Only 57 Movies Are Considered "Historically And Culturally Significant" From The Past 32 Years, And I'm Curious Which Ones You've Actually Seen

    One of the few good things the US government has done in the past 10 years is recognize the greatness that is Selena.

    Matt Stopera
    by Matt Stopera

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Every year, the Library of Congress inducts 25 movies into the National Film Registry that it considers to be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

    Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight holding up a Joker card and smiling
    Courtesy Everett Collection

    This year, the LOC picked 25 new movies to join the list, including three made since 1990.

    Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man
    Paramount / © Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The three post-1990 additions are House Party (1990), Iron Man (2008), and Pariah (2011).

    That means there are now (only) 57 movies made since 1990 that the LOC has deemed worthy of making the list.

    Close-up of JLo as Selena Quintanilla
    Warner Bros. / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Selena was added last year.

    So let's take a look at these 57 movies because I think you'll be surprised by some of them...

    Note: I didn't include any short films. 

    1. To Sleep With Anger (1990)

    The cast of To Sleep With Anger, including Danny Glover and Sheryl Lee Ralph
    Samuel Goldwyn Films / © Samuel Goldwyn Films / Courtesy Everett Collection

    2. Paris Is Burning (1990)

    Two drag queens featured in the movie
    Michael Comte/ Off White Productions / Courtesy Everett Collection

    3. Dances With Wolves (1990)

    Kevin Costner on horseback
    Orion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    4. Goodfellas (1990)

    Cast of the movie, including Paul Sorvino and Robert De Niro
    Warner Bros. / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    5. House Party (1990)

    Scantily clad women dancing around a man smoking a pipe
    New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection

    6. Sink or Swim (1990)

    Schoolchildren in a yard
    Outcast Films

    7. Thelma & Louise (1991)

    MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

    8. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

    The animated Beauty and the Beast
    Walt Disney Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    9. Boyz N the Hood (1991)

    Ice Cube sitting in a car
    Columbia Pictures / © Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    10. Daughters of the Dust (1991)

    Trula Hoosier sitting and surrounded by other women
    Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection / Everett Collection

    11. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

    Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in a cage
    Orion Pictures Corp. / © Orion Pictures Corp. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    12. Slacker (1991)

    Three young people standing together
    Orion Pictures Corp. / © Orion Pictures Corp. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    13. El Mariachi (1992)

    A mariachi musician walking along a highway with a tortoise in front of them
    Columbia Pictures / © Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    14. A League of Their Own (1992)

    Women baseball players celebrating on the field, with Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell hugging
    Columbia Pictures / © Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    15. Malcolm X (1992)

    Denzel Washington as Malcolm X
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    16. Unforgiven (1992)

    Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood wearing wide-brimmed hats
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    17. The Joy Luck Club (1993)

    Four women, including Ming-Na Wen and Rosalind Chao, smiling and standing together
    Buena Vista Pictures / © Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    18. Jurassic Park (1993)

    Laura Dern holding headphones and looking at Bob Peck, who's holding a large weapon
    Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

    19. Groundhog Day (1993)

    Bill Murray in a car with a groundhog
    Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    20. Schindler’s List (1993)

    Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler in a room with a woman
    Universal / © Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

    21. Clerks (1994)

    Brian O'Halloran leans on a store counter
    Miramax / Courtesy Everett Collection

    22. The Lion King (1994)

    Animated lion cub smiles
    Walt Disney Picture / Courtesy Everett Collection

    23. Forrest Gump (1994)

    Tom Hanks with a box of chocolates
    Paramount / © Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

    24. Hoop Dreams (1994)

    A young man leaning against a gate and holding a basketball
    Fine Line Features / © Fine Line Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

    25. Pulp Fiction (1994)

    Uma Thurman holding a burger
    Miramax / Courtesy Everett Collection

    26. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

    Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman sitting on the ground and leaning against a building
    Courtesy Everett Collection

    27. Toy Story (1995)

    Animated astronaut and cowboy
    Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    28. The Watermelon Woman (1996)

    Three smiling women, including Lisa Marie Bronson
    First Run Features / © First Run Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

    29. Fargo (1996)

    Frances McDormand in her police uniform
    Gramercy Pictures / © Gramercy Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    30. Selena (1997)

    JLo performing as Selena
    Warner Bros. / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    31. Eve's Bayou (1997)

    Lynn Whitfield and Debbi Morgan against a grassy backdrop
    Trimark Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    32. 4 Little Girls (1997)

    Spike Lee interviewing a man
    Hanna-Barbera / © Hanna-Barbera / Courtesy Everett Collection

    33. Titanic (1997)

    Leo DiCaprio as Jack
    20thcentfox / © 20thCentFox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    34. L.A. Confidential (1997)

    Warner Bros. / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    35. Smoke Signals (1998)

    Two young men talking to each other
    Miramax / © Miramax / Courtesy Everett Collection

    36. Rushmore (1998)

    Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman
    Walt Disney Co. / © Walt Disney Co. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    37. The Big Lebowski (1998)

    John Goodman and Jeff Bridges at a diner counter
    Courtesy Everett Collection

    38. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

    Men in military uniform standing amid rubble
    DreamWorks / Courtesy Everett Collection

    39. Buena Vista Social Club (1999)

    A jubilant man with a guitar performing
    Warner Bros. / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection

    40. Boys Don't Cry (1999)

    Three young people sitting at a restaurant table
    20thcentfox / © 20thCentFox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    41. The Matrix (1999)

    Close-up of Keanu Reeves wearing sunglasses
    Warner Bros. / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection

    42. Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport (2000)

    A pen in a case on top of a notice in German
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    43. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

    Close-up of Orlando Bloom with long hair
    Warner Bros. / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    44. Shrek (2001)

    Shrek and Donkey
    Dreamworks / © DreamWorks / Courtesy Everett Collection

    45. Memento (2001)

    A man pointing a gun at another man
    Newmarket Releasing / © Newmarket Releasing / Courtesy Everett Collection

    46. Real Women Have Curves (2001)

    Lupe Ontiveros and America Ferrera sit on a bed
    Newmarket Releasing / © Newmarket Releasing / Courtesy Everett Co. / Everett Collection

    47. Decasia (2002)

    A black-and-white image of a machine
    Icarus Films

    48. The Fog of War (2003)

    Robert McNamara sitting and gesturing
    Sony Pictures / © Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    49. 13 Lakes (2004)

    A large body of water
    James Benning / James Benning / Courtesy Everett Collection

    50. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

    Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger standing together in a doorway
    Focus Films / © Focus Films / Courtesy Everett Collection

    51. Mauna Kea: Temple Under Siege (2005)

    Close-up of a man with a grassy hill behind him
    Nā Maka o ka 'Äina

    52. Iron Man (2008)

    Iron Man flying above the clouds
    Paramount / © Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

    53. WALL-E (2008)

    WALL-E and EVE
    Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    54. The Dark Knight (2008)

    Heath Ledger as the Joker holding up a Joker card
    Warner Bros. / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    55. The Hurt Locker (2009)

    Jeremy Renner as a sergeant holding up a weapon
    Summit Entertainment / Summit Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection

    56. Freedom Riders (2010)

    A film poster showing a bus and mugshots
    KGB Productions / KGB Productions / Courtesy Everett Collection

    57. And lastly: Pariah (2011)

    Focus Features / © Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection