Hollywood has created some of our most powerful memories, social trends, and pure fun through the power of filmmaking. All of these iconic pictures — and those yet to be — defined the year they were released, resulting in a decades-long filmography of triumphant craftsmanship.
1945 — The Lost Weekend
Despite being the first picture on our list, The Lost Weekend has stood the test of time, earning its place as a Hollywood classic. Don Birnam is, simply put, an alcoholic. Whereas in the past, the town drunk was reduced to comedic relief or the village idiot, The Lost Weekend chose to confront the topic of alcoholism and addiction hard on by displaying the disease’s anguish, wrath, and destructiveness. Director Billy Wilder addresses the misery and consequences of splashing through life through spectacular and incredibly symbolic cinematography. The Lost Weekend makes no attempt to explain why Don drinks or the origins of his addiction because, in the end, preserving his life is more important.
1945 — The Lost Weekend
1946 — It’s A Wonderful Life
Every Christmas season, television stations scramble to schedule this film. It’s a Wonderful Life, maybe the quintessential feel-good film, teaches us the importance of self-love and that gratitude is never a wasted or misguided emotion. On a wintry Christmas Eve, George Bailey (the magnificent Jimmy Stewart) is a depressed family man considering suicide. Despite his good intentions toward everyone in town, this popular bank employee has been duped by his devious boss — and now fears the police are on their way to arrest him on false accusations.
1946 — It’s A Wonderful Life
1947 — Gentleman’s Agreement
Gregory Peck starred as another figure seeking justice for those who would be victimized before taking on the prestigious role of Atticus Finch. Skylar “Phil” Green (Peck), a magazine writer, is assigned to combat anti-Semitism in New York City. Green, unable to make his piece work only through research and data, pretends to be Jewish for months in order to live the experience — and the results are progressively stunning.
1947 — Gentleman’s Agreement
1948 — The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre
The desire for gold has always been the plague of the frontier, driving men insane and burying their morality in the depths from which they are mining. Humphrey Bogart swapped in his Casablanca anti-hero charms for the role of Fred C. Dobbs, a man whose ambition sets him up for a downward spiral. He and his out-of-work pal Curtain come into old prospector Howard, who is merrily sharing tales of his gold-seeking exploits. The three set out into the hard barren country, employing him with the last of their severely battled for cash. They find their gold, but it is only the beginning of their perilous quest.
1948 — The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
1949 — The Third Man
Following WWII, the story of adrift men seeking meaning became a popular theme explored in the melancholy black and white of film noir. The Third Man’s postwar life Vienna is a tired and desperate city where crooks and cover-ups abound. Hollis, a pulp writer, takes a phone call from an old acquaintance, Harry Lime, who has given him a job. When Hollis arrives in Vienna, he learns that Lime has died abruptly after being hit by a car. Hollis, who has a nose for crime, notices that the facts don’t line up. All witnesses to the crime say a third person assisted in dragging Lime’s body away; the police report only cites two.
1949 — The Third Man
1950 — Sunset Blvd.
Sunset Blvd., the ultimate Hollywood film, remains one of the best character studies ever told. When down-on-his-luck writer Joe (William Holden) stumbles onto former silent cinema queen Norma Desmond’s fortress-like house, he finds himself caught within her own shattered psyche and yearnings of yesteryear. Seeing Joe’s writing as an opportunity to make a return — in a part appropriate for a lady much younger than her — Norma goes through rigorous training to be back in the spotlight. Norma, who is temperamental, sad, and emotionally unstable, would give anything to make a comeback — and she does.
1950 — Sunset Blvd.
1951 — The Day The Earth Stood Still
This groundbreaking 1951 classic defied expectations long before high-concept science fiction did. Aliens descending from the heavens above to conquer and enslave mankind were prevalent in 1950s and 1960s films; what would happen if an alien arrived to Earth to examine us? What would our reaction be? Klaatu (Michael Rennie) is a friendly ambassador from the stars, dispatched to explore how we live our lives and the extent of our nuclear proliferation. The Army surrounding Klaatu’s flying saucer reacts violently and imprisons the alien, as is expected of humans.
