My Favorite Movie From Every Year I've Been Alive

With today being my 25th birthday, I wanted to share my favorite movie from every year I've been alive. These are all movies that I enjoyed a lot. Some of these years were really tough to pick but I managed. I also tried to keep my list to one entry per franchise to not overpower the list with a bunch of movies from the same franchise. With that being said, here are my favorite movies from every year I've been alive.

1998-Saving Private Ryan

1998 had a few solid films in Mulan, Armageddon, and The Truman Show, but ultimately I decided to go with Saving Private Ryan. Saving Private Ryan is a very well-written film with a solid story, a lot of action, and compelling characters. There are exciting events throughout the story with the movie never letting up until the credits roll. The characters in this story are very fleshed out. We get to learn what each of their motivations is, how they view their mission, and their opinion on handling enemy soldiers and civilians. We get to know almost all of the soldiers and feel the impact if one of them is killed. The movie also does a great job of handling questionable morality discussions. Finally, The movie itself is very intense which works really well for the story it wants to tell. It gets right into the gore about how hard war can be and doesn't shy away from the scariness of battle. In the end, this is a fantastic War film.

Grade: A Score: 9.5/10

1999- The Matrix

1999 was a tough choice between Fight Club and The Matrix. In the end, The Matrix is by far more iconic and exciting. The Matrix is such a classic and original Sci-Fi story. There are so many iconic moments and action sequences that are still spoofed in movies today. Neo, Morpheus, and Agent Smith are such iconic characters and are great centers of the story. The world-building here is just fantastic. The Matrix itself is just so fascinating. The Matrix had such a cultural impact and was a huge deal in its time. Even its special effects and CGI were revolutionary for its time the style used in the action having never been seen before. This movie also launched the career of Keanu Reeves and laid the work for the John Wick movies today. This movie just has so many iconic lines, characters, and moments that it's hard to imagine the culture without this film.

Grade: A Score: 9.5/10

2000-Memento

Memento was an easy choice for the year 2000 and is the groundbreaking movie that launched Christopher Nolan into mainstream Hollywood. This movie has such a unique story structure in that the story is being told in reverse and forwards at the same time with the climax and ending happening when the two sides meet up. It is just such a neat way to tell a story and adds so much more suspense that would otherwise be impossible to. Aside from the unique storytelling, the characters in this movie are also so interesting with Leonard being such a likable person to follow. With the story being told in reverse, we are in the same boat as Leonard with his short-term memory loss which makes for a very effective way to release to the character. The movie also has a fantastic conclusion as both ends of the story come together and everything that has been happening becomes clear. In the end, this is a unique movie that was a breakthrough for Christopher Nolan and is a film that will be forever memorable for its story structure.

Grade: A- Score: 8.5/10

2001- Monsters Inc

The year 2001 was a bit of a tough year. There was Ocean's Eleven, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and Shrek. I am saving my Lord of the Rings spot for another year so Monsters Inc comes out as my pick. This came out when I was around 3 years old so I was the perfect age for this movie. I really enjoy the buddy comedy dynamic between Mike and Sully as well as the journey they both go through for character arcs. The concept of having the monsters in your closest being a job is so interesting and a really fun way to take the story. Finally, the relationship between Sully and Boo is also very strong. I like how it grows from a hostile relationship to Sully growing and learning that Boo is not dangerous to the final emotional ending where they have to part. All in all, this is one of my favorite animated movies and brings me a lot of good childhood memories whenever I watch it.

Grade: A Score: 9/10

2002-Catch Me if You Can

2002 was the year of Spider-Man and Lilo and Stitch and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers but ultimately I had to go with Catch Me If You Can. I found it so interesting how 21-year-old Frank can con his way into all of these situations. The idea of Frank being chased by FBI agent Carl is such an interesting dynamic to have as it feels like a very effective cat-and-mouse game. Both Frank and Carl are very likable characters. You still want Frank to succeed even though what he is doing is illegal which is how you that the character was done right. The dialogue in this film is also very well written. The globetrotting aspect was also a lot of fun. It was quite cool to see Frank moving to all of these different places and the shenanigans he gets in there. Finally, I just found it so fascinating that this was a true story and that someone was able to pull all of this off. Overall, this is a very well-made and interesting film that has a lot of fun with the story it is trying to tell.

