Through a combination of robotics and CGI, the dinosaur effects in Jurassic Park hold up better than many special effects within the last 10 years. But the effects make up one small part of why Jurassic Park has held up so well all these decades later. From relevant themes to likable characters, there’s much that audiences can still learn from this film whether you’re interested in a career in film or not.

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The Half of It (2020)

There are some films you watch and wonder why no one has ever made it before. The Half of It takes a cue from Cyrano de Bergerac when a friendless high school student writes love letters for a jock to the popular girl, whom she also has a crush on. It goes to show the true power in taking familiar premises and finding a way to tell them in a relevant way to modern audiences.

On its surface, Spotlight shouldn’t be as engaging as it is. It’s largely devoid of conflict and instead follows the journalists as they gradually piece together pieces of the story concerning abuse in the Catholic church. In fact, many of the scenes that didn’t actually happen concern authority figures warning the journalists to stay away from this story (i.e. the scenes that add conflict). However, Spotlight appropriately shines a light on a story that needs to be remembered so that no one forgets the sins of the past.

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13th (2016)

A great deal of social upheaval has taken place over the last year. And if you’re interested in learning more about the root of that unrest, just watch 13th from director Ava DuVernay. The film explores mass incarceration in the United States and how it disproportionately impacts Black Americans. It all can be traced back to the passage of the 13th Amendment, which most people learn in high school abolished slavery but actually just altered the definition. The 13th Amendment still allows for slavery except for punishment of a crime. It’s eye-opening, shocking, and will make you want to protest for a better tomorrow.

Referring to a movie as “slow” may seem like a bad thing (and in some cases it is). But Burning shows precisely how to do a slow burn (no pun intended) well. The characters are engaging, and it subverts your expectations at nearly every turn. It creeps up on you, and you remain at the edge of your seat until your patience is ultimately rewarded.

Nightcrawler is a unique story in that its protagonist, Lou Bloom, has no character arc. He’s an unethical person at the beginning and remains that way throughout the film. He doesn’t learn any lessons by seeing the dark sides of capitalism and consumer demand. Instead, he embodies the worst components of those ideas. He shows what kind of person you have to become the make it in the world, and the answer is a sociopath.

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Disclosure (2020)

Disclosure provides fascinating insight into the transgender experience in modern America. And a big part of that experience involves seeing (often not-so-flattering) portrayals in the media. Featuring interviews with filmmakers like Lilly Wachowski and Susan Stryker, as well as actors, musicians, and producers, Disclosure sheds knowledge everyone needs to know and understand.

Salma Hayek had to fight vigorously to get Frida made. She even sought out the administrator to the rights of Frida Kahlo’s works to secure paintings for the film. You can see that passion in every scene Hayek is in, making this a biopic that stands apart from many in its class.

A Knight’s Tale is perhaps most noteworthy for its incorporation of classic rock despite being set in the 1300s. It’s a deliberate choice that ultimately works in the film’s favor. Amongst all of the knights and jousting and Chaucer, the soundtrack helps the movie carve out a unique identity among others in its genre. It’s subtle humor that pays off in a big way.

Screenwriter Robert Mark actually got beat up by bullies and started practicing martial arts in order to protect himself. This served as the basis for what would ultimately become The Karate Kid. An old tenet of screenwriting is to “write what you know.” Even something mundane like getting beat up by bullies, which plenty of people can relate to, can serve as the inspiration for one of the greatest sports movies ever made.

It’s easy to think police brutality is a recent issue. However, this problem has existed for decades. We’re only just now more aware of it due to more people having cameras. But back in 1992, video footage of the LAPD assaulting Rodney King made waves and resulted in several nights of unrest on the streets of Los Angeles. But this documentary delves further into issues of unrest, also showing footage from the 1965 Watts Riots and the shooting of Latasha Harlins. Martin Luther King, Jr. said riots were the “language of the unheard,” and it’s time for people to finally sit up and listen.

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Seabiscuit (2003)

Seabiscuit has a classic sports movie formula. It centers on Seabiscuit, an overlooked and undersized race horse who goes on to great success. There are plenty of underdog sports movies, but Seabiscuit manages to be a step above by focusing on a sport not often seen in film. The racing sequences are truly wondrous to behold, and they surely paid a role in the film being nominated for seven Academy Awards.

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Donnie Brasco (1997)

There are numerous mafia movies out there. But what makes Donnie Brasco one of the best gangster movies of all time is how it divides time equally between the mob and the FBI. You get a more complete picture, and people on both sides appear as real people. Plus, the performances from Johnny Depp and Al Pacino are second-to-none and add real gravity to what could have been another forgettable mobster picture.

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Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

Breaking the fourth wall is typically done for comedic effect. However, Fiddler on the Roof does it for a much different reason. During those moments, Tevye discusses important concepts to the Jewish community. It gives the audience time to reflect on the musical’s themes before we get back into another number.

Dramatizing the death of Stalin is one thing, but making a comical farce out of the event and the ensuing power struggle must have been a monumental task. The movie was banned in Russia, but anyone who wants to give it a chance will find a hilarious piece of art with timely parallels to our current political state. It’s a superb example of a dark comedy that balances out its varying tones with such expert precision.

