What's Your Movie-Going History?
While driving around today, as is my occupation as a mild-mannered transport driver, I got to thinking of an interesting little personal experiment: Could I recall every single movie that I had seen in theaters throughout my entire 30-year life?
Also: Yes, I'm 30. But I digress.
I think it's safe to say that, after some scouring online for the history of box office releases, and with thanks in no small part to The-Numbers.com, I was able to trace the entire history of theatrical film releases in the U.S., cross-referencing with all of my theater experiences that I still retained in my conscious memory, in just a couple hours I was able to create a complete list of EVERY SINGLE MOVIE I HAD EVER SEEN IN THE THEATERS.
So let's not waste any more time and just show you.
This is what 30 years of an animation-&-comic-book geek's life amounts to:
1987:
Baby Boom
Like Father, Like Son
1988:
Willow
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Ernest Saves Christmas
The Naked Gun
1989:
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Ghostbusters II
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids
Uncle Buck
Look Who's Talking
The Little Mermaid
Prancer
1990:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Dick Tracy
Kindergarten Cop
Home Alone
1991:
King Ralph
Drop Dead Fred
The Rocketeer
The Naked Gun 2 1/2
1992:
Batman Returns
Honey, I Blew Up The Kid
Mr. Baseball
Under Siege
1993:
Army of Darkness
Super Mario Bros.
Jurassic Park
The Three Musketeers
Addams Family Values
Mrs. Doubtfire
Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit
1994:
D2: The Mighty Ducks
Angels in the Outfield
The Flintstones
Wyatt Earp
Baby's Day Out
Forrest Gump
Stargate
The War
The Santa Clause
Dumb and Dumber
1995:
A Little Princess
Casper
Batman Forever
Waterworld
Babe
Mortal Kombat
Goldeneye
Toy Story
1996:
Down Periscope
Sgt. Bilko
Barb Wire
Spy Hard
The Rock
Independence Day
Kingpin
Dear God
Space Jam
Mars Attacks!
1997:
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Face/Off
Men In Black
Kull the Conqueror
Starship Troopers
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
Alien: Resurrection
Star Wars: A New Hope (Special Edition)
Return of the Jedi (Special Edition)
1998:
Lost In Space
Godzilla
Armageddon
Small Soldiers
BASEketball
Blade
A Bug's Life
1999:
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Bringing Out The Dead
Princess Mononoke
Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigolo
Any Given Sunday
2000:
U-571
Gladiator
Mission: Impossible 2
X-Men
Digimon: The Movie
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
2001:
Pearl Harbor
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Cats & Dogs
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
Planet of the Apes
Rat Race
Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone
2002:
Ice Age
Resident Evil
Blade 2
The Scorpion King
Spider-Man
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
Lilo & Stitch
The Powerpuff Girls
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Jackass: The Movie
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Die Another Day
2003:
Dark Blue
Bringing Down the House
X-Men: X2
The Matrix Reloaded
Bruce Almighty
Hulk
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
S.W.A.T.
The Medallion
Once Upon A Time In Mexico
Kill Bill: Volume 1
The Last Samurai
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2004:
The Punisher
Van Helsing
Troy
The Chronicles of Riddick
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Spider-Man 2
AVP: Alien vs. Predator
Without A Paddle
Hero (Jet Li Film)
Team America: World Police
The Incredibles
2005:
Sin City
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
Batman Begins
Fantastic Four
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Transporter 2
The Corpse Bride
Doom
Walk the Line
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
2006:
Running Scared
Silent Hill
X-Men: The Last Stand
Superman Returns
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Clerks II
Miami Vice
Snakes On A Plane
Over The Hedge
Crank
Jackass: Number Two
Casino Royale
Night At The Museum
2007:
Smokin' Aces
Ghost Rider
300
TMNT
Spider-Man 3
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Surf's Up
Live Free or Die Hard
Transformers
War
Shoot Em' Up
2008:
Horton Hears A Who
Iron Man
Speed Racer
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Kung Fu Panda
The Incredible Hulk
WALL-E
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
The Dark Knight
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
The Transporter 3
2009:
Coraline
Watchmen
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Star Trek
Terminator Salvation
G-Force
District 9
9
Avatar
2010:
How To Train Your Dragon
Kick-Ass
The Losers
A Nightmare On Elm Street
Iron Man 2
Grown Ups
Predators
Inception
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Jackass 3D
Tron: Legacy
2011:
The Green Hornet
Rango
Thor
Kung Fu Panda 2
X-Men: First Class
Captain America: The First Avenger
The Adventures of Tintin
2012:
The Avengers
Prometheus
The Amazing Spider-Man
Dredd
Battleship
The Man With the Iron Fists
2013:
Evil Dead
Iron Man 3
Man of Steel
Pacific Rim
R.I.P.D.
Thor: The Dark World
2014:
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Godzilla
Guardians of the Galaxy
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
...You can probably tell which ones I chose to go see, and which ones I went to with family ...God, A Little Princess was so f***ing depressing...
Y'know, it's interesting to look at something like this as you make it, and then realize how much your own personal tastes were shaped over the years into what distinguishes yourself today. It's also a little disheartening to see how much my movie-going experience has dwindled in recent years... I should try and rekindle it a little.
But if you're seeing this post, I encourage you to try out this little experiment for yourself. Can you remember every movie you've ever seen when it first came out?
