30 on 30: A CCC Special
1994-2024
On this day in 1994, I was born. I’m dealing with the psychological ramifications of turning thirty years old in part by taking a special look back at movies and TV shows released during the years I have been alive that really mean something to me.
This will be divided into three parts. Part One: Top Thirty Movies from the Past Thirty Years That Have Defined My Love of Cinema. Part Two: Top Thirty TV Shows from the Past Thirty Years That Have Defined My Love of Television. Part Three: One Significant Movie (To Me) from Each Year I Have Been Alive (So Far).
Part One: Top Thirty Movies from the Past Thirty Years That Have Defined My Love of Cinema
These are not ranked. They are ordered from the earliest influences in my life to the most recent. If it’s a movie I happened to have already included in my ongoing Favourite Films Series, or have reviewed in some other capacity, I’ll throw the link in.
1. Dinosaur (2000)
I already loved dinosaurs when I saw this one in the theatre, but it will always be my first experience seeing them on the big screen, and it still has much of the same visual and auditory impact twenty-four years later.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2016/08/dinosaur-2000-favourite-films-series.html
2. Toy Story (1995)
I may or may not have been taken to see the original Toy Story at the theatre as an infant, but I remember renting it on VHS multiple times and being enthralled, then rediscovering how great it still was as a teenager in high school when it was re-released (along with Toy Story 2) in 3D prior to the release of Toy Story 3.
3. Godzilla 2000 (1999)
It was my first Japanese Godzilla movie, and I loved it in spite of all its flaws, to the point that as I saw more and more monster movies as I grew up, I always held them up to this one, and while some are technically better, none can remove the special place this one will always have in my heart.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2016/04/godzilla-2000-1999-favourite-films.html
4. Ice Age (2002)
There was a time when I came home from elementary school and put Ice Age on day after day after day, probably for a solid two weeks or more. Every kid around my age did that with at least one movie, and the fact that I can still watch it and enjoy it today makes it clear how special it is.
5. Finding Nemo (2003)
I was part of the generation of kids who were at those earliest Pixar movies and watched them get better and better in terms of characters, storytelling, and animation quality, but aside from Toy Story, the one that made the biggest lasting impact was Finding Nemo. I saw it in the theatre, I watched it over and over on VHS, and I still quote it every so often.
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Most of the newer, current films I saw as a kid were distinctly made for all audiences, but Pirates, despite being a Disney film, felt like the first real modern summer blockbuster akin to Jaws or Terminator 2 that I was allowed to see, and did it ever make a strong impression. Despite uncountable rewatches, I still love it and still appreciate how it was made so skillfully.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2023/08/pirates-of-caribbean-curse-of-black.html
7. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Even though the superhero movie hype has died down since its booming days in the 2010s, I’ve enjoyed most of them, but have only truly loved a handful. Spider-Man 2 was the first superhero movie I loved, and all these sequels and subsequent superheroes later, it remains in my personal hall of fame.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2017/07/spider-man-2-2004-favourite-films-series.html
8. King Kong (2005)
For most kids my age, one or two (or possibly all three) of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies was their epic, three-hour fantasy film odyssey that kept them on the edge of their theater seat and burned imagery into their minds forever, but for me, it was Jackson’s King Kong remake he made immediately after. It was the unequivocal big screen monster movie adventure of my childhood.
9. The Edge (1997)
The Edge helped me discover my love of the survival genre, and of films about people trying to outwit an animal or natural disaster in particular. As someone who has also been camping since before I could walk (before even being born, in fact) and had plenty of run-ins with bears in the woods, The Edge hits home for me and thrills me in ways no other film has quite been able to.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-edge-1997-review-favourite-films.html
10. Iron Man (2008)
Not since Spider-Man 2 had a Marvel hero captivated me so completely and made me believe in such a fantastic concept. Spider-Man set the hook, but Iron Man reeled me in to seeing Marvel sequel after Marvel sequel, though the one that started it all (in terms of the MCU) never lost any of its charm or spectacle as the years went by.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2016/05/iron-man-2008-favourite-films-series.html
11. The Dark Knight (2008)
What was it I said about Spider-Man 2? Yeah, that again, but doubled for The Dark Knight. It’s not just one of the best superhero movies or sequels, but one of the best movies, period, of the 2000s, and it woke me up to what it meant not just to be a fan of specific movies, but of movies as an art form.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-dark-knight-2008-favourite-films.html
12. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
One of my greatest video store memories: renting this with my friend, having no clue what it was, and being completely taken aback by how many great comedic actors appeared in it, with everyone in service of Will Ferrell’s greatest character of all-time. In a decade not only dominated by the height of Ferrell’s career but also dominated by comedies in general, Anchorman remains the most legendarily hilarious of its kind in the era.
13. Inception (2010)
It combined my love of science fiction with the same sort of exhilarating action from The Dark Knight, and in an era when I began watching more and more movies, it resonated with me long after the summer of 2010 was over. Inception felt unlike any movie I had seen before, and that still holds true.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2021/02/inception-2010-favourite-films-series.html
14. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
I was a little late to the party, but better late than never, because the day I decided to give Lord of the Rings a chance, I watched The Two Towers immediately after Fellowship of the Ring ended, and finished both in one day. While Return of the King was a satisfyingly epic conclusion, when I return to the three-part story, it’s always the middle chapter that I enjoy most wholly, in terms of action, spectacle, emotion, and total captivation.
15. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
This was my introduction to irreverent filmmaker Wes Anderson, which rekindled my love of stop motion filmmaking, and out of all the “family films” I saw in the 2000s as I grew out of watching primarily those kinds of films and began seeking out more mature content, it transcended its status as simply another one of those and stood out as a great movie, period.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2022/04/fantastic-mr-fox-2009-favourite-films.html
16. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
I had already seen this film prior to studying it and the novella by Stephen King in grade twelve English class because my dad had cited it as one of the few films he would watch more than once (I did not get my love of movies from him), and while I loved it from the very start, I gained an even greater appreciation of it after a closer analysis and comparison to the source material. Shawshank is significant not just for being one of the earliest movies to get me interested in studying cinema, but for being one of the greatest stories of hope to be told through the medium of film in my lifetime.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-shawshank-redemption-1994-favourite.html
17. Prometheus (2012)
It was controversial upon release and doesn’t hold up as well all these years later, but in the twilight of my final year of high school, Prometheus was a bigger deal to me than any other movie. As a massive fan of the Alien franchise, getting a chance to return to that world through the eye of original Alien director Ridley Scott was extremely significant, and I’m still nostalgic for it, even though my hype has long since died.
Review: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2018/10/prometheus-2012-review.html
18. Pacific Rim (2013)
Between 2010 and 2015 my movie fandom climbed to an all-time peak, and Pacific Rim was the rebirth of the giant monster movie genre, so of course it was a big deal when it came out, but surprisingly, it has been one of the most enjoyable films of its kind to return to many, many times in the years since.
Review: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2021/10/pacific-rim-2013-review.html
19. Godzilla (2014)
Following Pacific Rim, the King of the Monsters returned to North American cinema for the first time since I was four years old. It was the biggest movie (for me) in a year packed with great movies. It was a serious take on something I had loved since I was a little kid, and while it doesn’t hold up as well a decade later, it remains an important contribution to the modern monster movie resurgence (and holds up much better compared to the 1998 version).
Review: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-2014-review.html
20. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe was officially born in 2012 with The Avengers, a superhero team movie I still thoroughly enjoy, but then the Guardians of the Galaxy came along and blew Avengers out of the water. It was firmly in my favourite genre (sci-fi), it introduced a collection of characters I had never seen or even heard of before and made them instantly lovable, and it was really, really funny while still being action-packed and heartfelt and visually incredible all at once. The first Guardians remains one of the highest points in the MCU, for me.
21. Birdman (2014)
This was my favourite movie of 2014 because it was completely original, utterly captivating, and excelled in all major departments: directing, writing, and acting. Superhero fatigue hadn’t set in yet, but the reason Birdman will endure long after superhero movies go the way of the western is because it peels back the layers on not just superheroes but on filmmaking and the creation of art on a grander scale and digs into some big topics all while being highly entertaining.
22. Whiplash (2014)
Coming in as a close runner up for favourite 2014 movie, Whiplash excelled in all the same departments as Birdman, but told a completely different (though also incredibly original) story about some very intense characters in a very intense environment. It’s a harrowing look at what happens when the lines between dedication and obsession and abuse become blurred together, with some of the best acting of the entire decade.
23. Ex Machina (2015)
One thing I love about Ex Machina is how you can watch it more than one way. When I first saw it, I found it fascinating and thrilling in its relative simplicity, but after a few times I watched it over again under the assumption that the protagonist is also an android with AI, and it was like a new viewing experience. Not many movies can function this way—and whether or not that is true is entirely up to the viewer to decide, which is what makes it so brilliant. Ex Machina is the most interesting science fiction movie, to me, I saw in the 2010s, and that’s saying a lot considering the number of stellar examples.
24. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
It stunned me the first time I saw it, and never loses any of its power with repeat viewings. I already loved the action movie genre long before Fury Road, but it still feels like a crowning achievement in the genre. I went as Max Rockatansky for Halloween in 2015 and have probably watched it at least once every year since it came out.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2024/05/mad-max-fury-road-2015-favourite-films.html
25. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
My feelings on the current state of Star Wars and the eventual outcome of the sequel trilogy in 2019 aside, nothing will really take away the collective power Star Wars held over us all in 2015, giving fans a fresh new start while bringing back old characters we thought we might never see again on the big screen. The hype around it is the true lasting memory, for me, but even all these years later, it’s still a fun movie despite its shortcomings and hollow promises.
Initial Reaction/Review: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2015/12/star-wars-force-awakens-initial-reaction.html
26. Clerks (1994)
I worked part time at a convenience store for over seven years—from the end of grade nine to graduation, and all throughout my undergrad degree—and when I saw Clerks, it spoke to me on two levels: the DIY indie filmmaking level, and on the level of a young adult who dreams of something more than working that kind of job, but still isn’t sure what to dream of, exactly. It opened the doorway to filmmaker Kevin Smith for me, and it captures the essence of that convenience store world perfectly. It just clicked as an instant favourite, and gave me hope for my future.
