The best summer sizzler films from the past 10 years

Summer is well and truly underway, and you all know what that means: an onslaught of blockbusters either a part of the superhero genre or just another sequel, remake, or reboot of another property. Gone are the days when we would have numerous original movies coming to our screens and blessing us with terrific and unique experiences.

But we can’t slate all blockbusters out there, as there are always a couple of decent and greatly entertaining ones that take the stage every year. With this in mind, here are some of the best blockbusters from the last ten years. We have a feeling you’ll recognize one or two.

10. Wonder Woman ( 2017)

DC beat the MCU for the first female-led superhero movie with Patty Jenkins’s Wonder Woman, which proved to be the DCEU’s highest rated film. Gal Gadot shone as the titular character, with the sequel Wonder Woman 1984 coming next year, proving how well she was received by everyone, and how much of a role model she has become for women everywhere.

Pixar’s followup to the 2003 hit Finding Nemo grossed $486,295,561 domestically, and it’s easy to see why. While still not as heartwarming and funny as the first instalment, Finding Dory centered around fan favorite Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) as she sets out on a journey to discover the whereabouts of her parents. Oh, and Sigourney Weaver has a voice cameo too.

8. Jurassic World (2015)

Say what you want about this very mediocre fourth outing in the Jurassic Park franchise – but wow, it made a lot of money, earning a massive $1,671,713,208 worldwide. The film had a lot of great moments too, including that awesome shot of the park and John Williams’s iconic score blaring in the background. Magic!

7. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

James Gunn brought a spark of new life to the MCU in 2014 with this sci-fi epic, which was an unexpected hit for Marvel. Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, and featuring the voices of Bradley Cooper as Rocket and Vin Diesel as Groot, this is easily one of Marvel’s best instalments in its ever-growing cinematic universe. Oh, and that soundtrack is the bomb.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, and Morgan Freeman, Now You See Me is a heist film with a twist – our thieves are also magicians. While not being an absolute favorite with critics, audiences loved it, and we have to say that it was a great change to see an original movie getting a lot of attention during the summer season. Let’s not talk about the sequel though.

5. The Avengers (2012)

The MCU started with Iron Man, sure, but The Avengers helped kick off the hype good and proper. Joss Whedon made a movie that proved crossovers and cinematic universes work – with witty dialogue and well-crafted characters, the original team-up movie definitely has a place as one of the strongest superhero movies of all time.

The final instalment in the YA fictional film series about the eponymous boy wizard played by Daniel Radcliffe was a huge success, as you’d expect. With a worldwide gross of $1,341,511,219, J.K. Rowling really ends the series with a bang. It has plenty of action, a whole load of the usual Harry Potter tropes, and so many tear-jerking moments.

Have you met anyone at all who doesn’t like this masterpiece? It’s hard to believe a threequel could do so well, especially with the first two movies being so good! But Toy Story 3 brought it to a whole new level, presenting us with some of the most emotional moments from an animated film. It’s a great story about growing up and letting go.

Alright, we may have just said that Toy Story 3 gave us some of the most emotional moments in animation history – but a year earlier, Pixar also gave us Up, which offers one the most heartbreaking opening sequences ever. With stunning visuals and a heartfelt story, this movie definitely has a place in everyone’s hearts.

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

Ten years ago, Christopher Nolan gave us possibly the greatest superhero movie ever made, portraying a gritty, dark, and super realistic Batman, as well as Heath Ledger as the Joker in what some people hail as the greatest performance of all time. The legacy of this film is what makes it so special – an inspiration, not just for the superhero genre, but for the medium of film as a whole.