What was the BEST movie-year ever?

[Marcel Birgelen]

I found myself pondering over the cinematic release schedule of the coming months and probably driven by a hunch of nostalgia, I found my mind slipping to bygone years... For some or other reason, I stopped at 1999... Take the DeLorean back to January 1st, 1999... this is what would've been waiting for you that year, and this list is obviously incomplete:

1. 8mm
2. American Beauty
3. American Pie
4. Being John Malkovich
5. The Blair Witch Project
6. Boys Don’t Cry
7. Buena Vista Social Club
8. Cruel Intentions
9. The Green Mile
10. Dogma
11. Election
12. Eyes Wide Shut
13. Fight Club
14. Galaxy Quest
15. Girl Interrupted
16. The Hurricane
17. The Iron Giant
18. The Matrix
19. The Mummy
20. The Ninth Gate
21. The Sixth Sense
22. The Virgin Suicides
23. The Blair Witch Project
24. Three Kings
25. Toy Story 2
26. Wild Wild West
27. Run Lola Run
28. Man on the Moon
29. Mystery Men
30. Dick
31. Ravenous
32. Star Wars - Episode I
33. Sleepy Hollow
34. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
35. Office Space
36. Magnolia

If I count correctly, I'm only seeing ONE prequel and ONE sequel in there...

While I'm not yet ready to mark 1999 the greatest year yet, compared to 2025, I'd take that ride back any time of the day. So, imagine, there is just enough plutonium for that single time jump, what date would you punch into the Flux Capacitor's controller? What's the greatest movie year ever?

[Leo Enticknap]

I can't now give you the statistical reference (but could look it up if I have to), but 1946 is widely believed to have been the most successful year ever for the movie theater industry, both in terms of the number of tickets sold, and (adjusted for inflation, obviously) revenue, in the US and the UK. A number of factors converged to cause this: service personnel debmobilized and thus back in the consumer economies of their home countries, no TV (on a significant scale) yet but a huge number of theaters still in business, rationing and consumer goods shortages pushing consumer spending to experiences over goods, the Hollywood studio system at its peak and producing movies that people wanted to see, etc. etc.

I was working as a projectionist throughout 1999 and prints of most of the titles you mention passed through my hands. I remember that it was a busy year, but don't have a lot to compare it with in the decade following, because I was out of the industry between March 2000 and April 2014 (working mainly in archiving during that time).

[Ryan Gallagher]

I was a senior in college in 99... and I saw 15 of that list in a cinema (that I remember). And i'm pretty sure I haven't hit that number ever again in a year... but it's a lot about circumstance... I had roommates always looking for something to do. But it does seem like a particularly good year for my generation.

[Marcel Birgelen]

I vividly remember 1999. Despite working in a movie theater as a part time job back then, I still visited other theaters at least 50 times that year, together with a bunch of friends. I still remember us complaining about the lack of new movies to see. I guess we were spoiled just a little...

I can't now give you the statistical reference (but could look it up if I have to), but 1946 is widely believed to have been the most successful year ever for the movie theater industry, both in terms of the number of tickets sold, and (adjusted for inflation, obviously) revenue, in the US and the UK.

Yeah, in 1946, in the US an unbelievable 80 to 90 million people visited the movie theater every week, similar numbers are reported all across the world. Keep in mind that in 1946, about 140 million people lived in the US.

This is the list of best performing movies of 1946.

1. Duel in the Sun
2. The Best Years of Our Lives
3. The Jolson Story
4. Blue Skies
5. Saratoga Trunk
6. The Razor's Edge
7. Night and Day
8. Notorious
9. The Yearling
10. Till the Clouds Roll By

While it's probably not fair to compare 1946 to 1999, both technically and culturally, I still think I'll point my Flux Capacitor at 1999 for now.

[Mark Ogden]

As far as "best movie year ever," you could make a pretty strong case for 1939, what with: Gone With the Wind, Stagecoach, The Wizard of Oz, Wuthering Heights, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Of Mice and Men, Ninotchka, The Rules of the Game, Juarez, Gunga Din, Destry Rides Again, and on and on. Rare to have that many true classics of cinema in a single year.

[Ryan Gallagher]

As far as "best movie year ever," you could make a pretty strong case for 1939, what with: Gone With the Wind, Stagecoach, The Wizard of Oz, Wuthering Heights, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Of Mice and Men, Ninotchka, The Rules of the Game, Juarez, Gunga Din, Destry Rides Again, and on and on. Rare to have that many true classics of cinema in a single year.

Yeah, I’ve even seen or shown most of those, definitely classics heavy year!

[Leo Enticknap]

While it's probably not fair to compare 1946 to 1999, both technically and culturally, I still think I'll point my Flux Capacitor at 1999 for now.

