What was the single best year ever for movies and why did it happen in 1994
Posted by chompy_jr@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 76 comments
In one calendar year we got:
- Shawshank
- Pulp Fiction
- Forrest Gump
- The Lion King
- Speed
- Dumb and Dumber
- Interview with a Vampire
- The Mask
- True Lies
- Clerks
Someone change my mind.
corpus-luteum@reddit
1971
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
Really? Big fan of The Snake People or something there bro?
Fletch_R@reddit
1986
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
I agree 86 absolutely slayed and from a personal POV, 86 was my first full year on my own. I saw a ton of these movies by myself multiple times. I stumbled into a showing of Down By Law only because it was the only movie in the theater I hadn't seen yet and it has stayed with me.
-zAhn@reddit
Generally speaking, there were better movies all around up until maybe the early 2000s than now. The death of the “summer blockbuster” and all the fanfare surrounding it is, in my opinion, to blame. Studios now focus on streaming versus the big screen experience we came to love as kids.
Cool-Group-9471@reddit
Quite the year for Jim 👍
Cool-Group-9471@reddit
That was a stellar year probably the last in modern history as we know it. Quality has descended since esp w reboots n remakes n prequels n crap crap crap
Mobile-Boss-8566@reddit
What happened to Hollywood? They used to crank out such quality movies; now it seems like we’re lucky if we get one or two watchable movies.
BobBanderling@reddit
1984
dj3po1@reddit
Yeah, I gotta go with 84. First 3 films from 94 are incredible, some of the best ever made, but the rest are not necessary rewatches imo (maybe dumb and dumber). Maybe I don’t get the Lion King’s significance since I was in my early 20s when it came out and wasn’t interested in a children’s movie.
CommodoreGirlfriend@reddit
Lion King is great but I think the retrospective opinion is soured by the fact that they were ripping off Tezuka to an extent.
TheVoicesOfBrian@reddit
Yeah, that year was stacked.
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls042657587/
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
I'd forgotten about 84. What an incredible year.
For me it's not about awards so much as it is standing the test of time and would I watch the movie again. 1984 certainly has a fuckton of films that fit my criteria.
Formal-Working3189@reddit
This is the hill I'll die on!
HenryBech@reddit
I actually thought that 1999 would be better, but after looking it up, I do agree that 1994 is slightly better. It really is a great year as well though (especially the first tree):
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
99 was stellar!
La_Mano_Cornuta@reddit
1982:
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
The Thing
Blade Runner
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Tron
Poltergeist
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Rocky III
Tootsie
Ghandi
OderusAmongUs@reddit
Conan
First Blood
Annie
An officer and a gentleman
The Dark Crystal
Pink Floyd: The Wall
The last Unicorn
The Secret of Nimh
The Toy
Megaforce
Beastmaster
BobBanderling@reddit
I said 1984, but just because I remember it so well, but I have to admit this was a good year. I was just a little too young to enjoy some of these movies at the time.
davekva@reddit
1984 is the correct answer. The list of movies released just between May 1st and Labor Day is mind blowing. Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Gremlins, Karate Kid, Red Dawn, Star Trek Search for Spock, The Natural, Purple Rain, Breakin, Bachelor Party, Romancing the Stone, Conan the Destroyer, The Last Starfighter, Revenge of the Nerds, Police Academy, Sixteen Candles, Top Secret, Cloak and Dagger......and the list goes on. We can only dream of a year like in the theaters like that.
TheFrontierzman@reddit
100% on-board Team 1984.
Terminator, The Natural, Beverly Hills Cop, Footloose, Red Dawn, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Amadeus, Dune...
avrus@reddit
Team 1984 checking in.
La_Mano_Cornuta@reddit
I didn't see all of them in the theatre, but they were definitely watched on HBO when they arrived.
HHSquad@reddit
Yep, I'm going with this.
revchewie@reddit
This is the way. Any other year can only be a distant second.
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
I think this is a solid list. Definitely some of my favorites. IMO, not as great as 94.
La_Mano_Cornuta@reddit
Not listed but also came out in '82:
First Blood
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Conan the Barbarian
The Dark Crystal
48 Hours
The Secret of Nimh
Creepshow
The World According to Garp
Diner
Sophie's Choice
Andovars_Ghost@reddit
This is the correct answer.
