I’m not really sure what I can say about Forrest Gump that hasn’t already been said. The Oscar-winning movie solidified Tom Hanks as a bona fide movie star when it hit theaters in 1994. Hanks’s Gump is a revelation. Three decades later, this classic still plucks the heartstrings in the best way possible.

Ice Cube surprised audiences everywhere when he ditched his signature mean-mugging hip-hop persona to lead the sleeper comedy, Friday. Here, he plays Craig, the straight man opposite Chris Tucker’s Smokey. Their relationship dynamic is infectious and is the biggest reason why this movie works as well as it does. It became a successful franchise with a fourth sequel in the works. The first one, though, is still the best.

Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas is a powerhouse of a mafia movie. Everything about this film — from the epic ensemble performances by Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Lorraine Bracco, the smart writing, visceral violence and memorable one-liners — makes it an absolute classic. “Go get your shine box,” and enjoy this movie.

I’ve lost count of how many Mission: Impossible movies there are now. One thing I haven’t forgotten, though, is how awesome the first installment actually is. When the action thriller first hit theaters, Tom Cruise was already an A-list actor. But he hadn’t really broken through as an action star. This changed all that and helped push the medium into the new millennium, where it is still absolutely thriving.

When Titanic premiered, it was a phenomenon. I had friends who went to the theater repeatedly just to watch James Cameron’s blockbuster disaster movie. As jaw-dropping as the effects were in this release, the chemistry between Leonardo DiCaprio (who played Jack) and Kate Winslet (Rose) elevated the story and made this an epic love tale that still resonates with audiences today.

What is there to be said about Jurassic Park that hasn’t already been said? Steven Spielberg brought Michael Crichton’s hit book to life and pretty much changed how dinosaurs were depicted on screen. This movie was a big deal when it premiered and showcased an array of jaw-dropping special effects. Three decades later, the franchise continues to expand. But as awesome as it is to see dinos dominate the big screen, these movies never achieve the glory of the original.

As you’ll see, this list includes two movies starring Keanu Reeves. I didn’t plan this but Peacock has the John Wick and Matrix franchises, which are extremely watchable. I’d argue that all of the John Wick movies are worth streaming but the first installment has that special energy of an original story spreading its wings. And to think, all this could’ve been avoided if they hadn’t messed with John Wick’s dog.

Julia Roberts won the Oscar for her lead role in Steven Soderbergh’s Erin Brockovich, and for good reason: She’s an absolute powerhouse in this. The movie is based on Brockovich’s life and her evolution from divorced mother of three to formidable investigative paralegal who, under the mentorship of Albert Finney’s Ed, took on Pacific Gas & Electric and exposed them for contaminating the water supply of a local community. 

Mike Nichols directed this comedy classic, inspired by the 1978 French movie La Cage aux Folles. Led by Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, the movie follows the story of an out and proud gay couple who must hide their relationship when the conservative parents of their son’s fiancée come to visit. Gene Hackman and Dianne Weist are fantastic, and Hank Azaria’s Agador Spartacus steals the show. 

The Wachowskis kicked the sci-fi genre in the teeth when The Matrix premiered in theaters in 1999. The movie, which spawned a series of sequels, an animated spin-off and a string of comic books, tells the tale of Neo (Keanu Reeves) a man who grapples with the concept that our reality isn’t real at all and, in the process of dealing with that brain-breaker, he’s also part of a resistance movement in a dystopian nightmare where he’s acknowledged as the potential savior of humanity. Hey, no big deal, right? Not only did this movie propel Reeves into a blockbuster superstar but it also introduced groundbreaking special effects that helped push the genre and filmmaking itself into the 21st century.

Jaws turns 50 years old this year, which is a crazy thing to type. Steven Spielberg’s action movie about a vengeful shark changed the way movies are made. This right here was the first-ever summer blockbuster — for a reason. The movie is full of Alfred Hitchcock-style suspense but what makes it so watchable is the dynamic between the lead actors Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw. Come for Quint’s (Shaw) epic drunk monologue, stay for the unnerving 4 (yes 4) minutes that the great white is actually on screen.  

Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning film explores the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer (played to perfection by Cillian Murphy), the physicist who played a pivotal role in developing the atomic bomb. The story unfolds throughout various points of Oppenheimer’s life, offering a well-rounded and thought-provoking look at the man who pushed the world to the brink. The production value, direction and performances by its ensemble cast resulted in an epic cinematic experience. It’s no wonder the movie brought home the Academy Award for Best Picture.