Let us take a moment to put generational time into perspective: when iconic movies such as Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, or Risky Business were hitting their 20-year anniversaries, they were considered vintage '80s classics.
Nowadays, Generation Z (born from 1997 to 2012) is officially passing that exact same 20-year milestone, making films that were once "new" are essentially relics of time as well. Consider High School Musical, which came out on Disney Channel in 2006, or even animation at its finest, Shrek, in 2001; both look older than ever upon rewatching. That is not to say these films are no longer cultural touchstones today, given that the official Mean Girls day remains October 3rd no matter the year. However, it does prove how much time has passed in the movie world.
Here is a look at seven movies Gen Z grew up with that have now aged into classics...(as a 2001 baby, I feel old writing this).
Shrek (2001)
© Getty ImagesIf reading that title cues the opening bars of "All Star" in your brain, then you definitely watched this film when it was released back in 2001. The bright green Scottish ogre voiced by Mike Myers remains a meme engine today and is now well over two decades old.
The first film followed Shrek as he lives alone in a remote swamp until he is joined by a talking Donkey (Eddie Murphy) on a mission to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). While it sounds like a simple premise, the film was very critically acclaimed and won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2002.
With its A-list cast, it is no surprise the film spawned Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010). Better still for childhood fans, Shrek 5 is slated for release in 2027. The animation may be aging, but it remains a bedrock of Gen Z internet culture – BRB, going to listen to "Accidentally in Love".
Mean Girls (2004)
© CBS via Getty ImagesIf you still quote "On Wednesdays we wear pink" or "That's so fetch", it might be time to find new pop culture lines, as they are now over 20 years old (just kidding).
Grossing over $130 worldwide, Tina Fey's 2004 high school comedy is actually now older than John Hughes' Sixteen Candles (1984) was when Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) first befriended The Plastics.
© Getty ImagesRewatching the film today, the physical Burn Book and early-2000s slang would certainly look out of place in a modern high school, though the preppy pink fashion has definitely endured. On the topic of regrettable decisions, let us not even discuss Mean Girls 2...
High School Musical (2006)
© Getty ImagesThe Disney Channel Original Movie that defined so many childhoods was released in 2006. We are 'all in this together,' acknowledging that this film is now as old as Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) was when the Disney musical first aired.
© Getty ImagesDrawing in 7.7 million viewers for its premiere, the multi-billion-pound pop franchise served as the platform for breakout stars such as Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, who played the leads of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez.
The East High students didn't stop singing after the first film either, producing a sequel in 2007 and a final third theatrical installment in 2008. Throwback to my six-year-old self wondering when I would marry Troy and questioning why my own school was not breaking into song every day...
School of Rock (2003)
© WireImageJack Black's rock 'n' roll musical comedy premiered back in 2003, following an out-of-work guitarist who poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious elementary school.
Transforming his pupils into a rock band for a battle of the bands competition, the film is now as far in the past as Risky Business (1983) was when School of Rock hit cinemas.
The film went on to be a television series and even a Broadway show, proving that rock 'n' roll really was taught to the world…
The Princess Diaries (2001)
© WireImageWhile Anne Hathaway has starred in countless films in 2026, her breakout role arrived in The Princess Diaries all the way back in 2001. The actress was just 17 years old when she landed the role of shy teenager Mia Thermopolis, who learns she is in fact the Crown Princess of Genovia (and that Julie Andrews' character is her grandmother – the ultimate win).
© Getty ImagesThe royal story is now as old as Pretty in Pink (1986) was when Mia Thermopolis received her makeover from her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Andrews). The film led to a 2004 sequel (the best in my opinion), and a third installment remains in development. Today, The Princess Diaries is now in my repertoire of ultimate comfort watches because who doesn't love a Disney classic?
Superbad (2007)
© Getty ImagesOne coming-of-age story that entered the history books for the iconic "McLovin" line is Superbad (2007), starring Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, and Emma Stone.
The hit film follows high school seniors Evan and Seth at a crucial juncture as they prepare for college, desperate to lose their virginity before graduating. Approaching its 20th anniversary, it will soon be as old as The Lost Boys (1987) was upon Superbad's release...let that sink in.
Finding Nemo (2003)
© WireImageA crown jewel of Pixar, Finding Nemo (2003) was a DVD staple for an entire generation accustomed to repeating "just keep swimming". Crossing the 20-year threshold places the film in the same historical age bracket as Return of the Jedi (1983), making the clownfish look a little more vintage.
© FilmMagicThe story became the highest-selling DVD of all time; in 2026, this would be the equivalent of number one on Netflix. Unlike many franchises, its sequel took time, with Finding Dory arriving in 2016, featuring Ellen DeGeneres returning to voice the beloved blue tang.
