6 Best AFI Movie of the Year Selections

By Vlad Zakh · April 3, 2026

The American Film Institute’s annual Movies of the Year list has long served as an early, influential signal of each year’s most significant American films. In Oppenheimer (2023): The physicist behind the atomic bomb grapples with the devastating consequences of his creation. Equally memorable is Green Book (2018): A bouncer is hired to drive a Black classical pianist on a concert tour through the segregated South.

Oppenheimer (2023)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 93% Metacritic 90

The physicist behind the atomic bomb grapples with the devastating consequences of his creation.

Directed by Christopher Nolan · 3h 01m · Rated R

Won 7 Oscars370 wins & 378 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Peacock Premium, YouTube TV, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Nomadland (2020)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A woman embraces a nomadic life on the road after losing everything in the Great Recession.

Directed by Chloé Zhao · 1h 48m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Green Book (2018)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 77% Metacritic 69

A bouncer is hired to drive a Black classical pianist on a concert tour through the segregated South.

Directed by Peter Farrelly · 2h 10m · Rated PG-13

Won 3 Oscars58 wins & 125 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Spotlight (2015)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 97% Metacritic 93

A team of investigative journalists uncovers a massive cover-up of child abuse within the Catholic Church.

Directed by Tom McCarthy · 2h 09m · Rated R

Won 2 Oscars124 wins & 146 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

12 Years a Slave (2013)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 95% Metacritic 96

A free Black man is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War South.

Directed by Steve McQueen · 2h 14m · Rated R

Won 3 Oscars244 wins & 338 nominations

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Argo (2012)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A CIA operative devises a risky fake movie production to rescue hostages during the Iran crisis.

Directed by Ben Affleck · 2h 00m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 Best AFI Movie of the Year Selections

Oppenheimer (2023)

Nomadland (2020)

Green Book (2018)

Spotlight (2015)

12 Years a Slave (2013)

Argo (2012)

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