The Fraeon Archive

A century, one year at a time

Every year since 1920 has its own page — the films everyone saw, the games everyone played, what critics kept and what got lost. Start with the year you were born.

National cinemastravel by place instead of time

The decadeseleven chapters, a hundred doors

The 2020s

Streaming wars, prestige everything, and games that outgrew cinema — a decade still writing itself.

2026now 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020

The 2010s

The binge era. Cinematic universes rose, television got ambitious, and indie games proved small teams could make masterpieces.

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

The 2000s

DVDs, epic trilogies and the golden age of the box set — when fantasy conquered the mainstream and consoles found their voice.

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

The 1990s

Independent film's loudest decade, anime's great crossover, and the ten years that invented the modern video game.

1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

The 1980s

High concept, higher shoulders. Blockbusters became a genre, arcades became a culture, and paperbacks ruled the nightstand.

1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980

The 1970s

New Hollywood tore up the rulebook — auteurs in the driver's seat and a darkness the movies never fully shook off.

1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970

The 1960s

The old studio system crumbled while the French New Wave, spaghetti westerns and a new frankness rebuilt cinema from the edges.

1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960

The 1950s

Widescreen spectacle at the movies, quiet revolutions in Japan and Europe, and television arriving to change everything.

1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950

The 1940s

Shadows and rain — noir's decade, wartime cinema, and some of the most enduring stories ever put on film.

1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940

The 1930s

Sound found its footing and the movies found their myths: monsters, musicals and screwball wit against the Depression.

1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930

The 1920s

The silent summit — when film grammar was invented shot by shot and cinema first believed it was an art.

1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920