The last couple of months have been filled with plenty of Best of the Decade lists. We’ve released quite a few of our own, actually. But no list that we’ve previously come across can really be described as similar to the Best Films of the Decade list released by writer Armond White of National Review.
Now, that isn’t to say that White is necessarily wrong to have the opinions he has (everyone is entitled to love/hate movies, no matter what critical consensus exists), but there’s something almost angry about the picks he makes for his Best of the 2010s list that it’s worth mentioning a few of the controversial entries. And trust me, there are some picks that will leave many film fans scratching their heads.
READ MORE: Paul Schrader Chooses His Own ‘First Reformed’ As The Best Film Of The Past Decade
Of the 20 films chosen, it’s worth mentioning that not one, but two Zack Snyder DC superhero films made the cut — “Man of Steel” and “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.” The reasons for choosing those films? Well, in the case of “Man of Steel,” White writes that the film is “the decade’s most daring and unparalleled expression of our moral and aesthetic needs.” That’s sure to make the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut faithful proud.
Another rather shocking choice is Michael Bay’s 2013 film, “Pain and Gain,” starring Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg. Many would agree that the film is likely one of the better Bay films of the last decade (especially when you consider most of what he did featured massive fighting robots), but White goes so far as to call “Pain and Gain” a “masterpiece.”
The rest of the list is worthy of perusal, as you likely won’t find another critic who would put S. Craig Zahler’s “Dragged Across Concrete” right next to Steven Spielberg’s “The Adventures of Tintin.” Even if you don’t agree with the political undertones to each pick (and many won’t), White has put together a Best of the Decade list unlike any other that we’ve come across so far.