Puzzleheaded_Bid1863@reddit
1984 1994 1995 1985 1993
TwistedNightlight@reddit
You don’t have Schindler’s List on your list but you have Dumb and Dumber and Speed?
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
And I stand by this!
I do not deny that Schindler's List is a great and important film. However, my own criteria on what makes a movie truly great is how many times I'll watch it.
Example: Blues Brothers & Caddyshack I've seen over 100 times each.
Schindler's List, Sophie's Choice, Silkwood? I've seen them all exactly once.
imrickjamesbioch@reddit
Woah, OP let off some of my favorites…
The Professional The Crow Hoop Dreams Fresh Natural Born Killers Above the Rim
Other classics or just notable movies n 94:
Naked Gun 33 1/3 Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Four Weddings and a Funeral Ed Wood Clear and Present Danger The Jungle Book The Santa Claus Black Beauty Reality Bites Legend of the Fall Stargate
TwistedNightlight@reddit
Hoop Dreams, good call. I haven’t thought of that movie in years.
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
I remember all of these. Absolutely fantastic adds. Grazzi!
safetaco@reddit
The single best year for movies was 1994-1996. Braveheart, Pulp Fiction, Independence Day, Forest Gump, The Rock, Phenomenon, The Shawshank Redemption, True Lies, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Stargate, Se7en, Dumb and Dumber, etc..
thwlruss@reddit
Legends of the Fall 1994
Wild-Breadfruit7817@reddit
90’s were very melodramatic
ImplementWonderful93@reddit
Pulp fiction should have won Best Picture, but everyone knew there was no way the Academy would not bestow the award to the Baby Boomer lovefest that was Forrest Gump.
everyoneisnuts@reddit
Shawshank Redemption should have won over them all by a mid. I loved Pulp Fiction but Shawshank is in a class above them all
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
I agree that PF should've won best pic it was so different from what the normal movie experience was like at the time but the academy gets it wrong all the time. Example: The Big Lebowski won ZERO awards. The year it was released Shakespeare in Love was the big winner. You know because everyone goes around quoting Shakespeare in Love right?
ImplementWonderful93@reddit
Literally forgot that movie even existed until now
Playful-Park4095@reddit
Missed it by a year. 1993
Tombstone
Falling Down
Robin Hood Men in Tights
Jurassic Park
Rising Sun
Perfect World
Tombstone (yes, I know I already said it, but it's worth mentioning again)
Schindler's List
Dazed and Confused
A Bronx Tale
Demolition Man
Mrs. Doubfire
Oh, and Tombstone
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
I can't help but think you should've mentioned Tombstone. Especially today.
42not34@reddit
No more Huckleberry, unfortunately.
molotok_c_518@reddit
I know you meant to say 1986 (The Fly, Aliens, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Friday the 13th part 6... The list is very long).
Coralies_Dad@reddit
This is the correct answer.
SidMarcus@reddit
I gotta go with 1988
Beetlejuice
Die Hard
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Coming to America
They Live
Heathers
A Fish Called Wanda
Young Guns
Big
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
This was also a tremendous year. Cinematic gold.
Organic_Mix2282@reddit
Why it's your mind, and I don't have a favorite movie or year, I just like watching movies. But since covid, I find nothing carries that wow that was a good movie feeling.
Spirited-Feed-9927@reddit
You are making me depressed at the modern state of movies.
LibertyMike@reddit
On the plus side, TV is much better, at least if you like prestige titles like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and Stranger Things.
CloakOfElvenkind@reddit
music in 1994 is close to best all time as well imo
Hairy-Refuse-3655@reddit
It was a great year to work at the movie theater!!!!
Firm-Yoghurt6609@reddit
1994 Leon
snarpy@reddit
1999, hands down. Not as many huge blockbuster hits, but an absolute torrent of amazing indie and indie-adjacent and foreign films.
