The Big Other Stuff in the 2010s Discussion Thread (Best of *Next* Decade currently being discussed)

2010:

-The Social Network
-Inception
-Scott Pilgrim vs the World
-How to Train your Dragon
-Tangled

2011
-X-Men First Class - will say that on a rewatch this didn't exactly blow me away and I find Days of Future Past to be much superior, but it's still great
-Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocols - aside from II which I didn't like, these films are way better than they have any right to be (not seen the ones past this but heard they are good also)

Honourable mentions: Source Code, Super 8

2012

Honourable mentions: Skyfall (best Home Alone film), Looper, Hunger Games

2013:

-Wolf of Wall Street

Honourable mentions: Hunger Games 2, Thor: Dark World (I'm really in the minority on this one, but this was the Thor film I enjoyed the most in the trilogy)

2014:

-Lego Movie
-X-Men Days of Future Past
-How to Train Your Dragon 2

2015:

-Star Wars: The Force Awakens
-The Hateful Eight

2016:

-Your Name

2017:

-Blade Runner 2049 (probably the film of the decade)
-Baby Driver
-Logan
-Star Wars: The Last Jedi

2018:

-Spider-Man: Into the Universe (best Spider-Man film!)

Honourable mention: Venom (my favourite bad film)

2019:

-Avengers: Endgame

My Top 10 films (that I've seen so far this decade although I've seen hardly any, to be honest):

1. Silver Linings Playbook
2. 13
3. Inside Out
4. Birdman
5. Get Out
6. Gone Girl
7. The Social Network
8. Tangled
9. Argo
10. The Theory of Everything

Forgot SLP, would be in my great section

While I am very much in the 'any response is a good response' contribution, I must admit: I'd prefer to read why people thought that certain films were their FotD rather than get a great long list. GJones: why is SLP your fave film of the decade? Mas: what are your top three/five/ten/whatever and why? They might make me (or The Lady, we have different film tastes) keen to watch one!

New topic up this weekend if not sooner.

But lists are great

Anyway the first two that come to mind are Scott Pilgrim and Blade Runner 2049 but I'd hazard a guess you've seen both.

...maaaaaaaybe. I must be honest, I loved SP at the time and it was one of my favourite films ever, but looking back it had some problems. Why do you still love it Mas?

I preferred BR to BR2049 and therefore presume I am a lost cause there (who doesn't fancy Ryan Gosling (but still wants him to star in Untitled Goose Game: The Film because he was good in Detective Pikachu and puns are great)).

You know it's Ryan Reynolds in Detective Pikachu not Gosling even if his name's funny.

Well on Scott, it's still the best video game movie and awesome soundtrack which I do own. It is hard to say which better the books or film though.

The books are considerably better than the film. Film Scott is an asshole who doesn't really grow as a character or deserve his happy ending.

Film of the decade was, of course, A Town Called Panic.

I would genuinely watch the rest of that. Speaking of genuine things:

masofdas wrote:

You know it's Ryan Reynolds in Detective Pikachu not Gosling even if his name's funny.

...I genuinely got the two mixed up. I think part of my problem is, as Drunka touched on, I went on to read the comics. They're better, they give Scott and actual arc, and they make movie!Scott seem like a bit of an arse given the way he treats his girlfriend(s).

I used to be much more into cinema in the first half of this decade compared to the latter half, but here goes!

On a total sidenote, going through the list of movie releases on Wikipedia by year had me remembering trips to the cinema across the decade and reliving some fun memories, so that was neat.

2010

The Social Network - Snappy dialogue, great soundtrack and it's incredibly satisfying seeing how Zuckerberg has his downfall across the course of this movie. I know it's nearly all dramatised, but it's still a great watch.

Scott Pilgrim vs The World - I love this movie. Visually stunning, great soundtrack (again) and cemented why Edgar Wright is my favourite director. The humour landed me with me at the time and I've enjoyed rewatching it to see that the jokes still land along with spotting little visual jokes that Edgar Wright does so well. Oh, and it was also fun going back and realising that Scott was a prick, although I do think the books do a better job of highlighting that.

2011

No big standouts this year. Drive was "cool", but I've no memories of what actually happened in that film beyond remembering that the soundtrack was great. I feel like a broken record here.

