My top ten list each year is generated almost automatically. I take the film I rated highest over the year and then eliminate some of the films tied for the tenth position if there is more than one. There are a few problems with this process. First, living in the wilds of Central New Jersey and not being a professional reviewer, I frequently will not see a December release until February, when it is really too late to make my top ten list for the previous year. A lot of these films rated high in the heat of the moment and because there was little competition I saw that year, but are something of an embarrassment now. (Did I really think ROSEWOOD was a good film?)
Here is the list of lists in reverse chronological order:
Top Ten of the Last Century
- SCHINDLER'S LIST
- A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
- LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
- THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING
- THE PATHS OF GLORY
- THE KILLING FIELDS
- SPARTACUS
- KING KONG
- INHERIT THE WIND
- STAR WARS: EPISODE IV
Top Ten Films of 2007
- AWAY FROM HER
- THE KITE RUNNER
- INTO THE WILD
- STARDUST
- GOLDA'S BALCONY
- EASTERN PROMISES
- THE NAMESAKE
- GONE BABY GONE
- BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA
- SWEENEY TODD
Top Ten Films of 2006
- WATER
- THE PRESTIGE
- SOPHIE SCHOLL: THE LAST DAYS
- NOTES ON A SCANDAL
- THE HIDDEN BLADE
- CASINO ROYALE
- MUNICH
- THE DEPARTED
- THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA
- THE NEW WORLD
Top Ten Films of 2005
- THE CONSTANT GARDENER
- DOWNFALL
- GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK
- BEE SEASON
- EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED
- MRS HENDERSON PRESENTS
- CRASH
- KING KONG (2005)
- THE GREAT WATER
- CAPOTE
Top Ten Films of 2004
- HOTEL RWANDA
- ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
- MARIA FULL OF GRACE
- FINDING NEVERLAND
- Z CHANNEL: A MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION
- KINSEY
- STAGE BEAUTY
- RAY
- TOUCHING THE VOID
- HERO
Top Ten Films of 2003
- SHATTERED GLASS
- HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
- PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
- WINGED MIGRATION
- THE FOG OF WAR
- MONSTER
- MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
- MYSTIC RIVER
- WHALE RIDER
- BIG FISH
Top Ten Films of 2002
- THE GREY ZONE
- THE PIANIST
- WE WERE SOLDIERS
- MINORITY REPORT
- MIYAZAKI'S SPIRITED AWAY
- THE QUIET AMERICAN
- ADAPTATION
- GANGS OF NEW YORK
- THE ROAD TO PERDITION
- ABOUT SCHMIDT
Top Ten Films of 2001
- LORD OF THE RINGS
- MEMENTO
- A BEAUTIFUL MIND
- A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
- WIT
- THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE
- HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCEROR'S STONE
- THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE
- HEIST
- SHREK
Top Ten Films of 2000
- THE CONTENDER
- TITUS
- SUNSHINE
- THE EMPEROR AND THE ASSASSIN
- CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
- GLADIATOR
- TITAN A.E.
- SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE
- HEY! RAM
- O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?
Top Ten Films of 1999
- BEING JOHN MALKOVICH
- STAR WARS EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE
- OCTOBER SKY
- CRADLE WILL ROCK
- AMERICAN BEAUTY
- THE RED VIOLIN
- COOKIE'S FORTUNE
- TOPSY TURVY
- THREE KINGS
- THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
Top Ten Films of 1998
- RETURN TO PARADISE
- SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
- SMOKE SIGNALS
- THE TRUMAN SHOW
- GODS AND MONSTERS
- DEEP IMPACT
- LAST NIGHT
- MULAN
- THE GIRAFFE
- 23
Top Ten Films of 1997
- L. A. CONFIDENTIAL
- THE ICE STORM
- CONTACT
- THE SWEET HEREAFTER
- ROSEWOOD
- AMISTAD
- EVITA
- EVE'S BAYOU
- WINGS OF THE DOVE
- CHASING AMY
Top Ten Films of 1996
- RICHARD III
- ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED
- BREAKING THE WAVES
- THE CRUCIBLE
- FARGO
- LONE STAR
- HEAVY
- TWO DAYS IN THE VALLEY
- LOOKING FOR RICHARD
- MICROCOSMOS
Top Ten Films of 1995
- APOLLO 13
- PRIEST
- LEAVING LAS VEGAS
- CASINO
- LEGENDS OF THE FALL
- DEAD MAN WALKING
- DEATH AND THE MAIDEN
- CITY OF LOST CHILDREN
- MURDER IN THE FIRST
- THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Top Ten of 1994
- THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
- QUIZ SHOW
- LEGENDS OF THE FALL
- HOOP DREAMS
- PULP FICTION
- A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
- CRONOS
- DOOMSDAY GUN
- HEAVENLY CREATURES
- THE LAST SEDUCTION
Top Ten Films of 1993
- SCHINDLER'S LIST
- GETTYSBURG
- JURASSIC PARK
- AND THE BAND PLAYED ON
- THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
- IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER
- THE JOY LUCK CLUB
- MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
- INDOCHINE
- UN COEUR EN HIVER
Top Ten of 1992
- LORENZO'S OIL
- THE CRYING GAME
- GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
- FAR AND AWAY
- UNFORGIVEN
- THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS
- PRELUDE TO A KISS
- DEAD AHEAD
- HOWARD'S END
- ENCHANTED APRIL
Top Ten of 1991
- CYRANO DE BERGERAC
- BARTON FINK
- HOMICIDE
- IRON AND SILK
- PROSPERO'S BOOKS
- SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
- THE ROCKETEER
- BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- OSCAR
- OBJECT OF BEAUTY
Top Ten of 1990
- MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON
- AVALON
- DANCES WITH WOLVES
- GOODFELLAS
- REVERSAL OF FORTUNE
- AWAKENINGS
- THE GODFATHER PART III
- FLATLINERS
- EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
- THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE & HER LOVER
Top Ten of 1989
- THE ABYSS
- FIELD OF DREAMS
- BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY
- PARENTHOOD
- THE BEAR
- ROGER & ME
- BLAZE
- INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE
- DO THE RIGHT THING
- GLORY
Top Ten of 1988
- A DANGEROUS LIFE
- DANGEROUS LIAISONS
- MISSISSIPPI BURNING
- LADY IN WHITE
- THE DECEIVERS
- TUCKER
- THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING
- GORILLAS IN THE MIST
- CROSSING DELANCY
- STAND AND DELIVER
Top Ten of 1987
- EMPIRE OF THE SUN
- MATEWAN
- HOPE AND GLORY
- THE LAST EMPEROR
- HANOI HILTON
- HOUSE OF GAMES
- PRICK UP YOUR EARS
- BROADCAST NEWS
- RAISING ARIZONA
- FULL METAL JACKET
Top Ten of 1986
- A GREAT WALL
- LABYRINTH
- MONA LISA
- MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDERETTE
- STAR TREK IV
- Next Five
- THE COLOR OF MONEY
- LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
- PLATOON
- STAND BY ME
- A ROOM WITH A VIEW