Top Ten Favourite
Years for Film
Let’s be honest, 2016
has sucked so far for movies. I can count all the truly great new films on one
hand, while all the disappointments and letdowns continue to stack up on
multiple hands/fingers.
Looking back on film
history, there have been a number of exceptional years where, for whatever
reason, multiple great movies came out, and many of them went on to be
classics. I could list way more than ten years, but I’ve narrowed it down. This
isn’t a definitive best years of film
list, as I know I’m leaving out many stellar years, but for me, these years had
the most quality to offer.
10. 1989
Starting things off a bit easy with the final year of the
eighties, there’s lots to look fondly back on here, with a plethora of critical
faves like Born on the Fourth of July,
Dead Poet’s Society, and Driving Miss Daisy, but the following are what make it a great
year for me:
Batman: this first serious live-action take on the caped
crusader still holds up and remains one of the best Batman movies so far, if not one of the best superhero movies in
general. To many, Michael Keaton will always be Batman, and Jack Nicholson will
always be The Joker. It’s gothic, dramatic, and just plain fun.
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade: if only the franchise had
just ended here. But for most Indy fans, this is still viewed as a satisfying
final entry, with Dr. Jones (Harrison Ford) teaming with his father (Sean
Connery) for an epic adventure to obtain the Holy Grail. Awesome action
sequences, fun character moments, and a tone closer to Raiders of the Lost Ark than Temple
of Doom made it (for some) the best Indiana
Jones adventure of all.
When Harry Met Sally: One of the all-time best rom-coms, straight
up. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, who discover they can’t just stay friends, and
actually do love each other, through
hilarious and heartfelt exchanges of excellent dialogue in scene after
memorable scene. “I’ll have what she’s having”.
The Abyss: one of James Cameron’s more underrated movies, about
deep-sea divers who discover an intelligent alien species capable of
controlling water. Phenomenal special effects, engaging characters, and
mounting tension make for one hell of an adventure.
Back to the Future Part II: okay, so it’s not the best Back to the Future movie (arguably the
worst) but for me, it’s still a classic. After having celebrated the passing of
October 21st, 2015, it holds an even more special place in my heart,
and in pop culture. It’s just not a complete marathon without watching Part II.
9. 1941
Going quite a bit further back to a simpler time when there
weren’t big action blockbusters being released, but there were still several
notable releases that have gone down in history as cinematic landmarks.
Citizen Kane: do I even need to say anything about this one?
It’s one of the best movies of all-time, and often cited as THE best. But
there’s more than just this movie to make 1941 notable.
The Maltese Falcon: yet another all-time classic. A go-to for
film noir fans, and one of Humphrey Bogart’s most memorable performances.
How Green Was my Valley: maybe not quite the classic that Maltese Falcon and Citizen Kane became, but it was still nominated for a whopping ten
Academy Awards and is undoubtedly a highlight from this year.
The Wolf Man: a horror classic, and one of the best Universal
Monster Movies. The Wolf Man himself is not just a generic werewolf, but a
distinct and tragic character that has endured ever since this debut, and the
original is still an atmospheric and entertaining film.
Dumbo: Disney’s only big hit in the 40’s, and still considered
an animated classic, back when Disney targeted child audiences but still
inserted horrific scenes like the dancing pink elephant dream sequence that
scared the hell out of kids, and continues to, to this day.
8. 1979
There’s definitely a nice variety in this year, with one
genre prevailing in particular. Horror in 1979 was exceptional, with cult
classics like Tourist Trap, Phantasm, and The Amityville Horror. But of course there’s one that really stands
out.
Alien: one of the best sci-fi/horror films ever made, with a
totally unique and frightening creature design and a claustrophobic setting
that’s unescapable. Sigourney Weaver became a star from her role as Ellen
Ripley, and the film spawned a successful franchise that’s still going to this
day, but no sequel or prequel (except Aliens)
has been able to top the original.
Apocalypse Now: infamous for all the on-set problems the cast
and crew faced, Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam war film inspired by Heart of Darkness is one of the most
brutal and well-made war films ever, with excellent performances (Martin Sheen,
Marlon Brando) memorable music (Ride of the Valkyries) and quotable dialogue
(“I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”)
Kramer vs. Kramer: an Academy Award-winning classic that is
surely one of the best movies from both leads, Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep.
Month Python’s Life of Brian: while I don’t think it’s as funny
as Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian still has many hilarious
gags and that signature Monty Python
humour intact.
Mad Max: With the superior sequel The Road Warrior and the even more superior fourth entry Fury Road, it’s easy to forget the
original Mad Max is a well-crafted
low-budget revenge tale that brought Mel Gibson front and center and was the
feature-length debut of director George Miller.
Rocky II: not as good as the first Rocky for most, but for me, I like it even more, with the further
exploration of the characters and their relationships and (spoiler alert) the
better ending, because Rocky gets the girl and
wins the match, and I couldn’t help but fist pump when Stallone declares “I did
it!”
Escape from Alcatraz: despite its slow pace, is still one of
the best prison break films, with the always great Clint Eastwood and the
accurate depiction of how the prisoners escaped. As I said, slow, but still
classic.
7. 1986
I unabashedly love 80’s movies, but narrowing it down, there
are two years in particular from that decade that really delivered a sizable
helping of good movies, and this is one of them.
Platoon: again, one of the best war films ever, also about the
Vietnam War, but this time with Martin Sheen’s son Charlie Sheen in the lead,
and many great supporting actors including Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger. It’s
gritty, realistic, horrific, and emotional.
Ferris Beuller’s Day Off: on a lighter note, this is my
favourite teen comedy from writer/director John Hughes and never fails to make
me laugh. Matthew Broderick’s signature role, plus so many iconic lines and
moments of comedic gold, makes it a real winner. “Beuller…? Beuller…?”
Stand by Me: one of the greatest adaptations of a Stephen King
story, about four kids who go out looking for a dead body, but find much more.
Totally believable characters, a thrilling sense of adventure, and raw emotion
make it fun but emotionally resonant too.
The Fly: one of director David Cronenberg’s best, and one of
the scariest body horror movies ever, and one of the best remakes ever, and one
of Jeff Goldblum’s best roles, and the list goes on. Great effects, tragic love
story, truly disturbing, it’s just great.
Aliens: as mentioned before, the only sequel to Alien I think is
Top Gun: not one of the best movies ever, but certainly a
quintessential 80’s actioner, with a great soundtrack and aerial stunts, plus
Tom Cruise.
Transformers: The Movie: though not a classic for me, it is for
countless 80’s kids, and is still undoubtedly the best Transformers movie yet to be made, with actual emotion, but also
cool robot battles.
6. 1991
This year has some heavy hitters, as well as movies I would
say are only just good, like Point Break,
and a bunch that I haven’t seen but I know are big deals, like The Rocketeer, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, JFK,
the Cape Fear remake, and The Doors. But here are the standouts
for me.
The Silence of the Lambs: truly as fascinating as it is
disturbing, those who say this isn’t a true horror movie are lying. It’s
totally character-driven, with Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector leaving an
incredible impact despite his limited scenes, and Jodi Foster as Clarice
Starling, carrying the entire movie. Creepy, visceral, and unforgettable, but
also weirdly enjoyable.
Thelma and Louise: a highly-enjoyable dramedy, and one of the
best “road movies” ever, with great performances from Susan Sarandon and Geena
Davis, and a really memorable ending.
Naked Gun 2: The Smell of Fear: Not as good as the first Naked Gun, but still laugh-out-loud
funny, Leslie Neilson is still spot-on as bumbling detective Frank Drebin, and there
are more than a few memorable gags, even though many of them are just repeats
from the first.
Beauty and the Beast: another one of Disney’s best—so good, in
fact, it got nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, which was a first for an
animated feature.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day: this is the big one for me. My
5. 1977
Now things are getting serious. Going back to the seventies,
this year has some extremely big landmarks (Smokey
and the Bandit, Saturday Night Fever,
The Spy Who Loved Me), despite not
having quite the quantity of other years already covered. Let me just start
with the biggest one.
Star Wars (A.K.A. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope):
yeah, what can be said that hasn’t already been said? It transcends the medium
of film. For many it’s a way of life. Truly one of the most important movies
ever made.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind: in ’77 George Lucas had Star Wars, and Steven Spielberg had Close Encounters. One of the best alien
movies ever, with a decidedly friendlier approach than what was typical of that
time, and it remains a classic in the sci-fi genre.
