“I have so much strength in me you have no idea. I have a love in my life. It makes me stronger than anything you can imagine. I would say 'that's that', Mattress Man.”
- Barry Egan, Punch-Drunk Love

Valentine’s Day. Some people love it, some hate it, many are indifferent. I don’t mind the idea of having a singular holiday where we can celebrate love and romance. Furthermore, it’s a great excuse to snuggle up to a warm body and watch (or keep on in the background) a romantic movie. Here is a list of 10 of my favorite films to watch on the day of hearts (in no particular order). And as usual, since there are too many to list, I added plenty of bonuses at the end.

1. The Before Trilogy (1995, 2004, 2013) - dir. Richard Linklater

(Widely available for rent)

These are seemingly simple little films (all averaging under 100 minutes long), consisting of Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight. They don’t have any “big” action scenes, but rather rely on a great, dialogue heavy, script performed perfectly by Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. Taken as a whole, the trilogy is more of an epic romance than any of the films would let on individually. It’s one of the most natural and honest romance films I’ve ever seen.

2. Cinema Paradiso (1988) - dir. Giuseppe Tornatore

(Streaming on Paramount+ and widely available for rent)

This one really hits home because it’s not only about the love between a boy and a girl, but also about a love affair with cinema itself. It takes place in a small Italian village, but it is epic in scope. It is wonderfully written and directed (though stick to the theatrical cut and avoid the director’s cut) and contains one of the most beautiful soundtracks ever composed—by Ennio Morricone.

3. Punch-Drunk Love (2002) - dir. Paul Thomas Anderson

(Streaming on Kanopy & Hoopla and widely available for rent)

This has been one of my favorite films ever since I saw it in theaters. It’s quirky, surreal, contains fun homages to other films, has a weirdly wonderful soundtrack, and was Adam Sandler’s breakout dramatic role. It’s not for everyone but it’s perfect from my POV.

4. Roman Holiday (1953) - dir. William Wyler

(Streaming on Kanopy for free, Tubi & PlutoTV with ads, and Paramount+ with sub)

What better way to get romantic than be transported to where romance was invented: Rome. I first watched Roman Holiday when I was a teenager and it, along with Some Like It Hot, helped me learn to appreciate older movies. It’s a terrific rom com with the added benefit of transporting you to one of the great cities of the world.

5. Once (2007) - dir. John Carney

(Widely available for rent)

This is the little Irish film that could. With a micro budget of just $150,000, this film captured hearts around the world with its strong acting and even better music, went on to make over $20 million, and won an Oscar! Beyond those facts, the love story feels truer than most and is a joy to watch much more than once. I watched it shortly after returning from Ireland and it resonated so much with me I saw them perform live a few times and met them once.

6. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) - dir. F. W. Murnau

(Streams for free on Hoopla, with ads on Tubi & Roku, and for rent widely)

This is the only silent film in my list (though I was tempted to add Chaplin’s City Lights) and I think it will be a pleasant surprise to anyone who watches it. It won “Unique and Artistic Picture” at the 1st Academy Awards (as well as best cinematography and Janet Gaynor won best actress) and is still considered a masterpiece by many. At 95 minutes it isn’t a huge commitment and a lot is packed into that time. The film was ahead of its time both visually and auditorily and it has an engaging and complex love story.

7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) - dir. Michel Gondry

(Streaming on Hulu and available for rent widely)

One of my favorite films of all time, Eternal Sunshine has a bit of everything—romance, dark comedy (it’s no traditional “romcom”), drama, science fiction, surrealism. Charlie Kaufman wrote the wildly creative script, which pairs perfectly with Gondry’s incredibly creative direction. This movie really expresses well the complexities of relationships and how romantic feelings develop over time.

8. The Age of Innocence (1993) - dir. Martin Scorsese

(Streaming on Netflix & Criterion Channel and with ads on Tubi & Roku)

I think it’s all too often forgotten that Scorsese directed one of the greatest classical romantic films of all time, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, no less. I only saw this for the first time a few years ago and was impressed by Scorsese’s restrained, yet beautifully cinematic approach to Edith Wharton’s novel. It would pair well with Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread.

9. The Lady Eve (1941) - dir. Preston Sturges

(Widely available for rent)

It’s a shame this isn’t currently streaming on any subscription services, because The Lady Eve is one of the greatest rom coms of all time. It’s also one of the best, and probably my favorite, of the screwball comedies, and it’s definitely worth paying to rent. The romantic antics are so well captured by Sturges’ slick camerawork and patient editing, which allow Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda to shine as they ably perform Sturge’s amazing script.

10. The Princess Bride (1987) - dir. Rob Reiner

(Streaming Disney+ and widely available for rent)

Last, but certainly not least, how can I leave out Princess Buttercup? Inconceivable! Rob Reiner’s magical masterpiece is hilarious, endlessly quotable, and can be watched dozens of times without getting old. R.I.P. Rob Reiner. You are sorely missed.

There are so many that were painful to leave out.
Here are 20 bonus romances also worth celebrating V-Day with:

• City Lights (1931) - dir. Charlie Chaplin

• Legends of the Fall (1994) - dir. Edward Zwick

• The Notebook (2004) - dir. Nick Cassavetes

• When Harry Met Sally… (1989) - dir. Rob Reiner

• Say Anything… (1989) - Cameron Crowe

• Jerry Maguire (1996) - dir. Cameron Crowe

• Annie Hall (1977) - dir. Woody Allen

• Amelie (2001) - dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet

• Modern Romance (1981) - dir. Albert Brooks

• A Matter of Life and Death (1946) - dir. Powell & Pressburger

• Summertime (1955) - dir. David Lean

• There’s Something About Mary (1998) - dir. The Farrelly Brothers

• The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) - dir. Jacques Demy

• The Shape of Water (2017) - dir. Guillermo del Toro

• They Came Together (2014) - dir. David Wain

• Overboard (1987) - dir. Garry Marshall

• The Phantom of the Opera (2004) - dir. Joel Schumacher

• Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) - dir. Glenn Ficarra & John Requa

• All the Real Girls (2003) - dir. David Gordon Green

• Beauty and the Beast (1946) - dir. Jean Cocteau

And for the kiddos:

• Lady and the Tramp (1955)

• Up (2009)

• WALL·E (2008)

Thanks for reading Ryan’s Film Almanac! This post is public so feel free to share it.

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Happy Lovemaking!

"I'll give you a winter prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life." - Phil Connors, Groundhog Day

Winter is a glorious time of year to bundle up, get cozy, and snuggle onto a couch with a movie while the snow falls outside. I’ll be doing that, minus the snow. Here in L.A., I can pretend though—and I will—by watching some of the films below. I love watching movies that fit the season, energy, current events, etc. of the time and winter is no exception. The selections below specifically try to avoid Christmas, since that time has passed and I did two posts at length about that genre here and here. I’ve broken my picks down into popular categories, highlighted my favorites, and gave alternate options for each.

Silent Era: The Gold Rush (1925) - dir. Charlie Chaplin

(Streaming on Amazon Prime, Criterion, Hoopla, and Tubi)

This masterpiece of Charlie Chaplin’s might be my favorite from the whole list. First off, black and white films, especially silent ones, are particularly well suited to winter movie viewing. The lack of color and sound both reflect the nature of . . . nature—of snow. As the snow silently falls and your window is in full white-out, why not mirror that with your TV? The nice thing about The Gold Rush is it is an ingenious comedy, so any of the gloominess you may feel by the season is countered by wonderfully slapstick hilarity.

Alternatives: Nanook of the North (1922) was the first documentary to move the needle at the box office, inspiring more docs to be produced. Eskimo (1933), while not a silent, is nonetheless a fascinating film based on the experiences of adventurer Peter Freuchen. The story behind how it was made is equally as interesting. It was filmed over the course of a year in the arctic and includes actual hunting footage, authentically showing the Eskimo way of life. It was also the first film to win an Oscar for Best Editing at the Academy Awards. It’s hard to find a good copy of but there is a poor copy readily available on YouTube).

Comedy: Groundhog Day (1993) - dir. Harold Ramis

(Streaming on Netflix)

Need I say more? Watch it . . . again and again and again. Relive winter . . . forever.

Alternatives: Spies Like Us (1985) dir. John Landis. Dumb and Dumber (1994) dir. Peter Farrelly. Cool Runnings (1993) dir. Jon Turteltaub. Amarcord (1973) dir. Federico Fellini. Metropolitan (1990) dir. Whit Stillman. Werewolves Within (2021) dir. Josh Ruben. Hot Dog… The Movie (1984) dir. Peter Markle.

Action: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) - dir. Peter R. Hunt

(Streaming on Netflix)

The only James Bond film to primarily take place in a wintry landscape and George Lazenby’s one and only outing in the role, this installment is one of the better early Bonds. There’s something extra cozy about a franchise. It screams: don’t get off your couch, keep binging until winter’s over!

Alternatives: Runaway Train (1985) dir. Andrei Konchalovsky—a very close second. This film isn’t talked about enough. Fantastic snowy action train sequences. Snowpiercer (2013) dir. Bong Joon Ho (Parasite). The Day After Tomorrow (2004) dir. Roland Emmerich (Independence Day)—this one is so bad it’s good. Lady Snowblood (1973) dir. Toshiya Fujita (helped inspire Kill Bill and stand well on its own). Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) dir. Quentin Tarantino (specifically for the final scene, inspired by Snowblood). Batman Returns (1992) dir. Tim Burton.

Romance: All That Heaven Allows (1955) - dir. Douglas Sirk

(Streaming for rent on Apple TV, Amazon, and Fandango)

Nobody has ever used Technicolor like Douglas Sirk has. This is his most striking to me. The colors are shockingly bright and vibrant for a wintry melodrama. It makes for an enjoyable contrast in tone that helps elevate the story to become really absorbing. Watching it in winter allows us to escape to a fireplace in a cabin in the woods.

Alternatives: There are a couple very good ones. The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) dir. Orson Welles. Doctor Zhivago (1965) dir. David Lean. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) dir. Michel Gondry.

Crime: Fargo (1996) - dir. Joel Coen

(Streaming on HBO Max)

This is a great choice, because not only is it a classic and so wonderfully directed and written, but the comedic element helps break the tension so that it’s not so entirely stressful (like some in my alternates are).

Alternatives: Spellbound (1945) dir. Alfred Hitchcock. Odd Man Out (1947) dir. Carol Reed. A Simple Plan (1998) dir. Sam Raimi. Insomnia (2002) dir. Christopher Nolan. Winter’s Bone (2010) dir. Debra Granik. Anatomy of a Fall (2023) dir. Justine Triet.

Documentary: The Art of Flight (2011) - dir. Curt Morgan

(Available for rent on Apple TV and Fandango)

Snow sports are a blast to watch in the winter. Snowboarding films are a dime a dozen, but The Art of Flight has the perfect combination of great music, directing, and of course, incredible feats of flying snowboarders.

