These Movies Are All 25+ Years Old: You’ll Feel Old!
1 The Silence of the Lambs
- Year Released: 1991
- Biggest Actors: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Lawrence A. Bonney
- Director: Jonathan Demme
Horror film The Silence of the Lambs turns 30 in 2021. The film, which focuses on an FBI cadet who interviews a cannibal killer in order to catch another dangerous criminal, was only the third film ever to win the “Big Five” Oscars. The movie swept the awards, winning Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. The film is still a major hit for fans of horror movies.
2 Basic Instinct
- Year Released: 1992
- Biggest Actors: Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, Jeanne Tripplehorn
- Director: Paul Verhoeven
Basic Instinct, which turns 29 in 2021, revolves around a police detective who attempts to solve a brutal murder. The film grossed $352,927,224 when it released, making it the ninth highest-grossing film of the year. The movie sparked plenty of controversy due to its erotic nature, but it’s still well known and much loved to this day.
3 Pulp Fiction
- Year Released: 1994
- Biggest Actors: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
Drama Pulp Fiction turns 27 in 2021. The movie follows the lives of various characters, including two mob hitmen, a gangster and his wife, and a boxer. The movie cost only $8 million dollars to make and grossed over $200 million at the box office. The budget would have been even lower, but Bruce Willis’ salary kicked it up quite a bit. Interestingly, Willis only filmed the movie for 18 days, but was still paid a pretty penny, showing just how much the creators wanted him to make an appearance.
4 Bad Boys
- Year Released: 1995
- Biggest Actors: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Téa Leoni
- Director: Michael Bay
Bad Boys immediately became a classic when it was released in 1995. Although the film turns 26 this year, it is still incredibly popular. In fact, the latest movie in the franchise was released in 2020, and it looks like there will be at least three more Bad Boys films. Interestingly, actors Will Smith and Martin Lawrence were crucial to the movie’s success. Director Michael Bay often asked for their input and used their ideas to change much of the script.
5 Jurassic Park
- Year Released: 1993
- Biggest Actors: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum
- Director: Steven Spielberg
Jurassic Park centers on a theme park filled with real-life dinosaurs. Unsurprisingly, keeping these prehistoric creatures in captivity doesn’t go well. The much-loved movie, which sparked the creation of an entire film franchise, turns 28 this year. Apparently, the movie reignited such a strong interest in dinosaurs that there was a record increase in paleontology students after its release.
6 Mrs. Doubtfire
- Year Released: 1993
- Biggest Actors: Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan
- Director: Chris Columbus
This classic film stars Robin Williams, who dresses up as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children during a custody battle. The movie, which turns 28 this year, snagged the Oscar for Best Makeup for Williams’ matronly appearance. In fact, the disguise was so good that Williams wore his Mrs. Doubtfire outfit out to a bookstore prior to filming and wasn’t recognized by anyone.
7 Mission: Impossible
- Year Released: 1996
- Biggest Actors: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight
- Director: Brian De Palma
The Mission: Impossible franchise has been going strong since its initial release in 1996. Tom Cruise has now starred in six movies, with two more slated to premiere in 2022 and 2023. The original film turns 25 this year. Interestingly, while the Mission: Impossible franchise is known for its gun heavy fight scenes, this movie only featured five gunshots total, none of which came from Tom Cruise’s character.
8 Braveheart
- Year Released: 1995
- Biggest Actors: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau
- Director: Mel Gibson
Braveheart focuses on a Scottish warrior who leads his men in a rebellion against the king of England. Now considered a classic, the film was only made because Mel Gibson agreed to play the starring role. Initially, he felt he was too old to do the character justice, but Paramount Pictures refused to finance the film without Gibson as the lead. The movie turns 26 this year.
9 Forrest Gump
- Year Released: 1994
- Biggest Actors: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Sally Field
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
Forrest Gump is easily one of the most well-known movies to ever hit the big screen. Released in 1994, the film turns 27 this year. Before the movie was released, Tom Hanks decided to take a performance-based pay, rather than an agreed-upon salary. He definitely made the right decision, as his final payout was around $60 million.
10 Wayne’s World
- Year Released: 1992
- Biggest Actors: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Rob Lowe
- Director: Penelope Spheeris
Comedy movie Wayne’s World focuses on two friends trying to promote their public-access cable show. The movie was created by Saturday Night Live alums Mike Myers and Dana Carvey. It is the only movie created by former SNL cast members to gross over $100 million. The movie was so popular that a sequel was released the very next year, in 1993. This year, the original film turns 29.