Annie Hall: I don’t love this movie, and I don’t love Woody
Allen in general, but Annie Hall is
just one of those comedies that really has aged well and is relatable on a
level that can’t be ignored. It breaks the fourth wall in very effective ways,
is smartly written, and is far from generic.
Eraserhead: David Lynch is one of those directors known for his
distinct style and subject matter, and this is usually the first go-to for
anyone wanting to get into his work. It rides that line of “is it horror or is it
not?” and it bears repeating: this, too, holds up very well.
The Hills Have Eyes: Wes Craven’s cannibals in the desert, made
long before his most famous features, Nightmare
on Elm Street and Scream, but
still one of his best, and a very unsettling horror story.
4. 1982
Jumping back to the eighties, 1982 was a truly exceptional
year—in fact, the next three were as well—but it’s the variety that’s really
striking. If you wanted a sample size of many genres but from only one year,
this would be a good one to go with.
E.T. The Extraterrestrial: here you have your Spielberg, a bit
sci-fi, a bit coming-of-age, a bit family drama, a bit comedy. A timeless
story, timeless characters, laughter and tears in equal measure, E.T. is one of the director’s very best.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High: here you have your teen comedy,
R-rated, with high schoolers working part-time jobs, having sex, getting
pregnant, going on dates, getting into trouble, getting high, all that good
stuff, but with plenty of quality humour interspersed throughout.
The Thing: here you have your hard-core sci-fi horror
masterpiece from John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russel, about a bunch of guys
trapped at the South Pole with an alien that can hide inside a person and be
virtually undetectable. It has mystery, gore, suspense, action, and genuinely
terrifying scenes.
Poltergeist: and if The
Thing is too much, you can go the scary-but-still-fun route with this
Spielberg-produced (and maybe directed?) supernatural thriller that will make
you scared of trees, clowns, closet portals, and Indian burial grounds, but
you’ll still have fun at the same time.
The Evil Dead: is Poltergeist
too mainstream for you? Want something still supernatural but more in line with
The Thing for gore? Sam Raimi’s
directorial debut will suffice, with Bruce Campbell and his friends fighting
off deadites in a cabin in the woods. A low-budget horror classic with some
over-the-top comedy infused that’s a must-see for horror fans.
Bladerunner: if E.T.
and The Thing weren’t hard enough
sci-fi,
Ghandi: not into the genre stuff? Want just a solid drama? Ben
Kingsley as Ghandi with Richard Attenborough behind the camera is an Academy
Award-winner, and should do the trick.
3. 1993
This would be my
favourite year for film, but there
are only six notable ones for me, whereas the number two and one spots have a
greater number of quality films to offer.
Schindler’s List: not an easy watch, and probably not something
you’ll want to revisit, but essential viewing nonetheless, chronicling World
War II and the horrific acts committed, in stark black-and-white and with disturbing
realism.
The Fugitive: one of the best action-thrillers of the 90’s,
with Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones in top form. Swift plotting, a constant
sense of urgency, and an intriguing mystery wrapped up in the pursuit, this is
definitely one of the best movies to have spawned from a TV show.
The Piano: an unassuming New Zealand drama that actually packs
quite the punch and is a fascinating character study, with actresses Holly
Hunter and Anna Paquin (only 11 at the time) winning Academy Awards for their
work.
Tombstone: an often overlooked western with Kurt Russell (who’s
always great) as Wyatt Earp, and a good supporting cast around him.
Groundhog Day: right up there as one of Bill Murray’s best,
with
The Sandlot: this underrated tale of kids playing baseball in
the 60’s and trying to get a ball signed by Babe Ruth back from a giant dog is
one of my favourite tales ever told in a film. With one of the best all-kids
casts’ ever and dialogue that actually sounds like its kids talking and not
adults trying to sound like kids, it’s a must-see. I’ll never get tired to
revisiting this movie.
Jurassic Park: at last, the real reason 1993 is my third
favourite year for movies. Simply put, one of my absolute favourite movies
ever—probably my most favourite.
Spielberg proved he was the best in ’93 when he delivered the heartfelt serious
drama in Schindler’s List and the
classic thrills he was previously known for with Jurassic in the same year. Truly legendary.