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
You really need to show your work.
snarpy@reddit
I'm not going to sit here and type a whole list (I used to have one that I kept around for discussions like this), but I'm not alone:
https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/15kxmm9/1999_was_such_a_glorious_year_for_movies_and/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls031275391/
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/28/1247725934/why-1999-was-such-a-big-year-for-movies
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20190806-was-1999-cinemas-last-great-year
https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/1/3/18157860/1999-top-movies-box-office-fight-club-american-beauty-toy-story
https://youtu.be/k5-K2WPppaI?si=K4sku3sYSD_Cpqun
https://movieweb.com/1999-best-years-in-hollywoods-history/
https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/movies/was-1999-the-best-year-in-movies-tiff-correctly-says-yes
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/film-history-best-year-1999-star-wars-matrix-fight-club-sixth-sense-a9036911.html
and there's a whole book written about it:
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Movie-Year-Ever-Screen/dp/1501175386
1994 is great at the top but doesn't have the artistic and independent depth that 1999 does.
Cool-Importance6004@reddit
Amazon Price History:
Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen * Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.5
Source: GOSH Price Tracker
^(Bleep bleep boop. I am a bot here to serve by providing helpful price history data on products. I am not affiliated with Amazon. Upvote if this was helpful. PM to report issues or to opt-out.)
root_fifth_octave@reddit
Natural Born Killers was a lot of fun, too. I used to think of it and Pulp Fiction as sort of a film pair.
gimpydingo@reddit
But So I Married an Axe Murderer came out on 93!
I love that movie. Classic 90s Myers.
SuccessfulTwo3483@reddit
I worked at the theater 92-95. Great times!
secret_someones@reddit
1994 was a good year in music too
chompy_jr@reddit (OP)
I could look it up, but you need to share your work with the class to make a statement that bold.
LennyBriscoCountyJr@reddit
The correct answer is 1985.
ace_in_space@reddit
no lies detected.
attorneyatslaw@reddit
True Lies detected
ace_in_space@reddit
In all seriousness, I just realized this year is pretty much my best of the best for so many genres. Best dumb comedy? It's Dumb and Dumber. (at least it was, for 15 years, until The Hangover) Best Noir? It's Pulp all day. Best indie? Of course it's Clerks. Best popcorn flick? I've seen Speed that much. Best overall film ever made? A lot of people have Shawshank. It's a goddamn murderer's row of genre bests.
maxxblood@reddit
1989
The Wizard
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
The Toxic Avenger Part 2 & 3
Twister
The Abyss
Batman
Uncle Buck
Weekend at Bernie's
Little Monsters
Puppet Master
Supreme_Moharn@reddit
I agree, 1994 was phenomenal.
TikiKat4@reddit
1994 was pretty good.
Historically, it's hard to beat 1939 as far as quality and quantity being turned out, as the big studios were at their apex. A short list of 1939 masterpieces and classics:
The Wizard of Oz, Gone With The Wind, Ninotchka, The Women, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Intermezzo, Wuthering Heights, Dark Victory, Of Mice And Men, Stagecoach, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Gunga Din, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
That's just a handful. In just the last year I've re-watched The Women, Ninotchka, Wuthering Heights, and Gunga Din. All hold up incredibly well and it was a joy to rewatch some after many years.
I feel like 1974 was a pretty good year, too, but maybe someone else will bring it up.
Imaginary_Fee_507@reddit
I agree, with 1999 as a very close second.
SciFiGuy72@reddit
I'm confusion, your reasoning argues the opposite of your thesis. Those films are dreadful... everyone knows 1984 was the best year for cinema since that's the year Dune was bestowed on theaters.The gold standard of film art.
GoldenAgeGamer72@reddit
1984 and it's not even close.
ivylass@reddit
1939 had Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind, Gunga Din and Stagecoach. According to IMDB 365 movies were released that year.
Thirty_Helens_Agree@reddit
Schindler’s List, Philadelphia, Hudsucker Proxy, which is what made me fall in love with Coen Brothers movies, Legends of the Fall, Kirk meets Picard in Star Trek: Generations, Maverick, Grumpy Old Men, The Crow
I’m with ya.
porkchopespresso@reddit
You’re even leaving a few out from 94, so it’s really hard to disagree.
I also mentally include Tombstone which released late in 93 and Tommy Boy which released early in 95.