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We are a little over 25% done with this decade! That’s a lot of movies! Oh lordy is that a lot of movies! If you were like me, narrowing down all the movies you saw into one list took more than a fair share of brain power when it came time to write up thine lists at the end of 2009. The following series will, at least for me, and maybe for you, help to alleviate that for when 2019 bows out. It’s good to do something like this! Every week, I’ll erase some of the red from that image up there, revealing the next in my list of the ten best films I’ve seen since 2010 began. These are not reviews! I’ve written those already. These are quick analyzations of why I think these films deserve to be on this list over the countless others that could have been on it! I fully expect you to denounce half the stuff I put up here! That’s what I want! Come with me! 

Also, cookies if you can guess what’s coming next. If you know me at all, it shouldn’t be too hard! 

Last week was music. This week… something else.

This is kind of the obvious, here because it has to be, addition to the list.

I still don’t know what it was about Terrence Malick’s convoluted, daring, breathtaking examination of life, death, faith, and morality, all wrapped around a film of startling imagery and gorgeous sounds. Ask me what it’s about even today, and I still wouldn’t be able to tell you about it.

And that’s partially why I love it so. It’s a film I could watch on endless repeat and have a different experience each time. One time, I get suckered into Jack O’Brien’s feud with his father. The next time, I get wrapped up in the greater metaphors pertaining to religion, decency, and family that the movie presents.

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Or, I just sit back and trip out with the visuals. Better than any drug, I can tell you!

I mean, look back, and consider just how big a deal this film was. For starters, it basically introduced the world to the angelic, beautiful godchild that is Jessica Chastain, who is now… oh, that’s right. Every movie EVER!!! And then it provided Brad Pitt a much more sombre, contemplative role than he had really gotten before. Hunter McCkracken was a revelation of a child actor who hasn’t done enough (read: anything) since then.

It’s a deep, melancholy, masterpiece that provokes conversation about its themes and ideas more than probably any other film on this list. And while it was certainly divisive, it is one that people generally acknowledge the craft of. At the very least, it will be remembered years down the line. Worthy of getting on this list.