As strange as it may sound, I’ve always been a sucker for “big” anniversaries. Every 5 years seems like an achievement in itself – especially in this hectic world – and whether it’s a relationship, a birthday, or a piece of media reaching the next milestone, I always think it’s appropriate to celebrate it! In 2025, I’d never felt so old. At 28 years old, I got to see the 25th anniversary of many shows – including Survivor, CSI, and almost Jimmy Neutron! – which had me dumbfounded that I’ve been around for it all.

But some landmark anniversaries of 2025 were much older than me, and getting to join in the celebration of older media I love today had me quite excited! So I wanted to end the year with a little look back on these movies (and one very special show) that not only entertain with each passing year, but deserve a beaming spotlight in 2025. As we look to the next year with films like Labyrinth, The Birdcage, and Top Gun (I finally have to see it!) getting big anniversaries, let’s remember the fun these past 12 months brought us.

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The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Fewer films have had such an impact on me as The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In fact, it’s so influential and important to me that I officially put it into my Top 4 Films on Letterboxd this year! It’s the perfect movie musical, adapting a stage show for the screen with an all-star cast, the catchiest of tunes, and a plot that requires multiple viewings to truly experience it all. The icing on the cake? Tim Curry at his very best of all time. 2025 saw Rocky Horror’s 50th anniversary! With this came a national tour that, granted, has been ongoing for a couple years now, but this year I got to finally see it at Boston’s Colonial Theater, complete with a huge crowd, dancing, props, and Barry Bostwick himself. It was quite the experience that probably won’t be replicated for the rest of my life. But I urge you to take a chance on Rocky Horror however you can, even if it’s the upcoming off-Broadway revival! The show has stood as a pillar of LGBTQ+ representation for 50 years and counting, and for that it earns the highest of honors on this, its golden jubilee!

Back to the Future (1985)

Back to the Future is one of those films I regret not viewing in my youth. I didn’t see it until I was well into my teens, and even at that time I thought “it’s alright.” Perhaps it’s because I watched all three of them in fairly quick succession, and if you know the series you’ll probably agree that’s an insane feat. The franchise goes in some wild directions, spanning multiple eras in the past, future, and way past. But hell, they’re all pretty good in their own right! Now, the one that started it all – Back to the Future with all its problematic subject matter – turned 40 years old in 2025 and that gave me an excuse to rewatch it! Not only that, but I also saw the musical for the first time this year, and let’s just say… they’re both fantastic! In fact, I’d call Back to the Future a near perfect film if not for its questionable plot 40 years later. But all in all, the film holds up as a classic comedy with some thrilling action and some lighthearted tension. I just love it!

Tenet (2020)

While not a massive anniversary, I did watch this film for the first time in 2025, and this gives me the ability to defend Tenet on a public forum. I’ve never watched a film so misunderstood, and I’m a pretty outspoken fan of The Human Centipede and Cannibal Ferox. But Christopher Nolan’s 2020 epic, Tenet, has received such mixed reviews ever since it hit the scene. Its widespread reputation is confusing to begin with, as I wouldn’t expect a movie released during the pandemic to have so many viewers with so many opinions. Alas, it did seem to do well at the box office, and while it took 5 years to finally stream on a platform like Netflix, this brought about another wave of polarizing talk regarding the film. I found Tenet to be as captivating as Nolan’s other masterpieces, see Inception and Interstellar. Complex, yes, and dizzying at times, Tenet is a film that asks you to let it take you for a ride in order to understand its appeal. It also begs you for a second viewing, at least, which I have yet to do. But even on one go-around, I came away pleasantly surprised, and for that I wish a happy 5 years to one of cinema’s most misunderstood sleeper hits.

Jaws (1975)

Yet another film I wish I had more appreciation for in my youth, Jaws is without a doubt one of my favorite films of all time. Over the years, I have found myself calling it a perfect film, my absolute favorite film, and something I could watch again and again without getting bored. It’s simply a masterpiece, blending horror with drama and tension and a sprinkling of comedy and setting it all against the beautiful backdrop of my homeland, Cape Cod. From the music to the cinematography to the absolutely incredible casting, I love every facet of this brilliant film. I first watched Jaws on my prom night, wherein I’d stayed home and watched a projection of it against my grandma’s house through a roaring bonfire. Quite the innovative way to experience this classic for the first time, and perhaps not the best way to take in all the nuances. I recall being unimpressed on the first viewing, much like how Spielberg discounted The Shining after his first time with it, but later came to adore the film. Now, 50 years later, I’ve taken Spielberg’s own work and with those same glasses (actually, in 2025 I watched Jaws with 3D glasses in its theater re-release) I’ve turned initial disappointment into an evergreen appreciation of this cinematic triumph.

