I always chuckle at the promotional cliche “If you see only one movie this year…” because it seems to place undue pressure on the consumer. Why not see any movie that looks interesting to you? Why are you limiting yourself?

But I get it. Not everyone has the cinematic appetite I do. Some people might prefer thinking about seeing only one movie a year, then branching out from there. At a funeral recently, a distant relative asked me for film recommendations, then tempered it with “I normally see only movies nominated for Academy Awards.” A younger version of myself would have argued with her about how flawed that approach is, how films that are exceptional are, by definition, not going to be included in the nominations. I would have been condescending, and I would have used the word “middlebrow” at some point. But I get it now. Some people (like my brother) can’t remember the last time they went to the theater. Some people (like my wife) don’t seek movies out and are patient enough to wait for them to come to TV. Some people just want to be able to contribute to a conversation at a party and be done with it. That’s why a charade like the Academy Awards is still important. These people want to cross movies off their list. Of course, this doesn’t make them dumb—their process is much more logical than watching hundreds of terrible movies. No, this isn’t a list for dumb people (that would be a different list): It’s a list for people who still sort of care but have priorities different from mine.

So this list is for them, but it might be instructive for all of us. Subjective taste aside, there are really only ten movies in any given year that will be truly remembered by our society—for better or worse. Even for a great year such as 1995*, we only have enough room in the collective conscious for about ten movies. So here is a list of the movies that have penetrated the culture, that, in some ways, you will be expected to have seen, that you probably should have an opinion on. In order. I’ve tried to be honest about what you can skip, even if I was tempted to be clever and pick Attack the Block just to prepare you for the inevitable American big budget remake. You could argue that something like Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows, Part II or Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is so big that you should be aware of it, but, by now, you’ve already decided whether or not those franchises are essential. You don’t need my help.

And, look, it’s a handy list of ten. You can watch one or two a month!

10. Super 8 (JJ Abrams)- Abrams will continue to be a force in mainstream film and TV, so you should probably be able to reference one of his most significant works. Super 8 is also derivative of E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, so, even if you don’t see a lot of movies, you’ve probably seen those and can appreciate the movie on that level. It’s an easy film to watch, and, while not everyone will love it, no one will hate it.

9. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick)- I’m kind of cheating already. If you don’t see a lot of movies, you won’t like this. Period. If you expect a traditional narrative, obvious external conflict, and a tidy resolution, you will not be satisfied. That being said, this is easily the most divisive film of the year, so it might come up in conversation. And now that it has the legitimacy of a Best Picture nominee, a lot more casual viewers will see it, and you can complain about it with them. Plus, I love it and would recommend it to people anyway.

8. The Artist (Michel Hazanavicius)- I’m pretty sure The Artist will win all of the important Oscars, so that makes it required viewing for the audience that would need this list. It’s cute, and it doesn’t require much of the viewer. Still, if you’re a casual filmgoer, I don’t suspect you would have seen a lot of the Old Hollywood and silent era films being referenced here, so that would impact your experience negatively.

7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Rupert Wyatt)- One of the biggest box office surprises of the summer, Rise of the Planet of the Apes will undoubtedly have a sequel that people will be talking about in two years. So if you watch this one, which is actually a pretty cool movie, you’ll be prepared.

6. The Descendants (Alexander Payne)- If you need this list, you’re probably a George Clooney fan, even if he burned you on that hitman movie with no talking. His latest is nominated for a bunch of Academy Awards, and, by the time the Oscars roll around, enough people will have seen this movie that it will be acknowledged as popular. It’s got some laughs. You’ll probably feel pretty good about yourself after watching it.

5. Drive (Nicolas Winding Refn)- Especially if you’re in your twenties, a lot of your friends will have strong opinions about this movie. It’s another love-it-or-hate-it entry, but I have a feeling it will stand the test of time and grow cultishly. Freshmen bros will have its poster on their dorm walls in two years. On one hand, it isn’t immediately satifying—there isn’t a lot of dialogue, and it’s ultra-violent. On the other hand, it’s so archetypal that I think someone could enjoy it as a pure genre piece, artistic trappings aside. At any rate, it’s a fun movie to talk about, and the director and star are positioning themselves as some of the most important of the next generation.

4. Moneyball (Bennett Miller)- Moneyball crossed the $75 million barrier at the box office, which seems to be the threshold for whether or not the average person has seen a movie. It has Brad Pitt doing Brad Pitt things in it. It’s being nominated for awards. And it’s just smart enough: It gives you something to chew on, but it doesn’t feel like homework.

3. Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen)-These nerds who watch movies all the time are always talking about Woody Allen. All you know is that he stammers and married his daughter or something. And those glasses. Well here’s one of his more accessible films, and almost anyone would like it. This is your in. It has stars you know, and it’s whimsical, good-natured, romantic, and witty.

2. Bridesmaids (Paul Feig)- This movie’s making a lot of people famous, and it was an unequivocal hit. No matter what anyone is saying right now, there will be a sequel. And if you don’t think it’s funny, you’re a grouch. It’s a no-brainer for this list.

1. The Help (Tate Taylor)- The Help is the perfect storm for an essentials list. It was one of the highest-grossing movies of the year, it’s a Best Picture nominee, and lots of people have lots of opinions on it. Since Emma Stone is going to be the most popular actress of the next decade, you should be familiar with her work as well. Plus, you’re getting a lot of plot for your money.

*- Just to prove my point, the 1995 list would look something like this: Braveheart, The Usual Suspects, Seven, Toy Story, Apollo 13, Heat, Bad Boys, Clueless, Friday, Showgirls. While I would also recommend Casino, Get Shorty, GoldenEye, and Tommy Boy, those are the only ones that, if you were to tell me you hadn’t seen them, I would be sort of shocked.

Since this is sort of fun, here’s the essentials list for 1999, which is the best cinematic year of my lifetime: The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, The Blair Witch Project, Fight Club, American Beauty, American Pie, Being John Malkovich, Varsity Blues, Magnolia, Office Space. If you haven’t seen Eyes Wide Shut or Election or Three Kings or Dogma or South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, you’re a lesser person, sure. But I understand.