In the late '90s, everyone was all about the M-I-Bs—comic book, rap song, action figures, and shortly thereafter, a sequel—and revisiting the film now, I can see why: Will Smith was in his summer blockbuster heyday (Men in Black is sandwiched on his resume between Independence Day and Enemy of the State) and Tommy Lee Jones (No Country for Old Men) was the perfect odd-couple mentor/foil for Smith's youthful, trash-talking persona.
The humor, special effects and Danny Elfman (Beetlejuice) score still feel modern, and Vincent D'Onofrio's (NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent) choppy, alien-esque movements should've netted him some sort of character acting Oscar, but Will Smith's ridiculous pre-black suit, trendy, inner-city outfits belong on TLC's What Not to Wear.
This movie really is iconic, and though Smith has starred in a laundry list of high profile films since, its appeal is enduring and if somebody were to ask me today who Tommy Lee Jones is, I would probably still say, "The white guy from Men in Black."
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