The Moonlight Awards

Was 1975 the best year ever for movies? Everybody says 1939, but you can make a very strong case that film hit its peak right here. Tarkovsky triumped with Mirror; Steven Spielberg dropped Jaws; Stanley Kubrick returned with Barry Lyndon; Dog One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest swept the Oscars; Monty Python and Rocky Horror redefined the comedy, the musical, and the cult classic - and hovering above them all is Chantal Akerman's fascinating, hypnotic Jeanne Dielman, just feted by Sight & Sound as the greatest film ever made. But of all those great movies (and more), which one best stands the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, feminism, fops, faulty sharks, forgotten riots, and Fletcher - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best film of 1975. The nominees are Barry Lyndon, Dog Day Afternoon, Jaws, Jeanne Dielman, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Who wins the Moonlight? 

What's the best year ever for a director? Victor Fleming co-directed Gone With The Wind and The Wizard of Oz in 1939; Ingmar Bergman released Wild Strawberries and The Seventh Seal in 1957; and Steven Spielberg dropped both Jurassic Park and Schindler's List in 1993. They're all contenders, but 1974 may have them all beat: not only is this the year Francis Ford Coppola finished Godfather II and The Conversation, it's also the year Mel Brooks wrapped up both Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. Some folks are just overachievers.Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the greatest moments in comedy, mental illness, Germany's guestworker program, sisters, daughters, and the year's top headlines - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best film of 1974. (This time, we're also joined by historian Jennifer Miller - whose research focuses on that guestworker program, the backdrop of Fassbinder's "Ali: Fear Eats the Soul.") The nominees are Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, Chinatown, The Godfather: Part II, A Woman Under the Influence, and Young Frankenstein. Who wins the Moonlight? 

It's 1973, and it's a rough time in world and U.S. history. The Vietnam War is still raging, there's a massive oil shortage, and crime is rampant - even in the White House. So it's no surprise that our top films of '73 share a sort of unease about the present, channeled into horror (The Exorcist) or cynicism (Mean Streets) or nostalgia for the past (American Graffiti). They have that much in common - but which one film best stands the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, emerging directors, awkward fight scenes, rock soundtracks, cursed productions, and the hotness (or lack thereof) of Donald Sutherland - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best film of 1973. The nominees are American Graffiti, Badlands, Don't Look Now, The Exorcist, and Mean Streets. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Some years are easier than others. This time, we're tackling 1972, a year that has always been dominated by The Godfather. But while Brando and company are likely to take gold this time, it's still a fascinating battle for second - including a resurgence of European films, which had been lacking amidst the predominance of the New Hollywood movement. Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the greatest film scores, the craziest lead actors, the best musical numbers, and the ploddiest sci-fi flicks - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best film of 1972. The nominees are Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Cabaret, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The Godfather, and Solaris. Who wins the Moonlight? 

The New Hollywood movement has been on the rise for the last few years, and by 1971 it's dominant. From directors like Altman, Friedkin, and Bogdanovich to actors like Bridges, Beatty and Hackman, we're now encountering all the stars that will define the industry for the next generation. But the old guard is still very much around - and standing amidst them all is Stanley Kubrick, who's back again with yet another visually striking masterpiece. But which one film best stands the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, small-town tumbleweeds, decaying cities, fascism, and amoral antiheroes - this was a gritty year! - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best film of 1971. The nominees are A Clockwork Orange, Death in Venice, The French Connection, The Last Picture Show, and McCabe & Mrs. Miller. Who wins the Moonlight?  

1970 is a transition year for world history, and the movies are no different. With the studio system era in the rear view mirror and the French New Wave past its peak, the dawn of the 70s brings a whole new generation of filmmakers to center stage. For the second year in a row, the year's top films are all made by directors we've not yet encountered - though in a couple cases, we'll encounter those directors again, and again. But which one film best stands the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in film, the New Hollywood movement, the Rolling Stones, and the cinematic genius of Omar Bradley - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best film of 1970. The nominees are The Conformist, Five Easy Pieces, Gimme Shelter, MASH, and Patton. Who wins the Moonlight? 

