
Best geek movies of the decade
These are the highest-rated geek films since 2010, according to Metacritic.

49 (tie). Wonder Woman
We've rounded up great (and awful) geek movies of the year before. But what about films from the entire past decade? Using our CNET sister site Metacritic's scoring system, we've compiled a list of the best geek movies since 2010. (And don't miss CNET staffers' picks of the decade's best films here.)
The fourth film in the DC Extended Universe "makes you eager for more," says GameSpot, another of our sister sites.
Metascore: 76
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49 (tie). The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
The Hunger Games sequel is "smoothly exciting but a bit of a tease," per Entertainment Weekly.
Metascore: 76
49 (tie). Guardians of the Galaxy
Chris Pratt's debut as Star-Lord is "a resounding success that takes a seat at Marvel's top table," says CineVue.
Metascore: 76
49 (tie). How to Train Your Dragon 2
The How to Train Your Dragon sequel "offers just the right amount of spectacle," according to the Miami Herald.
Metascore: 76
49 (tie). 10 Cloverfield Lane
The second film in the Cloverfield saga is a "real nail-biter of a monster movie," per the New York Post.
Metascore: 76
49 (tie). The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
This 2010 thriller, based on the novel of the same name, is "entertaining enough to rise above its flaws," says the San Francisco Chronicle.
Metascore: 76
43 (tie). The Gift
43 (tie). Finding Dory
The Finding Nemo sequel is "filled with compelling characters, plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and several exciting set pieces, all propped up by a heartfelt core that has a lot to say about love and acceptance," GameSpot says.
Metascore: 77
43 (tie). Logan
The third and final film in the Wolverine trilogy "elevates its genre, succeeding precisely because it's different, and because it strives to be the Wolverine movie fans have always wanted to see," per GameSpot.
Metascore: 77
43 (tie). The Jungle Book
The live-action remake of Jungle Book "has the bare necessities, and then some," according to Time Out London.
Metascore: 77
43 (tie). Paddington
The first Paddington film is "charmingly funny and shamelessly punny," according to RogerEbert.com.
Metascore: 77
40 (tie). Ex Machina
This 2014 sci-fi thriller is a "clever film with one indelible performance from Oscar Isaac," says The Globe and Mail.
Metascore: 78
40 (tie). Zootopia
This Oscar-nominated animation film "remains entertaining throughout — a testament to the inventiveness of the on-screen action," according to Empire.
Metascore: 78
40 (tie). Avengers: Endgame
We called the Avengers: Infinity War sequel "a triumph" in our review of the highest-grossing film of the year.
Metascore: 78
36 (tie). Annihilation
Based on the novel of the same name, Annihilation is "more than mere visuals, and it will shock, fascinate and haunt whatever screen it's watched on," per The Guardian.
Metascore: 79
36 (tie). Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes sequel is a "much better and far less silly movie than its predecessor," says the Village Voice.
Metascore: 79
36 (tie). The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight sequel "brings the Batman story to a close in enormous, satisfying fashion," according to the Arizona Republic.
Metascore: 79
36 (tie). Life of Pi
Based on the 2001 novel of the same name, Life of Pi is "as enchanting as it is ambitious," according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Metascore: 79
33 (tie). Ad Astra
Brad Pitt plays an astronaut who searches the solar system for his missing father in this sci-fi drama our reviewer called a "stunning sci-fi epic."
Metascore: 80
33 (tie). Incredibles 2
The Incredibles sequel is "beautiful, creative, smart, funny and more fun than a barrel full of Jack-Jacks. It was well worth the wait," says GameSpot.
Metascore: 80
33 (tie). The Martian
This 2015 sci-fi film, based on the novel of the same name, is an "enormously entertaining movie," per the Arizona Republic.
Metascore: 80
24 (tie). Coco
This two-time Academy Award-winning fantasy film is "one of Pixar's most gorgeously animated outings in some time," says USA Today.
Metascore: 81
24 (tie). Mandy
Mandy is a "deliberately paced, ultraviolent, outlandishly stylish delivery system for Nicolas Cage's wild-eyed acting style," according to TheWrap.
Metascore: 81
24 (tie). Blade Runner 2049
The Blade Runner sequel delivers an "intense and intensely cinematic experience, per our review. GameSpot says it's "as close to a perfect sequel as has ever existed."
Metascore: 81
24 (tie). Moana
This two-time Oscar-nominated animation is a "crowd-pleasing oceanic musical with big tunes and beguiling characters," according to Empire.