1951 — The Day The Earth Stood Still
1952 — Singin’ In The Rain
Singin’ in the Rain, arguably the best-known song from any film, is the pinnacle of the movie musical, a standard against which all that came before and after strove. Its plot has a lovely irony – a musical about the rise of talking visuals. As silent film actors discover that their previously unused nasally voices will spell doom for the studios under which they are bound, Gene Kelly’s Don Lockwood discovers the perfect new face for the studio in young actress Kathy – the first of many iconic parts for Debbie Reynolds.
1952 — Singin’ In The Rain
1953 — From Here To Eternity
From Here to Eternity, like Gone with the Wind and Titanic before it, provided moviegoers with a lovely romance set against the vast backdrop of an impending conflict. The hazing traditions of Army life, as well as the predicament of military wives and lovers, reach a fever pitch on December 7th, 1941, with the attack on Pearl Harbor. As military leaders deal with martial concerns on the Hawaiian installation, the days on the calendar tick away, creating a ticking clock for the entire film.
1953 — From Here To Eternity
1954 — On The Waterfront
“I could have had some class.” I might have been a contender. Terry Malloy, played by Marlon Brando, laments, “I coulda’ been somebody.” Not only do regret and remorse compose the film’s most famous moment, but they also serve as the foundation for Elia Kazan’s superb crime thriller. In the 1950s, when dread of discord was at its peak, the writer-director memorably testified against alleged Hollywood Communists. Dock workers are effectively imprisoned by a crooked union boss, oddly called as “Friendly,” who is hellbent on power. Friendly instructs ex-boxer Terry to encourage port employees not to testify against him.
1954 — On The Waterfront
1955 — Rebel Without A Cause
With this 1955 release, generational antagonism and teen anguish reached a peak. James Dean, a Hollywood star, typified the era’s youth, people who were angry with society but had no emotional understanding of why. Dean’s Jim Stark lashes out with his new companions, all of whom are yearning to carve out their own existence, apart from the world, which appears to be dismissing them in favor of sustaining the status quo and emotional curb appeal.
1955 — Rebel Without A Cause
1956 — Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
Hollywood has traditionally been a more ideologically left-wing industry, a place where it was easier to be mistaken for a Communist in the 1950s. Invasion of the Body Snatchers, released in 1956, captured the fears of Cold War existence better than any other film. In an era when practically everyone suspected their next-door neighbor was a communist, there has never been a better time for sci-fi horror to explore the terrible concept of doppelgängers.
1956 — Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
1957 — Paths Of Glory
Despite being a war picture with horrific fighting sequences, Stanley Kubrick’s Paths of Glory derives its true grandeur, drama, and anguish from the film’s central trial. An excessively eager and corrupt commander needs someone to blame for a disastrous battle; instead of accepting responsibility, he selects one soldier from each company and court martials them for cowardice. Colonel Dax (the renowned Kirk Douglas) rises to the occasion as the three men’s defense attorney. The struggle of the common soldier is at the forefront of Paths of Glory from the start – the corporals are required to carry out instructions that the commanders themselves would never have dreamed of. The guys are sentenced to death despite Dax’s testimony to the contrary.
1957 — Paths Of Glory
1958 — Vertigo
With his newest pursuit of mistaken identification, Alfred Hitchcock, the perennial Master of Suspense, departed from his own thriller formula. Hitchcock re-teamed with one of his favorite actors, Jimmy Stewart, to create a story about unrequited love and the spiral into lunacy. Stewart’s Scottie Ferguson is a retired detective who is called back into service when an old acquaintance begs him to follow his wife Madeline (Kim Novak) – Scottie does so and falls in love with her in the process. Scottie is in an almost unbearable state of grief after Madeline falls to her death. He soon meets Judy, a lady who resembles Madeline (also Novak) and who may be the answer to his lonely existence.
