Hey everyone, Jack Drees here… Ten years later. Who would have thought? As of March 2nd, 2026, Scene Before is now in the double digit ages. I have thought long and hard about what exactly I should do for a post on the blog’s 10th anniversary. After all, I have some film reviews lined up, a lot is happening in the film industry, especially with the fate of Warner Brothers, and past anniversaries have seen me basically doing a greatest quotes recap. For this post, I am going to keep things simple, but sweet. I am going to list my favorite movies I saw from each year I did this blog.

For the record, if you have seen my top 10 BEST movies countdowns I have done, you might have some idea as to what these movies could be. Spoiler, my number one film has changed for some of these years. For some years, they change quite often. There is one year in particular where the movies I put down for #2 and #1 go back and forth at supersonic speed. I am going to list each movie in order, for every year I have done this blog, except 2026. It is still too early. Also, I did review all of these movies, so I will have links to those reviews if you want to check them out. With that said, let’s talk about some of the best movies I have seen since I started doing Scene Before!

2016: Arrival

Starting off this short but sweet 10 year journey is “Arrival.” I am a sucker for science fiction, and few directors have handled the genre as well in recent years as Denis Villeneuve. This is a movie that builds intrigue from the moment it starts. It delivers an incredibly emotional couple of minutes. I can recall one or two times watching the film and nearly tearing up at the introduction. As the film dives into its main story, which follows a linguist who is tasked with communicating with aliens, I found myself immersed. This starts off almost like an alien invasion film such as “Independence Day,” but there is a lot less of a focus on destruction and despair, and more on understanding the other side. The film is full of killer performances from Amy Adams to Jeremy Renner to Forest Whitaker. Technically speaking, it is stupendous. The sound design in “Arrival” is not only audible, but uniquely chilling, particularly when it comes to showcasing how the aliens communicate. The movie is a non-linear gem that becomes more palatable by the minute. Denis Villeneuve’s resume has remained consistently grand from this point on with the “Dune” movies, and long before that, “Blade Runner 2049.” That was almost my favorite film of 2017… As for the film that was my favorite however, that one was directed by Nacho Vigolando…

2017: Colossal

Some could argue this is a 2016 movie, but I first saw it during its U.S. theatrical release in 2017, rather than a festival, so I am proud to say that “Colossal” is one of the best monster movies I have ever seen. “Colossal” is one of the raddest concepts I have seen for a creature feature. Sure, it has the typical idea of a monster causing havoc in a major city. In this case, the city happens to be Seoul, South Korea. But it is much more than meets the eye. The idea of the film is that a monster shows up in Seoul whenever Gloria steps into a sandbox in her hometown. As if that idea were not crazy enough, the movie ultimately becomes a commentary on the dangers of drinking. When she moves back to her hometown, Gloria ends up working in a bar, which triggers her alcoholism. We find out she is not the only one in town who is dealing with this issue, as her friend Oscar, who hired her to work at said bar, starts drinking too much and losing control. This leads to a struggle in their real life relationship, as well as trouble for the city of Seoul. This is a clever idea of a flick that had me dropping my jaw by the time it was over.

2018: Avengers: Infinity War

2018 was a great year for comic book movies between “Black Panther,” “Aquaman,” “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse…” But the one I continue to think about most fondly is “Avengers: Infinity War.” I had the chance to watch the first screening of this film on the biggest IMAX in New England, and it was one of the most gigantic doses of utter euphoria I have had the privilege of experiencing. This was not a movie, it was an epic. It was the culmination of a decade of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We got to see our favorite heroes take on Thanos, the leanest and meanest purple dude ever conceived. Many Marvel movies show their flaws when it comes to showcasing villains, but not “Infinity War.” Thanos, particularly in this movie, is the best showcase of a Marvel villain I think the world has ever seen. Not only is he powerful, but the movie fleshes him out so much and presents his plan so brilliantly to the point where I can sort of understand and relate to the character. The movie is chock-full of moments that make you want to stand up and cheer, followed by an ending that if you are a die-hard fan, could leave you with a pit in your stomach. This movie had such a massive hype train behind it, and somehow it exceeded the hype. It is easily my favorite film in the MCU. As for my thoughts on “Endgame,” I think it is an awesome movie and a cinematic experience like no other, but “Infinity War” is the better of the two for me.

