The 1990s stands out as a decade where cinema took a lot of risks. As a transition period that started introducing CGI technology, the '90s gave birth to some of the best films that still stand up today. From Jurassic Park's start in 1993 to the imaginative and fantastic world of the 1999 remake of The Mummy, the '90s produced some incredibly beloved films.
Along with iconic solo films and movies that grew into massive franchises, the '90s also gave the world some of the most iconic trilogies ever put to film. As the forerunners of contemporary cinema, the beloved films cast a long shadow, even over today's most popular movies.
9 Toy Story Is One Of The Most Beloved Animated Series Ever Made
In 1995, the world was introduced to Pixar, a new animation studio eventually purchased by Disney. Pixar's stories and their approach to animation introduced a new 3-D aesthetic to animated cinema. Pixar's first film, Toy Story, was a monumental success and it received a sequel in 1999.
Although Toy Story 3 didn't actually hit theaters until 2010, this series shines with '90s nostalgia and has brought grown adults to tears. Toy Story 4 hit theaters in 2019, but without Andy as the toys' owner and with a completely new vibe, many fans argue that the series should have stayed a trilogy.
8 Austin Powers Made Spy Films Fun Again
In a world where James Bond exists, creating an engaging and unique spy franchise is an enormous challenge. The spy genre had been oversaturated with Bond ripoffs for ages, which only made 1997's Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery all the more refreshing. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) completed the trilogy.
Austin Powers had the advantage of never taking itself too seriously. By taking a comedic and stylized approach to the spy genre, they ruffled some feathers with vulgar humor, but they created a trilogy that is still wildly entertaining. As a love letter to James Bond, it both mimicked the genre powerhouse and shined on its own.
7 The Mexico Trilogy Brought A Contemporary Feel To Westerns
Robert Rodriguez's Mexico Trilogy, sometimes called the Desperado Trilogy or the Mariachi Trilogy, is an action trilogy that pulled together tropes from Spaghetti Westerns. It then combined them effectively in a darkly comic, gun-heavy, loosely connected trilogy focusing on the main character's journey avenging his loved ones' deaths.
Originally created for a direct-to-home release in Mexico, the original El Mariachi was shot for an incredible $7,000. After seeing the film, though, it was purchased by Columbia Pictures for American distribution who followed up with 1995's Desperado and 2003's Once Upon A Time In Mexico. All three exemplify some of the greatest writing and performances ever to grace the Shoo-Em-Up subgenre.
6 The Three Colors Trilogy Won Too Many Awards To Count
In 1993 and 1994, the world experienced the French, Polish, and Swiss collaboration, The Three Colors Trilogy: Blue, White, and Red. This psychological drama series created quite the buzz, winning awards at multiple European film festivals and Academy Award nominations for Best Screenplay and Best Director.
Based on the three colors of the French flag and released in the hoist-to-fly order of the flag, these films are symbolic of the political views each of the colors stands for; liberty, equality, and fraternity. The series is thematically linked but explores the lives of different characters, each existence highlighted in its respective color.
5 The Mighty Ducks Has Become A Cult Classic
Although there are plenty of sports films to choose from, especially during the '90s, something about The Mighty Ducks has stuck with fans for years. While the original reception for the recently rebooted Disney franchise was mixed, this trilogy paved the way for a much larger franchise that includes a bizarre animated television show and even a real hockey team.
These films are now considered cult classics and are remembered for their uplifting message about working together as a team, even when the going gets tough. Athletes still reference this movie series as inspiration from their childhoods.
4 The Naked Gun Films Are Hilarious
The Naked Gun trilogy is a comedic trilogy based on the short-lived TV series Police Squad! While its small-screen predecessor never found its audience, the three Naked Gun films were enormous successes that established Leslie Neilsen as an unparalleled deadpan comedian, as they followed the exploits of his Detective Frank Drebin.
With the first two films directed by Airplane!'s director, David Zucker, this franchise specialized in absurdist speed-of-light comedy delivered dryly by amazing comic talents. Its parody of action movies and police procedurals has never really been topped.
3 Scream Turned The Slasher Subgenre On Its Head
In 1996, Wes Craven brought the world Scream, a meta-slasher film that took all the tropes the slasher subgenre popularized and made fun of them. At the same time, the film still managed to be authentically terrifying. Although there are now five films in the franchise, with a sixth on the way, Scream, Scream 2 (1997), and Scream 3 (2000) can be considered its own trilogy.
For many years, the world believed that Scream 3 would be the end of the franchise. Now that the series is moving on to legacy characters, Ghostface's intricate history is going even deeper. Still, Craven's revolutionary approach to slasher movies stands on its own as peak '90s cinema.
2 From Dusk Till Dawn Meshes Horror & Action Beautifully
From 1996 to 1999, From Dusk till Dawn released three films centered around Seth and Richie Gecko, brothers and violent professional criminals. This franchise stands out because of its clever blending of crime thriller, action, and horror. Halfway through the first film, it transformed from a piece about criminals on the run into a full-on vampire survival movie.
It's rare for films to juxtapose so many ideas and genres in a single story, but this franchise did so to thrilling and hilarious effect. The original trilogy was so popular that it even spawned a television show in 2014 that ran for several seasons.
1 Jurassic Park Reigns Over '90s
Steven Spielberg's 1993 box office sensation, Jurassic Park, is still extraordinary. With visuals that still look impressive, it's difficult to argue that the Jurassic Park trilogy isn't a marvel of its time. While the reception for the second and third installments wasn't quite resoundingly positive as the original, the trilogy shines as true cinematic magic.
With Jurassic Park's loyal fan base, it came as no surprise that this series eventually spawned a second movie trilogy, Jurassic World. Collectively, these films act as a blueprint on how to make an effective and realistic monster movie that feels as emotionally and visually authentic as it does terrifying.