INDEPENDENCE DAY

5Poster of Roland Emmerich's INDEPENDENCE DAY, which would go on to make US$817 million worldwide.

The year 1996 was bombarded with blockbusting adrenaline-rushers like TWISTER, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, THE ROCK, ERASER and BROKEN ARROW, but none could top the scale, success or sheer sensation of one ID4. To me, that was the first must-see event film that predated subsequent summer cash ringers rolled out via SOP.

The SFX used still rates as one of the best I've seen and that's saying much. I thought the movie was a bit overlong, but the action more than made up for it. Great fun seeing the Empire State Building getting blown up real good.