The Classic Five is basically a list of five films that I feel everyone in my generation has definitely seen.  Unless they were deprived as a child or never really took an interest in movies, every kid raised in America has seen at least one of these five movies. These movies are not flawless entities by any means, however, and as a matter of fact, some could be considered quite awful. So remember, this is not a list of the best five movies, but instead a theory of the five movies I think we’ve all seen. 
 Not including originals or sequels, these flicks could definitely be challenged by some runner-ups of which did not make the final five. For instance, most of us saw “Speed” or “Titanic,” as an even larger majority of us saw “Armageddon,” “Die Hard,” or “Batman,” – all of which could easily qualify as contenders. Also, so as not to downplay the significance of the “Indiana Jones” or “Star Wars” trilogies, or let alone last year’s “Phantom Menace,” I realized that these five choices needed to define our generation in a specific manner. They needed to not only qualify as something we all saw, but also, it was important that my final selections be films that broke new ground with all of us - films that, in one way or another, molded this small portion of time into one memorable generation of movies.

 As you read this list, you should be able to place yourself in each respective time frame.  If my theory stands correct, these five movies should be solid reminders of a small time in your life, and should thus be remembered as The Classic Five. Of course, this list is open to change from time to time because of the inevitable addition of memorable flicks such as “Austin Powers” or “The Matrix,” but bear with me, for I feel these movies I’ve chosen are here to stay for a while...

 # 5.)  -Scream. 1996, Dimension Films, directed by Wes Craven, starring Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, and Courtney Cox
  Being that this list is subject to change with each new year, the number five slot belongs to the newest addition to The Classic Five. A film in which some might say defines my generation of movie watchers the most and, if not for its inexperience, so to speak, could be higher in the listing.

  This movie, which critics felt would be a rehashing of the long dead “teen-slasher genre,” was actually quite  the opposite. Wes Craven (along with the help of many other minds, I’m sure) had the wit and creativity to actually re-invent this dated style, by “making fun” of the very genre that he helped create.  He did this by using tongue-in-cheek references to 80’s horror flicks like “Friday the 13th,” “Halloween,” and Craven’s own “Nightmare on Elm Street.”  Scream paved the way to a new and modern revival of the slasher era which has since been saturated by major duds like “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “Urban Legends.” Hell, even “Scream 2” and “Scream 3” fell off the boat a little, but I think we owe "Scream" its credit because we can all remember grabbing our chairs and catching our breath as we saw Drew Barrymore gutted and hanging from a tree in the movie’s beautiful intro.... 

# 4.)  -Independence Day. 1996, 20th Century Fox, directed by Roland Emmerich, starring Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, and Will Smith.
 See, I told you this list wasn’t for the five best movies, because let me tell you, ID4 couldn’t touch the top five movies with a forty-foot pole.

  So, why did I put this crap on the list? Because think about it: everybody and their brother saw this movie in the special effects-infested summer of ‘96. The commercials and previews alone were enough to make our jaws drop. So yes, the movie overall stunk up the business and its atrocious story-telling and awful writing were at the bottom of the bottom, but please people, (Robin and Jorge included) do not deny me the fact that seeing the city explosions was one of the coolest effects sequences to date - in any movie. Before this, we had seen some great stuff, but nothing could deny ID4 its #4 spot on the list, with its awe-inspiring, and ground-breaking effects.

 #3.)  -Jurassic Park. 1993, Universal Pictures, directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neil, and Laura Dern
  Until Spielberg brought us Jurassic Park, we really hadn’t seen anything this real, on or about dinosaurs. It brought something completely new to the table, and with Spielberg behind it, how could it go wrong? Well, the acting by the two kids was one way, but at the time, I was so enthralled by watching a 40 foot tyrannosaur, that I kinda didn’t mind. This movie was, is, and will be for a long time, a milestone. In almost every modern, average American family’s home, you can find a copy of Jurassic Park on video. I noticed, that even people who don’t collect movies own Jurassic Park. From the low, menacing growl of the T-Rex, as he devoured the guy on the toilet seat, to the high-pitched squeal of the single-clawed Velociraptors as they hunted for the kids in the kitchen, Jurassic Park is one of those swords in the stone: you can’t take this one out. [Unless you're Robin, the King Arthur of Movie criticism]

 #2.)  -Terminator 2: Judgment Day. 1991, directed by James Cameron, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Edward Furlong 
 “I’ll be back,” is what I said after I saw this movie in the summer of ‘91 ["I won't be" - Robin]. I could  have watched that film 50 times and not gotten sick of it. This movie was so huge, it inspired everything from comic books to McDonald’s Collector’s Cups to arcade games. Hell, this movie was so big, it helped drag Guns 'N' Roses' career out a few more years, with their song “You Could Be Mine.” This film is actually one of the last times that a solid storyline followed the huge budgeted effects. Even as a 13 year-old kid, I got a little teary-eyed at the end, as Arnie gives the thumbs up just before fully melting away. Another complete and utter milestone, T2 was as good and as memorable as they come...

 #1.)  -Back to the Future. 1985, Universal Studios, directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Lea Thompson
  This is it, the one movie that I would say we’ve all seen. I think you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than of finding someone between 20 and 30 years old who hasn’t seen Back to the Future. No matter what anyone says - and I know I’m gonna get shot down by all the die-hard “Star Wars” fans here - I think the Back to the Future trilogy is the best trilogy ever. I mean together, it is such a viewer-friendly masterpiece. For the young and simple-minded novice movie watchers, it offers a fun, time traveling fantasy that is totally awesome. But for the hardcore, experienced fanatic, it offers tons of unspoken details that connect all three, going deeper than just being sequels (I’ll get into what I mean more later, in my review of the Back to the Future trilogy).

  My point is that we all loved this movie. To this day, the names Doc and Marty McFly can be heard in everyday chit chat and, if it weren’t for Back to the Future, the Delorean would be nothing but a vague 80’s memory. Instead, it will always be referred to as the time machine...
 

 And so, there it is, the classic five. If you are a fan of popcorn flicks or not, these movies are more than likely on your list. In the future, the list may change, and for the next generation of movie buffs, there may be a whole new list... but for now, in the year 2000, as a 21 year-old American kid, I have found that amongst my peers and pals, these five movies are the ones that will help define not only the times, but us.

-Michael Maxfield