Movies are an important part of American culture. They tell stories in beautiful and unique ways. So many different sayings we use come from films, but which ones? And why did they grow so popular? Funny enough, not all films popular in the United States originate from here. Even the ones that were filmed in America, don’t always have something to do with the U.S.
For instance, one of the most popular movies in the US is “The Princess Bride.” This fantasy movie is not set entirely in the U.S. It features actors from all over the world. How many times have you heard someone “as you wish” or “inconceivable?” These short quotes come from “The Princess Bride.” This film is just one of many movies every American should watch at least once.
Another common quote from a popular film in the United States is, “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Even people who have never seen “The Wizard of Oz” quote this film.
The movies on this list range in genre and production year. You can expect comedies, dramas, romances, action, tear-jerkers, and even animated movies. Some movies were released in the 1930s, while others are films from the 21st century. They also don’t all have an ‘American’ message or representation. (After this article, click here for 50 of the greatest and saddest movies of all time.)
To curate this list of 30 movies every American should watch, we consulted various entertainment websites. We used the AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movie Quotes list and took some creative liberties in choosing films.
“Airplane!” (1980)
- Cast: Robert Hays, Leslie Nielsen, and Julie Hagerty
- Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker
“Airplane!” is an iconic film all Americans should watch at least once. This hilarious movie was released in 1980. Even four decades later, films and TV shows still reference “Airplane!” This incredibly popular movie killed it at the box office, grossing $171 million against a budget of $3.5 million. On Rotten Tomatoes, “Airplane!” boasts an audience score of 89% and an even more impressive Tomatometer score of 97%.
“Alien” (1979)
- Cast: Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, and Veronica Cartwright
- Director: Ridley Scott
Another film Americans should turn their eye to is “Alien.” This is because the Alien franchise is still alive and well today. Alien and Predator films are still produced. “Alien” is the first film in the franchise. It was released on May 25, 1979, in the United States and was immediately successful. The film grossed over $180 million at the box office.
“Forrest Gump” (1994)
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, and Gary Sinise
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
“Forrest Gump” is as American as it gets. The film is chalk-filled with history and movie references. People travel from all over the world to visit the filming locations of “Forrest Gump.” So, how successful was this film? “Forrest Gump” was released on July 6, 1994, in the United States. This underdog film managed to gross a jaw-dropping $678.2 million against a budget of $55 million.
“Pulp Fiction” (1994)
- Cast: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Bruce Willis
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino was dominating the film industry in the 1990s. He released some of the best films of all time, including “Pulp Fiction.” If you’re American, you’ve probably seen the poster for “Pulp Fiction.” It’s hard to miss. This movie tells the story of multiple characters all intertwined. Its unique movie style was successful as the film grossed $213 million.
“Psycho” (1960)
- Cast: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles
- Director: Alfred Hitchcock
“Psycho” is an old movie, but it’s gold. This unforgettable horror film inspired so many incredible American horror movies. This chilling black-and-white film has iconic scenes referenced in many movies. “Psycho” was released on September 8, 1960. It managed to gross $50 million against a budget of around $800,000.
“Fight Club” (1999)
- Cast: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter
- Director: David Fincher
How many times have you referenced “Fight Club” without realizing it? This action film is definitely worth a watch just for the line “The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: you DO NOT talk about Fight Club.” This cult classic was successful. It grossed $101.2 million at the box office.
“Casablanca” (1942)
- Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid
- Director: Michael Curtiz
Old movies aren’t for everyone. Still, they have their charm. A movie Americans should watch is “Casablanca.” You’ve probably heard of the movie before. It’s a romantic drama with emphasis on the drama. So many incredible one-liners came from this movie including: “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” and “We’ll always have Paris.”
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)
- Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, and Paul Freeman
- Director: Steven Spielberg
Honestly, you should watch “Raiders of the Lost Ark” for the soundtrack alone. Even if you’ve never seen an Indiana Jones movie, you’ve heard the main theme. Two seconds into listening to the main theme, listeners already know where it’s from. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was incredibly successful. With a $20 million budget, the film grossed $389.9 million at the box office.
