16/6/2023 - UPDATED LIST!!!!
This is a list of my Top 5 movies for every year since 1968. They're not necessarily the best films, merely the five I like most from that year, give or take. So a film like Lifeforce gets in despite clearly not being a masterpiece, whereas Schindler's List and The Exorcist don't: they're very good but I never want to see either of them again. It's also entirely fluid: in six months' time I could do the list again and have a radically different set of choices. Indeed, I've just redone it and there are loads of changes: quite a lot of films have been dumped, either because I've now seen much better from that year, or I've rewatched them and decided they're not worthy. Goodbye, Diamonds Are Forever. In addition, the previous list only went up to 2018 so I've added another four years.
Some were tough choices, some were easy, and some of the titles only got in because it was a weak year and there wasn't really much to pick from.
In case someone wonders why, say, Hounds Of Love is included in 2016 when it came out in 2017 (and was on my Top Ten for that year): these are not based on year of UK theatrical release (if any), but on the © date shown on screen during the opening or closing credits.
In case someone wonders why, say, Hounds Of Love is included in 2016 when it came out in 2017 (and was on my Top Ten for that year): these are not based on year of UK theatrical release (if any), but on the © date shown on screen during the opening or closing credits.
TOP 5 OF EVERY YEAR SINCE 1968
1968
[1] WHERE EAGLES DARE
[2] 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
[3] ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST
[4] NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
[5] PLANET OF THE APES
1969
[1] AIRPORT
[2] ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
[3] THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE
[4] THE WILD BUNCH
[5] BATTLE OF BRITAIN
1970
[1] THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN
[2] A NEW LEAF
[3] WALKABOUT
[4] BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS
[5] ASSAULT
1971
[1] FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET
[2] DIRTY HARRY
[3] DUEL
[4] KLUTE
[5] VANISHING POINT
1972
[1] THE GODFATHER
[2] SLEUTH
[3] CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
[4] THE GETAWAY
[5] FRENZY
1973
[1] THE STING
[2] ENTER THE DRAGON
[3] THE DAY OF THE JACKAL
[4] WESTWORLD
[5] THE WICKER MAN
1974
[1] THE TOWERING INFERNO
[2] THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE
[3] THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE
[4] DEATH WISH
[5] CHINATOWN
1975
[1] DEEP RED
[2] JAWS
[3] BARRY LYNDON
[4] ROLLERBALL
[5] RACE WITH THE DEVIL
1976
[1] TAXI DRIVER
[2] RABID
[3] THE OMEN
[4] BLACK SUNDAY
[5] CARRIE
1977
[1] SUSPIRIA
[2] CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
[3] CAPRICORN ONE
[4] SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
[5] STAR WARS
1978
[1] DAWN OF THE DEAD
[2] THE FURY
[3] THE CHINA SYNDROME
[4] PHANTASM
[5] THE DRIVER
1979
[1] ALIEN
[2] MAD MAX
[3] THE FOG
[4] APOCALYPSE NOW
[5] PROPHECY
1980
[1] DRESSED TO KILL
[2] THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
[3] HARLEQUIN
[4] SUPERMAN II
[5] FLASH GORDON
1981
[1] RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
[2] BLOW OUT
[3] THE BEYOND
[4] BODY HEAT
[5] NIGHTHAWKS
1982
[1] BLADE RUNNER
[2] CONAN THE BARBARIAN
[3] TENEBRAE
[4] VIDEODROME
[5] 48 HRS.
