Do you still quote Dazed and Confused? Or roll your eyes whenever someone mentions Sleepless in Seattle? We hate to break it to you, but both films turn 20 this year. You may remember 93 like it was yesterday, but humor us anyway with this welcome trip down memory lane.
The 30 Greatest Rock & Roll Movie Moments
Jurassic Park
Remember the jaw-dropping awe you felt when you first watched Michael Crichtons prehistoric visions come to life on the big screen? This Steven Spielberg-directed movie was a game-changer with its use of computer-generated imagery (its held up well, too). We also have Park to thank for putting the velociraptor on the map. Crichton passed away in 2008, but his legacy lives on with two sequels, a 3-D re-release of the original and talks of a fourth installment in 2015.
Mrs. Doubtfire
It has indeed been two decades since Robin Williams donned some frumpy frocks and set his breasts ablaze to play estranged father-turned-nanny Euphegenia Doubtfire. While it may not be everyones cup of tea, it was the second-highest-grossing film of the year behind Jurassic Park and won an Oscar yes, an Oscar for Best Makeup. Men in drag certainly wasnt new to Hollywood (see: Some Like It Hot, Tootsie), but the flicks $440 million haul opened the floodgates for a seemingly endless stream of cross-dressing comedies, both good and bad from To Wong Foo and The Birdcage (also starring Williams) to Madea and Big Mommas House. Believe it or not, a Mrs. Doubtfire sequel may soon be added to that list.
Groundhog Day
Ever get the feeling youre experiencing dj vu? You know, like youve already been reminded that its not 1993 anymore? At least youre not Phil Connors (Bill Murray), who re-lives Groundhog Day over and over and over again. What seemed like a silly premise that saw moderate success at the box office has grown into a beloved cult classic thats moved into the cultural lexicon and become one of Murrays most memorable roles. It was written, directed and produced by Murrays Ghostbusters co-star Harold Ramis, who originally wanted Tom Hanks to play the role.
Free Willy
Ah, the tale of a boy and his killer whale. Who can forget this films famous finale of the captive black-and-white whale leaping out of the water, miraculously clearing a peninsula of rocks to reach the freedom of the deep blue sea or Michael Jacksons close association with the flick, for which his hit single, Will You Be There, was the theme song. The movie was loosely based on Keiko the Orcas real-life saga, and there was much controversy surrounding his on-screen use and continued captivity after being featured in the film and its sequels (though an animatronic whale was eventually used). Sadly, Willy died in 2003 at the age of 27, and the documentary Keiko: The Untold Story was released in 2010.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Its an enchanting amalgam of a horror film, a musical and a love story, smashing Halloween and Christmas themes together under the mad-genius guidance of Tim Burton, the spidery Pumpkin King character Jack Skellington and flesh-and-blood composer Danny Elfman you either get it or you dont. At the time, Rolling Stones Peter Travers called it 74 minutes of timeless movie magic that explodes the notion that animation is kid stuff. And indeed, the genre has skyrocketed since then with across-the-board blockbusters like Toy Story, WALL-E and Wreck-It Ralph. Over the years Nightmare has grown into a generation-defying cult hit, leaving Burton to shut down the idea of a computer-animated sequel proposed by Disney. May Jack and Sally rest in peace.
Rudy
This biographical sports drama follows the title character as he chases his dream of playing football at the University of Notre Dame. It stars Sean Astin as the five-foot-six Rudy, exactly eight years after the actors big-screen debut in The Goonies and eight years before The Lord of the Rings trilogy began. But of perhaps even greater significance, the movie captures the very beginning of the 20-year bromance between Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau. Hard to believe its already been 17 years since the two became part of Hollywoods elite with 1996s Swingers. Or that the real-life Rudy is 64 years young these days.
Tombstone
Cue coyote howl, clomping cowboy boots and epic staches, cause justice is coming. So said the movie posters, anyway. This loosely biographical western stands as a veritable whos-who of hunks and manly men, past, present and future: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Charlton Heston, Jason Priestley, Billy Bob Thornton, Billy Zane, John Corbett, Terry OQuinn. . . you get the point. 20 years is an eternity in popular culture, so heres some reference points: Kilmer made women swoon, Heston was seven years away from his cold, dead hands speech, and neither Sex & the City (Corbett)nor Lost (OQuinn) would exist for another five and 11 years, respectively.
The Fugitive
This adaptation of the 1960s TV series of the same name was box-office gold, earning seven Oscar nominations (including Tommy Lee Jones first and only win to date). Harrison was a nimble 51 when the action-thriller was released, a solid 10 years out from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. It was part of Fords tour-de-force as an aging action star outside of his Han Solo/Indiana Jones characters, starting with 1992s Patriot Games and effectively ending with Six Days, Seven Nights in 1998. Now in his 70s, