Dive into the wonderful world of cinema.
With the world still battling a pandemic, one thing is for sure – we’re spending much more time watching television. Netflix the streaming service of choice for many of us, and sometimes a good dig into the back catalogue can unveil some absolute timeless gems. We’re betting that you had at least one of these films on video as a child and probably watched it until the plastic tape unraveled. They’re timeless films that really transport you somewhere else and give you nostalgia to those heady days of videos when we all watched our favourite films over and over, and they never got boring. [Photos: posteritati/reelgood/tmdb]
1. Back To The Future (1985)
The greatest sci-fi movie of all time? Very possibly. Join Marty McFly and Doc on this journey back in time to discover truths about the past and make sure his parents get together like they’re supposed to. It’s a whirlwind, and it’s a Robert Zemeckis masterpiece.
2. Ghostbusters (1984)
Who you gunna call when poltergeists are trying to break through a Manhattan high rise and take over New York? GHOSTBUSTERS!
3. Jumanji (1996)
When two kids move to a new house they find a board game in the creepy attic named Jumanji, and what comes out of that boardgame causes chaos for the whole neighborhood. Robin Williams performs flawlessly in this fantastic, timeless classic and even though the special effects are objectively pretty dated, they don’t feel dated at all when you’re watching Williams running around fighting all sorts of nonsense with the two kids.
4. Boyz N The Hood (1991)
With a star-studded cast including Ice Cube and Laurence Fishburne, Boyz N The Hood focuses in on childhood friends in South-Central Los Angeles chasing their dreams while grappling with their neighbourhood filled with violence. It’s a classic!
5. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Full Metal Jacket is not for the faint-hearted. It will make you feel like you’ve been through the washing machine, not least because your face will be soaking wet from crying. It follows a group of American Marine recruits who are being shipped of to fight in the Vietnam War.
6. Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975)
If you’re looking for something lighter and sillier to watch then it has to be this. If your parents were born in the ’50s or ’60s then you probably had this on video somewhere. If you’re British then you’ve probably seen it over and over again throughout childhood.
7. Jurassic Park (1993)
Jurassic Park is the classic of all classics. The plot follows a team of park employees trying to protect two children who are hiding out in the park with loads of cloned dinosaurs after a power cut. Scary stuff!
8. Dumb And Dumber (1994)
Two friends find a briefcase that a woman has ‘left behind’ and get wrapped up in all sorts of silly situations. It’s one of those films you put on when you’ve had a bad day and it makes you laugh so much that you forget why you were grumpy in the first place.
9. Scarface (1983)
When ex-convict Tony Montana comes to Miami from Cuba he begins a journey that will see him ascend further and further up the ladder in the drug trade. It’s gritty, at times glamourous and just downright riveting.
10. E.T. (1982)
When an extraterrestrial becomes stuck on Earth and unable to return home and a human child begins caring for him. They become fast friends and the story just keeps getting better. For 11 years E.T. was the world’s highest-grossing, and it’s widely considered as one of the greatest films of all time.
11. My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
Another glorious Studio Ghibli picture that simply warms the heart, no matter how many times you’ve seen it. My Neighbour Totoro shows Mei and Satsuki befriending the spirits around their house when their mother is in hospital, and find their way to a magical world.
12. The Matrix (1999)
A mind-bending picture that pits Neo (Keanu Reeves) against powerful computers in a world of The Matrix that threatens existence. With the help of Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), Neo confronts the evil forces in an iconic showdown with bending bullets.
13. The Green Mile (1999)
Adapted from Stephen King’s novel of the same name, The Green Mile follows a death row correction officer (Tom Hanks) during the Great Depression who starts to witness supernatural events after a new inmate arrives. Get the tissues out, your eyes are going to be leaking like a broken hose all the way through this.