Welcome to the ultimate must watch movie guide! From the iconic line “Here’s Johnny!” in The Shining to “Hasta la vista, baby” in Terminator 2, we’ve got you covered with the must-watch movies from every year since 1980. Each year’s list includes 13 of the most important movies that were released. This could be the top earning films, the top-rated films, the Oscar winners, or just general pop culture or cult classics.
We’ll take you on a journey through the 80s, where John Hughes ruled the teen movie scene with classics like The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. And who could forget the epic action movies of the decade, like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon?
In the 90s, we were blessed with the romantic comedy goldmine that was When Harry Met Sally, and the gangster masterpiece Goodfellas. And let’s not forget the cultural phenomenon that was Titanic – who didn’t want to be Rose and Jack’s love story?
Moving on to the 2000s, we had groundbreaking movies like The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which brought the epic world of Middle Earth to life, and the iconic superhero film The Dark Knight, which gave us the unforgettable performance of Heath Ledger as the Joker.
And as we enter the 2020s, we’ve seen the rise of critically acclaimed films like Parasite and Nomadland, as well as the superhero juggernauts like Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready to journey through the greatest hits of cinema from the past 42 years. We promise you won’t want to miss a thing!
(Note: these 13 movies are in alphabetical order and not sorted in any ranking system – just 13 of the must watch movies from the year. Pro tip: 13 movies per year means 1 movie every 4 weeks to finish the entire guide in a year)
Quick Jump:
1980s 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989
1990s 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999
2000s 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009
2010s 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
2020s 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1980
9 to 5 Airplane! Any Which Way You Can Caddyshack Coal Miner’s Daughter Friday the 13th Ordinary People Private Benjamin Raging Bull Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back Stir Crazy The Elephant Man The Shining
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1981
Arthur Bustin’ Loose Chariots of Fire Excalibur For Your Eyes Only Halloween II Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark On Golden Pond Stripes Superman II The Boat The Cannonball Run The Four Seasons
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1982
An Officer and a Gentleman Annie Blade Runner E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Fast Times at Ridgemont High Gandhi Pink Floyd: The Wall Poltergeist Porky’s Rocky III Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan The Thing Tootsie
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1983
Flashdance National Lampoon’s Vacation Octopussy Risky Business Scarface Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi Sudden Impact Terms of Endearment The King of Comedy The Outsiders Trading Places Twilight Zone: The Movie WarGames
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1984
Amadeus Beverly Hills Cop Footloose Ghostbusters Gremlins Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Once Upon a Time in America Police Academy Purple Rain Star Trek III: The Search for Spock The Karate Kid The Terminator This Is Spinal Tap
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1985
Back to the Future Cocoon Come and See Out of Africa Rambo: First Blood Part II Ran Rocky IV St. Elmo’s Fire The Breakfast Club The Color Purple The Goonies The Jewel of The Nile Witness
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1986
Aliens Back to School Crocodile Dundee Down and Out in Beverly Hills Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Platoon Ruthless People Stand by Me Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home The Fly The Golden Child The Karate Kid Part II Top Gun
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1987
Beverly Hills Cop II Dirty Dancing Fatal Attraction Full Metal Jacket Good Morning, Vietnam Lethal Weapon Moonstruck Predator Raising Arizona The Last Emperor The Princess Bride The Untouchables Three Men and a Baby
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1988
A Fish Called Wanda Beetlejuice Big Bull Durham Cinema Paradiso Cocktail Coming to America Die Hard Grave of the Fireflies My Neighbor Totoro Rain Man Twins Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1989
Batman Dead Poets Society Do The Right Thing Driving Miss Daisy Heathers Honey, I Shrunk The Kids Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Lethal Weapon 2 Look Who’s Talking My Left Foot Parenthood The Little Mermaid When Harry Met Sally…
Quick Jump:
1980s 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989
1990s 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999
2000s 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009
2010s 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
2020s 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1990
Dances with Wolves Dick Tracy Edward Scissorhands Ghost Goodfellas Home Alone Kindergarten Cop Pretty Woman Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Godfather Part III The Hunt for Red October Total Recall Wild at Heart
