Suggestions for Your List:
1980 - If you haven't seen "Airplane", you surely have to pick it for this year. It's one of the funniest movies I've ever seen, and so many movies have tried to copy it's winning slapstick formula but have never come close. The cast is perfect and warped and the storyline pushes some envelopes (even today).
1981 - Some movies develop a relationship or a character so well that the memories of watching the movie stick with you for quite some time. "On Golden Pond" is a somewhat sappy, yet totally believable story that is just that type of film. If you haven't seen it, see it.
1982 - I didn't see "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" until it released in theaters when I was in high school. I remember going to the theater thinking that I was the only person on the planet who hadn't seen it. If you are the one other person who hasn't seen this movie, use 1982 day as a way to make amends. It could be the best family movie of all time.
1983 - It's cheesy as heck, but "Wargames" is so much fun! A young Matthew Broderick plays a computer hacker who stumbles upon a program that is far more than he bargained for. It's a thriller and for modern audiences, also somewhat of a comedy!
1984 - Christopher Guest is one of the funniest filmmakers out there, and "This is Spinal Tap" is one of the best faux-docs he has created. Following the on-the-road exploits of a band, the humor is alternative but always smart and hilarious.
1985 - Maybe I'm bias for 1985 because it just so happens to be the year one of my all time favorite movies came out. I am hesitant to recommend it too because I feel everyone has seen it. But you know, that's exactly why this movie project got started - to catch up with some popular movies you haven't seen. So that being said, if you haven't caught "The Breakfast Club", which I think was John Hughes' best film, you really have no other choice as good. It's about detention on Saturdays, but it really is so much more.
1986 - It's kind of warped, and kind of wrong, by "Stand By Me" is my selection. I haven't seen it in a while, but I remember being completely interested in the movie based on a Stephen King story which revolves around kids finding a body.
1987 - Time for a comedy, and "Spaceballs" delivers. I remember I put this curiously rated "PG" movie in when I was little and turned it off for being too dirty. Years later in college I tried it again and couldn't stop laughing. It's a spoof on "Star Wars", but you don't have to be a "SWs" fan to love this Mel Brooks hit.
1988 - I think this was a great year for movies, and two very different animated movies, both favorites of mine, were released in 1988. "The Land Before Time" (which spawned a about 177 awful sequels) is a great and eerie kids movie, while "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is entertaining animation/live action mix for the older crowd.
1989 - One of my favorite comedies of all time, "When Harry Met Sally..." was released in 1989, and if you haven't seen it, you really should. It's one of the smartest written films I know of, and the acting is great. This was before Billy Crystal's career all but disappeared, and before Meg Ryan discovered cosmetic surgery.
1990 - Well, I am going to suggest two again, because they are totally different but both totally good choices as they both have helped to define their respective genres. If you are in the mood for a comedy, why not pick "Pretty Woman" if you haven't seen it. It is the movie that launched Julia Roberts into superstardom. If rom-coms just aren't your thing, then "Misery" is an Academy-Award winning horror fest that leaves most of the gore to the imagination but manages to be quite the effective thrill ride.
1991 - Some people completely write off all remakes. If you are one of those people, then you missed "Father of the Bride" with Steve Martin. You might want to adjust your cinematic rules and make an exception for this heartwarming movie that I dare anyone to say they hate.
1992 - I know I need to change it up soon, but another year, another great comedy. "My Cousin Vinny" seems to be that film everyone has heard of, but far fewer have seen. Marisa Tomei won an Oscar for her great comedic performance in this mob-court-comedy that will have you rolling.
1993 - Okay, I said I would change things up, and if "Schindler's List" isn't the anti-comedy, I don't know what is. This powerful film is one I have watched only one time as I just don't feel the need to be put through those emotions again. But everyone should see it once. If you really don't want to, then watch one of my favorite movies of all time, "Jurassic Park."
1994 - Another great year for movies, but the best of them all and one you should see for sure is Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece "Pulp Fiction." It's a puzzle, it's sick, it's classic.
1995 - It's hard to believe it's been 15 years since we first me Woody and Buzz Lightyear, but this is the year that "Toy Story" debuted, and I still know people who haven't seen what started the Pixar legacy. I still think "Toy Story" is the best movie Pixar has done, and I have loved almost every one of their films.
1996 - "Show me the money!" "Jerry Maguire" may be one of the most quotable movies in the last 31 years, and it's also one of the best of this very good year of movies. I love it and have seen it five or six times. It's about a sports agent who is having a midlife crisis, and it's a must-see.
