This is a movie you can physically feel. The unsettling set design, drone of the soundtrack, and grainy cinematography makes it feel like the movie is sweating, crawling in your skin, and fermenting there.  

The story follows a group on a road trip who briefly stop by an abandoned house two of them grew up in. However, they soon discover that the house next door is inhabited by a family of cannibalistic killers. 

While the film is terrifying, there is very little blood or gore. When Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen) hangs one of the group on a wall with a meat hook, we don’t see it go through, but the camera zooms in on her face instead. The film lets us imagine the horror in our minds, more terrifying than showing it. 

Visually dazzling, technologically groundbreaking, and with a story that has remained timeless in the 25 years since it was released, The Matrix is rightfully hailed as one of the best sci-fi and action movies of all time.

The film’s protagonist, Neo (Keanu Reeves) is told to “follow the white rabbit,” leading him to Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). There, he learns that the world he lives in is a false construct, a creation by superintelligent AI that allows them to harvest energy and computing power from their bodies in the “real world.” He has the power to manipulate the Matrix and help free humanity.

The action in the film is slick, fast paced, and still feels incredibly fresh. It feels like you’re watching panels from a comic pasted to real life, especially with the direction of the Wachowskis and their influences from classic anime like Ghost in the Shell. The film pioneered the “bullet time” effect, where time appears to freeze around the characters while the camera moves around them.  

With Sheer Heart Attack, Queen began to solidify their radio-friendly pop-rock sound with songs that are timeless even today.  

Containing one of their most popular songs, “Killer Queen,” the album has so many more great tracks. 

 “Brighton Rock” is a three-minute showcase of guitar acrobatics from Brian May and drumming that fits perfectly with the rest of the song from Roger Taylor. The song was featured in the 2017 film Baby Driver, introducing it to a modern audience. 

“Stone Cold Crazy,” eventually covered by metal legends Metallica, is a precursor to thrash and speed metal before James Hetfield had even picked up his first guitar.  

And the three-song medley of “Tenement Funster,” “Flick of the Wrist,” and “Lily of the Valley” is a highlight, showing the varied sounds of Queen from rockers to ballads.  

While most of the tracks, apart from “Killer Queen,” don’t have the instant recognition of the songs you’ll hear all the time on classic rock radio, the album is certainly worth a listen. 

Propelled by hits including “Toxic,” “Oops!… I Did It Again,” and the title track of this album, “…Baby One More Time,” Britney Spears is a pop legend nowadays. Her voice is mature for the then-18-year-old, and distinctive from other pop stars of the time.  

Despite that, her first album is somewhat forgettable, outside of a few standouts. Of course, the title track is a pop classic, with the wah-wah guitar lines throughout and the iconic piano riff opening. It has been repeatedly referred to as one of the best debut singles of all time, and has sold over 10 million units. “You Drive Me Crazy” has a similar structure to “…Baby One More Time,” but features a heavier sound with distorted guitars, slap bass, and a recurring, catchy bell hook. It’s even better in it’s remixed form, with a catchier intro, a fuller sound, and a new bridge.  

However, other songs are the most basic pop imaginable, with outdated ballads like “E-Mail My Heart” or weird reggae diversions like “Soda Pop.”