Sometimes, it can be tough to be a ‘90s kid. Every director and showrunner seems obsessed with the 1980s, which is why franchises likeStranger Thingsare everywhere in the pop culture landscape. But if you have deep nostalgia for the subsequent decade, you’ve come to the right place.
Sadly, I can’t force Hollywood to deliver a slate of new projects set during the halcyon days ofBaywatchand hypercolor shirts. But I did the next best thing by rounding up the best movies of the ’90s (with the occasional 1989 film thrown in) for you to enjoy. All of these flicks are currently streaming onNetflix, so keep reading to discover your new nostalgic faves!
1997
Runtime
2 hours 15 minutes
Starship Troopersis, to me, an almost perfect snapshot of the ’90s. As a war movie, it echoes the killer action of director Paul Verhoeven’s earlier filmRoboCop, which I grew up shamelessly rewatching. And as a piece of political commentary meetshorror comedy, it perfectly reflects the anxieties of the Gulf War while eerily predicting the xenophobia of the later War on Terror. Oh, and did I mention that awesome trailer featuring Blur’s rollicking “Song 2”? It doesn’t get more ’90s than that!
To further tickle your nostalgia bone, this movie has standout performances from Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser himself) and Michael Ironside (an iconic bad guy from bothTop GunandHighlander 2). Honestly, this movie is a must-watch for any nostalgic nerd. Where else can you get the best action film of the decade and possibly the best movie satire ever made, all rolled into one?
1996
1 hour 35 minutes
Back in the day, many young fans didn’t realizeThe Nutty Professorwas a remake of an earlier film. It didn’t really matter, though, as leading man Eddie Murphy quickly makes this film his own. That’s quite literal: the legendary comedian plays a total of seven roles in this film, making it arguably his most ambitious cinematic project. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, of course, but Murphy is one of my favorite performers, and I’ve always enjoyed this film as his comedic tour de force.
The plot here is pretty minimal, involving an overweight prof who develops a miraculous weight loss solution in his quest to win over his dream girl (played by Jada Pinkett). But the basic plot helps the comedy stand out that much more, especially whenever Dave Chappelle is onscreen. Love it or hate it (I’m willing to bet you’ll love it), this funny, heartfelt film was a staple of ’90s comedy, and watching it is like stepping back into your childhood.
1998
1 hour 43 minutes
John Carpenter’s Vampireshas a mixed reputation among horror fans. Many can’t help but compare it negatively to Carpenter’s more iconic films such asHalloweenorEscape From New York. If you go in with an open mind, though, you’ll enjoyVampiresfor what is: a trope-filled love letter to the genre filled with memorable performers. None are more memorable than James Woods, who infuses his grudge-fueled vampire hunter Jack Crow (he’s got a team to avenge) with snarky panache.
IfTwin Peakswas part of your ’90s television diet, you’ll be hyped to see Sheryl Lee (Laura Palmer herself) inVampiresas a prostitute who is slowly turning into a bloodsucker. She helps add pathos to a movie that mostly alternates between world-building and cool fight scenes. This may not be Carpenter’s finest work, but trust me when I say that this is the best Western-flavored vampire film sinceNear Dark.
1999
Big Daddyis one of the more heartfelt Adam Sandler movies because it’s all about his character’s refusal to grow up. The thin plot involves his character adopting a five-year-old boy to prove to his ex-girlfriend that he knows how to be responsible. Of course, this is all an excuse to give us scene after scene of Sandler doing a world-class terrible parenting job, and each gag is funnier than the one before.
A major strength ofBig Daddyis a cast that all ‘90s kids can appreciate. In addition to familiar Sandler sidekick Rob Schneider,Big Daddyhas great performances fromDaily Showguru Jon Stewart andChasing Amystar Joey Lauren Adams. Plus, the film has a lot to say about parenthood that I didn’t appreciate when I was younger, and watching the movie now that I am a parent has helped me appreciate its weird humor more than ever before.
1 hour 38 minutes
Matildais the ultimate childhood fantasy come to life. The title character is a gifted young girl who is neglected her whole life. Eventually, she develops magical powers, but they may not be enough to help her against her evil parents or the overbearing principal of the new school they force her to attend. Mara Wilson plays Matilda, and she’s such a great child actor that her performance serves as the precocious emotional core of an otherwise sublimely funny movie.
As for the adult actors, real-life husband-and-wife duo Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito do a great job playing the live-action equivalent of cartoonishly evil parents straight out of an old Disney cartoon. DeVito deserves special credit as the director, andMatildaremains the best film he ever created. Now, the movie is a bit of nostalgic comfort food for everyone whoever hoped that their own lonely, childhood bookishness might result in superpowers before they achieved adulthood.
1991
1 hour 41 minutes
In many ways,Hudson Hawkis the strangest film ever headlined by Bruce Willis. It’s a very adult-oriented film, but it has the slapstick humor of a children’s cartoon. The film also has a plot device only a kid could love: Willis’ character is a master cat burglar whose ability to pull off precisely timed crimes is due to all the old songs that he has memorized and sings while performing heists.
Yes, the premise is crazy. And yes, the main character’s love of music will get songs like Bing Crosby’s “Swinging On a Star” stuck in your head for weeks. The movie was a box office bomb because audiences didn’t know what to make of its truly bizarre sense of humor. But for those of us who fell in love with it as kids and even played the NES video game,Hudson Hawkremains one of yesteryear’s quirkiest classics.
2 hours 17 minutes
For Love of the Gameis directed by Sam Raimi, someone best known for the Evil Dead movies and Sony’s iconic early Spider-Man films. But there are no Deadites or goblin-themed terrorists inFor Love of the Game. Instead, this is an epic love story centered around an aging baseball player played by Kevin Costner.
The gimmick of the movie is that Costner’s ball player is pitching a perfect game and keeps his momentum alive by reminiscing about how he struck out with his girlfriend (played by Kelly Preston) of five years. The result is a real switch-hitter of a movie that will appeal to hardcore sports fans as well as general audiences hungry for a one-of-a-kind love story. Given how popular baseball was back in the day, I recommend that ’90s kids watchFor the Love of the Gamewhile chowing down on a pack of Big League Chew.
1989
1 hour 42 minutes
One real staple of ‘90s entertainment is the faithful animal sidekick. Most of these crazy critters were cartoons, butK-9gives us a live-action doggo to drool over. If the name of the movie wasn’t enough of a clue, this is the story of a beleaguered detective (played by Jim Belushi) who is reluctantly partnered with a four-legged companion. Together, he and his cute dog are the only ones who can bring down a notorious drug lord.
That’s right, this movie features a dog sidekick, an anti-drug message, and it’s headlined by a Belushi. Oh, and Ed O’Neill (ofMarried…With ChildrenandModern Familyfame) is a supporting character. If I’m being honest, that’s like most of my childhood wrapped into a fairly compelling movie about pet ownership that audiences rightfully loved even though it was snubbed by critics.
1 hour 40 minutes
John Candy might not be the greatest comic actor who ever lived, but he’s definitely in the running. And he’s in fine form inUncle Buck, a film in which the titular character is charged with babysitting his brother’s three children. Buck is a freewheeling bachelor who loves never having to settle down, and most of the movie’s humor comes from his flailing attempts to embrace (even temporarily) the responsibilities of parenthood.
Needless to say, Candy steals every scene that he is in. But there are some other great actors here, including an impossibly young Macaulay Culkin as one of the kids Buck must babysit. For a nostalgic nerd like myself, it’s great fun to see these two onscreen together years before they both starred inHome Alone. An equally young Anna Chlumsky also appears in a bit role, making this a must-see for fans ofMy Girl, another of that decade’s biggest hit films.
Long story short?Uncle Buckis the best vintage comedy that most ‘90s kids have never heard of!
There you have it, ’90s kids. Ready to relive the glory days of Geocities and90210? Remember, the past is only a click away thanks to these amazing films on Netflix!
Netflix
Real talk: the ’90s were much, much cooler than the ’80s. Check out all of these films on Netflix to channel some serious nostalgia!
