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Twenty years don’t seem like much, until you realize it’s been that long since Forrest Gump recalled stories of his life to strangers on a bench in Alabama.

July 6th marks two decades since the iconic film’s release and Tom Hanks‘ innocence and naiveté warmed our hearts. The epic film garnered 13 Academy Award nominations and took home the Oscar for Best Picture in 1995. According to Entertainment Weekly, Forrest Gump will even be re-released in IMAX on September 5.

For the movie that gave us valuable advice like “Life is like a box a chocolates…” and quotables like “Run, Forrest, Run!” check out 15 reasons why Forrest Gump is the best movie ever.

Forrest Gump is an Americana story in its truest form.

The perfectly placed sad moments were designed to pull at your heart-strings (and possibly garner that Academy Award).

You found yourself feeling bad for Forrest throughout the film, but he was also super relatable.

Forrest ran his leg braces off and into our hearts.

He taught a young Elvis Presley how to dance! 

Despite his below-average intelligence, Forrest’s ability to run earns him a scholarship to the University of Alabama, where he becomes a superstar football player, and he meets John F. Kennedy. How’s that for coming of age?

Forrest unknowingly influenced some of the defining events of the 20th century in the United States.

Forrest fell in love. And so did we. 

Tom Hanks himself even admitted to becoming emotional during some of the scenes.

The film gave us a firsthand account of what it’s like for people who enlist in the army and lose their friends in the process.

Now when people attempt the feat of cross-country races, the scene of Gump running is often referred to for inspiration.

The Library of Congress selected Forrest Gump for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.” Who would’ve thought?

Only in this film will you get to experience Richard Nixon, the Watergate Scandal, the Vietnam War, JFK, and John Lennon at the same time.

With Hurricane Carmen wrecking every other shrimping boat in the region and Lt. Dan investing in a “fruit company,” which turned out to be Apple Computer products, this film focuses on the themes of fate and destiny. 

But it was more than that; Forrest gave us the blueprint for living honestly, lovingly, and kindly. 

Do yourself a favor; watch Forrest Gump today!

PHOTO CREDIT: Tumblr