Movie of the Year 1930-2015? What are you talking about? Well let me tell you. Over the last 5 years we have written many movie pages on many different subjects. Since 2011 we have done a yearly page that looks at every major movie release. Last year we tracked 166 movies. We tracked three major categories of information: (1) Domestic and worldwide box office grosses. (2) Critic reviews and audience voting…. and (3) Award Recognition….namely Golden Globe® and Oscar® nominations and wins. Once we gather all of these information…we use the three main categories to rank the movies. To do well in the rankings a movie needs to do well in all three categories. Last year, despite winning 0 Oscars®….The Martian ended up being our Movie of the Year. So how did The Martian get the Top Spot? The Martian was the 8th biggest box office hit of the year, it was 9th best reviewed movie of the year, it picked up 7 Oscar® nominations and won a Golden Globe® for Best Comedy of the Year…yes Comedy….that is not a misprint.
Originally we were going to do a table with only the UMR Movie of the Year. After some debut, we figured it would be better to include the Best Picture Oscar® Winner, the Best Reviewed Movie of the Year, the Biggest Box Office Hit of the Year and the UMR Movie of the Year. So for each year listed you could have 4 different movies or you could only have 1 movie for the year.
Movie of the Year 1930-2016 Table
- Column One is the year the movie was tracked
- Column Two is the Best Picture Oscar® Winner
- Column Three is the Best Reviewed (critics & audiences) Movie of the Year
- Column Four is the Biggest Domestic Box Office Hit fo the Year
- Column Five is the UMR Movie of the Year (combines box office, reviews & awards)
| Year | Oscar Winning Best Picture | Movie With Best Reviews | Movie With Best Box Office | Top Rated UMR Movie | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | The Shape of Water (2017) | Coco (2017) | Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) | Dunkirk (2017) | |
| 2016 | Moonlight (2016) | Moonlight (2016) | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) | La La Land (2016) | |
| 2015 | Spotlight (2015) | Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) | Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) | The Martian (2015) | |
| 2014 | Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) | Whiplash (2014) | American Sniper (2014) | American Sniper (2014) | |
| 2013 | 12 Years A Slave (2013) | Before Midnight (2013) | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) | Gravity (2013) | |
| 2012 | Argo (2012) | Moonrise Kingdom (2012) | The Avengers (2012) | Lincoln (2012) | |
| 2011 | The Artist (2011) | Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) | Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) | The Help (2011) | |
| 2010 | The King's Speech (2010) | How To Train Your Dragon (2010) | Toy Story 3 (2010) | Toy Story 3 (2010) | |
| 2009 | The Hurt Locker (2008) | Up (2009) | Avatar (2009) | Avatar (2009) | |
| 2008 | Slumdog Millionaire (2008) | The Dark Knight (2008) | The Dark Knight (2008) | Slumdog Millionaire (2008) | |
| 2007 | No Country for Old Men (2007) | No Country for Old Men (2007) | Spider-Man 3 (2007) | Juno (2007) | |
| 2006 | The Departed (2006) | The Departed (2006) | P.O.T.C. Dead Man's Chest (2006) | The Departed (2006) | |
| 2005 | Crash (2005) | Good Night And Good Luck (2005) | Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005) | Brokeback Mountain (2005) | |
| 2004 | Million Dollar Baby (2004) | The Incredibles (2004) | Shrek 2 (2004) | Million Dollar Baby (2004) | |
| 2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) | Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003) | |
| 2002 | Chicago (2002) | L.O.T.R. The Two Towers (2002) | Spider-Man (2002) | Chicago (2002) | |
| 2001 | A Beautiful Mind (2001) | Spirited Away (2001) | Harry Potter & Sorcerer's Stone (2001) | A Beautiful Mind (2001) | |
| 2000 | Gladiator (2000) | Memento (2000) | How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) | Gladiator (2000) | |
| 1999 | American Beauty (1999) | Fight Club (1999) | Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) | American Beauty (1999) | |