The 1960s began with the rise of the French New Wave, but it ends with the dominance of the New Hollywood: a new generation of American filmmakers, inspired by their French counterparts, freed from the oppressive Hays Code, and reacting to a period of war, transformation, and social upheaval. The movies they made in 1969 were bleak, violent - and revolutionary, influencing cinema for decades to come. But which one film best stands the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the rise of pop music soundtracks, the kitchen sink drama, the revisionist Western, the bicycle, the motorcycle, and the bus - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best film of 1969. The nominees are Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, Easy Rider, Kes, Midnight Cowboy, and The Wild Bunch. Who wins the Moonlight? 

1968 is the year of the genre film! "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Planet of the Apes" pioneered in science fiction, "Rosemary's Baby" is a horror classic, "Night of the Living Dead" practically invented the zombie trope, and "Once Upon a Time in the West" ranks among the greatest Westerns ever made. We're also in an era of independent film, with directors like George Romero and John Cassavetes leading the way. But in a year of beloved classics, which one film best stands the test of time? Join the braaaainy Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, realism in dialogue, gaslighting, monoliths, harmonicas, the bizarre life of Roman Polanski, and Stanley Kubrick's connection to Monty Python - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best film of 1968. The nominees are Faces, Night of the Living Dead, Once Upon a Time in the West, Rosemary's Baby, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Who wins the Moonlight? 

It's 1967, and the film world is about to be conquered by the New Hollywood: a new generation of young American actors and directors, influenced by the French New Wave, galvanized by tumultuous cultural and political movements, and liberated by the collapse of the stifling Hays code. This year, "the curve comes to reassert itself over the straight line," as the critic Philip Kemp said about "Playtime": norms and mores are violated, elites are exposed, marriages are exploded, weddings are disrupted, mud and blood are splattered, and structures fall. And after all that, we're left with five indelible films: which one comes out on top?Join Rachel Schaevitz, Aaron Keck, and special guest Beverly Gray (author of "Seduced by Mrs. Robinson") as they discuss the year in cinema, the curve, the line, fedoras, fantasies, squibs, plastics, feminism, antifeminism, and the stunning rise of Dustin Hoffman - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best film of 1967.The nominees are Belle de Jour, Bonnie & Clyde, The Graduate, Playtime, and Le Samourai. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Welcome to 1966, a year of tremendous turmoil worldwide, with the Cold War at its peak, the Vietnam War still on the rise, anti-colonial upheaval across the globe, and rapidly advancing movements for racial justice, gender equality, and sexual liberation. That's all reflected on screen too: the very best movies of 1966 all bring us into the lives of characters living through times of uncertainty, anxiety and possibility, when things have come unmoored, searching for a foundation or a sense of purpose - and sometimes failing to find it, or ruining themselves in the process. It's a heavy year - but these films are also a heck of a lot of fun to watch. Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the swinging sixties, the death of the Hays code, Soviet censorship, the cost of war, "the Mount Everest of film," orgies, duels, and the misunderstood legacy of Clint Eastwood - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert-panel votes) to identify the best film of 1966. The nominees are Andrei Rublev, Battle of Algiers, Blow Up, The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly, and Persona. Who wins the Moonlight? 

