTH GRADE (2018)
LITTLE WOMEN (2019)
Erin’s Pitch for Eighth Grade: As a current 8th grade teacher and former 8th grade girl, this movie is painfully, gloriously accurate. Bo Burnham handles this film with care, writing and directing a funny, sad, and cringeworthy look at young teens. Some of it will look familiar to adults, while other things (like SMART PHONES AT AGE 13!!!) will make you think, “Thank goodness I was 13 in the mid 2000s.”
Tom’s Pitch for Eighth Grade: This might be the platonic ideal of an A24 movie: a low-budget, down-to-earth character study that elicits a wide range of emotions from the viewer. Bo Burnham’s directorial debut is about a thirteen-year-old aspiring YouTuber named Kayla (actual teenager Elsie Fisher) as she navigates her final week of middle school. Burnham wants you to feel what it was like to be in eighth grade all over again, and he wonderfully succeeds.
Erin’s Pitch for Little Women: What a gorgeous adaptation of a wonderful novel. I love Greta Gerwig as a director, and she knows how to cast a movie. You’re giving me SAOIRSE AND FLORENCE? And LAURA DERN? And MERYL?!?!?!?! In full blown 1800s dress? I can’t keep it together--it’s a must watch.
Tom’s Pitch for Little Women: Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott classic pulled together a “who’s who” of the past, present and future: from Saoirse Ronan to Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet, Meryl, Laura Dern, Eliza Scanlen, etc., but it’s Ronan and Pugh who blew me away. It also made me really happy seeing a theater crowd erupt for a Bob Odenkirk cameo. I’m not big on period pieces, but this story is a classic for a reason, with perfect execution in this adaptation.
Erin’s Choice: Both of these movies made me have a little tear in my eye, but I’m going with Eighth Grade here. Oh, what do you say? I lose out on my pick again? 😭
Tom’s Choice: I am all for the plucky underdog, and Eighth Grade is amazing (and everyone should watch it). But here, it’s the sprawling classic bolstered by an auteur director and a half dozen actors and actresses at the height of their powers (and Emma Watson). Little Women takes it for me.
The People: Eighth Grade - 13 (44.8%), Little Women - 16 (55.2%). But seriously, everyone go watch Eighth Grade. It’s so great.
WINNER: LITTLE WOMEN (2019)
21 JUMP STREET (2012)
THE BIG SHORT (2015)
Erin’s Pitch for 21 Jump Street: This is one of those laugh out loud movies that everyone in the world has seen. If you haven’t, get on it!! What are you doing? I know you have TBS. It is so smart, spins the “teen” movie genre on its head, and has an awesome cast that works so well. A must watch!
Tom’s Pitch for 21 Jump Street: I watch this movie any time it’s on TV and it’s absolutely hilarious. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill have nearly unmatched chemistry. I love how this one flips the script on high school movies right off the bat, and it’s got insane performances from Ice Cube, Rob Riggle, and Dave Franco. You already know this movie, I don’t need to pitch it anymore.
Erin’s Pitch for The Big Short: My brain hurts every time I even think about this movie. Writer/director Adam McKay does his very best to help me understand business and real estate and the stock market, and for that, I salute you, sir. The quick cuts and humor-filled dialogue, plus the CAMEOS (!!) take this to the next level of fun. A great movie.
Tom’s Pitch for The Big Short: Only a director like Adam McKay could make this movie even remotely understandable by including explanatory vignettes from Margot Robbie, Anthony Bourdain, Selena Gomez, and Richard Thaler to show dumb brains like me exactly what was happening with the economy and stuff. I saw this in a theater during a blizzard with a friend who worked on Wall Street (shoutout Robbie) and he also explained the whole thing to me as it was going. Great movie! Horrible story!
Erin’s Choice: It’s going to be 21 Jump Street for me, because of the way Dave Franco pronounces “Taco Bell” near the end of the film alone.
Tom’s Choice: Listen, Adam McKay is awesome for explaining the 2008 housing crisis in a watchable (and great!) movie to spread understanding. But did Bale, Carell, Gosling, Pitt, etc. stick their fingers down each other’s throats to throw up the drug they were forced to take? Did any of them get torn up by Ice Cube saying he would perform a certain bodily function down a snorkel if they messed up? Didn’t think so. It’s 21 Jump Street.
The People: 21 Jump Street - 25 (69.4%), The Big Short - 11 (30.6%). Just as Korean Jesus foretold.
WINNER: 21 JUMP STREET (2012)
SPOTLIGHT (2015)
MIDSOMMAR (2019)
Erin’s Pitch for Spotlight: I truly adore this movie. It’s beautifully shot, has a fully “in” cast, and it exposes the atrocities committed and covered up by the Catholic church in a way that is direct but also that contains the nuance that is needed for a subject that has created discord in so many peoples’ lives. I think it is must see viewing.
