Library of Congress added 25 new movies and here’s the ones you probably have heard of

Every year the Library of Congress (LOC) adds new titles to their collection and they always include a wide range from popular films to historically important films to those which have influenced or been influenced by particular segments of culture etc. There are plenty of titles most of us wouldn’t have heard of or seen but there are also some favorites. 

Here are the popular titles being including in the nation’s repository this year: 

1. The Miracle Worker (1962) 

The Miracle Worker was watched by most students at public school after learning about Helen Keller. We’ve pretty much all seen it and was nominated for five Academy Awards including a victory for Natalie Wood as Annie Sullivan. We all remember that iconic “water!” scene. Its kind of funny the LOC decided to add this one right as people have become skeptical that Helen Keller was who she said she was (both blind and deaf). 

2. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the most influential films in horror. The masked mad mad became a trope of the genre producing iconic villains such as Michael Meyers and Jason all thanks to the terrifying ‘leatherface’ featured in this film. It also ushered in the advent of the ‘final girl’ which is now a cornerstone of the genre and popularized the use of isolated, rural settings to create an unsettling backdrop. It’s not my genre of preference, but there’s no question of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s lasting influence. 

3. Star Trek II: Wrath of Kahn (1982) 

‘Wrath of Kahn’ is widely regarded as the catalyst by which the entire franchise was revitalized and why it lives on today. The more aggrandize villain and high action sequences influenced the future of the story and most Star Trek fans consider Wrath of Kahn to be the untouchable favorite, particularly in the category of content featuring William Shatner as Captain Kirk. Spock’s sacrifice in the film is ranked amongst film lovers as equally iconic to moments like Darth Vader’s ‘father’ reveal. The LOC did good on this add. 

4. Beverly Hills Cop (1984) 

If you think Eddie Murphy is a film and comedy icon then you have to concede that Beverly Hills Cop is an important work. The movie absolutely skyrocketed Murphy’s career. But more than that, it influenced comedy in a meaningful and lasting way. It was recognized for it’s greatness even in its time, it was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards which is a hard feat for a mega blockbuster comedy. The movie pushed the envelope of free speech during it’s time an received an R rating due to its excessive use of the ‘f’ word. The depiction of a black man as an action hero and police officer was not something yet common in 1984 and the movie took bold but relatable and high quality steps forward. 

5. Dirty Dancing (1987)

“Nobody puts baby in a corner.” There may not be a movie that so quintessentially defines the 1980s era of film more than Dirty Dancing. It is hard to articulate the level of cultural penetration that film has achieved. A movie about a young girl learning how to bump and grind but also about abortion and also Patrick Swayze dancing and also an iconic performance by Jerry Orbach seems sort of implausible. But to this day we all know the famous climactic dance number including the big lift. We really did have the time of our lives. This one should have been added years ago. 

6. Spy Kids (2001)

Take your hate and put it in your pocket. Spy Kids might be silly but it is actually a pretty iconic movie of the early millennium. It is the film which can be credited with solidifying the trajectory of director Robert Rodriguez’s career. Rodriguez had already made Desperado which was a huge hit but he made a mountain of money for the studios with the family friendly Spy Kids and went on to put out classics like Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sin City and Machete. But truly, the Spry Kids franchise is his most consistent work. The film’s popularity and impact cannot be overstated. The two lead actors, Alexa Pena Vega and Daryl Sabara would be recognizable to any millennial in or out of context and neither has gone on to do any more really notable work (Pena Vega did some lower budget work but Sabara had mostly stuck with voice work). Who can forget the instant Big Macs and the Floop’s thumb minions? It’s a bit left field but I love this choice for America.

7. No Country for Old Men (2008)

No Country for Old Men should be including in the National library for no other reason but Javiar Bardem’s bone chilling haircut. The artistic choice of that hair cut is so good it can stand on its own as history making. But the rest of the movie is excellent as well. The film represents an interesting departure for the iconic Cohen brother’s film making style. The Cohen brother’s films typically represent dark comedies. But there is no comedy in No Country (even with that hair cut). Even the film’s closest cousin, Fargo, features significant levity unlike No Country which is a straightforward crime thriller. Due to its many accolades and its high quality, it makes sense that this film would be added to the National library. 

8. The Social Network (2010) 

The importance of The Social Network as a film but also as a reflection of a moment in time is significant. The movie depicts a fictionalized telling of the invention of Facebook through the lens of the legal proceedings between Mark Zuckerberg and his one-time friend and co-founder Eduardo Saverin. To start, the movie is very well done. A beautifully edited and shot film not to mention the iconic performances of Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake (as Sean Parker). But the movie also lovingly depicts Facebook which inarguably changed the world forever. There would be no X there would be no political influence of Elon Musk if not for Mark Zuckerberg and his invention of Facebook. This movie somehow makes that abundantly clear even though it came out before any of that would come to fruition. It was before its time and yet so fully of its time. It’s worth noting that Peter Thiel, who can be partially credited for the successful rise of JD Vance and for assisting the re-election of Donald J. Trump, is a minor character who plays a huge part in the real life story and in the movie. And all of that is without even mentioning the iconic portrayal of the Winklevoss twins by Armie Hammer. The Social Network has never been more relevant as a story and that speaks volumes to the care and vision that was had in its telling.