| 1998 | Shakespeare in Love (1998) | Saving Private Ryan (1998) | Saving Private Ryan (1998) | Saving Private Ryan (1998) | |
| 1997 | Titanic (1997) | L.A. Confidential (1997) | Titanic (1997) | Titanic (1997) | |
| 1996 | The English Patient (1996) | Fargo (1996) | Indepence Day (1996) | Jerry Maguire (1996) | |
| 1995 | Braveheart (1995) | Toy Story (1995) | Toy Story (1995) | Apollo 13 (1995) | |
| 1994 | Forrest Gump (1994) | Pulp Fiction (1994) | The Lion King (1994) | Forrest Gump (1994) | |
| 1993 | Schindler's List (1993) | Schindler's List (1993) | Jurassic Park (1993) | Schindler's List (1993) | |
| 1992 | Unforgiven (1992) | Reservoir Dogs (1992) | Aladdin (1992) | Unforgiven (1992) | |
| 1991 | The Silence of the Lambs (1991) | The Silence of the Lambs (1991) | Terminator 2 (1991) | The Silence of the Lambs (1991) | |
| 1990 | Dances with Wolves (1990) | Good Fellas (1990) | Home Alone (1990) | Dances with Wolves (1990) | |
| 1989 | Driving Miss Daisy (1989) | Say Anthing....(1989) | Batman (1989) | Driving Miss Daisy (1989) | |
| 1988 | Rain Man (1988) | Big (1988) | Rain Man (1988) | Rain Man (1988) | |
| 1987 | The Last Emperor (1987) | Full Metal Jacket (1987) | Three Men And A Baby (1987) | Moonstruck (1987) | |
| 1986 | Platoon (1986) | Aliens (1986) | Top Gun (1986) | Platoon (1986) | |
| 1985 | Out of Africa (1985) | Brazil (1985) | Back To The Future (1985) | The Color Purple (1985) | |
| 1984 | Amadeus (1984) | The Terminator (1984) | Ghostbusters (1984) | Amadeus (1984) | |
| 1983 | Terms of Endearment (1983) | The Right Stuff (1983) | Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) | Terms of Endearment (1983) | |
| 1982 | Gandhi (1982) | E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) | E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) | E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) | |
| 1981 | Chariots of Fire (1981) | Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) | Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) | Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) | |
| 1980 | Ordinary People (1980) | Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) | Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) | Ordinary People (1980) | |
| 1979 | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) | Apocalypse Now (1979) | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) | |
| 1978 | The Deer Hunter (1978) | The Deer Hunter (1978) | Grease (1978) | The Deer Hunter (1978) | |
| 1977 | Annie Hall (1977) | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) | |
| 1976 | Rocky (1976) | Taxi Driver (1976) | Rocky (1976) | Rocky (1976) | |
| 1975 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) | Jaws (1975) | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) | |
| 1974 | The Godfather: Part II (1974) | Chinatown (1974) | Blazing Saddles (1974) | Godfather: Part II, The (1974) | |
| 1973 | The Sting (1973) | American Graffiti (1973) | The Exorcist (1973) | The Sting (1973) | |
| 1972 | The Godfather (1972) | The Godfather (1972) | The Godfather (1972) | The Godfather (1972) | |
| 1971 | The French Connection (1971) | The Last Picture Show (1971) | Love Story (1971) | The French Connection (1971) | |
| 1970 | Patton (1970) | Patton (1970) | Airport (1970) | Patton (1970) | |
| 1969 | Midnight Cowboy (1969) | The Wild Bunch (1969) | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) | |
| 1968 | Oliver! (1968) | 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) | 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) | 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) | |
| 1967 | In The Heat of The Night (1967) | Cool Hand Luke (1967) | The Graduate (1967) | Bonnie and Clyde (1967) | |
| 1966 | A Man for All Seasons (1966) | The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (1966) | Hawaiii (1966) | A Man for All Seasons (1966) | |
| 1965 | The Sound of Music (1965) | Doctor Zhivago (1965) | The Sound of Music (1965) | Sound of Music, The (1965) | |
| 1964 | My Fair Lady (1964) | Dr. Strangelove (1964) | Mary Poppins (1964) | My Fair Lady (1964) | |