Tom’s Pitch for Spotlight: This movie about The Boston Globe’s investigation into systematic sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests has an incredible ensemble cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, etc. But this movie’s greatness can be summed up by the two middle-aged women in front of us when we saw it in theaters, gasping and whispering about the statistics and information about the abuse that played right before the ending credits.
Erin’s Pitch for Midsommar: The first ten minutes of this film gave me panic attacks for months so...I feel like that shows how effective it is as a horror film, right? I’m not sure if that was Ari Aster’s intention, since I will NEVER watch another one of his films again, but this is a great film...a real humdinger that has a unique perspective and is a fresh take on a revitalized genre. Plus, Florence Pugh is a revelation. I can’t recommend it because..you know...the horrible effects it had on me personally, but hey! It’s a great film.
Tom’s Pitch for Midsommar: Ari Aster described this gem as “a breakup movie dressed in the clothes of a folk horror film.” It’s one of the most unique movies I’ve ever watched - a horror film set almost entirely in sunlight - and it’s got another knockout performance from Florence Pugh. Midsommar isn’t like other modern horror movies, in that there are little to no jump scares, but its reliance on a chilling atmosphere and internal world-building, including some absolutely brain-searing scenes, leave you horrified long after the credits roll.
Erin’s Choice: Spotlight deserves my vote on its own, but as previously mentioned, I literally smelled gas in my home when it wasn’t there and had months of panic attacks after Midsommar so…I can’t pick it!
Tom’s Choice: This one hurts badly. Midsommar is a testament to what an incredible director can do with a horror film and the artistic creativity still available in a sometimes unimaginative genre. Spotlight, though, is gutwrenching for its true, real-life horror. I’m not sure most of the Best Picture winners of the 2010s were the correct choice, but this one was. I’m going with Spotlight.
The People: Spotlight - 18 (54.5%), Midsommar - 15 (45.5%). Fifteen of you can go have a communal cry out in a barn out in the Swedish countryside. Sorry, Florence. At least Little Women survived.
WINNER: SPOTLIGHT (2015)
WHIPLASH (2014)
EX MACHINA (2015)
Erin’s Pitch for Whiplash: This is a GREAT film directed by Damien Chazelle about a college student with a dream to be a successful drummer and his relentlessly horrible teacher (played by the incredible J.K. Simmons, who won an Oscar for this role). I would definitely suggest a rewatch if you have already seen this, especially if you watched it young, like I did. It’s a film that grows with you.
Tom’s Pitch for Whiplash: I LOVE when character actors get their due, and that’s exactly what J.K. Simmons got here. He’s an absolute psychopath in this as he tortures pretentious young jazz drummer Andrew (Miles Teller). So many of us have had a teacher, or a boss, or even a parent that has smothered us, and so you identify with Andrew from the first time he meets Simmons’ character. The frenetic energy and chaotic pace of this one, especially as it barrels toward the final scenes, is infectious. Love it.
Erin’s Pitch for Ex Machina: All I want--nay, need, in a great sci-fi film is Oscar Isaac randomly performing a choreographed disco dance in the middle. That’s it. That’s all I need until the end of time.
Tom’s Pitch for Ex Machina: There are only a few movies where my jaw has dropped as the end credits rolled, and one of those is Ex Machina. I am a huge fan of meditative, high-concept sci-fi films and this one fits the bill. It’s also the first movie I saw with Alicia Vikander or Oscar Isaac, and both are amazing in this, as well as Domhnall Gleeson. The Oscar Isaac dance scene is one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen, especially in a movie about artificial intelligence, humanity, and the Turing test. It’s a 2-minute acid trip.
Erin’s Choice: I remember the first time I saw Ex Machina, and my jaw dropped open at that last scene. So crazy!!!
Tom’s Choice: This one basically came down to a coin flip, but I’m going with Ex Machina. Both movies are just incredible, but there’s something about the mystery and humanity in Ex Machina that made me connect with it slightly more than Whiplash, so it edges past for me.
The People: Whiplash - 17 (58.6%), Ex Machina - 12 (41.4%). Sorry people! Whiplash is a crowd favorite, and one of ours too, but we did receive two messages from people saying that if Ex Machina lost, they’d riot. Which might be the most passion for any movie so far. Who are we to rock the boat?
WINNER: EX MACHINA (2015)
THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)
THE DESCENDANTS (2011)
Erin’s Pitch for The Social Network: This movie holds up so well!! Okay first of all, this is one of the best movie trailers of all time. The soundtrack is absolutely iconic. It has a great Sorkin script, awesome awesome performances, and is a searing look at the creation of the trainwreck that is Facebook.
