The 40 Most Original Movies of the Last 10 Years, Ranked

Originality in film can mean a bold story idea, a new way of structuring a familiar premise, or craft choices that make a movie feel unlike anything else. Over the last decade, filmmakers around the world have mixed genres, played with form, and pushed technique to tell stories that stand out.

This list looks at memorable features from the last ten years that introduced striking concepts and distinctive execution. You will find projects that rethought sci fi and horror, reimagined period drama, and expanded animation and live action storytelling in fresh ways.

‘Annihilation’ (2018)

Alex Garland adapts the first book of the Southern Reach trilogy and centers the story on a team of scientists entering a quarantined zone called the Shimmer. The film follows a biologist who searches for answers about a mysterious phenomenon that alters DNA and transforms landscapes.

Production took place in the United Kingdom with extensive location work and practical sets for the overgrown base and swamp environments. The score by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow blends acoustic textures with electronic design, and creature and environment effects combine practical elements with digital work.

‘Midsommar’ (2019)

A graduate student in grief travels with friends to an isolated Swedish commune to observe a summer festival that follows strict ritual. The narrative tracks how cultural customs and group dynamics influence each decision once the visitors arrive.

Ari Aster wrote and directed, filming primarily in Hungary to stage the village and its fields. The production released both a theatrical cut and a longer version, and the design uses bright daylight, floral costuming, and folk iconography to shape the atmosphere.

‘Hereditary’ (2018)

A family copes with loss as cryptic events point toward long held secrets and a hidden network surrounding them. The plot studies how personal history and influence from others can shape a household during a series of escalating incidents.

Ari Aster made his feature debut with A24 distributing, and Toni Collette led an ensemble that worked with miniature sets that mirror the family home. Composer Colin Stetson created a low frequency focused score, and practical effects and in camera tricks support key sequences.

‘The Lighthouse’ (2019)

Two lighthouse keepers isolated on a rugged coast struggle through storms, chores, and clashing routines. The story tracks how memory, superstition, and power shift during a long assignment in a remote station.

Director Robert Eggers shot in black and white on 35 millimeter film using a nearly square frame to evoke early photography. The production built a functioning lighthouse and relied on period accurate props and dialogue drawn from maritime sources.

‘The Favourite’ (2018)

Court politics turn on a triangle between a monarch, her confidante, and a new attendant who arrives with ambition. The plot maps alliances, letters, and favors that move through the palace as each figure pursues influence.

Yorgos Lanthimos directs with wide angle lenses and natural light to emphasize space and costume detail. Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, and Emma Stone lead the cast, and the film earned major awards recognition including Best Actress.

‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ (2022)

On a small Irish island, a man abruptly ends a long friendship and sets off a series of personal and community responses. The story follows daily routines, local gatherings, and a conflict that grows through firm choices on both sides.

Martin McDonagh wrote and directed and filmed on Inishmore and Achill Island to capture cliffs, pastures, and village roads. Carter Burwell composed the score, and the production received multiple nominations across international awards bodies.

‘Get Out’ (2017)

A photographer visits his partner’s family estate and discovers a series of procedures affecting guests who arrive there. The plot traces clues through parties, medical spaces, and a videotaped auction that reveals the plan.

Jordan Peele wrote and directed with Blumhouse producing on a modest budget that delivered a strong worldwide gross. The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and terms such as the Sunken Place entered wider cultural use.

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)

A small business owner meets an agent from another timeline and learns to access skills from parallel lives. The story uses a tax audit and a family gathering as anchors while it jumps across many versions of the characters.

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert directed for A24 with a compact team of visual effects artists who delivered hundreds of shots. The film won multiple Academy Awards including Best Picture, and the fight scenes were choreographed with performers from a martial arts collective.

‘The Zone of Interest’ (2023)

A commandant and his family maintain a home and garden next to a concentration camp while continuing their daily routines. The camera observes meals, chores, and celebrations while the soundtrack carries distant signals of what occurs beyond the wall.

Jonathan Glazer directs an adaptation of a novel by Martin Amis and places microphones around the location to build a layered soundscape. The production uses German and Polish dialogue and earned Academy Awards including Best International Feature and Best Sound.

‘Arrival’ (2016)

When twelve craft appear around the world, a linguist and a physicist attempt to establish communication with the visitors. The narrative tracks the creation of a writing system and shows how understanding that system changes perception.

Denis Villeneuve directs an adaptation of a short story by Ted Chiang with production design that features a curved ship interior and oval symbols. Jóhann Jóhannsson composed the score, and the film won an Academy Award for sound editing.

