30 movies that turn 30 in 2023

Looking at how far technology has come since 1993, one would assume a movie like Jurassic Park would look dated in the present day. That assumption would be incredibly incorrect. Jurassic Park still sits with an elite crowd when it comes to movies due to everything from the awe-inspiring score to the first time a dinosaur is on the screen to the iconic scene of the Tyrannosaurus rex standing in the middle of its own destruction as the park's banner falls. It's no wonder the movie has remained a cornerstone of Universal Studios and fans’ hearts for decades.

Some actors stay within the confines of an era, and others are so good that they're able to soar through the changing times. Bill Murray proved that he was the latter when he starred in one of the most beloved comedies of the ‘90s and all time, Groundhog Day.

Meg Ryan got her rom-com crown with When Harry Met Sally and continued to reign supreme when she starred alongside Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle.

Cary Elwes found his sweet spot with comedic adventures in The Princess Bride in the ‘80s and again in 1993 with Mel Brooks' take on the tale of Robin Hood with Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

The '90s presented more than its fair share of movies based around kids and sports, and while the ones about hockey and football are golden and cherished, there is something next-level about The Sandlot that has made it one of those movies that continue to gain fans as the years go by. It’s probably because The Sandlot is simple yet endearing. After all, it captures the innocence that comes with a summer of shenanigans with best friends that everyone can relate to.

Some roles were meant for certain actors. Could anyone really imagine anyone else in Forrest Gump other than Tom Hanks? That same sentiment applies to Angela Bassett in What’s Love Got to Do with It . She was born to bring Tina Turner’s life to the big screen, and many still believe the Academy was all sorts of wrong for not awarding Bassett with the Oscar for her performance in this one.

Back in the day, Saturday Night Live was built around recurring characters, and while a few still make their way to the “Weekend Update” segment, it’s not how it used to be. In the ‘90s, several movies came from sketches, like A Night at the Roxbury, Wayne’s World, and Superstar . However, in 1993, it was about bringing Jane Curtin and Dan Aykroyd’s Coneheads to the big screen.

Westerns have been a mainstay in movies since the start, and while their popularity comes and goes, no one can deny that Tombstone gave the genre quite the facelift with an all-star cast that included Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, and so many other dynamic leading men of the ‘90s.

Hollywood loves to take classic TV shows and turn them into movies. While some of them don’t always pan out for the best, The Beverly Hillbillies did it just right by leaning into the ridiculousness of a story revolving around a country bumpkin family finding themselves richer than can be and suddenly living a world away from what they know in Beverly Hills.

There are certain moments in pop culture that sort of help define a decade, and that whale jumping over that kid in Free Willy is definitely one when it comes to the ‘90s.

Tom Hanks had been a comedic darling for years before landing in the role of Andrew Beckett, a gay man living with AIDS during a time when public education on the disease was low, and the government response to the epidemic was lower. He starred alongside Denzel Washington in this and gave what many thought was his best performance until he made another, and then another. However, it was this movie that proved he could do it all.

No, this Super Mario Bros. doesn’t have Jack Black singing, but it was the first movie to bring the beloved video game characters to life, and that has to count for something.

Years before 50 Shades of Grey , there was the erotica of Demi Moore’s Indecent Proposal.

Pauly Shore forever represents the nonsensical charm of the ‘90s, and so does one of his best; Son-in-Law. A true fish-out-of-water comedy that remains the perfect watch on a lazy weekend afternoon.

Disney may have had little faith in Hocus Pocus because it was clearly meant for the fall but was initially released in July 1993. Well, the movie surpassed all expectations because it went on to become a movie that is probably the most synonymous with the Halloween season that’s not horror-based.

John Singleton already cemented himself as one of the best with Boyz n the Hood in ‘91 and managed to follow that up with another classic that shined a light on life in South Central LA with Poetic Justice.

Movies like 80 For Brady and Book Club would not be possible without films like Grumpy Old Men paving the way for older actors to have a rightful place at the table.

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It’s safe to say that Hollywood has not always been the most diverse place, especially back in the ‘90s. Asian characters were either nonexistent or stereotypes, but then The Joy Luck Club came in. It showed true beauty in bringing new stories to the masses.

Where would the ‘90s be without the adventure of three pets lost in the wilderness?

Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio left no crumbs when it came to What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. This story of a small-town family and their mother, confined to their home because of her weight, was unlike anything at the time.

Robin Williams rarely ever made a misstep in his career as many of his movies are still fan favorites, but on the top of his Mount Rushmore of roles sits Mrs. Doubtfire.

A little crime and a little comedy turned Menace II Society into a must-watch for many teens in 1993.

Michael J. Fox will always be associated with the Back to the Future franchise, and rightfully so, but that’s not to say he didn’t deliver other notable performances like in Life with Mikey. In that, he played a former child star turned failing kids’ talent agent who turns a pickpocket into a star, all while changing his outlook on life.  

Hot Topic would never be the same once they got the rights to sell all The Nightmare Before Christmas merchandise.

In many ways, no one should have been shocked when Macaulay Culkin portrayed a young psychopath in The Good Son. His character in that movie was just two steps away from Kevin McCallister’s demented self in the Home Alone movies.

Bobsledding got a major boost in popularity in '93 thanks to one thing and one thing only: Cool Runnings.

A handful of sequels reign supreme over their predecessors, and Addams Family Values is one of them. Christina Ricci’s Wednesday and Joan Cusack’s black widow Debbie played a huge factor in that.

Many movies from the '90s are light and airy comedies that bear repeating, and then there are movies like Schindler’s List. The type of movie one watches knows it's great but never watches again because it’s just too much of an emotional toll to do so.

For many, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit is the Sister Act because it’s so much better than the first that's not to say the original was bad. It's just that the sequel turned the volume to an eleven with the youthful choir and the addition of Lauryn Hill.