Tom’s Pitch for The Social Network: Like The Wolf of Wall Street, I took forever to watch this because I was too cool for a movie that everyone loved. Also like Wolf, I was a complete moron for that. Jesse Eisenberg is obviously amazing as the despicable Mark Zuckerberg (I know you can read this Mark), but the heart of this movie is Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin. Without Garfield and the award-winning score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, this movie’s an above average biopic. With those distinguishing factors, it’s incredible.
Erin’s Pitch for The Descendants: George Clooney is masterful in this sad and comedic film about the complications surrounding loss and family. I literally only remembered the scene where Shailene Woodley screams underwater from the first watch, but was reminded of how wonderful it was upon a second viewing.
Tom’s Pitch for The Descendants: This movie surprised me because I think in theory I’m not a huge George Clooney fan, but I actually am. He’s incredible in this mostly-drama, partly-comedy about a man whose wife is comatose after a boating accident. It navigates complex family situations in a down-to-earth way, bolstered by strong writing from Academy Award winners Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash (the Dean from Community!). I feel like there’s something iffy about a movie in Hawaii with an almost entirely white cast, but regardless, this is a really good movie.
Erin’s Choice: Remember the way that Andrew Garfield yelled, “MAAARRRKKKK?” 🙌🏻
Tom’s Choice: Because of The Descendants, the Dean from Community has the same amount of Oscars as Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Pacino, and more than Glenn Close, Amy Adams, and Samuel L. Jackson. For that, I treasure this movie. But The Social Network is The Social Network. It’s my vote.
The People: The Social Network - 28 (90.3%), The Descendants - 3 (9.7%). Yeah, we figured this would happen. Poor Descendants.
WINNER: THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)
PHANTOM THREAD (2017)
LADY BIRD (2017)
Erin’s Pitch for Phantom Thread: This movie is just SAVAGE. I could eat it up with a spoon, let me tell you. Pure camp, with the most amazing costumes I have ever seen. Daniel Day Lewis is glorious, Leslie Manville is fantastic, and Vicky Krieps truly steals the show. The whole movie is strange and off-putting and I stared in wonder the first time I saw it. I love love love this film.
Tom’s Pitch for Phantom Thread: We saw this in theaters prepping for the Oscars that year, and the marketing made it seem like this was a slow, dense period drama. It’s not though: it’s a tongue-in-cheek comedy about dressmaker and insolent manbaby Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he trades savage barbs with his muse Alma (Vicky Krieps) and sister-manager Cyril (Lesley Manville). It also takes a super interesting turn inspired by how Paul Thomas Anderson was treated during an illness by his wife Maya Rudolph. I love this movie so much.
Erin’s Pitch for Lady Bird: This is an excellent movie. First of all, I love that it’s set in the early 2000s. That is incredible. Also incredible: LAURIE METCALF!!! She nails her portrayal of Lady Bird’s mom. Metcalf and Saoirse Ronan wonderfully show the complex and at times baffling relationships between mothers and daughters. It’s a wonderful coming of age film and a love letter to moms.
Tom’s Pitch for Lady Bird: This movie starts with Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) crying in the car with her mom Marion (Laurie Metcalf) after finishing an audiobook of The Grapes of Wrath, and 2 minutes of arguing later, Lady Bird jumps out onto the road. That kind of sums up the shades of sweetness and the contentiousness that we see between Lady Bird and her mom for the entirety of this personal semi-autobiography by Greta Gerwig about family, religion, and yearning to leave your hometown. Funny, emotional, amazing.
Erin’s Choice: I think I read somewhere that Greta Gerwig wrote heartfelt handwritten letters to Dave Matthews and Justin Timberlake to get their songs into this film. Personal touches like that just bleeeeeeed through in Lady Bird. I pick her!
Tom’s Choice: I’m glad we rewatched both of these because I was reminded how much I adore both of these movies. In some ways, they’re similar: they’re part-dramas, part-comedies about characters with independence issues struggling to find happiness with their counterpart. And while I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a movie like Phantom Thread, I’m still going with Lady Bird because it’s a perfect movie.
The People: Phantom Thread - 4 (14.8%), Lady Bird - 23 (85.2%). The People are on board with us.
WINNER: LADY BIRD (2017)
HELL OR HIGH WATER (2016)
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (2013)
Erin’s Pitch for Hell or High Water: If I can’t get Oscar Isaac dancing disco, I will take a grouchy old lady waitress yelling, “What don’t ya want?” at Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham for days on end.