2019: Ready or Not

I saw the trailer for “Ready or Not” and immediately wanted the movie in my mind afterwards. Having seen it, I am proud to report that this film has surpassed my supersized anticipation I had for it going in. No, seriously. What a thrill ride! I still have chills thinking about it to this day. I first watched this movie at a press screening in Boston, and I was laughing nonstop. This movie introduced me to Samara Weaving, and I fell in love with her diabolical performance. She plays a protagonist named Grace. She goes through so much trouble, faces great pain, and has to face off against the weirdest family she has ever seen in her life. She is so easy to root for. The concept of this movie had me hooked. Basically, a woman gets married into a family who has a tradition of playing games whenever someone new joins said family. The bride ends up drawing the death card, which is “Hide and Seek.” What seems like an innocent, child-friendly game, turns out to be a scary good race against time. Weaving excels as the lead. The dialogue is brilliant. And the ending is utterly satisfying. If you have never seen this movie, you are not ready for the final five to ten minutes.

2020: Over the Moon

Everyone has that movie. The movie in which they feel like they are the only one that truly, deeply, loves it. For me, that is “Over the Moon.” I do not know who else has “Over the Moon” as their favorite film of 2020. I probably have some bias in my pick because I found my journey growing up to have some notable similarities to this film’s protagonist, Fei Fei. Our paths are not exactly the same. After all, her mom died when she was young. I am happy to say I never had to experience such a tragic event. That said, seeing Fei Fei’s dad get back into the dating game sort of reminded me of when my parents divorced, and they would then have the opportunity to date new people. Like Fei Fei, I was not accustomed to things changing, especially at such a quick rate. This is a Netflix movie, although it does feel like a remix of a Disney classic. It has a booming score from Steven Price and some clever original songs. The animation is super poppy and colorful. There is a ping pong sequence that had my eyes leave their sockets. The climax triggered all kinds of emotions for me. It fulfilled several characters’ arcs beautifully, and had me tearing up. If you have Netflix, this is a great family film to watch on the service. It does have a villain, but not so much violence. It is kind of tame in that regard. The movie had me jumping for joy and made me feel like a kid again. And with the movie coming out in a year as downright atrocious as 2020, that is probably the boost I needed.

2021: Belle

Here we have the first film produced primarily outside the U.S. to make the list, “Belle.” Some could argue this is a 2022 film as this was released in the United States that year. But this was released in Japan the year before, so I am counting it as a 2021 film. I watched certain pieces of anime growing up, but it wasn’t until my 20s that I expanded my palate with Japanese animation. Of all the movies on this list, this one maybe had the most frequent replay value for me over the years. What really solidified “Belle” as my favorite 2021 release happened to be two things. One, I found the film’s depiction of social media and online culture to be incredibly dead on. The movie dives into concepts like cancel culture, trolling, and other people not being who they seem behind the screen. Also, I love Suzu as a protagonist. She reminded me of myself in high school, given how she is an incredibly shy individual, even when it comes to displaying the things she happens to be passionate about. Granted, she had something gargantuan holding her back that I have not experienced, but regardless, she was very well written. If you like great music, this movie is stacked with it. The score is incredible and the soundtrack is just as good. I know this movie is basically another take on “Beauty and the Beast,” but I would argue that this is a superior variant of the classic tale.

2022: Everything Everywhere All at Once

This is one of the craziest rides I have ever had watching a movie. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is a goldmine in every sense of the word. It is stupidly funny. It is deeply moving. It is adventurously fun. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is a pyrokinetic ball of energy that only gets more unhinged as it goes. This is not the first movie to deal with multiverses. After all, it came out in the 2020s, where multiverse-based movies feel like a dime a dozen. But “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is the multiverse movie that I would most likely consider to be perfect. On the surface, this feels like a multiverse-spanning epic, but in actuality, if you break it down, it is a small scale story where a dreamer handles family drama and taxes. The cast is given so much to do here, including the fierce Michelle Yeoh, the incredible Stephanie Hsu, and the comeback king known as Ke Huy Quan. A24 had a killer year in 2022, and this is not only their best film of the year, it is my favorite one they have ever done. This is a movie that makes time for rocks with google eyes to talk to each other, but also has time for its main couple to navigate the concept of divorce. This is a movie that makes time for pinky finger kung fu, but also has time to showcase an emotionally beautiful backstory about the American dream. This is a movie that has time to tap into a universe where everyone has hot dog fingers, but also has time for a stirring drama where a mother and daughter may not be exactly on the same page. There is so much going on in this movie, and amazingly, it never once feels overly convoluted, at least to me. It is one of those movies that I think everyone has to see at least once because I think even if it is not your cup of tea, chances are you might get something out of it.