27. What We Do in the Shadows (2015)
I watched this during an era when I was watching so many new movies that it took a lot for one to really stand out, and W.W.D.I.T.S stood out so much I had to show it to everyone I knew. I hadn’t done that with a new movie in a long time, but every time I rewatched it, I just laughed harder, because it only got funnier.
Review: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2017/10/what-we-do-in-shadows-2014-review.html
28. Sing Street (2016)
Even taking away the part where I saw Sing Street for the first time at a pivotal point in my life and how it constantly punctuated significant moments for years to come, it’s just a fantastic movie, and a surefire way of getting in a good mood or getting inspired.
Favourite Films Series: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2021/01/sing-street-2016-favourite-films-series.html
29. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Star Wars probably wouldn’t have come back to theaters had it not been for the success of the MCU under Disney ownership. Not every movie along the way was as good as Iron Man or The Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy (in fact, most weren’t), but Endgame was the biggest cinematic event, hands down, of an entire generation. It resolved the cliffhanger ending of Infinity War, it brought storylines that had started years earlier to satisfying conclusions, and it’s the only movie out of these thirty movies that I rushed back to the theatre to see again less than twenty-four hours after my first time viewing. It isn’t perfect and it isn’t even the best Avengers movie, but it’s perhaps one of the most epic superhero movies ever made, and will likely retain that status for years to come.
30. Godzilla Minus One (2023)
After both the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the MCU Infinity Saga ended in 2019 and we slipped into a worldwide pandemic, there were no new movies that found a place in my heart as truly significant throughout all of 2020, 2021, and even 2022. Then, finally, at the end of last year, a new Godzilla movie from Toho came out in North America, and completely blew everyone away, including this life-long Godzilla fan who had not been emotionally moved by one of the Japanese giant monster movies in decades.
Review: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2023/12/godzilla-minus-one-review.html
Part Two: Top Thirty TV Shows from the Past Thirty Years That Have Defined My Love of Television.
These are not ranked. They are in order of when they first aired—which is not necessarily the order in which I watched them.
1. Paleoworld (1994)
A lifelong passion for dinosaurs and all forms of prehistoric life was kindled in me by many sources throughout my childhood, but this docuseries was one of the most important examples. I still put episodes on once in a while for their calming effect—the music, the narration, and the ever-more-out-of-date paleoart all soothes my psyche.
2. Friends (1994)
One of the greatest sitcoms of all-time premiered just twelve days after I was born. Not long after mom and dad brought me home from the hospital, mom started watching what soon became one of her favourite shows, and she watched it all throughout the first ten years of my life. In the second half of the show’s decade-long run I started watching and became a fan myself, and when I bought the entire series on DVD as a preteen it became one of my favourite shows, too. It will never get old, and it will never cease to make me laugh, no matter how many times I watch every episode over and over.
3. 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996)
This was another sitcom my parents watched when I was a kid, and I remember digging the theme music, but not getting why it was funny until much later. I rewatched the whole series as an adult, and finally figured out why it had made them laugh so hard. While nowhere near the level of Friends, its sci-fi twist on the typical sitcom formula made it stand out back then, and it remain uniquely hilarious to this day.
4. Recess (1997)
After school, on Family Channel, this was one of the best shows to watch, and every kid knew it. Recess was relatable on an elementary-student-level no other cartoon could possibly hope to be. The endearing characters, the fun plots, and the profuse number of kid-isms in every episode kept it watchable long after many cartoons I watched around the same time no longer were. I still enjoy Recess to this day, in some of the same ways I used to, and in so, so many new ones.
5. That 70’s Show (1998)
This one I watched as it aired when I was a little older, and many jokes were lost on me, but I still enjoyed it for the character dynamics and the retro setting. I watched the whole series over again as an adult and enjoyed it in a whole new way. While later seasons weren’t as good, the first couple are some of the most solid seasons of any sitcom I’ve ever seen, and it’s no surprise so many of the main cast members who weren’t already well established went on to have lucrative careers.
6. Ed, Edd, n’ Eddy (1999)
There were quite a few Cartoon Network shows I enjoyed in my youth, but none more so than this one, which I saw for the first time on vacation in Hawaii at the age of five. I watched it for the years that reruns aired on Teletoon, revisited some of the best episodes as a young adult, and rewatched all the early episodes over the past couple of years, plus watched episodes I had never seen before. I can’t honestly say I love it quite as much as when I was a child, but it still makes me laugh to this day, and it captures a similar kind of exaggerated physical humour coupled with witty dialogue that harkens back to Looney Tunes in ways most other cartoons from that era failed to.
7. Walking with Dinosaurs (1999)
This is another nostalgic dinosaur show for me, but its scientific basis is weaker looking back on it now as an adult than it seemed to me when I first saw it during its North American premiere on the Discovery Channel in 2000. I was thrilled to get the UK version on DVD a few years later, and I have watched the whole miniseries through so many times I practically have every scene memorized—which sure came in handy whenever we played the Walking With Dinosaurs Board Game!
