The 90s were an incredible decade for the movie industry. It’s hard to believe that these fantastic films all came out 30 years ago. Nevertheless, these 13 beloved movies still hold up today.
1. Office Space (1999)
The Mike Judge film takes a fantastic, satirical look at life working in an office. If you’re ever feeling nostalgic about working in an office, just turn on this movie and be grateful you work from home.
2. Scream (1996)
The Wes Craven horror film reinvigorated the slasher genre. From the misdirect of Drew Barrymore’s early death (she was heavily featured in marketing and promotional images leading up to the movie’s release) to how the film plays with traditional horror tropes, the original Scream still holds up today.
3. American Pie (1999)
Like it or not, American Pie is over 20 years old despite feeling like it just came out yesterday. Don’t be ashamed if you’re still quoting the movie; it holds up surprisingly well today and has an ensemble cast and soundtrack that will have you partying like it’s 1999.
4. Jurassic Park (1993)
Jurassic Park was a definitive moment in cinematic history. I remember people going to see this film in the theatres repeatedly. It’s one of the only films ever to cause me to scream out loud. Velociraptors.
It’s the first in a trilogy spawning another franchise, Jurassic World. Jurassic Park is the backbone of the who, what, when, where, and how surrounding recreating dinosaurs. The musical score is phenomenal, and Steven Spielberg did not disappoint.
5. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The Silence Of The Lambs is a chilling psychological thriller that follows a young FBI cadet, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), and her pursuit of a serial killer (Ted Levine) who skins his victims. But not before holding them for a duration of time.
After he kidnaps a Senator’s daughter, the race is on to find her before she becomes Buffalo Bill’s next victim. Clarice must work with a brilliant psychiatrist, Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), who is imprisoned for cannabilism and demands a quid pro quo or give-and-take relationship. “Hello, Clarice.”
6. The Mummy (1999)
The Mummy is another film with an incredible music score. It’s a fun-filled action adventure following Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), who accidentally awakens a cursed high priest and mummy, Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), in Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead.
They must race against time as the creature regenerates and grows stronger with every kill. Furthermore, Imhotep has his sight set on Evelyn and needs her to resurrect his true love Anck-su-namun (Patricia Velásquez).
7. Forrest Gump (1994)
Forrest Gump was a pop culture phenomenon with engaging stories and incredible music. It follows a dim-witted Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) and his lifelong quest to get to Jenny. While sitting at a bus stop, he tells his story to passengers as they come and go. Gump’s story places him in many historical events, including influencing Elvis Presley’s dance, the Vietnam War, and the Watergate scandal.
However, the story starts and finishes in a quiet Greenbow, Alabama. The film stars Sally Field as Mama Gump, Gary Sinise as Lieutenant Dan, and Robin Wright as Jenny. It’s one of the decade’s greatest stories.
8. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption reminds us, “To get busy living, or get busy dying.” It follows Andy (Tim Robbins), a man wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. After being sent to Shawshank, he befriends the man who can get things, Red (Morgan Freeman). Freeman’s narration makes for an incredible story.
The Shawshank Redemption is full of colorful characters and is one of those movies that it doesn’t matter where it is in the movie; if it’s on the TV, you’re going to get sucked in. It co-stars Clancy Brown as the deplorable Captain Hadley, Bob Gunton as the despicable Warden, and Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal) in his debut role as Tommy.
9. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a sequel that surpasses the original. It’s an action-packed, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton reprise their roles as the Terminator (T-800) and Sarah Connor. However, the T-800 (Schwarzenegger) is here to protect the leader of the future human resistance against the machines, and Sarah’s son, John Connor (Edward Furlong).
The future also sends a new Terminator, the T-1000 (Robert Patrick). The upgraded model is a terrifying shapeshifter that can take on the form of humans he kills. He’s virtually indestructible and is right behind them every step of the way in this monumental chase to save the human race.
10. Titanic (1997)
Titanic is one of the 90s biggest films. I saw it seven times in the theatres, which was nothing compared to most of my peers. For an accurate portrayal of the disaster, James Cameron captured the details of the R.M.S. Titanic with everything in the film besides Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet). Jack and Rose are from different classes of people.
Rose is a spoiled and slightly pretentious, first-class teenager engaged to a man (Billy Zane) she doesn’t love but will ensure her family’s status. Jack is a third-class passenger who won his ticket in a poker game. The two meet and fall in love on the ship before the fateful collision with an iceberg in the Northern Atlantic and subsequent sinking.
The music is so remarkable that the film produced two Jame’s Horner musical scores: Titanic and Back to Titanic. Also, the theme song, “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion, won an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Billboard Award, and four Grammy Awards.
11. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was the second highest-grossing film in 1991, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day secured the number one spot. It stars Kevin Costner as Robin Hood. After breaking out of prison with Azeem (Morgan Freeman), they travel to England and discover that the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman) has murdered his father and destroyed his family estate.
Robin and Azeem join outlaws Little John (Nick Brimble) and Will Scarlett (Christian Slater) to save the kingdom from the sheriff’s wicked ways. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio stars as Marian, Robin’s love interest. Again, the music in this movie is phenomenal and has a Grammy award-winning theme song, “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” by Bryan Adams.
12. The Rock (1996)
The Rock is an action-packed thriller following a group of rogue marines led by General Hummel (Ed Harris) who hijack poisonous gas rockets, set base on Alcatraz, and threaten to fire them into San Francisco if their demands are not met.
An FBI top chemical weapons specialist, Dr. Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage), and Mason (Sean Connery), a man who escaped Alcatraz, join forces with a U.S. Navy Seals team to infiltrate the island and prevent the terrorists from launching the rockets.
13. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Saving Private Ryan is an epic war drama about World War II during the Battle of Normandy. A group of Army Rangers led by Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks) must locate paratrooper Private first class James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon). His three brothers were killed in action, and the army doesn’t want Ryan’s mother to receive the fourth American flag.
The film’s depictions of war are graphic and terrifying. It stars Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Vin Diesel, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, Giovanni Ribisi, and Jeremy Davies as the other Army Rangers.
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This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