The 1960s are a great period for the movie musical, with all-time classics like West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, and more. The era is also defined by the French New Wave, with one iconic film after another by Varda, Truffaut, Resnais, and all the rest. Maybe the most influential French New Wave director was Jean-Luc Godard - but so far, he's never won a Moonlight. Likewise, no musical has won a Moonlight since Singin' in the Rain back in 1952. Will one of those streaks change this year? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, moviegoers' habits, Shakespeare adaptations, box office sensations, fourth-wall breakers, apartment-wall breakers, sexual liberation and the #MeToo movement - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert-panel votes) to identify the best film of 1965. The nominees are Chimes at Midnight, Dr. Zhivago, Pierrot Le Fou, Repulsion, and The Sound of Music. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Here we are in 1964: one of the best years ever for movie musicals, with classics from Hollywood and Europe, and the breakout year for legendary directors like Sergio Leone and Stanley Kubrick. The French New Wave is rippling worldwide, the Cold War is as hot as it will ever be, and the Beatles have taken over the airwaves. All of those trends factor into our five Best Picture nominees, plus a few other classics that didn't quite make our cut. But which one film best stands the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, Peter Sellers, P. L. Travers, clean old men, the filming of sand, secret New Wave films, secret horror movies, sung-through musicals, spoonfuls of sugar, and the merits of fighting in the War Room - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1964. The nominees (with apologies to Leone) are Dr. Strangelove, A Hard Day's Night, Mary Poppins, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, and Woman in the Dunes. Who wins the Moonlight? 

It's 1963, and the Cold War is at its peak - and luckily for us, so is cinema. Alfred Hitchcock continues his run with another horror classic, Jean-Luc Godard and Federico Fellini unveil masterpieces of their own, and Luchino Visconti returns with a lavish historical epic that only he could have made. But which one film of 1963 has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, multilingual casts, Communist allegories, special effects, director's block, long arguments, and Steve McQueen - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1963. The nominees are The Birds, Contempt, 8 1/2, The Great Escape, and The Leopard. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Welcome to 1962, a year of geopolitical tension, rising anticolonialism, and (at least in the US) an urgent push for racial justice. In the theaters, the French New Wave hits its peak, David Lean attempts the biggest epic ever, and American filmmakers tackle racism, paranoia, and the whereabouts of Baby Jane. But which one film of 1962 has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the New Wave's "ideal woman," Agnes Varda's feminism, brownface casting, and Gregory Peck's acting abilities - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1962. The nominees are Cleo from 5 to 7, Jules et Jim, La Jetee, Lawrence of Arabia, and To Kill A Mockingbird. Who wins the Moonlight? 

It's 1961! Cold War tensions are at a fever pitch, the anti-colonial movement is rising, and in theaters, the French New Wave is at its peak. In Hollywood, moviegoers are getting their first looks at Audrey Hepburn's little black dress - and their first listen to the musical genius of (the late, great) Stephen Sondheim. Around the world, great directors like Luis Buñuel and Akira Kurosawa are making some of their most treasured classics. But which one film of 1961 has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the man with no name, unceremonious fight scenes, great animal actors, the absence of shadows, Last Supper parodies, Henry Mancini, actors in brownface and yellowface, the greatness of Rita Moreno, and the best strategy for winning at Nim - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1961. The nominees are Breakfast at Tiffany's, Last Year at Marienbad, Viridiana, West Side Story, and Yojimbo. Who wins the Moonlight? 

We've arrived at the 1960s, and the decade begins with a bang: 1960 brings us five of the most indelible, acclaimed, celebrated, homaged, and influential movies ever made. In Europe, Jean-Luc Godard, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Federico Fellini are changing the game; in the States, Billy Wilder and Alfred Hitchcock deliver two of their most treasured classics, one a brilliant comedy, the other a shocking slasher. They're all great - but which one film from 1960 has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the French New Wave, jump cuts, paparazzi, awful Cannes screenings, "reciprocal pity," great last lines, theater rules, and hot-water heaters - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1960. The nominees are The Apartment, L'Avventura, Breathless, La Dolce Vita, and Psycho. Who wins the Moonlight? 

