Best Directors of the 2010s – Top 10

Today we recognize the people behind the camera, our picks for the top 10 Directors of the decade!

It’s almost unbelievable how every year we get some of the most groundbreaking and impressive works to date. Just when we think we reached peak cinema, there is a genius mastermind ready to blow our minds with another amazing film.

Best Actors of the Decade (2010’s)

Best Actresses of the Decade (2010’s)

Although they may not be as recognizable on the streets as your A-list actors and actresses, there is no doubt that we movie lovers own countless hours of entertainment to these filmmakers, so let’s begin.

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1. Denis Villeneuve

He definitely had a decade to remember. He directed 8 films, including 2 shorts, and each of them received positive feedback from fans and critics alike.

His most notable films of the decade were:

– Arrival (2016): A SciFi centered around a linguist, the military, and some alien life force, where he explores the meaning of language, time, and how big and small conflict can arise or be solved by mastering these elements.

– Prisoners (2013): A thriller surrounding Detective Loki, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, while he searches for the missing daughter of a man played by Hugh Jackman. Prisoners is immersive & edge putting. It was nominated for 1 Oscar.

– Blade Runner 2049 (2017): The sequel from the 80s original film starring Henry Ford, now follows K, Ryan Gosling’s character as he journey’s to find a Missing Rick Deckard. The movie was a total technical achievement, winning 2 Oscars out of 5.

• Sicario (2015)
• Enemy (2013)
• Rated R for Nudity (2012) Short
• Etude empirique sur l’influence du son sur la persistance rétinienne (2011)
• Incendies (2010)

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2. Damien Chazelle

Our next favorite director took us by surprise this decade. With his 3 first feature films, he gave us some of the most visually and musically immersive experiences and became one of the trendiest directors quickly.

The use of both cinematography and music to convey theme make his movies all the more stunning and heartbreaking. We expect to be seeing more of him very soon. His movies for the decade were:

• Whiplash (2014)
• La La Land (2016)
• First Man (2018)

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3. Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan may have made some of his most beloved films in the previous decade, but he came in the 2010’s real strong. Not many directors are able to sell a movie just by attaching their name to it, but Nolan definitely can.

Whenever he is releasing a new movie, his name is one of the first things to pop in the trailer and you know it is going to be a massive hit. He always finds a way to subvert the audiences expectations in the most subtle and surprising of ways, making stories that are mind-blowing and specially thought provoking, and with a new film coming out this year, we expect nothing less from the acclaimed director.

His work of the decade includes:

• Inception (2010)
• The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
• Interstellar (2014)
• Dunkirk (2017)

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4. David Fincher

The Psychological Thriller & Plot Twist master made some remarkable feats on film during the 2010s. He remained in the thriller genre with Gone Girl and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but he also did a drama written by the great Aaron Sorkin, based on Mark Zuckerberg, The Social Network.

He also pivoted at the end of the decade to TV, exploring the minds of real serial killers and direct 7 episodes of the Mindhunter series, and remaining true to his style.

Films & TV during the 2010s:

• Social Network (2010)
• The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)
• House of Cards (2012) 1st & 2nd episodes
• Gone Girl (2014)
• Mindhunter (2017 – 2019) 7 episodes

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5. Alfonso Cuaron

Alfonso didn’t pack himself with a ton of movies on the decade. He simply made two, but what two pieces of film he delivered. These two films, Gravity & Roma, granted him each an Oscar for Achievement in Directing, and a nomination for Best Picture (Also won Cinematography for Roma, and Editing for Gravity).

Cuaron is becoming one of the most influential Mexican directors of all time, and is pushing in for becoming one of the very best against Hollywood’s all time heavyweights. His careful focus on long takes, choreography, and scenery makes for a one-of-a-kind experience that have mesmerized audiences for years.

His work during the 2010s:

• Roma (2018)
• Believe (2014) TV Pilot
• Gravity (2013)

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6. Alejandro González Iñarritu

Alejandro Iñárritu, as Cuarón, made two very influential films in the decade that were not only a solid piece of work, but two technical masterpieces, each with a unique premise and technical feat.

First came Birdman, a movie that was filmed in such a way that it appears to be filmed in one shot; and then came The Revenant, a movie filmed in completely unique & fierce conditions, for example, it used only natural light as its cinematographic tool, and made DiCaprio and his costars endure harsh environments for the sake of realism (and winning him his first acting Oscar of course).

Iñárritu also focused on short films, making 5 of them in the lapse of the decade.

His films and TV during the decade:

• Nike: Air Moves You (2018) (Short)
• Carne y Arena (2017) (Short)
• The Revenant (2015)
• Birdman (2014)
• Naran Ja (2012) (Short)
• Behind Biutiful: Director’s Flip Notes (2011) (Short)
• Write The Future (2010) (Short)

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7. Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo Del Toro is perhaps the father of some of the most creative and amazing monsters seen on film. You can definitely feel his touch in every one of his projects even if he is not working as director.

He has numerous credits for writing and producing, proving the wide versatility of the Mexican artist. His film “The shape of water” got him his first 2 Academy Awards, however he has gotten several other awards and nominations for his other works. Although he didn’t direct much movies this decade, he certainly is nowhere near retiring as he is already working in new projects.

His directing work this decade includes:

• Pacific Rim (2013)
• Crimson Peak (2015)
• The Shape of Water (2017)

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8. Greta Gerwig

Firstly known for her acting jobs, Greta Gerwig decided to retake her writer and director career with her movie Lady Bird, after she did Nights and Weekends on 2018. And, oh god, What a good decision this was for her, Hollywood and for us film enthusiasts.

She may be young, and have just directed and written a couple of movies, but she actually has proven herself as a better choice for the job than many experienced others that have been there for years & decades.

Her movies embody what filmmaking is all about, transmitting emotion to the viewer; making him feel something and ride along with the story. If she would’ve had started earlier on the decade with more directing jobs she definitely would’ve been ranked higher. She is one of the rising talents to watch during the 2020s, and has great odds of becoming one of the very best of that decade.

Her work during the 2010s:

• Lady Bird (2018)
• Little Women (2019)

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9. Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson may not make the most popular or blockbuster movies, but he definitely knows his craft. It’s like somehow you can feel the state of mind his characters display.

The performances he gets out of his actors are something truly remarkable (shoutout to Daniel Day Lewis). As long as we have filmmakers like Anderson, you can be sure we will have passion projects for audiences that crave intimate and personal films.

His projects in the decade include:

• The Master (2012)
• Inherent Vice (2014)
• Junun (Documentary, 2015)
• Phantom Thread (2017)
• Anima (Short, 2019)

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10. James Mangold

Directing four films and two pilots during the decade, James Mangold lands a spot on this list for his job for Logan & Ford v Ferrari.

Firstly, for his work in Logan, he decided to risk his chance with a popular superhero, and make an R rated Post Western that is more about the character and his relationships, than a superhero that is larger than life. This risk proved to be a success, landing him critical acclaim, an Oscar, and general praise. The comic book based facade was perhaps what limited this film for more nominations, like Best Picture, Directing, Actor, & most importantly Best Supporting Actor for Patrick Stewart, who gave one of the most emotional and heartwarming performances of his life.

Second, with Ford v Ferrari, he transformed the true story behind Miles & Shelby into a beautifully shot & acted piece of thrilling drama, that compelled even those who are not keen towards cars or races.

His directing jobs of the 2010s:

• Knight & Day (2010)
• The Wolverine (2012)
• Logan (2017)
• Ford v Ferrari (2019)