64 unforgettable '90s movies for the perfect night in
'90s movies undoubtedly give us so much nostalgia. I mean, we have watched the likes of Home Alone, Jurassic Park, The Silence of the Lambs and Matilda time and time again and have never tired of them.
Also, we will never – and we mean never – not find 10 Things I Hate About You one of the funniest rom-coms, we’ll never not cry at tear-jerker Titanic – even though we know Jack’s definitely not coming back – and who wouldn’t want Hugh Grant in Four Weddings and a Funeral on a big screen? Then there are the film titles that have become phrases in our daily vocabularies without us realising, from Sliding Doors to Groundhog Day – talk about iconic.
We also can't help but point out the faces that made the nineties impossibly iconic, such as the Olsen twins in flicks such as It Takes Two.
It's a good year for film, especially if you're Anne Hathaway.
The nineties also shape the way we dress to this day – featuring the original inspiration behind the Y2K looks we love to wear. There’s Clueless’ iconic co-ords, the spaghetti-strap red dress in She's All That, Julia Roberts’ OTK boots a la Pretty Woman, the ubiquitous flares in Dazed & Confused, Uma Thurman’s timeless white button-down shirt in Pulp Fiction...
There are style references so prolific that you’d probably forgotten where they came from, but there’s nothing we love more than a good ol' throwback, which is why we’re bringing you this round-up. So, without further ado, then, here are 64 of the best 90s movies to both inspire your wardrobe and get totally lost in.
©Miramax/Courtesy Everett CollectionTrainspotting, 1996
Ewan McGregor plays Renton in this black comedy set deep in Edinburgh's drug scene – not for the faint of heart, but also undoubtedly iconic.
©Dimension Films/Courtesy Everett CollectionScream, 1997
The beginning of a behemoth horror franchise – with a satirical edge – and starring Drew Barrymore, Courtney Cox and Scream legend Neve Campbell, the series of movies begins with a masked serial killer targeting a group of high school kids.
Copyright © ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Collection / Everett CollectionEyes Wide Shut, 1999
Starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, we see them play a married couple, with Cruise's Bill entering a mysterious sexual underworld after his wife Kidman's Alice admits to having erotic fantasies about another man.
©Miramax/Courtesy Everett CollectionReservoir Dogs, 1992
A Quentin Tarantino special, following six criminals who are hired to steal diamonds – and none of them know each other's identity.
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett CollectionGoodfellas, 1990
Martin Scorsese's legendary biographical gangster film has to make any list of legendary '90s movies. Starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci, it follows the story of a group of young men who idolise mobsters decide to work their way up the hierarchy.
Blue Finch FilmsThe Shawshank Redemption, 1994
Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'. If you don't know this line from one of the best movies of all time, you need to watch ASAP. Andy Dufresne is sent to prison for murdering his wife and her lover, and the movie follows his journey through prison life, including his miraculous and unexplainable escape. Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.
Warner BrosTwister, 1996
Seen summer blockbuster Twisters starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar Jones yet? Either way, don't miss out on watching the movie that inspired it, Twister. It follows two storm chasers who are looking to divorce, who must work together to survive extremely violent tornadoes as part of academic research. Action-packed.
The Sixth Sense, 1999
An absolute classic, which follows the story of a young child who claims to be able to communicate with the dead. He asks psychologist Dr Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) to help. Also starring Toni Collette, Mischa Barton, Haley Joel Osment and Donnie Wahlberg.
Hulton ArchiveBefore Sunrise, 1995
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy play Jesse and Celine, two travellers who meet by chance on a train in Europe, and end up spending just one night together in Vienna before they must separate again. Swoon swoon swoon.
StudioCanalThe Virgin Suicides, 1999
Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett and Hayden Christensen star in Sofia Coppola's directorial debut, the movie adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides' 1993 novel. It explores the coming-of-age story of a group of young men in the affluent Detroit suburbs, and their obsession with five beautiful-but-doomed sisters living under the strict control of their religious parents.
© 20th Century Fox. All Rights ReservedRomeo + Juliet, 1996
Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio brought down the house with this Baz Luhrmann's take on the William Shakespeare romantic tragedy. For the uninitiated, it follows the story of two teenagers from feuding families who fall in love – capitvating and devastating in equal measure. Also, any movie with Leo in his prime is a must.
Home Alone, 1990
The OG movie that kicked off the nineties with a bang. Home Alone has been a staple for every family for over thirty years. And it's always been clear why, given its feel-good plot of eight-year-old Kevin fighting off two dim-witted thieves trying to break into his home after he is accidentally left behind when his family heads to France for a holiday.
