I turned 40 in December of 2025. To mark that and deal with my existential sense of dread, I picked out my favourite movie for every year that I've been alive. Haven't seen them? Check 'em out and then feel free to let me know how wrong I am. More into music? I also did that.

Note: this isn't the movie that was my favourite at the time (I wasn't watching Blue Velvet at 1, please don't think poorly of my parents), it's the movie I most like now that was released in that year.

• 1985 – Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome

• 1986 – Blue Velvet

• 1987 – Moonstruck

• 1988 – They Live

• 1989 – Say Anything

• 1990 – Miller's Crossing

• 1991 – The Commitments

• 1992 – Batman Returns

• 1993 – Jurassic Park

• 1994 – Leon the Professional

• 1995 – Heat

• 1996 – Scream*

• 1997 – Boogie Nights*

• 1998 – Lock, Stock, & Two Smoking Barrels

• 1999 – 10 Things I Hate About You

• 2000 – Almost Famous

• 2001 – Donnie Darko

• 2002 – The Count of Monte Cristo

• 2003 – Lost in Translation*

• 2004 – The Life Aquatic

• 2005 – Serenity

• 2006 – The Departed

• 2007 – Hot Fuzz*

• 2008 – The Dark Knight

• 2009 – Moon

• 2010 – Scott Pilgrim

• 2011 – Kill List

• 2012 – Cabin in the Woods

• 2013 – Prisoners

• 2014 – The Guest*

• 2015 – Mad Max: Fury Road*

• 2016 – Train to Busan*

• 2017 – Paddington 2

• 2018 – Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse

• 2019 – John Wick 3

• 2020 – Wolfwalkers

• 2021 – The Green Knight

• 2022 – The Northman*

• 2023 – Godzilla Minus One*

• 2024 – Nosferatu

• 2025 – Sinners

My Top Ten Movies: The Thing, Scream, Boogie Nights, Lost in Translation, Hot Fuzz, The Guest, Fury Road, Train to Busan, the Northman, Godzilla Minus One.

Hon Mention: Seven Samurai