Top 40 Films of the 2010's (Revised List)

(An A++ is given to elements of a film that are particularly exceptional; doesn't necessarily make thembetter than films with A+'s, just that those elements of the film are what particularly resonate with me as what makes them excellent films. Also you'll notice there are a few films which don't have any A++'s. Those are what I like to call 'sweet spot' films; not necessarily the most top-notch in terms of quality but which carry some sort of impact beyond definition of 'aspects' of a film)

(P..S.: Sorry for the messed up colour scheme. Blogspot is going all haywire on me today. None of them really matter, they were just to indicate which the A++'s were but unfortunately  it decided it would extend this colour courtesy at random to other ratings too.)

1. Inside Llewyn Davis 

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A+
Costume/Production Design: A++
Soundtrack: A++

2. Beasts of the Southern Wild

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): B
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A+
Costume/Production Design: A+
Soundtrack: A++

3. Carol

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): B
Screenplay: A-
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A+
Costume/Production Design: A++
Soundtrack: A++

4. Mad Max: Fury Road

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A++ (though Hoult's great performance nearly pushes it to two ++'s)
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: A++
Soundtrack: A++

5. Brooklyn

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): A
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A+
Costume/Production Design: A+
Soundtrack: A+

6. Creed

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): B+
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: A+
Soundtrack: A+

7. The Hateful Eight

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A+ (VERY close to two ++'s)
Acting (ensemble): A++ (I'll turn a blind eye to some of the iffy minor parts since the main 8 are just pitch-perfect, in fact if I just took them into account I would not hesitate in calling it the greatest film ensemble in recent film history)
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A+
Costume/Production Design: A++
Soundtrack: A++

8. Whiplash

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): B
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: B+
Soundtrack: A++

9. The Artist

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: A
Editing: A+
Costume/Production Design: A
Soundtrack: A

10. True Grit

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A-
Acting (ensemble): A+
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A+
Costume/Production Design: A++
Soundtrack: A+

11. Birdman

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: A+
Soundtrack: A+

12. The Martian

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: A
Soundtrack: A+

13. Guardians of the Galaxy

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): B+
Acting (ensemble): A+
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A+
Costume/Production Design: A++
Soundtrack: A++

14. Scott Pilgrim v.s. the World

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): B+
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: A+
Soundtrack: A++

15. The Wolf of Wall Street

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): A-
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: A
Soundtrack: A+

16. Captain America: Civil War

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: A+
Soundtrack: A

17. Midnight in Paris

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A
Acting (ensemble): A
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A-
Costume/Production Design: A++
Soundtrack: A

18. The Drop

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A
Editing: A
Costume/Production Design: B+
Soundtrack: B+

19. The End of the Tour

Direction: A
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): N/A
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: B+
Editing: B
Costume/Production Design: B
Soundtrack: A-

20. The Social Network

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A+
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A-
Editing: A
Costume/Production Design: B+
Soundtrack: A+

21. Mississippi Grind

Direction: A-
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A+
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: B+
Editing: A
Costume/Production Design: B
Soundtrack: A

22. The Adjustment Bureau

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A+
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: A
Editing: A
Costume/Production Design: A+
Soundtrack: A+

23. Seven Psychopaths

Direction: A-
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: B+
Editing: B
Costume/Production Design: B
Soundtrack: B

24. Gravity

Direction: A++
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): B+
Screenplay: A
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A+
Costume/Production Design: A-
Soundtrack: A

25. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Direction: A-
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): B+
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: A
Editing: A
Costume/Production Design: A

Soundtrack: A

26. Cloud Atlas

Direction: A
Acting (individual): B+
Acting (ensemble): A
Screenplay: A-
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A
Costume/Production Design: A++
Soundtrack: A++

27. Ex Machina

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A
Editing: A
Costume/Production Design: A++
Soundtrack: A-


28. Sicario

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): B+
Screenplay: A
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A
Costume/Production Design: A
Soundtrack: A


29. Drive

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A+
Screenplay: B+
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: A+
Soundtrack: A++

30. Lincoln

Direction: A
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): A
Screenplay: A
Cinematography: A
Editing: B+
Costume/Production Design: A++
Soundtrack: A-

31. The Intouchables

Direction: A-
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): B+
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: A
Editing: A-
Costume/Production Design: B
Soundtrack: A++

32. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A
Acting (ensemble): A
Screenplay: A
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: A-
Soundtrack: B+

33. Inception

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): A
Screenplay: A
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A+
Costume/Production Design: A++

Soundtrack: A

34. Mr Holmes

Direction: A-
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): B
Screenplay: A++
Cinematography: A-
Editing: B+
Costume/Production Design: A+
Soundtrack: A


35 Captain Philips

Direction: B+
Acting (individual): A++
Acting (ensemble): A-
Screenplay: A
Cinematography: B-
Editing: A-
Costume/Production Design: B
Soundtrack: A

36. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A-
Acting (ensemble): B
Screenplay: B
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A++
Costume/Production Design: A-
Soundtrack: B+

37. The Imitation Game

Direction: A-
Acting (individual): A
Acting (ensemble): A
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: B
Editing: B+
Costume/Production Design: C

Soundtrack: A+

38. Inherent Vice (I need a re-watch but this should probably be higher)

Direction: A+
Acting (individual): A-
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: A
Editing: A
Costume/Production Design: A

Soundtrack: A

39. Edge of Tomorrow

Direction: A-
Acting (individual): B+
Acting (ensemble): B+
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: A++
Editing: A-
Costume/Production Design: A

Soundtrack: B+

40. Django Unchained

Direction: A-
Acting (individual): A
Acting (ensemble): A++
Screenplay: A-
Cinematography: A+
Editing: B-
Costume/Production Design: A+

Soundtrack: A++

Hon. Mention: Bridge of Spies

Direction: A
Acting (individual): A+
Acting (ensemble): B+
Screenplay: A+
Cinematography: A
Editing: A-
Costume/Production Design: A
Soundtrack: A-