8. Family Guy (1999)
I first saw the Griffin family late at night on Teletoon during “The Detour” programming block, which I wasn’t supposed to watch, but I stayed up past my bedtime and watched Family Guy on my tiny TV in my bedroom with the volume so low I could just manage to hear the raunchy dialogue, though tons of the jokes went completely over my head or I took them wrong. I got the first DVD volume for Christmas when I was in middle school, watched the show repeatedly, got my mom hooked on it, then when it was renewed after being cancelled twice, I caught up and watched it up to season eleven, then gave up after it lost what had made it funny and appealing in the first place. While I don’t rewatch it as much anymore, I still enjoy most of seasons 1-7 and certain episodes from seasons 8-10, not just for nostalgia, but because they still make me laugh.
9. Futurama (1999)
It started around the same time as Family Guy and had the same aesthetic as The Simpsons, which I never got into, and I found a few episodes entertaining when I was a kid, but then I kind of forgot about Futurama for a while, only to rediscover it on Netflix when I was about 20 and watch it all the way through multiple times. What makes it my favourite adult animated comedy is how much heart it has in combination with a breadth of humour—clever jokes, dumb jokes, pop culture references, raunchy humour, and sci-fi satire.
10. The Weekenders (2000)
After school it was an episode of Recess followed by an episode of The Weekenders, which had a very different art style and slightly older middle-schoolers in a very different premise: instead of being about preteens in school, it was all about—well, the title gives it away. The main characters were endearing, the humour was clever, sarcastic, witty, and quick, and it was extremely relatable. Even though there weren’t that many episodes and I watched a lot of them repeated numerous times, I still tuned it, because it was the best show of its kind on at the time, to be replaced later by 6Teen, which has not had the same lasting power.
11. What’s With Andy? (2001)
Of the many cartoons I watched religiously on Teletoon during the best years of my childhood, this was my favourite. Andy Larkin’s prankster lifestyle was something that I found hilarious, entertaining, and endearing. I wanted to be Andy. When I revisited the show as an adult, I expected to find it immature and annoying, but it held up, thanks to many reasonably clever jokes, great supporting characters for Andy to play off, and the many creative plots.
12. The Blue Planet: Seas of Life (2001)
I got my dad to record this entire week-long Discovery Channel special, and later got the whole miniseries on DVD. It sparked my fascination with ocean life, and the episode about the deep sea remains one of my favourite episodes from any nature program. I was pleased to discover years later that many other viewers found the same relaxing qualities in listening to David Attenborough’s narration in combination with the dazzling footage of sea life that I had found. While the visual quality of the footage may no longer compare to the crisper high-def footage from later, similar documentaries, Blue Planet is still a top tier BBC nature miniseries.
13. Firefly (2002)
I didn’t see the sole season of Joss Whedon’s short-lived sci-fi-western-comedy until about a decade after it had aired, but in those few episodes I found a sci-fi world that felt unlike the many I had seen before (especially in TV terms) populated by extremely endearing characters. The one good thing about having such a limited number of episodes is how much easier it is to go back and watch it all, which I have done more than once, and I even studied the show in a university course focused on Joss Whedon’s works, which made me appreciate the storytelling techniques even more than I already did.
14. Mythbusters (2003)
When asked what my number one favourite show of all-time is, this is my answer. No other show can compare to Mythbusters. It combines storytelling with science, charismatic hosts lead us through the scientific process in an educational and entertaining way, it has surprises, explosions, jokes, visual variety, guest stars, memorable moments aplenty, and it never got old, despite airing new episodes that I watched without fail from ages nine to twenty-one. It defines the biggest span of my life in terms of being a show I loved, and it is unlike any other show that has aired in my lifetime. Most shows eventually feel like they need to end, even ones that I’ve loved, but this is one that I was genuinely sad to see go even after an incredible thirteen-year run of nearly 300 episodes.
15. Arrested Development (2003)
It had never occurred to me before this show that a sitcom could be funny beyond just having entertaining characters in amusing situations. What if the plots were actually clever, and the humour came from the payoff of multiple setups that come together in unexpected ways? That is how I remember the first three seasons of Arrested Development best. The memorable dialogue and amusing narration helped, too, but the hardest laughs I had were always from the unexpected reveals and the progression of the storyline for the Bluth family.
16. LOST (2004)
Even though I have no interest in ever watching LOST again and I still haven’t gotten over the bizarre finale, it was the first drama series that compelled me to keep watching for multiple years, with a strong cast of characters played by many great actors, and the now infamously ambiguous elements of the story, like polar bears on a tropical island, “The Others” and the DHARMA Initiative.
17. Corner Gas (2004)
As a kid who grew up working at a corner store in a small town (like it says in the theme song, “you think there’s not a lot going on”) I took much joy in watching what is no stretch to call the greatest Canadian sitcom ever made. It was one of those shows that was just always on for so much of my life, but I bought all the DVDs and watched it from beginning to end multiple times, and still laugh out loud at numerous episodes. It’s distinctly Canadian charm aside, the characters are delightful, the humour is clever, and the writing is just plain good.