Based on that list, I'm with you. I've only seen two movies on it - Duel in the Sun (or Lust in the Dust as it was widely nicknamed) and Notorious. They are OK, but would never make my top ten list (though three other Hollywood 1946 films, The Big Sleep, My Darling Clementine, and The Postman Always Rings Twice, would be in contention). Several of the British films from that year later became Sunday afternoon TV staples that I remember well from my childhood, e.g. A Matter of Life and Death, Great Expectations, Men of Two Worlds, and The Overlanders. 1946 was also responsible for what has been repeatedly nominated as the most infamous turkey in the history of the British Film industry - London Town - which is said to be so bad as to be unintentionally entertaining. I've never got around to seeing it, though.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Here is what I go by... If you scroll almost all the way down, it shows "Top grossing sources"... The highest one is "Original Screenplay". So why does Hollywood keep making remakes? The total yearly take on Spin Off's is only 2.92%...

[Marcel Birgelen]

Based on that list, I'm with you. I've only seen two movies on it - Duel in the Sun (or Lust in the Dust as it was widely nicknamed) and Notorious. They are OK, but would never make my top ten list (though three other Hollywood 1946 films, The Big Sleep, My Darling Clementine, and The Postman Always Rings Twice, would be in contention). Several of the British films from that year later became Sunday afternoon TV staples that I remember well from my childhood, e.g. A Matter of Life and Death, Great Expectations, Men of Two Worlds, and The Overlanders. 1946 was also responsible for what has been repeatedly nominated as the most infamous turkey in the history of the British Film industry - London Town - which is said to be so bad as to be unintentionally entertaining. I've never got around to seeing it, though.

Yeah, maybe I should've been a bit more clear, I'm not really looking for the "highest grossing year ever" or the year that the most people went to see movies, which may not be the same year, even if corrected for inflation. That's probably fuel for a completely different discussion and a complicated thing in itself... I was aiming for the year that was the best year to be alive as a "cinephile", which obviously is a highly subjective thing.

Mark has definitely hit a strong year with 1939, although I wasn't alive yet back then, or even close to be of an age to be able to attend a cinema, I've seen all but "Ninotchka" of his list. As for the "top 10" of 1946, I've only seen "The Best Years of Our Lives" and "Notorious".

What I wanted to highlight is that from that list of 36 movies, which misses a few important ones even, I just identified two as being a prequel or a sequel. Now, look at a list of 2024...

1. Inside Out 2
2. Deadpool & Wolverine
3. Moana 2
4. Despicable Me 4
5. Wicked
6. Mufasa: The Lion King
7. Dune: Part Two
8. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
9. Kung Fu Panda 4
10. Sonic the Hedgehog 3
11. Gladiator II
12. The Life of Chuck
13. The Substance
14. Monster Island
15. Red One
16. Heretic
17. Argylle
18. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
19. Challengers
20. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
21. Alien (re-release)
22. The Mummy (re-release)
23. Furiosa: A Mad Max Tale
24. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
25. Captain America: Brave New World
26. The Marvels
27. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
28. Fast X
29. John Wick: Chapter 4
30. X-Men: The Last Stand (re-release)

I guess we can forget about the outright re-releases right away... But of those movies, how many are actual original stories, not being a reboot, a sequel, prequel or otherwise "universe connected" story? I mean, we even had to endure Gladiator II...

If I'd had to pick the best movie from that list, it's probably Dune II, for me at least. Still, that's a sequel of yet another remake. Probably the best remake we had until now, but a remake nevertheless. If I go from top to bottom, the only mostly original stories seem to be: The Substance, Red One, Heretic, Argylle (you could argue this is a persiflage of James Bond I guess) and Challengers. None of those movies were big budget productions by modern "Hollywood standards" and none of them would be considered tent-pole features. I'd say, five original stories out of 30 movies, that's fscking pathetic.

Not only that every major movie still is given the "Save the Cat" treatment, if you want to get any kind of reasonable budget for it, it has to be from a pre-approved list of "known to be good" franchises... No wonder movie theaters are empty all-of-the-time... If I want the familiar, I watch some shitty low-budget series on Netflix, Disney+, Hulu or BingeStream99. If I pay top dollar for something, I want to be entertained, not the same shit I can get "for free" at home.

Sorry, I slipped into rant-mode. Looking back at that list of 1999, even though there are some truly awful movies in that one (I'm looking at you, Wild Wild West), I miss 1999. I miss going to Sleepy Hollow for the third time, because I'd seen all other movies playing on the other 20-ish screens at least once... I miss watching the Matrix for the 5th time and bitching about how "Episode I" was "the worst Star Wars ever"...

[Ryan Gallagher]

The 2024 list makes me feel one of the "traps" the studio is falling into is chasing the slightly older generations (generations that grew up when you still went to the movies regularly), with franchise flare they are already familiar with. Effectively cinema "comfort food". But this trap is unsustainable in the long run, those audiences will eventually age out. Leave that role to the cinemas showing classics.

IMHO They need to re-focus on original storytelling... and more the current youth will get excited for (whatever that is, probably video game adaptations). I am old enough that my childhood memories of going to cinema are special too... but they need to create those memories again for new people, not re-visit them for the same people that already experienced it.

