The question "What was the greatest year in film history?" will never be easy to answer. There are numerous candidates for such a title, and it will ultimately be a matter of personal opinion for anyone who wishes to get involved in such a debate. Maybe there was a higher number of bad movies in one year than another, but if there were several all-time personal favorites within the former, can that make it better than the latter?
For anyone wishing to nominate 1989 as the greatest, you're in luck, because it was a year that saw many iconic films come out. The following are some of the best, ranked from very good to masterful, with the list being so good that there are a shocking (and upsetting) number of honorable mentions that failed to make the cut, including Sex, Lies, and Videotape, The Seventh Continent, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Henry V, and even the dove-filled The Killer.
10 'Batman'
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1989 didn't mark the first time the titular Batman got his own movie, but it's arguably the first great movie to feature the iconic comic book character. It was directed by Tim Burton and featured Michael Keaton in the title role, with the film going for broke by having Keaton's Batman face the character's most notorious enemy right away: The Joker.
At the end of the day, it's arguable that Jack Nicholson in that lead antagonist role steals the entire movie, with it holding up as a take on the character that looked unsurpassable (until 2008's The Dark Knight came around). But Nicholson aside, this is still a very good superhero movie, benefiting from Burton's direction and some memorable soundtrack contributions by Prince.
9 'The Little Mermaid'
Disney's 1990s was a golden age for the company sometimes referred to as the Disney Renaissance, though it arguably began just before the decade began, with 1989's The Little Mermaid. It revitalized the Disney style, becoming a huge success thanks to its impossible-to-forget songs, iconic characters, and excellent animation.
It also depicts one of the best Disney romances of all time, and though some aspects of the story may be criticized today, it gave its protagonist, Ariel, far more agency and personality than some of the older Disney princesses. Time will tell if the live-action remake retells the story well, but at least there'll always be the timeless original for people to enjoy.
8 'Dead Poets Society'
Anyone who once doubted Robin Williams' ability to excel in dramatic roles certainly wouldn't have been doing so after the release of Dead Poets Society. It's an emotional drama about a group of boys at an old-fashioned boarding school, and the way a rebellious English teacher ends up changing their lives in profound and unexpected ways.
It's been referenced a great deal in the years since its release, which could have the unfortunate effect of making it seem clichéd. But much of it still holds up to scrutiny incredibly well, and it more than earns the right to be considered one of the very best movies Williams ever appeared in.
7 'Glory'
Glory is a large-scale and ambitious film, and one that was important for 1989 (even if some aspects don't hold up perfectly today). It's set during the American Civil War, and tells the story of the first all-Black volunteer company to fight in the conflict, with a focus on Robert Gould Shaw as the film's central character.
It's the focus on Shaw that does age the film, as modern-day viewers are more likely to want a historical story like this to feature the Black characters more centrally. Still, it does shed light on the historical events and the violent racism of the era, and it certainly gives Denzel Washington a notable supporting role, with it being one of his very best performances, and one that allows him to all but steal the movie.
6 'The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover'
Anyone who likes crime movies that feel so down and dirty, nauseating, and tense that they might well be horror movies owes it to themselves to watch The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover. It takes place mostly inside a restaurant, and follows the wife of an abusive, criminal husband having an affair with another man behind his back, largely as a way of seeking justified revenge.
From there, things explode in unexpected yet - in hindsight - inevitable ways. It's got a unique style and a bold soundtrack, with the constant contrast between beautiful filmmaking and ugly subject matter making it a fascinating and enthralling watch. It's hard to look away; even during the scenes where you kind of want to.
5 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'
Even if the Indiana Jones series peaked with its first installment, Raiders of the Lost Ark, the third film in the series comes close to the original when it comes to quality. The Last Crusade once felt like a fitting send-off to the globe-trotting title character, pairing him up with his father as the two go on a quest to find the Holy Grail.
It's got the mix of adventure, action, and humor you'd want out of a film like this, and can certainly be seen as a course correction for the series after the darker and more divisive Temple of Doom. The Last Crusade is well-made and very reliable, with the always-entertaining dynamic between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery also helping to make it extremely rewatchable.
4 'My Left Foot'
In a career filled with great performances, Daniel Day-Lewis' first Oscar nomination and win came in 1989, for his work as the lead character of My Left Foot. It's a biographical film about a man named Christy Brown, and his experience growing up in a working-class family as he navigates living life with cerebral palsy so serious he can only control his titular left foot.
Cynically, you could look at My Left Foot as the kind of movie that actors appear in just to win Academy Awards, but there is a sincerity and a commitment shown by Day-Lewis' method acting here that arguably transcends the term "Oscar bait." It's also a well-told story and a strong film in all its technical departments, ensuring it holds up as one of the best biographical films of its decade.
3 'When Harry Met Sally'
Of the countless romantic-comedies released over the past few decades, few are as acclaimed or beloved as When Harry Met Sally. It's undoubtedly a romantic-comedy, and a crowd-pleasing one, but is far more insightful, funny, and heartwarming than most of the other films that belong to its genre, and could well be the defining rom-com of the 1980s.
And it really is just about the titular Harry meeting the also titular Sally. The plot progresses without many surprises. It's largely humorous with plenty of iconically comedic scenes, though it sprinkles in some more serious moments in its third act. It doesn't feel cheesy or redundant as a romantic-comedy though, by any means, and endures to this day as a classic of its genre.
2 'Born on the Fourth of July'
Before 1989, Tom Cruise was best known for his roles in comedies and blockbuster/action movies, with Born on the Fourth of July being an instrumental film for his career. It showed how Cruise could excel in a more serious role than what he'd played before, with him playing anti-war activist Ron Kovic, a Vietnam veteran who was paralyzed while fighting in combat overseas.
It's a passionate and angry movie, and some scenes do feel a bit over-the-top (that's a staple of director Oliver Stone's style, after all). But it's a very powerful anti-war film, at the end of the day, highlighting the cost of war by focusing on a very personal story while also allowing Cruise to cement his status as one of the best and most committed actors of his generation.
1 'Do the Right Thing'
For whatever reason, 1989 saw a very underwhelming dramedy about race relations win Best Picture, even though this was the same year Do the Right Thing came out. The latter is one of the most famous movies about human rights, racism, and prejudice of all time, and though it scored nominations for Supporting Actor (Danny Aiello) and Best Screenplay, it really should've been in the running for Best Director (Spike Lee) and Best Picture, too.
It depicts tension building and then erupting in a New York City neighborhood on the hottest day of the year. It's aged well in the years since 1989, and still stands as a powerful and thought-provoking film (as well as genuinely very entertaining), and possibly represents the high point of Spike Lee's career, too.