Sleepless in Seattle is a classic romantic comedy for a reason. The chemistry between the two leads is undeniable. And you can feel that spark even though the two only meet at the very end of the film. It proves the true power of excellent writing and casting.

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Taxi Driver (1976)

Netflix isn’t particularly known for having a ton of older, classic movies. That’s why when a masterpiece like Taxi Driver gets on the service, you should watch it immediately. Before Martin Scorsese was directing Netflix originals, he made the film that would go on to define the 1970s. The story of a disaffected taxi driver who descends further into insanity is still sadly prescient in today’s world, and there’s a lot for film students to dissect from this film from a technical standpoint.

How do you adapt one of the most famous English works of all time? For screenwriter Deborah Moggach, it consisted of being fairly faithful to the source material. The structure and dialogue from the novel remains largely intact, but when you have one of the greatest romances ever written at your disposal, you don’t exactly need to reinvent the wheel.

Many movies of late are obsessed with class warfare. From Parasite to Joker, many films explore the division between the upper and lower classes. The Platform follows in this tradition, serving as a political allegory. It takes place in a prison where food is lowered one level at a time until nothing is left for the prisoners at the bottom. Resources literally “trickle down,” so anyone who was a fan of Parasite will also find substance in this sci-fi flick.

Atlantics is one of the most rewarding cinematic experiences of 2019. It almost feels as if the film created its own genre: Just when you think you know where its plot is headed, it changes direction on you.

That misdirection—that sense of gradual discovery with new narrative development—isn’t frustrating. It’s rewarding.

Plenty of films like The Notebook have come out over the years. So why have none of them really had the same level of success? We think it really comes down to casting. The chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams is unparalleled. And the dynamic between those two is what has helped keep the film a cult classic.

Before Barry Sonnenfeld was hired to direct, the job was offered to Tim Burton. It’s interesting to think of what Burton would have done with material that seems so clearly up his wheelhouse. But maybe it was for the best. Separated from Burton’s aesthetic, the titular family seem uniquely out of place in the relatively straightforward world around them, resulting in a classic kids’ film.

Helen Mirren so perfectly encapsulated the essence of Queen Elizabeth that crew members actually began to sit up straight any time she walked past. Mirren’s performance is must-watch material for actors who want to hone their craft. Everything from Queen Elizabeth’s facial expression to her delivery is wonderfully recreated and shows just how much Mirren studied her subject so that she could fully embody this multi-dimensional character.

Many films have tried to imitate what Stand and Deliver was able to accomplish. The story of a teacher reaching inner-city kids is well-worn territory at this point, but this film proves how with stirring speeches and an exceptional lead performance, your film can inspire.

There’s perhaps no movie genre filled with cliches like the musician biopic. Even by 2007, audiences were familiar with the trope-ridden story structure, making it the perfect time for Walk Hard to come out. Watching it today, it’s amazing how little screenwriters for biopics have learned as you can see many of the tropes made fun of in this film still pop up.

Total Recall is based on the Philip K. Dick short story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale.” However, the film takes many liberties from the source material, becoming more “Hollywood” in the process. Fortunately, with Paul Verhoeven at the helm, the film manages to maintain a unique aesthetic and tone that makes it stand out from being just another generic sci-fi action film.

There’s a saying in screenwriting to write what you know. Gerwig exemplified that exquisitely well with Lady Bird, and she was quoted as saying, “Nothing in the movie literally happened in my life, but it has a core of truth that resonates with what I know.” It’s likely for this reason why the script was 350 pages long at one point. Fortunately, she cut the story of a girl wanting more than her small town life to a crisp 93 minutes that anyone who felt different in high school can relate to.

In the aftermath of the Great Recession, many movies dealt with themes related to capitalism and greed. Killing Them Softly is a great example and turns the focus into the realm of small-time organized crime. The movie isn’t subtle with what it’s trying to say, but it’s entertaining and since it’s removed several years past 2008, it can turn a critical eye onto the events that transpired that year.

The Safdie Brothers are experts at craftins highly tense, anxiety-ridden films. Uncut Gems brought that aesthetic into the mainstream, but it all started with 2017’s Good Time, which has similar frenetic editing and fast-paced plot to put you in the protagonist’s shoes. Once the film’s over, you’ll finally feel like you can breathe.

Adam Wingard’s previous effort, You’re Next, subverted expectations, becoming one of the most gruesomely delightful, and underrated, horror films in recent memory. He followed it up with The Guest, which also leaves you guessing as to what’s about to happen from one scene to the next. It’s best to go into the film knowing virtually nothing, so you can be completely struck with how insane the movie gets.

There have been numerous Star Wars parodies over the years. But none quite reach the heights of Spaceballs. The reason for this can likely be attributed to the fact that it’s clear Spaceballs has a loving reverence for the original material, and it creates its own mythos. The jokes work whether or not you’ve seen Star Wars, but if you have, then you’ll appreciate this satirical work.