With the madness of the world right now, I’ve been finding myself resorting back to old 90s movies. A time when things seemed simpler, easier, happier, and more colourful.
A time before 9/11, before the war with Iraq, before the global recession, before twelve years of austerity, before the pandemic and the war with Russia. Before the energy and cost of living crisis. Man, it’s been a rough couple of decades, eh.
I decided to wrap-up the top movies I’ve been watching, and found I have a mix of American, British, and Australian movies.
1. Clueless
A classic teen comedy/rom-com, Clueless never fails to make me laugh. The fashion is ultimate 90s goals, and a young Paul Rudd will have you forgetting all about Boris Johnson.
2. Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion
My favourite movie of all time is Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion. It’s a ridiculously quotable and feel-good comedy with insanely good acting from Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow.
3. The Associate
I recently watched The Associate for the first time and it’s classic Whoopi Goldberg GOLD. It’s incredible – it highlights the sexism and racism of 1990s Wall Street, but Whoopi as Laurel kicks ass and shows them where to shove their prejudice.
4. It Could Happen to You
It Could Happen to You is one of those classic New York feel-good rom-coms, AND it’s based on a true story. This 90s movie walked so 2000’s movies like Maid in Manhattan could run.
5. Four Weddings and a Funeral
A British classic with a steller cast and a very young and handsome Hugh Grant, Four Weddings and a Funeral provides laughs, British 90s fashion, and some touching moments.
6. Sister Act
Another Whoopi Goldberg favourite, Sister Act (and Sister Act 2) is highly entertaining and always makes me want to get up and dance. I watch it when I just want something happy and light and full of music and singing. The movie is about Deloris Van Cartier, a lounge singer, who is persuaded to go into witness protection as a nun at a convent after she witnesses a murder.
7. Notting Hill
Ah, a young Hugh Grant strikes again with this late 90s British rom-com about an American movie star being swept off her feet by a charming British bookstore owner. It also includes the delightful, late Emma Chambers.
8. Picture Perfect
1997’s Picture Perfect is one of Jennifer Aniston’s first movies. Another NYC based movie (I swear NYC based 90s movies are just another level of escapism), it’s set in the advertising world when Kate (Jennifer Aniston) pretends to be engaged to a man she just met to impress her boss.
9. Never Been Kissed
Never Been Kissed was one of the first category ’12’ movies I was allowed to watch when I turned 12, and I remember it having *such* an impact on me – I was terrified I would end up like Josie and not be kissed until I was ‘old’ haha. It’s such a great film, and Drew Barrymore is just perfection.
10. The First Wives Club
I saw this a few months ago and absolutely LOVED it. It’s everything you want from a 90s movie: Bette Midler, Golde Hawn, AND Diane Keaton all in one movie! It’s about three divorced women who seek revenge on their husbands who left them for younger women and it’s hilarious and surprisingly heartwarming.
11. Pretty Woman
Do I really need to explain this one!? Richard Gere and Julia Roberts are just absolute masters at acting and Pretty Woman is a 90s movie that never gets old. It’s one to crack out no matter the occasion: break-ups, make-ups, girls nights, alone nights, good times and sad times.
12. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
You guys. I first saw Priscilla, Queen of the Desert when I was living in Sydney. My gay housemate’s boyfriend made me watch it as he said I’d love it, and he wasn’t wrong. It’s so joyful and makes you want to get up and dance with your besties! Also, it has a young and dashingly handsome Guy Pearce as its star.
13. 10 Things I Hate About You
I’m sure we’ve all dreamt of the cutest guy in school serenading you with a marching band on the football field…right!? Sadly it never happened for me, but I 100% continued to live vicariously through 10 Things I Hate About You.
14. The Parent Trap
This was one of my favourite movies as a kid growing up in the 90s. I remember seeing it at the cinema and thinking it was SO cool – I wanted Hallie’s cool rich ranch life so badly and it made me desperate to go to an American summer camp!
15. She’s All That
I’m sorry but can we just talk quickly about how every 90s rom-com was about a dorky teen who had a makeover and suddenly got hot and got the guy…but all of them were super skinny anyway so they were already half-way there with society’s beauty standards!? As a teen with boobs and hips, I was always so jealous. Alas, this is a great movie and it has Freddie Prinze Jr. in it, so there’s that.
16. Three Men and a Little Lady
The sequel to the iconic Three Men and a Baby, Three Men and a Little Lady is charming and funny and again, I just love the cast so, so much. This time the movie takes us from NYC to the UK, and is very much a will-they-won’t-they vibe.
17. You’ve Got Mail
I actually cried when I first saw this 90s movie, haha. It’s just SO sweet and I really love Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. It tells the story of two people in an online romance who are unaware they are also business rivals, and the ending just gets me every time.
18. Muriel’s Wedding
Another Australian cult classic, Muriel’s Wedding always makes me laugh until my belly aches! Toni Collette is just magic in this movie and I always recommend it to anyone that has never seen it before. It’s super quotable (“Stick your drink up your arse Tania, I would rather swallow razorblades than drink with you.”) and just such a feel good film.
19. National Lampoons: Vegas Vacation
And finally, another classic that is one of my family’s favourites. National Lampoons Vegas Vacation is the last in the ‘original’ Lampoons movies, and in classic Griswold family fashion, slapstick chaos ensues and every time I see this movie I just don’t stop laughing throughout.
What’s your favourite 90s movie? Have I missed any?
Catherine Lux is a veteran travel blogger by night and the Head of SEO at Havas Media Group by day. Originally from Surrey, she spent four years living in Australia (2007-2009, and 2016-2018), and now lives in London. An ex-party girl sometimes prone to relapses, she loves nothing more than sharing her fine dining and luxury travel experiences with her loyal readers.