18. House M.D. (2004)
Dr. House, played by Hugh Laurie, is one of the most memorable characters from a TV drama produced in my lifetime. The way he solved medical mysteries like a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, all while making sarcastic jokes, limping around with his cane and bad leg, and popping Vicodin like they were candy, sustained the show for eight years, and even when the story formula got repetitive after a while, the supporting characters and the realistic relationships kept me watching right up to the very end.
19. The Office (U.S.) (2005)
What can I say about The Office? If you know the show, you know what’s to love, or hate, about it. It took me a few episodes to fully embrace the cringe humour, the over-the-top Michael Scott, played perfectly by Steve Carrell, and the documentary-style storytelling, but the Pam-Jim romance anchored the story, for me, and the hilarious supporting characters helped turn a mundane environment into one of the funniest comedy playgrounds on television.
20. Planet Earth (2006)
It still feels like the ultimate nature program all these years later, because unlike other shows (even Blue Planet preceding it), Planet Earth encapsulates our whole world without getting too focused on one area, or species, or topic. Every episode is a work of art. The music, narration, science, and documentation of breathtaking moments in nature all works together to make a miniseries that’s not only informative, but beautiful. Even though there have been many miniseries’ like it since, none have felt more impactful or significant from beginning to end, with the only one rivalling it, for me, being Life (2009).
21. Fringe (2008)
Fringe felt like my show. I didn’t know anyone else who watched it (other than my mom, who watched it with me), and it collected many of my favourite sci-fi/horror concepts into one series, combined with a police procedural. I wasn’t familiar with the X-Files when I first watched it, but even looking back, Fringe had exceptionally high production values for a cable network series of its type, a great cast, and some mysteries and twists that, unlike LOST, actually paid off. My love for the show wavered in the last season, but at its best, Fringe was my favourite show on TV, and it left a lasting impact on me with its memorable visuals, visceral thrills, and creative episodic storytelling.
22. Breaking Bad (2008)
Few, if any, drama shows can compare to not only the sustained quality from beginning to end, but the increased quality as Breaking Bad progressed throughout its five seasons. I haven’t been on the edge of my seat during any show in the way I was through my first time watching the later seasons. No show like it has been as rewatchable for me, either. It set a new standard for long form storytelling and pushed the cinematic evolution of TV. I can’t say more, because I can’t say enough good things about it, and can’t recommend it enough if you haven’t already seen it or given it a chance.
23. Parks and Recreation (2009)
While not likely to go down in my personal history as one of the best sitcoms, Parks and Rec was one I saw after it had finished airing, and it was after I had finished The Office, too, so had I seen it first, maybe it would have been dearer to my heart when looking back. Even still, I had some really good laughs watching it, and it might have career-best performances from pretty much every main cast member. I haven’t watched any season more than once, but would definitely go back to earlier seasons again, and would consider doing a full series rewatch eventually.
24. Game of Thrones (2011)
Forget about the terrible ending for a second: remember when Game of Thrones was THE show? I do. I’ll never forget watching the first episode on Blu-ray on my 18th birthday after hearing season one was “pretty good” and being simply aghast at a fantasy story (never my favourite genre) pulling the rug right out from under me repeatedly and keeping me on my toes for six straight seasons. The cinematic level of production, the shocking deaths, the unforgettable characters, and the epic moments may have been diminished for some with the inarguably disappointing conclusion, but I’m just glad I was alive at a time when everyone knew Game of Thrones was the best show of all-time because it hadn’t been tarnished yet. I have watched the first three seasons all the way through multiple times, and would gladly watch at least the first five all over again.
25. Hannibal (2013)
I was skeptical of a cable network series adapting the storylines of multiple Thomas Harris books featuring Hannibal Lecter at first, but the strong cast, the distinct visual style, and the interesting remixing of plot points into this new version of the story kept me invested for all three seasons. In some ways, it managed to be a better adaptation than both Manhunter and Red Dragon, plus took the best parts of Hannibal (2001) and still managed to be surprising with its departures from the source material.
26. Ash vs. Evil Dead (2015)
I had pretty high hopes for this continuation of the Evil Dead films because so many of the original creators were involved. It not only lived up to the hopes, but it also surpassed them (at least with the second season, anyway). As a TV show sequel, and for what it is, Ash vs. Evil Dead is pure entertainment, plain and simple, and in an era when I’m annoyed that it feels like more and more stories are being told as shows instead of movies even when they don’t need to be, it made me happy we got this instead of a movie, which is the highest praise I can give.
27. Stranger Things (2016)
It’s been a rollercoaster ride of a show, and it isn’t over quite yet, but the first season of Stranger Things feels like a standalone miniseries to me, and had it stayed that way, I would have been content and it likely still would’ve made this list. I didn’t love seasons two or three, but season four did surprise me, and I did enjoy it, though not in the same way. Obviously, it’s become a pop culture phenomenon and the biggest original show for Netflix since it began, but I’m nostalgic for a time when it was simply one season of a show that was really well made, and I’ll always remember pacing myself, watching one episode a night that summer, just to make it last.