We've arrived at the end of our third decade! And it's a busy, transformative period for the movies. The French New Wave has kicked into high gear; the Hays Code is finally in decline; and Alfred Hitchcock is in the middle of (arguably) the greatest run of films a director's ever had. But which one film from 1959 has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the French New Wave, auteur theory, cross-dressing, Cary Grant impressions, "raising hell," Alain Resnais' strangely linear career arc, the emerging dominance of color film, how to commit petty property crime, and Abraham Lincoln's nose - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1959. The nominees are The 400 Blows, Hiroshima Mon Amour, North By Northwest, Pickpocket, and Some Like It Hot. Who wins the Moonlight? 

We're nearing the end of the 1950s, and it's an exciting period for the movies. The French New Wave is stirring, Eastern European artists are emerging, and Alfred Hitchcock, already far and away our most acclaimed director, is about to have an incredible run that (arguably) tops everything that's come before. But which one film has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, cool titles, misleading titles, Miles Davis, Bernard Hermann, Godard's leading men, modern technology, 50s-era psychology, and Mexican accents (or the lack thereof) - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1958. The nominees are Ashes & Diamonds, Elevator to the Gallows, Mon Oncle, Touch of Evil, and Vertigo. Who wins the Moonlight? 

In film history, there are certain years that stand out. 1939 may be the most famous example, but there are some years that shine even brighter than that. We've arrived at 1957, arguably the best year ever for movies - with two classic war movies, possibly the greatest courtroom drama of all time, masterpieces by Kubrick and Fellini and Kurosawa - and not one but two all-timers from Ingmar Bergman, who might have had the best year ever for a film director. But which one film, out of all those, has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, existentialism, "date bait," spontaneous parades, unnamed jurors, trench warfare, and the perils of showing an antiwar movie to the troops who fought in that very war - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1957. The nominees are Bridge on the River Kwai, Nights of Cabiria, Paths of Glory, The Seventh Seal, and Twelve Angry Men. (With apologies to Wild Strawberries, Throne of Blood, and The Sweet Smell of Success!) Who wins the Moonlight? 

Thus far in our journey through cinema history, we've nominated a lot of "genre" films - but very few have won. So far we only have one sci-fi/horror winner, 1935's Bride of Frankenstein, and no Western winners at all. But 1956 gives us one film that's often described as the greatest Western ever made - and another film that's been called the best B horror flick. Will one of them finally break through? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, satiric melodrama, phallic hobby horses, realistic prison breaks, pod people, dish detergent, the Holocaust, the war in Algeria, the hero's journey, Ahab, Homer, and what to do when your protagonist is downright evil - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1956. The nominees are Invasion of the Body Snatchers, A Man Escaped, Night and Fog, The Searchers, and Written on the Wind. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Are you ready for a three-way showdown? 1955 brings us several classics, including a suspenseful French thriller and a Danish masterpiece that Sight & Sound cited as one of the 25 best films ever made. But it's all going to come down to a battle between three movies, featuring an iconic film villain, James Dean's most famous role, and a hitherto-unknown Indian director whose labor of love finally comes to fruition. But which one film has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, first-time directors, "poverty porn," red jackets, homoeroticism, trains, twists, faith, miracles, LOVE, HATE, spoiler alerts, and dead-or-not-dead men in bathtubs - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1955. The nominees are Les Diaboliques, Night of the Hunter, Ordet, Pather Panchali, and Rebel Without A Cause. Who wins the Moonlight? 

The year 1954 gives us several of the greatest films of all time. Leading the pack are Akira Kurosawa's epic Seven Samurai and Alfred Hitchcock's iconic Rear Window - but 1954 also gives us Federico Fellini's first masterpiece, plus two American classics that stand on opposite sides of the Red Scare. But which one film has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, great women in Westerns, the loneliness of New York City, Kurosawa's influence on the heist film, the brilliance of Giulietta Masina, and the shadow of Joe McCarthy - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1954. The nominees are Johnny Guitar, On the Waterfront, Rear Window, Seven Samurai, and La Strada. Who wins the Moonlight? 

