30 of the Best '90s Movies on Netflix for *All* the Nostalgia
There’s no denying that the '90s was a golden era for entertainment. It was the age of boy bands, family-friendly sitcoms and Saturday morning cartoons. Even better? We got to devour a number of iconic movies that still resonate today.
Seeing as your favorite '90s trends are making a comeback (yes, including The Rachel), Netflix has also decided to get in on our insatiable appetite for nostalgia. The streaming service has an astounding list of '90s titles, from childhood favorites like Antz to rom-coms like My Best Friend's Wedding. Allow us to introduce you to 30 of the best '90s movies on Netflix right now.
The 50 Best Romantic Movies on Netflix That You Can Stream Right Now
1. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
Cast: Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary-Louise Parker
Rating: PG-13
Set in 1980s Birmingham, Evelyn, a bored housewife meets and befriends Ninny, an elderly woman who's all too happy to share exciting tales about her past. Directed by Jon Avnet, this tearjerker explores themes like friendship, racism, gender roles and loss.
2. Fear (1996)
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon, William Petersen, Alyssa Milano
Rating: R
In this tame version of Fatal Attraction, 16-year-old Nicole quickly falls for the charming David McCall. Initially, it feels like a fairytale romance, but their relationship takes a dark turn when it's revealed that David is a violent sociopath.
3. Jurassic Park (1993)
Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum
Rating: PG-13
A group of people visit a remote island where real dinosaurs come to life. However, their adventure becomes a nightmare when the creatures break free and decide to hunt them down. (P.S., the special effects still hold up.)
4. Kindergarten Cop (1990)
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Tyson
Rating: PG-13
This feel-good comedy follows Officer John Kimble, who resorts to posing as a kindergarten teacher in order to catch a major criminal. Balancing his pretend job with the investigation proves to be more challenging than he thought—and his newfound crush on a fellow teacher only complicates things further.
5. My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
Cast: Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz
Rating: PG-13
After learning that her childhood best friend is about to get married, Julianne embarks on a secret mission to stop the wedding—even after she's picked as the maid of honor. From George's rendition of "Say a Little Prayer" to Julianne's emotional monologue, there's never a dull moment.
6. It Could Happen to You (1994)
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Bridget Fonda, Rosie Perez, Isaac Hayes
Rating: PG
When a police officer realizes he's unable to give his local waitress a tip, he half-jokingly promises to split his prize with her if he wins the lottery. In a surprise twist, he wins a whopping $4 million and keeps his word—but his wife isn't too happy about the arrangement.
7. Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Cast: Denzel Washington, Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals, Don Cheadle
Rating: R
Washington delivers an incredible performance as Ezekiel, a war veteran who gets hired to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a woman named Daphne in the 1940s. Unfortunately, what starts as a simple job turns into a complicated case involving a major scandal.
8. First Knight (1995)
Cast: Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond
Rating: PG-13
A brave swordsman named Lancelot falls head over heels for Guinevere, a young woman who is betrothed to King Arthur. When a dangerous enemy tries to target the king, however, Lancelot is forced to put his feelings aside and defend his leader.
9. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Cast: Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris
Rating: R
If you're curious about what really goes on at a real estate office, this film successfully depicts the highs and lows of this high-pressure job. It follows four salesmen as they engage in an intense sales competition—one that could eventually lead to losing their jobs if they don't win.
10. Blue Streak (1999)
Cast: Martin Lawrence, Luke Wilson, Peter Greene, Dave Chappelle
Rating: PG-13
Two years after a failed heist, former convict Miles Logan poses as a cop to retrieve the $17 million diamond he stole. The only problem? It's hidden somewhere inside the LAPD station.
11. Anaconda (1995)
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz
Rating: PG-13
When a documentary film crew travels to the Amazon jungle to search for a lost indigenous tribe, they run into Paul, a snake hunter who promises to help them find the community. Before long, they discover that he's using them to hunt down a giant, deadly anaconda. The movie spawned four sequels, and there's currently a reboot in the works.
12. The Flintstones (1994)
Cast: John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins
Rating: PG
Set in a modern Stone Age, The Flintstones follows Fred and Barney, two best friends who make a secret arrangement that eventually backfires and lands them in major trouble. From Fred's classic catchphrase, "Yabba-Dabba-Doo," to his comedic exchanges with Barney, fans won't be disappointed by this live-action adaptation of the series.
13. Dumb & Dumber (1994)
Cast: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Lauren Holly
Rating: PG-13
When Lloyd and Harry stumble upon a suitcase full of cash, they embark on a road trip to return it to the rightful owner. Unbeknownst to them, they're being pursued by authorities and killers determined to get their hands on that suitcase.
14. The Last Days (1998)
Cast: Bill Basch, Martin Basch, Randolph Braham
Rating: PG-13
Five Jewish Hungarians who survived the Holocaust bravely tell their stories in this eye-opening documentary, detailing the horrors of living in concentration camps. In addition to interviews, the film includes old photos, documents and archived footage.
15. The End of Evangelion (1997)
Cast: Megumi Ogata, Kotono Mitsuishi, Megumi Hayashibara
Rating: TV-MA
Anime fans, rejoice! The popular sci-fi film, which is actually a parallel ending to the TV series, Neon Genesis Evangelion, follows Shinji Ikari as he pilots Evangelion Unit 01. Though it was initially met with mixed reviews, the film won the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize for 1997 and the Japan Academy Prize for Biggest Public Sensation of the Year.
16. Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)
Cast: Chris Farley, Nicollette Sheridan, Nathaniel Parker
Rating: PG-13
When a clan of Japanese ninjas stumble upon a young orphan named Haru, they take him in and train him to become a skilled ninja. As he gets older, however, his clumsiness prevents him from mastering the profession—making it much harder for him to complete his missions.
17. Antz (1998)
Cast: Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Lopez, Sylvester Stallone
Rating: R
Z is a misfit worker ant who meets and falls for Ant Princess Bala. Determined to see her again, he volunteers to be a soldier ant, not knowing that he must save his ant colony from a major threat. Expect plenty of action and social commentary.
18. Vampires (1998)
Cast: James Woods, Daniel Baldwin, Sheryl Lee, Thomas Ian Griffith
Rating: R
After seeing both of his parents get murdered by vampires, Jack Crow trains to become a master vampire slayer. When he learns that the creatures of the night are searching for a crucifix that can make them even more powerful, he and his team of hunters try to stop them.
19. Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
Cast: Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, BD Wong
Rating: PG-13
Based on Heinrich Harrer's 1952 memoir of the same name, Seven Years in Tibet tells the story of an Austrian mountaineer who escapes a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II and travels to Tibet. There, he meets and befriends the 14th Dalai Lama, which ultimately changes his views on life.
20. Bird on a Wire (1990)
Cast: Mel Gibson, Goldie Hawn, David Carradine
Rating: PG-13
Fifteen years after helping the FBI bust a dangerous criminal, Rick assumes another identity and leads a new life as a gas station attendant. Unfortunately, his cover gets blown when his former flame, Marianne, sees and recognizes him. With the criminal now on the loose and looking for revenge, Rick and Marianne are forced to go on the run.
21. Sinbad: Son of a Preacher Man (1996)
Cast: David Adkins/Sinbad
Rating: PG
A Different World alum and veteran comedian Sinbad takes the stage in Denver and opens up about his life in this laugh-out-loud special, from his awful vacation to his attempts at skiing. As a bonus, Sinbad also does a Q&A session with the audience.
22. Heavy (1995)
Cast: Shelley Winters, Liv Tyler, Deborah Harry, Joe Grifasi
Rating: R
Victor Modino, a shy, 30-something cook who works at a small roadhouse, is instantly drawn to the newly hired college dropout, Callie. However, he's too self-conscious about his weight to take action and win her over. Heavy tackles themes like self-confidence, unrequited love and loneliness.
23. Desperado (1995)
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Joaquim de Almeida, Salma Hayek
Rating: R
The first part of Robert Rodriguez's Mexico Trilogy saw El Mariachi go on the run after locals mistake him for a criminal. In this second installment, the action continues with El Mariachi seeking revenge after he sees the love of his life get killed.
24. A Chinese Odyssey Part One (1995)
Cast: Stephen Chow, Athena Chu, Ng Man-tat, Yammie Lam
Rating: TV-14
Loosely based on Wu Cheng'en's novel, Journey to the West, this fantasy-comedy follows the Monkey King, who gets thrown out of heaven and reincarnated as the Joker. Little does he know, he and his leader, the Longevity Monk, were sentenced to live as humans for trying to become immortal over five centuries ago.
25. Duplicate (1998)
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Sonali Bendre
Rating: TV-14
Manu Dada manages to escape prison, and while on the run, he learns that he has a lookalike who's an aspiring chef named Bablu Chaudhary. Manu immediately assumes Bablu's identity, using it as an opportunity to seek revenge against his enemies.
26. Unspeakable Acts (1990)
Cast: Jill Clayburgh, Brad Davis, Gregory Sierra
Rating: TV-14
Based on Sarah Weinman's true-crime book of the same name, the film addresses one of the country’s biggest child sex abuse scandals. Laurie and Joseph Braga, a husband-and-wife team of child psychologists, discover that there are a number of disturbing acts of sexual abuse at Miami's Country Walk Day Care Center in 1984.
27. Kicking and Screaming (1995)
Cast: Josh Hamilton, Chris Eigeman, Carlos Jacott, Eric Stoltz
Rating: R
This insightful comedy-drama follows a group of college grads who can't seem to figure out their future, now that school is over. Noah Baumbach's rom-com boasts a talented cast and plenty of laughs.
28. Apollo 13 (1995)
Cast: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris
Rating: PG
Based on true events, the film revolves around a group of astronauts who embark on the Apollo 13 lunar mission. Initially, the plan is a success, but when an explosion occurs during their journey, they're forced to abandon the mission in an attempt to make it back to Earth alive.
29. L.A. Confidential (1997)
Cast: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce
Rating: R
L.A. Confidential tells the riveting story of three policemen who investigate a series of murders in Los Angeles, each with their own motives. Curtis Hanson's critically acclaimed crime flick was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won two, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress (Kim Basinger).
30. In Defense of a Married Man (1990)
Cast: Judith Light, Michael Ontkean, Jerry Orbach, Pat Corley
Rating: TV-14
This made-for-TV movie follows a man who's accused of murdering his colleague and mistress. The person who volunteers to prove his innocence? His wife…also known as the best lawyer in town.