Home Alone (1990)

From one John Williams joint to another, we arrive at an anniversary you may not have noticed in 2025. I didn’t even know Home Alone was this old until I saw a YouTube video that mentioned Macaulay Culkin’s anniversary tour for the film this year. Apparently, he went around like the aforementioned Rocky Horror tour and screened Home Alone for crowds along with a Q&A. It sounds like a lovely time! Unfortunately, I must’ve learned about it too late and I couldn’t catch any dates near me. That’s okay, though, because Home Alone is such a classic that it lives rent-free in my head! The film has always been a Christmas staple in the Webb household; one of those movies you just have on in the background because ABC Family never stopped showing it. It’s endlessly rewatchable, and there’s always something new to see! It’s funny, it’s endearing, it’s frantic and downright scary at times! But there’s no denying it’s one of the greatest family movies of all time, and it has withstood the test of time by being super relatable… and perfectly cast. It’s one of the best Christmas films of all time, hands down!

Clue (1985)

One of the films I’m so thankful my fiance brought into my life, Clue is an absolute riot. Another Tim Curry joint, another all-star cast, and another endlessly rewatchable hidden gem. Not enough people have given Clue its due over the years (hey that rhymed!), and yet it still makes it onto lists of classic comedies to this day. It’s as if this fanbase is living in some hole in the ground, and they only resurface to attend national screening tours every 40 years. Unfortunately I missed this one as well, but with the amount of viewings we gave Clue this year, the entire cast must’ve received some healthy residual checks. You see, Clue has been a comfort movie of my fiancé’s for years, passed down from her mother before her. It’s a family legacy that goes back 40 years now, and it will certainly continue for years to come. Marrying into this family, I now have a job to do, and that job is to deliver the greatest swath of laugh-a-minute comedic content to my next of kin no matter the cost. Clue will always be one of the funniest films I’ve ever experienced, and my only regret is that it took over 20 years to cross my path.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

You’re probably surprised to see this movie here, and I’m just as surprised to be talking about it. Most people, well, they’ve forgotten about this film entirely, having traded all memory of it for the Gene Wilder classic and choosing to never look into its ill-fated counterpart again. On the contrary, I’ve always been a fan of both films, and I appreciate the Johnny Deep remake for doing its own thing and absolutely knocking it out of the park, in my opinion. I remember reading the book, growing up, and enjoying all of the whimsy and dark humor that came with it. The 2006 adaptation follows the book more closely than the beloved original, and even adds some of its own plot points that keep it feeling fresh and inspired, in a Tim Burton kind of way. I wish people could look at Charlie and the Chocolate Factory without exclusively seeing the “Michael Jackson-esque” Wonka rendition, and instead taking in the twisted scenery, colorful cast of characters, and the diverse, catchy musical breaks! It has so much to offer, and it has for 20 years now, but most are too afraid to give it a second chance. Don’t be that guy.

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

I’d almost forgotten about this one! But it’s the main reason I wanted to write this article in the first place! What started as a review of the theatrical re-release of Episode III became a much bigger list as the year went on. But my 2025 basically started with Revenge of the Sith, having seen it in April and falling in love with it all over again. I’ve always stated this is my favorite Star Wars film, and while it may have its flaws, it holds up as one of the very best. Certainly the best of the prequels, with an excellent use of CGI, the actors at their very best, and a story that perfectly sets up the original trilogy that follows. Probably its greatest quality, however, is its score, which is undoubtedly Star Wars at its most thrilling and emotional. The high’s and low’s of Revenge of the Sith deserve to be experienced by everyone, even the most “layman” of Star Wars fans. It’s a love story in more ways than one, with romantic partners on one side and platonic brothers in crime on the other. I’m glad I’ve held Episode III aloft for 20 years, because it’s still deserving of that throne.

The Golden Girls (1985)

For my last trick, I wanted to break out the highest of pedestals for a dear friend of mine, celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. 40 years, a decade for each talented heroine in its lead cast, may they all rest in the sweetest peace. After 6 years with my fiance, I can only say The Golden Girls has changed my life. Its references have graced my lexicon, its merchandise has graced my shelves, and even as I write these words at 2 AM, an episode is playing in the background. Carol from Pluribus isn’t the only one who uses this classic series as a pick-me-up when they’re down, Golden Girls is textbook “food for the soul.” It’s lighthearted, it’s thought-provoking, it’s funny as all hell; The Golden Girls is everything television should be. A remake could never work because it could never capture the chemistry of these four women alongside their friends, enemies, family members, and the Miami they experience it all in. I bring up Golden Girls regularly and it always gets a chuckle out of people who think I must be an old lady in disguise. But I can’t help it! I’d recommend this series to anyone who needs a smile with minimal effort. It’s such a rewarding, approachable television show and we will never see another like it. Here’s to many more years of nightly enjoyment!

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That’s a wrap! 2025 is in the books, and with it go the film celebrations for another 5 years before we do it again with a new crop of flicks! I did miss some notable anniversaries this year, like Castaway, Black Swan, and Wedding Crashers. Some of these even saw theater re-releases (thank you, Fathom Events)! Sadly, I didn’t get to experience them and I actually haven’t seen any of those movies, so I should probably get on that! Thus is the joy of these anniversaries, though. They take some films we might’ve forgotten about and promote them again, allowing for new fans to be made and old fans to see their favorite media in a new, exciting light! As a self-proclaimed movie buff forever playing catch-up, I couldn’t ask for more. So thank you, 2025. You did not disappoint.