| 1963 | Tom Jones (1963) | The Great Escape (1963) | Cleopatra (1963) | Tom Jones (1963) | |
| 1962 | Lawrence of Arabia (1962) | Lawrence of Arabia (1962) | Lawrence of Arabia (1962) | Lawrence of Arabia (1962) | |
| 1961 | West Side Story (1961) | Yojimbo (1961) | 101 Dalmatians (1961) | West Side Story (1961) | |
| 1960 | The Apartment (1960) | Psycho (1960) | Swiss Family Robinson (1960) | The Apartment (1960) | |
| 1959 | Ben-Hur (1959) | North By Northwest (1959) | Ben-Hur (1959) | Ben-Hur (1959) | |
| 1958 | Gigi (1958) | Vertigo (1958) | South Pacific (1958) | Gigi (1958) | |
| 1957 | The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) | 12 Angry Men (1957) | The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) | The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) | |
| 1956 | Around the World in 80 Days (1956) | The Searchers (1956) | The Ten Commandments (1956) | Around the World in 80 Days (1956) | |
| 1955 | Marty (1955) | The Night of the Hunter (1955) | The Lady and the Tramp (1955) | Mister Roberts (1955) | |
| 1954 | On the Waterfront (1954) | Rear Window (1954) | Rear Windown (1954) | On the Waterfront (1954) | |
| 1953 | From Here to Eternity (1953) | Tokyo Story (1953) | The Robe (1953) | From Here to Eternity (1953) | |
| 1952 | The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) | Singin' In The Rain (1952) | The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) | High Noon (1952) | |
| 1951 | An American in Paris (1951) | Strangers on a Train (1951) | Quo Vadis? (1951) | An American in Paris (1951) | |
| 1950 | All About Eve (1950) | Sunset Blvd. (1950) | Cinderella (1950) | All About Eve (1950) | |
| 1949 | All the King's Men (1949) | White Heat (1949) | Samson & Delilah (1949) | Twelve O'Clock High (1949) | |
| 1948 | Hamlet (1948) | The Treasure of the Sierre Madre (1948) | The Red Shoes (1948) | Johnny Belinda (1948) | |
| 1947 | Gentleman's Agreement (1947) | Out Of The Past (1947) | Welcome Stranger (1947) | Gentleman's Agreement (1947) | |
| 1946 | The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) | It's A Wonderful Life (1946) | The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) | The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) | |
| 1945 | The Lost Weekend (1945) | The Lost Weekend (1945) | The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) | The Lost Weekend (1945) | |
| 1944 | Going My Way (1944) | Double Indemnity (1944) | Going My Way (1944) | Going My Way (1944) | |
| 1943 | Casablanca (1942) | Casablanca (1942) | This Is The Army (1943) | Casablanca (1942) | |
| 1942 | Mrs. Miniver (1942) | To Be Or Not To Be (1942) | Bambi (1942) | Mrs. Miniver (1942) | |
| 1941 | How Green Was My Valley (1941) | Citizen Kane (1941) | Sergeant York (1941) | How Green Was My Valley (1941) | |
| 1940 | Rebecca (1940) | The Philadelphia Story (1940) | Boom Town (1940) | Rebecca (1940) | |
| 1939 | Gone with the Wind (1939) | Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) | Gone with the Wind (1939) | Gone with the Wind (1939) | |
| 1938 | You Can't Take It with You (1938) | Angel With Dirty Faces (1938) | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938) | Boys Town (1938) | |
| 1937 | The Life of Emile Zola (1937) | Stage Door (1937) | Saratoga (1937) | The Life of Emile Zola (1937) | |
| 1936 | The Great Ziegfeld (1936) | Modern Times (1936) | San Franciso (1936) | Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) | |
| 1935 | Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) | Bride of Frankenstein (1935) | Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) | Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) | |
| 1934 | It Happened One Night (1934) | It Happened One Night (1934) | It Happened One Night (1934) | It Happened One Night (1934) | |
| 1933 | Cavalcade (1933) | King Kong (1933) | King Kong (1933) | Little Women (1933) | |
| 1932 | Grand Hotel (1932) | Scarface (1932) | Kid From Spain (1932) | Shanghai Express (1932) | |
| 1931 | Cimarron (1931) | City Lights (1931) | Palmy Days (1931) | City Lights (1931) | |