‘RRR’ (2022)

Two revolutionaries cross paths during the period of colonial rule and form an alliance that drives the central action. The story blends rescue missions, undercover operations, and large scale set pieces across cities and forests.

S. S. Rajamouli directs in Telugu with stars N. T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan and stages elaborate musical numbers and action choreography. The song Naatu Naatu won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and the film achieved significant worldwide box office totals.

‘Shoplifters’ (2018)

A group living on the margins informally adopts a child and tries to form a stable household. The plot unfolds through meals, part time work, and an incident that brings attention from authorities.

Hirokazu Kore eda wrote and directed, and the film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. The production shot in modest Tokyo locations with an ensemble that includes Lily Franky and Sakura Ando and became a strong performer in Japan and overseas.

‘A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016)

A former bully seeks out a classmate with a hearing impairment to attempt an apology and to understand the harm he caused. The story follows school life, sign language practice, and a circle of friends who try to rebuild trust.

Naoko Yamada directed for Kyoto Animation with character designs by Futoshi Nishiya and music by Kensuke Ushio. The film is based on a manga by Yoshitoki Oima and saw successful international releases through festivals and theatrical runs.

‘Poor Things’ (2023)

A young woman revived by an unorthodox surgeon embarks on travel that exposes her to cities, trades, and social rules. The plot follows voyages by sea, courtrooms, and boarding houses as she assembles her own outlook.

Yorgos Lanthimos directs with production design that builds painted skies, miniature work, and ornate interiors. Robbie Ryan served as cinematographer, and the film won Academy Awards including Best Actress and honors for design categories.

‘The Handmaiden’ (2016)

A pickpocket is hired as a maid to a wealthy heiress and becomes part of a scheme to secure an inheritance. The narrative reveals letters, forged identities, and a library of rare books as plans shift among the characters.

Park Chan wook resets a Victorian novel to Korea under occupation and films in Korean and Japanese with precise period detail. The production won awards including a BAFTA for Film Not in the English Language, and the editing presents the story in multiple parts.

‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)

Miles Morales balances school life with a sudden new role after a radioactive spider bite introduces him to powers he never expected. The story brings multiple versions of Spider People into one city and shows how they coordinate skills and tech to close a collider that threatens everything.

Sony Pictures Animation produced with Bob Persichetti Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman directing and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller producing. The team blended three dimensional animation with hand drawn textures variable frame rates halftone dots and on screen text to echo comic panels and the film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ (2019)

A painter arrives on a remote island to create a portrait of a woman who does not wish to pose and must work in secret. The narrative records daily walks conversations and glances as the artist gathers details and assembles the image that will be sent to a potential suitor.

Céline Sciamma directed with cinematographer Claire Mathon using natural light to shape interiors and coastal exteriors while production limited non diegetic music to a few notable moments. The film received the Best Screenplay award and the Queer Palm at Cannes and became a significant release for international art house distributors.

‘Tár’ (2022)

A conductor leads rehearsals auditions and recording sessions while professional decisions and personal conduct draw scrutiny from institutions and the public. The story follows workrooms classrooms and concert halls and shows how preparation and authority function inside a major orchestra.

Todd Field directed with Cate Blanchett working closely with musicians in Berlin and Dresden to stage live performance scenes. Florian Hoffmeister served as cinematographer and the production emphasized sound recording and mixing across practice spaces and large venues which supported awards recognition for direction performance and craft.

‘Another Round’ (2020)

Four teachers decide to test a theory that maintaining a small blood alcohol level throughout the day can improve results in work and life. The plot follows classroom sessions family gatherings and escalating trials as the group sets rules and revises the plan when outcomes change.

Thomas Vinterberg directed with Mads Mikkelsen Thomas Bo Larsen Magnus Millang and Lars Ranthe portraying colleagues who coordinate their experiment. The film was produced in Denmark with support from national funds and it won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film after festival premieres and a wide European release.

‘The Florida Project’ (2017)

A child lives with her young mother at a budget motel near a major theme park and spends summer days exploring the surrounding strip. The narrative observes friends moving between rooms ice cream shops and abandoned properties while the property manager tries to keep order.

Sean Baker directed using mostly 35 millimeter film and captured the final sequence on a smartphone due to access limitations at the location. Willem Dafoe received major nominations for his role and production took place along Route 192 in Kissimmee with non professional performers appearing alongside the lead cast.

