Having to watch some of these old movies kind of brings back those days when it was all about VHS cassettes and DVDs. Now, Netflix has recently been buying the rights to have almost all old fan favorites—movies and TV shows—available on its platform.
Netflix has been around for years now, and we have seen how the platform has rolled out content, not only putting out new material but also digging out the archives and dishing out some classic movies that appeal easily to our generation. Is that a great move? Yeah, of course, just imagine an archive of countless movies dating back to the ’80s and ’90s, which will still be accessible even in the next 30 years.
So we’ve decided to round up 15 popular classic movies that somehow have a lasting impact on pop culture while also capturing relatable topics that are still very relevant to this day.
Below is our list:
White Chicks (2004)
This is another classic comedy from the Wayans brothers. They act as FBI agents, Marcus (Marlon Wayans) and Kevin Copeland (Shawn Wayans), who accidentally foil a drug bust. As punishment, they are forced to escort a pair of socialites (Anne Dudek, and Rochelle Aytes) to the Hamptons, where they’re going to be used as bait for a kidnapper. But when the girls realize the FBI’s plan, they refuse to go. Left without options, Marcus and Kevin decide to pose as the sisters, transforming themselves from African-American men into a pair of blonde, white women.
Tsotsi (2005)
Set in an Alexandra township, the film tells the story of Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae), a young street thug who steals a car only to discover a baby in the back seat and has to take care of this baby. The film won the 2006 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2006. It also stars Terry Pheto, Kenneth Nkosi, Mothusi Magano, Jerry Mofokeng, Manmbitha Mpumlwana, Kenneth Nkosi and Israel Makoe.
Baby Boy (2001)
The movie follows the story of Jody (Tyrese Gibson), a misguided, 20-year-old African-American who is really just a baby boy finally forced-kicking and screaming to face the commitments of real life. Streetwise and jobless, he has not only fathered two children by two different women-Yvette (Taraji P. Henson) and Peanut (Tamara LaSeon Bass) but still lives with his own mother. He can’t seem to strike a balance or find direction in his chaotic life.
Den of Thieves (2018)
Nick O’Brien is the hard-drinking leader of the Regulators, an elite unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Ray Merrimen is the recently paroled leader of the Outlaws, a gang of ex-military men who use their expertise and tactical skills to evade the law. O’Brien, Merrimen and their crews soon find themselves on a direct collision course as the criminals hatch an elaborate plan for a seemingly impossible heist — the city’s Federal Reserve Bank.
Jerusalema: Gangster’s Paradise (2008)
Another South African classic! The film was submitted to the Academy Awards to qualify as a nominee for Best Foreign Language Film. It was a box office bomb, grossing only $400,000 against the production budget of $2 million. The movie is about a gangster (Rapulana Seiphemo) who builds a criminal empire in Johannesburg, but an escalating war with a drug lord and police pressure threatens to shut him down.
The movie also stars Ronnie Nyakale, Robert Hobbs, Shelly Meskin and Jafta Mamabolo.
The Matrix (1999)
Neo (Keanu Reeves) believes that Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), an elusive figure considered to be the most dangerous man alive, can answer his question — What is the Matrix? Neo is contacted by Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), a beautiful stranger who leads him into an underworld where he meets Morpheus. They fight a brutal battle for their lives against a cadre of viciously intelligent secret agents. It is a truth that could cost Neo something more precious than his life.
Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ (2005)
Based on the story of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, the movie follows Marcus (50 Cent) who has little support in his life. He starts working for drug dealer Levar (Bill Duke) and his assistant (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). Although Marcus makes good money selling, his dream is to become a rapper. When he reunites with an old love (Joy Bryant) and is later shot numerous times during a robbery, Marcus decides it’s time to change his life. However, his old associates won’t let him go so easily.
Scarface (1983)
Tony Montana (Al Pacino) stakes a claim on the drug trade in Miami. Viciously murdering anyone who stands in his way, Tony eventually becomes the biggest drug lord in the state, controlling nearly all the cocaine that comes through Miami. But increased pressure from the police, wars with Colombian drug cartels and his own drug-fueled paranoia serve to fuel the flames of his eventual downfall.
Coach Carter (2005)
Based on a true story, Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) returns to his old high school in Richmond, California, to get the basketball team into shape. With tough rules and academic discipline, he succeeds in setting the players on a winning streak. But when their grades start to suffer, Carter locks them out of the gym and shuts down their championship season. When he is criticized by the players and their parents, he sticks to his guns, determined that they excel in class as well as on the court.
The Forgotten Kingdom (2014)
This South African classic follows the story of a young man who travels to his ancestral land to bury his estranged father. He is drawn to the mystical beauty and hardships of the land and people he had forgotten.
The cast includes Jerry Mofokeng, Nozipho Nkelemba, Zenzo Ngqobe and Lilian Dube.
Inception (2010)
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a thief with the rare ability to enter people’s dreams and steal their secrets from their subconscious. His skill has made him a hot commodity in the world of corporate espionage but has also cost him everything he loves. Cobb gets a chance at redemption when he is offered a seemingly impossible task: Plant an idea in someone’s mind. If he succeeds, it will be the perfect crime, but a dangerous enemy anticipates Cobb’s every move.
Coming to America (1988)
Stars Eddie Murphy as Akeem Joffer, the crown prince of the fictional African nation of Zamunda, who travels to the United States in the hopes of finding a woman he can marry.
The Italian Job (2003)
An American remake of the 1969 British film, the plot follows a motley crew of thieves who plan to steal gold from a former associate who double-crossed them. Despite the shared title, the plot and characters of this film differ from those of its source material; Gray described the film as “an homage to the original.
Rush Hour (1998)
Stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker as mismatched police officers who must rescue a Chinese diplomat’s kidnapped daughter.
The Social Network – Facebook (2010)
Adapted from Ben Mezrich’s 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires, the film portrays the founding of social networking website Facebook and the resulting lawsuits.
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