1958 — Vertigo
1959 — Ben-Hur
MGM, on the edge of bankruptcy, gave it their all and adapted this 1880 tale of Roman dictatorship, revenge, and forgiveness in a stroke of brilliance. Unable to bear the savagery of Roman commander and former ally Messala’s cruelty, Jewish prince Judah Ben-Hur (Best Actor winner Charlton Heston) withdraws any populist support. Messala retaliates by imprisoning Judah’s family and enslaving the titular figure. Judah spends the next four years sweating with one goal in mind: vengeance. Judah’s thoughts are realized when he is given the opportunity to compete against Messala in one of cinema’s most incredible episodes ever committed to film – the Judean chariot race.
1959 — Ben-Hur
1960 — Psycho
Alfred Hitchcock crafted another classic that not only characterized the age in which it was released, but has continued to be viewed and reexamined decades later, leaving entire theaters thinking twice before entering their shower. We watch a toilet (which censors wanted to remove), Marion Crane – our major character — remove her clothing, enter a shower, and then witness that primary character slain inside the first third of the film’s running time.
1960 — Psycho
1961 — Breakfast At Tiffany’s
We’ve all met a Holly Golightly – someone who is preoccupied with material wealth, status, and appears to have no care in the world. Rather of perpetuating her stereotype, this adaptation of Truman Capote’s novella tackles both Golightly’s past and hopeful future, as played to perfection by the iconic Audrey Hepburn. It would have been lot easier for both Hepburn and the writers to make Holly a caricature. However, making the socialite a fully developed human striving to conceal anguish and anxiety results in a considerably more compelling and touching film.
1961 — Breakfast At Tiffany’s
1962 — Lawrence Of Arabia
Wartime journalists love a good tabloid headline, and Colonel T.E. Lawrence’s exploits were ideal for both British and American newspapers. In the exhausted World War I trenches, there was suddenly hope, courage, and a face of victory in the crimson haze of no-man’s-land. The astonishing epic directed by David Lean indulges in set pieces and scorching desert action while also peeling back the layers of the man behind the journalistic myth.
1962 — Lawrence Of Arabia
1963 — The Great Escape
While the war picture genre is generally more upbeat, The Great Escape remains a staple of classic Hollywood cinema. As American and British servicemen are detained in a Nazi concentration camp, the Allies band together to attempt escape after escape. As the confident and determined Captain Hilts, Steve McQueen employs his effortless charm to great effect.
1963 — The Great Escape
1964 — Dr. Strangelove
When characterizing Stanley Kubrick’s filmography, phrases like “terrifying, mysterious, experimental” come to mind. Nobody thinks of the word “hilarious,” yet that’s exactly what the maestro of cinema provided with his famous anti-war picture, Dr. Strangelove. A crazy general has given himself complete control over nuclear missiles, all of which are pointed against Russia, the general’s paranoid adversary.
1964 — Dr. Strangelove
1965 — The Sound Of Music
This pioneering musical, considered one of the greatest “feel good” pictures, has brought laughter, music, and love into the homes of generations of audiences. Maria (Julie Andrew) is far from the ideal nun, with too much spirit and a bright smile. Her contagious personality serves her well when she is appointed governess to Captain Von Trapp’s (Christopher Plummer) seven children.
1965 — The Sound Of Music
1966 — The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Whether you’ve seen it or not, this spaghetti western is unquestionably the cornerstone of the genre. Its whistling, howling primary theme has permeated popular culture, as has the man who regularly walks into frame with it — Clint Eastwood, who established himself as the undisputed king of cool. Three fully developed characters outwit and try to outgun each other in a pursuit for Confederate gold, which leads to cinema’s finest Old West standoff and shootout. With impeccable timing, director Sergio Leone leaps from a broad expanse of a wide shot to a sweat-dripping extreme close up of Eastwood’s calculating gaze, while Ennio Morricone’s haunting and triumphant score produces tension beyond equal.
1966 — The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
1967 — The Graduate
It’s unusual for a film to define a generation. It’s even more rare when it can define each new generation of viewers. The film follows Benjamin Braddock’s (Dustin Hoffman) first summer after graduating from college. Legions of curious neighbors greet him, followed by the same terrible existential question: “what’s next?” Floundering in an uncertain future, Benjamin seeks solace in Mrs. Robinson’s cougar-like claws.
1967 — The Graduate
1968 — 2001: A Space Odyssey
2001, the magnum opus of director Stanley Kubrick’s immensely amazing résumé, is an accomplishment of the greatest kind. The picture pioneered visual effects with its use of matte paintings, miniatures, and early computer wizardry. The video depicts humanity’s trek to the heavens, beginning with our earliest ancestors, in an almost meta-fashion. Far from being a whimsical space adventure, 2001 poses harrowing questions about our origins and development, and its answers are muddled at best and terrifying at worst.
1968 — 2001: A Space Odyssey
1969 — Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid
This iconic buddy-western was released at the end of the summer of love, bringing Old West shenanigans, humor, and excitement to the big screen. Paul Newman and Robert Redford were one of Hollywood’s most renowned duos, and this film brilliantly captured their chemistry. The Hole in the Wall Gang, led by Newman’s Butch and Redford’s Sundance, becomes the Union Pacific railway’s bane.
1969 — Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid
1970 — MASH
With the atrocities of the Vietnam War still fresh in the thoughts and media of Americans, it seemed a good time to lament about the larger framework of world affairs. MASH made the correct decision to provide American audiences the polar opposite — a comedy of war and its participants. The film, set during the Korean War, focuses on a group of army medics who prefer to cheat, steal, and lazy off rather than execute their duties. It provided audiences with a feeling of levity during a period when an entire generation was thrown into the terrible jungles of Vietnam.
1970 — MASH
1971 — Dirty Harry
Clint Eastwood continued his hot streak of characters with possibly his most recognizably weathered performance as a cop with a perpetual chip on his shoulder. Moving the scene away from the normal mean streets of New York, filmmaker Don Siegel concentrates on San Francisco, the glittering city by the sea. Because of the cleaner environment, Inspector Harry Callahan strikes out as harsh and tough. Harry argues that blazing gunfire, rather than the sluggish procession of bureaucratic paperwork, is better suited to the lawless Old West than modern society.
1971 — Dirty Harry
1972 — The Godfather
The Godfather is cinema’s pinnacle. It is infinitely quotable, stylistically and physically stunning, and its family drama — however violent or treacherous — will always be ageless. The story of America is the story of immigrants — individuals and families who migrated here in search of the illusory American Dream. As the head of his family, Don Vito (Marlon Brando’s best performance) propelled the Corleones to success — albeit by less than respectable means.
1972 — The Godfather
1973 — The Exorcist
Unfortunately, horror is a genre that loves to follow trends rather than create or depart from them. You see your eerie abandoned house, where teenagers have huddled, and a maniac with a knife takes them out one by one. Director William Friedkin thankfully abandoned all other cliches in order to create a truly visceral and horrific experience. Evil does not lurk around every corner in the magnificent estates of Georgetown. It isn’t even in your closet. The terrible snarl of a possessed youngster is right in front of you.
1973 — The Exorcist
1974 — Chinatown
Roman Polanski’s sleek direction and highly layered performances from Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway elevated this murder thriller to classic cinema level, with one of the best screenplays ever written. The plot is enhanced with intrigue and subtleties that make the conspiracy appear more bigger and evil than one could think by brilliantly making its basic enigma more accessible — the buying and droughting of land to sell at a higher price.
1974 — Chinatown
1975 — Jaws
In 1975, a killer arrived on our shores with the same notoriety as any cinematic slasher. A monster shark terrorizes Amity Island, and it’s up to the police chief, an oceanographer, and a veteran boat captain to bring it down. From its initial release to the present day, the seafaring horror/adventure has thrilled viewers. Steven Spielberg’s first cinematic breakthrough plays on our apprehension of the unknown – in this case, the immensity of the ocean and the horrors that lurk beneath it.