The 1950s is a great period for movies - but not so much for American movies, as the Red Scare is driving many great artists out of the business. European and Japanese filmmakers are thriving, though, so this year they dominate the spotlight. Will we have our first non-English-language winner since Bicycle Thieves in '48? There's a four-out-of-five chance... Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the Hollywood blacklist, the poor man's Cary Grant, the greatness of Audrey Hepburn, what makes a film "feminist" or "anti-war," Hitchcock's theory of suspense, the generation gap, the menace of bad titles, and what happens when the original gaslighter gets gaslit - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1953. The nominees are The Earrings of Madame de..., Roman Holiday, Tokyo Story, Ugetsu, and The Wages of Fear. Who wins the Moonlight?  

The year 1952 is a great one for the movies: it's the age of the Western, with Gary Cooper facing a whole gang of bad guys (and some criminals too); it's the peak of Japanese cinema and Italian neo-realism, with timeless entries from Akira Kurosawa and Vittorio De Sica; and of course the year also brings us "Singin' in the Rain," widely considered the best movie musical of all time. But which one film has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in film, the meaning of life, Hollywood's seedy underbelly, the Red Scare, John Wayne's theory of Westerns, Gene Kelly's work ethic, the similarities between Singin' in the Rain and Clue, and one of the most memorable dogs in movie history - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1952. The nominees are The Bad & the Beautiful, High Noon, Ikiru, Singin' in the Rain, and Umberto D. Who wins the Moonlight? 

It's a time of transition for the movies: Marlon Brando is hitting the screen with an all-new acting style, the European and Japanese film industries are reemerging after the devastation of World War II, and in America, Cold War paranoia is giving rise to the golden age of science fiction. It all leads to an influx of very good films in 1951 - but which one film has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in film, "model" actors, Method actors, the perils of adaptation, unconvincing love stories, homoerotic subtexts, and the keys to timeless sci-fi - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1951. The nominees are An American in Paris, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Diary of a Country Priest, Strangers on a Train, and A Streetcar Named Desire. (1951 wasn't big on short titles.) Who wins the Moonlight? 

We're officially entering our third decade, and this year is a big one: All About Eve won the Oscar, but Sunset Boulevard is a bona fide classic - and Akira Kurosawa also released Rashomon in 1950 too. All three have stood the test of time, no doubt - but which of the three has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the allure of seedy Hollywood stories, Bette Davis, Gloria Swanson, Toshiro Mifune, postwar pessimism, the return of Luis Buñuel, the artificiality of noir, and just how much of a jerk Humphrey Bogart really was - and then we dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1950. The nominees are All About Eve, In A Lonely Place, Los Olvidados, Rashomon, and Sunset Boulevard. Who wins the Moonlight? 

We've come to the end of our second decade, and it's a pretty good year for films: Alec Guinness breaks out with a multi-role tour de force; Orson Welles delivers another memorable star turn; and a pair of Japanese directors deliver two very disparate postwar classics. But which one film has best managed to stand the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, obsessive cinematographers, zither scores, Freudianism, gender politics, vases, cuckoo clocks, and the brilliance of Joseph Cotten - and then dig into the data and the numbers (and our expert panel votes) to identify the best picture of 1949. The nominees (with apologies to Stray Dog) are Adam's Rib, Kind Hearts & Coronets, Late Spring, The Third Man, and White Heat. Who wins the Moonlight? 

