Memeing Classic Movies: Top Underrated Films From The 2010s for Memes

Movies and memes often go hand in hand, and none have sparked more viral jokes than the recent movies of the 2010s. Sure, we could go on about any of the Avengers films or an instant hit like Bird Box, but considering we now view the years leading up to 2020 a little too fondly, there’s no reason to reminisce on what we all already remember.

Instead, there are a number of movies that remain almost forgotten despite their success in theaters. In many cases, they are recognized only by the twisted legacy of memes they’ve left us with. Here are three of the most underappreciated meme-fueling movies from the last decade.

Interstellar (2014)

Interstellar is a sci-fi movie in which a team of astronauts travels through a wormhole to find a new home for humanity. It has an all-star cast featuring Matthew McConaughey, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and more; plus, it offers a refreshing take on the apocalypse where we get to watch the world die of starvation instead of COVID-19. Though it maintains critical acclaim, this movie never quite gained the public appeal it deserved years later. This is largely due to the fact that it incorporates astrophysics concepts like time dilation and wormhole theory, however, this aspect of the film became a source of content for millions of meme creators and remains so to this day.

Some people make memes about Interstellar because as they stared blankly at the credits, they felt as if they’d just failed a physics test. Others make memes based on certain scientific elements described in simple terms, such as 1 hour here is 7 years on earth, or This little maneuver’s gonna cost us 51 years, which are both great when referring to stopping at the grocery store with your mother or attempting to finish your math homework. Of course, the internet also found a source of memes in dramatic scenes from the movie, creating Interstellar docking parodies and reaction images from particularly bleak moments, because we all know how dark the online community’s sense of humor is.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Quentin Tarantino’s newest film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a character-driven story about famous actor Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). The plot shifts from career struggles to nervous breakdowns to a casually mentioned murder and more. The Manson Family also makes an appearance, leading to an unexpectedly violent showdown.

Perhaps one of the most unusual aspects of this film is the fact that feet are shown on-screen way too often to be unintentional, contributing to the internet community’s infamous theory about Quentin Tarantino having a foot fetish. Aside from the memes and montages sparked by feet, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood also brings us the meme Pointing Rick Dalton, as well as the unforgettable knowledge that DiCaprio and Pitt actually do look pretty similar side by side.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

This movie was the first installment of a prequel and reboot series for the older Planet of the Apes saga. However, Rise of the Planet of the Apes couldn’t be any more different from its namesake, and anyone could go into this movie with absolutely no knowledge about the original and come out much more satisfied than those who were used to watching people in rubber gorilla suits deliver philosophical dialogue. Rise of the Planet of the Apes follows the story of a scientifically enhanced chimpanzee as he begins to rapidly evolve to human intelligence. Meanwhile, humanity yet again loses control of a dangerous virus and succeeds in slowly destroying itself … hence the rise of the apes.

This movie is best recognized by the line “Apes Together Strong”, which has become a timeless meme. Though they weren’t always seen everywhere, Rise of the Planet of the Apes memes of all sorts were widespread and popular, and this movie’s memes have made a resurgence lately. The pandemic aspect of this movie makes it particularly fitting for 2020 memes. In fact, thousands in America alone would rather die of respiratory failure than put on a thin fabric mask, so there’s really no reason to believe apes won’t overtake us since we’re clearly evolving backward already. If you’re looking for a steady source of dark humor in this cruel world, this is a great starting place.

Meme Insider is a Know Your Meme publication and the world’s leading internet culture magazine. Find out how to get your first print copy for free, and check out the Meme Insider website for more info.