Because of my strong love for watching films these days, I am embarking on a ongoing project. This project involves making a "Best of" list for films from each year from 1930 to today (2011 and future years to come). These lists are just to compare with major critics' lists and the nominees for Best Picture, as well as their rating on RT.

Now the reason I am starting with 1930, and I do apologize to those you who are big fans of these movies, I am not such a big fan of silent films. I think they are okay and I don't care for watching them. I find there soundless features to be uninteresting. Although some of the subsequent years (1930 and after) do have some silent films. It doesn't mean I won't watch silent films period. I just find them currently hard to sit through.

Anyways, this how my top five evaluation methods go. First, any film that makes my top five has to score 4, 4.5, or 5 stars out of 5 (80%, 90%, and 100% on RT respectively) from me. Films that are less than 4 stars for me don't cut it. Second, all of these top five years are preliminary. Note list is set in stone for any year. I may see a film that could shift the rankings. Finally, no top 5 for a year is appropriate without me watching the Best Picture winner. Some years, the Best Picture easily makes the top 5. Others, not so much.

I started this project approximately six months ago and for a number of years, I have already completed a top 5. In fact, it's at least half. I have a top 5 for 1937, 1939 through to 1976, 1979, 1999, and 2010, which comes to a sum total of 42. Though it seems easy, some of these years are quite hard to find a top 5, especially in the 1930's. Although there are some random years, such as 1977 which seem like it was not the best year for films. Some of these years, the top 5's do not include any films of which I have awarded 5 stars to (actually 1968 so far; I awarded 4.5 stars to the classic "2001: A Space Odyssey" and 4 Stars to "Rosemary's Baby" and I have not seen "Planet of the Apes" yet). Some years are compiled of films in which all were not nominated for Best Picture (this does not mean, however, the nominees weren't bad). Some years are compiled of only 5 star films, of which I have loved all the movies I had watched. I call these years "Blue Ribbon" years (don't ask why I came up with that name; it's just random). Here is an example of "Blue Ribbon" year (1960):

1. Pyscho

2. The Apartment

3. Peeping Tom

4. La Dolce Vita

5. Breathless (A Bout de Souffle)

There is actually a sixth great film from that year and thats "Inherit the Wind" but it got booted out by "Breathless." This, to me, an indication of a great year for films. This also indicates that not every film is safe.

Any type of film can make the top 5, from any genre (mystery and suspense, drama, comedy, western) to any type (live picture, documentary, animated) from any country (Japan, Sweden, Italy, Brazil). Anything is applicable.

Now this "top 5" project will hope be completed by the end of the year. I am not for certain, but I have a strong hunch. When I have completed this, I will start a top 10 project, which will last a long time. Again, the criteria is the same, with the exception of one rule: for a top 10 to be complete, I will have had to see all the nominees for Best Picture of that year, plus the recipients of the Best Actor and Actress in Leading Role performances. I have three years with top 10's, although two of them, I have not seen all the nominees. Those two years are 1946 and 1953. The year of the top 10 I have seen all the nominees is 1948 and the top 10 is as follows:

1. The Treasure of Sierra Madre

2. The Red Shoes

3. Red River

4. Hamlet

5. The Search

6. The Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di Biciclette)

7. Key Largo

8. Johnny Belinda

9. Rope

10. The Lady from Shanghai

The nominees for that year were "Hamlet" (winner), "The Treasure of Sierra Madre," "The Red Shoes," "Johnny Belinda," and "The Snake Pit." As you can see, "The Snake Pit" did no make the top 10, but it is still a pretty good film. There are actually only two years I have seen every Best Picture nominee: the other one is 1975 (winner of that year was "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest").

I have to admit I love lists and I love looking at "Best of" lists. Roger Ebert released a top 10 movies of each year starting 1967 (for which he started his career at the Chicago Sun Times newspaper). I was influenced and wanted to start my own. I encourage all you readers to do so as well, just for the fun of it. Whether the films are well known, good, bad, ugly, it doesn't matter. It is just so cool what you guys thought of certain movies in particular years.

I also wouldn't mind you guys giving me advice on this listing criteria or more movie recommendations. I have many films to watch, but the more to know about, the better.