23 Films For 23 Years
I was recently tagged in a Facebook challenge, the type of thing I typically ignore. But this one piqued my interest: list, it said, the best movie released in every year you've been alive. I could have just listed them then and there without too much thought, but I figured, why not turn it into a full article, with pictures and explanation? For your consideration:
1994: The Shawshank Redemption
Best Picture Winner: Forrest Gump
Even though I was just busting out of the womb in July of this year, I was cultured enough to recognize the outrage that was Forrest Gump winning Best Picture. I never saw cult classic Pulp Fiction, but am willing to bet it's better than a fantasy tale filled with horrific Southern accents. Quiz Show and Shawshank Redemption are also superior choices, the latter being my personal pick for best of the year.
Honorable Mention: The Lion King, Quiz Show
1995: Sense and Sensibility
Best Picture Winner: Braveheart
I am a grown man. And I am not ashamed to admit that the adaptation of the Jane Austen novel was vastly superior to the testosterone-dripping Best Picture winner. I am not ashamed to say our family considers it a "perfect movie." Also not ashamed to admit I cry nearly every time. Side note: what a year for films!
Honorable Mention: Apollo 13, Babe, The Usual Suspects, il Postino (The Postman)
1996: That Thing You Do
Best Picture Winner: The English Patient
Another year, another family favorite, another "perfect" movie. Really: That Thing You Do isn't anything extraordinary, but it's just so witty, so engaging, and its original music so good.
Honorable Mention: Romeo + Juliet
1997: Hercules
Best Picture Winner: Titanic
I may be the last person on Earth who is yet to see a minute of Titanic...I mean I know the ending, so what's the point? Anyways, Robin Williams telling Matt Damon "It's not your fault" made me cry like a child, but my heart will always be loyal to the first Disney movie (and first female character) that I fell in love with.
Honorable Mention: Good Will Hunting
1998: Truman Show
Best Picture Winner: Shakespeare In Love
Truman Show has always been knocking at the door of my Top 10 movies; I've always found it such an original idea that ran the risk of being a horrendously cheesy film, but instead produced several moments of terrific comedy as well as moral dilemma. I'm retroactively infuriated that it, and Jim Carrey, didn't receive the Oscar recognition they deserved.
Honorable Mention: Mulan, Saving Private Ryan
1999: The Insider
Best Picture Winner: American Beauty
"Daniel," you say, "this is all good and fun, but we really just want to know what your favorite movie is of all time." Well, here you have it. I'm a sucker for socio-political plots in movies and true stories anyway, and then you throw in a quotable and poignant screenplay and incredible acting jobs from Russell Crowe and Al Pacino? Dynamite. Seriously. Watch it NOW.
Honorable Mention: The Green Mile
2000: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Best Picture Winner: Gladiator
This was my introduction not just to Chinese film, but foreign film in general. CTHD is perhaps the best example of the breathless beauty of Chinese wuxia film, and the martial arts action, and acting performances by the male and female lead are every bit as captivating.
Honorable Mention: Remember The Titans, Cast Away
2001: The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
Best Picture Winner: A Beautiful Mind
It's easy, a decade-plus removed from its release, to forget how mind-blowingly groundbreaking the LOTR trilogy was upon release. Fellowship, which was my favorite book of the 3, did the novel justice in its introduction to the many characters and the arduous journey ahead of them.
Honorable Mention: Monsters, Inc., Shrek
2002: The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
Best Picture Winner: Chicago
Though it was my least favorite of the books, Two Towers is by far the best standalone film of the 3, and nobody will convince me otherwise. Helm's Deep. Eomer and Eowyn. Elrond vividly explaining to Arwen the peril of her love for Aragorn. This was the most deserving in the trilogy of Best Picture.
Honorable Mention: Hero, Bowling For Columbine, The Bourne Identity, Chicago
2003: The Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl
Best Picture Winner: The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
Though Return Of The King was a worthy conclusion to a masterful trilogy, it actually is the weakest of the individual movies. A better standalone film was the inaugural Pirates, which introduced us to the hilarious Jack Sparrow, and spurred years of "Legolas Orlando Bloom vs. Will Turner Orlando Bloom" debates.
Honorable Mention: Finding Nemo, Master And Commander, Return Of The King
2004: Shrek 2
Best Picture Winner: Million Dollar Baby
A step down from the three preceding high-budget sagas, perhaps, but Shrek was a gamechanger in animated films. Plus, I have a soft spot for sequels that are even better (and in this case, funnier) than the original.
Honorable Mention: The Incredibles, The Bourne Supremacy, Millon Dollar Baby
2005: Good Night And Good Luck
Best Picture Winner: Crash
I'll pause until you're finished laughing about the Best Picture winner. All done? Good. The real standout film, in a year chock full of them, was the black-and-white retelling of Edward Murrow taking on the Red Scare. Its dialogue, camerawork and acting is impeccable, and it's a film that feels sadly relevant today.