28. Mindhunter (2017)
In the hands of someone less capable, this show could have been a generic police procedural, but it examines serial killers at a time in history when they were just beginning to be understood by mavericks in the field of criminal profiling, and it creates one of the most intense formulas for a show I’ve ever seen—only, it’s not a formula. I eagerly anticipated Holden and Bill’s next interview with a serial killer, but the personal dramas and character development along the way were just as compelling. It’s too bad we didn’t get a third and final season, but the two seasons that were produced could be argued for best original Netflix series, even over Stranger Things.
29. Primal (2019)
This show is unlike any other show on this list. It feels like Ricardo Delgado’s Age of Reptiles comic book series put in animated motion, infused with the best parts of the great caveman movies like Quest for Fire and One Million Years B.C. It is quality over quantity, in this case: there are not that many episodes at this point, but the ones that do exist are like mini animated films all connected by a long form narrative as compelling as anything I’ve seen on TV as an adult.
30. The Bear (2022)
It’s the most recent series on this list, but of all the shows I’ve seen in this current era, The Bear is the only one that feels unequivocal. There are plenty of good shows, sure, but no other show has made me so invested in the characters, their plight, their relationships, and what they do (food service). Even if it goes on too long or declines in quality in years to come, the first three seasons will remain some of the most well crafted and compelling TV I have ever seen.
Part Three: One Significant Movie (To Me) from Each Year I Have Been Alive (So Far)
For this part, I’m going to choose just one movie out of all the movies that were released during each year I have been alive. I’m not going to just pick all the same ones from part one, though. I’m going to focus on one great movie from each year that represents a specific love of mine when it comes to movies, whether it be a certain genre, or filmmaker, or moviegoing experience, or franchise. I’ll mention some contenders for each spot, if relevant.
1994: The Shawshank Redemption
Contenders: Clerks, Pulp Fiction
I was born in one of the best years for film, but the biggest standout, undoubtedly, is Shawshank. Even though I am a fan of Quentin Tarantino, none of his movies cracked the top 30 of my lifetime, but Pulp Fiction came close, and I already gave a shoutout to Clerks.
1995: Toy Story
There were a few good and even great movies from this year, but the only one that stands out to me as particularly exceptional is Pixar’s first, and I don’t care what anyone says, I think it still holds up, even if the animation is a bit questionable in comparison to later animated films.
1996: Scream
There were some decent movies throughout this year, but overall, it was one of the weakest in the 90’s. While Scream isn’t one of my all-time favourite movies, I do find it highly rewatchable, and it’s one of the definitive 90’s horror flicks.
Review: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2018/10/scream-1996-review.html
1997: The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Contenders: Men in Black, The Edge
I love the first Men in Black movie, and I’ve already covered The Edge, so I just had to include the defining sequel of my childhood, but I’m among those who think The Lost World, while certainly not on the same level as Jurassic Park, is nonetheless an excellent sequel, and it ranks as one of the top movies I have rewatched the most in my life.
1998: Pleasantville
There are definitely some ’98 films I appreciate, but only one truly significant to me. Some of the simple concepts are executed in such an interesting and entertaining way, and it has some great early-ish performances from actors like Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, and Paul Walker.
1999: Deep Blue Sea
Am I crazy for picking this silly shark movie over any of the great films from the final year of the 20th century? Maybe. There are so many good movies from 1999 I couldn’t include them all, but I had to pick one that was most meaningful to me, and I have watched Deep Blue Sea more times than most movies from this year, and I have to say, I never get tired of it. Mix in elements of Jaws and Aliens with a Jurassic Park-like script and you get one hell of a horror/thriller, dated though it may now be.
Review: http://cccmovies.blogspot.com/2023/10/deep-blue-sea-1999-review.html
2000: Dinosaur
Contender: Cast Away
2000 was…really not a great year for movies. Cast Away isn’t what I would call an all-time favourite, but it is a very good singular-setting film with perhaps the best lead performance from Tom Hanks and some of the best directing from Robert Zemeckis outside of the Back of the Future trilogy. But, it has to be Dinosaur, because of my love of dinosaurs and my appreciation for how well it holds up today considering the kind of movie it is. No other dinosaur film (that isn’t Jurassic Park) has managed to make CGI dinosaurs look as convincing and tell as compelling of a story with them.
2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Just because I don’t have any honourable mentions for this year doesn’t mean there weren’t many good movies. There were plenty of great ones, many of which I still hold near and dear, but honestly, nothing can touch the first of this trilogy, the one that woke us all up to what high fantasy could look and feel like on the big screen. Even though Two Towers is my personal favourite of the three, I consider all three movies three acts of one gigantic fantasy epic since they were all shot back-to-back-to-back, and I’m including this one as the nod to the trilogy as a whole, because I need to make room for a couple other movies for the next two years.