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1991
Beauty and the Beast Cape Fear City Slickers Daughters of the Dust Hook JFK Night on Earth Point Break Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Terminator 2: Judgment Day The Addams Family The Silence of the Lambs Thelma & Louise
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1992
A Few Good Men Aladdin Batman Returns Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Lethal Weapon 3 Malcolm X My Cousin Vinny Reservoir Dogs Scent of a Woman Sister Act The Last of the Mohicans The Muppet Christmas Carol Unforgiven
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1993
Cool Runnings Groundhog Day In the Line of Fire In the Name of the Father Indecent Proposal Jurassic Park Mrs. Doubtfire Schindler’s List Sleepless in Seattle The Firm The Fugitive The Nightmare Before Christmas The Pelican Brief
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1994
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls Clerks Forrest Gump Léon: The Professional Pulp Fiction Speed The Flintstones The Lion King The Mask The Santa Clause The Shawshank Redemption Three Colors: Red True Lies
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1995
12 Monkeys Apollo 13 Batman Forever Before Sunrise Braveheart Casino GoldenEye Heat Jumanji Pocahontas Se7en The Usual Suspects Toy Story
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1996
101 Dalmatians Fargo Independence Day Jerry Maquire Mission: Impossible Ransom Scream The Birdcage The English Patient The Nutty Professor The Rock Trainspotting Twister
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1997
Air Force One As Good as It Gets Bean Children of Heaven Good Will Hunting L.A. Confidential Liar Liar Life Is Beautiful Men In Black Princess Mononoke Speed 2: Cruise Control The Lost World: Jurassic Park Titanic
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1998
A Bug’s Life American History X Armageddon Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Godzilla Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Rush Hour Saving Private Ryan Shakespeare in Love The Big Lebowski The Truman Show The Waterboy There’s Something About Mary
Must Watch Movie Guide for 1999
American Beauty Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shaged Me Being John Malkovich Fight Club Office Space Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace The Blair Witch Project The Boondock Saints The Green Mile The Iron Giant The Matrix The Sixth Sense Toy Story 2
Quick Jump:
1980s 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989
1990s 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999
2000s 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009
2010s 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
2020s 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2000
Cast Away Charlie’s Angels Erin Brockovich Gladiator How the Grinch Stole Christmas Meet the Parents Memento Mission: Impossible II Requiem for a Dream Scary Movie Snatch What Women Want X-Men
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2001
A Beautiful Mind Amélie Donnie Darko Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Monsters, Inc. Ocean’s Eleven Pearl Harbor Planet of the Apes Rush Hour 2 Shrek Spirited Away The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The Mummy Returns
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2002
Catch Me If You Can Chicago City of God Die Another Day Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Ice Age Men in Black II My Big Fat Greek Wedding Signs Spider-Man Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The Pianist
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2003
Bruce Almighty Elf Finding Nemo Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Lost In Translation Memories of Murder Oldboy Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines The Last Samurai The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Matrix Reloaded The Matrix Revolutions
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2004
Before Sunset Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Hotel Rwanda Meet The Fockers Million Dollar Baby Napoleon Dynamite Shaun Of The Dead Shrek 2 Spider-Man 2 The Day After Tomorrow The Incredibles The Passion of the Christ
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2005
Batman Begins Brokeback Mountain Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Crash Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire King Kong Madagascar Sin City Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe V for Vendetta Walk The Line War of the Worlds
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2006
Blood Diamond Cars Casino Royale Little Miss Sunshine Mission: Impossible III Night at the Museum Pan’s Labyrinth Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest The Da Vinci Code The Departed The Lives of Others The Prestige The Pursuit of Happyness
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2007
300 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Hot Fuzz I Am Legend Into the Wild Juno No Country for Old Men Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End Ratatouille Spider-Man 3 The Simpsons Movie There Will Be Blood Transformers
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2008
Gran Torino Hancock Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Iron Man Kung Fu Panda Mamma Mia! Quantum of Solace Slumdog Millionaire Taken The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Dark Knight Twilight WALL·E
