ThatNickGuy
2017-07-01, 01:58 AM
This meme went around the internet a few months back. I think it's an interesting - if a little time-consuming - forum game or discussion topic.
Some ground rules:
1) Starting from your birth year, pick out one - ONE - favourite movie released in that year. For example, I was born in 1978. Lots of great movies to choose from, but Superman beats them all for me, since he's my favourite superhero and it's a damn fine film. Some choices will be agonizing. The choice for 2004 nearly killed me.
2) You can pick a favourite even if you didn't see it in that year. It's about when it released, not when you first saw it.
3) My choices include explanations, partly to mention some runners-up. But it's totally optional. Personally, I like reading where people made REALLY hard decisions like I did.
4) This is about your favourites, not necessarily quality movies. Got a guilty pleasure that trumps Oscar-winning films? Go nuts.
5) I found the handiest way to find movies for each year is googling "movies in [year]." The result SHOULD present a sliding list of releases. Then just change the year in the search bar. The lists usually just list theatrical releases, so you might have to check when a favourite, little-known indie movie released.
6) Since the year isn't over yet, you can skip 2017 if you want. Though I'd say lots of quality movies came out so far.
So, with that said, here's my list, from 1978-2017.
1978: Superman - Some great classics also came out, like Halloween and Dawn of the Dead. But yeah, it's Superman: The Movie. It's no contest for me.
1979: The Muppet Movie - I haven't really seen a lot of classics. Alien almost won here, but I like Aliens a lot more. So Kermit and friends win.
1980: Superman II - I feel a little bad not putting Star Wars here. Don't get me wrong, I like the Star Wars films. But I'm not as big a Star Wars fan as others. Plus, Christoper Reeve against a scene-chewing Terrance Stamp? Hell yes.
1981: Raiders of the Lost Ark - Almost had Time Bandits, but while I liked Time Bandits, I don't remember much aside from the ending. I could quote entire conversations from Lost Ark.
1982: E.T. - More great classics like The Thing. If E.T. wasn't here, Wrath of Khan would absolutely take its place. But E.T. was the first movie I ever saw (at a drive-in!).
1983: Return of the Jedi - Haven't honestly seen much from this year. Not even Scarface, regrettably (I should fix that). That's okay. Jedi is my favourite Star Wars film. Mostly because it was the first one I saw it in theatres.
1984: Gremlins - Sorry Ghostbusters and Terminator, but Gremlins is on my Top 10 all-time favourites. It's no contest. Too many fond memories, like watching it every Christmas with my nieces.
1985: Back to the Future - More good, classic movies out this year but none hold a candle to BttF. I really should fix the fact that I've never sat down and watched Goonies in its entirety. Always caught it on TV at like the last 10 minutes.
1986: Aliens - The Transformers Movie was a contender, but Aliens just kicks too much ass. I'd argue it's one of the greatest action flicks in history.
1987: The Princess Bride - Monster Squad very nearly won here, but someone kicked Wolfman in the nards. Predator and Robocop destroyed each other in the battle. But Princess Bride came out on top.
1988: Killer Klowns From Outer Space - It was almost Who Framed Roger Rabbit? until I kept scrolling and saw Killer Klowns. Another on my Top 10 list. Sorry Die Hard. No contest.
1989: Back to the Future II - I don't think Burton's Batman has aged well. The BttF movies, however, only get better with time. Pun intended.
1990: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- Almost gave it to Gremlins 2, but Gremlins already got love on this list. Honourable mention to Tremors.
1991: The Rocketeer - Terminator 2 almost made it because it kicks all the ass, but The Rocketeer's charm wins out.
1992: Aladdin - Aladdin is one of my favourite non-Pixar Disney movies.
1993: Groundhog Day - If I ranked my favourites past 10 this would probably rate well. Honourable mention to the very fun Demolition Man.
1994: Shawshank Redemption - My #1 favourite movie. No contest.
1995: The Usual Suspects - Toy Story almost won, but I like 2 & 3 more. So we'll give it to a really great crime film.
1996: Independence Day - Plenty of fun movies here. Star Trek First Contact is a respectable second, but ID4 gets many more rewatches.
1997: Good Will Hunting - Tough choice between this and As Good as it Gets. This one's closely debatable. Hercules is a respectable third; another Disney favourite.
1998: What Dreams May Come - My #2 all-time favourite. This one hits very close to home for me.
1999: The Iron Giant - Toy Story 2 almost had this until I kept scrolling. Another no contest as Iron Giant is also in my Top 10.
2000: Unbreakable - Some really good movies like Memento and Cast Away, but goddam, Unbreakable is still amazing.
2001: Amelie - I liked the Lord of the Rings films, but that's it; just liked them. Monsters Inc is a strong second here. But there was something about Amelie that really grabbed me. I should re-watch it. Been a long time.
2002: Road to Perdition - Again, not a big enough LotR or Spider-Man fan to put them here. Lilo & Stitch almost had it, but the Tom Hanks crime drama wins it.
2003: Finding Nemo - Not a lot of solid competition here, honestly. Plenty of good movies, but not Finding Nemo good.