“Jaws” (1975)
- Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss
- Director: Steven Spielberg
When “Jaws” was released, millions of Americans second-guessed swimming at the beach. Why not check out this film that made so many people afraid of sharks? “Jaws” was released on June 20, 1975. The movie grossed a little over $475 million at the box office. Decades later, “Jaws” is still well-loved. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 90% audience score.
“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
- Cast: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, and Ray Bolger
- Director: Victor Fleming
Who can avoid watching “The Wizard of Oz” as an American? This movie has been referenced so many times in movies and TV shows. “The Wizard of Oz” was released on August 25, 1939. It grossed nearly $40 million. This movie’s influence isn’t going away any time soon. Ruby red slippers, a cute fluffy dog, and a blue and white checkered dress are symbols of this movie.
“Back to the Future” (1985)
- Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, and Crispin Glover
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
“Back to the Future” was the highest-grossing film in 1995, and for good reasons. This entertaining movie is a cultural icon of the United States. All Americans should watch it at least once. The movie tells the story of Marty McFly, a teenager who time travels to 1955. This incredibly successful film grossed $388.8 million. It spawned two sequels, theme park rides, video games, and more.
“The Goonies” (1985)
- Cast: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, and Ke Huy Quan
- Director: Richard Donner
“The Goonies” is a timeless adventure with an incredible cast. This classic adventure comedy was released on June 7, 1985, in the United States. “The Goonies” still lives up to its name. It’s a nostalgic film about a group of friends as they look for treasure to save their homes. This American film has so many references including the line, “Goonies never say die!”
“Treasure Island” (1950)
- Cast: Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton, Basil Sydney, and Finlay Currie
- Director: Byron Haskin
“Treasure Island” is also timeliness. This film is filled with friendship, passion, pirates, and adventure. The film was well-received, although it is more popular now compared to its initial release. On Rotten Tomatoes, “Treasure Island” scored a 100% on the Tomatometer.
“Jurassic Park” (1993)
- Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum
- Director: Steven Spielberg
Can you call yourself an American if you’ve never seen a Jurassic Park film? “Jurassic Park” was released on June 11, 1993, in the United States. It was an immediate hit for a reason. This film is charming, dramatic, and full of likable characters. The movie grossed a jaw-dropping $1.058 billion at the box office. It was so popular it received five sequels, a theme park section, video games, and more.
“The Godfather” (1972)
- Cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and James Caan
- Director: Francis Ford Coppola
“The Godfather” is another movie Americans should watch, even if just once. This American crime movie is shocking, dramatic, and hard to keep your eyes away from. “The Godfather” did incredible at the box office, grossing nearly $300 million. The movie even won multiple Academy and Golden Globe Awards.
“Cinderella” (1950)
- Cast: Ilene Woods, Eleanor Audley, and Verna Felton
- Directors: Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, and Clyde Geronimi.
Disney is super influential in the United States. Probably the most well-known Disney film is “Cinderella.” Even if you’ve never watched this old animated film, you know the story and recognize Cinderella’s glass slippers. It has stood the test of time. On the Tomatometer, “Cinderella” scored a 98%.
“Home Alone” (1990)
- Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, and Daniel Stern
- Director: Chris Columbus
“Home Alone” is a classic American movie. This hilarious family film is wacky. It follows a kid, Kevin McCallister, who is left behind during a family vacation to Paris. No one notices he’s not there until it’s too late. Suddenly, Kevin notices bandits trying to break into his home, so he comes up with silly and creative tricks and traps. Although a Christmas movie, you can watch it any time of the year.
“The Lion King” (1994)
- Cast: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, and James Earl Jones
- Director: Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Another Disney film to make our list of movies every American should watch is “The Lion King.” This movie was so popular and loved, that it was also turned into a TV series and a Broadway show. “The Lion King” is constantly referenced in America. The songs are everywhere.
“Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)
- Cast: Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds
- Directors: Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen
“Singin’ in the Rain” is another classic American movie, Americans should watch at least once. This incredible musical is vibrant and lots of fun. It was released on April 11, 1952, in the United States, and continues to be popular. At the box office, it grossed $7.2 million. The film is an important part of the United States. It was inducted into the National Film Registry.
“The Princess Bride” (1987)
- Cast: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright, and Christopher Guest
- Director: Rob Reiner
So many incredible movies were released in the 1980s. “The Princess Bride” is no exception. This hilarious adventure comedy effortlessly blends genres. It has friendship, romance, sad backstories, hilarious one-liners, and more. “The Princess Bride” is still well-loved. It has a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 94%.