1975 — Jaws
1976 — Taxi Driver
Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, a suitably big inspiration for the new Joker, explores the issues of life’s sensory overload by exploring the tragically taboo topic of mental health. Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro) battles despair and aggressive behavior while transporting passengers back and forth throughout New York City, the one profession that allows him to forget his horrendous lack of sleep, as the title suggests. Travis observes the sludge, filth, and muck that occupy these streets through the neon-lit avenues, almost like a blacklight.
1976 — Taxi Driver
1977 — Star Wars
No other film in history has been considered as a greater source of inspiration for filmmakers than 1977’s Star Wars. The original entry in a galaxy far, far away was a cinematic achievement on all fronts, from narrative to technology, transporting us to worlds and introducing us to characters we never dreamed we’d meet. Mythic storytelling in the style of King Arthur was blended with lasers and space wars, enchanting and entrancing audiences all over the world.
1977 — Star Wars
1978 — Halloween
The pantheon of horror slashers is full of killers all vying to be the next Norman Bates — and only one succeeded. Michael Myers, a modern-day boogeyman who appears to be born without a soul and with eyes as dark as the Devil himself, is a tale among the youngsters of Haddonfield, Illinois. Laurie Strode, a bright babysitter, is forced to confront that unexpected fact on Halloween night.
1978 — Halloween
1979 — Alien
No word could be more suited to describe the anxiety that fans were about to witness when Alien opened in 1979. When the crew of the interplanetary ship Nostromo is trapped in space with an entity far more advanced than them, a basic elevator pitch becomes bone-chillingly expanded on. The titular creature, adapted to exclusively kill and lay eggs, is one of cinema’s best and most terrifying designs.
1979 — Alien
1980 — The Shining
A story of spousal violence, ghosts, and environmental isolation appears to be three separate stories — but in Stanley Kubrick’s hands, the narratives blend flawlessly to bring the terror at the Overlook Hotel to life. Kubrick, known for drastically diverting from Stephen King’s source material, provides us with his customary enigmatic narrative and pictures as Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson’s most famous part) slides into madness. Torrance, his wife Wendy, and their son Danny take care of the hotel during what will be the harshest winter they’ve ever known.
1980 — The Shining
1981 — Indiana Jones And tThe Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Few character silhouettes in movie can genuinely compete with the raw simplicity of a whip and a hat. The visionaries behind Jaws and Star Wars collaborated to present us media’s greatest adventure of all time, inspired by serialized trailer-esque short films that would finish on daring cliffhangers. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford, in a role as iconic as Han Solo, how lucky can one actor get?) travels the world in search of rare and perilous antiques that time has forgotten, with each heroic snatch-and-grab pursuit more difficult than the last.
1981 — Indiana Jones And tThe Raiders Of The Lost Ark
1982 — Blade Runner
Before post-apocalyptic films became fashionable, Blade Runner locked us in cramped cityscapes. Society may not have collapsed in this picture, but filmmaker Ridley Scott shows — rather than telling — audiences that obvious overpopulation, limited resources, and persecution are all monitored by mega-corporations and their insatiable wills. Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, a man tasked with eradicating rogue Replicants — bio-engineered super-humans bred for war and slavery. With that description alone, how could any Replicant be blamed for going AWOL?
1982 — Blade Runner
1983 — Return Of The Jedi
The last installment in the holy grail of film trilogies sees the war for freedom in the galaxy reach new heights — while its main hero and villain explore their increasingly tangled relationship. The original Star Wars trilogy came to a satisfying end as the fight between the Rebels and the Empire reached a fever pitch, presenting fans with a combat on a scale never seen before. While two gigantic fleets collided and the Death Star’s operational status was a terrifying ticking time bomb, it was a far more personal struggle that distinguished Return of the Jedi from prior spectacular finales.
1983 — Return Of The Jedi
1984 — The Terminator
The 1980s were the apex of B-movie cinema, with inexpensive pictures thrown together with a sci-fi/action/horror theme. To many producers, The Terminator was just another in a long line of direct-to-VHS pictures that your father would pick up for you and your buddies to see during a sleepover. But writer-director James Cameron outperformed everyone with a film that contained a completely unique concept, imaginative action, and the emergence of one of Hollywood’s biggest stars of all time – Arnold Schwarzenegger.