2004: The Incredibles - Like I said, the choice between this and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind DESTROYED me. They're both in my Top 10, just about the same spot (#5/6ish). Choosing one took about 5 agonizing minutes.
2005: Sky High - Sin City came close here. Looking at the list again, there was a LOT of crap this year. But Sky High is a massively underrated, fun flick.
2006: Pan's Labyrinth - My #3 all-time favourite movie. I'm glad my Top 3 all got picked. Strong shout-out to Stranger Than Fiction and Children of Men, though.
2007: Hot Fuzz - I didn't really know what to pick here. Lots of movies I liked, like The Mist or Gone Baby Gone. But of all of them, I rewatch Hot Fuzz the most.
2008: The Wrestler - Wall-E, Iron Man, Dark Knight, Hellboy 2. All great stuff. But The Wrestler was just something else. Tough choice here.
2009: District 9 - Up almost went here, but Pixar already enough love. I considered Avatar, as I still quite like it. But man, how great was District 9?
2010: Scott Pilgrim vs the World - Some REALLY stiff competition here. How to Train Your Dragon, Megamind, Predators, Inception, Toy Story 3, Shutter Island. But Scott Pilgrim was such a rare thing and a severely underrated classic. I was fortunate to live in Toronto when it released. Seeing it in a theater filled with fellow Torontonians made it extra special since the film is set and was filmed there.
2011: Captain America: The First Avenger - X-Men First Class almost had this. But Captain America was the Cap movie I always wanted: a spectacular throwback to pulp serials. Chris Evans is the true MVP of the MCU. He knocked this right out of the park.
2012: The Avengers - Cloud Atlas came THIS close to winning it. But I've re-watched The Avengers many times. It's astonishing they pulled it off and made a shared film universe actually work.
2013: Pacific Rim - Nope, not Man of Steel. That's not a Superman movie. I hated it. Not a lot of strong competition here, otherwise. Maybe Gravity, but I only saw that once.
2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Whew, this was a tough one. Guardians of the Galaxy, How to Train Your Dragon 2, The Lego Movie. But the Captain America movies are my favourite of the MCU, so it's hard to beat.
2015: The Martian - Inside Out is a very close second. Mad Max Fury Road gets a nod. But I saw The Martian while I was hospitalized after a major depression and suicidal thoughts. Its optimism got me through a very hard time.
2016: Captain America: Civil War - Arrival almost won, but Civil War was just too much fun.
2017: Get Out- Geez, we're only halfway through the year and already a lot of really great movies. Logan, Guardians 2, John Wick 2, Baby Driver, The Lego Batman Movie. And Spider-Man and Thor aren't out yet, either! But something about Get Out really stuck with me.
Some ground rules:
1) Starting from your birth year, pick out one - ONE - favourite movie released in that year. For example, I was born in 1978. Lots of great movies to choose from, but Superman beats them all for me, since he's my favourite superhero and it's a damn fine film. Some choices will be agonizing. The choice for 2004 nearly killed me.
2) You can pick a favourite even if you didn't see it in that year. It's about when it released, not when you first saw it.
3) My choices include explanations, partly to mention some runners-up. But it's totally optional. Personally, I like reading where people made REALLY hard decisions like I did.
4) This is about your favourites, not necessarily quality movies. Got a guilty pleasure that trumps Oscar-winning films? Go nuts.
5) I found the handiest way to find movies for each year is googling "movies in [year]." The result SHOULD present a sliding list of releases. Then just change the year in the search bar. The lists usually just list theatrical releases, so you might have to check when a favourite, little-known indie movie released.
6) Since the year isn't over yet, you can skip 2017 if you want. Though I'd say lots of quality movies came out so far.
So, with that said, here's my list, from 1978-2017.
1978: Superman - Some great classics also came out, like Halloween and Dawn of the Dead. But yeah, it's Superman: The Movie. It's no contest for me.
1979: The Muppet Movie - I haven't really seen a lot of classics. Alien almost won here, but I like Aliens a lot more. So Kermit and friends win.
1980: Superman II - I feel a little bad not putting Star Wars here. Don't get me wrong, I like the Star Wars films. But I'm not as big a Star Wars fan as others. Plus, Christoper Reeve against a scene-chewing Terrance Stamp? Hell yes.
1981: Raiders of the Lost Ark - Almost had Time Bandits, but while I liked Time Bandits, I don't remember much aside from the ending. I could quote entire conversations from Lost Ark.
1982: E.T. - More great classics like The Thing. If E.T. wasn't here, Wrath of Khan would absolutely take its place. But E.T. was the first movie I ever saw (at a drive-in!).
1983: Return of the Jedi - Haven't honestly seen much from this year. Not even Scarface, regrettably (I should fix that). That's okay. Jedi is my favourite Star Wars film. Mostly because it was the first one I saw it in theatres.
1984: Gremlins - Sorry Ghostbusters and Terminator, but Gremlins is on my Top 10 all-time favourites. It's no contest. Too many fond memories, like watching it every Christmas with my nieces.
1985: Back to the Future - More good, classic movies out this year but none hold a candle to BttF. I really should fix the fact that I've never sat down and watched Goonies in its entirety. Always caught it on TV at like the last 10 minutes.
