There’s no denying it: the '90s was a great time for cinema. Whether your go-to genre was thrilling action or groundbreaking animation, there was something for everyone in that golden era. One of the main reasons the list of classics released from 1990 until 1999 feels so endless too is down to the huge changes that were going on in the filmmaking industry at the time.
Improvements in CGI meant the decade saw stunts go harder than ever and made stars of heroes like Keanu Reeves and Brendan Fraser fronting explosion-heavy action flicks. Meanwhile, animation took leaps and bounds as Toy Story became the first fully computer-animated movie and we entered the classic era of Disney with hits for the studio like The Lion King, Tarzan, and Aladdin. That’s not even mentioning the growth of slasher movies and the golden age of rom-coms, leading to bigger commercial hits at the box office than ever before.
But while the highest-grossing movies of the decade included Forrest Gump, Titanic, and Jurassic Park, there are plenty more hidden gems during this decade that you might have forgotten about. We're talking about the niche indies, the action thrillers that flew under the radar, and the comedies that deserve a revisit. So, to help you plan your next rewatch, here’s your guide to the 32 classic '90s movies you've probably forgotten about.
32. Galaxy Quest (1999)
Both an homage to and a parody of great science fiction shows like Star Trek, Galaxy Quest is a warm-hearted comedy guaranteed to make you smile. It follows a group of has-been actors from a cult TV series called Galaxy Quest, who find themselves unwittingly drawn into an intergalactic conflict. The hilarious scenario comes about after some real-life aliens mistake their TV show for a documentary and think they’re the only ones who can save them. The silly premise is sold by its incredible cast, including Sigourney Weaver as Gwen, Alan Rickman as Alexander, and Tim Allen as Jason. Set phasers to fun with this one.
31. Strictly Ballroom (1992)
Baz Luhrmann’s directorial debut Strictly Ballroom secured the Australian director as one to watch. Set in the world of competitive professional dancing, the cult classic stars Paul Mercurio as Scott Hastings, a ballroom champion on a mission to prove to the Ballroom Confederation that there are new steps. Taking on a novice as his dancing partner, the pair set out to win the Australian Championships by dancing to the beat of their own drum. A great story full of emotional storytelling and early indications of Luhrmann’s filmmaking pizazz, this is a drama that barely puts a foot wrong. Interestingly too, it also marks the first of the director’s "red-curtain trilogy" of films exploring the world of theater, which he continued with Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge.
30. Cape Fear (1991)
Often featuring near the end of Martin Scorsese rankings, Cape Fear is actually one of the director’s most underrated movies. Released in 1991, the thriller features some of his darkest material as it follows a convict who uses his newfound knowledge of the law to seek vengeance against the man he blames for his arrest. Starring the director’s frequent collaborator Robert De Niro, as well as a stellar cast including Jessica Lange, Nick Nolte, and Juliette Lewis, the stylish and shocking movie is well worth a revisit on your next Scorsese rewatch.
29. George of the Jungle (1997)
No '90s movie list would be complete without a film starring Brendan Fraser. The actor was considered one of the most prolific movie stars of the decade, making his name as an action hero. That’s what makes his delightfully hilarious performance in George of the Jungle all the more fun. A twist on Tarzan, the movie follows a young man who has been raised by animals after a plane crash left him stranded in the jungle. It was critically panned when it was first released, but in the years since it’s had a well-earned revival and makes the perfect choice to revisit if you’re after something lighthearted and diverting, with all the classic '90s tropes you could hope for.
28. The Addams Family (1991)
While it features one of the most notorious families in popular culture, you might have not thought about The Addams Family in a while. Overshadowed by its more popular sequel, the supernatural black comedy was the first adaptation of Charles Addams’ cartoon characters in decades, but it would go on to define the story. This version sees a series of con artists trying to fleece the eccentric family by masquerading as their long-lost uncle, all taken to bizarre and macabre lengths. If that’s not enough to sell you on it, do it for the iconic performances, including Anjelica Huston's glamorous and ghoulish Morticia Addams as well as Christina Ricci in one of her earliest roles as the stoic Wednesday Addams.
27. Deep Impact (1998)
The '90s was the decade of disaster movies as fears about climate change amplified and CGI reached a level where almost anything was possible. While Titanic and Independence Day are often considered the staples of the era, Deep Impact is a hidden genre gem that’s well worth a revisit. Directed by Mimi Leder, the Robert Duvall and Elijah Wood science fiction film follows a group trying to destroy a 7-mile wide comet that’s heading straight for Earth. Critics were pretty harsh on the movie, which ended up going toe-to-toe with Armageddon in the same summer. While it won the box office back in 1998, its release window buddy has gone on to linger longer in cinematic history. Despite contending with that, Deep Impact remains a perfect choice for a rewatch if you’re after some of that classic '90s doom.
26. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
Hugo Weaving, Terence Stamp, and Guy Pearce all star in this Australian classic about a pair of drag queens and a transgender woman who journey across the Outback. Starting in Sydney, they make the epic trip to Alice Springs in their tour bus dubbed Priscilla after Weaving’s Tick is invited to perform his act in a casino by his ex-wife. On the journey, the trio encounter some colorful characters in the warm-hearted comedy, which manages to remain a tender exploration of identity, relationships, and friendship amid the laughs.
25. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Tucked in right at the end of the golden age of romantic comedies, 10 Things I Hate About You is one of those movies that never gets old. The teen classic is a loose modernization of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, all told through the lens of high school dating. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Cameron who, in a bid to date Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) and get around her father’s strict dating rules, pays bad boy Patrick (Heath Ledger) to date her sister, the objectionable Kat (Julia Stiles). Full of tropes, emotional performances, and great needle drops, rom-coms don’t really get better than this. And really Ledger’s performance of "Can’t Take My Eyes Off You" on the bleachers is as iconic as '90s movie moments get, right?
24. East Is East (1999)
British comedy-drama East Is East is an excellent exploration of life in Salford, Lancashire in the 1970s. Written by Ayub Khan-Din and directed by Damien O'Donnell, it embeds viewers in the family headed by Pakistani father George (Om Puri) and English mother Ella (Linda Bassett). Navigating culture clashes and generational differences, George is at the heart of this film as a man desperately trying to raise his family right in a world that feels constantly changing. Fancy half a cup of tea, anyone?
23. But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)
Cult classic But I’m a Cheerleader points its acerbic lens at teen romantic comedies in this hilarious satire. At its heart, it features a star-making performance from Natasha Lyonne as a high school cheerleader sent to conversion therapy to cure her lesbianism. Instead, it has the opposite effect as she learns to embrace her sexuality in Jamie Babbit’s feature directorial debut. It features a star-studded supporting cast too, including Clea DuVall, RuPaul Charles, Michelle Williams, Cathy Moriarty, and Melanie Lynskey.
22. Point Break (1991)
"If you want the ultimate, you’ve got to be willing to pay the ultimate price," warns Patrick Swayze’s Bodhi in 1991’s crime action film Point Break. The Kathryn Bigelow-directed thriller stars Keanu Reeves as FBI agent Johnny Utah who infiltrates a group of surfers in a bid to solve a high-stakes bank robbery case. Along the way, he falls in love with the sport and develops a complex relationship with the group’s leader. While it was successful at the time, the movie gained a cult following in the years after its release and is one of the most entertaining, and deliciously absurd, films of the decade. Just sit back and ride the wave with this one.
21. Pump Up the Volume (1990)
Christian Slater stars in this coming-of-age drama about a high school student who starts moonlighting as a radio DJ. Broadcasting from his parents’ basement, his nightly show becomes an escape from the monotony of small town life and an outlet for all that teen angst and frustration. As you might expect, it features a killer soundtrack, while writer and director Allan Moyle manages to capture the painful period of adolescence in a heartfelt and nuanced way. It’s long flown under the radar after failing to be a hit at the box office at the time of its release, but there’s never been a better time to give it another go.
20. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
The late '80s and the '90s saw a whole stream of live-action Batman movies released, trying to redefine the classic hero after its 1960s small-screen heyday. But probably the best adaptation is actually the animated movie Mask of the Phantasm, which was the first feature-length outing based on Batman: The Animated Series. The film followed Batman (voiced by the iconic Kevin Conroy) navigating a burgeoning romance with a former flame while trying to work out why Gotham City’s crime bosses keep being murdered by a mysterious vigilante. If that wasn’t enough, Mark Hamill’s Joker was back to cause more trouble for the Caped Crusader. Featuring character-defining voice performances, stylized animation, and great storytelling, this is one Batman movie that stands the test of time.
19. La Haine (1995)
Unrelenting social thriller La Haine is an electric watch that chronicles a day and night in the lives of three friends in a poor Paris suburb. Played by Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé, and Saïd Taghmaoui, viewers meet the trio in the aftermath of a series of riots as they navigate near-constant run-ins with the police. However, what’s most affecting about the tense film is how it tackles deep social and economic divisions in '90s Paris through director Mathieu Kassovitz’s black-and-white lens. Undeniably a classic of world cinema, the film often gets overlooked among the best films of the era but is well worth a revisit on your next deep dive into the decade.
18. Run Lola Run (1998)
It’s likely you’ve never seen a film like the German experimental thriller Run Lola Run, and it’s all the better for it. Written and directed by Tom Tykwer, the deceptively simple premise sees a woman named Lola attempt to get 100,000 Deutschmarks in just 20 minutes to save her boyfriend’s life. In reality, it’s a comment on free will vs. determinism wrapped up in a fast-paced thriller as Lola’s interactions with strangers have lasting effects on the rest of their lives. Anchored by a strong central performance by Franka Potente, this energetic film has been compared to everything from Speed and Sliding Doors, but it just might outrun them all.