2012

The Avengers - Made it apparent that this Marvel thing was actually going to work really well. Whedon's dialogue was ace and it took Thanos to rival Loki's brilliance as a villain. It seems so small scale in comparison to what came after, but the film deserves props for making a team up movie work well.

Skyfall - Still my favourite Bond film. Some of the cinematography in this was just beautiful and it felt like the first Bond movie in ages with genuine stakes and tension.

2013

The Wolf of Wall Street - I think DiCaprio is my favourite actor. He nails pretty much every film he's in. I'm surprised he didn't take home the Oscar for this one, actually. Again, I love seeing a good downfall in a movie and this one is a peach.

2014

Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Not just a great superhero movie, but a fantastic action movie with some brilliant set pieces. The elevator fight is incredible.

Guardians of the Galaxy - And this was where Marvel proved they were invincible. A relatively unknown property and it smashes it out of the park with a heartwarming cast, (say it with me) a great soundtrack and ultimately, proof that Marvel's here to stay.

Birdman - One of the most intense cinema experiences of my life. I know the "huhuh didja know there's NO CUTS" talking point is played out and actually false, but the way they hid any cuts in the movie made for a wild ride. The first noticeable cut in the movie is such a masterfully down bit of cinema. This might be my movie of the decade, actually.

Interstellar - Some great sci-fi concepts in this and it's grounded by a cracking performance from McConaughey. That bit where he's sitting in the chair watching Murph grow up is heartbreaking.

2015

The Martian - A good couple of years for sci-fi! This film lives and breaths on Matt Damon's performance, which took me a while to buy into due to the fact I had to disassociate him from his turn as the WORST CUNT in all of cinema in his role in Interstellar. I genuinely left my screening of Interstellar seething at how much of a slimy prick he was in that film.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Yes, yes, I know it's a retread of the original trilogy but I genuinely couldn't care less. This film felt like an event. There were queues to get into the screenings. I loved seeing Star Wars again on the big screen and I'm still excited for IX even after my relative disappointment at VIII.

The Hateful Eight - Tarantino's bottle episode film. Love this one - it feels like watching a play considering the small set that the majority of the film takes place in. There's some great twists and turns and the usual Tarantino grittiness you'd come to expect from his films.

2016

Captain America: Civil War - Might just be my favourite Marvel movie. The airport battle was a hoot and seeing Spidey in the fold was brilliant. And then the Cap/Tony stuff was brilliantly and heartwrenchingly done. Top stuff.

2017

Get Out - Awesome movie. The ever increasing sense of dread you feel for the guy in this film makes it one of the finest thrillers I've seen.

Logan - Press F for yer boy Logan.

Baby Driver - After a blip with The World's End and the unfortunate mess of his involvement with Marvel, Edgar Wright was back with a bang. The way music is used in this film is brilliantly done and I just love Edgar Wright's editing style. His films are a genuine treat to watch.

It - I'm not usually one for horror movies, but this was excellent. I think how it blended an 80s adventure movie with horror made it bearable. Bill Skarsgard's Pennywise is terrifying, though.

Thor: Ragnarok - Ah no, this is my favourite Marvel movie. Hilarious even on repeated viewings and breathed some much needed life into Thor.

2018

Avengers: Infinity War - I spoke about VII feeling like an event and this along with Endgame are the only movies to come close. A spectacle and one I'm glad to have been there to see.

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse - A visual treat. I adore the animation in this and I'm so glad we're getting a sequel.

2019

I've only really seen Endgame this year, so I guess that'll have to be that.

I've learned that I've only really seen superhero movies in the latter half of this decade.

Scott is a dick, same goes for another favourite of mine from late last decade (500) Days of Summer, when you rewatch that then John (think he's called John) is a dick but still great films.

I do think I watch way less film's now and know I'd like stuff as Shape of Water, Quiet Place etc but not stuff I go to cinema with mates and at home sooner play games which now also have such great stories, acting etc

The best US TV Shows have been Community, Brooklyn 99 & Parks & Rec
The best UK shows have been The Apprentice, Richard Osman’s House of Games & Taskmaster

Films are more difficult, but big shout outs to Frozen & Thor Ragnarok (Though anything from Marvel, Disney Animation & Pixar have been absolute bangers)

Holy crap I'm not alone anymore?  Another person has watched Person of Interest!?  Best Show of All Time?  

