20 Movies Turning 20

With the advent of a new year, we're making resolutions and looking forward in terms of where we want to go. However, this is also a good time to look at where we've been and it doesn't need to all be so serious and quietly contemplative. In that spirit, I'd like to present 20 movies that are turning 20 this year! 

Note: It's possible there are spoilers in my comments. However, you've had 20 years to watch these movies so suck it up.

1. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

The movie that took "talking out of your ass" to a whole new level.

2. Blank Check

The movie that taught 90s kids that it's incredibly easy to cash a million dollar check without anyone asking too many questions. Also, giant, castle-style mansions go for well under a million dollars so you can still have enough money left over for a huge birthday party.

3. Junior

Arnold Schwarzenegger's most dignified acting role to date, perhaps rivaled only by Jingle All the Way.

4. Reality Bites

This movie, although 20 years old, is still completely relevant in capturing the feelings of recent college graduates. Yes, there are some people that seem to figure their shit out right away but for the rest of us, this movie makes us feel like maybe there's still hope.

5. The Hudsucker Proxy

The Coen brothers' hilarious and fictitious take on the invention of the hula hoop. I'm not usually a big fan of the Coen brothers' comedy films (I know, I know--please don't lynch me in the comments) but this one is pretty funny.

6. D2: The Mighty Ducks

"WEEEEE ARE THE CHAMPIIIIIIIIONS, MY FRIIIIIEEEEEENNNNNNND!"

7. Speed

Keanu must keep a city bus driving above 50 mph or it'll explode. Sandra Bullock gets roped in to driving. Drama ensues.

8. The Crow

This iconic cult classic is unfortunately tinged with sadness as it was Brandon Lee's final movie and he died during filming due to accidental gunfire in one of the movie scenes. But the movie lives on as his legacy and it's dedicated to Lee and his fiancee.

9. The Flintstones

I remember seeing this movie for a friend's birthday party/sleepover. All of us girls put up our hair like Pebbles and then the birthday girl's mom took us all to the theater. We looked AMAZING.

Fun fact, this was Elizabeth Taylor's last theatrical release film.

10. Legends of the Fall

Drama! Love triangles! Brad Pitt! Prohibition! Montana!

11. The Lion King

This Disney take on Shakespeare's Hamlet has certainly remained a classic standard for Disney movies and musicals. It's also inspired an incredibly successful Broadway show as well as one of my favorite TV moments of all time:

12. Forrest Gump

This iconic film chronicling one man's journey through several significant moments in 20th century American history won several Academy Awards and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being historically, aesthetically, and culturally significant.

13. Angels in the Outfield

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character doesn't understand the sarcasm when his deadbeat dad tells him that JGL can live with him when the Angels win the pennant. Instead, he wishes for real angels to come help his baseball team which includes players like Tony Danza, Adrien Brody, and Matthew McConaughey.

This . . . might be from a different movie.

14. It Could Happen to You

The movie where two very nice people win the lottery after lifetimes of racking up good karma and it turns out they're surrounded by assholes.

15. The Mask

Jim Carrey's second huge movie of 1994. I remember having the soundtrack to this movie on cassette and listening to it on my Walkman until my ears bled.

We're just going to pretend like this never happened.

16. Natural Born Killers

That's right, folks, one of the most controversial films of all time turns 20 this year. Although, as messed up as this movie is, it kind of pales in comparison to some of the twisted movies that have been released since.

17. Timecop

Jean-Claude Van Damme travels through time to save Ferris Bueller's girlfriend. Also, lots of stuff blows up.

18. Pulp Fiction

"Does he look like a bitch?"

19. The Shawshank Redemption

Based on Stephen King's novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, it is considered one of the best movies of all time and is listed in the American Film Institute's list of the 100 best films of all time (fun fact: it outranks both Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction).

20. Dumb and Dumber

Apparently the movie powers that be are working on a sequel, Dumb and Dumber To, that is set to be released in November. I'm not sure if I should be excited or saddened.