"Awards? We don't need no steenkin' awards!" 1947 was a rough year for movies, but the film industry picked back up in '48 with an Italian neo-realist classic, a lavish Technicolor dance fantasy, Alfred Hitchcock's one-shot experiment, and an iconic, quixotic Mexican treasure hunt - and that's just for starters. But which one film has best managed to stand the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema and dig into the numbers (including our expert panel vote) to identify the best picture of 1948. Our five nominees are Bicycle Thieves, Letter From An Unknown Woman, The Red Shoes, Rope, and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Fun fact: for every year from 1930 to 2009, there's at least one movie that shows up on at least one well-known critics' list of the "100 greatest films of all time." Every year with one exception, that is: 1947. You could argue that this is the worst year ever for motion pictures! But out of that, which one film has managed to (best) stand the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in film, cinematic travelogues, colonialism, murder, mayhem, Macy's, mirror scenes, the color of flowers, and the true meaning of Christmas - and then we'll dig into the numbers (including our expert panel vote) and identify the best picture of 1947. The nominees are Black Narcissus, The Lady From Shanghai, Miracle on 34th Street, M. Verdoux, and Out of the Past. Who wins the Moonlight? 

We've finally arrived in the post-war era! Hollywood has firmly established itself as the capital of the film world, but moviegoers have a lot of diverse options, from the dark grittiness of noir to the candy-coated optimism of Capra-corn. It's a great year for film - but which one film has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, Bogey and Bacall, the genius of Gregg Toland, great Christmas movies, and more - and then we'll look at the numbers (including our expert panel vote) and honor the best picture of 1946. This year's nominees are Belle et la Bete, The Best Years of Our Lives, The Big Sleep, It's A Wonderful Life, and Notorious. Who wins the Moonlight? 

The Moonlight Awards is back after our 2020-imposed hiatus! And we're resuming with a banner year in movie history - highlighted by a Joan Crawford showstopper, a raw and gritty noir masterpiece, a quintessentially British drama, and a pair of European classics filmed, almost miraculously, amidst the ruins of World War II. But which one film has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck (and special guest film scholar Noah Isenberg) as they discuss the year in cinema, stiff upper lips, femmes fatale, film noir, neo-realism, commedia dell'arte, and the perils of making a movie in wartime  - and then we'll look at the numbers (including our expert panel vote) and honor the best picture of 1945. This year's nominees are Brief Encounter, Children of Paradise, Detour, Mildred Pierce, and Rome, Open City. Who wins the Moonlight?

We were in the midst of a world war, but there was still a lot of great film being produced - film noir, mostly, but 1944 also saw some classic musicals, another Sergei Eisenstein masterpiece, and a thriller that gave us new insights (and a new term) in human psychology. But which one film has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, great villains, famed scores, the scholarly canon, young Vincent Price, young Angela Lansbury, why musicals endure, Billy Wilder's envy, and Barbara Stanwyck's wig - and then we'll look at the numbers (including our expert panel vote) and honor the best picture of 1944. This year's nominees are Double Indemnity, Gaslight, Ivan the Terrible I, Laura, and Meet Me in St. Louis. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Less to choose from this year as World War II ravages the globe, but 1943 did bring us another Hitchcock classic, the birth of Italian neo-realism, a new masterpiece from Carl Theodor Dreyer, a highly influential silent short from Maya Deren, and (some say) the most quintessentially British film ever made. But which one film has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as they discuss the year in cinema, the merits of noir, the appeal of Joseph Cotten, gritty realism, witch hunts, bread knives, and why Winston Churchill banned the Archers - and then we'll look at the numbers (including the results of our expert panel vote) and crown the best picture of 1943. The nominees are Day of Wrath, The Life & Death of Col. Blimp, Meshes of the Afternoon, Ossessione, and Shadow of a Doubt. Who wins the Moonlight? 

The world is at war, but Hollywood is still churning out great films: an innovative early horror masterpiece, another Disney animated classic, more Orson Welles virtuosity, a black comedy about actors putting one over on the Nazis - and of course "Casablanca," one of the most beloved movies of all time. But which one film from 1942 best stands the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck - and special guest film scholar Noah Isenberg, author of the renowned book We'll Always Have Casablanca - as they discuss the year in cinema, the war's impact, the invention of the jump scare, terrible psychiatrists, Brazilian diplomatic missions, the greatness of Agnes Moorehead and Joseph Cotten, ad-libbed lines, theoretical theme park rides, and tragic deaths both on-screen and off - and then we'll look at the numbers and identify the best picture of 1942. Our nominees are Bambi, Casablanca, Cat People, The Magnificent Ambersons, and To Be Or Not To Be. Who wins the Moonlight? 