Tom’s Pitch for Hell or High Water: It’s rare that you get a really interesting Western these days, but when you’ve got Taylor Sheridan (Sicario, Wind River, Yellowstone) writing, you know you’re in for a treat. Chris Pine and Ben Foster play off of each other as bank robbing brothers chased by Texas Rangers played by Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham. Sort of like a western Dog Day Afternoon, the robbers are somewhat justified, which helps it exceed its somewhat cliche premise. The bank scenes and the climactic chase scene are heart-thumping.
Erin’s Pitch for Inside Llewyn Davis: This one is very Coen Brothers--do you know what I mean? Oscar Isaac (King obviously) sings, broods, and is really funny in this quiet movie about a folk musician sort of trying to make it in the 1960s.
Tom’s Pitch for Inside Llewyn Davis: You’re always in for a unique ride with the Coen Brothers, and Inside Llewyn Davis is no different. Oscar Isaac plays a broke folk musician in 1960s New York City who bumbles through a series of unfortunate events involving an escaped cat, possible fatherhood, and an insane car ride with John Goodman and Garrett Hedlund. It’s a fun and compulsively watchable movie about the folk scene, selling out, and what it takes to be a good person to those who support you. Oscar Isaac deserved a Best Actor nomination for this, but here we are.
Erin’s Choice: Hell or High Water wins for me! Jeff Bridges is so good in it, as is everyone else! The last few scenes are edge-of-your-seat good. Oh my gosh, wait. I won this split decision?! For the first time??!!! You guys are never on my side!
Tom’s Choice: I feel like Hell or High Water could’ve been a Coen Brothers movie too, if it was a tiny bit wackier outside of my favorite waitress in the most electric two minutes in the history of film. But Inside Llewyn Davis has the meandering, fly-by-the-seat-of-its-pants feel that a Coen classic like The Big Lebowski has, and because of that and Oscar Isaac’s performance, I’m picking Inside Llewyn Davis.
The People: Hell or High Water - 11 (52.4%), Inside Llewyn Davis - 10 (47.6%). One vote decided this matchup. One vote! We can see the person who put Hell or High Water over the top on the Instagram poll, but don’t worry. Tom says he won’t hunt you down or anything.
WINNER: HELL OR HIGH WATER (2016)
LOGAN (2017)
SHORT TERM 12 (2013)
Erin’s Pitch for Logan: Read my old thing about this--you know the drill: good ending, love the sunglasses and Pringles part, I don’t love the superhero genre but this is pretty groundbreaking and I really enjoyed it the second time I watched it because I didn’t fall asleep!
Tom’s Pitch for Logan: We wrote about this for the play-in round too, so here’s a little bit more. Before Dafne Keen was cast as Laura/X-23, Millie Bobby Brown auditioned. I’m glad Keen got the part, because while I like MBB, it might have been a little bit redundant compared the Stranger Things story of a superpowered child with a gruff but caring father figure. Keen brought a lot of grit to the movie as well, she was awesome. Also, I forgot to mention how much I loved the Logan vs. X-24 stuff. Super cool. What a great showman.
Erin’s Pitch for Short Term 12: This made like no money when it came out, but I really really enjoyed it. It’s not an easy watch--Brie Larson works at a group home for teens that are struggling with their mental health, while dealing with her own issues. Larson gives viewers a preview of what she’s going to do in the next few years (aka win an OSCAR!!) and the movie asks a lot of great questions while staying focused on wonderful characters and young actors who later become really really famous.
Tom’s Pitch for Short Term 12: This is one of those movies where you’re like “wait, all THOSE people were in the same movie before they were famous?” Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek, Lakeith Stanfield, and Stephanie Beatriz, among others, star in this indie drama about a group home for teenagers. It’s also written and directed by a burgeoning star: Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed Just Mercy and the upcoming Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. With this much young talent on board, it’s no wonder that this movie is so human and so beautiful.
Erin’s Choice: Watch Short Term 12, you cowards! This wasn’t a difficult choice for me either, so don’t give me “Ohhh Logan got 550% of the vote.” Short Term 12 is GREAT.
Tom’s Choice: Ask Erin, this was the hardest choice of this region for me. I can’t believe that one of these movies has to go. You guys probably aren’t gonna like this, but I’m picking Short Term 12. Logan does amazing things with the superhero genre that put it in the top tier for me, but if you just want to feel things, please take 96 minutes of your time and watch Short Term 12 (it’s on Prime Video).
The People: Logan - 19 (76.0%), Short Term 12 - 6 (24%). Unfortunately, Logan takes the mantle from Inception as the biggest popular vote winner to fall here in the first round.
WINNER: SHORT TERM 12 (2013)
That’s it so far! Keep an eye on Instagram for the next region’s matchups! For now, we’ll leave you with the state of the AMC Hamilton 24 Memorial region as it stands:
