Movies That Made Waves In The '90s
The 1990s produced hit after hit with movies like Titanic, Pulp Fiction, Home Alone, The Shawshank Redemption, etc. Unlike these, some gems from that decade have slipped through the cracks. Here are 25 of those that deserve all the hype.
The Mask (1994)
After making a name with A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Chuck Russell didn't disappoint viewers on The Mask. Jim Carrey was also exceptional with cartoon antics in a mask that took about four hours daily to make up. We shouldn't forget it was also the fourth-highest-grossing 1994 film.
The Mask (1994) - Funny Jim Carrey Scene | Movieclips by Movieclips
City Slickers (1991)
The hilarious story of Mitch and his buddies driving cattle in the Wild West for their 40th birthdays became one of the highest-grossing of the year. Then, Jack Palance won the 1992 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. American Dad! even referenced it in season 8, episode 1, "Love, AD Style".
CITY SLICKERS Clip - Tough (1991) Jack Palance by JoBlo Movie Clips
Small Soldiers (1998)
Here's Phil Hartman's last feature before he sadly passed away two months before the premiere. Although it wasn't Toy Story's fame level, the story about military action figures causing chaos was a modest success. It could use a new generation of fans before going into obscurity—they'll love the Burger King toys.
Small Soldiers (2/10) Movie CLIP - Activating the Troops (1998) HD by Movieclips
Godzilla (1998)
Marketers hyped Godzilla so much that everyone expected a blockbuster with several sequels. Matthew Broderick was on board, and Puff Daddy sang a hit song. About $80 million went to advertising. But when it hit theaters, it was heavily criticized. However, it grossed $379 million worldwide and deserves a revisit.
Godzilla (1998) - Negative Impact Scene (3/10) | Movieclips by Movieclips
Double Jeopardy (1999)
Its hype dipped because 1999 had too many blockbusters like The Matrix and The Blair Witch Project. Despite the competition, Bruce Beresford's thriller became the 13th highest-grossing film. Award-winning Ashley Judd plays a wronged wife who learns she can't be tried twice—too bad that's not how real life works.
Double Jeopardy (1999) Official Trailer - Ashley Judd Movie HD by Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers
Dr. Dolittle (1998)
Only die-hard Eddie Murphy fans remember Dr. Doolittle today. This film might've faded out because it competed against Godzilla, The X-Files, Lethal Weapon 4, and The Mask of Zorro. However, kids will love its silly jokes and talking animals.
Rat CPR Scene - DOCTOR DOLITTLE (1998) Movie Clip by Entertainment Access
Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves (1991)
Critics weren't keen on Kevin Costner's last big hit, but moviegoers loved the historical piece. Who knew medieval England had so much drama? $390.5 million was enough to make it 1991's second-highest-grossing movie. Then, it had 5.60/10 on Rotten Tomatoes and earned an "A" on CinemaScore.
RoboCop 3 (1993)
Producers scheduled RoboCop 3 for 1992, but Orion's bankruptcy delayed the franchise's final entry. When it came out, the audience loved Robert Burke's RoboCop for fighting evil CEO Rip Torn to save Detroit from demolition. There was less violence, fewer laughs, and no Peter Weller, but hey… it's still a '90s classic.
RoboCop 3 (1993) - Final Fight by Touchstonefan03
3 Ninjas (1992)
3 Ninjas cost $2.5 million to make and brought in a whopping $30 million. There's plenty of violence from the three brothers trained by their martial arts grandpa, but it's almost cartoonish because there is no visible bloodshed. This movie is pure nostalgia for 1990 kids.
3 NINJAS FULL MOVIE 1992 by Megan Nichole
The Mummy (1999)
For some reason, there's a low buzz about Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz's epic adventure with treasure hunter Rick O'Connell, who accidentally awakens a cursed high priest. After fighting dehydration and snakes filming in African deserts, the movie grossed over $416 million and spawned two sequels. It's a classic worth rewatching.
Hot Shots! (1991)
This comedy masterpiece parodied Top Gun and added jokes from other classic movies like Rocky, Superman, Marathon Man, and Gone with the Wind. Hot Shots! was a big deal in theaters because it made $180 million worldwide. Today, it's almost forgotten—except for the occasional cable rerun.
HOT SHOTS! CLIP COMPILATION (1991) | Action, Comedy by JoBlo Movie Clips
Jingle All The Way (1996)
Most moviegoers are used to Arnold Schwarzenegger chasing down antagonists, but this festive classic is different. Here, the star tries to get a toy on Christmas Eve while hilariously battling Sinbad. Critics didn't love it, but this $129.8 million-grossing holiday film captures the fun chaos of Christmas shopping.
JINGLE ALL THE WAY Clip - Pick a Kid (1996) by JoBlo Movie Clips
Money Train (1995)
After making the legendary sports movie White Men Can't Jump, Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson teamed up again in this buddy cop comedy. They each got a whopping $5.5 million as Jennifer Lopez joined the fun. It was popular, but the star-studded cast couldn't save it from obscurity.
Money Train (1995) - Failed Heist Scene (1/10) | Movieclips by Movieclips
Dave (1993)
Dave is hired to impersonate the President but turns out better than the real guy. This beautiful fish-out-of-water story shows what a kind person can do with common sense and presidential power. It's hilarious and heartwarming and got 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Even President Clinton—the one getting roasted—liked it.
Baby's Day Out (1994)
Baby's Day Out is like Home Alone but with a baby who outsmarts three bumbling kidnappers. This slapstick comedy is 99 minutes of pure silliness that kids love, even if it makes little sense. Sadly, it flopped at the box office after making only $30 million of its $48 million budget.
Baby's Day Out 1994 - Best Scenes - Part 1 by Xevozy
Notting Hill (1999)
Julia Roberts's second-highest-grossing film is gradually fading and is mainly remembered by loyal fans. But the romance between a British bookseller (Hugh Grant) and a famous American actress shouldn't be forgotten this fast—not after grossing over $363 million and receiving three nominations at the 57th Golden Globe Awards.
Romantic Moments from Notting Hill (1999) | Comedy Bites Vintage by Comedy Bites Vintage
Big Daddy (1999)
Although Adam Sandler's Big Daddy is one of the least talked-about movies today, it was huge in 1999—it grossed $235 million. Sandler brings his A-game in this story about a 32-year-old who adopts a random five-year-old to prove he's responsible. The mean jokes and surprising sweetness are worth revisiting.
Big Daddy Comedy Recap by It's Only Entertainment
FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
This animated fairy tale is about an eco-villain named Hexxus and a shrunken logger fighting to save the rainforest. Though it grossed $32.7 million after a $24 million budget, voices like Robin Williams and Tim Curry added a charming humor and sweetness that earned an "A" from CinemaScore.
FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST Clip -
Existenz (1999)
David Cronenberg's mind-bending plot about virtual reality was a Canada-UK-France team-up in 1999. You can say eXistenZ drifted away from the limelight because it was released near The Matrix and Open Your Eyes; still, it had good reviews and 75% on Rotten Tomatoes. Christopher Priest even wrote a book about Existenz.
eXistenZ (1999) Trailer | Jude Law | Jennifer Jason Leigh by Film Trailer Channel
The River Wild (1994)
The River Wild is about a family's fun rafting trip that turns dangerous when two fugitives take them hostage. Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon had exceptional performances and added humor to a tense plot. Merly almost drowned, though. This family-vacation-gone-wrong thriller made waves and grossed 94 million worldwide.
THE RIVER WILD Clip (1994) Kevin Bacon by JoBlo Movie Clips
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
TMNT was the live-action movie of the year. It had epic one-liners with enough ninja moves for kids to practice in the yard. The folks at Jim Henson's Creature Shop did enough to make it 1990's highest-grossing independent film ($202 million). Sadly, kids prefer the more recent CGI turtles.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) - Pizza Dude Scene (HD) by Mr. Marshmello
Gattaca (1997)
If you saw Gattaca on cable or at Blockbuster, you probably watched it more than once. Despite its box office flop, this sci-fi gem about a "not too distant" future was nominated for the 1997 Academy's Best Art Direction and Golden Globe's Best Original Score. Ethan Hawke's act is worth rewatching.
Gattaca (1997) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p] by Unseen Trailers
The Flintstones (1994)
This movie was "yabba dabba doo" huge. Critics weren't thrilled, but it made $342 million. McDonald's even temporarily changed its name to "RocDonald's" for promotions. But McDonald's efforts couldn't keep it relevant due to a below-par sequel and storylines like embezzlement and office drama that kids couldn't understand.
The Flintstones (1994) - The Flintstones Song Scene (1/10) | Movieclips by Movieclips
A Bug's Life (1998)
Besides die-hard film fans, most people leave out this animation when listing Pixar's best. They forget that its hilarious cast and unique storyline about a brave hero gave it a 92% Rotten Tomatoes rating and grossed $363 million. This classic deserves more love, even if Pixar's bigger hits overshadow it.
A BUG'S LIFE Clip - Princess Atta (1998) by JoBlo Animated Videos
Awakenings (1990)
In this touching 1990 movie, Dr. Sayer (Robin Williams) uses an experimental drug to wake patients from decades-long sleep, including Leonard (Robert De Niro). Despite Oscar nods and a story that strikes a chord in one's heart, this fact-based Penny Marshall gem grossing $108.7 million gets overlooked.
Awakenings (1990) - The Drug Isn't Working Scene (7/10) | Movieclips by Movieclips