We tend to associate this year with one movie in particular, but 1941 also saw the birth of film noir, two great Preston Sturges comedies, and another Disney classic - all living under the shadow of Citizen Kane. Which one film from 1941 best stands the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, Black representation, the Hays Code, artistic freedom, leading ladies, and Gregg Toland - and then we'll look at the numbers and identify the best picture of 1941. The nominees are Citizen Kane, Dumbo, The Lady Eve, The Maltese Falcon, and Sullivan's Travels. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Our second decade starts with a bang: a Chaplin masterpiece, iconic Disney, Hitchcock's only Oscar-winner, a Depression-era classic, and one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time - and those are just the films we were able to nominate. Which one film from 1940 best stands the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, villainous women, ad-lib ghostwriters, Mickey Mouse as box-office poison, the economics of wartime, the "man with no name," political speeches, and dances with globes - and then we'll dig into the data and try to identify the definitive best picture of 1940. This year's nominees are Fantastia, The Grapes of Wrath, The Great Dictator, His Girl Friday, and Rebecca. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Before moving ahead to the 1940s, Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck take a quick look back at the previous ten years in movie history. What defines the '30s in film? What sorts of movies stand the test of time? What are our favorite films of the decade? Which films stood out among our expert panelists? And which movies still get watched today? Join us as we briefly recap the 1930s - and then we'll announce our five nominees for Best Picture of 1940. Thanks for listening to our first ten years! Who wins the Moonlight? 

Here's the one we've been waiting for! The year 1939 is widely recognized as one of the greatest in film history and we're still watching, loving, and wrestling with these works of art today - but when all is said and done, which one film from 1939 has best stood the test of time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, great movie musicals, the politics of Westerns, the "Lost Cause" myth, and the perils of screening an anti-elite film for a room full of elites - or a country full of them! - and then we'll (somehow) try to identify the one best picture of 1939. This year's nominees are Gone With The Wind, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Rules of the Game, Stagecoach, and The Wizard of Oz. Who wins the Moonlight? 

World War II is on the horizon, and the movie world is getting ready. In Russia they're looking back to past heroes who fought the Germans. In Britain they're banding together to help a fellow Brit who's also a spy. And in America they're...raising pet leopards? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, screwball comedies, "box office poison," Charters and Caldicott, Southern belles, British versus Soviet "heroes," and the curse of being first - and then we'll award the best picture of 1938 and announce the nominees for 1939. This year's nominees are The Adventures of Robin Hood, Alexander Nevsky, Bringing Up Baby, Jezebel, and The Lady Vanishes. Who wins the Moonlight? 

We've got five nominees, but it's a two-film race this year. One is widely acclaimed as one of the greatest films ever made; the other is one of the most beloved, with a massive influence on popular culture. Both movies are deserving - but which one will win? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, poetic realism, screwball comedy, Cary Grant, Barbara Stanwyck, the transition to color, what makes a great antiwar film, Leo McCarey's "Elvis year," and the monolith that is Walt Disney - and then we'll award the best picture of 1937 and announce the nominees for 1938. This year's nominees are The Awful Truth, Grand Illusion, Pepe Le Moko, Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, and Stella Dallas. Who wins the Moonlight?

