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The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever

Tristan Ettleman
Silent Film
Georges Méliès
Film History
Early Cinema
Silent Films
Cinema
D.W. Griffith
Alice Guy-Blaché
Film Preservation
Thomas Edison
1909
The Great Train Robbery
1901
Filmmaking
1902
Silent Cinema
Hollywood
Nickelodeons
1900
Motion Picture Patents Company

The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever features experts and enthusiasts and, well, their favorite films of every year ever. Host Tristan Ettleman sits down with a new guest every week to dive into the history and beauty of some of the best movies to ever come out of the cinematic medium.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Film ReviewsTV & FilmFilm History

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Artwork for The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever

Latest Episodes

This is the 100th episode and just two weeks past the second anniversary of The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever! It’s a special episode made even more so by Shelley Stamp, Distinguished Professor of Film & Digital Media at the University of Californi... more

1913 is considered by many to be a milestone year in the development of film grammar and industry. And it perhaps is, as is set up by this context-setting introduction and the conversations with guests to come for this season!

Visit the5bestfilmsofe... more

Although the 1912 season introduction asserted that “Hollywood was incoming,” the top picks for the year (fueled by a record number of submissions from guests!) is mostly made up of old power players, even if that power would recede in short order. I... more

Film historian and cultural critic Paul (PT) Klein’s work focuses on American filmgoing cultures. So even when discussing his sole foreign pick, the conversation dives into audience reception to his selections, then and now, in addition to the variou... more

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Recent Guests

Alison Strauss
Guest on the episode
Episode: 1912 E7 - The Ol' Power Players Hang in There
Marcia Gordon
Guest on the episode
Episode: 1912 E7 - The Ol' Power Players Hang in There
Stephen Horn
Guest on the episode
Episode: 1912 E7 - The Ol' Power Players Hang in There
Paul PT
Guest on the episode
Episode: 1912 E7 - The Ol' Power Players Hang in There
Paul PT Klein
Film historian and cultural critic
University of Michigan (PhD student)
Episode: 1912 E6 - Paul (PT) Klein
Stephen Horne
Silent film accompanist
Self
Episode: 1912 E5 - Stephen Horne
Marsha Gordon
Professor of Film Studies at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
Episode: 1912 E4 - Marsha Gordon
Tanya Goldman
Assistant Professor of Film at Missouri State University
Missouri State University
Episode: 1912 E2 - Tanya Goldman
Eva Heelscher
Guest who contributed to the list
Episode: 1911 E7 - The Shorts Continue

Host

Tristan Ettleman
Host focused on leading discussions about the five best films of each year, guiding guests through historical and critical contexts.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 23 ratings
  • Great idea for a show and community

    Tristan is a great host through this deep dive in film history. Great fan community attached to this show is very active and informative too

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Emcee Pee Pants
    United States3 months ago
  • I’ve learned so much!

    This show has a really interesting format and does a great job of breaking the mold of typical film podcasts- I’ve learned a lot about early film, and I can’t wait for them to get to the 70s!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Wes’s Toaster
    United States4 months ago
  • Great listen

    This is one special show. It’s exciting to hear the value that enthusiasts place on the films through the years. I look forward to each Wednesday when a new episode drops.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Allen0671
    United States8 months ago
  • A Who’s Who of Silent Film Experts and Enthuisasts

    Not many talk about the early years of cinema beyond the handful of short one minute films featuring animals that appear on social media occasionally. Even classic film enthusiasts skip the early years, leaving the first decades of film on the cutting room floor for even such ambitious 100 Years of Cinema projects and retrospectives.

    Starting at the very beginning, The 5 Best Films of Every Year leaves no stone unturned, bringing on a slew of experts from the around the world to do so. From arc... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    0GuywithGlasses0
    United Statesa year ago
  • Brilliant

    I like films/movies/pictures and everyday is a school day with this podcast. Its introducing me to lots of people I’d never heard of that clearly shaped modern culture that we grew up with. Love every episode and watching the films listed. Thanks to all involved hope it goes for ever

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ollycheeks
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests bring varied scholarly perspectives, enriching the conversations.
The host delivers thoughtful, approachable film history discussions.
Episodes consistently highlight preservation and archival context for early cinema.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

1912 E6 - Paul (PT) Klein
Q: How does The Invaders complicate the typical Western narrative?
The Invaders challenges the standard Western by presenting a more critical view of colonial violence and the U.S. government, while maintaining melodramatic elements that preserve the status quo, illustrating how 1912 Westerns could be both ambitious and limited by their era.
1912 E6 - Paul (PT) Klein
Q: What drew you to your first pick and how does it connect to broader themes of the era?
The Girl and Her Trust stands out for its kinetic blocking and modernity within a Griffith framework, and its discussion of gender roles and social commentary shows how early cinema could engage with progressive politics even within a short 40-minute format.
1912 E6 - Paul (PT) Klein
Q: So what stands out to you about 1912 and the period in general?
1912 is depicted as a pivotal year where industrial changes, the rise of the Trust, and the move toward feature-length films create new production and exhibition paradigms, reshaping how audiences experience cinema.
1911 E5 - Eva Hielscher
Q: What stands out to you about 1911 and this period in general?
Eva explains that the time is not about single standout titles but a broader sense of open exploration across genres, formats, and locales. She emphasizes the era as transitional, with many short films and emerging features, and notes the appeal of non-canonical discoveries and the sense of new directions in both technique and storytelling.
1910 E3 - David Morton
Q: So what stands out to you about 1910, where the global film industry, I suppose, was, and I guess in the period in general, as we're starting a new decade here?
The U.S. is still not the lead film competitor, and we see beginnings of the feature convention, experimentation with narrative form, and a more dynamic and transnational film industry.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever

What is The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This series leans into historical cinema, delivering thoughtful, expert-led conversations about classic and early films from various eras. Each episode often pairs a host with a guest who brings scholarly, archival, or practical perspectives—covering technical milestones, industry shifts, representation, censorship, and preservation. Listeners can expect in-depth film history, cross-regional context, and nuanced debates about authorship, form, and the social currents that shaped early cinema. A standout pattern is the blend of rigorous analysis with accessible storytelling, making obscure or aging titles legible and engaging for contemporary audiences.

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Which podcasts are similar to The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever:

1. NitrateVille Radio
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How many episodes of The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever are there?

The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever launched 2 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever?

Recent guests on The 5 Best Films of Every Year Ever include:

1. Alison Strauss
2. Marcia Gordon
3. Stephen Horn
4. Paul PT
5. Paul PT Klein
6. Stephen Horne
7. Marsha Gordon
8. Tanya Goldman

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