Honorable Mention: Syriana, The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Batman Begins
2006: The Prestige
Best Picture Winner: The Departed
Another thing you will quickly learn about me is that I will absolutely eat up whatever Christopher Nolan makes. The Prestige lacks the technological ingenuity that's present in his later films, but is a twisting, engaging, fascinating story about rival magicians. Yes, rival magicians.
Honorable Mention: The Pursuit Of Happyness, United 93, Happy Feet
2007: There Will Be Blood
Best Picture Winner: No Country For Old Men
I am yet to see the Best Picture winner, but from what I understand, it's a travesty either that or There Will Be Blood had to lose. Unfortunately for me, it was the latter. TWBB is not a fun watch by any stretch of the imagination. It's gritty, it's infuriating, it's potent, and it's brilliant in those realms.
Honorable Mention: Ratatouille, The Bourne UItimatum, Juno
2008: The Dark Knight
Best Picture Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Ah, yes, the film that forever changed the Oscars: the outrage over Dark Knight's exclusion from major categories (like, uh, Best Picture) prompted the Academy to expand the Best Picture field to up to 10 nominees in future years. The late Heath Ledger pulled off one of the most iconic acting performances of the 21st Century before his tragic death, and he was just one brilliant aspect of the greatest 'superhero' movie ever made.
Honorable Mention: Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon
2009: I Love You, Man
Best Picture Winner: The Hurt Locker
I'm not gonna lie, this was a weak year for movies; although to be fair, 2009 might be the only year where I saw literally none of the Best Picture nominees. So how about a little love for I Love You, Man? I thought it was hilarious in high school, and was pleasantly surprised to find I still enjoyed it upon a recent viewing. It's a rare modern comedy that has truly likable characters and, though it has its moments of obscenity, doesn't fully revolve around crude humor.
Honorable Mention: Food Inc., Star Trek
2010: Inception
Best Picture Winner: The King's Speech
I have several reasons for believing Inception should be considered the greatest film of the 21st Century, but I may devote a later blog post to that, so I'll keep it brief here: name something you love about movies. Action? Romance? Interesting characters? Great acting? Original storylines? Enthralling screenplays? This has it all, and then some.
Honorable Mention: True Grit, The King's Speech, Easy A
2011: A Separation
Best Picture Winner: The Artist
2011 saw a silent film win Best Picture, and its actual best two movies come from non-American countries. Iran's winner for Best Foreign Film was my personal favorite. A family drama about a couple's file for divorce and their daughter's impending choice of parent is simple, heartbreaking, well-acted, and unraveled gently and beautifully.
Honorable Mention: Monsieur Lazar, Tree Of Life, Moneyball
2012: Argo
Best Picture Winner: Argo
2012 was nothing to write home about in terms of great films, but hey, my personal favorite won Best Picture for the first time! So there's that! Argo tells a (mostly) true story about events during the Iran hostage crisis- as well as the extreme risks many took to save lives --and does so without copious schmaltz or demonization of America's "enemy."
Honorable Mention: Beasts Of The Southern Wild, Lincoln, The Dark Knight Rises
2013: Fruitvale Station
Best Picture Winner: 12 Years A Slave
I got Fruitvale Station for Christmas, and I still haven't watched it since 2013. That should tell you a little bit about how painful it is to watch. That doesn't mean the true story of the Oscar Grant shooting isn't necessary viewing, nor does it mean that the acting, writing, and direction was anything short of brilliant. In a truly magnificent year of movies (in my opinion, the greatest year ever), this was the best.
Honorable Mention: Captain Phillips, Gravity, Frozen, Her
2014: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Picture Winner: Birdman Or (The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance)
2013 was a tough act to follow, but 2014's best movies are up there among my all-time favorite movies. Grand Budapest was my introduction to Wes Anderson, and I'm grateful for the introduction. Acting, Score, Screenplay, and Production Design are all mesmerizing.
Honorable Mention: Selma, Interstellar, Nightcrawler
2015: Room
Best Picture Winner: Spotlight
I was proud of Spotlight doing what All The President's Man, The Insider, and Good Night And Good Luck all couldn't do: take a journalistic drama to the Best Picture stage. But I was most blown away by Room, which made an extended set out of a kidnap shed, and which featured my two favorite acting performances of the year from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay.
Honorable Mention: Inside Out, Spotlight, The Big Short
2016: Moonlight
Best Picture Winner: Moonlight
As I wrote here, the really sad aspect of the botched Best Picture announcement was that it led to a confused muted reaction instead of deserving praise for the amazing film this was. Moonlight can be tough to watch, but is beautiful, achingly emotional, and has characters that feel as real as the brilliant actors that play them.
Honorable Mention: La La Land, Fences, Arrival