Alternatives: Morgan’s other great snowboarding film That’s It, That’s All (2008). White Rock (1977) dir. Tony Maylam, is a dynamically directed showcase of the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible (2021) dir. Torquil Jones. Last, but not least, 2005’s March of the Penguins dir. Luc Jacquet.

Western: Jeremiah Johnson (1972) - dir. Sydney Pollack

(Streaming on Tubi with ads or for rent on Apple TV, Amazon, and YouTube)

Westerns give winter a great platform to shine. Ever since my wife and I stayed at my grandparents’ home years ago and discovered their VHS copy of Jeremiah Johnson, we’ve been hooked. It’s become a sort of cult classic around our house. It gives us the wintry chills even when it’s 80 degrees in January in Los Angeles. And yes, we thought it cool before the famous approval meme.

Alternatives: McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) dir. Robert Altman (tough not to add this as the primary). Pale Rider (1985) dir. Clint Eastwood (another favorite). Ride the High Country (1962) dir. Sam Peckinpah. Day of the Outlaw (1959) dir. André de Toth.

Horror: The Shining (1980) - dir. Stanley Kubrick

(Streaming on Peacock and for rent on Apple TV and Amazon)

There’s nothing like escaping to a ski lodge in the winter for some writing and solitude.

Alternatives: Misery (1990) dir. Rob Reiner (RIP). The Thing (1982) dir. John Carpenter (another heavy hitter vying for the top spot). Kwaidan (1964) is a beautifully directed, if not slow, Japanese ghost anthology film by Masaki Kobayashi with gorgeous winter scenes. Let the Right One In (2008) by Swedish director Tomas Alfredson is about children vampires. I couldn’t let this one go by without mentioning Guillermo del Toro’s newest masterpiece, Frankenstein (2025).

Drama: Citizen Kane (1941) - dir. Orson Welles

(Available for rent on Apple TV, Amazon, and Fandango)

The GOAT prominently features the title character with a snow globe, famously references a sled throughout (“Rosebud”), and the scenes of his upbringing are in a wintry landscape. It checks lots of boxes.

Alternatives: Ikiru (1952) dir. Akira Kurosawa. Winter Light (1963) dir. Ingmar Bergman. Little Women (1994) dir. Gillian Armstrong. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) dir. Stanley Kubrick. Schindler’s List (1993) dir. Steven Spielberg. Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979) dir. Joan Micklin Silver. Downhill Racer (1969) dir. Michael Ritchie.

Adventure: The Revenant (2015) - dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu

(Available for rent on Apple TV, Amazon, and YouTube)

I’m lumping adventure here with some that could also be considered westerns and also survival/reenactments. The Revenant is just too good not to feature though, as incredibly harrowing as it may be.

Alternatives: There are some great survival tales that could use their own category if I had the space: Touching the Void (2003) dir. Kevin Macdonald. Alive (1993) dir. Frank Marshall. Society of the Snow (2023) dir. J.A. Bayona (same story as Alive). Everest (2015) dir. Baltasar Kormákur. Rounding out the broad category, there’s the insane Ravenous (1999) dir. Antonia Bird. Arctic (2018) dir. Joe Penna. The mostly silly, but enjoyable Liam Neeson film The Grey (2011) dir. Joe Carnahan. Aspen Extreme (1993) dir. Patrick Hasburgh (this is some serious 90s fun). And finally, how about The Empire Strikes Back (1980) dir. Irvin Kershner? (There isn’t a whole lot of wintry sci-fi—maybe Interstellar and The Martian can go here?)

Fantasy: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - dir. Andrew Adamson

(Streaming on Disney Plus and for rent on Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube, and Fandango)

Though this can easily go in the “family” slot, the fantasy genre isn’t huge for winter and this fits nicely here. Plus, it can be binged as a trilogy.

Alternatives: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) dir. Chris Columbus. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) dir. Peter Jackson—sorta works, but this is more about the vibes and binging a long satisfying series of film while holed up in winter. The Green Knight (2021) dir. David Lowery. Edward Scissorhands (1990) dir. Tim Burton.

Family: Ice Age (2002) - dir. Chris Wedge

(Streaming on Disney Plus and for rent on Apple TV and Amazon)

The kiddos can easily binge this series of films during a winter lockdown. I most often find them funny with solid animation though I haven’t seen them all. There’s no better winterscape than the Ice Age.

Alternatives: There’s a decent amount. The all too obvious pick is Frozen (2013) dir. Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee. Also: Balto (1995) dir. Simon Wells. Abominable (2019) dir. Jill Colton. Togo (2019) dir. Ericson Core. White Fang (1991) dir. Randal Kleiser. Iron Will (1994) dir. Charles Haid. The Journey of Natty Gann (1985) dir. Jeremy Kagan. Mr. Popper’s Penguins (2011) dir. Mark Waters.

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." — Dr. Emmett Brown, Back to the Future

Introduction

Let’s go back in time. 1985 was a weird and wild year for Hollywood. The U.S. box office was filled with senior citizen aliens, teenage time travelers, African safaris, “Brat Packs,” and treasure-hunting children. Meanwhile, the dominance of the VCR was on the rise, Japan’s equivalent to Disney was born and Cold War fears continued to drive many studio productions.

The film industry was entering a pivotal transition as viewers gained more control over how and where they watched movies. While the summer blockbuster formula pioneered by Jaws and Star Wars continued to dominate the mainstream, the industry also saw a surge in large-budget, esoteric fantasy films. Though many of these ambitious projects struggled to find an audience in theaters, they would soon be rediscovered and transformed into cult classics on the rental store shelves.

The Vital Stats

• Average Ticket Price: $3.55 (~$10.50 adjusted for inflation)

• Ticket Sales: 1.06 billion sold (down from 1.2 billion in 1984, a year driven by massive hits like Ghostbusters and Beverly Hills Cop)

• Rise of the VCR: Approximately 30% of U.S. households owned a VCR by the end of the year.

• Video Rental Revenue: Hollywood earned roughly $5.37 billion in rentals by the end of ‘85, significantly outpacing the ~$3.75 billion in annual domestic box office revenue.

The Industry

After Disney narrowly avoided a corporate takeover and subsequent restructuring in 1984, they faced another financial crisis in ‘85 when The Black Cauldron and Return to Oz failed to return on their investments. The company’s animation department was eventually set on a path to recovery by Michael Eisner and Frank Wells, though the “Renaissance” would not fully bloom until later in the decade.

In June of ‘85, Hayao Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli, Japan’s massively successful answer to Disney, following the success of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

Rupert Murdoch acquired 20th Century Fox, paving the way for the creation of Fox News. Meanwhile, Ted Turner engaged in a turbulent buyout of MGM/UA. Though he eventually sold much of it back, he retained the massive film library that would eventually become the backbone of Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

Blockbuster Video opened its first store in Dallas, Texas, in October 1985. This paved the way for a revolution in home media, allowing studios to take greater risks knowing films could find a second life on VHS even if they underperformed at the box office.

As a result of this home video boom, the WGA went on strike in 1985 over residuals for video sales. They eventually settled for a 0.3% share of gross home video sales—a decision that created a ripple effect impacting the strikes of 2007 and 2023.

The Scorecard

Box Office Takeaways

The box office winners of 1985 aren’t especially surprising in hindsight. Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future introduced an innovative and effective way to bring time travel to the big screen, wrapped in a perfect script. Rocky and Rambo were major franchises that were easy to market, despite their increasing absurdity. The Color Purple benefited from being Steven Spielberg’s follow-up to the previous year’s Temple of Doom. Out of Africa was a classic “prestige” epic, sold on the star power of Robert Redford and Meryl Streep.

Notably, Back to the Future is the only film to land in both the Box Office Top 10 and the Letterboxd Top 10 for the year. Alongside The Goonies, it remains perhaps the most fondly remembered film of ‘85, still a staple of repertory theaters and outdoor movie nights nationwide.

Critical Consensus

Contemporary critics and modern cinephiles often hold a contrasting view to the box office hits of the time. The films rated most highly by Letterboxd viewers today are overwhelmingly bleak, complex, or international.

Come and See is a devastating anti-war masterpiece from the Soviet Union. Shoah is a landmark nine-hour Holocaust documentary composed entirely of interviews. Ran is Akira Kurosawa’s sumptuously colorful samurai epic based on King Lear. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is a highly stylized American-Japanese co-production about the life of the controversial author. This dichotomy exemplifies 1985 perfectly: the public sought escapist entertainment, while the “Greatest” films of the year were wrestling with the heaviest themes of the 20th century.

Statues & Snubs

The big winner of the 58th Academy Awards was Out of Africa, which swept 7 Oscars, including Best Picture. In a shocking turn, Spielberg’s adaptation of The Color Purple was snubbed entirely, winning zero Oscars despite a record-tying 11 nominations. Some critics at the time suggested its chances were hurt by controversies regarding its portrayal of certain themes from Alice Walker’s novel.

Best Foreign Film when to Argentina’s The Official Story—none of the nominees are in the Letterboxd top ten. Paul Newman received an honorary award for his work on and off screen. Meanwhile, the Coen Brothers quietly made the debut with a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival for their film Blood Simple. The Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival went to Yugoslavian film, When My Father Was Away on Business. Best Artistic Contribution went to Mishima and the Grand Prix went to Alan Parker’s Birdy.

Overlooked Gems & My Two Cents

Several films from 1985 were overlooked at the time but have since achieved legendary status. John Hughes’s The Breakfast Club is now considered a definitive high school masterpiece. Albert Brooks’s Lost in America remains one of the smartest comedies of the decade. Clint Eastwood’s sole Western of the 80s, Pale Rider, is all too often forgotten, though it was also the highest grossing Western of the 80s.

Based on a screenplay by Akira Kurosawa, The Runaway Train went criminally underwatched despite spectacularly directed action sequences. Amazing, over the top action film Commando has garnered quite the cult following, deservedly so. The Legend of Billie Jean flew under the radar as a fantastic low-budget “feminist” action film. In comedy, Fletch and Brewster’s Millions have both maintained strong cult followings. Finally, George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead was a modest hit that is now viewed as a high-water mark for practical horror effects.

Weirdness of ‘85

If the 1980s were whimsical, 1985 may have been the peak. The sheer variety of “cult” oddities is staggering: Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Return to Oz, Re-Animator, Teen Wolf, Better Off Dead, Return of the Living Dead, Weird Science, Crimewave, and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Even the Bond franchise got weird with Roger Moore’s final outing, A View to a Kill.

Technological Milestones

As THX expanded after its 1983 debut, Lucasfilm pushed boundaries with the first fully computer-generated character (the Stained Glass Knight) in Young Sherlock Holmes. The success of this proof-of-concept helped George Lucas eventually spin off his computer division into an independent company: Pixar Animation Studios.

Social Impacts

The Cold War heavily influenced 1985’s output. Tensions were reflected in blockbusters like Rocky IV, Rambo: First Blood Part II, and Spies Like Us, as well as more harrowing films like Threads, Come and See, and White Nights.

