1984 was a solid year for the movies. Comedy became sharper and more self-aware. Horror grew more psychological. Blockbusters learned how to balance spectacle with character development. Prestige ...

As the calendar turned to 2024, I began mentally cracking my knuckles. It was time to celebrate the movie year of 1984 as it turns 40—and by most objective measures, it was a pretty big one.

There have been countless period dramas released over the years, including royal stories, historical war epics and literary ...