‘Raw’ (2016)

A first year veterinary student with a strict vegetarian background begins to experience unusual cravings after a hazing ritual at school. The story maps dorm life classes and family visits as the student confronts impulses and discovers long hidden details about her household.

Julia Ducournau wrote and directed with cinematography by Ruben Impens and effects that rely on makeup and practical elements. The film premiered in Cannes Critics’ Week where it won the FIPRESCI Prize and later moved through genre festivals and specialty theatrical runs across many countries.

‘Titane’ (2021)

After a traumatic incident a woman on the run assumes the identity of a missing boy and forms a bond with a veteran firefighter who accepts her into his station. The plot follows drills emergency calls and intimate routines as the two navigate secrecy and protection.

Julia Ducournau directed and the film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes with Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon leading the cast. The production favored physical performance and prosthetic work for transformations and used a mix of industrial and suburban locations to frame the characters’ shared life.

‘Sorry to Bother You’ (2018)

A young telemarketer discovers that using a different voice on calls changes his success rate and pushes him rapidly up the corporate ladder. The narrative tracks office targets protests and a secret facility that reveals how the company treats its workforce.

Boots Riley wrote and directed with production centered in Oakland and a score by Tune Yards alongside original music by The Coup. Annapurna distributed in North America and the film became known for practical set pieces distinctive costume design and a late plot reveal that shifted the story into surreal territory.

‘The Green Knight’ (2021)

A young man connected to the court of King Arthur accepts a challenge from a mysterious visitor and must later undertake a long journey to honor it. The path carries him through forests moors and ruins and introduces figures who test his promises along the way.

David Lowery directed with location work in Ireland and studio stages for cavern and castle interiors and Daniel Hart composed the score. A24 released the film and production design emphasized natural materials and subdued color to support a grounded retelling of the source poem.

‘Knives Out’ (2019)

A best selling author is found dead in his mansion and a renowned private investigator gathers the family for interviews to determine what happened. The plot tracks inheritance concerns household staff schedules and small physical clues that point to a timeline.

Rian Johnson wrote and directed with Daniel Craig Ana de Armas and an ensemble cast and Steve Yedlin served as cinematographer. The movie was filmed in Massachusetts at historic homes and on stages and it earned a nomination for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards.

‘Uncut Gems’ (2019)

A New York jeweler juggles debts orders and family responsibilities while a rare stone and a high stakes sports bet draw him into risky deals. The story follows sales floors back rooms apartments and arenas as calls and deliveries collide with deadlines.

Josh and Benny Safdie wrote and directed with Adam Sandler leading a cast that includes Kevin Garnett playing himself and Idina Menzel. Darius Khondji handled cinematography and Daniel Lopatin composed the score and the production shot extensively in the Diamond District using real shops and crowds.

‘Train to Busan’ (2016)

Passengers on a high speed train confront a sudden viral outbreak that turns the cars into a series of dangerous zones. The narrative tracks how small groups secure doors plan stops and protect children as the train heads south.

Yeon Sang ho directed and the film became a major commercial success in Korea and across Asia. An animated prequel titled ‘Seoul Station’ expanded the setting and a follow up titled ‘Peninsula’ returned to the world on a larger scale.

‘The Worst Person in the World’ (2021)

A woman in Oslo reevaluates study plans jobs and relationships across a series of chapters that form a portrait of a changing life. The structure uses a narrator time jumps and carefully staged city scenes to connect choices and consequences.

Joachim Trier directed and co wrote with Eskil Vogt and Renate Reinsve won Best Actress at Cannes for the lead role. The production filmed on location in Oslo with Kasper Tuxen as cinematographer and the movie received multiple international nominations including at the Academy Awards.

‘One Cut of the Dead’ (2017)

A low budget zombie film is being shot live in a remote facility when unexpected events force the crew to keep cameras rolling to salvage the broadcast. The story reveals who is operating behind the scenes and shows how improvisation can save a chaotic production.

Shinichiro Ueda directed with a tiny budget and an ensemble of newcomers and the opening stretch unfolds in a single extended take. The film grew from a short theater run into a nationwide hit in Japan through word of mouth and later reached global audiences through festivals and streaming.

‘A Ghost Story’ (2017)

After a sudden death a figure returns to a suburban house covered in a simple sheet and observes the passage of time in silence. The plot presents long static shots of rooms meals and visitors while the presence waits and watches changes to the property.

David Lowery wrote and directed and chose a square frame with rounded corners to evoke early photography. Daniel Hart composed the score and production used minimal visual effects and practical methods for movement which allowed the modest budget to focus on atmosphere and duration.