Minecraft Movie and Wicked are really the only two efforts off the top of my head of late that feel like "stand outs" relative to capturing that younger audience. And even Wicked leans older for fans of the Musical and book. There are probably a few others cause admittedly I don't track it that closely. But growing up I feel like we had 4-8 of those each year!

Basically we need a contemporary Spielberg or Tim Burton to emerge from the wreckage (to use my generation's touchstone films).

[Frank Cox]

I don't know what you folks are seeing, but around here the teenage crowd has pretty much vanished.

I truly have no idea what teens are doing now when they go on a date. They aren't coming to the theatre and in this town there just isn't that much other "go out" stuff for people to do.

[Marcel Birgelen]

I don't know what you folks are seeing, but around here the teenage crowd has pretty much vanished.

I truly have no idea what teens are doing now when they go on a date. They aren't coming to the theatre and in this town there just isn't that much other "go out" stuff for people to do.

The town I currently live in used to be known for the nightlife scene, there were multiple clubs and cafes drawing in crowds from the neighboring towns. All of them have since closed. There is still a 4-screen cinema, holding on by a thread. The multiplex in the neighboring town has been out of commission for almost a year now due to smoke damage and a lengthly insurance process. Still, I don't see a real uptake in visitor numbers to the local cinema and especially not in the younger generations.

There is something like a strip mall with a large parking lot and a McD right outside of town. I see a lot of younger folks hanging around there every night... I'm not sure what the appeal is, but I'm pretty certain that I don't like the way this is developing.

Maybe Ryan has a point and the movies they're making don't appeal to the younger generations anymore. But for whom are they making them then? Because, I don't consider myself the prime target audience for Kung Fu Panda 4 or The Marvels...

When I see younger people visiting the cinema, I see them watching their tiny smart-phone screen more often than the big screen in front of them. On the other hand, have you tried to get tickets to any kind of festival of late? Besides the horrendous prices, it's become some kind of a lottery... Even participating in the lottery for tickets has sometimes become sort-of a lottery.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Maybe Ryan has a point and the movies they're making don't appeal to the younger generations anymore. But for whom are they making them then? Because, I don't consider myself the prime target audience for Kung Fu Panda 4 or The Marvels...

Kung Foo Panda came out in 2008, so kids that were 6-14 then were maybe 20-28 in 2024. Except for the ones that started families very young by today's standards, not many 2nd generation available yet to share their parents' obsession with karate pandas. They either gotta come out one every two years or so, or you gotta WAIT for the generational nostalgia!

Edit: Maybe they did another Kung Fu Panda cause the franchise does so well streaming to current kids, but parents plopping their kid in front of a screen to get them out of their hair for 2 hours is not the same as enjoying a movie together... I don't think streaming watches these days necessarily translate to more tickets for yet another installment in cinemas.

There will always be a handful of studios (re Disney etc) that will make animated stories that target children. I guess I was more referring live action memories I'm so fond of (and maybe parents/adults at the time were too). I'm spoiled, I grew up around movies like The Goonies. I was 8 at the time. We still pack a 1300 seat house for that one every year, parents (and grandparents) bringing their young ones to experience it in a cinema like they did.

Then there was the period of ever advancing feature length CGI, where the technology was so new that even the adults wanted to see them. (All the early Pixar stuff, Jurassic Park etc). I don't think a feature length animation has quite the same broad spectrum appeal simply on the movie making technology used anymore. For most people, been there, seen it, done that... the story has to be amazing now to break through.

Hell, one of our other projectionist's entire extended family came to see Mars Attacks (most having not seen it before), and the young kids freakin loved it. It is arguably "barely" even made with children in mind. It wasn't even Tim Burton's best either!

Think about it, the entire Marvel and DC universes are rooted in comic books. The golden era of which ended in 1950, and they've been re-hashing mostly the same material ever since. Comic heros stories do have some universal appeal, but I feel like the young audiences moved on into different universes now... if you were to do the same for them now it would be more one-off graphic novels, anime, and video games that are slightly more contemporary? You might have to shoot in portrait mode to keep their attention.... LOL

[Terry Monohan]

The best year for movies for me when I was very young was 1953! CinemaScope * 3D * Cinerama * and 4 track magnetic stereophonic surround sound .

I remember all the big downtown movie palaces and neighborhood theatres in the Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Hollywood LA areas. So glad I got to see 'SHOWMANSHIP' that is missing today.

That's why everyone just stays home and streams these days rather then go to a boring small screen with no curtains, color decor lighting or proper screen masking in your average noisy multiplex with high refreshment prices and tickets. ,

[Bobby Henderson]

I thought 1989 was a pretty good year for movie-going. It might have even been a record setting year at the time. There were big cultural phenomenon releases, like Tim Burton's take on "Batman." The sequels for "Lethal Weapon" and Indiana Jones did pretty good business. "The Abyss" was flawed but ground-breaking. A lot of releases had 70mm film prints.