Nostalgia for 90s pop culture is strong, and it has never been stronger than it is right now. It’s interesting to see how many films from 30 years ago have held up over the years and how many didn’t receive sequels or spinoffs.
I don’t want to sound snobbish about franchise movies, but if you look at the top ten-grossing movies of 1993, there weren’t many sequels, and none of them even made the top ten, which is not the case with the top ten grossing movies of 2023 (more than half of this years top grosser so far are sequels).
Although some of these films started franchises, some of which are still in production, it’s difficult to not but worry if we’ll be producing enough original films in 2023 to keep the nostalgia of 2053 alive.
Leaving existential reflections aside, 1993 was a strong year for movies, and you could do much worse than to spend this year watching some of them again (before you watch the inevitable reboot).
Matinee
Sadly, Joe Dante’s endearing and hilarious parody of Hollywood flair from bygone eras did not fare well commercially in 1993, but time has been kind to it. If it hasn’t already become a cult classic, it soon will.
Where to Watch: Digital rental
Groundhog Day
If longevity is your goal, it can be beneficial to closely connect your movie with a holiday, especially one that isn’t widely celebrated. Thoughts of “Groundhog Day” are just as likely to conjure images of an eternal loop in time as they are of a fat rat sticking its head out of a hole, according to Andie MacDowell and Bill Murray.
Where to Watch: Hulu, Fubo
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Army of Darkness
Even though it’s not especially frightening, Sam Raimi’s third installment of the Evil Dead series, which is inspired by epic fantasy, is hilarious and quotable. Although it was one of the few sequels to succeed commercially in 1993, you can’t say it followed a formula.
Where to Watch: Digital rental.
Much Ado About Nothing
The ensemble and Kenneth Branagh’s upbeat interpretation of Shakespeare’s least melancholy play continue to rank among the best Shakespearean plays adapted for the big screen.
Where to Watch: Prime Video, Tubi, Hoopla, Pluto
The Sandlot
The Mighty Ducks have a streaming sequel series, but The Sandlot doesn’t have one. The Sandlot is a charming, underdog-style story that gives context for the random instances of “You’re killing me, Smalls!” that you might encounter in the wider world.
It hasn’t had quite the afterlife of some other kids’ classics of the era. Unexpectedly, it works well as a baseball movie alone.
Where to Watch: Starz
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Indecent Proposal
I don’t know how often people will watch Indecent Proposal in 2023, but it could be a good idea to re watch it for its 30th anniversary.
A wealthy man (Robert Redford) offers a married couple a million dollars in exchange for a night with one of them (Demi Moore), a kinky high-concept that was so memorable and scandalous that it became a meme in the 1990s.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
Menace II Society
The Hughes Brothers’ debut picture, which caused controversy when it was released because of how it depicted urban violence, swiftly earned a legendary status thanks in large part to its uncanny sense of realism.
In a film that the Academy wasn’t likely to acknowledge, definitely not in 1993, the leads Tyrin Turner, Jada Pinkett, and Larenz Tate all produce performances worthy of an Oscar.
Where to Watch: HBO Max, Tubi
Jurassic Park
It’s amazing to think that Steven Spielberg released two films in 1993: Jurassic Park, one of his most financially successful films, and Schindler’s List, which is probably still his most critically lauded film (we’ll get back to it). Quite a good year.
Where to Watch: Peacock
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What’s Love Got to Do With It?
In this Tina Turner musical biopic, Angela Bassett gave an Oscar-nominated performance that definitely ought to have been hers. She became an instant icon as a result.
Where to Watch: Digital rental
Sleepless in Seattle
Sleepless in Seattle, a beloved romantic comedy by the late, great Nora Ephron, modernizes An Affair to Remember from 1957 for the 1990s while still managing to stand the test of time.
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have terrific chemistry, and this was the film that helped Hanks transition into more serious roles. Do they not manufacture them like this any longer?
Where to Watch: Netflix
The Firm
This legal thriller starring Tom Cruise, a young lawyer with ambition, and Gene Hackman, who plays his progressively menacing mentor, was the sixth highest-grossing movie of 1993. The “John Grisham Cinematic Universe” was significantly started by it, even though it never really got a sequel.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
Hocus Pocus
However, the tale of three witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) who were unintentionally resurrected on Halloween has had an enormous afterlife, as evidenced by the recent sequel, which Disney reported was the most-watched movie premiere to date on its streaming service.
It received mixed reviews upon release and did decent but not spectacular box office.
Where to Watch: Disney+
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