SUGGESTION: Watch these films with a plate of Chicken Nuggets and Chips…
Clueless
Cher’s 90’s fashions are enough to transport you right back to 1995 in this modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. Basically, when this film came out it was pretty much just dismissed as a bit of a dumb movie – but in fact – it’s absolute genius. It made a star out of Alicia Silverstone (which was quickly destroyed with Batman & Robin a few years later) and it also features a pre-Scrubs Turk and a pre-death Brittany Murphy.
Dumb & Dumber
One of the funniest films ever made, Dumb & Dumber is a masterclass in physical comedy from Jim Carrey, an actor at the very top of his game at the time, supported by a bloke who was traditionally hired only in serious roles, who manages to hold his own against a comedy master. There are also some great piss and fart jokes, as well as a grown man selling a headless budgie to a blind boy.
American Pie
A film that ushered in an era of years of ‘gross-out’ teen comedies, the original American Pie is still the best – with some cracking jokes, a great soundtrack and cinema’s most understanding dad. It’s actually a really sweet story, as 4 blokes set out to lose their virginity before the end of high school and find themselves falling in love (a bit). It also introduced the world to the MILF.
Matilda
Directed by Danny DeVito and starring that little girl who was in EVERYTHING in the 90’s, this live-action version of the Roald Dahl book is absolutely brilliant and what I would consider to be the ultimate ‘Sunday Morning Hangover Film’. Pam Ferris is great as Trunchbull but the star of the show is the true legend Bruce Bogtrotter – who will scoff an entire chocolate cake on demand – just to prove a point. Top lad.
Mars Attacks!
Another film that was rather ridiculed when it was released, dismissed as a silly alternative to Independence Day, time has shown Mars Attacks! to not only be rather nuanced in it’s commentary on pre-9/11 politics and society, but also a highly enjoyable motion picture experience. The design of everything is top notch, as you’d expect from Tim Burton, and Jack Nicholson is seriously unhinged playing both the President and a sleazy Las Vegas casino owner. Oh yeah – Danny DeVito is in it too. And (strangely) Tom Jones.
Jumanji
Everyone remembers watching Jumanji as a kid and being blown away by… pretty much everything that happens really. There are stampedes, lions, monkeys, massive mosquitoes, a psychopathic game hunter, Robin Williams’ hairy hands and a copper who just can’t catch a break. It was followed a few years later with Zathura (a brilliant Jumanji-in-space thing) and most recently a ‘re-imagining/sequel’ with The Rock – which are actually pretty good themselves too.
Babe
A talking pig that gets a job as a sheep dog. Stupid innit. Well, this film version of the book ‘The Sheep Pig’ is pure genius and surprisingly one of the greatest 90s films ever made. Babe himself is really, really cute – meaning that it’s hard not to like the little bugger, and he’s supported by a great cast of farmyard animals and characters. It’s pretty weird describing the film like this. Just watch it.
Bad Boys
A film I’ve watched probably around 100 times, the first Bad Boys is a true testament to both the chemistry of the leads and the skill of a director before he disappeared up his own arse. The story of a shit load of cocaine getting stolen from a police station, and the two fellas who have to get it back, there’s explosions, shoot outs and Will Smith in a vest. What more do you want?
Reservoir Dogs
Tarantino’s first ever film and one that gave him the power and pull in Hollywood to get Pulp Fiction made, Reservoir Dogs became a truly iconic 90s movie, with everyone going round cutting ears off and dancing to ‘Stuck in the Middle With You’ everywhere they went. It takes place solely in an old warehouse (except for the opening scene) and everyone in it is fantastic. Even Chris Penn and he was ALWAYS rubbish.
Breakdown
An obligatory Kurt Russell inclusion here (because I love him) and although Stargate isn’t on Netflix, you can get some serious Kurt love with this brilliant thriller where his wife goes missing after his car breaks down in some shit-kicking rural town in the middle of nowhere. What starts as a tense thriller quickly descends into an OTT action film but it’s still a great watch.
