By Kailee Parsons

As I near the end of my university career and prepare to face the untraversed wilderness of the job market, I find it near impossible to believe that my next milestone birthday is 25. Surely I just turned 18? To make myself feel better about it, I’m taking a look back at films turning 25 this year (both childhood favorites and those I saw decades later), and giving you my shortlist of 10 that are still worth watching.

1. Saving Private Ryan (Steven Spielberg) – One of two major films released in 1998 to take the Second World War as its subject matter, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan is a classic for a reason. The film follows Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) and his team of US soldiers on their mission to rescue Private James Ryan (Matt Damon) in order to spare his family the loss of all their sons after three others die in battle. Lauded for its immersive battle sequences and authentic depiction of war, along with performances that portray the soldiers as real people rather than mythical heroes, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" in 2014, and remains a worthwhile watch today.

2. You’ve Got Mail (Nora Ephron) – If you prefer Tom Hanks as a romantic lead, you should look no further than Nora Ephron’s quintessential enemies-to-lovers offering, You’ve Got Mail. After meeting in an online chat room, Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) and Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) fall in love over email, but their agreement to refrain from sharing personal information keeps them from knowing they are real life business rivals. Kathleen owns a children’s bookstore passed down from her mother, while Joe and his family own Fox Books, a chain of mega-bookstores which threaten to put independent shops out of business. If the plot doesn’t already scream 90s romcom perfection, add in dial-up internet sounds, the dawn of online dating, and a few oversized knits to rival those worn by the cast of Love Actually. Dated though the plot may be, the ‘Meg Ryan fall’ TikTok trend of the past few years proves Kathleen Kelly is still an icon.

3. The Truman Show (Peter Weir) – With reality television emerging as a distinct genre in the 1990s, the time was right for Peter Weir’s The Truman Show, which is somehow equal parts comedy, satire, and psychological drama. Jim Carrey stars as Truman Burbank, the unsuspecting star of a reality television soap who is unaware that his entire life is a lie, and that even his friends and family are paid actors. While the film cleverly utilizes Carrey’s over-the-top comedic persona to show how life in a false utopia has impacted Truman, it was also the first to showcase Carrey as a dramatic actor as his character begins to realize the truth about his situation. Although the film is ultimately a light-hearted affair, it raises questions about how far modern society is willing to go for the sake of entertainment at least as well as The Hunger Games, and has ultimately instilled in me a greater fear of simulated reality than did The Matrix.

4. Rushmore (Wes Anderson) – Wes Anderson’s second film, which both introduced the world to Jason Schwartzman and launched Bill Murray’s ‘second career’ as an indie movie staple, may be one of his best. The story follows Max Fischer (Schwartzman in his debut role), an eccentric teenager who attends the prestigious Rushmore Academy on a scholarship he is in danger of losing and falls in love with a teacher he cannot have. Unfortunately, not only is Max too young for Ms. Cross (Olivia Williams), but he is also in a war for her affections with the father of two of his classmates (Murray). While Anderson’s deliberate artifice is already on full display in Rushmore, the film also allows for more honesty from its characters than the director’s more recent films. Rushmore ultimately serves to show that, despite differences in age and class background, we are all equally susceptible to feelings of loneliness.

5. Mulan (Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook) – It would be a mistake not to include my favorite Disney movie after countless repeat viewings on VHS as a child. In the unlikely event that anyone is unfamiliar with the story, Mulan disguises herself as a man in order to take her elderly father’s place in battle after he is conscripted, and it really has everything you could want from an animated flick. Talking animals? Check. Memorable jokes? Check. Battle sequences? Check. Strong female lead with motivations beyond being a strong female lead? Double check. It also features one of the greatest sing-along Disney songs, so there’s that.

6. The Prince of Egypt (Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, Simon Wells) – This forgotten DreamWorks gem, which tells the story of the Biblical Moses, was a staple of my childhood and still holds up today. Much consideration was put into representing the ancient Egyptians, Hebrews, and Nubians correctly, and in the end, 350 artists from 34 nations were hired to animate the project. Additionally, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim scholars were brought in to ensure theological and historical accuracy. Of course, you don’t have to be religious to appreciate The Prince of Egypt. With beautiful animation, a score composed by Hans Zimmer, and songs written by Stephen Schwartz (additional tracks by contemporary artists such as Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston round out the soundtrack), The Prince of Egypt is worth a watch.

7. The Big Lebowski (Coen Brothers) – It’s difficult to describe the plot of the Coen brothers’ noir comedy, The Big Lebowski. It’s a film about what happens when stoner Jeff ‘The Dude’ Lebowski is mistaken for Jeffrey ‘The Big’ Lebowski, a millionaire whose trophy wife has been kidnapped and now must deliver a ransom. It’s also a film about male friendship and the love of bowling. While The Big Lebowski might not be everyone’s favorite Coen brothers’ film (I’m still partial to Fargo), it is undeniable that it has amassed a cult following unlike any other, with a festival, Lebowski Fest, held annually in its honor. It certainly has all the ingredients of a cult favorite, from quotable dialogue and a unique drug-trip inspired sequence to an iconic cast of characters.

8. The Thin Red Line (Terrence Malick) – As the second World War II film to be released in 1998, Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line is often compared to Saving Private Ryan, but the two couldn’t be more different. If the structure of Saving Private Ryan is traditional and polished, The Thin Red Line is experimental and meandering, switching focus between several characters in its large ensemble cast. While the former celebrates the courage and camaraderie of soldiers, the latter spends its time contemplating more abstract, philosophical questions about good and evil, life and death, and beauty and terror, and whether these things can exist simultaneously. Therefore, The Thin Red Line might be a disappointment for those expecting the more orthodox war film, but for what it is—a deeply contemplative and spiritual piece featuring incredible cinematography, gorgeous colors, and a score by Hans Zimmer—it’s worth watching at least once.

9. Flowers of Shanghai (Hou Hsiao-Hsien) – Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s Flowers of Shanghai explores the lives and struggles of women who inhabit a series of Taiwanese brothels called ‘flower houses’ towards the end of the 19th century. Through the dreamlike glow of oil lamps and the haze of opium, the flower houses have every appearance of beauty, but the realities of the women’s experience show the beauty is only surface level. Although critics have agreed that the film requires a patient viewer—and perhaps one who welcomes a repeat viewing—the stunning visuals and tense performances make the film a worthwhile retro watch.

10. The Parent Trap (Nancy Meyers) – As with Mulan, so many of us watched this one in childhood that I suspect a summary is unnecessary, but just in case, Nancy Meyers’ The Parent Trap features Lindsay Lohan as both Hallie and Annie, identical twins separated shortly after birth when their parents split up and each gain custody of one daughter. After meeting at summer camp, the two girls decide to switch places and ultimately hatch a plan to get their parents (Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson) back together. There are jokes, there is romance, there are inexplicably brilliant performances by child star Lindsay Lohan. While both the plot and certain details are more than a little unrealistic (why do each of the parents have live-in servants?), The Parent Trap is worth watching again, if only for nostalgia’s sake–and for a guaranteed feel-good end to a stressful week of coursework.