15 Most Underrated Movies Of The Decade (So Far)

Although critics like to think their release day review is the definitive statement on a film, it can take years before a coherent opinion is reached. Movies hailed as modern masterpieces can be forgotten in a matter of months, while complex films nobody really got the first time round can find themselves subject to a top-down reappraisal (it took Vertigo five decades to climb to the top of Sight & Sound's definitive "Greatest Movies" poll).

Back when the current decade started, Avatar was climbing its way to become the highest grossing film of all time, receiving undying praise from critics and audiences alike. While most people would agree that was a bit hyperbolic (remember, it was treated as a genuine Oscar contender), even five years on a consensus hasn't been met; is it a master director working at his peak of his skill or a special effects test reel with no narrative aptitude?

It'll take a few more years (and sequels) to have a general decision on that, but there's some films from the first half of the 2010s that people have reached an agreement on. And, predictably, plenty that have been wrongly appraised.

Not all are five-star masterpieces, but all deserve a bit more praise than they currently get.