© 1998 TriStar Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Godzilla, 1998
Matthew Broderick stars as Dr Niko Tatopoulos, an expert on the effects of radiation on animals, who the US government sends to study a giant lizard formed due to a mutation on a lizard nest by the French government during a nuclear test years earlier. When the beast makes its way to New York, it is dubbed "Godzilla" by the media and finds itself in a massive battle with the military. If that isn't enough, Godzilla has laid a nest of 200 eggs, and they are all ready to hatch...
© 1997 Universal Studios - All Rights ReservedDante's Peak, 1997
The volcano of all volcanos! The long-dormant Dante's Peak, located in a small town in Washington, has woken up and is about to explode. Still, no one takes Volcanologist Harry Dalton (Pierce Brosnan) seriously when he warns the residents to flee. But it's too late, and when the volcano shows its fiery rage, the inhabitants must immediately fight for their survival.
ParamountIt Takes Two, 1995
Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen were staples of the nineties. Even at their young age, the sisters dominated the movie, television and entertainment business. One of the twins' best movies from that era was It Takes Two, where orphan Amanda helps rich girl Alyssa find the perfect match for her father while outplaying socialite Clarice, who is determined to make her life miserable.
LionsgateThe Blair Witch Project, 1999
Yes, it's a terrifying movie, but that doesn't change the fact that you need to get comfortable and cosy on the couch for this one. I mean, The Blair Witch Project was a massive, groundbreaking, found-footage-style movie ahead of its time in the nineties. The film follows three students as they set out on a camping trip in the Maryland backwoods to uncover the mystery of the Blair Witch folklore. However, things take a horrifying turn when they lose their map.
© New Line CinemaAustin Powers: International Man of Mystery, 1997
Yeah, baby, yeah! There was probably no comic figure more popular in the nineties than Austin Powers (played by Mike Myers). In the first movie of the successful sixties-spoof spy franchise, the titular character is revived from the sixties, where he finds that he is out of date. He enlists the help of a bevvy of stunning women to help him adjust to the nineties while also taking down his arch-rival, Dr Evil.
Universal PicturesAmerican Pie, 1999
This cheeky comedy had us chuckling with its journey of four friends, Jim, Oz, Finch and Kevin, who try every trick in the book to ensure they lose their virginity before prom night. Starring the likes of Jason Biggs, Tara Reid, Sean William Scott and Alyson Hannigan.
Jurassic Park, 1993
We've definitely seen Jurassic Park over a hundred times, but it never gets old. Despite dinosaurs breaking free and going on a dangerous rampage at an island theme park, there's just something about Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) teaming together in a bid to outrun the terror!
© 1999 Global Entertainment Productions GmbH & Co. Movie KG. All Rights Reserved.Girl, Interrupted, 1999
Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Brittany Murphy, and Elisabeth Moss – what a line-up! Set in the sixties, Girl, Interrupted explored the true story of Susanna Kaysen, who found herself at a renowned mental institution for troubled young women, which forces her to compare the world on the outside and the world inside with her newfound friends.
SonyI Know What You Did Last Summer, 1997
Sarah Michelle Gellar ruled the nineties, and you couldn't miss her in the hugely popular slasher thriller I Know What You Did Last Summer. It wasn't just Sarah who pulled in the audiences, as Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr also starred in the movie, which had us hiding behind her sofa cushions.
American Beauty, 1999
In American Beauty, middle-aged executive Lester Burnham finds himself struggling with life and, in a bid to find new excitement, gets infatuated with his daughter's friend, Angela. Seriously, that bathtub/rose petal scene with Mena Suvari is iconic!
© 1996 TriStar Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Matilda, 1996
With her magical powers, Matilda certainly had the last laugh against her parents and her evil school headmistress, Miss. Trunchball (who was genuinely terrifying). All in all, the film, which starred Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman, was such a huge comfort film for children and adults alike!
MiramaxGood Will Hunting, 1997
The movie that won fresh-faced Ben Affleck and Matt Damon an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, Good Will Hunting, is not one to be missed. The inspiring tale centres on university janitor Will Hunting (Damon), who is reluctantly discovered by Professor Gerald Lambeau as a maths genius and takes him under his wing. However, when Will is arrested for attacking a police officer, Professor Lambeau makes a deal to get leniency for him only if he gets treatment from therapist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams).
1996-98 AccuSoft Inc., All rightThe Silence of the Lambs, 1991
Okay, this may not be the cosiest of films from the nineties, but The Silence of the Lambs is a must-watch! The plot revolves around a top student at the FBI's training academy, Clarice Starling, who is brought in to interview Dr Hannibal Lecter, a violent psychopath serving life behind bars for murder and cannibalism. The leads, Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster, both won Oscars for their work in this psychological thriller.
