Last decade had a lot of award-winning films on its slate. It is a heavy competition every year for those films that are vying to be nominated for an Academy Award. That is why the term “Oscar bait” is always relevant at this time of the year.
The films of each year on this list may never reap the most-coveted awards for such heavyweight ceremonies, but they at least deserve a chance of a second viewing and a thorough analysis. For a film to qualify for this list, they should not have been nominated for any Academy Award category.
Fair Game (2010)
Naomi Watts and Sean Penn play Valerie Plame and Robert C. Wilson, respectively, in this political thriller about Plame’s role as a covert CIA agent being exposed to the press and causing a scandal that tarnished her career.
While the source materials paint basic portraits of scandals, the film is a gripping look on political intrigue being at the center of an official’s downfall. But Watts is the true highlight in this Doug Liman thriller that deserves a second look.
Only the Brave (2017)
Real-life heroes are reliable subjects for ideal Oscar baits. Here is one that centers on the Granite Mountain Hotshots, who lost almost all of its firefighters from the dangerous Yarnell Hill Fire.
Directed by Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski, the film packs an ensemble cast, including Josh Brolin, Jeff Bridges, Miles Teller, and Jennifer Connelly. They elevated from the usual inspiring-story trappings to craft an enthralling depiction of ordinary people risking their lives for other’s safety. Unfortunately, it bombed financially.
The Founder (2016)
Real-life figures are also highlights for the decade’s best films, like Lincoln, 12 Years a Slave and The Social Network. Yet, it seems The Founder is out of the shuffle.
Michael Keaton stars as Ray Kroc, who took charge of the McDonald’s brand and turned it into a global franchise. One can easily trust the vision of John Lee Hancock, director of Saving Mr, Banks, who achieved a witty take on the subject. And Keaton should deserve the awards attention.
Dark Waters (2019)
While it seems early to contend this as an Oscar heavyweight, it is pretty clear that this Todd Haynes-helmed legal thriller is getting overshadowed by its peers. Mark Ruffalo plays a lawyer who accuses DuPont of contaminating the waters of a local community but gets embroiled in their attempts to delegitimize his crusade.
Ruffalo is once again brilliant as Robert Bilott that reminded of his capabilities from Spotlight. And, thanks to its timely subject matter, Dark Waters deserves more recognition.
Everest (2015)
Here is another ensemble piece. Centering on the 1995 Everest disaster, the movie depicted the mountaineering teams led by Rob Hall (played by Jason Clarke) and Scott Fischer (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), who got caught in a deadly blizzard that killed most of the team.
With its nerve-wracking execution of the climbing scenes and the performances of its ensemble cast, which also includes Josh Brolin, Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, and Emily Watson, Everest deserves a second life in film analyses.
Rust & Bone (2012)
The only foreign-language entry on this list, Rust & Bone centers on a romance between a downtrodden bouncer (played by Matthias Schoenaerts) and an injured killer whale trainer (played by Marion Cotillard). The unlikely relationship between the polar opposites makes for a heartfelt drama as both characters have to deal with the heaviest tragedies of their lives.
While Cotillard is as flawless as ever in this French drama, Schoenaerts proves himself as a formidable talent that filmmakers should take notice.
Young Adult (2011)
Diablo Cody followed up her successes in Juno and Jennifer’s Body with the story of a down-on-her-luck young-adult novelist who returns to her hometown to rekindle her relationship with her ex.
What could be considered a clichéd plot was elevated by Jason Reitman’s assured direction, Cody’s witty script, Patton Oswalt’s supporting role and especially Charlize Theron’s performance. The nuances of Reitman’s filmmaking really deserve second notice, and déjà vu hit when Reitman and Theron collaborated for the equally overlooked Tully.
A Most Violent Year (2014)
Crime drama films have a good track record of being recognized by the Academy. So, it is puzzling to see A Most Violent Year got overlooked in its 2015 ceremony.
A story of an immigrant (played by Oscar Isaac) and his wife (Jessica Chastain) who do what it takes to protect their business during a turbulent period in New York City should resonate with present-day audiences with its moral discussions of businesses, political maneuvering, and violence and deserve more study.
The Hate U Give (2018)
In a period of woke-ness, it is ideal to have movies that centered on them. Based on the best-selling YA novel by Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give centers on Starr (played Amandla Stenberg), whose childhood friend was shot in front of her by the police, driving her to take a stand against prejudice and injustice.
The movie easily lines up with its contemporary peers Sorry to Bother You, Blindspotting and BlacKKKlansman on tackling heavy subject matter in racial profiling, authority abuse, and class divide. And it really deserves the awards attention more than its inferior 2018 peer Green Book.
Short Term 12 (2013)
One of the most overlooked dramas of the last decade, Short Term 12 is a powerhouse of talent on and behind the camera. As his directorial debut, Destin Daniel Cretton took inspiration from his time as a volunteer for a shelter for troubled teens and placed it on a short film, which soon became Short Term 12.
Its cast of soon-to-be-stars like Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Rami Malek, Lakeith Stanfield (in his film debut), Stephanie Beatriz and Kaitlyn Dever are all fantastic. And Cretton’s improvised script and authentic pacing makes the film resonate deeper to viewers. Thus, when looking back the last decade in film, Short Term 12 is really deserving of attention as one of the decade’s best.