Grade: A Score: 9.5/10

2003-Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was always going to be this year's pick thought it was a bit of a bummer to have to cut Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Elf. This has been my favorite movie ever since my mom introduced it to me as a kid. It is nothing short of epic. The story itself is expansive and well-told. All of the characters are super fun and memorable and you really get to spend a lot of time with them throughout the three films and really see them grow and change. The action scenes and battle sequences are also so cool to watch. They all are done on such a large scale and are such amazing scenes. There are so many scenes in this movie that give me chills every time I watch them. The score in this film is always quite good. The music really nails the tone of the scenes with so much of the music adding to the overall epic-ness of the movie. Overall, I just love this movie. I can watch it over and over again and never get tired of it.

Grade: A+ Score: 10/10

2004-Kill Bill Vol 2

2004 had some solid movies like Shrek 2, Shaun of the Dead, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban but the best movie was Kill Bill Vol 2. This movie is a very cool martial arts film. It has a lot of great action sequences. It takes some of the best parts of martial arts movies and westerns and brings them together in one film. I also really like Quinten Tarantino's style of writing. His scripts and dialogue are always so well done and interesting. I also like all the pay this movie gives after watching Vol 1. We get to see more of The Bride as she goes down her list and finally takes everyone out. It has been a while since I have seen this film but it is still a lot of fun and one of Tarantino's best.

Grade: A Score: 9/10

2005-The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

For this year, it was essentially between The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and Revenge of the Sith. I'm saving my Star Wars spot for later so Narnia wins out here. It is such a classic story that I remember reading it as a kid. I also really like the world-building involved in this story. We get to see a really fleshed-out Narnia with all of these creatures. The movie does a great job of establishing the opposing sides and the overall conflict of the story. The movie is also given enough run time to tell an effective story without really rushing through things. I really enjoy the fantasy aspect of the story and all of the mythical creatures we get to see. I also really enjoy the big battle sequence at the end. It is very cinematic and exciting and is actually portrayed better in the film than in the book. Overall, this is a great fantasy story.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

2006- Casino Royal

Casino Royal was the easy pick for 2006. It was my James Bond representative on this list. Casino Royal is my favorite James Bond film and Daniel Craig is my favorite Bond actor. The best thing about this film is that it manages to make a card game exciting and thrilling. During the heat of the game, you can really feel all of the tension between Bond and the other players. The movie also has a ton of action in it. Part of the reason why the poker game works so well is that it is broken up by action sequences. The movie also has so many likable characters. All of Bond's allies are a lot of fun and very memorable. Overall, this is a great spy film and the best of the Bond movies.

Score: 9/10 Grade: A

2007- Meet the Robinsons

2007 had some solid films like Hot Fuzz and Zodiac but in the end, I had to go with Meet the Robinsons. This is a very fun time travel movie. The story is very sweet and endearing. All of the family members are so much fun and get a laugh out of me every time. I thought the time travel story itself was very well done with a lot of heart. The Bowler Hat Guy was also a great villain. He is menacing yet hilarious at the same time. This movie also has a solid message about moving forward and not letting mistakes get you down. Finally, this movie manages to bring everything from the movie together at the end where we get to see Lewis's life play out perfectly. In the end, this is a very fun Disney movie that puts a smile on my face.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

2008-The Dark Knight

2008 was the year of two great superhero movies, Iron Man and The Dark Knight. While Iron Man jump-started the MCU, I had to go with The Dark Knight. This film is masterfully written and directed and does a great job with its pacing. The film is just so exciting and suspenseful throughout and it never really lets up until the end. Each sequence is somehow more suspenseful than the last to the point where the movie feels like it has 3 different climaxes. Heath Ledger as the Joker gives a legendary performance and is probably one of my favorite movie characters of all time. Harvey Dent is another great addition to the story with his arc being so fascinating and tragic. It is just so compelling to see him start as this great figure only to fall into tragedy and madness at the end. Finally, I like how this film is all about the idea of limits. Batman has to figure out how far he is willing to go to stop the Joker without losing his humanity. Overall, this is a fantastic film and one of the few that I consider an absolute masterpiece.