‘The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ (2021)

A creative teenager heads to film school just as a family road trip begins and a tech company’s new platform triggers a robot uprising that traps cities. The story follows a station wagon battle across malls highways and a corporate headquarters as homemade gadgets become tools for survival.

Michael Rianda directed with Jeff Rowe co directing and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller produced for Sony Pictures Animation. The movie mixes three dimensional animation with hand drawn doodle overlays and expressive text and it won multiple Annie Awards after a worldwide streaming release through Netflix.

‘Suzume’ (2022)

A teenager encounters a traveler searching for doors that open onto disasters and joins him in closing them as quakes and strange clouds appear. The journey runs from coastal towns to urban centers and includes a small chair that becomes an unlikely companion.

Makoto Shinkai wrote and directed at CoMix Wave with music by Radwimps and Kazuma Jinnouchi and background art teams depicting locations across Japan. The film saw a global rollout through Crunchyroll and Sony and became one of the highest grossing anime titles released internationally by the studio.

‘Flee’ (2021)

A man recounts his journey from Afghanistan to Europe and the years in between while animated reenactments protect his identity and visualize memories. Interviews structure the narrative and the film presents homes classrooms and borders that mark each stage of movement.

Jonas Poher Rasmussen directed and worked with Danish French and Nordic partners to finance and produce the project. The film received Oscar nominations in three categories including Animated Feature Documentary Feature and International Feature which marked a first for a single title.

‘Nope’ (2022)

Two siblings who supply trained horses to film sets witness a presence in the sky above their family ranch and attempt to capture clear evidence. The story includes a practical effects plan analog cameras and a hillside attraction that shapes how the encounter unfolds.

Jordan Peele directed with cinematography by Hoyte van Hoytema who used large format film and IMAX cameras for day and night sequences. Production built a valley scale environment and designed a creature that shifts form with fabric like surfaces and the release performed strongly in theaters worldwide.

‘The Boy and the Heron’ (2023)

A boy named Mahito follows a talking heron into a tower after a family loss and enters a realm where the living and the dead intersect. The plot includes shapeshifting birds strange keepers and a craftsman who controls a fragile balance that connects to Mahito’s home.

Hayao Miyazaki wrote and directed for Studio Ghibli with music by Joe Hisaishi and animation teams working on hand drawn layouts and richly painted backgrounds. The film opened in Japan with no trailers or synopsis released in advance and international distribution included a North American rollout by GKIDS.

‘1917’ (2019)

Two soldiers receive orders to cross hostile ground and deliver a message that can stop an attack. The film follows trenches, craters, and villages as they navigate terrain and the passage of a river.

Sam Mendes designed the movie to play as a continuous journey with long takes and complex blocking. Roger Deakins won the Academy Award for cinematography, and large outdoor sets were built to match exact pacing and distance for each scene.

‘Coco’ (2017)

A boy with a passion for music enters the Land of the Dead and searches for a family connection that can restore a blessing. The story uses ofrenda traditions, marigold bridges, and a guitar that unlocks access to the other world.

Pixar produced with Lee Unkrich directing and Adrian Molina co directing, working with cultural consultants and musicians in Mexico. The film won Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song and features music by Michael Giacchino.

‘Your Name.’ (2016)

Two teenagers living in different parts of Japan begin to switch places in their sleep and leave notes to coordinate their lives. The plot weaves rural festivals, city trains, and an approaching celestial event that ties their stories together.

Makoto Shinkai wrote and directed with animation by CoMix Wave and music by Radwimps, who also contributed songs. The film became one of the highest grossing anime features worldwide and expanded Shinkai’s reach to many markets.

‘Oppenheimer’ (2023)

The film follows the work of a physicist who leads a laboratory in the desert during the race to develop a new weapon. The narrative continues through hearings and testimonies that examine security clearances and government appointments.

Christopher Nolan shot on large format film including a black and white variant created for the production. The movie won multiple Academy Awards including Best Picture and earned a worldwide gross that approached one billion dollars.

‘Parasite’ (2019)

A family living in a semi basement secures work in the home of a wealthy household through a chain of introductions. The story maps key spaces such as a hillside neighborhood, a living room with a large window, and a hidden area that reframes the situation.

Bong Joon Ho directed with Barunson E and A producing and Neon handling North American distribution. The film won the Palme d’Or and became the first non English language Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards while earning a global box office above two hundred million dollars.

Share your favorite picks from the last decade in the comments and tell us what we should add next.