The year also saw the release of Buddies, the first feature film to explicitly address the AIDS epidemic. Its director, Arthur J. Bressan Jr., tragically died of AIDS-related complications only two years later.

Curiosities

• The Brat Pack: The term was coined by David Blum in a June 1985 New York magazine article, referring to the core group of young actors (Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, etc.) appearing in films like St. Elmo’s Fire and The Breakfast Club.

• PG-13’s First Full Year: After its introduction in mid-1984 with Red Dawn, the PG-13 rating enjoyed its first full calendar year in ‘85. This new rating was designed to bridge the gap for films that were too intense for PG but not explicit enough for R. Prominent films that carried the new rating this year included The Jewel of the Nile, National Lampoon’s European Vacation, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, and Enemy Mine.

In Memoriam

• Orson Welles: The visionary behind Citizen Kane, often cited as the greatest film ever made. He left behind a legacy that includes Touch of Evil, The Lady from Shanghai, and The Magnificent Ambersons.

• Rock Hudson: A beloved Hollywood heartthrob and star of Douglas Sirk melodramas (All That Heaven Allows) and romantic comedies (Pillow Talk). His death brought massive public attention to the AIDS crisis.

• Yul Brynner: The Russian-born, Oscar-winning star of The King and I, The Ten Commandments, The Magnificent Seven, and Westworld.

• Sam Spiegel: A legendary three-time Oscar-winning producer known for his collaboration with director David Lean. He won Best Picture for Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai, and On the Waterfront.

Now that 2026 is here, it’s time to start gearing up for the Oscars, checking off some films in my Criterion Challenge list, and getting pumped for the new releases the year has in store.

Let’s jump right into it.

Exciting Releases of 2026

Hugely anticipated

It’s never easy figuring out when films will actually hit theaters, as some are kept under wraps and release dates remain fluid. I’m sure there are plenty of films not yet on my radar that will eventually knock my socks off. However, 2026 arrives with obvious anticipation for several big-name directors.

We should always be excited about whatever Steven Spielberg has to offer. His film Disclosure Day, starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, and Colin Firth, looks incredibly promising. I’m also beyond excited to see what Christopher Nolan does with his adaptation of The Odyssey. Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, he’s supported by a massive ensemble including Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal.

Since I’m a sucker for Ryan Gosling and a big fan of The Martian, I’m also hoping to enjoy Project Hail Mary. It’s directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (who always make entertaining movies like The LEGO Movie) and based on the novel by Andy Weir.

Anything by Robert Eggers (The Witch) has my interest, despite the fact I haven’t always loved his films. They are, without a doubt, well-crafted with a gorgeously dark style. Though I haven’t seen his Nosferatu yet, if there are any fresh adaptations worth making, he’s the one to do them. His take on werewolves sounds very intriguing; I’ll definitely be watching Werwulf on the big screen.

I’m also curious about A24’s The Drama, starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya and directed by Kristoffer Borgli (Dream Scenario). I’m intrigued by Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride (her take on Bride of Frankenstein) and the new adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell (Saltburn).

On the lighter side, Super Troopers 3 is slated for release—I don’t care how “dumb” it is; I fully endorse a new movie from the comedy troupe Broken Lizard. Jordan Peele also reportedly has a new horror film releasing this year, which is bound to be a event.

I’m not sure we need yet another take on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but a version from Ti West (Pearl)? I’m in. Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol reminds me of FX’s more horror-adjacent miniseries from 2019. Here’s hoping Johnny Depp nails the role of Scrooge, though I’m slightly nervous for him.

Lastly, I absolutely love Alejandro González Iñárritu’s films (The Revenant), so I’m looking forward to seeing him direct Tom Cruise in the comedy/drama Digger. It looks like the kind of movie where once things get going, you’re locked in for a wild ride.

Not so much for me

The biggest disappointment of 2026 so far is the continuing deluge of sequels and remakes Hollywood insists on producing. I was one of the few who didn’t love Dune: Part Two in 2024, so Part Three doesn’t have me pumped up... yet. (I’ll probably still see it in IMAX).

Avengers: Doomsday is in a similar category. While I enjoyed Infinity War and Endgame, I’ve been turned off by the many mediocre offshoots released since. Then there is The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Really? I’m open-minded, but also a little offended. Another Tom Holland Spider-Man (Brand New Day) feels lazy. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple? Goodness gracious.

And Toy Story . . . 5?! FIVE?! I like the idea of exploring the “electronic devices” angle, but we should really quit while we’re ahead. It feels like it never ends: The Devil Wears Prada 2, Scream 7, Supergirl, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, Resident Evil, They Follow, Moana, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Jumanji 3, Minions 3, The Cat in the Hat, The Angry Birds Movie 3, Greenland 2: Migration, and Mortal Kombat II.

It’s all so unoriginal. (Though, fine, I’m actually open to Violent Night 2 and Focker In-Law).

Criterion Challenge 2026

In my 2025 Criterion Challenge wrap-up post, I went over the background of these challenges found on Letterboxd. Every year since 2021, a user named Ben (aka “benvsthemovies”) dreams up the categories that we use to create our own watchlists.

The Categories & My Selections

The categories are always a mixed bag. For instance, if a random number generator falls on a movie I’ve already seen, I keep spinning until I land on an unwatched film. I’ve seen all of David Byrne’s “Closet Picks” except for one (True Stories), so that pick was made for me.

The “Criterion Double Features” categories were a little confusing and difficult to narrow down, but Ben’s master list always comes with helpful resources to guide the way. The “random letter generator” category seems a bit . . . random. Of course, I got the letter “X”, which narrowed things down quite a bit, to say the least. Check out all the categories and my selections below:

My Letterboxd Criterion Challenge List

Thoughts on my selections

There are many here that I’m excited to watch, though a few will take some courage to start. I’m looking forward to what is considered by many to be the first film of the French New Wave: Le Beau Serge, directed by Claude Chabrol.

I’m also intrigued by the films on my list with the highest Letterboxd ratings. I actually have five films that share a whopping 4.4-star rating:

• The Ascent (1977), dir. Larisa Shepitko (Soviet Union)

• Sansho the Bailiff (1954), dir. Kenji Mizoguchi (Japan)

• The Handmaiden (2016), dir. Park Chan-wook (South Korea)

• Farewell My Concubine (1993), dir. Chen Kaige (China)

• Z (1969), dir. Costa-Gavras (France/Greece)

Interestingly, out of those five, I’ve only seen films by one of the directors: Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, No Other Choice). I love that they represent different decades and countries—that is the beauty of the Criterion Collection and this challenge.

On the flip side, I’m least looking forward to the Jack Nicholson-directed Drive, He Said. It’s one of only three films he directed and holds a 2.9-star rating on Letterboxd. Since the category was “watch a film rated 2.0-2.9 stars,” I’m not exactly enthused. And while I’m curious about Céline and Julie Go Boating, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and The Emigrants, pulling the trigger on films over 190 minutes is always a tough sell.

Old Films in a New Year

I tend to watch more older movies than new ones because they help ground the insanity of the modern world. Old films slow things down in a satisfying way and provide historical perspective to the noise we are bombarded with on social media and the news.

This year, I look forward to the Criterion Challenge helping me keep a clear-eyed view of our changing world, and I’m excited to see which new films will entertain and challenge us in 2026. What are you looking forward to see in 2026? I’d love to hear about any good ones coming up that I missed!

Since 2022, I’ve been logging and briefly reviewing every film I watch on Letterboxd. It’s been the densest period of movie viewing of my life. While 2025 wasn’t a record-breaker for me (435 vs. last year’s record 523), my understanding of movies has grown deeper than ever.

For the curious and the fellow film enthusiasts, here is my 2025 in data and favorites. (And if you’re looking for the perfect movie to ring in 2026, stay tuned for a special New Year/NYE recommendation at the bottom of this post.)

The 2025 Scorecard

A year of cinema by the numbers (as of 12/29).

• Total Films Watched: 435

• Average Frequency: 36.2 films/month (~8.4 per week)

• Total Time Spent: 753 Hours

• Rewatches: 42 (introductions to my kids and comfort watches)

• New 2025 Releases: 50 (plenty of blind spots here)

• The “Double Feature” Club: One Battle After Another & Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning (The only two films I watched twice this year).

Star Distribution

I tend to seek out movies I think I’ll love, so my ratings (5 star Letterboxd scale) tend to weigh on the higher side.

• 5 Stars: 35 (New Favorites)

• 4.5 Stars: 58

• 4 Stars: 91

• 3.5 Stars: 133 (The solid/enjoyable sweet spot)

• 3 Stars and Below: 118

My Top 11 of 2025 - First Time Watches, Any Year

These aren’t necessarily 2025 releases, but the best films I experienced for the first time this year. I’m turning it up to 11 (it’s really 12 though)!

1. Yoyo (1965) dir. Pierre Etaix - This was probably the most revelatory film of the year for me. Discovering Etaix’s movies this year was a really special experience. It reminds me of when I first started watching Jerry Lewis. His comedies are so inventive, but with much more heart than Lewis. Yoyo is his best.

2. Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring (1986) dir. Claude Berri (I cheated adding two here, but since they were both filmed in 1985 and both released in 1986, I look at them as one film. And they’re incredible!)

3. Nouvelle Vague (2025) dir. Richard Linklater

4. The Taste of Things (2023) dir. Trần Anh Hùng

5. The Learning Tree (1969) dir. Gordon Parks

6. Local Hero (1983) dir. Bill Forsyth

7. Hobson’s Choice (1954) dir. David Lean

8. The Lion in Winter (1968) dir. Anthony Harvey

9. Yojimbo (1961) dir. Akira Kurosawa

10. Scarecrow (1973) dir. Jerry Schatzberg

11. La Haine (1995) dir. Mathieu Kassovitz

Top 10 of 2025 - New Releases

I don’t watch enough new releases. It’s obviously much more difficult to get to a theater than to watch at home. Plus, I tend to be more interested in older movies. Out of the 50 new releases I caught this year, these are the ones that stuck.

1. Nouvelle Vague dir. Richard Linklater - My favorite of the year! This was such a comfort watch for me. It may not hit everyone the same way—it’s a movie for film fanatics. You may need to watch the film it’s based on, Breathless (1960), in order to fully appreciate it.

2. One Battle After Another dir. Paul Thomas Anderson

3. The Baltimorons - dir. Jay Duplass

4. No Other Choice - dir. Park Chan-wook

5. Frankenstein - dir. Guillermo del Toro

6. Sinners - dir. Ryan Coogler

7. Weapons - dir. Zach Cregger

8. Bugonia - dir. Yorgos Lanthimos

9. The Ugly Stepsister - dir. Emilie Kristine Blichfeldt

10. Black Bag - dir. Steven Soderbergh

• Dishonorable Mention: Snow White, dir. Marc Webb. My least favorite watch of the year. Painfully difficult to get through. What a terrible blemish on the first animated feature film.

There are so many “in between” worthy of discussion, like Avatar: Fire and Ash, The Phoenician Scheme, F1, or Together that I enjoyed plenty. And others that had me scratching my head like Superman, Highest 2 Lowest, and Thunderbolts* (did I really just have to add an asterisk?) . . . but lines have to be drawn.

Films on my radar that are conspicuously missing from the list above: Marty Supreme, Resurrection, Sore: A Wife from the Future, Magellan, KPop Demon Hunters, Sorry, Baby, Is This Thing On?, and Hamnet.

Top 10 Non-Fiction

My favorite first time watched documentaries this year (released any year).

• Minding the Gap (2018)

• Hoop Dreams (1994)

• Mr. Scorsese (2025)

• Billy Joel: And So It Goes (2025)

• John Candy: I Like Me (2025)

• Along the Coast (1958)

• Night and Fog (1956)

• Jim Henson: Idea Man (2024)

• Crisis (1963)

• They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)

Top 10 of the 21st Century

Since the New York Times went viral with their 100 Best of the 21st Century, I thought I’d throw my hat in with my top 10 (ok, technically 11). In no particular order:

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

• There Will Be Blood (2007)

• The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

• In the Mood for Love (2000)

• La La Land (2016)

• The Great Beauty (2013)

• The Taste of Things (2023)

• The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

• Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2 (2003/2004)

• City of God (2002)

🎵 Bonus: The 2025 Soundtrack

While movies are a major focus in my life, I am also obsessive about seeking out new tracks and albums every New Music Friday. I cull together the albums that may be worth listening into one playlist, then narrow down the best tracks from them into another. The following playlist of 207 tracks (over 13 hours) represents the best of the best that helped get me through the year!

🥂 My Top New Year’s Eve Pick: The Hudsucker Proxy

If you’re looking for a way to close out the year, I can’t recommend the Coen Brothers’ comedy-noir The Hudsucker Proxy enough. I watch it nearly every year. It’s a stylized, fast-talking, beautifully designed fable of good versus evil that culminates in one of the most inventive New Year’s Eve sequences in cinema. It captures that specific feeling of “the clock striking midnight” perfectly (and literally)—blending chaos, hope, and the whimsical musing that things might just turn around for the better in the final second. It’s exactly the kind of energy I want to carry into 2026. “You know, for kids!”

For a deeper dive: You can find possible influences from 1948 film noirs The Naked City and The Big Clock and from the 1940 classic screwball comedy His Girl Friday. Also, see Bull Durham for earlier glimpses of Tim Robbins’ character, Norville Barnes.

A Final Thought

Movies are more than just data points. This year, they were an escape when things felt heavy, an opportunity for conversation, and a bridge to connect with family. Whether I was watching a French New Wave classic on my couch or a James Cameron blockbuster at AMC, the big screen always offered new perspectives.

What was your favorite watch of 2025? Let me know in the comments.

Happy New Year! See you at the movies in 2026!

The Breath of Life

Inspiration: From the Latin inspirare, meaning “to breathe into,” with spirare meaning “to breathe” (the root of the word “spirit”).

Let’s start by looking at the word that has driven this wonderful series for over 100 days. This small etymological exercise actually provided its own spark as I reflected on this “assignment.”

When we receive inspiration, we are quite literally breathing in life. It is an act of reception—of being open to something life-giving. Like the oxygen we require to survive, inspiration is a vital necessity for the creative soul. While this is how I view it as a creative, I believe we all require it, in one way or another, across every discipline.

It takes many forms—ideas, expressions, art, beauty, and truth—but at its center, it is the fuel for the work at hand, whether that be writing, dancing, sculpting, or filmmaking. Here are a few things that have been life-giving for me lately.

Hiking & Nature

It’s no secret that exercise boosts endorphins, but when you add the outdoors and the raw beauty of nature, my brain goes off to the races. I’m fortunate to live a mile from a trailhead in the foothills of Los Angeles—a tranquil escape from the chaos of Hollywood, where I work.

In that environment, I always keep my phone close. Ideas flow so quickly that it’s not uncommon for me to have to stop mid-trail to write something down. Those sparks often occur most frequently while I’m listening to music, which brings me to . . .

My “Best of the Best 2025” Playlist

I’ve always followed new music closely, but it has become an obsession over the last few years. There’s something powerful about having nearly every album ever released at your fingertips. Since 2022, I’ve tracked new releases every “New Music Friday,” building playlists to organize the albums and tracks that resonate most.

My current year’s playlist is always the most creatively invigorating. I listen to it on shuffle over and over, constantly adding, subtracting, revisiting, and refining. Since we are at the end of the year, it’s the perfect time to share it:

Another time I really enjoy this playlist is while . . .

Driving at Night

I love the act of driving itself. One day, I’m sure I’ll appreciate a self-driving car in heavy traffic, but when the sun goes down and the roads clear, I feel a sense of freedom.

There is a meditative quality to it. Even though I have to stay engaged, the way the street lamps reflect off the road, the buildings, and the hood of the car feels like a waking dream—especially with the right soundtrack. This is when ideas abound, and I often find myself pulling over just to capture a thought before it escapes.

Family

Inspiration presents itself in many ways. While elements such as nature and music provide the ideas, you still need the motivation to implement them. That is where we need the inspiration to actually put in the work.

My family—my wife, son, and daughter—are the people in my orbit who constantly inspire me with their work ethic. Recently, my daughter landed the role of Anna in her school’s performance of Frozen Jr. Her voice started off a bit rough, but she dedicated herself completely, turning down social opportunities I never thought an 11-year-old would forgo. By the time opening night arrived, she blew us all away.

It was a truly inspiring moment that I’ve carried into my own work. Because much of that work happens at Jimmy Kimmel Live, I was able to repay that inspiration by organizing a chance for her to meet one of her own heroes, Kristen Bell.

Speaking of work and family, this leads me to another incredibly inspirational person in my life:

Jimmy Kimmel

Jimmy has been responsible for my income for the last 16 years—from the time I was courting my wife to the birth of my now-teenage children. I am eternally grateful for that, but my appreciation goes much deeper than a paycheck.

The culture at the show is often described as a family. That’s a common refrain from newcomers, and every time I hear it, I smile with total understanding. Many of Jimmy’s family members famously work on the show—the great late Uncle Frank, Aunt Chippy, and his Cousin Sal. He even made his best friend, Cleto Escobedo III, his bandleader. Many more work behind the scenes.

Being surrounded by that love has made Jimmy a real mensch of a boss. His choice to keep family close and put people first has trickled down to the entire staff. The atmosphere is one of genuine affection, usually jolted with plenty of dark humor.

We’ve been through a lot together: late-night wars, writers’ strikes, presidential elections, a pandemic, LA fires, and the tragic deaths of those we loved—most recently, Jimmy’s best friend, Cleto. What I’ve learned is that through Jimmy’s solid family values, his spirit of generosity, and his loving leadership, we have only grown stronger.

The Apu Trilogy

I watched the first of Satyajit Ray’s trilogy, Pather Panchali, in 2022; the second, Aparajito, in 2023; and the final, Apur Sansar, in 2024. It didn’t take me three years because they were a drudgery—it took that long because I didn’t want them to end. Each film provided enough inspiration and introspection to fill months of my life.

The coming-of-age story of Apu is a masterpiece of beauty and tragedy. Made on a shoestring budget by inexperienced filmmakers, the result is practically a miracle. Ray’s book, My Years with Apu, is an inspirational tale in its own right. Even the story of the film’s survival is moving: it was nearly destroyed in a 1993 fire and was restored through a massive collaborative effort. It isn’t just the story on screen that resonates; it’s the entire story of the film’s existence.

The Art of Shakespeare’s Sonnets

This book by Helen Vendler has been a favorite of mine for over 20 years. I love the “surgical precision” she uses to dissect these complex poems, putting them back together like a puzzle to reveal hidden connections.

I always keep this book in my living room because it represents a layered example of creativity. On one page is Shakespeare’s 400-year-old genius; on the next is the modern “code” to unlock it. Reading just one chapter can open my mind to new avenues whenever I feel stuck in a rut.

I’ve truly enjoyed taking part in this challenge. It was a wonderful exercise in reflection. Remember, if you’d like to join the FilmStack inspiration challenge, you can find more info here and reach out to Danny Broussard to sign up.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, and I wish you an inspirational New Year!

As we wrap up the year, I wanted to share a movie watching challenge I tackled and recently completed for the third year in a row.

Letterboxd & Watch Challenges

If you aren’t already familiar with Letterboxd, it’s like IMDb but more specialized for interaction. You can keep a diary of the the movies you watch, leave reviews and comment on others’ reviews, and you can create and share lists with the community. The users of Letterboxd tend to be more passionate about film and filmmakers, so the site seems to foster that culture.

One outcome of that culture is a shared partaking of “challenges”, which serve as a useful jumping off point for answering “what should I watch?” and also in deepening personal knowledge and experience about important films and filmmakers where you may have blind spots.

There are many movie watching challenges out there: “The Letterboxd Season Challenge” (in the middle of its 11th year—September-May) contains 33 weeks of interesting categories. “Hooptober” has been an ongoing horror film challenge for 12 years during the month of October. Additionally, there are other less rigorous or strict challenge-adjacent themes, such as “Japanuary” (watch as many films from Japan in January as possible), “Noirvember” (watch film noirs in November), and the “Oscars Death Race” (watch as many Oscar nominated film from January-March as possible).

The Criterion Challenge

The Criterion Challenge focuses on the famed boutique film distribution company, The Criterion Collection, whose mission statement states that it’s “dedicated to publishing important classic and contemporary films from around the world in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements”. The challenge was started by Letterboxd user benvsthemovies in 2021 and is about to begin its 6th year.

The rules of the challenge are to watch 52 films from 52 categories throughout the year, in any order you choose. You get to choose the movies from Criterion’s disk releases (preferred) or even anything that is streaming on their “Criterion Channel” streaming service (many of their disc releases are found there). By the end of the year, you will have ideally experienced many new great films and broadened your knowledge of film and culture.

My Letterboxd Criterion Challenge List

This being my third year in a row of taking the challenge, I’m obviously a fan. The challenge is such an encouraging way to push me outside of my comfort zone and to finally hit play on the films I’ve always wanted to watch, but haven’t gotten around to. Many of the films watched the past three years have been added to my top 100 favorite films list.

Here are some fun stats from the challenge:

• Rating Highlights: I gave eight films 5 stars, fifteen 4.5 stars, and just eight movies 3 stars or below

• Longest and Shortest: The longest film was a documentary—Hoop Dreams (1994), at 2 hours 54 minutes long. The shortest was also a doc—Robert Drew’s 1963 film Crisis that clocks in at just 52 minutes (to fulfill the category “Watch a film shorter than 80 minutes”).

• Greatest Discovery: Yoyo (1965) and the comedy of Pierre Etaix. His films have that wonderful blend of heart and humor that you can get from his contemporaries like Jacques Tati and predecessors like Chaplin and Keaton. He also influenced the work of Jerry Lewis and by proxy, Jim Carrey. Thanks to the challenge category “Isabella Rossellini’s Adventures in Moviegoing” for introducing me to Etaix! (5 stars)

• Hardest film to locate: White Dog (1982). This movie is not really available in the United States. I had to dig pretty deep to find a copy. I’d always been curious about it. Since I was a kid I remember seeing the VHS cover at Blockbuster. The social commentary is interesting and inventive, but the film is very low budget with bad acting and writing. (3 stars)

• Least Favorite Film: Wanda (1970) by Barbara Loden. I can appreciate this movie from an independent filmmaker’s perspective, but as a casual viewer I found it pretty depressing and hard to watch. (2 stars)

• Around the World: One great benefit of the Criterion Challenge is discovering films from around the world. Some countries I watched films from include: Poland, Australia, India, Germany, Brazil, Japan, and Senegal.

The simple act of going through each category and choosing a film to fulfill it is a fun exercise on its own. It’s a little challenging, usually taking me a couple days of going through every category. Once I have everything picked out I get a rush of excitement, looking forward to most of the movies, while also feeling some anxiety over certain daunting picks. The greatest part is being surprised by a 5 star find (looking at you Hobson’s Choice). But there’s the equally disappointing moment of disliking a movie you thought you’d enjoy. Below is the final list (sortable and searchable) of my 2025 journey—every category, film, and rating.

What’s Next?

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Next week, I’ll be back with a full wrap-up of the films released in 2025 and a look at my 382 first-time watches of the year (and counting!). Then, in early January, I’ll reveal my picks for the 2026 Criterion Challenge—three of which are already set to be longer than anything I tackled in 2025. I hope you’ll join me for the journey next year!

As we track the evolution of the Christmas film from the 1950s through the 2020s, we find the ebb and flow of it coincided with sentiment in the country as a whole. The 1940s saw the genre reach influential heights that lasted generations. What followed was a very large ebb (the 50s-70s), eventually leading to a flood of variations on the theme in the 80s and 90s that reinfused the genre so fully that we still feel the reverberations today.

The Brakes are Pulled: The 1950s-60s

The 1950s

Following the huge boom of Christmas movies in the 40s, there was a general about-face beginning in the 50s. The war years seemed to invite the need for catharsis and the comfort-watch, whether it be through the struggles of characters like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, or the comic antics of Barbara Stanwyck in Christmas in Connecticut. By the 1950s, despite some holdovers from the classic era, the public seemed disillusioned with the sentimental Christmas flick. I believe there were a few reasons for this departure.

First, with the rise of television sets in homes, so rose the Christmas TV program. Variety shows like Bob Hope’s ran specials, as did Perry Como. Sitcoms like I Love Lucy also had their own holiday themed episodes. In 1951, Amahl and the Night Visitors, a made for TV opera partially about the Nativity, was a huge hit and played every season for years going forward.

As mentioned in my 1959 Almanac post, by the mid to late 50s the studios struggled competing to get viewers into theaters, so the productions became either tentpole “sure things” or indie passion projects. This was due not only to the rise of television but also to the struggles and fears people experienced following World War II. The country began fracturing through racial tensions, anxiety over the atomic bomb, and the cold war leering around every corner. This helped lead the public towards a disillusionment of the sentimental film.

The 50s did have a few highlights worth mentioning that were an exception to the rule though. One of the best versions of “A Christmas Carol”, titled Scrooge in the U.S., was released in 1951 starring probably the best to play the title role, Alastair Sim. The great director, Michael Curtiz (Casablanca) made the first VistaVision film in technicolor glory, White Christmas in 1954, starring Bing Crosby and Danny (“fucking”) Kaye, as Clark Griswold would say. Curtiz immediately followed that up with another Christmas adjacent film, We’re No Angels—a comedy about convicts who eventually grow a heart, à la the Grinch.

The 1960s

Cynicism in the country only grew as we entered the 60s, starting with The Apartment, directed by Billy Wilder. The film largely takes place around the Christmas season, but the romcom theme is darker now, with infidelity playing a central role. 1961 continued the deep cynicism with the terrific, low budget, bleak, and violent noir, Blast of Silence, along with the fun heist Christmas film, Cash on Demand. 1968’s The Lion in Winter, starring Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn, is sort of a medieval Christmas answer to Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966).

The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), directed by George Stevens (Giant), is one of the most notable productions about the birth of Jesus ever made. The over 3 hour long epic became a traditional TV watching event for many households around Christmas and Eastertime. Another significant development in the tradition of Christmas home viewing is the animated film. The 60s saw a huge boom in the cartoon Christmas movie. Perhaps adults liked the way it took the pressure off of them to put on a happy face. Rankin/Bass’s stop motion Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was the first big hit to start the trend in 1964, followed by the wildly popular, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965). Continuing with the animated hits, Chuck Jones, of Looney Tunes fame, made Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) come to life, with Boris Karloff expertly voicing The Grinch and narration. Finally, Rankin/Bass finished off the decade in 1969 with the animated classic Frosty the Snowman, narrated by Jimmy Durante.

A Rejection of Christmas: The 1970s

If sentiment in the 60s were turning bleak, the 70s were lights out. Between Watergate, Vietnam, The Pentagon Papers, recession, and racial tensions, the public was in no mood for Christmas merriment. Add to that the rise of the independent film movement and the holidays were screwed for the decade.

Beyond Ronald Neame’s musical adaptation of “A Christmas Carol”, Scrooge (1970), a few more Rankin/Bass stop motion shorts, and Jim Henson’s short Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977), the decade hardly produced a Christmas film. Perhaps the most notable entry came in the form of a horror: Black Christmas (1974), considered by many to be the one to jumpstart the slasher subgenre. In many ways the film is the perfect 70s Christmas flick, as it expresses the very sentiment that withheld holiday films to be produced throughout the decade. Notably, it gave Bob Clark his first directorial hit—he’d go on to make A Christmas Story nine years later.

My personal favorite from the cynical ‘70s is 1978’s The Silent Partner, starring Elliott Gould and Christopher Plummer. It’s yet another Christmas heist film (there’s a surprising amount of this specific genre) but for this one the robber is dressed up as St. Nick. The movie is super well-written and directed—highly recommended.

Full Throttle Christmas Focus: The 1980-90s

The 1980s

Though the cynicism took a while to wear off and continued through much of the 80s, this is when we began to regain the holiday movie spirit. Animated films also continued to grow in popularity. A childhood favorite of mine was released in 1980, Yogi’s First Christmas. Then the classic short The Snowman, based on the picture book, was released in ‘82. Disney then released their version of Dickens’ classic as Mickey’s Christmas Carol in 1983. That year also saw the tremendously popular aforementioned A Christmas Story, based on a short story of the same name by Jean Shepherd—three sequels have been made since.

Joe Dante gifted us the darkly inventive Gremlins in 1984, which was a massive box office hit despite its dark Christmas humor. ‘84 also saw yet another version of A Christmas Carol, albeit a mostly made for TV production, this time with George C. Scott helming the role of Scrooge. The mid 80s continued in the classic tradition with the magical Santa Claus: The Movie, followed by Carroll Ballard’s (The Black Stallion) wonderfully cinematic Nutcracker: The Motion Picture.

The late 80s was really when the action-Christmas genre, that everyone loves to argue about, was born. Though not quite as heavy handed with the holiday references, Lethal Weapon (1987) walked so Die Hard (1988) could run. The Christmas theme is a background character in Weapon, with trees and lights creating a holiday atmosphere more than anything. With Die Hard though, the theme becomes more explicit by including references of Christmas directly in the script:

“If this is their idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Year’s.”

John McClane wasn’t the only character who saved Christmas in 1988. Jim Varney also saved it with his goofy Ernest Saves Christmas. We were also blessed with yet another take of “A Christmas Carol”, this time starring Bill Murray as the title character in Scrooged, directed by Richard Donner (Superman).

The 80s concluded with one of the greatest Christmas films of all time, one that I won’t go a year without watching: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Written and produced by the great John Hughes (who produced the great Thanksgiving film, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles), Christmas Vacation never lets up with the hilarity and provides catharsis for all ages (though the kiddos may have to close their eyes and ears a few times).

The 1990s

The 80s gave way to probably the best Christmas movie decade since the 1940s—maybe we can call this the “silver age”. The 90s continued with some of the cynicism and darkness of the 70s-80s, while giving it a more whimsical twist of fantasy. The year began with what is probably the most accessible Christmas film for all ages and one of the all-time greats of the canon: Home Alone. Also written by John Hughes, this one cemented his legacy as the king of the holiday film (when including Thanksgiving).

1990 brought another gift of a classic in the form of Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands. This is another one of those that brings vibes more than an explicit Christmas theme, but the wintery vibes are so strong that one can’t help but feel the magic of the season. A few years later Burton directed another Christmas-adjacent film that also fits the action genre: Batman Returns. Jim Henson’s son, Brian, joined the fray in 1992 with his take on Dickens in The Muppet Christmas Carol, with Michael Caine playing Scrooge and with the Muppets filling out the rest of the cast. The dichotomy of darkness and light was expressed brilliantly in another Burton conceived film, this time in stop motion, with 1993’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. The brilliance is really in that it works as both a Halloween and Christmas film perfectly for children and adults.

The hits kept coming in the early 90s with another solid adaptation of The Nutcracker (1993), starring Macaulay Culkin, Grumpy Old Men (1993) with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in their twilight years, the hugely successful Disney hit The Santa Clause (1994), and perhaps the best adaptation of Little Women (1994). The decade slowed down in the latter half. Jingle All the Way (1996) was a huge hit that got negative reviews, but has become a bit of a cult classic. Penny Marshall remade The Bishop’s Wife as The Preacher’s Wife in 1996 with Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston starring. And finally, the decade was punctuated in ‘99 with yet another telling of A Christmas Carol starring Patrick Stewart as Scrooge.

An Eclectic New Century: The 2000s-Present

As we entered the 21st century, the popularity of the Christmas movie maintained its strength. Saint Nicolas Cage gifted us with his take on It’s a Wonderful Life with The Family Man. In November of 2001 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone lended a darkly Christmassy feel. Japan took an animated turn on their take of 3 Godfathers with Satoshi Kon’s (Perfect Blue) Tokyo Godfathers. England got in on the Christmas action with 2003’s massive hit, Love Actually. To round out the Christmas trio here in the U.S., Jon Favreau (Iron Man) directed Will Ferrell in the instant classic, Elf.

The aughts brought about plenty more festive (some darkly so) films. Bad Santa was a comically irreverent take. Robert Zemeckis’ The Polar Express (2004) scratched the itch of millions of train-loving children. After having written Christmassy action flick Lethal Weapon nearly 20 years earlier, Shane Black took another comic-action twist on the genre in 2005 with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. The French stepped up with a very well done WWI take on the holiday in Joyeux Noel. Though a big hit at the time The Family Stone is an oft forgotten family Christmas comedy from 2005 as well. The end of the decade didn’t offer a whole lot—Oscar Isaac starred as Joseph in The Nativity Story and Zemeckis made yet another motion-captured animated film, this time as another adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

The 2010s

The 2010s proved to be a relatively weak decade for the Christmas movie. Aardman (Wallace & Gromit) produced the animated comedy Arthur Christmas (2011). Seth Rogen’s producing team made the irreverent comedy The Night Before (2015). Sofia Coppola directed a Netflix special musical variety show of sorts called A Very Murray Christmas, starring none other than...Bill Murray. Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman starred in the off-color comedy Office Christmas Party (2016). Kurt Russell starred in the family comedy The Christmas Chronicles in 2018. The end of the decade was treated to a rare hand drawn animated film with Netflix’s Klaus (2019). And finally, it’s worth noting that FX released a nearly three hour miniseries of A Christmas Carol that is almost a horror take on the classic story.

The 2020s

We’ll see where the 2020s continues to lead us, but it’s been an interesting balance of family comedy and bloody action. On the one hand we have two revengeful Santas in Fatman (2020) starring Mel Gibson and Violent Night (2022) starring David Harbour. On the other hand, both from 2021 there is the solid 8-Bit Christmas and A Boy Called Christmas. Christian production company Angel Studios also released Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers, an odd mashup of two television episodes about the Nativity paired with musical performances. From 2023, Alexander Payne’s (Sideways) The Holdovers is my personal favorite of the decade so far. Netflix’s That Christmas (2024) is a worthwhile children’s animated film. 2025 brought Michelle Pfeiffer back in Oh. What. Fun. (it’s kinda fun) and another favorite of the decade for me, Jay Duplass’ The Baltimorons.

The Christmas movie, despite experiencing a lull in production popularity from time to time, has proved to ultimately have staying power as a genre in the United States. The films, in many ways, represent our culture at the times in history when the films were made. There are plenty of other movies I’m leaving out, notably the huge bundle of Hallmark trash (guilty pleasures for many I’m sure) and other hard to fathom works like A Very Jonas Christmas Movie. I tried as best I could to include all films worth mentioning in the Christmas canon, though I am sure I’ve missed plenty due to space restraints. I wish you a very Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas!

See my full Christmas Almanac Watchlist on Letterboxd.

Christmas movies have existed since the birth of cinema itself. In 1897, audiences first experienced the magic of the medium merging with the mythology of Santa Claus: a dreamy, minute-long moment that sparked a phenomenon lasting over a century. That same year brought the first depiction of the Nativity on film, and by 1901, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol had made its celluloid debut. Since then, film history has blessed us with countless variations on the holiday theme, spanning Santa, Jesus, Scrooge, and numerous fictional winter tales.

The history of the Christmas movie coincides closely with the history of film itself. Through an ebb and flow of sentiment, resentment, trust, faith, and agnosticism, our societal values have been reflected in the stories we wrote and in what studios believed we wanted to see. In this examination, we will explore the evolution of the Christmas film, identifying which decades were slow, which were strange, and which stood strong.

Innovation, Adaptation, and the Birth of Wonder: 1890s-1930s

Our collective memory of the Christmas movie generally doesn’t begin until what I consider the “Golden Age” of the holiday film, the 1940s. However, pre-1940s films are worth exploring, and their importance cannot be denied. In fact, the oldest ones are some of the most accessible to dive into. The films of the late 19th and early 20th centuries are short enough to hold a child’s attention span, and they are easy to access via YouTube or the Internet Archive. Their special effects—rudimentary now, yet sophisticated for the time—combined with slower frame rates and damaged nitrate film stocks, lend the viewing experience an extra magical or holy quality (depending on the subject matter).

My Letterboxd Christmas List

The First Flickers (1898–1919)

1898’s Santa Claus, directed in England by hypnotist and early film pioneer George Albert Smith, is the oldest surviving film depicting Saint Nick. Running just 76 seconds, the film is deceptively simple, yet it features groundbreaking special effects for its time, utilizing double exposure to bring the magic of Santa to the screen. Pioneers often experimented with effects like double exposure to distinguish film from theater, offering visual storytelling elements impossible on stage. This drive to innovate continues today, with studios and exhibitors creating spectacle-driven films and immersive venues like 4DX, The Sphere in Las Vegas, and Cosm in Los Angeles.

For many, any film about the birth of Jesus is categorized as a Christmas film by default, even if they weren’t produced with that specific intention (producers likely intended these stories for year-round viewing). One of the earliest works of cinema involving the original Christmas story, The Passion Play of Oberammergau (1898), is mostly lost, with only fragments surviving in the archives of the George Eastman Museum. The story of its past is fascinating but would require its own separate post.

The oldest existing film we have about the birth of Christ is Auguste & Louis Lumière’s La Vie et la Passion de Jésus-Christ (The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ), also from 1898, though the nativity scene is just one brief segment of the 10-minute runtime. My favorite early adaptation is the French 1907 film of the same name, produced by Charles Pathé. Several versions were made between 1898 and 1907, but Pathé expanded the story into a 44-minute color-tinted (stenciled) film that visually pops, lending the subject the weight it deserves.

In 1901, British magician Walter R. Booth directed the first film adaptation of A Christmas Carol, titled Scrooge; or Marley’s Ghost. Though seemingly crude and brief at three minutes, Booth’s film packed a punch for contemporary audiences and can be more fully appreciated today through a historical lens. Dickens’ narrative is summarized effectively in the short running time and Booth utilized superimposition techniques similar to Smith’s Santa Claus, but were applied here to depict the ghosts of Christmas.

As the years moved on, so did cinematographic techniques and storytelling. Edwin Porter’s 1905 film The Night Before Christmas, loosely based on Clement Clarke Moore’s poem, used miniatures to show Santa riding with his reindeer. In 1907, Thomas Edison’s company produced the shocking The Little Girl Who Did Not Believe in Santa Claus, a story about a child who kidnaps Santa at gunpoint to convince a less fortunate friend of his existence. In 1910, J. Searle Dawley built on Booth’s first adaptation of A Christmas Carol, directing a 10-minute film that included intertitle cards and similar superimposed effects to create the ghosts. 1912’s The Star of Bethlehem is the first film dedicated entirely to the Nativity, though it survives only in fragments.

The 1920s: A Quiet Interlude

The 1920s didn’t see a significant surge in the Christmas genre, but a few titles stand out. A Christmas Carol (1923) was adapted yet again, expanding the scope of the story to 25 minutes. German filmmaker Frank E. Kleinschmidt produced and directed the magical 1925 film Santa Claus, offering a naturalistic twist by filming on location in remote Alaska. Laurel and Hardy offered their take in 1929 with an 18-minute short featuring the duo as door-to-door Christmas tree salesmen in California, with hilarity ensuing. One final unlikely Western addition to the 20s Christmas canon is Hell’s Heroes (1929). An early effort by legendary director William Wyler (Ben Hur, Roman Holiday, Funny Girl), this Western take on the Nativity story had already been adapted from the original short story no less than two times (both now lost to history) and would be remade at least twice more.

The 1930s: A Holiday Lull

The 1930s proved another slow decade for holiday productions. Laurel and Hardy grabbed the attention of children with 1934’s Babes in Toyland, though it likely gave many of them nightmares. A fever dream involving toymakers in a fantasy world, it feels more like a bad trip than a holiday classic (yes, you should watch it at least once). A Christmas Carol finally received a sound adaptation in 1935 with the British production Scrooge. With a 78-minute runtime, a dark, gritty atmosphere, and high production values, it feels closer to the modern versions we know today.

An American feature-length sound version of Dickens’ novel followed in 1938, featuring a strong performance by Reginald Owen (the crazy Admiral Boom in Mary Poppins who shoots off his cannon to keep time) as Scrooge. Disney also released a few classic, Christmas-themed Silly Symphonies—Santa’s Workshop (1932) and The Night Before Christmas (1933)—that are both well worth watching. Finally, 1936 also saw the fourth adaptation of Three Godfathers, co-starring the great Walter Brennan.

While these first 30 years of holiday cinema saw significant growth, from minute-long silent films to feature-length talkies, the movies we now regard as classics of the genre were just around the corner.

The Golden Years: The 1940s

The Christmas movie hit its stride in the 1940s—so much so that labeling it the genre’s “Golden Age” is hardly hyperbole. The holiday film moved in a more secular, creative direction, veering away from the three staples—Scrooge, Jesus, and Santa—while sticking firmly to comedy, fantasy, and romance. All of this occurred despite the 40s simultaneously earning the distinction as the “Golden Age” of film noir. World War II seemed to demand art that provided both dark distraction and uplifting comfort.

A Solid Start (1940–1942)

The genre came out of the gate strong with two superb films in January 1940. The Shop Around the Corner, a romantic comedy directed by the great Ernst Lubitsch (To Be or Not to Be), stars Jimmy Stewart well before he became a household name for Christmas cheer. It is often cited as one of the best films ever made and was memorably remade by Nora Ephron in 1998 as You’ve Got Mail. Remember the Night is another instant classic from ‘40. A sort of travel comedy of errors, it was written by the hilarious Preston Sturges (The Lady Eve) and starring the wonderful Barbara Stanwyck and lovable Fred MacMurray.

Frank Capra, already cemented as a master of socially inspirational comedy, entered the Christmas fray with Meet John Doe in 1941. Many are surprised to hear that five years before It’s a Wonderful Life, Capra made another holiday film centering on suicide. This one, again starring Barbara Stanwyck alongside the impeccable Gary Cooper, leans more political than personal. That focus may explain why it is less remembered during the holidays, despite being a masterpiece.

Irving Berlin concocted 1942’s Holiday Inn primarily as a vehicle for his music. We’re all the better for it; the film blessed us with Bing Crosby premiering “White Christmas” and several Fred Astaire dance routines, all bookended by Christmas scenes.

1942 also offered a noir-adjacent holiday take with Larceny, Inc.—a comic-crime-heist film, starring Edward G. Robinson in a surprisingly lovable role, about a gang of criminals who buy a luggage shop next door to a bank in order to tunnel into the vault, only to accidentally become successful at selling luggage. Larceny was a criminal taste of things to come to the holidays, foreshadowing the genre-blending we would later see in Cover Up, The Silent Partner, and Die Hard.

The Mid-Decade Boom (1944–1946)

The hits didn’t let up. Vincente Minnelli directed the visually breathtaking Meet Me in St. Louis, one of 1944’s biggest hits, second only to Leo McCarey’s Going My Way—also arguably a holiday movie with its sentimental Christmas Eve finale. St. Louis pops off the screen in gorgeous Technicolor, treating us to Judy Garland introducing the world to “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” The following year, Barbara Stanwyck solidified herself as the Queen of Christmas with 1945’s Christmas in Connecticut, playing a single writer in New York pretending to be a farm wife.

Then, the granddaddy of them all dropped in 1946: It’s a Wonderful Life. Frank Capra reunited with Jimmy Stewart, along with Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore, for a timeless classic about economic hardship. Based on a short story titled “The Greatest Gift” (itself loosely based on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol), the film was initially a flop. Nearly 30 years later, a miracle occurred: Due to a clerical error in 1974, the film fell into the public domain. TV stations, delighted by the cheap royalty-free content, aired it relentlessly. By the 1980s, the film was resurrected, becoming the annual sensation we know today.

The Grand Finale (1947–1949)

1947 was a powerhouse year, producing three staples of the season.

• It Happened on 5th Avenue: An oddity originally slated for Capra (who made Wonderful Life instead) and intended for a 1946 release, it was pushed to Easter of ‘47. Despite the delays and a lack of A-list stars, it became a classic.

• Miracle on 34th Street: This memorable film starring Maureen O’Hara, noir regular John Payne, and a young Natalie Wood competed against 5th Avenue for “Best Story” at the Oscars (and won).

• The Bishop’s Wife: Henry Koster’s film starring Cary Grant, David Niven, and Loretta Young didn’t crush the box office (perhaps due to the religious angle) but became a perennial favorite, eventually remade in 1996 as The Preacher’s Wife.

John Ford took his second turn directing 3 Godfathers in 1948 (a remake of his 1919 silent film) with John Wayne in the lead. It was the first version in color and remains my favorite iteration of the story.

The decade closed out with two unique entries. Cover Up (1949) is a criminally unwatched Christmas noir starring the underappreciated William Bendix—a fun balance of grit and a holiday angle that anticipates 1961’s Blast of Silence. Finally, Holiday Affair offered an enjoyable romcom starring Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh, notable for being written by a woman, Isobel Lennart.

Looking Ahead

It is surprising that such a strong decade of holiday films was followed by a relatively dim one. Though the 1950s certainly has a few classics, the next three decades represent a significant lull in the Christmas movie tradition. Next week, I’ll explore why that happened, before diving into its return to greatness in the 80s and 90s.

The following is the first entry in the flagship series this Substack was primarily created for. The idea is to create one entry for every year in the history of cinema (the late 19th century will be a special bundle), slowly compiling an Almanac of film.

I grew up loving armchair reference books like the Times World Almanac and as my appreciation of film grew deeper I found myself wishing there was a Film Almanac. I pored over books both old and new and even scoured websites for resources that satisfied my desire, to no avail. There are many great books and websites and we even have AI chatbots now to provide all the information we can dream of. But I didn’t find any that were satisfyingly browsable or curated well enough, year by year. My wish is that one day, when all my entries are complete and perfected, the whole thing can be published into that browsable armchair companion I’ve always wanted.

The years will not be released chronologically. I want to keep it fresh for both myself and my readers by jumping around, back and forth, between the 13 or so decades of film history. I’m starting in 1959 because I find it to be an interesting time for the art of cinema, the business of film, and the culture in the United States and the World at large. There are also a good handful of films from ‘59 that are some of my favorite films of all time.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy following along on this journey as much as I enjoy embarking on it.

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Introduction

Nearly the halfway point between now and the birth of cinema, 1959 was a year of major transition for the film industry. The year is full of dichotomies: from small budget box office successes that are now largely forgotten, to big budget successes that will forever be remembered, and to the failures finally becoming recognized now as classics.

The industry was in turmoil as theater ticket sales dwindled and television sales reached all time highs. Industry executives, desperate to fill seats, attempted to innovate, giving people a reason to make the trip to their local palace. Drive-Ins, 3D, CinemaScope, and Smell-O-Vision are all examples of part of the creative innovation used to combat the rise of TV in the 1950s. As the battle for viewership continued 1959 saw consolidation of power within industry giants and it saw unions strike for higher residuals from television.

The year produced one of the biggest Oscar winners in history, Disney’s most visually ambitious film, the greatest comedy ever made, a Hitchcock masterpiece, and a few of my all time favorites. As Sinatra would say, “It was a very good year.”

The Vital Stats

Average ticket price: $0.51 ($5.35 adjusted for inflation)

Television Domination: 82% of US households owned a television set (up from just 9% in 1950), forcing studios to fight harder for eyeballs.

The Drive-In Theaters: Outdoor theaters reached their peak with roughly 4,000 locations, accounting for 25% of all ticket sales.

The Scorecard

Below is a breakdown of what the public paid to see versus what history has deemed a classic (via my personal favorite film rating community, Letterboxd). Note the stark divide between the comedies that made the big bucks and the international dramas that captured critics and contemporary viewers’ imaginations:

I’ve compiled every film mentioned in this post into a comprehensive list on Letterboxd:

View 1959 List on Letterboxd

Box Office Takeaways

MGM scored big with William Wyler’s big budget roadshow tentpole and religious epic, Ben-Hur, saving MGM from financial ruin. It was far and away the year’s biggest earner as well as becoming the biggest Oscar winner ever with 11 statues, a record now shared with Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). Disney, on the other hand, though it sold many tickets, lost on its gamble with Sleeping Beauty. The budget proved too high to achieve the innovation Walt Disney sought (among other things, his first 70mm and stereo film), though he did produce Disney’s most beautiful film for years to come. Comedies like Operation Petticoat, Darby O’Gill and the Little People, and The Shaggy Dog, though big earners, are now largely forgotten. Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot and Hitchcock’s North By Northwest proved to be both huge financial and critical successes and maintain their classic classifications today. John Cassavetes Shadows helped form the independent film movement with its tiny budget and comparatively large box office returns. On the European side, Francois Truffaut’s terrific The 400 Blows, along with Chabrol’s Les Cousins, help jump start the French independent film movement coined, Nouvelle Vague, aka The French New Wave.

Critical Consensus

Though it is beyond the scope of these pieces to analyze the box office numbers and critics from around the world, we can take a look at the Letterboxd community and renowned critic Roger Ebert as a small sample of which films from 1959 have maintained respect, regardless of their box office grosses. Notably, six of Letterboxd’s top 10 films from ‘59 are international productions. Two are French (400 Blows and Hiroshima), two are Japanese (The Human Condition and Good Morning), one is Indian (Apur Sansar), and one is Soviet Russian (Ballad of a Soldier). These films didn’t get much play in the United States at the time, but thanks to the hard work of preservationists, many have been restored and have been enjoying a second life of high praise among the film enthusiast community.

My Two Cents

What films I love from ‘59

There is a lot to love about this year in film. I watched Ben-Hur at a young age and remember being enthralled by the epic (I’m looking forward to a new restoration on 4k being slated to be released soon). I’ve been a fan of Disney animated films since I was a child and even though Sleeping Beauty was released over 20 years before I was born, it always felt fresh and exciting - I’ve only grown to appreciate it more as I’ve aged. Some Like It Hot was the first black and white movie I really fell in love with and it helped pique my interest in classic cinema. Later in life I finally watched Satyajit Ray’s The Apu Trilogy, or, The World of Apu (it wasn’t available for years - the history of its existence is itself a fascinating story) and the trilogy are now some of my favorite films of all time. The final installment, ‘59’s Apur Sansar, it probably my favorite of the three. Masaki Kobayashi’s The Human Condition is another groundbreaking work I discovered later in life that became an all time favorite. I believe Rio Bravo is one of the greatest westerns ever made and Howard Hawks is one of the greatest directors. Douglas Sirk’s technicolor melodramas were never something I thought I’d enjoy, let alone adore, but here I am citing Imitation of Life as a favorite. The 400 Blows, North By Northwest, Anatomy of a Murder - what can I say? They’re all indelible classics. I’m also a huge jazz fan and, interested in the genre or not, Jazz on a Summer’s Day is a fantastic documentary to enjoy, volume turned up, in the summertime.

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Overlooked Gems & Oddities

There are some films that didn’t reach any of these lists worth mentioning. Ride Lonesome (of Ranown fame - one of Budd Boetticher’s best), The Hanging Tree, Last Train from Gun Hill, and Day of the Outlaw, while not living up to the high standards of Rio Bravo, are often criminally overlooked Westerns. The World, the Flesh, and the Devil is fascinating look into a post-apocalyptic world, wonderfully produced with Harry Belafonte’s best performance. House on Haunted Hill and The Mummy are funky little horror films that were ably produced. Gidget ushered in the surf film movement and really a countercultural surfing movement as a whole, especially in California.

The Industry

• Deal of the Decade: Talent agency, MCA (Music Corporation of America) buys Universal Pictures, consolidating production and talent into a single powerhouse. This move effectively creates the modern Hollywood business model. The move bolsters the studio’s ability to package big budget movies with great talent to draw in audiences, hoping to lure them away from their televisions.

• The Labor Wars: In November, SAG and the WGA voted to strike (beginning Jan 1960), fighting for higher minimum salaries and residuals from television. The battle has a lasting impact on industry labor and bears a striking resemblance to the fights for residuals from streaming by the WGA in 2007 and again in 2023.

• RKO Shutters Doors: Once considered a major studio of Hollywood’s “Golden Age” (having produced classics like Citizen Kane and King Kong), RKO Studios succumbs to financial ruin. In March they released their final film, Verboten!, to little fanfare.

Technological Milestones

Studios tried every gimmick imaginable to pull people off their couches:

• The Ultimate Test of 70mm: Super Panavision 70 enters the fray with its first film, The Big Fisherman, offering an improvement to Ben-Hur’s Ultra Panavision 70 (which itself was a higher quality answer to CinemaScope), ultimately winning the battle in long term popularity. Super Panavision 70 would go on to photograph films like Lawrence of Arabia, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and West Side Story.

• The “Battle of the Smellies”: Documentary Behind the Great Wall introduced “AromaRama,” leading Variety to dub the feud with the rival “Smell-O-Vision” (debuting in early 1960 with Scent of Mystery) as “The Battle of the Smellies”. AromaRama piped the scents through the theater’s air conditioning units, whereas Smell-O-Vision employed a complex and expensive series of tubes that snaked under the seats. Audiences complained that either the scents mixed together or they were underwhelmed by what they smelled. The box office numbers stank.

Social Impacts

Many films in 1959 sought to influence social developments of the times. Nuclear disarmament was on many people’s minds. Before Kubrick directed Peter Sellers playing three characters about nuclear war in Dr. Strangelove (1964), Sellers balanced three roles in Jack Arnold’s The Mouse That Roared, about a small country intentionally at war with the United States, which also explores themes of atomic weapons. Both Stanley Kramer’s On the Beach and The World, the Flesh, and the Devil depicted the aftermath of nuclear war, while the latter also explored how race would play out as a factor in that harrowing situation. Other terrific films that explored race in ‘59 are Cassavetes’ Shadows, Douglas Sirk’s Imitation of Life, Samuel Fuller’s The Crimson Kimono, Robert Wise’s Odds Against Tomorrow, and Marcel Camus’ Black Orpheus.

The Dept. of Curiosities

• The Worst Movie Ever: After a bumpy limited release schedule, Ed Wood finally widely released his sci-fi epic, Plan 9 from Outer Space. The movie was a flop and later became a cult classic for being dubbed “The Worst Film Ever Made” by Michael and Harry Medved in 1980.

• The End of an Era: The Three Stooges released their final film, marking the end of the classic slapstick shorts era.

• TV Landmark: Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone premiered, changing the landscape of on-screen science fiction forever. In 1983 Steven Spielberg teamed up with John Landis, Joe Dante, and George Miller to direct and produce an anthology feature film, The Twilight Zone: The Movie, to mixed reviews (I am not a fan). Comedian and critically acclaimed horror film director Jordan Peele would later produce a TV reboot in 2019.

In Memoriam

• Errol Flynn: Swashbuckling hero and womanizing hedonist, Flynn was as controversial a lead man as they get. He’s known for films such as The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) and Captain Blood (1935).

• Cecil B. DeMille: A giant of the Golden Age of Hollywood, DeMille produced and directed some of the biggest movies in Hollywood for 5 decades. He’s known for films such as The Ten Commandments (1956), The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), and The King of Kings (1927).

• Lou Costello: Of Abbott and Costello fame, Lou and Bud worked as a team in television and film for over 20 years. They’re famously known for their “Who’s On First” bit.

• Raymond Chandler: Detective novelist and screenwriter whose hard-boiled style defined the film noir genre. His work is stamped on classics including The Big Sleep (based on his novel), Double Indemnity, and Strangers on a Train.

Track my film journey: I rate and review 400+ movies every year. Follow my personal diary for a daily glimpse into what I watch for this project and beyond.

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I’m not the first to coin the term Black Noir Friday, but this bleak shoppers holiday does seem like a particularly good excuse to celebrate a noir film, whether you’re a film buff or a casual watcher.

So, to partake in the season, I wanted to share the noirs I watched this November as well as my all-time favorites.

I actually didn’t get around to a lot of noirs this month (oops), so I included the neo-noir I saw, plus a pre-noir.

This Noirvember I watched (my ratings are out of 5):

1. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) 4.5 stars — Not really considered a noir, but served as inspiration for many to come. It’s technically a sequel to Fritz Lang’s Dr. Mabuse, The Gambler (1922), which in itself was a two-part crime story, clocking in at nearly 5 hours long. You don’t need to watch that silent in order to enjoy Testament. The film has a little bit of everything - romance, violence, drugs, hallucination, psychology, suicide, mystery, action.

2. Raw Deal (1948) 4 stars — This has more of the raw noir sensibilities, but what’s fun about it is that its a travel/chase noir, where the locations are constantly changing as our heroes are on the move. It’s really well directed with some good tension.

3. Deadline at Dawn (1946) 3.5 stars — Criterion calls this a “blackout noir” because of the amnesia theme (in this case, after a night of drinking). I liked how it took a team of people helping the protagonist solve the mystery. Kinda has Scooby-Doo vibes that way, but obviously in a darker, less silly way.

4. Fracture (2007) 3.5 stars — This one is kind of like All Good Things (2010), with Anthony Hopkins taking the role of Ryan Gosling’s character. It’s part mystery/thriller, part courtroom drama. Pretty fun neo-noir.

5. All Through the Night (1942) 3 stars — Pretty unique noir that also balances comedy, gangster, and war themes. Humphrey Bogart is enjoyable to watch and Peter Lorre is, as always, a terrific bad guy. The movie looks good and is well directed.

Tonight, I’ll celebrate Noir Friday by watching Sudden Fear (1952). Wish me luck!

Where to watch: If you’re trying to find where these films are streaming, check out Reelgood or (better yet) sign up for a Letterboxd Pro account, which tells you exactly which services carry each film.

Dive into the real meat of noir tonight, with one of my top 25 favorite film noirs:

1. Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

2. Out of the Past (1947)

3. The Third Man (1949)

4. Touch of Evil (1958)

5. Night and the City (1950)

6. The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

7. High and Low (1963)

8. Blast of Silence (1961)

9. Notorious (1946)

10. Brute Force (1947)

11. Naked City (1948)

12. The Killers (1946)

13. Kiss of Death (1947)

14. Criss Cross (1949)

15. Rififi (1955)

16. White Heat (1949)

17. Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950)

18. The Big Heat (1953)

19. Crime Wave (1953)

20. Murder By Contract (1958)

21. Murder, My Sweet (1944)

22. The Big Clock (1948)

23. Human Desire (1954)

24. The Killing (1956)

25. Strangers on a Train (1951)

All My Favorite Film Noirs on Letterboxd

Stay tuned for my 1959 almanac entry this coming Tuesday, 12/02, where I’ll cover the interesting facts of that fascinating year in film, including films like Some Like It Hot, North By Northwest, and Ben-Hur.

Here I’ve rounded up my seven Thanksgiving picks. Some may seem obvious to those of you who have that one go-to for the season, but hopefully, a few will be a fun, enlightening realization.

1. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) - Streaming on Disney+

This is the one I actually hope will be obvious to most. Released in 2009, this stop-motion film directed by Wes Anderson and written by Anderson and fellow filmmaker/collaborator Noah Baumbach is a feast for the eyes. The color scheme alone screams Thanksgiving. There is a rich family theme, complete with a feast (seen below), yet it is also an action heist film, an underdog story, and a morality tale regarding the value of family over material wealth. What’s more, it’s fun for the whole family. Kids can relate to the story and appreciate the gorgeous animation, while adults will like the insider humor. Fantastic Mr. Fox is my “watch without fail” annual Thanksgiving film.

2. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) - Streaming on Kanopy

Getting the most obvious out of the way, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is one of the all-time greatest comedies—full stop. The great John Hughes wrote, produced, and directed this film in 1987 in between making Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) and Uncle Buck (1989)—not to mention the classics before those—topping off one of the greatest film careers of the 1980s. Besides being ably directed, Planes is so beautifully written it is capable of making you cry on multiple levels throughout. Watch out for the kiddos, though, because Steve Martin says an amount of F-words that would make Tarantino blush. The real beauty of the film is the relationship between Martin and John Candy, specifically in one particularly heartbreaking scene. The Thanksgiving feel pays off in spades at the end. Candy pulls off the performance of a lifetime.

3. Free Birds (2013) - Streaming on Kanopy

Here’s a kid-friendly one that should be very obvious for Thanksgiving but has seemed to fall under the radar since its 2013 release. The critics didn’t like it, but I found it to be very funny with a great holiday concept. Owen Wilson, Amy Poehler, and Woody Harrelson work as a solid voice cast. It’s an easy one to throw on for the kids and pop in and out of while doing food prep.

4. The New World (2005) - Streaming on Kanopy

Terrence Malick’s The New World is decidedly not for the kiddos. This is for those who really want to feel the original spirit of Thanksgiving. The New World digs into the story of the early English settlers and their relationships with the Powhatan people—the story of John Smith and Pocahontas. So, no, these are not the Plymouth, Massachusetts, pilgrims; this is Jamestown, Virginia. The Thanksgiving aspect here is all about the history (adjacent), the vibes, and the poetic imagery. It is more meditative in tone, so you need to be prepared to soak in the beauty and feel the roughness of early America. It isn’t an annual watch, nor a family flick, but it’s an absolute must-see.

5. The Taste of Things (2024) - Streaming Hulu

I watched The Taste of Things in January this year and was immediately floored, knowing it would be a favorite film of the year. Well, here we are nearing December and this certainly makes my list of favorite films watched in 2025. It’s a beautiful, sumptuous film. Be prepared to get hungry—you can practically smell the food. The Taste of Things is sexy, delicious, romantic—it’s practically gluttonous. This is food porn filmmaking made for Thanksgiving.

6. Babette’s Feast (1987) - Streaming on HBO Max/Criterion Channel

Much of what is said about The Taste of Things can be said about Babette’s Feast. Both are what food dreams are made of. Think cinematic, narrative, sexier Chef’s Table (Netflix). Though Babette’s is less sexy and more spiritual—sublime, even. It really is nearly a religious experience to watch. It can be funny and it’s full of life and love. Unsurprisingly, it made a Vatican list of important films. It’s a gorgeous movie to look at—the cinematography, like The Taste, is terrific. If you want some “foodspiration” this Thanksgiving, these last two films are perfection.

7. Dutch (1991) - Not currently available on streaming

I mention Dutch last because it’s so hard to locate. This John Hughes film, though not billed as such, does have some serious Thanksgiving themes, both implicitly and explicitly. I remember loving it as a kid who dealt with stepdads most of my childhood and who could also be a huge brat. Dutch didn’t do well with critics, but it’s one worth revisiting because the film has a really big heart. It could be a fun one to watch with the teens over the holidays.

Honorable Mentions

• The Ice Storm - Not just a dark comedy, but a bleak comedy.

• Scent of a Woman - A classic that takes place over Thanksgiving weekend.

I haven’t seen these, but I’ve heard they’re decent Thanksgiving flicks:

• Pieces of April - Update: I just watched this (on Thanksgiving evening no less) with my wife and 13 year old son and we all loved it! We laughed out loud and I cried at the end, if that tells you anything. The balance of humor, dysfunction, and heart is well done. Word of caution that it’s filmed in early digital video, so the picture quality isn’t quite up to par, but it works! This would have made the list if I had already seen it. Solid Thanksgiving movie!

• Home for the Holidays

• Hannah and Her Sisters

Want to keep track of these for your holiday watchlist? I’ve compiled every film mentioned here, including the honorable mentions, into a handy list:

My Thanksgiving Films on Letterboxd

As my appreciation for cinema grew deeper, I found myself looking for a “Film Almanac.” I pored over books both old and new. I scoured websites. I found endless databases, lists, and AI chatbots that could spit out data, but I never found the resource I actually wanted: A curated, satisfyingly browseable history of film, organized year by year.

So, I decided to build it myself.

I’m Kevin Ryan. By day, I’m an assistant television editor (currently at Jimmy Kimmel Live!) with over 20 years and 2,500 television episodes of experience in Hollywood. By night, I am a husband, father, and film obsessive who watches over 400 movies a year.

I am building this for the cinephiles, the stats nerds, and anyone who enjoys deeper context for the films they watch.

The Mission

Ryan’s Film Almanac is a long-term project to create one entry for every single year in the history of cinema. From the experimental flickering images of the late 19th century to the blockbusters of today, I am slowly compiling a complete Almanac of film.

How It Works

To keep the project fresh for both myself and my readers, the years will not be released chronologically. One week we might dive into the silent era; the next, we might dissect the New Hollywood of the 1970s. We will jump back and forth across 13 decades of movie history, connecting the dots between the eras.

Beyond the Years

While the history entries are the flagship, this newsletter is also a home for everything else I love about movies. You can expect:

• Curated Lists: Rankings of Noir, Horror, Westerns, and Screwball Comedies, backed by research rather than algorithms.

• The Cinephile Life: Celebrating the obsession beyond the screen—from physical media appreciation and essential film book recommendations to TCM deep dives and monthly watch diaries.

• And MORE: I’ll be mixing in plenty of nerdy film fun, including watch challenges, Oscar analysis, current industry news, and interviews.

My ultimate wish is that one day, when all the entries are complete and perfected, this collection can be published into that physical armchair companion I’ve always wanted.

Thank you for embarking on this journey with me!