Movies of My Life (Updated for 2022)

 I usually don't participate in Facebook lists (especially since I am not on Facebook), but this one intrigued me.

The challenge is to go through your life and list the best movie from each year of your life.  You can have a tie once per decade.

I found this idea challenging and interesting.  What I found the most interesting is how little interest I had in most of the movies that came out just before I was born, but I have a strong affection for movies from my early childhood.  I wonder if that is common to most people who do this?

Anyway, here is my list.  For the sake of anonymity, I have started my list with the decade of my birth rather than my birth year (maybe).

1970

Julius Caesar

Heston as Marc Antony is cinematic gold.

1971

The Big Boss

Bruce Lee's first starring feature. A bit violent, but you can see the star power

1972

The Godfather

An unquestionable masterpiece that changed cinema.

1973

American Graffiti

The influence of this movie is unnoticed but powerful, especially on television

Enter the Dragon

The gold standard of modern martial arts movies

1974

The Godfather Part II

Darker and a bit overly long, but the best movie of this year

1975

Jaws

A nearly perfect film

1976

Rocky

Despite being sequalized repeatedly, it is still raw and strong

1977

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Movie magic.

1978

Superman

The best superhero movie ever.

1979

Time After Time

A tense and clever thriller. Malcolm McDowall's best performance

1980

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Even better than the original Star Wars

1981

Raiders of the Lost Ark

For the sword fight alone

1982

ET: Extra-Terrestrial

One of the most transcendentally child-like films

1983

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

The best of the Star Wars Saga

1984

Ghostbusters

Unrepeatable comedy/action/adventure/horror

1985

Back to the Future

Extreme laughs, thrills, and nostalgia all at the same time

1986

Aliens

The greatest action movie ever made.

1987

The Untouchables

Brian DePalma's best film. Powerful.

Predator

Manliest movie of the 1980's.

1988

Young Guns

It has one of the strongest last lines of any film

1989

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

The greatest adventure movie off all time.

1990

Presumed Innocent

The best legal drama of all time.

1991

Dead Again

The best thriller of all time.

1992

Noises Off!

One of the funniest films I have ever seen.

1993

Schindler's List

Every frame, every angle, every cut is genius.

1994

The Shawshank Redemption

Overlooked when released, it has stood the test of time.

1995

Braveheart

Epic in scope, action, and human spirit

1996

Hamlet

Visually stunning and enveloping

Swingers

A small, indie comedy with confidence and cool

1997

Titanic

Despite the haters, this is actually a fantastic, moving film.

1998

Life is Beautiful

A unique film that uplifts with laughs and tears

1999

The Green Mile

Sad and profound. It sticks with you long after its over

2000

Memento

One of the best films ever made. Unlike anything else.

2001

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

A fantasy with some real gravitas

2002

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Improves upon the first

2003

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

One of the most emotionally satisfying movies.

2004

The Passion of the Christ

The greatest film ever made.

2005

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

The best of the prequels.

2006

Casino Royale

The bond reboot works on so many levels. Best of the Bond films.

2007

Juno

Simple premise with lots of heart. Sneaks into your heart like a child's laugh.

Lars and the Real Girl

A strange movie that should be filthy but is richly innocent

2008

The Dark Knight

The best Batman movie ever.

2009

Up

Devastating, hilarious, and uplifting.

2010

Inception

A puzzle wrapped in an enigma

2011

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The best of this franchise

2012

Les Miserables

Pure emotional power

2013

Man of Steel

Visually and thematically mature take on Superman

2014

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Taught political thriller and action film

Interstellar

Amazingly bold in concept and emotion

2015

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

A worth successor to the series that is full for fun and heart.

2016

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice

The most underrated superhero film. An unappreciated masterpiece

2017

Logan

A bold and violent end to a character that is as touching as it is melancholy

2018

Avengers: Infinity War

Less catharsis than the sequel, but an incredibly tight yet epic story

2019

Joker

A truly disturbing look at human nature with a great performance.

2020                  1917                                     Gripping war tale told so skillfully

                           Hamilton                            A Broadway experience

2021                 Spider-Man: No Way Home    A crowd-pleasing epic hero's story.

2022                Top Gun: Maverick                 Another crowd-pleasing thrill-ride

A few observations on my own list:

-5 movies directed by Steven Spielberg

-4 movies directed by Christopher Nolan

-3 movies directed by Peter Jackson

-3 movies directed by George Lucas

-3 movies directed by Kenneth Brannagh

-only 4 movies are comedies (not to be confused with drama-dies)

-only 9 are tragedies (in the sense that they do not have a "happy ending")

-4 of the 9 Star Wars Saga movies are represented

-9 of the movies are superhero films (this counts Joker as well), 5 DC, 4 Marvel 3 of them are about Superman, 3 have Bruce Wayne as a character

-2 movies based on Shakespeare plays

-3 movies not in English

-only 1 Western

-only 2 Musicals

-only 1 Animated movie

-3 movies involve time travel

-only 4 of the movies have a woman as the lead.

-7 Harrison Ford movies

-18 are sequels/prequels

Thoughts?