30 Films That Will Turn 30 This Year
Nostalgia for the pop culture of the nineties is very strong, and especially in these turbulent times . And looking back decades at films released 30 years ago, it’s interesting to note how many survived and how many never got sequels or spin-offs.
I’m not included to be arrogant about franchises, but take a look at the list of top-grossing films of 1993 and you’ll find no more than a few sequels, none of which made the top ten at the box office. , what you are emphatically not talking about 2023 ( half of this year’s highest-grossing films to date are sequels). Granted, some of these films have launched franchises and some of those franchises still exist, but it’s hard not to wonder if we’re making enough original films in 2023 to keep the nostalgia for 2053 alive. Existential musings aside, 1993 was a good year. in movies, and you could do a lot worse than spend this year rewatching some of them (before you see the inevitable reboot).
Matinee (January 29)
Joe Dante’s charming, hilarious satire of classic-era cinematic prowess unfortunately didn’t do well in 1993 , but time has been kind to him. If it’s not already a cult classic, it’s on its way.
Where to broadcast: Digital rental
Groundhog Day (12 February)
If longevity is your goal, it can be helpful to associate your film strongly with a holiday, especially one that is underrepresented. However, Andie MacDowell/Bill Murray does it better: think of Groundhog Day and you’re just as likely to think of an endless time loop as a chubby rodent sticking its head out of a hole.
Where to stream: Hulu, Fubo
Army of Darkness (February 19)
Sam Raimi’s epic, fantasy-inspired third installment in the Evil Dead series is surprisingly goofy and quotable, even if it’s not particularly scary. It’s one of the few sequels to break through in 1993, which doesn’t mean you can accuse it of following the formula.
Where to broadcast: Digital rental.
Much Ado About Nothing (May 7)
Kenneth Branagh’s joyful take on the Bard’s least depressing play remains at the pinnacle of Shakespeare’s cinematic adaptations , and the cast remains at the pinnacle of hot moments.
Where to stream: Prime Video, Tubi, Hoopla, Pluto
Sandbox (April 7)
A cross between a cult classic and a true hit, The Sandlot doesn’t have the afterlife of some of the other children’s classics of the era (there’s no streaming series sequel like the one provided by The Mighty Ducks ), but it’s a charming, daring underdog-esque tale. which provides context for the occasional “You’re killing me, Smalls!” which you may encounter in the wider world. It is also surprisingly good as an explicit baseball film .
Where to stream: Starz
Indecent Proposal (April 7)
I’m not sure how often people watch Indecent Proposal in 2023, although the 30th anniversary might be a good time to revisit this ode to the horny 90s . The twisted high concept – a rich guy (Robert Redford) offering a married couple a million dollars a night with one of them (Dami Moore) – was so memorable and scandalous that it reached meme status in the 1990s.
Where to stream: HBO Max
Threat II Society (May 26)
Controversial for its depiction of urban violence, the Hughes brothers’ debut film quickly became a certified classic, thanks in part to its unmistakable sense of realism. Starring Tyreen Turner, Jada Pinkett and Larenz Tate performed at Oscar level in a film that the Academy was not inclined to honor, at least not in 1993.
Where to stream: HBO Max, Tubi
Jurassic Park (June 11)
Surprisingly, Steven Spielberg had two films in 1993: one that probably remains his most critical ( Shinder’s List , to which we’ll come back), and Jurassic Park , one of his most commercially successful. Not a bad year.
Where to watch: Peacock
What can love do? (June 25)
Angela Bassett’s Oscar-nominated performance in this Tina Turner musical biopic should have probably won her an Oscar. It certainly catapulted her to icon status.
Where to broadcast: Digital rental
Sleepless in Seattle (June 25)
The late great Nora Ephron’s classic romantic comedy , Sleepless in Seattle, updates the 1957 film An Affair to Remember for the 90s, while remaining timeless in its own right. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks have great chemistry and it was a (hugely successful) film that helped Hanks move on to more serious films. They don’t make these anymore , do they?
Where to stream: Netflix
Firma (June 30)
The fifth highest-grossing film of 1993 was a legal thriller that pits an ambitious young lawyer, Tom Cruise, against Gene Hackman, who plays his increasingly sinister mentor. It never got a strict sequel, but launched John Grisham’s Cinematic Universe in a big way.
Where to stream: HBO Max
Hocus Pocus (July 16)
It received mixed reviews on release and did a decent but underwhelming box office… but the story of three witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimi) unintentionally resurrected on Halloween had a huge afterlife, as evidenced by the recent sequel. which, according to Disney, was the most watched movie premiere to date on its streaming service. Maybe there is more to it than nostalgia ?
Where to stream: Disney+
Free Willy (July 16)
Is there a more memorable moment in the cinema of the 90s than the moment when the finally free Willy jumps over the breakwater and the outstretched hand of the boy who helped him escape? (I’d say “spoiler alert,” but it’s on the poster.) The movie could convince us that whales shouldn’t be kept in captivity at stupid amusement parks at all; basically not, but the lesson is timeless.