Top six shows, and I'm afraid being the filthy weeb that I am (and there not really being many live-action shows that both captured my imagination and managed to maintain good quality to their end) this is more going to be anime than western shows.  

6: Fate Zero

Not the best show to dive into the Fate franchise probably, but it was a great ride.  Gilgamesh KING OF MONGRELS was a perfect Magnificent Bastard of a villain.  Also the action was just bloody amazing.  Best fight in anime?  Definitely up there.  In a series where a bunch of heroic figures from myth fight in a battle royal to the death who'd think two human assassins duking it out would be the best fight.  So much to love about the fight too.  From the choreography that knows when to be explosive and when to be minimalist to the fact the only dialogue is the two running through their options to find the best way to kill the other (not a single exchange of dialogue), just plain awesome.  

5: Kill La Kill

Old-school animation style with over-the-top ridiculous stupidity.  The sort of show that could only be done as anime.  

4: Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions (season 1)

First off #PrayforKyoAni.

This one's a different affair from what typically makes my top lists. A comedy-drama with a dash of romance. Former-sufferer of eighth grade syndrome Yuuta joins a new school hoping to avoid the embarrassment of his days where he'd dress up and act like a complete fool in public. Unfortunately for him one of his classmates and new neighbour Rikka is even worse than he was and he quickly gets roped into her nonesense. Much adorkable comedic hijinks are had for the first five episodes. Then the drama creeps in for the rest of the twelve-episode season for some serious punches to the gut.

If I were to sum this twelve-episode series up summarily it would be "depression killer".

3: Psycho-Pass season 1

Minority Report meets detective crime drama.  There's a LOT I love about this one.  The main villain.  The Sybil System and how it blurs the line between utopia and dystopia to terrifying effect (I've had a lot of fun discussing it irl).  Akane and her journey.  

2: Steins;Gate

Nobody that knows me would expect anything else.  Will time travel stories ever get better than this?  I say no.  

1: Person of Interest

God I love this series.  Started off a crime drama of the week affair using a slight minority report backdrop, all while slowly seeding the ground with the threads of thinking AI and what it can do when combined with perfect surveillance technology (the scary part is how the s*** that went on in this show is actually happening in parts of the world now).  It's not perfect by any means, and it fumbled the ball a couple of times, but overall top tier.  The season set releases for 3 4 and 5 were events of the year.  

MOVIES

This one's tougher.  Like TV shows there was plenty of promise that got thrown out the window before the end, and plenty of franchise-assassination.  I honestly don't have a top five, only three films will go into the same garden that gems like T2 reside in this decade.  But hooboy do two of those films deserve it!

3: X-Men Days of Future Past

I guess this was basically the X-Men's "Endgame".  Not perfect by any means, but one of the better flicks from the franchise and, to be honest one of the more fun Marvel movies.

2: Logan

One of the films that stood up and said "hey, we can do more with superheroes than generic stories that rely almost entirely on CGI to keep people entertained!"  A few issues don't even begin to hamper this dramatic story.  Visceral action, poignant drama, and a perfect ending for a franchise.  

1: Spider-Man Into The Spiderverse

It's no secret around here that I LOVE spiderman.  And this is, without question, the best Spiderman film ever made.  Where every previous comicbook film took the "adapt" approach Spiderverse decided to be an actual "comicbook" movie, taking the very essence of that medium and making a film with it.  Add to that that the brains behind it got Spiderman in ways every other cinematic version has failed to understand, throw in godly visuals, and a genuinely fun and heartfelt story that cuts to the core of what people like about the "Heroes Journey" and you've got not just an amazing Spiderman film, not just an amazing comicbook movie, but just a damn good movie.

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As an aside I'm sure some people are probably wondering why I didn't list any MCU films.  Simple.  Endgame soured me on Infinity War a great deal, and the MCU overall to an extent.  

There IS an MCU film that would make it onto this list, unfortunately it came out in 08.  And I will give an honourable mention to the first Guardians of the Galaxy film as well, it falls just short of making the list.  

See that's the biggest problem I have with the MCU overall.  So much of it is extremely competent, but it doesn't really reach the highs that would get something onto a "top whatever" list.  It's by and large comprised of "fun afternoon" flicks.