“The NeverEnding Story” (1984)
- Cast: Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, and Tami Stronach
- Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Also released in the 1980s, “The NeverEnding Story” is a must-watch for Americans. It was a very well-loved and received film upon its release, and for good reason. The film is full of heart. It was released on July 20, 1984, in the United States. The movie was also released in Germany. So many times has this film been referenced, specifically the original theme song. “Stranger Things” fans should give “The NeverEnding Story” a watch.
“His Girl Friday” (1940)
- Cast: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, and Ralph Bellamy
- Director: Howard Hawks
“His Girl Friday” is a very American film with a lot of cultural influence. The film was released on January 18, 1940. This movie was selected to be on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years … 100 Laughs. It has incredible quotes like, “Walter, you’re wonderful, in a loathsome sort of way.”
“To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962)
American actor Gregory Peck, as Atticus Finch, stands in a courtroom in a scene from director Robert Mulligans film, To Kill A Mockingbird, 1962. Actor Gregory Peck died June 12, 2003 at age 87 of natural causes in his Los Angeles, California home. (Photo by Universal Studios/Courtesy of Getty Images)
- Cast: Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, and Phillip Alford
- Director: Robert Mulligan
All Americans should watch “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Most schools require students to read the book of the same name by Harper Lee and watch the film. It deals with topics like racism and prejudice through the eyes of Scout. This film was well-received and grossed a little over $13 million at the box office.
“Holes” (2003)
- Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, and Shia LaBeouf
- Director: Andrew Davis
If you went to school in the United States during the 2000s, chances are you’ve watched “Holes” at least once. “Holes” is a film based on a novel of the same name by Louis Sachar. The characters are easy to root for. The movie has friendship, mystery, and murder. Against a budget of $17 million, “Holes” grossed $71.4 million at the box office.
“Dirty Dancing”
- Cast: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, and Jerry Orbach
- Director: Emile Ardolino
“No one puts Baby in the corner.” Do you recognize the famous line? It’s from the film, “Dirty Dancing.” This popular American romantic dance movie took the world by storm. Now when most people hear the song “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” they imagine “Dirty Dancing.” This beautiful movie was released on August 21, 1987, in the United States. It was an immediate hit, grossing over $200 million.
“Saving Private Ryan” (1998)
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Matt Damon, and Tom Sizemore
- Director: Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg has directed way too many good movies. This includes “Saving Private Ryan.” We can’t have a list of movies Americans should watch without including at least one war film. “Saving Private Ryan” was super successful. It was released on July 24, 1998, and grossed close to $484 million at the box office.
“Legally Blonde” (2001)
- Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, and Selma Blair
- Director: Robert Luketic
“Legally Blonde” is an iconic film. It’s filled with color, passion, and good messages. This movie is frequently referenced in the United States. Have you ever heard someone say, “These aren’t last season” or “What? Like it’s hard?” These quotes come from the movie “Legally Blonde.”
“The Shining” (1980)
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Danny Lloyd, and Shelley Duvall
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
It’s hard to try and count how many times “The Shining” has been referenced in films and TV shows. “The Shining” is one of the best horror films of all time. It was released on May 23, 1980, in the United States. Although moderately successful upon its release, it’s even more well-known now. One of the most well-known scenes in “The Shining” features twin girls standing in all blue.
“The Matrix” (1999)
- Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss
- Directors: The Wachowskis
The word “matrix” has become a part of the American language. So many people reference the idea of a matrix, specifically living in one. This is all thanks to the film, “The Matrix.” It was released on March 31, 1999, in the United States. It killed it at the box office, grossing nearly $500 million.
“The Iron Giant” (1999)
- Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., and Vin Diesel
- Director: Brad Bird
Last but not least is “The Iron Giant.” Americans should turn their eyes to this excellent film. “The Iron Giant” is a cult classic. Sadly, it didn’t do well during its release, although it was praised by critics. Against a budget of $50 million, “The Iron Giant” grossed $31 million. Still, on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an audience score of 90% and a 96% on the Tomatometer. (Interested in reading more about movies? Click here for the best speeches in movie history.)