1984 — The Terminator
1985 — Back To The Future
Time travel movies appear from time to time, but none have done it better than this 1985 masterpiece. Combining the sparkle of the 1980s with the nostalgia of the 1950s resulted in a rock-and-roll journey with enough nuanced elements to justify multiple viewings. Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is a wannabe musician who assists Doc Brown (the brilliantly wacky Christopher Lloyd) with his weird experiments — and his latest one is poised to transform the future… or the past… or both!
1985 — Back To The Future
1986 — Stand By Me
Stranger Things may have had the creative monopoly on friendship in the 1980s, but it couldn’t exist without apparent inspiration from Stand By Me, Rob Reiner’s great adaptation of Stephen King’s coming-of-age short tale. What begins as a boyhood quest to uncover a dead body becomes considerably more of a drama than an adventure as each guy is forced to confront the possibility that his childhood aspirations will never come true.
1986 — Stand By Me
1987 — The Princess Bride
Though the title may conjure up images of a House of Mouse rip-off fluff piece, this traditional fairy tale has been enjoyed by people of all ages. Audiences are immediately given the proper background for an adventurous and romantic fantasy, brilliantly structured as a grandfather reading a book to his grandchild.
1987 — The Princess Bride
1988 — Die Hard
Is this the ultimate action movie? What is the ultimate Christmas film? Although categorizing Die Hard is challenging, everyone can agree that it is a film that always succeeds when viewed. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Jean-Claude Van Damme were among the indomitable bruisers of the 1980s. John McClane, played by Bruce Willis, is no Superman. He’s in shape — a cop needs to be in shape — but his muscles aren’t bursting through his shirt. He’s skilled with whatever weapon he’s using, but he also forgets to put on his shoes before going into action.
1988 — Die Hard
1989 — Glory
History books portray the North as fully benevolent during the horrible horror of the Civil War. How could the side that was determined to keep the United States together and made abolition of slavery one of its foundations not be considered the good guys? It is easy to forget — or be made unaware of — that the decision to abolish slavery was taken in part to strengthen Union support and allow former slaves to serve in the army.
1989 — Glory
1990 — Goodfellas
Despite the existence of The Godfather, Goodfellas reigns supreme among gangster films. Directing genius Martin Scorsese chose to enwrap the naïve with a golden and magnificent image of mob life — before it all comes crashing down. Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) has long fantasized of being a mobster and the lack of consequences that it appears to provide. That’s about it in terms of plot for Goodfellas, which is exactly what makes it such a work of art.
1990 — Goodfellas
1991 — The Silence Of The Lambs
Unlike other horror icons, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (the always frightening Anthony Hopkins) loves to dig under your skin and manipulate your mind to fulfill his own aims. He also gets under your skin in a far too… intimate way. When FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) seeks to apprehend a skin-wearing lunatic, she turns to Hannibal the Cannibal, the only person who can provide an accurate profile.
1991 — The Silence Of The Lambs
1992 — Unforgiven
The Western is the crown jewel of American film, a genre peculiar to the United States that European directors were attempting to mimic for the first time. White-hatted do-gooders stood up for justice against the black-hatted villain in Westerns from the 1940s to the 1960s. Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven changes history and dramatically reimagines the reality that the genre sorely needed.
1992 — Unforgiven
1993 — Jurassic Park
One simple question inspires creativity: “What if?” Just by asking the question, you open your imagination to endless possibilities. Audiences were able to experience one of cinema’s most thrilling questions, “What if dinosaurs could come back and live in our time?” thanks to author Michael Crichton and director Steven Spielberg. And the response was both thrilling and horrifying.
1993 — Jurassic Park
1994 — Pulp Fiction
Mouthy characters moving at a mile a minute became egregiously regular after Pulp Fiction shattered the template, but writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s second feature picture still proudly wears the crown as the one who did it best. The term “independent” refers to a person who does not work for the government.
