What's the Best Decade for Movies?

Westerns, film noir, superheroes, romance. What do all these themes have in common? They are prevalent movie genres from decades in the past that have drawn viewers to screens since the 1910s. While some claim there is one best decade for movies, this article will dive into the past and see not only prevalent themes but also the importance of having differing decades to appreciate.

Is There a Best Decades for Movies?

While you may be able to claim there is a best decade for movies, often, these declarations are based on opinion. In reality, each decade has great movies to choose from and certain themes that are popular during the decade. This can be due to past decades, but more often, themes are determined based on world events, like war movies popping up when real-life conflict is occurring.

Below is a list of decades from the 1910s to today, their most prevalent movie genres, and feature films that premiered. While none of these can be unanimously considered the best, they each bring new concepts to the archive of film history that will never be forgotten.

1910s

The 1910s, also the beginning of the Golden Age for films, could also be the best decade for movies due to technological and stylistic innovation in the field. All over the world, many themes were explored to create new and exciting entertainment. Historical films were popular in Italy, with epics like Cabiria being critically acclaimed. Max Linder created a comic persona that influenced Charlie Chaplin’s work in silent films, and episodic crime films were pioneered by Victorin Jasset in the Nick Carter series.

Featured Films:

Frankenstein (1910)
Cabiria (1914)
Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916)
The Immigrant (1917)
A Dog’s Life (1918)

1920s

Along with flappers and prohibition, the 1920s were a time of cultural and social change, which was reflected in the film industry’s mood. Hollywood symbolized the new morality, which was a mix of extravagance, hedonism, and fun. While the film industry did celebrate beauty, several darker films hinted at the inner workings of being human and finding beauty in unexpected places.

Featured Films:

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922)
Sherlock Jr. (1924)
The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
Metropolis (1927)

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1930s

The 1930s was the peak of the Golden Age, putting out a range of movie genres for all moviegoers to enjoy, making this a great choice for the best decade for movies. Some important themes that ran in the theaters included escapism from the hardships of the Great Depression, women’s independence, and social or political ideas. This gave birth to monster movies like Dracula, gangster films, comedies such as the Marx Brothers, musicals like The Wizard of Oz, and epic romances like Gone with the Wind.

Featured Films:

City Lights (1931)
King Kong (1933)
It Happened One Night (1934)
Gone with the Wind (1939)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)

1940s

Plunged into World War II, there were varying themes in the 1940s film scene depending on the year and the genre. During the war, Hollywood created films like Casablanca, Mrs. Miniver, The Road to Morocco, and Yankee Doodle Dandy to support war efforts. After the war, though, the mood of the country shifted to pessimism and paranoia, bringing around movies like Kiss of Death, Caught, and Force of Evil. Finally, the Cold War increased paranoia tendencies and led to a Hollywood Blacklist, with possible communist influence in movies.

Featured Films:

Citizen Kane (1941)
Casablanca (1942)
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
The Big Sleep (1946)
The Red Shoes (1948)

1950s

As the Cold War slowed down, the movie industry picked up where it left off, branching into various genres that opened viewer’s eyes to new and familiar worlds. Some films looked at the pressure of conformity, while others dived into espionage and even the fabled Westerns with John Wayne and James Stewart. The biggest genre during the 1950s was science fiction, bringing about films like The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Thing from Another World, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Not only did they transport viewers to a new place, they played on fears of nuclear technology and Communist invasion.

Featured Films:

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
12 Angry Men (1957)
Vertigo (1958)
North by Northwest (1959)

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1960s

The 1960s were marked by the civil rights movements, the Vietnam War, and other social issues like women’s liberation and gay rights. Many films during the time reflected these issues, with some featuring anti-establishment themes. This was also the age of counterculture, sexual freedom, and rock music, with the famed Woodstock festival being at the forefront.

Featured Films:

Psycho (1960)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

1970s

Social and political commentary in movies continued into the 1970s, finding its place in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, All the President’s Men, and Network, as they touched upon the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, civil rights, etc. There were also emerging themes of love, pride, and greed, most prominently shown in the film series The Godfather with a Mafia boss played by Marlon Brando.

Featured Films:

A Clockwork Orange (1972)
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest (1975)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Rocky (1976)
Halloween (1978)

1980s

As technology continued to improve in making blockbuster films, the genres presented in theaters also changed. The 1980s brought around the Golden Age of the action genre, with movies like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, and Predator quickly becoming box office hits. The 80s also brought about a resurgence in the science fiction genre, as the movies explored the insecurity around new technology like The Terminator. Finally, the 80s were a time of immense imagination, bringing to life creatures like aliens, robots, monsters, demons, ghosts, spaceships, and fantasy lands.

Featured Films:

The Outsiders (1983)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
The Goonies (1985)
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Dead Poets Society (1989)

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1990s

As AIDS and terrorism increased in the 1990s, so too did action movies on the big screen, as they provided a brief escape for viewers. Actors and actresses performed in both recognizable genres and pushed the boundaries of films to explore what was possible in the industry. This led to a variety of genres being pushed out, from Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands to the teenage hit Clueless.

Featured Films:

Edward Scissorhands (1990)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Clueless (1995)
Scream (1996)
Good Will Hunting (1997)

2000s

While other decades touched upon the fantasy genre, the 2000s took the award of the best decade for movies set in other worlds, with several film franchises hitting theaters like The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Chronicles of Narnia. Other popular genres contained survival or man versus the wild ideas, like Gladiator or Castaway.

Featured Films:

American Psycho (2000)
Gladiator (2000)
The Notebook (2004)
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
The Hangover (2009)

2010s

Not that long ago, the 2010s was a decade packed with the rise of horror, the expansion of the superhero genre, and the exploration of Black cinema. The Marvel Cinematic Universe dominated the superhero world, with blockbusters including The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Black Panther, and Avengers: Endgame. Horror used reasonable budgets to create films well received by critics like Get Out, Hereditary, Midsommar, A Quiet Place, and Raw, while the presence of Black cinema and representation become more significant than ever before.

Featured Films:

Shutter Island (2010)
Hugo (2011)
Interstellar (2014)
La La Land (2016)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)

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Today, or the 2020s

While the 2020s are far from over, there have already been several hit films in both new and returning franchises. Superheroes are still very much at the forefront of action movies, both in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Universe. Old films have finally gotten sequels with both Top Gun: Maverick and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, while other films break not only boundaries but award counts too in Poor Things and Oppenheimer.

Featured Films:

Smile (2022)
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Poor Things (2023)
Barbie (2023)
Oppenheimer (2023)

The Beauty of Movies

Whether your favorite movies came out this year or a hundred, there is something special about everyone that keeps us coming back for more. While there really isn’t a best decade for movies, the creation of motion pictures and film was one of the biggest accomplishments for entertainment today. So, if you want to watch a western, film noir, superhero, or horror movie, dive into your favorite decade of movies and enjoy.