1986: Aliens - The Transformers Movie was a contender, but Aliens just kicks too much ass. I'd argue it's one of the greatest action flicks in history.
1987: The Princess Bride - Monster Squad very nearly won here, but someone kicked Wolfman in the nards. Predator and Robocop destroyed each other in the battle. But Princess Bride came out on top.
1988: Killer Klowns From Outer Space - It was almost Who Framed Roger Rabbit? until I kept scrolling and saw Killer Klowns. Another on my Top 10 list. Sorry Die Hard. No contest.
1989: Back to the Future II - I don't think Burton's Batman has aged well. The BttF movies, however, only get better with time. Pun intended.
1990: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- Almost gave it to Gremlins 2, but Gremlins already got love on this list. Honourable mention to Tremors.
1991: The Rocketeer - Terminator 2 almost made it because it kicks all the ass, but The Rocketeer's charm wins out.
1992: Aladdin - Aladdin is one of my favourite non-Pixar Disney movies.
1993: Groundhog Day - If I ranked my favourites past 10 this would probably rate well. Honourable mention to the very fun Demolition Man.
1994: Shawshank Redemption - My #1 favourite movie. No contest.
1995: The Usual Suspects - Toy Story almost won, but I like 2 & 3 more. So we'll give it to a really great crime film.
1996: Independence Day - Plenty of fun movies here. Star Trek First Contact is a respectable second, but ID4 gets many more rewatches.
1997: Good Will Hunting - Tough choice between this and As Good as it Gets. This one's closely debatable. Hercules is a respectable third; another Disney favourite.
1998: What Dreams May Come - My #2 all-time favourite. This one hits very close to home for me.
1999: The Iron Giant - Toy Story 2 almost had this until I kept scrolling. Another no contest as Iron Giant is also in my Top 10.
2000: Unbreakable - Some really good movies like Memento and Cast Away, but goddam, Unbreakable is still amazing.
2001: Amelie - I liked the Lord of the Rings films, but that's it; just liked them. Monsters Inc is a strong second here. But there was something about Amelie that really grabbed me. I should re-watch it. Been a long time.
2002: Road to Perdition - Again, not a big enough LotR or Spider-Man fan to put them here. Lilo & Stitch almost had it, but the Tom Hanks crime drama wins it.
2003: Finding Nemo - Not a lot of solid competition here, honestly. Plenty of good movies, but not Finding Nemo good.
2004: The Incredibles - Like I said, the choice between this and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind DESTROYED me. They're both in my Top 10, just about the same spot (#5/6ish). Choosing one took about 5 agonizing minutes.
2005: Sky High - Sin City came close here. Looking at the list again, there was a LOT of crap this year. But Sky High is a massively underrated, fun flick.
2006: Pan's Labyrinth - My #3 all-time favourite movie. I'm glad my Top 3 all got picked. Strong shout-out to Stranger Than Fiction and Children of Men, though.
2007: Hot Fuzz - I didn't really know what to pick here. Lots of movies I liked, like The Mist or Gone Baby Gone. But of all of them, I rewatch Hot Fuzz the most.
2008: The Wrestler - Wall-E, Iron Man, Dark Knight, Hellboy 2. All great stuff. But The Wrestler was just something else. Tough choice here.
2009: District 9 - Up almost went here, but Pixar already enough love. I considered Avatar, as I still quite like it. But man, how great was District 9?
2010: Scott Pilgrim vs the World - Some REALLY stiff competition here. How to Train Your Dragon, Megamind, Predators, Inception, Toy Story 3, Shutter Island. But Scott Pilgrim was such a rare thing and a severely underrated classic. I was fortunate to live in Toronto when it released. Seeing it in a theater filled with fellow Torontonians made it extra special since the film is set and was filmed there.
2011: Captain America: The First Avenger - X-Men First Class almost had this. But Captain America was the Cap movie I always wanted: a spectacular throwback to pulp serials. Chris Evans is the true MVP of the MCU. He knocked this right out of the park.
2012: The Avengers - Cloud Atlas came THIS close to winning it. But I've re-watched The Avengers many times. It's astonishing they pulled it off and made a shared film universe actually work.
2013: Pacific Rim - Nope, not Man of Steel. That's not a Superman movie. I hated it. Not a lot of strong competition here, otherwise. Maybe Gravity, but I only saw that once.
2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Whew, this was a tough one. Guardians of the Galaxy, How to Train Your Dragon 2, The Lego Movie. But the Captain America movies are my favourite of the MCU, so it's hard to beat.
2015: The Martian - Inside Out is a very close second. Mad Max Fury Road gets a nod. But I saw The Martian while I was hospitalized after a major depression and suicidal thoughts. Its optimism got me through a very hard time.
2016: Captain America: Civil War - Arrival almost won, but Civil War was just too much fun.
2017: Get Out- Geez, we're only halfway through the year and already a lot of really great movies. Logan, Guardians 2, John Wick 2, Baby Driver, The Lego Batman Movie. And Spider-Man and Thor aren't out yet, either! But something about Get Out really stuck with me.