With yet another sequel currently in theaters, the twenty-five-year-old science fiction adventure ceases to lose any momentum. It remains as it was in 1993, when the New York Times’ Janet Maslin hailed it as, “a true movie milestone, presenting awe- and fear-inspiring sights never before seen on the screen.” The excitement begins with a preview tour of a new bioengineered dinosaur theme park. Two paleontologists, one mathematician and two children experience wonder and a little disappointment until… the cloned dinosaurs escape and everyone is transported to the Jurassic, fighting for survival. The then-groundbreaking computer-generated imagery combined with “life-sized” animatronic dinosaurs and realistic audio (originally enhanced by DTS, a new surround sound system) paid off at the Oscars with multiple awards for visual and sound effects. Withstanding the test of time in the scares-and-surprises category, Jurassic Park unleashes remarkably believable, big-budget monsters and an updated Frankenstein nightmare for a new millennium.

Age recommendation: 13+