Why I’m Chronicling Film History, One Year at a Time
Building the browseable, armchair companion that the internet forgot.
I grew up loving armchair reference books like the Times World Almanac and the Guinness World Records books. There was something satisfying about holding years of history in your hands—curated, organized, and definitive.
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!