| 1930 | All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) | All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) | Whoopee (1930) | All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) |
Our Yearly Review Movie Pages
- 1939 Movies Ranked Best to Worst Our movie of the year? Gone With The Wind
- 1942 Movies Ranked Best to Worst Our movie of the year? Mrs. Miniver
- 1946 Movies Ranked Best to Worst Our movie of the year? The Best Years of Our Lives
- 1952 Movies Ranked Best to Worst Our movie of the year? Greatest Show on Earth
- 2011 Movies Ranked Best to Worst Our movie of the year? The Help
- 2012 Movies Ranked Best to Worst Our movie of the year? Lincoln
- 2013 Movies Ranked Best to Worst Our movie of the year? Gravity
- 2014 Movies Ranked Best to Worst Our movie of the year? American Sniper
- 2015 Movies Ranked Best to Worst Our movie of the year? The Martian
One day we hope to do every year….so far our progress has been very very slow moving.
Dunkirk is a fine selection. No arguments from me.
I LOVE IT!!!! well thought out. your umrs are so great I wish you had listed them in each column to sort by. thanks for another great job. are all your lists on site index? I enjoy reading your articles.
Hey bob. Glad you like this page. It was a fun one to put together. I will update it when WoC gets through doing some more magic on the program. I can add links to the years we have pages on…when I do that update. Looking at the list, I feel the Top UMR movie is usually “spot on”. I do not see a single movie that looks insanely wrong.
This will not be a page that will need a “dynamic” update. Thanks for checking out one of our “Bill James” style movie reports.
Hey bob….took a lot longer than I thought….but I finally got this page updated…..also redoing the site index….which will hopefully make it easier to find our “Bill James type pages”.
Cogerson
This chart popped up on the comments page and so I focused on it for the first time. These are very interesting lists and I enjoyed going through them. Comments–
1—–I have to see “To Be Determined”–sounds like an interesting Oscar winner.
2—–Noticed as Steve did that only three films swept all four categories–It Happened One Night, Lawrence of Arabia, and The Godfather.
3—–I also think your UMR list is better than the Oscar winning list.
4—–Still there are some strange movies of the year on the UMR list–Little Women over King Kong in 1933? Boys Town over Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs? Johnny Belinda edging out The Red Shoes? Just interestingly–how did Little Women end up ahead of King Kong when Kong has the best reviews and the best box office. Little Women didn’t win a major Oscar, so just a nomination makes it picture of the year? Other than extreme Katherine Hepburn buffs, who watches it today? King Kong on the other hand is an iconic film.
5—–I noticed the spectacular box office performance by Clark Gable from 1934 to 1940 when he was in six of the top box office films over seven years. He also had three pictures of the year. A unique run.
Anyway, on the whole excellent work on an intriguing idea.
Hey John…glad you liked this page…it is one of the ones I visit all the time. This time next week I think To Be Determined will be getting replaced by La La Land…actually all of the 2016 movies will be replaced…Deadpool did a great job of holding on to the Top Spot….but those days are over….as La La Land has topped that one.
As for the strange UMR movies on top….this is only movies in my database versus all movies…that might explain some of it. As for King Kong, I will have to check out those numbers later today. I know Little Women got a Best Picture nomination and Kong did not…both got great reviews and were massive hits. So it was close.
Glad this page has gotten some attention from somebody other than me…..lol.
Interesting
Thank you Sara
How Do I actually declare exactly what a relief to search out one who in fact knows about what they’re speaking about on the internet. You actually realize how to bring in a challenge to sunshine and then make it important. Lots more people really need to understand this not to mention understand this particular aspect of the editorial.
Thanks for the kind words Donna G.