Blooooooody Hell Moyles. That's a tremendous post. I did enjoy Skyfall (as Kriken says, best Home Alone film), but not enough to make the decade's top I think!

And yes Athrun! PoI is pretty much everything Athers says and the rest of you should go out and watch it. I think it's free on Amazon Prime... There is a fair amount of the 'yep this is real, fuuuuuuu-' to it though. I'll throw a bone Mandy-Ann's way as well, because Brooklyn has grown on me a whole bunch - grown with the characters, you might say!

Agreed with Athers on the general performance of the Marvel films too, incidentally: many good, some very good, none great.


Let's move along here (although again, everything above is fair game for discussion): what's the place you visited this decade that you have the fondest memories of? I'm primarily thinking of countries, cities, islands, buildings etc., but if you want to do an event that's fine too. I know Drunka might start off with Japan, but I'd be keen to know where in Japan has those good memories for him.

For me, it's probably Madagascar. I did a month of 'posh white kid volunteer work' in 2010, and although it was probably of debatable benefit to the locals knowing what I know now, I had a good time and it made me grow up a fair bit, quickly. Also there were nice beaches and wild lemurs and good food, and I only got a sand flea egg sac in the sole of my foot once! (A guide got it out with a thorn.)

I feel we've had this talk somewhere else but really can't think of much as I've not been out of the UK and then it's London for EGX, Birmingham for EGX, Manchester for meet up, Cardiff for Welsh Game Awards/BAFTAs and Sheffield for Wrestling but really part from the few hours we had in Manchester and Cardiff I had.

EGX could have been next door, really didn't see London.

I do hope after Xmas to sort my passport and try to sort out going Germany for Gamescom which unlike EGX, I'll go for like a week that I'll see the cathedral etc

Kyoto
Kyoto is absolutely gorgeous. Temples, mountains, architecture, so much history, wonderful people . . . Every minute I spent in Kyoto was wonderful. Me and Shen plan to eventually live in the Kyoto/ Osaka area. I'd happilly die there.

Nagano
I moved to Nagano entirely for work. I may never have visited this prefecture otherwise - maybe a flying visit in which i stop in at the temple and visit the snow monkeys - but it has turned out to be such a great place to live. I get to fully enjoy all four seasons, theres loads of temples and architecture, im slowly discovering a lot of interesting history and of course this place is just exceptional for mountains.

Hiroshima
A beautiful city with great people and,of course, an incredibly sobering history which is honoured and preserved expertly. This was where the illusion was ultimately broken for me that we were "the good guys", that such a concept even exists in war and politics. It is so important that Brits and Americans visit places like this, or Dresden, or sights in India, aistralia or America which remind us of the atrocoties our lifestyle is buily on.

Akihabara
I like games and that, so this is the best bit of Tokyo.

Gifu
I stayed on a farm for a couple of weeks, mostly cut off from the internet. It was really nice, and i got to properly experience a lot of Japanese life. I also visited some cool places from here.

Exactly what I hoped for from Drunka. Splendid recollections of all over the country. As for Mas, that's why I included events as well as places. Please do tell us about your favourite event trip of the decade! Hopefully your Germany trip works out too boss.


I just realise I've stuffed up my answer and left two stonking trips out, both of which probably beat Madagascar. First was a trip to Borneo in 2014, which was fine on its own - but several days were spent on the properly Oriental equivalent of the Orient Express, which was majorly posh and tremendous fun. The nights were a cacophony of frogs and the days were dining in luxury on what was basically TTYD's Excess Express. Loved it.

The other was a trip with The Lady to the Lake District. What it lacked in exoticism was made up for in fun: lots of good hikes, good food, a champagne cream tea, and walking alpacas. I was going to say that the Orient Express was the best holiday I've ever been on, but my diary has unkindly reminded me that I spent a good portion of it revising for my actuarial exams. So, the Lake District wins out!

I've had some cracking trips. I've been down to the Lake District every year since 2007, but the trip I had back in May 2019 was the absolute best: good hikes and good food too, but it was the drink, the weather and especially the company that made it such a brilliant trip.

