Jurassic Park
Hold onto your butts, because some scientists (who never stopped to think if they should) got dino DNA and cloned themselves a Raptor or two. Steven Spielberg and author Michael Crichton essentially took a bunch of things we love (dinosaurs, theme parks, Jeff Goldblum), put them together, and made us realize those elements don't mix so well, and made a ton of money in the process. Life finds a way ... to eat you。
The Matrix
Before they went down the rabbit hole of misguided sequelitis, the Wachowski brothers gave audiences the red pill and showed them what reality is really all about: lookin' cool in black leather while bullet-time kung-fu fighting. Whoa. This savvy combination of martial arts, gunplay, Eastern philosophy, Philip K. Dick-style paranoia and Japanese anime thrilled audiences with a jolt of the unexpected and, mere weeks ahead of "The Phantom Menace," managed to out-"Star Wars" "Star Wars."
Goodfellas
Does this movie amuse us? Does it make us laugh? Is it here to f**kin' amuse us? Of course it is, but it's also the most compulsively rewatchable ganster movie of all time because of the warmth, detail and propulsive filmmaking of Martin Scorsese, who based this on the real rise and fall of mob stoolie Henry Hill. Yes, Joe Pesci took home a Best Supporting Actor trophy, but he should also get out his shinebox for underappreciated costar Ray Liotta, whose charisma and brilliant narration hold the whole bloody package together. Don't believe us? Check out the Liotta-less "Casino" for a good but considerably less charming experience。
American Pie
Losing your virginity on prom night is a rite of passage as American as … well, you know. Jim, Stifler and Michelle's flute helped usher in a new generation of teen sex comedy that had heart, soul and plenty of moist pastry to go around. Of course, you're not truly on the pop culture radar until you've been criticized by Spike Lee, who bashed the film a year later. "'American Pie'? ... That's a movie?" complained Lee to the Philadelphia Inquirer. "The black version could be 'Deep-Dish American Pie.' Now, I could get that movie made!"
Clerks
Besides spinning off the one-man mini empire that is writer/director/raconteur Kevin Smith, this indie gabfest with loads of attitude (translation: LOTS O' SWEARS) inspired a generation of first-time filmmakers to follow his lead and just do it themselves. Smith maxed out some credit cards to gather the paltry $27,575 budget, and voilà! Add a dash of luck at Sundance and next thing you know Dante, Randal, Jay and Silent Bob are in a theater near you. FACT: "Clerks" almost became the first film to get slapped with an NC-17 rating solely for explicit dialogue。