5 Life-Changing Movies Everyone Should Watch at Least Once

There are a lot of good movies being made these days, but there are also movies that stand the test of time and cultural change while remaining relevant. Here are just five such films.

Black Narcissus (1947, 7.7 on IMDb)

Adapted from Rumer Godden's novel of the same name, this British classic follows a group of nuns who move to a Himalayan princely state at the invitation of its ruler to start a school. But as they struggle to adapt to the new place with its harsh climate, miss their homes, and fail to get along with the local people, their faith is put to the test.

It's a movie about sacrifice and perseverance. But most of all, it makes you think about what happiness really is.

Airplane! (1980, 7.7 on IMDb)

This slapstick spoof of many classic disaster movies is primarily based on Zero Hour! as it focuses on Ted Striker, a former fighter pilot struggling with PTSD, whose life takes an unpleasant turn when his girlfriend of many years leaves him one day. To win her back, Ted boards the plane where she works as a flight attendant, only to discover that both pilots have died of food poisoning during the flight. Now he's the only hope the passengers have.

This movie is not only hilarious, but also makes you realize what's really important in life.

Casablanca (1942, 8.5 on IMDb)

This classic love drama set during World War II has captivated generations of viewers with its portrayal of romance. The movie follows Rick Blaine, an American expatriate in Vichy-occupied Morocco who runs a nightclub. Since the place is popular with war officials, Rick could lead a reasonably safe and comfortable life, but he decides to help a Czechoslovakian resistance leader escape from the titular city. Along the way, Rick falls in love with the man's wife and must make a difficult choice between his moral duty and love.

Seven Samurai (1954, 8.6 on IMDb)

Widely regarded as a precursor to modern action films, this Japanese classic set in the Sengoku period revolves around the residents of a small farming village that is constantly plundered by various bandits, leaving the inhabitants to starve to death. One day, the villagers decide to hire a group of samurais to protect them from the bandits. And as the swordsmen do their duty, they also help the villagers to come together.

12 Angry Men (1957, 9.0 on IMDb)

The cult legal drama tells the story of a teenage boy on trial for the murder of his father. The jury of twelve men must decide whether he is guilty, which would result in death by electric chair, or acquit him on the basis of reasonable doubt. As they consider the case, the jurors begin to change their seemingly firm initial opinions.