UniversalDazed & Confused, 1994
This early nineties coming-of-age teen comedy from Before trilogy director Richard Linklater may have been a flop at the box office, but it soon gained cult status – and nowadays is a who's who of actors who later became big Hollywood names, think Matthew McConaughey, Milla Jovovich & Ben Affleck. We very much enjoy the style in this one – from grungy band T-shirts to brightly-coloured flares.
© 2015 Sony Pictures Television. All rights reserved.Groundhog Day, 1993
It's a phrase that's entered popular parlance, but have you seen the film behind it? Because you should; Groundhog Day is a sweet comedy with a fantastical premise. Bill Murray stars as a weatherman who gets trapped reliving the same day of his life again and again, while Four Weddings and Maid actor Andie MacDowell plays his long-suffering producer.
© Paramount PicturesRunaway Bride, 1999
Honestly, when it came to putting together this list, there was no such thing as too many Julia Roberts movies. Here's another brilliant one, where she plays Maggie Carpenter, a commitment-phobic bride-to-be with a habit of abandoning her would-be betrothed at the aisle (the clue's in the title, really).
© 1998 Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.The Wedding Singer, 1998
Fun fact: comedian/actor/filmmaker Adam Sandler is also a musician, and he proves it in this film, The Wedding Singer, a sweet rom-com which features a stellar ‘80s song list, including music from The Smiths, Madonna, New Order, Billy Idol alongside original songs from Adam Sandler himself. Oh, and Drew Barrymore’s in it, too, securing this one's status as a must-watch.
Hollywood Pictures/Kobal/ShutterstockWhile You Were Sleeping, 1995
Sandra Bullock's character, subway worker Lucy, saves her crush-from-afar from death when she pulls him out of the way of an oncoming train – and then gets mistaken for his fiancée at this hospital (he's fallen into a coma). But then his handsome brother turns up, and she starts fancying him… curveball alert! So, the premise is a little bonkers – but we're happy to roll with it for this wonderfully feel-good romantic film.
Touchstone/Kobal/ShutterstockFather of the Bride, 1991
The film watched by many a bride-to-be on her wedding night, Father of the Bride captures the stressful nuptials-planning stages in all their glory, centred around the gradual breakdown of Steve Martin's character over the period from when his daughter announces her engagement to the wedding itself. It's a relatable and fun-filled film that has a timeless quality from veteran filmmaker Nancy Beyers (Something's Gotta Give, The Parent Trap, What Women Want).
© 2016 Sony Pictures Television. All rights reserved.As Good As It Gets, 1998
The cinematic equivalent of a soothing cup of tea, this film never gets old. It centres around the friendship turned romance between querulous, misanthropic writer Melvin (Jack Nicholson), who suffers from OCD, and waitress Carol Connelly (played by Helen Hunt).
© DISNEYThe Parent Trap, 1998
A remake of a 1961 Disney movie of the same time, this feel-good film was our favourite to watch during sleepovers. It's all about long-estranged identical twins who reunite by chance on a summer camp is one we love to rewatch - not least because it stars Lindsay Logan and, er, Lindsay Lohan (how much did it blow your mind when you found out it was one person?!). Rewatch to finally memorise that handshake dance performed by Annie and Martin.
©Colombia TristarJerry Maguire, 1996
You don't get many ‘sports rom-com’, but this film is aptly described as such. Tom Cruise plays the eponymous character, a sports agent who quits his agency to start his own venture, assisted by office junior Renee Zellweger, who agrees to come with him. It's where the famous line, “You complete me”, originated. Lesser known fact: it's inspired by a true life story.
Glenn Watson/20th Century Fox/Kobal/ShutterstockThere's Something About Mary, 1998
The combination of Farrelly Brothers' gross-out humour plus a series of romance-gone-wrong scenarios makes this a genre-defying film – yet it's certainly got its one-of-a-kind, memorable moments, like that hair gel mix-up and the early scene with the unfortunate penis in zipper scenario.
Signature EntertainmentMuriel's Wedding, 1995
The heroine of this film is an ABBA-obsessed, socially-awkward woman who steals money from her parents to go on holiday to Sydney – in the hopes it will help her secure her dream of having a glamorous wedding.
Warner Bros presents in associatPractical Magic, 1999
Featuring an incredible cast, this film is about two witch sisters (Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman) raised by aunts (Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest) who battle a curse that prevents them from finding love (we've been there, guys). We love it for the costumes, the covens, the iconic cast – and the sheer joy of the midnight margarita scene, set to Harry Nilsson's ‘Coconut’.
© Disney. All Rights Reserved.The Talented Mr Ripley, 1999
We love this film for two main reasons: it stimulates our minds (with its psychological thriller plot line) and our eyes, with shots in sun-speckled Venice. Actually, make that three reasons – because the combination of Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law and Cate Blanchett is just dynamite.
TM & COPYRIGHT © 2015 BY PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.The Truman Show, 1998
What if your whole day-to-day life was being streamed to millions as a global reality show – and you had no idea? That’s the premise of this Jim Carrey sci-fi/drama film, which somewhat unbelievably preceded Big Brother by two years.
Moviestore/ShutterstockShe's All That, 1999
Featuring the original ‘woman removes glasses and ponytail, becomes hot’ trope and the age-old high school jock makes a bet to get together with a woman – then falls in love with her. She's All That is a nostalgic high-school rom that we love to rewatch, particularly because of its excellent Y2K fashion nods and star-studded cast (to name just a few, Freddie Prinze Jr, Rachael Leigh Cook, Gabrielle Union, Lil' Kim, Kieran Culkin).
KaleidoscopeDrop Dead Gorgeous, 1999
What happens when a beauty pageant goes wrong? Drop Dead Gorgeous, a black comedy mockumentary meets satire, has the answer – with Kirsten Dunst and Denise Richards as warring small-town beauty queens.
© Icon Film DistributionSliding Doors, 1998
A remake of a 1961 Disney movie of the same time, this feel good film about long-estranged identical twins who reunite by chance on a summer camp is one we love to rewatch - not least because it stars Lindsay Lohan and, er, Lindsay Lohan (how much did it blow your mind when you found out it was one person?!).
Courtesy of SkyDeath Becomes Her, 1992
Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn are at the helm of this black comedy, and English costume designer Joanna Johnston is behind the epic gowns. Hawn’s red chiffon gown with a bustier top, sweetheart neckline and thigh-high slit went down in history, as did their matching black bodysuits.
Courtesy of SkyMrs Doubtfire, 1993
Probably the most heartwarming 90s movie of all time, this one follows Daniel Hillard, a dad who goes to wild lengths to stay close to his kids after a divorce before Robin Williams (who plays Mrs Doubtfire, a nanny) comes in to save the day. It’s mother Miranda Hillard’s wardrobe we’re still thinking about, particularly the paisley-print smock dresses she teamed over ruffle-front shirts.
Courtesy of SkyClueless, 1995
Rich kid Cher Horowitz, played by Alicia Silverstone, has a wardrobe to die for. For real. It’s the perfect blend between kitsch and chic, from plaid co-ords with Mary-Janes and OTK stockings to tanks over T-shirts, and thatred Alaia dress. It’s a classic movie that follows Cher and her girl gang as they make over new girl Tai. Like, as if.
Courtesy of SkyThe Bodyguard, 1992
Romantic thriller The Bodyguard doesn’t just have the one, the only, Whitney Houston, as the lead character, but the way she was dressed was glorious. There was that floor-length black dress, and her faux-pearl earrings, both of which we’d pay good money for.
Courtesy of SkyThe First Wives Club, 1996
Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler play the role of three lifelong friends who decide to take revenge on their ex-husbands in The First Wives Club. Their wardrobes are achingly cool – a monochrome concoction of skirt suits, trouser suits, and pinstripe shirts.
Courtesy of SkyFour Weddings and A Funeral, 1994
British rom-coms are nothing without Hugh Grant, which is why we love this one so much. He plays a young man who becomes smitten with an American woman (Andie MacDowell) at a wedding, and, spoiler alert, they finally fall in love. It’s MacDowell’s oversized floppy hats that do it for us.
Courtesy of SkyA League Of Their Own, 1992
This one is a fictional account of an all-female professional baseball league that formed during World War II, and it’s their baseball kit that we take style cues from. Does anyone not love a vintage baseball jacket?
Courtesy of SkyThelma and Louise, 1991
Thelma and Louise are two of the most badass film characters of all time, and what they wore is just as cool now as it was then. They genuinely made high-waisted Levi 501s, cowboy boots, headscarves and vintage tees cool, so basically everything we wear on a daily basis. As for storyline, it follows two friends who go on the run together. There’s also a shirtless 26-year-old Brad Pitt involved along the way. No complaints here.
Courtesy of SkySense and Sensibility, 1995
Sense and Sensibility tells the story of the impoverished Dashwood family, focusing on the sisters Elinor and Marianne, played by Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. Their pared-back style is defined by delicate floral cotton dresses and straw hats, both of which we wear almost every day during summer.
Courtesy of SkyTitanic, 1997
Undoubtedly the most well-known love story of all time, Jack and Rose (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) are couple goals. Though we probably wouldn’t pull off Rose’s ballgowns, nor would we have anywhere to wear them, the little details, such as the lace and satin inserts, are everywhere.
Courtesy of SkyPulp Fiction, 1994
Mia Wallace (played by Uma Thurman) made button-down shirts what they are today. She proved women can pull them off, better than men in our opinion. In case you’re too busy ogling her outfits to know what’s going on (guilty), the plot is, in short, about gangster life in LA.
Courtesy of SkySelena, 1997
We want to dress like J Lo now, and we wanted to then. Selena is the film that shot her into fame, as she played American icon Selena Quintanilla, who changed the music industry with her voice. It’s both her on-stage OOTNs and her daytime get-ups that have shaped the style world: during the day, she sported chic Breton stripe tees before switching into embellished bra tops of an eve.
Courtesy of SkySister Act, 1992
Sister Act’s plot is pure camp but pure genius. A former lounge singer (Whoopi Goldberg) goes into a witness protection program after seeing her boyfriend commit a crime, where she then takes on a new identity as a nun. Before she goes into nunnery, though, she rocks everything from floor-length sequin gowns with gigantic earrings to a purple mink coat, and a gold lame paisley-print duster.
Courtesy of SkyCruel Intentions, 1999
Cruel Intentionsfollows Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Philippe and Sarah Michelle Gellar who form a love triangle. Both Witherspoon and Gellar are dressed to kill in basically every scene – Gellar rocked Dolce & Gabbana power suiting and corsets, while Witherspoon loved a Blair Waldorf-esque pastel outfit.
Courtesy of SkySleepless in Seattle, 1993
Directed and cowritten by Nora Ephron (the author of Heartburn, which you’ve probably heard everyone raving about), Sleepless in Seattle is rom-com gold. Meg Ryan plays Annie, a reporter who falls in love with a widower played by Tom Hanks. Being a career woman with her sh** together, Ryan sported relaxed blazers, pantsuits and trench coats – the kind that looks cool without looking like you’ve tried.
Courtesy of SkyLittle Women, 1994
Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Christian Bale, and Susan Sarandon star in the OG Little Women (we also love the 2019 adaptation by Greta Gerwig), and their straw hats and bags, and corset style dresses are all part of our modern-day wardrobes.
Paramount PicturesGhost, 1990
The paranormal love story Ghoststars Patrick Swayze who comes back from the dead for his true love, played by Demi Moore. Fashion-wise, it marked a big move away from the eccentric style of the 80s, with Demi rocking a tomboyish short cut, and man-ish pinstripe shirts. We love.
Sony Pictures EntertainmentMy Best Friend’s Wedding, 1997
Cameron Diaz and Julia Roberts are friends Kimmy and Julianne in this one, before Julianne (Julia) realises she’s in love with Kimmy (Cameron’s) hubby-to-be. Julianne attempts to sabotage the engagement, and while we’re all for an underdog, it’s Diaz’s cardi and top co-ords we've been recreating.
20th Century FoxNever Been Kissed, 1999
Can anyone not remember Josie’s all white feathered ensemble on her first day as a fake high school senior? And what about the crocheted crop tops Jessica Alba rocked? The plot follows Josie, an editor, who goes undercover at a high school to prepare a report on the students, but it brings up some unpleasant memories.
Touchstone PicturesPretty Woman, 1990
First there was the patent over-the-knee boots, then the cut-out dresses, and that short blonde wig. Julia Roberts, who plays Vivian, has the dream designer wardrobe as she plays the role of an LA prostitute hired by a wealthy businessman Edward (Richard Gere). She transforms from her sassy OTK boot persona into a sophisticated woman by the end, but we’re big fans of both.
Warner BrosYou’ve Got Mail, 1998
If a romance story between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks isn’t enough, Meg’s wardrobe is. It’s what we look to every winter, as she donned turtlenecks, layered knits and sweater sets, and it’s all thanks to costume designer Albert Wolsky. Hats off to you, sir.
Courtesy of Sky10 Things I Hate About You, 1999
Based on Shakespeare’s The Taming Of The Shrew, Julia Stiles' character Kat Stratford has a wardrobe full of cargo pants and camo-print tank tops. Her sis, Bianca, meanwhile is the polar opposite, with preppy OOTDs formed of minidresses, tulle skirts, and Prada backpacks. See what we mean when we said you probably didn’t know where certain trends come from? It’s a rom-com that follows high-school boy, Cameron, who can’t date Bianca until her anti-social older sis, Kat, has a boyfriend. So Cameron pays another guy to charm Kat. Tactical.
