A Century of Progress: Vol. 2 (2010-14)

In our run-up to listing our favorite films released in 2019 (and, separately, the best of the past decade), we are looking back on our previous best-of lists. Today, we pick out some highlights from the best-of lists 2010-14. Click the year headers for links to full lists and analysis.

2010
You don't get much more dark and compelling than the Euro-trio of "A Prophet," "Fish Tank" and "I Am Love." And then there were moody adult males like "Greenberg" and the detached father in Sofia Coppola's "Somewhere." Other women had a strong year: "Winter's Bone," "Tiny Furniture," "White Material," "Please Give." The Duplass brothers came of age with "Cyrus"; Philip Seymour Hoffman directed a film, "Jack Goes Boating"; and the "Catfish" craze began.

2011
"A Separation" is still the gold standard for Asghar Farhadi films. And we still could watch Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan in the wrestling movie "Win Win" over and over. More strong female stories emerged: "Martha Mary May Marlene," "Pariah," "Meek's Cutoff," "We Need to Talk About Kevin," "Higher Ground." Michael Winterbottom started his "The Trip" series.

2012
Three foreign films topped the list, followed by Denzel Washington's tour de force in "Flight," and even the trashy "Magic Mike," a total hoot, made the Top 15. Films that still resonate, years later, include "Oslo, August 31st" and "Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present." I probably should have given more credit to Bela Tarr's "The Turin Horse" and Alex Ross Perry's "The Color Wheel." And, in retrospect, "The House I Live In" could have found a spot on the big list. (We re-viewed it a year later.)

2013
Noah Baumbach again reached the top spot, this time with "Frances Ha" starring Greta Gerwig. "Nebraska" and "Enough Said" offered funny slices of Americana. The movie that haunts me the most to this day is "The Broken Circle Breakdown," and the one I can watch over and over is "Short Term 12." Documentaries were uplifting and heartbreaking: "20 Feet From Stardom" and "AKA Doc Pomus."

2014
I was on team "Birdman" (despite the detractors) and team "Foxcatcher." You can keep "Boyhood." Quirky comedies made the list: "Grand Budapest Hotel," "Listen Up Philip," "Skeleton Twins," "Top Five." The movie I can go back and watch again and again is "Inherent Vice," and the one that haunts me most is "I Am Ali." Check out the original foreign versions of "Gloria" (later "Gloria Bell") and "Force Majeure" (the upcoming "Downhill"). And, OMG, "Wetlands."