For the past three decades, the Library of Congress has chosen 25 movies to add to the National Film Registry annually to honor and preserve these creative works. To make the cut, these films must have "enduring importance to American culture." While these titles are usually pretty darn good, they don't have to be the best movies ever made; they just have to be culturally significant.
On Thursday, January 29, 2026, the Library of Congress announced this year's picks. Going as far back as 1896 to as recently as 2014, here is the complete list of movies added to the National Film Registry in 2026:
The Tramp and the Dog (1896)
The Oath of the Sword (1914)
The Maid of McMillan (1916)
The Lady (1925)
Sparrows (1926)
Ten Nights in a Barroom (1926)
White Christmas (1954)
High Society (1956)
Brooklyn Bridge (1981)
Say Amen, Somebody (1982)
The Thing (1982)
The Big Chill (1983)
The Karate Kid (1984)
Glory (1989)
Philadelphia (1993)
Before Sunrise (1995)
Clueless (1995)
The Truman Show (1998)
Frida (2002)
The Hours (2002)
The Incredibles (2004)
The Wrecking Crew (2008)
Inception (2010)
The Loving Story (2011)
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
If you're a true cinephile or rampant completionist, then you may want to watch these all. The good news is that most of these films are available on streamers like Prime Video, HBO Max, and even free services like Hoopla. However, if you're looking for a more streamlined list, here are seven of the best movies to watch from the National Film Registry's 2026 selection. While all of the films are excellent in their own right, these seven left an undeniable, much-felt mark on pop culture or spotlighted significant pieces of American history.
White Christmas (1954)
While you might want to wait until the holiday season rolls around to watch White Christmas, this Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye vehicle is the ultimate choice for musical fans seeking cozy, winter vibes. Here, Crosby and Kaye play two World War II vets turned successful song-and-dance act who head to Vermont to help an old friend save his failing inn. Not only do iconic musical numbers ensue, but a sentimental, carefree dose of holiday cheer does as well.
White Christmas' influence and cultural significance are undeniable. It was the highest-grossing movie of 1954, with its VistaVision widescreen format delivering a vibrant, first-ever experience for audiences of the era. Top it off with spectacular performances and chemistry among the cast, and you've got yourself the ultimate comfort Christmas movie to watch each season.
The Thing (1982)
It's hard to believe that The Thing was a critical and commercial failure upon its 1982 release. The story about a group of researchers succumbing to paranoia as an assimilating extraterrestrial creature invades their numbers is one of John Carpenter's best movies. Thankfully, like a lot of horror, it found new life among the home video market and remains a cult favorite.
You can see The Thing's influence in everything from Futurama (1999) to The Mist (2007) and, of course, The X-Files' fan-favorite Season 1 episode, "Ice." While there are plenty of body horror scares, The Thing's true horror lies in its slow-burning, finger-clenching suspense as we watch Kurt Russell, Keith David, and the rest of the research crew battle a sinister yet unassuming force in a desolate Antarctic research station. If you're going to watch any horror movie, make it this one.
The Karate Kid (1984)
Unlike The Thing's slow rise to fame, The Karate Kid came out of the gate swinging… pun intended. It scored high among critics, ranked it at the box office, and even earned Pat Morita a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Academy Awards for his portrayal of Mr. Miyagi. Funny enough, The Karate Kid contains a relatively simple story about a boy learning to stand up for himself with karate, not just physically but on an emotional level, too. However, it's this simplicity that makes it so relatable.
The Karate Kid is timeless and contains one of the most iconic mentor/mentee relationships in all of cinema. To even question its cultural impact feels laughable. After all, how many movies and shows have paid homage to its "wax on, wax off" scene? If you want an emotionally satisfying underdog story, watch The Karate Kid.
The Truman Show (1995)
The Truman Show earned all types of critical acclaim and nominations upon its 1995 release. It stars Jim Carrey as the titular Truman, who slowly begins to realize that his entire life is the subject of a reality TV show that's been running since his birth. He doesn't have friends. He doesn't have a family. Heck, he doesn't even really have a wife. These people are just actors, specifically selected and scripted to push the narrative forward.
If that sounds like an existential nightmare, that's because it is. The Truman Show excels at delivering satire layered through comedy, drama, and even a bit of romance. It's the ultimate mind-bending movie to put on when you want a thinker, because every little detail in this story matters.
The Incredibles (2004)
If you like the retro-futuristic 1960s vibes of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) or 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), you'll find an animated version of that in The Incredibles. This Pixar/Disney collab follows a on-the-low-down superhero family who becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving a fan turned villain. Winning Best Animated Feature and Best Sound Editing at the 77th Academy Awards, The Incredibles is another critically acclaimed hit from Brad Bird, the man behind other animated favorites like Ratatouille (2007) and The Iron Giant (1999).
Mastering the careful balancing act between heartfelt family drama and high-action superheroes, The Incredibles is both fantastical and relatable. It's the perfect family movie night pick that will delight kids and keep parents entertained with deeper, more mature themes about family and coming to terms with just being ordinary.
Inception (2010)
Christopher Nolan's movies feel tailor-made for cultural preservation. They're epic, visually distinctive, and crafted for big, showy IMAX viewings. With The Dark Knight (2008) and Memento (2000) already in the National Film Registry, it only makes sense that Inception would be, too. This twisty Leo DiCaprio-led sci-fi thriller follows a thief who infiltrates targets' minds to steal corporate information through shared dreaming. While the "dream within a dream" concept has been done before, when someone references it, this is the movie they're talking about.
The mind-bending concept is enough to keep anyone hooked, but the jaw-dropping visuals and heist action will turn them into fans. Most action movies aren't cerebral, but Inception meshes genres and tones together to brilliant effect. Nolan knows how to make a movie, and perhaps none proves it better than this.
The Loving Story (2011)
The Loving Story sits apart from the twisty dramas, big blockbusters, and feel-good musicals on this list. Instead, it's a documentary about Loving v. Virginia, which led to a landmark civil rights decision to deem any laws banning interracial marriage as unconstitutional. It's a big deal that traces back to Richard Loving, a white man, and his wife, Mildred Loving, a woman of color. After the Lovings were convicted of violating Virginia's Racial Integrity Act of 1924, they were given two choices: prison or vacating the state.
Thankfully, the Lovings chose a third option by filing a motion to deem the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 unconstitutional. In 1967, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in their favor, and the rest is history. For those interested in history and learning more about the two people responsible for abolishing all race-based legal restrictions on marriage, The Loving Story is inspiring, emotional, and undoubtedly culturally significant.
