June 11th..... It has now been exactly 30 years since this beast of a movie graced movie theaters.

Jurassic Park is one of those movies that has joined the ranks of my all-time favorites. Granted my first time watching it in full was back in 2018. I was 14 and finally legally able to see it (blame my parents). But even before, as someone who grew up on youtube, I would be amazed at all the clips people uploaded online. My obsession with dinosaurs was quite the years-long phase back in elementary school. To the point where a possible career in paleontology is still in the back of my mind. And for all that Walking with Dinosaurs, Dinosaur Train, and 240p youtube tribute slideshows with Three Days Grace and Muse playing in the background could offer, this movie (and the sequels) I would dream of getting to finally sit down and soak in. The one that made it all possible. The one that made millions of kids into dino nerds.

I've watched it plenty of times, and every time I revisit it, I can't help but stay amazed and floored in the face of a full blockbuster experience. It's a movie that if I had the time and willpower built up, I could see myself doing a full-blown scene-by-scene, deep dive video essay to just gush over it.

The opening titles as John Williams' haunting score plays which makes me shiver every damn time, the revolutionary and influential CGI that somehow managed to stand the test of time alongside the great animatronic work (best shown with the Triceratops), Rick Carter's nostalgic set design, the ever charming Jeff Goldblum, the stormy Tyrannosaurus car attack, the majestic Brachiosaurs roaming the vast, lush tropical scenery, creative filmmaking like how the camera tilts up from inside the car to outside, revealing the Tyrannosaur gulping the goat, all the way to a fitting, bittersweet end as we watch a flock of pelicans grace the ocean at dusk. It's chalk full of memorable scenes that are etched into my brain as how a successful blockbuster should be.

And on top of that, it's inspiring to see how well they managed to adapt the original novel into a streamlined 2 hours. The movie whizzes by giving you all the necessary theater-ready dinosaur thrills and thought-provoking conversations you need. The book is a much darker, more psychological take which goes elbow deep into the science and philosophies of it all, complete with gorier, vivid, straight-up R-rated dinosaur mauls. The movie in comparison is a much more accessible take with very little filler, and keeps all the spellbinding themes and ideas of the book intact. Albeit, with a good dash of that Spielberg whimsiness.

Jurassic Park is a cautionary tale of man vs. nature (and technology to an extent). While the opening Velociraptor cage scene throws you right into the horror elements, everything up until the storm is wide-eyed purity and fascination. But even scenes like the cloning lab and lunch scenes ease you into the grimmer turn the story takes as soon as Nedry shuts off the power. That caution to not toy and flail nature (or anything for that matter) around without any respect or sensibilities. The little things all stack up in a complicated system where you CANNOT guarantee everything will work out perfectly. Even if no one ends up dying, God knows what other consequences may come about. Consequences you could've never even dreamed of. By the end, you at least start to move on and appreciate that you even survived at all. Even if people like John Hammond still may have trouble letting go of the dream. Him refusing to activate the Lysine contingency is proof of how Ellie's speech doesn't get through to him fully. Only by the end can we even consider him possible of true growth.

Nature is a beast you have to learn to adapt around. As innovative and essential as genetics or any other form of technology is, it all depends on the user. It's a story that encourages you to be wary of great power. We may never see a living, breathing dinosaur that isn't a modern day bird, but Jurassic Park's plausibility, especially at the time, I think was something that helped in its longevity. It celebrates science, but never glorifies it. It's keenly critical of it. To a scary and sobering degree no less. When it's all said and done: be grateful you even lived through it all. Who knows what the future has in store for Alan, Ellie, and the others (sans the influx of sequels) after this?

It's a blockbuster that never compromises all depth and substance for big thrills. Expertly made and groundbreaking as they are. Which to me is a huge accomplishment for any filmmaker to take. Much like how a great comedy can turn into something crushing and emotional while still making you crack up hard, a great blockbuster keeps you engaged as the well-made action setpieces and slower, emotional beats work off each other. I don't find one overpowers the other in JP. You could watch it entirely for the dinosaurs and come out more than satisfied, or you could stick around solely for the dramatic talking scenes and still walk away with a sense of respect. I can't really choose between which I'd prefer as again, I'm more than grateful that the two can coexist. Jurassic Park as a film and book is proof of this.

So yeah, in case you couldn't tell: I. Love. This. Damn. Movie. I could watch it anytime and still find something new to gush over. So many of the shots are clean and bold, the effects are downright inspiring, the music is John Williams' definitive best (yes, even more than Star Wars), it's got well composed emotional conversations...It's the perfect blend of action, emotion, and the nostalgia is the icing on the cake. This is a very special movie for me, and I'm proud to call it a reliable favorite. Thank you Steven, Michael, and everyone else.