1997 - It would be easy to say "Titanic" but I'm not going to - instead, I am going to suggest one of the most fun (and stupid) sci-fi thrillers I've seen - "The Fifth Element." It's so hokey, so over the top, and so bad that it's great!
1998 - Before reality shows were cool, "The Truman Show" introduced a Jim Carrey we weren't used to - a serious actor in a serious film that was far ahead of it's time. It's excellent, and you shouldn't miss it.
1999 - The DVD I lend out more than any other is from this year, and the movie is "Run Lola Run." It's one of the most inventive movies, and don't be scared off by the fact it is subtitled. It's a rush, and to say any more than that would spoil some of the simple yet effective plot.
2000 - One of my favorite movies of all time (we're talking in the top five all time) is a movie most people haven't seen, and I hope this changes that. If you don't take a single suggestion, or if you don't undertake this month of movies challenge, just go out and watch "You Can Count On Me." It's the only movie that I own two copies of in case something happens to one. I don't want to overhype it as it's brilliance comes from being so simple. Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo play hurting siblings whose lives cross during tough times. The writing is incredible, and the acting is great. This was a great year for movies, but this one was the best.
2001 - Talk about a great one-two punch. Following my 2000 selection comes this - my favorite animated movie of all time. "Spirited Away" is a movie that is so artful, detailed, and layered, that you really cannot watch this movie only one time. I've seen it repeatedly and every time I do I catch something new. Hayao Miyazaki has made some great animated movies, but this is the best. It even won the Oscar for best animated film, beating Pixar's "Monster's Inc."
2002 - Roman Polanski may be a hideous person, but I am a firm believer in separating the art from the artist. In 2002, Polanski's "The Pianist" was released, and it's one of the best movies about the holocaust that remains powerful without getting over the top violent. If after "Schindler's List" this just doesn't appeal to you, then chose the lighter but also moving "About Schmidt."
2003 - I know that for 2001 I suggested an animated movie, but I am going to again. While not as good as "Spirited Away", "The Triplets of Belleville" will mess your mind up for sure! Watch the trailer I posted for proof of that - and then watch the movie. It's unforgettable!
2004 - I saw this suggestion three times in theaters - because I kept going with friends and telling people to see it. "Hotel Rwanda" is a powerful movie about genocide in Rwanda, and it was made with such care that it could be shown in middle or high school classrooms without being inappropriate. Don Cheadle gave the performance of a lifetime and it's really worth seeing if you haven't already.
2005 - While not my favorite movie of this year, I am shocked at how few people went to see the remake of "King Kong." It's a movie that does everything a blockbuster/adventure should. The original was made before technology could do the story justice, and this is one instance where I believe the remake is better than the original. And there are dinosaurs.
2006 - So many good movies this year, but one I bet many haven't seen is the foreign film "The Lives of Others." I went into this movie knowing very little, and got a huge payoff from that, so I think you should do the same. Don't read about it. Don't even look at the DVD case. Just put it in your player, press play, and two hours and change later I will wait for your rave review to hit the comments section. This year I want to note how strong the foreign films were - not only did I love "TLOT", but I also loved "Volver" and "Pan's Labyrinth." And I cannot pass 2006 without giving a shout out to my favorite movie of this year, "Away From Her", which is a gripping drama about Alzheimer's disease. It's a perfect alternative to the other selection if reading subtitles really isn't your thing. When I went to see this movie in a relatively busy screening, when the credits began to roll at the end, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE remained in their seats - we were all moved beyond belief.
2007 - You may or may not know that I think Quentin Tarantino is the man, so when he teamed up with Robert Rodriguez ("Desperado" and "Spy Kids" - yes, "SPY KIDS"!) for "Grindhouse", a bloody mess of a double feature, I knew it was going to be crazy. And I was right! The movie did not make much money, but it should have as it was clever, inventive, and thrilling. While I liked both, I would recommend "Death Proof" as it has the best car chase scene that has ever been put to film.
2008 - If you know me personally, you know that the one movie I raved about more than any other in 2008 was "Slumdog Millionaire." It's a love story. It's an action movie. It's a game show flick. It's a cultural and educational experience. And it's amazing!
2009 - "Away We Go" is one of those movies that people seem to either love or hate. I loved it. You might hate it. But you won't know unless you give it a try.
2010 - "How to Train Your Dragon". I just saw it last week. And it's amazing. It's early in the year, but man, it's a front-runner for best of the year. It's a family movie for families of all ages.
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