Our Top Films Turning 20 in 2016!

With another year of epic films gone and certainly plenty in the year ahead to look forward to, we thought we would take a quick trip down memory lane and remember some pretty familiar films that will be turning a cool 20 years old! Scary we know.

Now, some of these might shock, amaze or perhaps just make you realise how old things (and you are). We certainly fall in the latter category!

So! Take a little trip down memory lane with us and take a peep at some of our favourite films that were released way back in 1996 which is weirdly not only ten years ago despite what our mind like to make us think sometimes. Enjoy!

Mars Attacks!

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Now we can totally see the comedy in this film, hard to miss really, but this film certainly gave us a few chills too! After earth is surrounded by alien space craft, the aliens quickly choose America to be their first port of call (as always) and...well....things quickly go pear-shaped! With their superior guns and cruel but funny sense of humour, the visitors begin their rampage as the US President has to decide whether to try and end things peacefully or opt for all out nuclear retaliation.

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Jerry Maguire

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Suuuuch a Cruise classic! Full of great moments and acting, the story follows a successful sports agent who after re-thinking and expressing his life's purpose and picking up some flaws in his career and the company, is swiftly fired. He then begins creating his own venture which will follow his new moral compass and philosophy through and through, however with just one client whos faith he will have to earn. Such a great flick that will have you shouting 'Show me the money!' in your everyday life....if you're like us anyways.

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Space Jam

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Now, this is one of those films that we're pretty sure it was a crime not to have a copy of this on VHS in your home back then. Packed with the most iconic Looney Tunes characters ever, and the off celeb, Space Jam was a childhood staple for sure. After Moron Mountain (an outer space theme park) owner Mr. Swackhammer sends five aliens known as the Nerdlucks to go capture the Looney Tunes to be the next park attraction, Bugs Bunny and co trick them into a challenge to determine their fate and pick a game of Basketball to be the decider. After the aliens start to steal NBA stars to play for them, the Looney Tunes recruit the recently retired Michael Jordan to help them win and fight for their freedom. Let the game begin!

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Independence Day

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Ahh so many memories of watching this at school at the end of term when teacher and students have long thrown in the towel before the Christmas holidays. Maybe this was the only tape the school owned actually.

After global communications start to go on the blink, scientists quickly notice some mysterious object heading straight to Earth. After discovering that they are in fact Aliens who have come to destroy America's... the world's most iconic cities, humans must fight for survival with the help of a super-secret alien craft which has been captured and kept in Area 51. Will we survive? *hint* - we wouldn't be writing this if we didn't.....and it were real.

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Kingpin

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Probably our favourite bowling film....any maybe the only bowling film we know, Kingpin follows the story of Roy Munson who is considered the best in the world, who is quickly struck down after losing his bowling hand after trying to cheat the wrong guys. Working as a travelling salesman, Roy meets Ishmael, an Amish man who sneaks from his community to bowl. Roy convinces Ishmael to become his trainer and train him to become the best in the world again, however he must prove himself against a former rival who is still at the top of their game.

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Jingle All the Way

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A Christmas classic! Sure to get a watch each year on our sets, Jingle all the Way shows us the very real struggle of a busy father who to avoid yet another disappointment, makes finding THE toy of the year Turbo-Man his mission and the only way to complete Christmas for his son. With this doll harder to find than a Yetti in the woods, this is one dad who has to literally fight for one and will do whatever it takes. Classic Arnie.

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James and the Giant Peach

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So often movies based on books juuuuust don't quite capture the same magic of the story, not so here! James and the Giant Peach is such a classic from one of our all-time favourite authors Roald Dahl. The story follows James who after his parent tragic death if forced to live with his cruel aunts. Living a pretty rubbish life with them until one night James stumbles across a strange old man, who gives him the recipe of a magic potion which, when drunk, will bring him happiness and great adventures. Before he can take a sip, the potion is spilled onto an old Peach tree which grows to a huuuge size and contains several large bugs which he befriends and they begin their adventure.

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Mission: Impossible

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Even now we get that excited feeling when we see this pop up on the TV listings! You know you're in for a treat when American secret agent Ethan Hunt on the scene. After a mission in Prague takes a turn for the worse, Ethan is left as a lone survivor and is quickly framed for his co-workers deaths. The fight is on to clear his name and to escape the might of the US who are looking to take him down.  Action packed and full of twists and turns, it's hard not to love this film.

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So there you have them folks! Now that we feel just a little bit older, at least we can look back and think of just what an amazing year for films 1996 was! Amazing to think how well we still know these films....even though we have probably seen them more times than we can could possible recall.

So which is your favourite 1996 film? Shout them out in the comments below.