In 2018, a 25-foot, 330-pound statue of Jeff Goldblum was erected in front of London's Tower Bridge, some say to promote the 25th anniversary of Jurassic Park. Our lord and savior, Jeff, had finally been immortalized as a god above us and we, his people, could find unity in dancing around the vigil, naked, holding hands and full of song. Finally, war ceased. People of the world united. Love reigned under our rightful messiah. Life... found a way.

Okay, maybe not, but Jeff Goldblum is a treasure nonetheless. With multiple generations of fans, and a major renaissance of late, Goldblum is no longer merely a good actor prepared to take on interesting and strange roles in dark and thought-provoking movies — he is a personality, a fashion icon, and an abstract sex symbol to the current generation. And also a weird, giant statue in London.

An anomaly on screen, he developed a series of sexy scientists surrounded by worlds that are pushed too far by science-fiction. Overwhelmed by dinosaurs, aliens, or faulty DNA, his characters remained (mostly) level-headed when faced with horrific odds.

As an off-screen personality, he would be admired for his fun-loving and ethereal approach to fans and interviews (so iconic in its own regard that @themattfriend on TikTok's whole bit is made up of impersonating Goldblum). Finding a spice for later life, he would adorn an ebullient dress sense, including brash brightly colored suits and Hawaiian shirts (GQ published an article in 2010 dubbed frankly: "Jeff Goldblum: Living proof that style has no age limit"). With less genuine classic movies of late, Jeff Goldblum's performances still remain brave and adventurous, with an impressive series of back catalog hits to his name alongside an unflappable energy and charisma.

7 Thor: Ragnarok

In a movie that appears to be gonzo and cartoonish on the face of it (when in reality it's just another Marvel movie that follows the exact same structure as all the others but with a groovy lick of paint), Thor: Ragnarok's casting is wonderful, with Goldblum playing upbeat dictator, The Grandmaster. In a movie with a host of cameos (including Matt Damon and Sam Neil, playing Asgardian theatre actors) they all really seem to fit in to the sporadic energy of this film that presents this particular Marvel world as like an arcade game of Cheeto-covered fingers and too many sugar-infused drinks.

6 The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)

Jeff's role is only relatively small in this picture, but his inclusion in Wes Anderson movies fits so well. In a dreamy Moby Dick meets Jacques Cousteau interpretation, with wall-to-wall color and old-fashioned techniques (otherworldly and impractical sets, stop-motion) The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is a wonderful watch from a director with his own specific language. Goldblum is at his most douchey here as a rival of Zissou (Bill Murray), delighting at his every downfall. The submarine finale featuring the whole cast, to the music of Sigur Ros, is spellbinding. Goldblum would continue to feature in Anderson's other works that followed, including The Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs.

5 Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Being promoted to the main character of the series, Jeff Goldblum's Malcolm becomes all out action hero here rather than mere sexy hospital patient. Expanding on Malcolm's home life and the Jurassic Park universe overall, Lost World is a really solid sequel that loses its way in the final act when a T. Rex crushes San Diego like it's Godzilla. All the same, Lost World gets a bad rep, but its first half is tremendously strong and scary, with its trucks dangling off a cliff-face sequence being one of the best of the series, and the whole thing makes for a great sci-fi movie from Steven Spielberg. The supporting cast is stacked with Julianne Moore, Vince Vaughn, and Pete Postlethwaite. The predatory raptors hunting their dumb human prey in the tall grass remains so iconic.

Related: Jurassic Park Legacy Stars Reunite in New Photos with Official Movie Logo

4 Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

One of the few movies out there to justify remakes, Invasion of the Body Snatchers updates the story (one of the most important horror movies of all time) to the late '70s. With tremendous effects and chilling aliens disguised as the human beings we know and love, Body Snatchers is exhaustingly excellent. Check out the outrageously good cast list here, which includes Jeff Goldblum acting alongside Leonard Nimoy and Donald Sutherland. This is still one of the most chilling movies ever made, and features hands down one of the scariest dogs ever committed to screen. Body Snatchers would continue to be remade, first in 1993 by Abel Ferrara (Bad Lieutenant) of all people, and later with Nicole Kidman, with possibly others in the future.

3 Independence Day (1996)

In the late '90s Independence Day certified what American blockbuster movies were supposed to be going forward. The conceptual framework of director Roland Emmerich would largely begin here with his rampage on famous US landmarks. Jeff Goldblum plays the geeky scientist who acts as the straight man to Will Smith's gung-ho fighter pilot, and brings down an alien race with a 1990s computer virus. Emmerich never really replicated this success following the excellent Independence Day, and a too-little-too-late follow up ironically dubbed Resurgence (also starring Goldblum) was released in 2016.

Related: Here's the One Theme of Roland Emmerich Movies: Father Issues Vs. Mother Nature

2 Jurassic Park (1993)

In black leather and shades, Goldblum made nerd chic cool. As one of the greatest iterations of the on-screen scientist, Goldblum is all parts smart, sexy, and obnoxious. Watch as he is loathed by his colleagues when not sticking to the rules, or when flirting with the one female scientist on the journey (Laura Dern). Jurassic Park is such an enjoyable romp that it's one of Steven Spielberg's best films, and changed how we look at CGI forever in its T. Rex scenes. The human cast of this make the extinct elements all the more believable. based on how good the back-and-forth dialogue echoes through the runtime. Ian Malcolm was the exact scientist that Ross Geller would have wanted to grow up to be.

1 The Fly (1986)

There really isn't a movie quite like The Fly, which changed body horror forever. Director David Cronenberg had previous experience with the genre through Rabid, Videodrome, and Scanners, but his magnum opus would arguably come with The Fly. As yet another remake of a classic movie, The Fly showcases the human side of horror; the greed and the lust that drives us too far. This is outright gooey and disgusting to watch, and all the more so knowing that the monster underneath used to be such a bright spark (made directly believable by a sterling Jeff Goldblum performance). Looking for more? We'd also recommend doubling up on Society (1989), if you crave even more grossness, which carries a similar visual ickiness.