The Matrix

THE GIST: Always feeling like something is off, a computer hacker ends up learning the truth about everyone's reality from a few ragtag rebels. They also reveal to him who he really is.

I can still remember the sense of awe I felt the first time I watched The Matrix. The script was so original, the action so engaging, and the visual effects so revolutionary that it became an instant classic in the science fiction canon.

Its slow-motion, multi-angle camera work was so radically innovative that it was adopted by countless imitators. It also earned the movie Oscars for Best Visual Effects, Sound, Sound Effects Editing, and Film Editing.

But the movie is a lot more than just visual and sound effects. The screenplay is timeless and almost feels like the ultimate take on the alternative-reality genre.

THE BOTTOM LINE: If you've never watched this movie and like sci-fi or action movies, don't waste any more time. I have watched it countless times since it first came out and more than 20 years later it's still one of my all-time favorites.

Grade: 10