17. Princess Mononoke (1997)
While Studio Ghibli’s most well-known films came out in the 1980s and the 2000s, the animation studio actually released a whole host of wonderful films in the '90s. Chief among them is the groundbreaking Princess Mononoke, an epic fantasy written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The story focuses on an Emishi prince named Ashitaka as he navigates the struggle between the gods of the forest and the humans who abuse its resources. As well as containing the weird and wonderful creatures so central to Ghibli films, the animation’s themes of environmentalism and the loss of innocence are what makes it really shine.
16. Event Horizon (1997)
Science fiction horror Event Horizon is one of those films you either love or hate, but there’s no denying it's a genre classic. Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, the film follows a crew of astronauts sent on a rescue mission after the missing spaceship Event Horizon suddenly appears near Neptune. Released in place of Titanic by Paramount after James Cameron’s epic failed to meet its planned date, the production of the film is almost more famous than the feature itself. Rumors of rushed editing and studio interference led many to write it off upon its original release, but in the years since it has developed a well-earned cult following. Including great performances by Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill as well as genuine scares, it’s definitely worth a revisit.
15. Small Soldiers (1998)
With Toy Story being such a defining movie of the '90s, you can easily forget about another great toy-based caper. Small Soldiers follows two factions of action figures who turn sentient after they are accidentally installed with a military microprocessor. Things get more complicated when some of the toys start behaving like real soldiers and spark an actual war in the neighborhood. Made mostly using puppets, the graphics stand up really well, and this movie is way more fun than its Rotten Tomatoes score would suggest. Directed by Gremlins’ Joe Dante, it features an amazing voice cast too, including Kirsten Dunst, Tommy Lee Jones, and Frank Langella.
14. White Men Can't Jump (1992)
Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes star as streetball hustlers in classic sports comedy White Men Can’t Jump. Harrelson’s Billy Hoyle is a former college basketballer who is winning big by hustling players into thinking he can’t play. He then decides to team up with one of his victims, Snipes’ Sidney Deane, to double the profits. Full of highly quotable one-liners, charming performances, and a lot of fun, it is less a basketball movie and more an outright comedy. But with its superb soundtrack, it’s endlessly entertaining and far, far superior to its remake.
13. Election (1999)
Election features one of Reese Witherspoon’s most iconic roles as she plays Tracy Flick, an overachiever who plans to run unopposed to become high school president. That is until her civics teacher (played by Matthew Broderick) encourages a popular footballer to run against her. Hilarity ensues as the election campaign gets increasingly out of control and Alexander Payne’s spiky comedy astutely parodies the US political system. As funny as it is clever, this is a stand-out film from a decade of classic comedies.
12. Miller’s Crossing (1990)
One of the best films of the '90s actually came right at the beginning. The Coen brothers’ neo-noir gangster film Miller’s Crossing tells the story of a power struggle between two rival gangs. Set in the Roaring Twenties, Gabriel Byrne plays Tom Reagan, the right-hand man to crime boss Leo O'Bannon (Albert Finney). After he sells his services to a rival outfit too, he navigates pitting the two gangs against each other with quick thinking, constant betrayals, and a whole lot of luck. It marked the Coens’ third film as a filmmaking duo and contains lots of their trademarks, including colorful characters and surprising violence. Part of The Criterion Collection, the film often features on 'best-of' lists, but you just might have forgotten about it thanks to its cusp-of-the-decade release date.
11. Misery (1990)
Rob Reiner’s thriller Misery imagines what might happen if an author was held captive by an obsessive fan. Based on Stephen King’s 1987 novel of the same name, it stars Kathy Bates as the fan who holds James Caan’s romance author at knifepoint until he rewrites the finale of his novel series. Bates actually won an Academy Award for her absolutely chilling performance, and it also features some really interesting insight into how we view fame, which feels even more timely now.
10. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Often overshadowed by its beloved first movie, the sequel to Gremlins is actually well worth a revisit. Vastly different from the original, aside from its titular monsters, it follows Gizmo’s offspring as they wreak havoc on New York City. Full of satire about filmmaking and Hollywood, Joe Dante deftly handles the follow-up that captures the strangeness of the original while also treading new ground. Featuring meta commentary on everything from the critics who panned the first film to parodies of the Rambo films, there’s a lot to take in here. And even though it’s a lot less dark than the original, the creatures are still enough to send a chill down your spine.
9. As Good As It Gets (1997)
Jack Nicholson plays a misanthropic and bigoted novelist who is forced to confront his small-minded nature when his gay neighbor is assaulted. As he takes care of his dog, he forms an unexpected connection with both his neighbor and a waitress in this charming romantic comedy. Greg Kinnear and Helen Hunt also star in the beautifully written script by Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks, who also directs. The film charmed critics and the box office alike. Not only did it win multiple Academy Awards, including acting gongs for Nicholson and Hunt, but it’s also a mainstay of 'best-of' lists. Funny, heartwarming, and sharp, it’s well worth a revisit.
8. Before Sunrise (1995)
The first installment of Richard Linklater’s wonderful trilogy, the romantic drama Before Sunrise follows Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) as strangers who meet on a train. After deciding to disembark in Vienna, the pair spend the night together, roaming the city and learning everything they can about one another. Covering topics from mortality to the nature of love, they rarely see eye to eye, but there’s something endlessly compelling about two people exploring a connection, especially when they’re played so brilliantly by Hawke and Delpy. It just may be the most romantic movie of the decade.
7. Kicking and Screaming (1995)
Noah Baumbach’s feature directorial debut Kicking and Screaming may not get much attention among his stellar filmography, but it’s well worth your time. It follows a group of college graduates seemingly unable to move on with their lives as they navigate the years post school and tentatively step into the real world. The low-budget indie starred a cast of relative unknowns including Josh Hamilton, Chris Eigeman, Eric Stoltz, and Parker Posey, and contains some early indications of Baumbach’s unique style. The way it beautifully captures the limbo of early adulthood and that '90s slacker energy is particularly wonderful too.
6. Swingers (1996)
Long before creating The Mandalorian, Jon Favreau wrote Swingers, loosely based on his own experiences as a young man. A buddy comedy at its heart, it stars Favreau and Vince Vaughn as single, unemployed actors attempting to find success in Hollywood. Featuring performances from Ron Livingston and Heather Graham too, it captures the limbo of being caught in early adulthood amid a bad break-up. It made stars of almost all involved, including its director Doug Liman who would go on to direct The Bourne Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Edge of Tomorrow.
5. Office Space (1999)
Watching the office grind of a Texas software company shouldn’t be this fun, but writer and director Mike Judge’s smart script manages the impossible in Office Space. Following a group of employees navigating their day-to-day trials and tribulations, this satire really kicks into gear when they decide to rebel against their greedy boss. Featuring a great soundtrack and a fantastic cast including Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, and Stephen Root, the film has long been considered a cult classic. Its legacy continues outside of filmmaking too, having had a huge impact on popular culture from spawning endless memes, causing an increase in sales of red staplers, and even providing inspiration for the excellent Apple TV+ show Severance.
4. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Quentin Tarantino’s career may now be genre-defining, but back in the early '90s, he was a young filmmaker trying to make a name for himself. Reservoir Dogs marked his feature-length debut and introduced his unique tone. Full of Tarantino hallmarks of heavy violence, sweary dialogue, and nonlinear narratives, it followed a group of diamond thieves whose jewelry store heist goes very badly wrong. Starring Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, and Lawrence Tierney, it helped catapult the careers of almost everyone involved. And while it may not be your first thought when picking a Tarantino ‘90s classic, with Pulp Fiction arriving just two years later, this neo-noir should not be overlooked.
3. Rushmore (1998)
Wes Anderson’s '90s coming-of-age comedy Rushmore is always guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Co-scripted with Owen Wilson, the movie is set at the fictional Rushmore Academy as Max, a dedicated but struggling student, bonds with rich industrialist Herman Blume over their shared affection for an elementary school teacher. Bill Murray memorably plays Blume but it’s really Jason Schwartzman who’s the revelation here in his film debut with his delightfully off-kilter performance. Charming and witty, it’s a classic for a reason.
2. Orlando (1992)
Sally Potter writes and directs this wonderful Virginia Woolf adaptation of her 1928 book of the same name. Tilda Swinton plays Orlando in the fantasy period drama about a nobleman who is commanded to never grow old by Queen Elizabeth I. Quentin Crisp stars as the monarch while Billy Zane plays Marmaduke Bonthrop Shelmerdine (yes, it’s quite the name), but it’s Swinton who is pure magic in the titular role. Potter also manages to capture the visual wonder of Woolf’s novel, as well as its poetry and strangeness.
1. A Simple Plan (1998)
Sam Raimi’s on-screen legacy may be forever intertwined with the Evil Dead and Spider-Man franchises, but his 1998 crime thriller is a standout in his filmography. A Simple Plan follows two brothers, Hank (Bill Paxton) and Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton) who discover a crashed plane with $4.4 million in cash hidden inside it. Along with their friend Lou (Brent Briscoe) and Hank’s wife Sarah (Bridget Fonda), they hatch a simple plan to keep the money a secret. However, it isn’t long before loyalties are tested as the emotional tension ratchets between the characters and violence beckons. Comparisons to Fargo may have overshadowed its release, but this drama stands on its own as a devastating and thrilling watch.