2002: Ice Age
Contender: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
There are many movies that I can only define as deeply 2000s from this year. Some are pretty good, but only one (the aforementioned middle chapter of Peter Jackson’s LOTR trilogy) is worth an honourable mention. I have to give it to Ice Age not just for holding up today and breaking out of feeling so 2000s by being set many thousands of years ago, but because when I was a kid it rivalled Pixar and DreamWorks as the best computer-animated film out there, and even looking back, it’s still in the conversation for one of the best of all-time.
2003: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Contenders: Finding Nemo, Elf, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
First off, Finding Nemo? Right up there with Toy Story as an all-time favourite animated film. Second, Elf? A Christmas movie I never get tired of watching, and one of the only modern classics in the subgenre. Then, obviously, the conclusion of the LOTR trilogy, but the first entry in Pirates of the Caribbean really was an event film the likes of which I had not participated before, but even today, it is endlessly quotable, endlessly rewatchable, and one of the most fun summer blockbusters from the decade, period.
2004: Spider-Man 2
Contenders: Mean Girls, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Anchorman I mentioned before, but Mean Girls was the kind of movie I didn’t know if I should like as a preteen, yet I loved it, even though it seemed like a girl’s movie (at the time, remember this was the 2000s!) and I still love it. Spider-Man 2 was a formative film, though, and it’s one of the reasons I kept returning to the theater to see all the new Marvel movies, but the sequel to a Marvel movie (something of a rarity back then) seemed so special, and even after so many Spider-Man movies, it’s still special.
2005: King Kong
There were actually a number of odd or terrible sequels, reboots, and remakes this year, but ironically enough, my favourite of 2005 is a remake, of one of my favourite films of all-time. The 1933 original had been poorly remade before in the 70’s, but Peter Jackson made a respectful, thoughtful, and jaw-dropping updated version that will always remain one of the best theater-going experiences of my life, and is still worth revisiting despite its immense length, which does not feel quite as justified as it did in the case of Lord of the Rings.
2006: Borat
Out of the hodge podge that was 2006 at the cinema, I recall seeing maybe half a dozen of the animated and family films when they came out, and most others I either saw over the next couple of years on DVD or many years later, but the only one that really made a lasting impression was this rather unlikely comedy that was (and still is) unlike anything I had seen before, but it lashed so far out into realms of absurdity, lewdness, and disgust that it made me laugh in ways and at things I had never imagined laughing at before, and while it isn’t one I return to very often, I still think Borat is a defining comedic film for the decade.
2007: No Country for Old Men
Contenders: Planet Terror, Trick ‘r Treat
This year was significant for being the first year I saw the film that won Best Picture at the Oscars before it had won, and felt the win was earned. I was tense the whole time watching No Country For Old Men, and I found it just as tense upon multiple rewatches. It brought a little horror into an unconventional crime drama and didn’t play out the way these things seemed to normally play out, which helped it stick in my memory and stand out to me as an intelligent piece of filmmaking, even at a time when I was just learning what that really meant. Not that they’re comparable at all, but I had to give a nod to the best Halloween movie of all-time, which also came out the same year, and an oddball favourite horror film of mine.
2008: The Dark Knight
Contender: Iron Man
This was the first year I went out of my way to watch many new movies in the movie theater, which is what led me to seeing what is still one of my favourite films of all-time, the sequel to a Batman movie I hadn’t even seen yet, but it even all these years later, The Dark Knight remains one of my favourite superhero movies, my favourite Batman movie, and something I could never get tired of experiencing over and over again. I love Iron Man, but it’s no Dark Knight.
2009: Avatar
Contenders: Zombieland, Fantastic Mr. Fox
It may not end up in my Favourite Films series, but Avatar made the cut for my top ten movie theater experiences, and for all that it lacks without the virginal experience of seeing it in 3D on the big screen, it’s still visually impressive and immersive and epic. Fantastic Mr. Fox is a favourite film, and Zombieland is unendingly hilarious, but as far as defining the year, Avatar takes it.
2010: Inception
Contender: Toy Story 3
I’d call the third Toy Story a contender because it was among my favourite films from the entire decade, but so was Inception, and it ranks a lot higher overall as a favourite film. Its complexity thrilled me yet also baffled me the first time, and as I’ve returned to it again and again over the years, my perspective on it has shifted, but my enjoyment of it has never faltered.
2011: Rango
Contender: Super 8
This was a weird year for movies. I loved Super 8 upon release and have seen it many times since, but it can’t compare to Rango, which, like Ice Age, proved to be a standout amid DreamWorks and Pixar dominating the animated movie market, with some of the same charm of Pirates of the Caribbean oddly enough (since it was much of the same creative team).
2012: Prometheus
Contenders: Django Unchained, The Avengers, 21 Jump Street
Yet again, Tarantino doesn’t quite make the cut, and I maintain that the first Avengers still holds up as a very well made Marvel superhero movie, and you can still quote me on what I said in 2012: 21 Jump Street was the funniest movie I saw that summer (and year), but in the end, the one I talked about more, continued to think about, debated endlessly, and saw repeatedly, was the Alien prequel that had me hooked for the entire lead up to its release, and left me nothing short of stunned upon first viewing, to the point that I still think back on it rather fondly.