Metascore: 81
24 (tie). Arrival
Our reviewer calls Arrival a "gripping, relevant parable about the importance of connecting rather than cutting ourselves off."
Metascore: 81
24 (tie). The World's End
The third and final entry in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, following Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, "stands on its own as hilarious high-end nonsense," according to the Wall Street Journal.
Metascore: 81
24 (tie). Us
Jordan Peele's latest horror film is a "brilliant exploration of current-day America," per GameSpot.
Metascore: 81
24 (tie). Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy "pumps new energy and life into a hallowed franchise in a way that both resurrects old pleasures and points in promising new directions," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Metascore: 81
24 (tie). Skyfall
It's "easily the most cinematically striking Bond film ever" our reviewer says.
Metascore: 81
21 (tie). Isle of Dogs
This Oscar-nominated stop-motion animated film, directed by Wes Anderson, is "packed with laugh-out-loud moments, full of deadpan observations – a quintessential Anderson touch – and exciting sequences," per CineVue.
Metascore: 82
21 (tie). A Quiet Place
We called this 2018 post-apocalyptic horror film a "unique family-oriented horror."
Metascore: 82
21 (tie). War for the Planet of the Apes
The third entry in the Planet of the Apes reboot series is "the rare blockbuster that's both entertaining and full of complexity," says Vox.
Metascore: 82
19 (tie). The Lego Movie
The first film in the Lego Movie franchise is a "wickedly smart and funny free-for-all," according to Rolling Stone.
Metascore: 83
19 (tie). Hugo
Directed by Martin Scorsese, this 2011 drama is "rich and stimulating even when it wanders," according to the Chicago Tribune.
Metascore: 83
13 (tie). First Man
Based on the book First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong, this 2018 biopic is "awe-inspiring," our reviewer says.
Metascore: 84
13 (tie). Get Out
This Oscar-winning horror film, helmed by Jordan Peele, "rattles with provocations," according to The Telegraph.
Metascore: 84
13 (tie). Looper
This 2012 sci-fi action film starring Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is "the smartest and most enthralling thing to hit cinemas since Inception," writes our reviewer.
Metascore: 84
13 (tie). Snowpiercer
"Snowpiercer has been brought to the screen with the kind of solid narrative craftsmanship, carefully drawn characters and — above all — respect for the audience's intelligence," says Variety.
Metascore: 84
13 (tie). Kubo and the Two Strings
This Academy Award-nominated stop-motion fantasy film is "captivating from the very first moments," per the Arizona Republic.
Metascore: 84
13 (tie). Toy Story 4
Released nine years after the third entry in the saga, Toy Story 4 "not only delivers plenty of gonzo-funny moments and genuine thrills, but also interrogates and complicates the series's core themes," says Vanity Fair.
Metascore: 84
12. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
The Force Awakens sequel is "heart-rending yet seriously funny," our reviewer says, and a "visually stunning addition to the beloved franchise."
Metascore: 85
11. Mission: Impossible - Fallout
The sixth entry in the Mission Impossible saga is "another ridiculously entertaining -- and entertainingly ridiculous -- superspy stuntfest," according to our reviewer.
Metascore: 86
7 (tie). Hereditary
This 2018 film starring Toni Collette is a "tormenting horror about the worst nightmare of all -- family," writes our reviewer, who says Collette carries the film.
Metascore: 87
7 (tie). Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
This 2018 superhero film, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, is an "instant animated classic," according to GameSpot.
Metascore: 87
7 (tie). Birdman
7 (tie). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
The final film in the Harry Potter franchise is the "epic and impassioned close that the saga deserves," says the San Francisco Chronicle.
Metascore: 87
5 (tie). Black Panther
Black Panther's standalone film debut is "a cultural event that's going to be hard for Marvel to top," according to GameSpot.
Metascore: 88
5 (tie). Paddington 2
The Paddington sequel is a "delightfully heartwarming tale about everyone's favorite marmalade-loving bear," per Entertainment Weekly.
Metascore: 88
4. Mad Max: Fury Road
The fourth installment in the Mad Max franchise is a "stunningly painted, sandblasted future of fire and blood," our reviewer says.
Metascore: 90
3. Toy Story 3
The third Toy Story is a "thoroughly engaging, emotionally satisfying return," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Metascore: 92
2. Inside Out
This 2015 comedy, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, is "one of Pixar's best films," per ScreenCrush.
Metascore: 94
1. Gravity
A seven-time Oscar winner, this 2013 sci-fi thriller is a "stunning space saga that takes off for new technical frontiers without leaving its humanity behind," says Total Film.
Metascore: 96