My favourite trip abroad was to Finland in 2017. I really liked Helsinki in particular, it had it all and it was really full of life. We took a daytrip to Tallinn in Estonia too, which was one of my favourite ever bevvy sessions. It's also the hottest weather I've ever felt in my life, that was magic. 

My favourite trip in Scotland was when my brother and I went up to Speyside in summer 2015, going around the distilleries and getting absolutely pished.

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

We took a daytrip to Tallinn in Estonia too, which was one of my favourite ever bevvy sessions. It's also the hottest weather I've ever felt in my life, that was magic. 

Tallinn's great - I went there with family ages ago but it was a fantastic city to visit.

Much like Mas, a lot of my trips haven't fallen out of the UK. I had a wee weekend in Brussels visiting a friend which was fun, but it wasn't my first time in the city and it was more to see my friend than anything else.

I enjoyed the GNamer Meetups we've had over the last few years and going to London to see NJPW this year was a brilliant time. But yeah, most of the latter half of this decade was spent pouring my savings into buying my car and house, so big trips away weren't in the picture really. Maybe in the next decade!

All of my travels have been over the last 2 years, so I’m catching up by trying to fit in as many places as I can. In that time I’ve visited:
France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium (albeit this was more passing through than a proper visit unfortunately), Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Poland, Dubai, India and South Africa.

Most of these have been quick visits which suits me as I’m not someone to sit around in 1 city for too long, so it’s been great to jump on a tour, learn a bit of the history, try the local foods and move onto the next. Hoping next year to tackle east/Northern Europe or somewhere in Asia/South America depending on funds.

To answer you Balla the meet up was good, really big shame we didn't do anything this year and I even said if it was sorted properly I would have tempted to come to Scotland for a weekend or week if Jay or Jas was keen for ICW or Celtic game.

EGX was a weird one as I've meet Shuhei Yoshida, Brjánn Sigurgeirsson, Dan Da Rocha, Hollie Bennett and whole host other people in games, played great games, got decent swag but after the first day or two you've seen most of it and last year I went it had no Nintendo or Xbox plus some big crowds at the weekend.

Queued for hours to play Halo, for instance, then I would have been in a queue for Rainbow Six for hours but as I was by myself I jumped the queue as one team only needed one more player.

After being a bit cagey about it this year, I'd be up for doing the meet-up again in 2020. Do something special before Boris Johnson obliterates us all for showing dissent. Was one of them your fave Jay? Not that you or Mas has to choose outright!

Shout out to my fellow Lake District admirer! I'm noticing a theme in Cappa's top trips...

Andy... woof. That is a lot! Surely you don't quite get enough time to feel like you've properly made the most of each one? Which was your favourite, or favourite few?

New topic up over the next few days. This has been a good one.

It's been a week: let's crack on. Have a short one where I don't know if it'll attract much attention but it deserves a go.

What's the best book comic or graphic novel you've read this for the first time decade? Including books written outside the 2010s, but you must have read it for the first time in these ten years. No re-reads!

For me it's so obvious to say that it's one of the later Pratchett novels, even if his writing weakened as the Embuggerance caught up with him; so let's look at a couple of others, with a few words about each:
- Slow Horses by Mick Herron. Had a bit of Pratchettness to it I think, even if my book club didn't agree. A very readable thriller that made me smile as much as it made me tense;
- The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway, a witty clever writer who talks about a post-apocalyptic world where ideas take form. Angelmaker by him is also good, albeit surreal;
- Mogworld by Ben Croshaw. Yes, that one. If you think he's insufferably smug you might not like this: otherwise it's a love letter to gamers with Yahtzee's trademark humour, and perhaps a smidgeon more genuineness than the usual snark;
- Finally, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. The best classic I read this year, about a world where reading is forbidden. Very good. I even liked the ending, grim though it was.

That's probably more like the second half of the decade for me: 2010 was a long time ago! What did you enjoy reading? Who else might like it? Pick out a few of your favourites and let us know! (A few of your favourites, people who'll have a lot to say on this one Athrun. )

Not read much this decade, still not read the book I got you guys recommended. Same with my comics collection, it's built up but more of a collection than anything.

Just been on Amazon which I have read Scott Pilgrim, Lost at Sea, Seconds and Volume 1 of Snotgirl from a quick search. Maybe read some of the Firefly/Serenity stuff as well.