2023: Godzilla Minus One

I am not going to pretend I have done the deepest of dives into the “Godzilla” property, but this movie left me gobsmacked. I was not sure what to expect going into “Godzilla Minus One.” But I knew how I felt coming out of it… Beaming. I was beaming with excitement and tears. Not only is this a solid monster flick that feels like a spiritual cousin to the 1954 classic, but it shocked me to no end with how enamored I became for all the characters. Kōichi Shikishama is a complicated, compelling protagonist. He is a kamikaze pilot who is dealing with survivor’s guilt as a result of fleeing his duty. That alone makes the character interesting, but the movie adds plenty more pizzazz. Godzilla himself is obnoxiously scary. His eyes are as creepy as can be. There is a pivotal scene during the halfway point of the movie set in the middle of a city that is borderline nightmare fuel. That scene sets this movie on one of the most emotional rollercoasters imaginable, all the way to the second to last scene where I practically let out some man tears. While “Godzilla Minus One” is a product of Japan, it gave me the feeling that I would have had if were subjected to one of Hollywood’s most celebrated blockbusters for the first time, like “Star Wars” or “Jaws” or “Back to the Future.” The movie is predictable, but everything in the story feels earned.

2024: Deadpool & Wolverine

Of the years I have done Scene Before, I thought 2024 may have had the weakest slate, but of the movies I saw that year, few have stood out to me as much as “Deadpool & Wolverine.” I was not sure what to expect before finally getting to see this movie. But this film maintained the meta and dark humor that made “Deadpool” and “Deadpool 2” work as well as they did, all the while giving the popular character a new flair. This is Deadpool’s first appearance in the MCU. I have no idea if Kevin Feige and crew have any plans to bring him back in “Doomsday,” “Secret Wars,” or perhaps beyond those two movies, but if this is the lone Deadpool appearance, it is near perfect. Similar to several other Marvel titles, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is somewhat lackluster when it comes to its villain, but that is one small flaw in an otherwise sick, twisted, fun couple of hours. And if Disney is going to make Hugh Jackman play Wolverine until he’s 90, then he’s off to a flying start.

2025: Secret Mall Apartment

And finally, we get to the lone documentary on this list… “Secret Mall Apartment.” Keep in mind, my pick could come with some bias, as I have been a lifelong New England resident and live an hour away from where this movie is set. I even got to see this film at said mall’s movie theater. Nevertheless, I knew about the concept that this movie was going to unpack, but little did I know its nuts and bolts. I was excited to see how this movie would bring those to the spotlight. I came to this film to see a group of people living in a mall, but I stayed to see the group’s artistic adventures. The film is not just a warning of what gentrification can do to a community, but also a love letter to creative expression. The film, to my lack of surprise, made me laugh quite a bit. There are few moments of pure comedy gold. But I was not expecting it to trigger me emotionally. There is a fantastic scene where we learn about the group’s attachment to tape art, which has allowed its people to dive into projects that have been put on display at local hospitals, and even around New York City as a tribute to first responders who sacrificed themselves during 9-11. The movie proves that truth is stranger than fiction and shined a new light on the Providence Place mall that I have not seen. I have shopped there several times, but this film opened my eyes to the mall’s architectural flaws that basically ignores one side of the city. I know a lot of people are just discovering the documentary for the first time through Netflix, but I am proud to say that I watched “Secret Mall Apartment” before it was cool.

Thanks for reading this post, and I want to thank each and every single one of you who has tuned in for the past 10 years. I know this seems kind of small scale for a 10th anniversary post, but I figured it would be fitting because it is a celebration of each year I have done this blog.

There are other ways I am celebrating a decade of Scene Before, including the brand new series Movie Requests, which by the way, has just released its first episode! I am also happy to announce I will be dropping episode 2 later this month and it is going to feature Jason Mewes from movies like “Clerks,” “Mallrats,” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” I will have more information on an official release date soon. And be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, that way you can be up to date on when new episodes drop!

Of course, I also have more movie reviews coming. My next reviews are going to be for “GOAT,” “EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert,” and it took me long enough to check out this last one… “Send Help.” If you want to see these reviews and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, what are your favorite movies from 2016 to 2025? Do you agree with my picks? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!