1983
[1] RETURN OF THE JEDI
[2] PSYCHO II
[3] THE HUNGER
[4] TRADING PLACES
[5] WARGAMES
1984
[1] THE TERMINATOR
[2] DUNE
[3] BODY DOUBLE
[4] TERROR IN THE AISLES
[5] A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
1985
[1] RUNAWAY TRAIN
[2] DAY OF THE DEAD
[3] LIFEFORCE
[4] RE-ANIMATOR
[5] COMMANDO
1986
[1] ALIENS
[2] MANHUNTER
[3] THE FLY
[4] PLATOON
[5] LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
1987
[1] TERROR AT THE OPERA
[2] ROBOCOP
[3] A BETTER TOMORROW II
[4] PRINCE OF DARKNESS
[5] LETHAL WEAPON
1988
[1] WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT
[2] DIE HARD
[3] MONKEY SHINES
[4] MIDNIGHT RUN
[5] HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II
1989
[1] THE KILLER
[2] BLACK RAIN
[3] ROAD HOUSE
[4] LICENCE TO KILL
[5] INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE
1990
[1] TOTAL RECALL
[2] GOODFELLAS
[3] NIGHTBREED
[4] MILLER'S CROSSING
[5] BULLET IN THE HEAD
1991
[1] JFK
[2] ROCKETEER
[3] DEAD AGAIN
[4] THE LAST BOY SCOUT
[5] NEW JACK CITY
1992
[1] BASIC INSTINCT
[2] TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME
[3] CANDYMAN
[4] BRAIN DEAD
[5] RESERVOIR DOGS
1993
[1] JURASSIC PARK
[2] CLIFFHANGER
[3] CARLITO'S WAY
[4] SHORT CUTS
[5] IN THE LINE OF FIRE
1994
[1] THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
[2] SPEED
[3] PULP FICTION
[4] IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS
[5] WOLF
1995
[1] HEAT
[2] SE7EN
[3] NIXON
[4] APOLLO 13
[5] TOY STORY
1996
[1] TWISTER
[2] MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE
[3] SCREAM
[4] THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT
[5] EVITA
1997
[1] STARSHIP TROOPERS
[2] FACE / OFF
[3] BOOGIE NIGHTS
[4] CON AIR
[5] EVENT HORIZON
1998
[1] THE TRUMAN SHOW
[2] SNAKE EYES
[3] RING (RINGU)
[4] THE THIN RED LINE
[5] OUT OF SIGHT
1999
[1] AUDITION
[2] THE GREEN MILE
[3] THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR
[4] SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER AND UNCUT
[5] TOY STORY 2
2000
[1] CHICKEN RUN
[2] WHAT LIES BENEATH
[3] UNBREAKABLE
[4] HOLLOW MAN
[5] MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II
2001
[1] A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
[2] FROM HELL
[3] THE OTHERS
[4] MOULIN ROUGE!
[5] HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCEROR'S STONE
2002
[1] HERO
[2] THE EYE
[3] ONE HOUR PHOTO
[4] SOLARIS
[5] THE BOURNE IDENTITY
2003
[1] KILL BILL VOL. 1
[2] MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
[3] FINDING NEMO
[4] THE DREAMERS
[5] UNDERWORLD
2004
[1] SAW
[2] CREEP
[3] SHAUN OF THE DEAD
[4] THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
[5] ONGBAK
2005
[1] KING KONG
[2] THE DESCENT
[3] SIN CITY
[4] GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
[5] THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
2006
[1] PAN'S LABYRINTH
[2] CASION ROYALE
[3] THE DEPARTED
[4] THE LIVES OF OTHERS
[5] THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED
2007
[1] ZODIAC
[2] THE ORPHANAGE
[3] PLANET TERROR
[4] NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
[5] THE MIST
2008
[1] NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD
[2] DEATH RACE
[3] DOOMSDAY
[4] RED CLIFF
[5] YATTERMAN
2009
[1] INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
[2] MICMACS
[3] INVICTUS
[4] HOUSE OF THE DEVIL
[5] THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
2010
[1] INCEPTION
[2] INSIDIOUS
[3] JULIA'S EYES
[4] CONFESSIONS
[5] RED, WHITE AND BLUE
2011
[1] THE ARTIST
[2] CABIN IN THE WOODS
[3] SUPER 8
[4] MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL
[5] TINKER TAILOR SPOLDIER SPY
2012
[1] ARGO
[2] BYZANTIUM
[3] PROMETHEUS
[4] CLOUD ATLAS
[5] HUMMINGBIRD
2013
[1] GRAVITY
[2] SIDE EFFECTS
[3] THE RAID 2
[4] THE GRANDMASTER
[5] ODD THOMAS
2014
[1] THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
[2] ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS
[3] A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT
[4] THE EQUALIZER
[5] IT FOLLOWS
2015
[1] MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
[2] MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION
[3] NIGHT FARE
[4] WE ARE STILL HERE
[5] SPOTLIGHT
2016
[1] HOUNDS OF LOVE
[2] TRAIN TO BUSAN
[3] THE HANDMAIDEN
[4] THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM
[5] THE NICE GUYS
2017
[1] BLADE RUNNER 2019
[2] ONE CUT OF THE DEAD
[3] DETROIT
[4] VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS
[5] POSSUM
2018
[1] A QUIET PLACE
[2] STAN AND OLLIE
[3] READY PLAYER ONE
[4] RED SPARROW
[5] THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX
2019
[1] 1917
[2] PARASITE
[3] BOMBSHELL
[4] COLOR OUT OF SPACE
[5] RABID
2020
[1] NO TIME TO DIE
[2] A QUIET PLACE PART II
[3] FREAKY
[4] THE HITMAN'S WIFE'S BODYGUARD
[5] CANDYMAN
2021
[1] LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
[2] NIGHTMARE ALLEY
[3] MALIGNANT
[4] LICORICE PIZZA
[5] DON'T BREATHE 2
2022
[1] AMBULANCE
[2] BARBARIAN
[3] TOP GUN: MAVERICK
[4] SHE SAID
[5] THE PRICE WE PAY
