The Best Films Of The Decades: Then And Now 1980-2020

If you’re anything like me, then your favourite film changes every single day. If I ever say “That's my favourite film!” then I feel such guilt for all of the others that didn’t get the same exclamation. I’ve compiled this list of (what I think are) the best films over the last 40 years, and have shared a little bit about my favourites from each of the decades to encourage you to check them out too!

I’m a huge film fan and even narrowing down this list was difficult, but I hope you spot some of your favourites or learn about some new films you may love.

The 1980s

Top Gun (1986)

Action, romance, adrenaline and heartache - Top Gun covers all areas, meaning it will always blow you away. Top Gun is a movie that I’m in awe of no matter how many times I watch it. It created a dream to fly an F-14 Tomcat just like Maverick one day (here’s to still dreaming) and began an admiration for aviation too. All I wish is that Maverick (2020 - hopefully) lives up to all of my expectations, because it's probably the only film that I can say I’ve been waiting forever to see.

Dead Poet’s Society (1989)

Dead Poet’s Society is one of my favourite Robin Williams movies - and one that is often forgotten when the world remembers such a remarkable man. Set in a 1950s boarding school, Robin Williams plays an English teacher who explores the unconventionality of admiring poetry as a group of teenage boys whilst challenging the way that they see the world. It is also the film with the best lines of all time, one that is incredibly relevant in 2020 - "Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."

Other classics that I love from the 80s include - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V) (1980); Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (Episode VI) (1983); Back to the Future (1985); Dirty Dancing (1987); Cocktail (1988); and, When Harry Met Sally... (1989).

The 1990s

Notting Hill (1999)

Notting Hill was probably the first film I ever saw, considering it was released the same week that I was born and my mum will watch anything with Ronan Keating on the soundtrack. Not only is Notting Hill one of Richard Curtis’ most iconic and beautiful films, but it is also one of the best love stories of all times. A Hollywood star and a London bookseller’s lives intertwine as they bump into each other and start an affair that goes against the press’ expectations].

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Before everything got a bit hectic with the pandemic, I could honestly say that not a day had gone by in 2020 (or the last 6 months of 2019) that I had not watched 10 Things I Hate About You. Obsessive? Yes. Waste of time? Absolutely not. Not only is this coming-of-age story funny, sweet and an incredible example of fashion that thankfully stayed in the 90s - it's also the best character development in terms of Patrick Verona being the rebel turned dreamboat teen that turned Kat Stratford’s world around.

More iconic movies that make the list are of course - Beauty and the Beast (1991); Jurassic Park (1993); The Lion King (1994); Apollo 13 (1995); Anastasia (1997); and the film version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (1999) obviously.

The Noughties

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Brokeback Mountain pushed a lot of boundaries for 2005. In a movie that some people are still too uncomfortable with in 2020, two sheepherders (Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar) have a tumultuous and forbidden relationship in the mountains together whilst away working over 20 years. This may even be my favourite Heath Ledger film, as it is hard pressed to find something as powerful yet sexually controversial in this era of mainstream cinema.

Cars (2006)

If you didn’t have every diecast Cars car on the market in 2006 then you didn’t love Cars as much as we did as kids. I can still remember going to the cinema to see Cars for the first time so vividly, and still find it just as funny and heartwarming today as I did back then. I’d also say that visually, Cars is arguably the most impressive Pixar film of all time.

Marley and Me (2008)

Marley and Me gets me everytime. Mainly because the first hour is such an incredibly feel-good piece of film. Not only do Jenny and John (my career idol) in sunny Florida make everything feel warmer, but with artists like The Verve, R.E.M, and Ben Folds on the soundtrack it is impossible not to smile. However, this high makes the end even more heartbreaking. But, if I know it's coming then why do I continue to watch Marley and Me at least twice a week religiously?

I also recommend you read the book, real-life John Grogan’s autobiography, too!

Honourable mentions to the outstanding - Erin Brockovich (2000); A Knight’s Tale (2001); Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001); Finding Nemo (2003); Love Actually (2003); 13 Going on 30 (2004); P.S I Love You (2007); Wall-E (2008); and, UP (2009) too.

The 2010s

The 2010s saw the creation of an overwhelming amount of cinema that will go down in history. Whether that be for box office records (like Avengers: Endgame, 2019, being the highest-grossing movie of all time); for being new Disney/Pixar classics that are more magical than ever (Tangled, 2010; Inside Out, 2015; Coco, 2017); or, for bringing an end to our time exploring a galaxy far far away with Luke, Leia and Han (Episode VII – The Force Awakens, 2015; Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, 2017; Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, 2019).

About Time (2013)

A Richard Curtis masterpiece that is probably my favourite film ever. About Time is breathtaking. The story, the score, the costumes, the locations - everything is just perfect. When Tim learns that the men in his family can travel in time, he uses his power to live his “extraordinary, ordinary life” to the fullest with his remarkable family.

A Star Is Born (2018)

I will never forget watching A Star Is Born in the cinema, ever. Not only because of how phenomenal Bradley Cooper and Gaga are together on screen and on the soundtrack (especially ‘I’ll Never Love Again’), but because of how powerful the film is. Tackling extremely difficult topics disguised as the story of two young musicians in love, A Star Is Born will forever be the most overwhelming yet incredible film I’ve ever seen. And though it really does break your heart, I could watch it on repeat forever in awe.

Marriage Story (2019)

The first time I watched Marriage Story it felt as if I held my breath for the whole film. Not because it was a thriller, or a conventional horror, but because it was a different type of terrifying all together. The simplistic aesthetic of it’s cinematography made it feel as if you were watching your own life through a window - as if it was your own parents, or even yourself, going through the all-encompassing divorce that Charlie and Nicole endure.

Other masterpieces that will undoubtedly go down in cinema history include - Whiplash (2014); Jurassic World (2015); La La Land (2016); Baby Driver (2017); Call Me By Your Name (2017); I, Tonya (2017); Lady Bird (2017); The Shape of Water (2017); Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017); A Quiet Place (2018); Bohemian Rhapsody (2018); Ford V Ferrari/Le Mans '66 (2019); Once Upon A Time in Hollywood (2019) and one of the most special movies of all time - The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

As we’re only 11 months into this decade so far, I thought I’d spare you from another list. However, one film I will recommend looking out for in 2020 is the new Disney Pixar movie Soul that’s being streamed on Christmas Day. Soul is incredibly animated, and has a gorgeous jazz score. And, like every classic Pixar animation, Soul poses a huge question and chance for reflection - with main character Joe Gardner left wondering what makes him Joe and how his passion for music influences this.