1994 — Pulp Fiction
1995 — Toy Story
For those who were lucky enough, childhood was filled with limitless imagination, thanks in large part to the experiences we made with our toys. But what happens to our toys when we aren’t playing with them? That brilliant yet simple idea resulted in one of the best animated masterpieces of all time. Woody (voiced by America’s beloved actor Tom Hanks), the gallant cowboy of the old west, is among Andy’s treasure mine of toys.
1995 — Toy Story
1996 — Fargo
Any great crime story must begin with an inexperienced detective. Criminals in Fargo, Minnesota, believe they have nothing to fear from hugely pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson. (the Best Actress Oscar winner Frances McDormand). But they couldn’t have been more mistaken. Marge foreshadows a recurring topic in the film: appearances can be deceiving.
1996 — Fargo
1997 — Titanic
Director James Cameron switched in his usual gun-toting action for a daring romance among a perilous maritime adventure in this magnificent and visually stunning drama. Titanic turned main actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet into instant heartthrobs and icons by setting them against each other as lower- and upper-class individuals, respectively, and coupling them as partners in a torrid love affair.
1997 — Titanic
1998 — Saving Private Ryan
While Steven Spielberg’s masterwork Schindler’s List captivated audiences as they witnessed the atrocities of the Holocaust, his 1998 picture Saving Private Ryan transported us to the frontlines of WWII, using every frame of its opening half-hour to depict the devastation of the beachside assault at Normandy. As German firing subsides, blood and ocean water merge. The film has already moved on to the next horrible picture of pain and death while our eyes digest the previous.
1998 — Saving Private Ryan
1999 — The Matrix
With a genre as popular as action flicks, one scratches their head when they realize how long it took to unite the high flying and graceful eastern kung-fu with the western gunplay of America — yet 1999 ultimately delivered us The Matrix, and lovers of on-screen combat have been praising it ever since. The term “responsibility” refers to the act of determining whether or not a person is responsible for the actions of another person.
1999 — The Matrix
2000 — Gladiator
The sword-and-sandal genre had all but vanished from Hollywood until director Ridley Scott and star Russel Crowe unleashed Gladiator, a film that returned to the pure triumphal spectacles of cinema. Former Roman general Maximus (Russell Crowe in his most profoundly understated performance) is sold into slavery by the cunning Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) after the latter assassinates his father, Rome’s emperor.
2000 — Gladiator
2001 — Training Day
This Oscar-winning film, set over a 24-hour period, examines the gritty corruption and abuse of power in a neighborhood in desperate need of protection and role models. During a ride-along to familiarize him with the streets, Detective Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington) mentors newest detective Jake (Ethan Hawke). Jake can’t help but become charmed by Harris’ policing manner — and the audience can’t either.
2001 — Training Day
2002 — The Pianist
Roman Polanski’s terrible genuine survival story is both difficult and enthralling to watch. Wladyslaw Szpilman is a famous concert pianist from Poland who lives a comfortable life with his family, assuming that their considerable riches will keep them safe from the Nazi regime’s rumblings towards Jewish populations. He and his family quickly find that no one is exempt from the forces of evil and they are driven from their home. From beginning to end, we only see the beginning of Szpilman’s terrifying trip.
2002 — The Pianist
2003 — The Lord Of The Ring: Return Of The King
Return of the King, like Return of the Jedi twenty years before it, is the triumphant conclusion to a trilogy of amazing and unprecedented dimensions. Fantasy has never been a genre taken seriously by Hollywood award shows, but the sheer force of quality in every frame of Return of the King allowed film to win twelve Oscars. Despite its on-screen grandeur, this fantasy series was always a success because it handled its people so intimately.
2003 — The Lord Of The Ring: Return Of The King
2004 — Kill Bill Vol. 2
Although Quentin Tarantino’s trademark love for violence has always been present, the outrageous bloodletting did not commence until the release of Kill Bill Vol. 1. Using all of the themes from classic kung-fu, samurai, and western films, this two-part picture became the ultimate revenge experience. Vol. 2 continues the Bride’s (Uma Thurman) quest for vengeance against those who abandoned her and her unborn child.
2004 — Kill Bill Vol. 2