The Matrix (1999)

Completely revolutionizing visual effects of the time, The Matrix is often heralded as one of the best science fiction films in cinematic history. Beginning in the year 1999, the subversive action film follows Thomas Anderson a.k.a. Neo (Keanu Reeves), a programmer moonlighting as a hacker, who has the nagging feeling that something isn't right with the world. He soon finds this intuition to be correct when he is introduced to the Matrix, a simulated world in which harvested "real" humans are held captive by intelligent machines. Basically, Neo learns his entire life was just a dream. Oh, and it's more like the year 2199. Producing two successful sequels, the Wachowskis' ambitious pre-Y2K flick about a world within a world pretty much blazed the trail for the CGI-heavy, big-budget, dystopian celluloids of today.