2. 1999
Here’s what many consider the best year of all for movies,
and I can see why. I couldn’t possibly go into detail about all the good ones,
but here are a few that have made lasting impacts: The Iron Giant, the South
Park movie, Magnolia, Being John Malkovich, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Toy Story 2. That’s already highly
impressive, but check out these other six
(!)
Eyes Wide Shut: Stanley Kubrick’s final film. Not one of his
absolute best, in my books, but still endlessly fascinating and surprisingly
haunting. It explores themes of sex and betrayal and goes places most
filmmakers would probably hesitate to explore, but Kubrick goes there, and left
moviegoers scratching their heads, as I’m sure he wanted to.
The Sixth Sense: M. Night Shyamalan’s breakout hit, with one of
the best twist endings ever. This movie probably helped inspire the whole
“spoiler alert” thing, and rightly so. It’s creepy without being too scary, and
mysterious without being confusing. The ending, of course, it what everyone
remembers, but it only works because the rest of the movie works so well.
The Green Mile: another one of the best prison movies ever,
based on the serial novel by Stephen King. The acting talent is superb, with
Tom Hanks leading the cast and Michael Clarke Duncan nearly stealing the show.
The Matrix: truly revolutionary in terms of action and visual
effects, introducing the way overused “bullet time” effect and a warped story that
made people question their perception of the world. While I can’t say I love The Matrix, I do enjoy it, and recognize
the lasting impact it’s had on pop culture.
American Beauty: Sam Mendes debuted as a director with this
Oscar winner, and Kevin Spacey gives one of his best performances ever, as an
unassuming suburban father who goes off the deep end, but the way his character
changes is really intriguing, and the dissolution of his family is tragic yet
also entertaining.
Fight Club: seriously, the quality of these movies is out of
control. Now here’s a David Fincher film—one of his best—that also offered a
mind-bending plot like The Matrix and a crazy twist near the end
like Sixth Sense, but it’s still
totally unique and masterfully put together.
1. 1994
Here it is, what I would call the best year for film ever
(so far). It’s not about quantity but quality, though there is still quite a
large amount to talk about. I’ll start in easy.
Jim Carrey: this
was the year everyone learned who Jim Carrey was, and we haven’t forgotten ever
since. He had not one, not two, but three
huge comedies that are all considered among his best-ever work. There’s The Mask, essentially a comic book
action comedy with purposefully cartoony but still sophisticated special
effects, and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,
which is one of Carrey’s quirkier and more hilarious characters, and last but
not least, Dumb and Dumber, probably
the most-beloved of the three movies, with him going all-out alongside Jeff
Daniels for maximum gut-busting laughs.
The Lion King: just when you thought Disney couldn’t outdo
themselves after Beauty and the Beast,
here comes this instant classic, which has no human characters present and no
interaction with any setting except the wilderness of Africa, and tells the
story of a lion cub that gripped the hearts of adults and kids alike. Stunning
animation, fun songs, strong characters, all make it another of Disney’s best. 
Forrest Gump: many people were (and still are) upset this won
Best Picture at the Oscars. I agree it shouldn’t have won Best Picture, but I
don’t think Forrest Gump is a bad
movie. In fact, I think it’s great. Sure, some of the visual gags are a bit
cheesy, and sometimes it just feels like it’s moving scene-to-scene without
much story, but the overarching tale of Forrest and Jenny is heartfelt and
tragic and sweet and many other adjectives, but of course Tom Hanks as Forrest
Gump is the real reason the movie succeeds. Not a bad movie as many will say,
but not quite as good as these last two.
Pulp Fiction: Quentin Tarantino followed up the much-lauded
The Shawshank Redemption: this is the one I thought should’ve won Best Picture in 1994. Shawshank Redemption is one of my all-time favourite movies, and in
a stellar year, it’s the standout for me. Frank Darabont did well with Green Mile—Stephen King, too (he wrote
the short story Shawshank is based
on)—but neither could have possibly done better than they did here. Tim Robbins
and Morgan Freeman give legendary performances, the story is completely
enthralling, and it deals with such big, universal themes, I don’t understand
how someone couldn’t love this movie.
So there you have it,
my ten favourite years for film. Did I miss any? What is your favourite year?
I’m guessing it isn’t 2016… (*sad Tuba sound*)
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