11 Clueless
- Year Released: 1995
- Biggest Actors: Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd
- Director: Amy Heckerling
Even though Clueless is turning 26 this year, it’s still the inspiration for many costume parties today. The movie follows Cher, a shallow, rich girl attending high school in Beverly Hills. Alicia Silverstone was so perfect for the part of Cher that she didn’t even have to audition to land the leading role. Paul Rudd, on the other hand, auditioned for the roles of Murray, Christian, and Elton before eventually being cast as Josh.
12 The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Year Released: 1993
- Biggest Actors: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara
- Director: Henry Selick
This Tim Burton film is now a classic holiday movie. Turning 28 this year, the movie was nominated for an Oscar for Best Effects at the 1994 Academy Awards. Even though The Nightmare Before Christmas didn’t take home the award, it did win Favorite Movie at the 1994 Kids’ Choice Awards.
13 Happy Gilmore
- Year Released: 1996
- Biggest Actors: Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen
- Director: Dennis Dugan
This film from the Adam Sandler universe follows a hockey player who takes his skills to the golf course. The film snagged the award for Best Fight at the MTV Movie + TV Awards in 1996. A comedy movie to the core, the film also received a nomination for Worst Actor at the 1997 Razzie Awards. Although Happy Gilmore plays both golf and hockey, actor Adam Sandler doesn’t excel in either sport.
14 Father of the Bride
- Year Released: 1991
- Biggest Actors: Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Martin Short
- Director: Charles Shyer
Another comedy film, Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin turns 30 this year. The movie, which follows a father freaking out over his only daughter’s marriage, was originally meant to star Phoebe Cates, but the actress had to turn down the role due to her pregnancy. While Steve Martin and Martin Short are considered a powerful duo today, this was only the second film the two men acted in together, the first being The Three Amigos!
15 The Shawshank Redemption
- Year Released: 1994
- Biggest Actors: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton
- Director: Frank Darabont
This heartwarming movie follows two prisoners living out their sentences together. The film was nominated for seven Oscars at the 1995 awards, though it didn’t take home any wins. Still, the movie is considered a classic today. Morgan Freeman has even said that it’s his favorite of all the films he has starred in.
16 A League of Their Own
- Year Released: 1992
- Biggest Actors: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Lori Petty
- Director: Penny Marshall
A League of Their Own follows a female professional baseball team struggling to find success. The movie, which turns 29 this year, was chosen for preservation in the National Film Registry archives by the US Library of Congress in 2012. Many of the actresses in the film sacrificed their own bodies to make the movie a success, as many of the injuries and bruises featured on screen were real.
17 Space Jam
- Year Released: 1996
- Biggest Actors: Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight, Theresa Randle
- Director: Joe Pytka
As a new Space Jam prepares to play on the big screen in 2021, the original movie turns 25 this year. The film features basketball legend Michael Jordan, who helps the Looney Tunes earn their freedom through a basketball game. The unique film features a live-action Michael Jordan starring alongside animated characters. To keep Jordan happy, the production team built a basketball court on set so he could continue practicing his game whenever he had a break from filming.
18 The Sandlot
- Year Released: 1993
- Biggest Actors: Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Art LeFleur
- Director: David Mickey Evans
Set in the summer of 1962, The Sandlot follows a group of kids playing baseball next to the infamous house of a supposedly dangerous dog. The hilarious movie turns 28 this year. The movie largely hinges on the close relationship between Benny and Smalls. To build that connection, the two young actors met for rehearsal long before their costars joined the set and easily built a close, friendly relationship.
19 Hocus Pocus
- Year Released: 1993
- Biggest Actors: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy
- Director: Kenny Ortega
Classic Halloween film Hocus Pocus was first released in 1993, meaning it also turns 28 this year. The film centers on three witches who are accidentally awakened by the new kid in town. The witches were all executed during the Salem Witch Trials. Interestingly enough, Sarah Jessica Parker later found out that she had an ancestor who was actually executed during the Salem Witch Trials, adding a new dimension to her role in the movie.
20 Scream
- Year Released: 1996
- Biggest Actors: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette
- Director: Wes Craven
Horror film Scream follows a teenage girl terrorized by a killer after the murder of her mother. Turning 25 this year, the film won numerous awards at the time of its release. The party scene near the very end of the film was so long and complicated that it was shot over 21 days, leaving the entire cast and crew drained and exhausted.