2013: Pacific Rim
Contender: This is the End
I would say 2013 was a fairly weak year for movies, with only one real contender: a comedy that lived up to its potential and remained funny even on the tenth viewing and beyond. But, the big standout was a movie I would not call perfect by any means, and I didn’t even call it that when I first saw it, but Pacific Rim is a love letter to giant monster cinema, the action and special effects still hold up, and it’s just so endlessly rewatchable and entertaining in a similar way to the best superhero movies of the time, but the fact that it’s giant monsters fighting giant robots makes it even better.
2014: Birdman
Contenders: Whiplash, Godzilla, What We Do In the Shadows, Guardians of the Galaxy
This was a stacked year, and Godzilla really meant something to me in 2014, but it pains me a little to not pick Whiplash (one of the most intense films of its kind, one of the most epic endings of any movie ever) and not pick the New Zealand Mockumentary (one of my most rewatched 2010s films) and not pick one of my all-time favourite MCU movies. In terms of quality and impact, it has to be Birdman, because it presented a turning point for me in taking smaller, less conventional, artful films more seriously, and becoming more critical of blockbuster films, just as Birdman itself is, in its creative ways.
2015: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Contenders: Ex Machina, Mad Max: Fury Road
The reason I’m giving it to Star Wars in 2015 is because this was the peak of Star Wars for the past decade. No, the sequel trilogy didn’t pan out so great in the end, but in the beginning, it was a full-on resurgence of the cultural phenomenon, and the anticipation I felt building up to opening night, and being there as the blue text faded in and everyone cheered was uniquely thrilling. I wasn’t old enough to be a part of it during the kickoff of the prequel trilogy, but I think the afterglow that followed Force Awakens was much warmer than the one that followed Phantom Menace.
2016: Sing Street
We went from a stellar year for movies to a fairly abysmal year, but in the final hour (literally for me, as I watched Sing Street on New Years Eve) I watched the best the year had to offer, and it revitalized me. It played an integral part in the subsequent months of my life, and it remains a go-to feel good film that will surpass most, if not all movies from this decade, in terms of lasting significance.
2017: Logan Lucky
Contender: Get Out
I really loved Get Out the first few times I watched it, and I think it still holds up, but it isn’t the same once you know what’s really going on and watch it over again. With Logan Lucky, I loved it from the first time, and I think it only gets better as the years go by. It’s really funny, really well thought out, and such an indescribable mix of chillness and tension.
2018: Avengers: Infinity War
Even though I didn’t see it on opening night and had the cliffhanger ending spoiled before I saw it, Infinity War is still one of the eight wonders of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, A.K.A the best Marvel movies ever. I may enjoy parts of Endgame more and like it more for its high highs, but Infinity War as a whole is just so entertaining, and works so much better than it had any right to.
2019: The Lighthouse
Contender: Avengers: Endgame
I already gave the previous year to Avengers, and while Endgame was obviously the biggest event film of 2019 (and would remain that for a few years to come, which no one could have predicted), The Lighthouse was that unlikely film—perhaps one of the most unlikely—to jump out as uniquely entertaining, thought-provoking, and beautifully crafted.
2020: The Invisible Man
This is without a doubt the weirdest of all years in my life—and not just for new movies, obviously. I had to pick the only one I’ve watched more than once that I found just as entertaining the second time as the first time. It was either this or Bad Boys For Life.
2021: Dune: Part One
I couldn’t have picked this movie for 2021 before this year, because for over two years I was in suspense as to whether or not it was actually a good first half of a good two-part movie, and thankfully, it was. I still enjoyed Dune: Part Two more, but looking back, I’m surprised to find Dune is the one that has endured the strongest since the year it came out—stronger than even Spider-Man: No Way Home or Godzilla vs. Kong or The Suicide Squad.
2022: Everything Everywhere All At Once
It was a more normal year for new movies compared to the previous two, but Everything Everywhere All At Once was the only one that stood way out because it was not normal. It is truly unique, entertaining, and thoughtfully made, and boy was I surprised when the Academy Awards decided to agree. I don’t know anyone who was upset it won Best Picture, because it was the quirkiest, most creative picture to deserve it in quite some time, but in many ways it goes against the more typical Best Picture winners.
2023: Godzilla Minus One
I’ve written enough about the newest Godzilla movie lately, so I’ll summarize that the feeling I had when it came out in North America and spoke to wider audiences than any Japanese-produced Godzilla movie had in decades, while also fulfilling all my hopes and dreams as a lifelong fan, was a special feeling that proved to be more than just initial hype.
2024: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
This is why I was able to choose Star Wars over Mad Max: Fury Road for 2015: because the prequel is one of only two movies (so far) from the year in which I turn thirty that have really resonated with me. Whether or not I will see something to rival it before the end of the year remains to be seen.
Wow, that was a big CCC special! I guess it feels like a big milestone, otherwise I wouldn’t have written all this. I was only 19 when I started this blog, and I had no clue at the time I would still be compelled to keep it alive over a decade later, but here we are, and here we shall continue to be for the foreseeable future. Perhaps there will be a 40th CCC special in a decade from now, perhaps not. Only time will tell.
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