It's hard to believe that The Matrix is celebrating its 25th anniversary next year. Mostly because Keanu Reeves is still firing guns, kicking ass and just being the nicest bad-ass out there. Before we get to reminiscing about the Y2K bug, Bill Clinton's final days as President and Prince's "party like it's 1999" suggestion, it's still 1998.

This was the year that world-ending movies were doing the rounds, such as Deep Impact and Armageddon. While we were being constantly reminded about our mortality and the end of the world as we know it, the year served up a great variety of films now regarded as classics. Here are five of the best.

American History X

Who can forget Edward Norton in American History X? Better yet, who can remember it was in fact him playing a skinhead named Derek? It's tough enough remembering anything that happened before Fight Club and Tyler Durden stole the show in David Fincher's adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel. A tough-as-nails crime drama, this intense film from director Tony Kaye is one of the best from 1998, even if he publicly disowned it.

Based on David McKenna's childhood and experience of living in San Diego, it led to Norton garnering an Oscar nomination and is ranked at #38 on IMDb's covetted Top 250, which seems to have a thing for rousing prison dramas if you consider the #1 film of all-time is considered The Shawshank Redemption.

The Truman Show

When The Truman Show emerged, Jim Carrey was already a comedy superstar, having amassed a global audience off the back of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber and Liar Liar. Demonstrating his extreme talents, face-melting charm and racking up an absolute fortune in the process, he decided to try something more serious on for size.

Enter Truman Burbank in a film about a guy who doesn't know he's the star of a reality TV show from the mind of sci-fi screenwriter Andrew Niccol and the guy who brought us Dead Poet's Society, Peter Weir. Quickly bypassing the mixed bag that was The Cable Guy, it's The Truman Show that catapulted Carrey into the world of drama opposite Laura Linney and Ed Harris.

The Big Lebowski

The Coen brothers created an instant comedy classic in The Big Lebowski, the kind of over-the-top caper you recommend to everyone only to remember how f-bombs are treated like punctuation. The Dude played by Jeff Lebowski became a cult icon, a guy whose laidback attitude and penchant for dressing gowns and White Russians became the envy of all stay-at-home afficianados.

Sharing an uneasy bromance with John Goodman in an equally iconic turn as the suprisingly militant gun-toting Walter Sobchak, it's just a strange joy to see these bowling buddies livin' it up as a rug and intricate kidnapping plot unfold.

The Wedding Singer

If you ask most people what their favourite Adam Sandler movie is, the romantics will typically cite The Wedding Singer. It's an all-rounder of a movie, showcasing the 80s in all their tarnished glory and establishing the Sandler/Barrymore connection, later to be revisited to a lesser degree of success in 50 First Dates.

While Adam Sandler's making an acting comeback with Uncut Gems and Hustle, this romantic comedy represents him at his best, charming audiences and stealing hearts as well, Robbie Hart. A rewatchable classic, steeped in over-the-top 80s pageantry and old school values, the nostalgia and comedy runs deep with short-lived yet brilliant turns from Steve Buscemi and Jon Lovitz.

There's Something About Mary

The Farrelly brothers have made some pretty outrageous comedies in their time, but it seems none shall top There's Something About Mary for pure comedy joy and nuttiness. There's Something About Mary stars Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz as average guy Ted and blonde bombshell Mary.

Starting with a cringefest, the comedy gets to grips with an average joe who blew his chances with a dream girl in the most extraordinary way, making inappropriate an art form. From unfortunate zipper incidents to even more unfortunate hairdos, this unforgettable comedy offset its raunchiness with sweet-natured buffoonery as several men realise their lifelong obsession for Mary may warrant a clubhouse.