Where to stream: HBO Max
Fugitive (August 6)
The 1990s decade has had its fair share of nostalgic reboots, with few more effective than this version of David Janssen’s television series from a couple of decades ago. He eschews the winks and nods that plague many of these updates, instead taking a premise and working from it. The Fugitive was one of the highest-grossing films of the year and was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture. This is a classic example of what pop culture critic Sarah D. Bunting called the film “poppy fields” . Where to stream: HBO Max
Jason Goes to Hell: Last Friday (August 13)
That’s right: it’s been 30 years since we last saw Jason Voorhees.*
*Except where he goes into space. Or the one where he fights Freddy. Or reboot. Or the upcoming series…
Where to broadcast: Digital rental
Joy and Luck Club (September 8)
The acclaimed and financially successful story of Chinese American women and their Chinese mothers may have ushered in an era of Asian and Asian American films. However, this did not happen – only in 2018 in the film “Rich Crazy Asians” did the Hollywood studio shoot another completely Asian film. Historical value aside, this adaptation of Amy Tan’s novel is sometimes overly serious, but offers stunning performances by Ming-Na Wen, Tamlyn Tomita, Lauren Tom, Rosalind Chao, and just about everyone else in a grand ensemble. And there is talk of a sequel that will reunite the original cast.
Where to stream: Hoopla
True Romance (September 10)
Tony Scott’s impressively stylish ultra-violent film is filled with unforgettable scenes and characters, played by an impressive cast that includes Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt and Christopher Walken. Written by Quentin Tarantino, it stands on its own and feels like a warm-up for 1995’s Pulp Fiction .
Where to watch: Pluto
Dazed and Confused (September 24)
“Okay, okay, okay…” might not be the smartest dialogue in Dazed and Confused , but it certainly has stood the test of time. Richard Linklater’s coming-of-age story looks like a smarter and edgier interpretation of the typical Stoner comedy and a typical example of a “brothel movie”.
Where to stream: Prime Video
Cool Runs (October 1)
Take a trip with me to a time when a mid-budget sports comedy about a Jamaican bobsleigh team could be a box office hit. Inspiring and goofy in equal measure, the end product is pretty darn delicious. Also, this was John Candy’s last film released before his death and serves as a great reminder of his talent and charisma.
Where to stream: Disney+
Destroyer (October 8)
Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock have fun in this sci-fi comedy in which a crime lord and the overzealous cop who captures him are cryogenically frozen for their crimes and awaken in the distant future… 2032. This means that we are not far from replacing toilet paper with three shells and eating a lot more Taco Bell. The action is solid, but the best part is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. I mean, he doesn’t take himself seriously at all.
Where to broadcast: Digital rental
Rudy (October 15)
It’s not just an inspirational football movie , it’s an inspirational football movie by which everyone else should be judged. Sean Astin is a memorable underdog for the ages and it’s impossible not to root for him. (Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!)
Where to broadcast: Digital rental
The Nightmare Before Christmas (October 29)
Tim Burton’s stop-motion animated marvel is still a hit today. Just go to any hot topic in the country.
Where to stream: Disney+
Rest of the day (November 5)
The classic The Merchant of Ivory, about the repressed angst between buttoned-up butler Anthony Hopkins and slightly less buttoned-up housekeeper Emma Thompson, is beautiful and heartbreaking, and fortunate that it was made in an era when such a movie could also do some serious business at the box office.
Where to broadcast: Digital rental
Addams Family Values (November 19)
The best movie , The Addams Family, is holding up beautifully three decades later. Probably because Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia are so incredibly hot.
Stream Where: Paramount+
Mrs. Doubtfire (November 24)
A ’90s style exploration of divorce and alienation starring Robin Williams as the cross-dressing nanny. Mrs Doubtfire was the second highest grossing film of 1993. disbelief.
Where to stream: Starz
Schindler’s List (December 15)
Steven Spielberg won one of his two Best Director Oscars (and the most deserving one) for a thoughtful, incredibly beautiful and heartbreaking drama about the Holocaust. In any case, it is probably more important and relevant today than it was in 1993 .
Where to broadcast: Digital rental
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (December 17)
Hot on the heels of his appearance that same year in This Boy’s Life , Leonardo DiCaprio went from a minor player and late addition to the Seaver family in Growing Pains to an Academy Award nominee. The cast also includes Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenbergen, John C. Reilly and Crispin Glover.
Where to stream: HBO Max
Philadelphia (December 22)
It is still quite rare to find a positive depiction of gays in mainstream Hollywood films. This was almost unheard of in 1993, and although the stigma against HIV/AIDS was waning, it remained pernicious. And although he tried a few more serious roles, it was in this film that the serious actor and national treasure Tom Hanks we know today was born.
Where to broadcast: Digital rental
Grumpy Old Men (December 25)
Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margaret teamed up to create this light nostalgic comedy that works well across age groups. Unless the script is at its sharpest, these legendary actors haven’t lost a step.
Where to broadcast: Digital rental
Tombstone (December 25)
An unlikely cultural touchstone, Tombstone came amid a mini-renaissance of the Western genre — films like The Young Guns, released five years earlier and aimed at younger audiences; “Unforgiven” was meant to undermine the genre and the prestige of the awards. Tombstone is closer to a “pure” western, and a damn good one, celebrating the genre’s tropes and towering over Val Kilmer’s catchy performance as Doc Holliday (of I’m Your Blueberry fame).
Where to stream: Tubi