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2009
3 Idiots Avatar District 9 Hachi: A Dog’s Tale Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Inglourious Basterds Mary and Max The Fighter The Hangover The Hurt Locker The Secret in Their Eyes Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Up
Quick Jump:
1980s 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989
1990s 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999
2000s 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009
2010s 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
2020s 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2010
127 Hours Alice in Wonderland Despicable Me Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 How to Train Your Dragon Inception Iron Man 2 Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Shutter Island The King’s Speech The Social Network The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Toy Story 3
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2011
A Separation Bridesmaids Drive Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 In Time Moneyball The Artist The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo The Hangover Part II The Help The Intouchables Transformers: Dark of the Moon Warrior
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2012
21 Jump Street Argo Django Unchained Les Misérables Life of Pi Lincoln Looper Silver Linings Playbook The Avengers The Dark Knight Rises The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey The Hunger Games Zero Dark Thirty
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2013
12 Years a Slave American Hustle Captain Phillips Dallas Buyers Club Frozen Gravity Her Monsters University Prisoners Rush The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug The Hunger Games: Catching Fire The Wolf of Wall Street
American Sniper Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Boyhood Gone Girl Guardians of the Galaxy Interstellar Selma The Grand Budapest Hotel The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 The Imitation Game The Lego Movie The Theory of Everything Whiplash
Avengers: Age of Ultron Bridge of Spies Creed Ex Machina Inside Out Jurassic World Mad Max: Fury Road Room Spotlight Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens The Big Short The Martian The Revenant
Arrival Captain America: Civil War Fences Finding Dory Hacksaw Ridge Hell or High Water Hidden Figures La La Land Manchester by the Sea Moonlight The Handmaiden The Jungle Book The Secret Life of Pets
Baby Driver Beauty and the Beast Coco Dunkirk Get Out Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Jumunji: Welcome to the Jungle Lady Bird Logan Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi The Shape of Water Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Wonder Woman
A Star is Born Aquaman Avengers: Infinity War Black Panther BlacKkKlansman Bohemian Rhapsody Green Book Incredibles 2 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Mission: Impossible – Fallout Roma Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Vice
1917 Avengers: Endgame Ford v Ferrari Frozen II Joker Klaus Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Parasite Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker The Irishman The Lion King Toy Story 4 Us
Quick Jump:
1980s 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989
1990s 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999
2000s 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009
2010s 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
2020s 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2020
Bad Boys For Life Birds of Prey Dolittle Hamilton Judas and the Black Messiah Nomadland One Night In Miami Sonic the Hedgehog Soul Tenet The Father The Invisible Man The Trial of the Chicago 7
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2021
CODA Don’t Look Up Drive My Car Dune Encanto House of Gucci King Richard Licorice Pizza No Time To Die Nobody Spider-Man: No Way Home West Side Story Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Must Watch Movie Guide for 2022
All Quiet on the Western Front Avatar: The Way of Water Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Bullet Train Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Elvis Everything Everywhere All at Once Jurassic World: Dominion Nope Prey The Batman The Northman Top Gun: Maverick
That’s All, Folks!
We hope this ultimate movie guide has inspired you to revisit some old favorites and discover some new gems. As the great Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” And we couldn’t agree more – there’s nothing quite like losing yourself in a great movie and experiencing all the emotions that come with it.
From the quotable lines of The Princess Bride (“As you wish!”) to the inspiring words of Dead Poets Society (“Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys.”), the movies have given us some of the most memorable moments and life lessons. And we are forever grateful for the filmmakers, actors, and everyone involved in the magic of cinema.
So, to all our readers, thank you for joining us on this journey through the past few decades of movies. We hope it’s brought you as much joy and entertainment as it has for us. And as our favorite Jedi master Yoda would say, “May the Force be with you.” Happy movie watching!
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