These movies are the ones that are unforgettable and take hold of the meaning of classic; enduring, well made, and a must-watch. Some have been known as genre breaking, and others intense and thought provoking. Then there are always the movies that are just entertaining no matter how many times you watch it. So here is some movies to add to your list of classics if you didn’t have them on there already.

1. ‘Terminator’ and ‘Terminator: Judgment Day’ by James Cameron- Time-traveling robots, and AI ruling the world? Sure, why not? Action, morality, and the question of what is scientifically possible surrounds the theme of this movie. And the fact that it came out in the 80’s makes it one of the first with such elements, which is why it was so popular and still is to this day.
2. ‘Alien’ and ‘Aliens’ by Ridley Scott- Another classic that broke the definition of the science fiction genre; though Alien did come out before Terminator. The two are also very similar in the fact that it is very action oriented. Alien however leans towards a more horror/thriller. The idea of being stuck on the spaceship with an unknown creature that is out to slaughter you can be pretty terrifying. Needless to say, you’ll jump a few times.
3. ‘The Sixth Sense’ by M. Night Shyamalan- As most people know, M. Night can produce the most brilliant works of art, or entirely hideous piles of steaming crap he calls movies (The Last Airbender). Thankfully, The Sixth Sense is on the art end of the spectrum, though it is not for the weak of heart. It can be classified as a horror because of the gory images and themes of death and mental illness. But still, you should watch it! The ending takes an unexpected turn that gives the entire story a different perspective. It also gets just sad enough that you tear up. Fantastic film.
4. ‘Princess Bride’ by Rob Reiner and William Goldman- Completely different genre from Sixth Sense. I mean, wow, you

   

   couldn’t get further apart. But Princess Bride is just as good, if not better. Some people may be turned off by the mention of romance-comedy-genre, yet it’s a classic for a reason; the witty dialogue, effortless acting, and heart-warming all over. I first saw Princess Bride when I was six, and being an over imaginative child, the scene in the Fire Swamp scared me so much, I didn’t watch it until I was fifteen. Seeing it again after all those years, I couldn’t believe  I had missed out on such a wonderful film. I cannot give this movie enough praise, so go watch it and see for yourself.

5. ‘The Fifth Element’ by Luc Besson- This film is more controversial. It takes a very special sense of humor and

   

   appreciation for the silly. The costumes are eccentric, matching the characters

   

   very well. Dialogue, acting, effects, and music- all very well done. The Fifth Element brought an entirely knew idea to the realm of film making. It may be appreciated by the minority, but I like that I am apart of that small group. (Warning- There is nudity, so check out the Parents Guide if you are concerned.)

6. ‘The Matrix’ by Andy and Lana Wachowski (The Wachowski Brothers)- Another ground-breaking film, questioning the basic principles of reality we accept without thought. It also brings in other thought provoking ideas and explanations to the mysteries of life. The story shows multiple facets of human nature, making the entire movie intriguing till the end. It also has really cool action scenes. 😉
7. ‘Lord of the Rings‘ Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson- If you haven’t at least heard of Lord of the Rings, you probably need to skip work/school/ect. to marathon the entire series. After watching for a few minutes, you’ll be hooked. Before you know, it will be the next morning, and you would have marathoned the entirety of it in a night. I know because it’s happened.

   

8. ‘Castle in the Sky’ and ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ by Studio Ghibli- If I was explaining how much I love Ghibli in person, the sounds I’d make would be incomprehensible blabber. Nearly anything made by Studio Ghibli is brilliant, especially if Hayao Miyazaki had anything to do with it. Two of their first movies were ‘Castle in the Sky’, also know as ‘Laputa’, and ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’. Both are great for families and have heart-warming themes. A definite classic.

Those are a few movies that I find to be the best classics. Below are some movies I wanted to add, but I had not seen them in a while or had seen only once. Even so, I still wanted to recommend them.

1. ‘Inception’ by Christopher Nolan
2. ‘Independence Day’ by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin
3. ‘Ever After’ by Andy Tennant
4. ‘Forrest Gump’ by Robert Zemeckis, Winston Groom, and Eric Roth

So that’s it. If you have any other classics you love, or disagree with the list I have, feel free to comment.