Score: 10/10 Grade: A+

2009-Star Trek

2009 was a pretty bare year so that made Star Trek an easy pick. This movie is my Star Trek representative on this and is my favorite of the new Star Trek films. While this movie is significantly different tone-wise than the original Star Trek, it is still very good. This movie is action-packed with a lot of great space battles and hand-to-hand showdowns. The casting here is just great. Chris Pine and Zachery Quinto are perfect as Kirk and Spock. The other characters, Chekov, Sulu, Scotty, and Uhura are also a lot of fun. I also really like the alternate reality aspect of this film and how it connects to the events of the original run of films. The score is also a lot of fun with a very good theme. Overall, this is just a roller coaster ride of a film with lots of excitement and action.

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

2010-Inception

2010 was a tough choice between Toy Story 3 and Inception but in the end, Inception came out on top. This movie has a super interesting plot and explores the idea of the dream world and journeying into other people's dreams. The movie can take the idea of journeying into people's dreams and mesh it with a heist film which just makes for an extremely compelling story. There are a lot of amazing sequences in the film, such as the hallway fight scene, that are just really well shot. The movie also manages to be extremely exciting once in the dreams and never really lets up after that until the credits roll. The cast is just so great it includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon Levit, Michael Caine, and Tom Hardy who are all just great actors that give amazing performances. Finally, the film has a fantastic ending that keeps you thinking long after the end of the credits. In the end, this is just a fascinating movie and one that I could watch over and over again.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A

2011-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2

Without question, The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was the easy choice for 2011. This movie is so great as it pulls out all the stops and closes out an 8 film series in a big way. The action and battles in this film are so cool. Right out of the gate, the movie starts off very exciting and does not stop until the end of the film. The Battle of Hogwarts is such an exciting sequence and probably one of my all-time favorite film battles. This movie also manages to tie plot points together throughout the entire sage showing why some characters behave in the way that they do. This movie is probably the best example of a series of everything together from every single book. Finally, the big final showdown between Harry and Voldemort is just so cool to see. It keeps you on the edge of your set and keeps you excited from beginning to end. Overall, this is not only my favorite Harry Potter film but it is also one of my all-time favorite movies.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A

2012- Django Unchained

2012 was very close between Django Unchained and The Avengers but I am saving my MCU spot for something else so Django it is. This is another Tarantino film. This time, it is Tarantino's take on the Western revenge drama. Django is such a cool character and Jamie Fox does a great job of portraying this cool and confident person. Christoph Waltz as King Schultz is also great in this movie. He and Jamie Fox are great together and do a good job of keeping the story interesting. I also like the historical aspect of the film. It is pretty fun to watch these terrible slave owners get what is coming to them. Leonardo DiCaprio is also a great villain. He is so despicable yet so interesting. Finally, I liked the whole revenge/rescue plot. It keeps the movie exciting and never really lets up until the end.

Score: 9/10 Grade: A

2013- Now You See Me

2013 was probably must toughest year to decide being between Now You See Me and Fast and Furious 6. Both are very fun but I think Now You See Me is the better film. Now You See Me is essentially Oceans 11 but with magicians and is just so much fun. The cast is great with Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harelson, Mark Ruffalo, and many others. I really enjoy the different magic acts we see throughout the movie. The story is also structured in a very fun way with each act of the story having its own magic trick which is then followed by the cops trying to figure out how they did it. The movie also does a great job of hiding details about the ending throughout the film and paying different moments off by having a satisfying reveal at the end. In the end, this is just a fun unique movie.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