It's 1936 and the movie industry is in transition. Directors like Alfred Hitchcock are leading a rise in suspense and noir, while the song-and-dance extravaganzas of the early '30s are on their way out. But the olden days aren't dead yet - and this year, the big winner might well be a silent film, albeit one with a few things to say about these "modern times." Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, Charlie Chaplin's genius, Astaire and Rogers' chemistry, Hitchcock's early work, Fritz Lang's move to America, and "Capra corn" - and then we'll award the best picture of 1936 and announce the nominees for 1937. This year's nominees are Fury, Mr. Deeds Goes To Town, Modern Times, Sabotage, and Swing Time. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Every year so far, it's come down to a choice between two clear front-runners. But this year, it's not so easy. Do we recognize Hitchcock? Or the Marx Brothers? Or Astaire and Rogers? Or the greatest of the Universal monster movies? They're all deserving - but who will win? Join Rachel Schaevitz (on lockdown in New Zealand!) and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, crowded staterooms, pioneering directors, and Elsa Lanchester's hair - and then we'll award the best picture of 1935 and announce the nominees for 1936. This year's nominees are Bride of Frankenstein, A Night at the Opera, The 39 Steps, Top Hat, and Triumph of the Will. Who wins the Moonlight? 

The Oscars may have "Happened One Night," but Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert face a strong challenge from the poetic beauty of Jean Vigo, the banter of Nick and Nora, another star turn from Marlene Dietrich, and an early classic about race in America. Will we agree with the Oscars, for the first time? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, the Hays Code, the enduring appeal of Frank Capra, and more - and then we'll award the best picture of 1934 and announce the nominees for 1935. This year's nominees are L'Atalante, Imitation of Life, It Happened One Night, The Scarlet Empress, and The Thin Man. Who wins the Moonlight? 

Busby Berkeley has his biggest year, Greta Garbo bursts back into the spotlight, the Marx Brothers tackle politics and war, and the Empire State Building meets its match - and all that in a single year. Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, escapist musicals, earthquakes, comebacks, special effects, mirror scenes, and more - and then we'll award the best picture of 1933 and announce the nominees for 1934. The nominees are Duck Soup, 42nd Street, Gold Diggers of 1933, King Kong, and Queen Christina. Who wins the Moonlight?

Romantic con artists, charismatic murderers, vampires, freaks, and Marlene Dietrich - what more could you want from a single year in film? Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, antiheroes, special effects, and the "Lubitsch touch." And then we'll award the the best picture of 1932 and announce the nominees for 1933. The nominees are Freaks, Scarface, Shanghai Express, Trouble in Paradise, and Vampyr. Who wins the Moonlight?

A Charlie Chaplin classic, a harrowing German social thriller, a Prohibition-era gangland drama, and two of the most iconic horror films of all time. No doubt, 1931 was a great year for the movies - but which one of those great films deserves to win the Moonlight?Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss the year in cinema, the joys of pre-Code violence, the merits of Lugosi vs. Karloff, and how to get away with blatant plagiarism. And then we'll award the the best picture of 1931 and announce the nominees for 1932.The nominees are City Lights, Dracula, Frankenstein, M, and The Public Enemy. Who wins the Moonlight?

The nominees have been announced: L'Age D'Or, All Quiet on the Western Front, Animal Crackers, Anna Christie, and The Blue Angel.But which of those classic movies deserves to be honored as the best picture of 1930?Join Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck as we discuss 1930 in cinema, the looming Hays code, Rachel's love of Garbo and Dietrich, the futility in antiwar movies, the genius of Groucho, and the magic of surrealism...and after all that, we'll bestow our very first-ever Moonlight Award on one of these five great films (and unveil our nominees for 1931).

The Oscars' Best Picture choices often look odd or incorrect in hindsight - so why not wait for the hindsight and then give the award? Introducing the Moonlight Awards, where we go back through movie history and recognize the best films of each year - now that enough time has passed to know for sure.We'll honor the best picture of every year from 1930-2009. In this pilot episode, hosts Rachel Schaevitz and Aaron Keck explain their process for choosing which film is the "best" of each year - exploring critics' lists, examining general-audience votes, and surveying a panel of renowned film scholars to identify the movies that are still popular, still appreciated, and still recognized as great.And at the end, we announce our five best-picture nominees for 1930.#whowinsthemoonlight