Movie nostalgia is a real thing.
A decade flies by more quickly than we expect, especially in the movie business. All of a sudden, the movie you saw last year that left an imprint becomes a bittersweet and distant memory for you.
Some of those movies gave us iconic quotes and actions that still stick with our hearts. We quote them without even knowing, and recall them as examples to describe other films.
As the movies that gave us the most memorable moments in cinematic history turn 10 in 2026, we hold on to them and celebrate their anniversaries.
10 Best Movies of 2016 Turning 10 in 2026
1. 10 Cloverfield Lane
March 11th
’10 Cloverfield Lane’Credit: Paramount Pictures
After a car accident, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up in an underground bunker with two men, Howard (John Goodman) and Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.), who tell her that the outside world is uninhabitable due to a massive chemical attack.
Dan Trachtenberg’s 10 Cloverfield Lane is palpably tense and features an outstanding cast. Dan’s use of canny camera placement, savvy editing, and a foreboding score crafts a compelling, claustrophobic thriller. The movie teases the audience with its willingness to take time for the big reveals. It may be 2026, but you’ll still feel the terror of the unknown and the hostile nature of human relationships in a confined environment.
2. Captain America: Civil War
May 6th
‘Captain America: Civil War’Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Succumbing to political pressures, Iron Man sides with the government to propose accountability laws for the Avengers, but Steve Rogers rallies for superheroes’ freedom to perform their duties. The result is an all-out feud, and heroes have to choose which side they’re on.
It’s easily one of the best movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date. The Russo brothers put together amazing set pieces along with their staple witty dialogue. It is an intelligent character study between superhero characters, all centered around a relatable ethical dilemma between superheroes and the world.
3. Deadpool
February 12th
‘Deadpool’Credit: Twentieth Century Fox
A rogue experiment from Ajax (Ed Skrein) gives Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) healing powers and a twisted sense of humor, making him Deadpool, and now he wants vengeance.
Fun, hyper-violent, and profane are three words to describe the fourth wall breaker, Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds, with his impeccable comic timing and charm, revitalized the superhero genre by portraying Deadpool, an entertaining anti-hero. Honestly, Deadpool makes Guardians of the Galaxy look timid when it comes to pure action and humor.
4. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
December 16th
‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) joins a rebel group to steal the Death Star’s plans for the Rebel Alliance, from the most powerful weapon in the force that her father helped build.
Last year, it was Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ 10th anniversary, and this year belongs to Rogue One. This gritty movie is Disney’s first truly great Star Wars movie in which George Lucas was not involved. It brings back Darth Vader for an all-time great final scene. Rogue One isn’t just the prequel you never knew you wanted; it’s quite possibly almost as good as A New Hope itself.
5. The Nice Guys
May 20th
‘The Nice Guys’Credit: Warner Bros.
Set in late 1970s Los Angeles, The Nice Guys tells the story of Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and a no-nonsense private investigator, Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe), who partner up to solve a twisted series of events following a dead porn star.
This classic buddy-cop story is filled with enough mystery and slapstick humor to hook you instantly. Shane Black, with his wildly original treatment and unique voice, makes murder and kidnapping look hilarious, all while leaving you wanting more. Moreover, Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe’s chemistry will make you laugh and gasp as 2026 begins.
6. Elle
May 25th
‘Elle’Credit: Sony Pictures Classic
A successful video game company CEO, Michèle Leblanc (Isabelle Huppert), takes it upon herself to find the identity of the man who sexually assaulted her.
Isabelle Huppert delivers a mesmerizing performance in Paul Verhoeven’s Elle. Her character is sympathetic without being traditionally nice in the movie. The movie is so neatly and slyly made that you can’t not enjoy it, even though rape is not a light subject to joke about. Verhoeven’s direction is uncomfortable and excruciatingly tense in numerous scenes. Elle is too daring, and it will blow your mind.
7. Arrival
November 11th
‘Arrival’Credit: Paramount Pictures
When gigantic spaceships from the outer world land on Earth, linguistic professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and a highly skilled investigation team race against time to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors.
Masterfully crafted by Dennis Villeneuve and underrated sci-fi at its time, Arrival will be remembered in the future. Dennis applies the Kuleshov effect to turn non-linear storytelling from a gimmick into an indispensable part of the movie—deriving more meaning from two continuous juxtaposed shots rather than a single one. Amy Adams delivers a thousand emotions with a straight face.
Moreover, the absence of violence subverts the audience’s expectations of such typical genre movies.
8. Manchester by the Sea
November 18th
‘Manchester by the Sea’Credit: Amazon Studios, Roadside Attractions
After the death of his older brother, Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) returns to Manchester by the Sea to take care of his teenage nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges), where he comes face-to-face with the traumatic past that separated him from his community, where he was born and raised.
The movie is a great example of minimalistic writing. Lee (Casey Affleck) rarely says what he feels in his journey of grief. Either he hides his pain in plain sight, or director Kenneth Lonergan shows it in intimate visuals — a classic example of “show, don’t tell.” The whole film relies on subtext and is driven by long, unnerving silences.
9. Moonlight
October 21st
‘Moonlight’Credit: A24
A young Black man named Juan (Mahershala Ali) grapples with identity, love, and masculinity through three chapters of his life.
With Wong Kar-wai’s influence all over Barry Jenkins, he portrays a world with empathy and tenderness that’s so rare these days. The movie rises above the wrongful stereotypes associated with sexual orientation, and Jenkins doesn’t rely on pity to make Moonlight engaging. Instead, he uses compassion to slowly draw us into his movie along with a dreamlike cinematography.
10. La La Land
December 9th
‘La La Land’Credit: Lionsgate
While chasing their dreams in Los Angeles, Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) fall in love. But the pressure of succeeding forces them to make certain decisions that threaten to rip apart the fragile fabric of their love affair.
Damien Chazelle’s breakout film of 2016 won six out of its 16 Oscar nominations. It is a gorgeously shot movie and a homage to classic Hollywood musicals, filmed with modern filmmaking and complexities, proving Chazelle’s fantastic eye for musical sequences. Not to mention the earth-shattering performance by Emma Stone made her a bigger star from that point onward.
Conclusion
Did we miss any of your favorite movies that deserve a spot on the list?
Let us know in the comments.
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