2014-Interstellar

2014 had many solid movies such as Paddington, John Wick, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and X-Men Days of Future Past but my favorite is Interstellar. Christopher Nolan does a great job with high-concept and complex films that always leave the audience thinking and Interstellar is no exception. I quite enjoy the space aspect of the film and all the science they try to tie into events such as explaining how time moves faster closer to a black hole. This film dives deep into the concept of space travel as well as gravity and its impact on the speed of time. The movie also has a ton of stunning visuals and effects as well as a lot of stellar exciting sequences. The movie also does a great job of interconnecting everything with things towards the beginning of the film being relevant at the end. Overall, this is a very interesting, highly complicated film that is one that I find something new every time I see it.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A

2015-The Martian

2015 was between The Force Awakens, Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation, and McFarland USA but in the end, I went with the Martian. The Martian actually surprised me with how funny it was. There are a lot of moments in the film that make me laugh out loud. I also really like all of the science and math stuff that is throughout this film. As a huge nerd, that stuff really interests me. Matt Damon really nails the role here. He is really able to pull off a compelling performance while having no one else on screen with him for 90% of the movie. I also like how the movie handles its pacing. While not exactly, a fast-moving plot, the way the story is told never allows the movie to drag or feel boring. Finally, as this is one of the movies my mom and I share as a favorite, it always brings some good memories for me.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A

2016- Rogue One

Rogue was the easy choice for 2016 and also my Star Wars representative on the list. Rogue One is surprisingly the best of the Disney-era films as well as the best since the original trilogy. It has a really interesting story and adds a different angle to the rebellion that isn't seen in the main films. This film also has some great battle moments. The battle on Scarif is so much fun with both the land and space access. The movie is also really thrilling as these are all new characters and you are unsure which ones are going to make it. Finally, that final scene with Darth Vader is absolutely amazing. It shows how cool of a character he is and is one of my favorite movie scenes. In the end, this is a fantastic spin-off that is almost as good as the original trilogy.

Score: 9/10 Grade: A

2017- John Wick 2

This year was a tough choice between John Wick Chapter 2 and Logan but I enjoy John Wick Chapter 2 a lot more. John Wick: Chapter 2 is my favorite in the franchise and proves that the first movie was not a fluke. This movie takes what worked in the first film and actually builds on it. It takes the world established in the first film and grows it and shows that there is more to it than just NYC. This movie also has the most compelling story in the franchise. It shows the consequences of John returning to this world and why he cannot just leave again. It also shows the consequences when rules are broken and the wrong people are crossed. As with the rest of the films, the action in this movie is top-notch. There are so many well-done and grounded action sequences that are just so much fun to watch. Finally, I liked the new characters that this movie introduces such as the Bowery King, Ares, and Cassian. Overall, this is just a fantastic action movie and is in my opinion the best film in a franchise of fantastic movies.

Score: 9/10 Grade: A

2018- Ready Player One

This year was between Into the Spider-Verse, Avengers: Infinity War, and Ready Player One. I'm saving my MCU spot until next year so Ready Player One won out. I like this movie a lot more than most people do. I also really enjoy all of the references to movies, retro video games, and 80's pop culture (basically all of the stuff I am into). I also really like how it includes a lot of cool movie icons, such as the Back to the Future DeLorean, the hotel from The Shining, and the Iron Giant, as main components of the plot. I think the world-building for this movie is really well done. I also like the whole treasure-hunting aspect of the plot and think it is a really fun way to take us through this world. Finally, I really enjoy all of the characters in this movie. They are all very compelling, add important aspects to the film, and interact with each other really well. Overall, this is a really fun movie with all sorts of references and nostalgia.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A

2019- Avengers Endgame

Avengers: Endgame was the very easy choice for 2019. his film is the greatest superhero movie of all time. It is the payoff of stories from over 10 years and 23 different movies. It manages to close out all of the arcs of our Avengers in a satisfying way. At 3 hours, this is the longest MCU film but the pacing makes it go by so fast. The first and second acts are great at storytelling and resolving arcs and storylines from past films and the third act is probably one of the greatest final hours put into a film. It gives the fans exactly what they want and is nonstop payoff. The final battle of this film is probably the best experience I've ever had in a theater. This is just peak MCU and groundbreaking in the way it was able to tie in and pay off things from 23 different movies. Overall this is just a fantastic and perfect movie. Not only is it my favorite MCU film of all time but it is also my favorite film of all time.

