The 10 Best Film Winners of the Last Decade Ranked According to Letterboxd

How do the Academy's selections for the film of the year compare to each other?

Oscar season is right around the corner, which means fans everywhere are debating why their favorite films deserve all the awards. With ten films now eligible for Best Picture, the race for the Oscar's top honor has never been fiercer. While there's always a frontrunner who regularly takes home the award, sometimes the academy throws a curveball in the mix, picking a film from left field.

While the next few years will determine whether the Academy made the right choice, as evidenced by the winner's overall impact on popular culture, a look back at the past ten honorees reveals some worthy champions. There will always be those who claim that other films should take their place, but most of the best picture winners of the past decade are still popular films that are just as well received today, if not more so.

10 'Argo' (2012)

Letterboxd: 3.6

Directed by Ben Affleck, Argo also sees the former Batman do double duty as leading man Tony Mendes. A CIA agent, Mendes went undercover as a film producer to conduct a hostage rescue in Iran. Hire a real camera crew for the production A sci-fi movie where the crew travels to Tehran for a fake production and a real rescue.

Based on true events that occurred in 1979, Argo is not entirely committed to historical accuracy as it weaves an interesting story. Affleck directs a slew of industry pros, including Alan Arkin, John Goodman, and Bryan Cranston, in this delightful thriller that showcases his enormous prowess behind the camera talent.

9 'Green Book' (2018)

Letterboxd: 3.7

Set in 1960s America, Green Bookstars Viggo Mortensen stars as Tony Lip, an Italian-American family man who works as a bodyguard. He is contacted by African-American pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), and Tony is hired to escort the musician across the racist South, serving as both his driver and bodyguard.

A controversial winner, with some taking issue with what they see as a superficial treatment of racism, especially compared to fellow nominee BlacKkKlansman. There's no denying the stellar performances of Mortensen and Ali, the latter of whom won his second Academy Award for his understated performance in Shirley.

8 'The Shape of Water' (2018)

Letterboxd: 3.7

Deaf Eliza (Sally Hawkins) leads a lonely life as a cleaner at a government research facility. When she discovers an amphibian being held in a secret lab, she Begins to feel a connection to his captor and hatches a plan to free him from those who wish to experiment on him.

One of Guillermo del Toro's best films, The Shape of Water embraces his signature approach to genre storytelling while still presenting a captivating love story. The blossoming romance between Eliza and the amphibians is sweet, and the film proves to be a popular winner for being a refreshing choice for the Academy. ^Letterboxd: 3.8 ^Fern (Frances McDormand) loses her long-term job after the company she works for closes down, decides to sell all her belongings and travels around America in a van. Throughout her journey, she meets various people who lead a nomadic lifestyle, and each of them teaches her new skills she learns along the way.

7 'Nomadland' (2020)

Nomadland was released to critical acclaim, becoming one of IMDB's highest-rated films of 2020. In addition to Best Picture, McDormand won her third Best Actress Academy Award for her performance, while Chloé Zhao won Best Director, becoming the second female filmmaker to win an Academy Award for Best Actress this way.

Watch on Hulu

Letterboxd: 3.9

Remake of the French-Belgian film La Famille Belier, CODA revolves around The Rossi family is deaf except for their teenage daughter Ruby (Emilia Jones). With the family's fishing business on the verge of collapse, Ruby helps out every day, while finding a new passion for singing by joining the local choir club.

6 'CODA' (2021)

While CODA received positive reviews upon release, many considered it a safe choice for Academy Best Picture, as the film itself could have taken more risks in its portrayal of the deaf community. Regardless, it's still a feel-good story about family that will make most viewers smile when it wraps up its wholesome story.

Watch on Apple TV

Letterboxd: 3.9

Michael Keaton's comeback, Birdman sees popular actor Riggan Thomson The faded actor known for the superhero "Birdman." Trying to regain his former popularity, Reagan attempted to direct and star in Broadway plays while his relationships with those around him frayed.

5 'Birdman' (2014)

It is easy to see the parallels between Keaton and his past performances as Batman in the Birdman story, which follows an actor still shaped by their superhero alter ego. it enabled keaton to deliver one of his best performances his career, and the film itself is a masterpiece of writing and directing.

Letterboxd: 4.0

Spotlight is an original story based on the work of the Boston Globe's "Spotlight" team, which exposed cases of rampant sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests. Despite its blunt subject matter, the film is riveting thanks to its cast's attempts to bring justice to the victims of these heinous crimes.

4 'Spotlight' (2015)

Critics praised the film for its honest and careful handling of the real-life story, earning it a Best Picture award. Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams were nominated for performances in the Supporting Actor category, and the talented cast also includes Michael Keaton and Liev Schreiber.

Watch it on HBO Max

Letterboxd: 4.1

Based on the harrowing true story, 12 Years a Slave follows Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free African American living in Washington, D.C. in 1841. After he is kidnapped and sold into slavery, Northup is forced to endure 12 years of hell as he works for a cruel plantation owner and experiences the worst of humanity.

3 '12 Years a Slave' (2013)

A powerful true story, 12 Years a Slave demonstrates the power of humanity Spirit, as Northup refuses to give up despite his desperate situation. Ejiofor's incredible performance as Northup earned him an acting nomination, while the movie itself won Lupita Nyong'o Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress.

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Letterboxd: 4.2

Centered on Chiron's life, Moonlight examines the young man through three important stages of his life: childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. As he grows older, Chiron struggles to accept his identity and sexuality, reflecting on those who have helped him as he tries to find his place in the world.

2 'Moonlight' (2016)

One of the most notable films of the 2010s, Moonlight was a surprise Best Picture winner, but it was also a hit. Its LGBTQ focus, especially through the lens of African-American youth, made it a seminal choice for the top honors, not least because it overcame Hollywood's glitzy love story, La La Land, in shocking fashion.

Watch it on Showtime

Letterboxd: 4.6

The global sensation "Parasite" took the world by word of mouth and social media. The film tells the story of the Kim family's struggle to escape poverty. when their son got a job Mentoring the daughter of the wealthy Park family, the Kim family sees an opportunity to fit into the Park family's life and use them to make money.

1 'Parasite' (2019)

As the first non-English film to win Best Picture, Parasite was well received by Academy voters. The film is a masterpiece of filmmaking and won Bong an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and Best Director. It is also one of the highest rated movies of all time on Letterboxd.

Watch it on Hulu

Read on: 10 Best Picture Oscar-worthy Movies of 2022