Score:10/10 Grade: A++

2020-Palm Springs

2020 was a pretty bare year for movies due to the pandemic which a bunch that got delayed. Because of this, my pick for 2020 is Palm Springs. While it wouldn't have been the best movie of the year in a normal year, I still had a lot of fun with it. This movie is essentially Groundhog Day except with two people stuck reliving a wedding. The two main characters are so funny and have great chemistry together. Of course, the shenanigans that go with time loops are very fun to watch. The movie also doesn't overstay its welcome. It runs at a very brisk 90 minutes and is all the better for it. It tells a fun little time loop story and ends before it can get bogged down with any nonsense. I also found this movie to be incredibly funny with many moments making me laugh out lot. While this year was pretty bear, I was happy that there were movies like this that kept the year bright.

Grade: 8/10 Grade: B+

2021- Dune

2021 had some solid movies such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, Zach Snyder's Justice League, Dune, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife but as I used up my DC and Marvel spots I decided to go with Dune. This is a very epic Sci-Fi adventure. It has stunning visuals and CGI effects. Everything looks so go and real that it seems like these characters are really on this desert planet. While the story is a bit slower, the way it is told keeps you very interested and on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The world-building in this movie is just fantastic. The movie explores so many different ideas, and cultures and establishes the rivalry between various families. The cast in this movie is so great with so many standout actors with some that even took very minor roles just to be in the movie. This movie reminds me a lot of films like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars and takes some of the best parts from both. The movie also does a great job of not rushing through things. Instead of trying to cram all of the material into one movie, it wisely splits into two. Overall, this is a great movie with a solid story and amazing visuals.

Grade: 9/10 Grade: A

2022- Top Gun Maverick

Top Gun Maverick was the clear choice (after already using my Batman entry) for 2022. It was easily the most fun and crowd-pleasing movie of the year. I think it is better than the original film and it just puts a big grin on my face. Tom Cruise is still great in this movie as he is 60 years old and still doing all of these insane stunts and is up in these jets. The story here is very simple yet still very solid. The new characters are all a lot of fun and each gets their moment to shine in the movie. This movie does a great job of showing Maverick in a new phase in his life as he is no longer the plucky young navy pilot he was before. The movie also gives Iceman some great moments and a solid close-out of his story. Of course, all of the plane sequences are so cool as we get to see so many cool shots from inside the plane that were impossible to do in the original film. Finally, the movie delivers a satisfying finale that is both exciting and fun.

Grade: 9/10 Grade: A

2023- Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning- Part 1

Spoilers for my end of the year list, but my favorite movie of 2023 was Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning- Part 1 (after Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse but I used my Marvel spot already). The action in this movie is some of the best in the franchise. I had so much fun with the final train sequence and Tom Cruise literally flying off of a mountain and skydiving into a valley. Hayley Atwell is a solid addition to the cast. She does a great job interacting with Tom Cruise and the two have some great chemistry together. Pom Klementieff is also a lot of fun in the film and plays a pretty good henchman with some solid action moments. I feel that this film has the clearest plot out of all of the films. The mission is very clear and it is established right away what the team is looking for and what it does. This movie also has some solid emotional moments that the other films just don't have. It gives Ethan some real consequences and some very high stakes. Overall, this is a solid entry in the Mission Impossible franchise.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A

To put into perspective, this is what my list would look like if I didn't place a franchise limit.

1998: Saving Private Ryan

1999: The Matrix

2000: Memento

2001: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

2002:Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

2003: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2004:Kill Bill Vol 2

2005: Star Wars: Episode 3- Revenge of the Sith

2006: Casino Royal

2007: Meet the Robinsons

2008: The Dark Knight

2009: Star Trek

2010: Inception

2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2

2012: The Avengers

2013: Now You See Me

2014: Interstellar

2015: The Martian

2016: Captain America: Civil War

2017: Thor: Ragnarok

2018: Avengers: Infinity War

2019: Avengers: Endgame

2020: Palm Springs

2021: Spider-Man: No Way Home

2022: The Batman

2023: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse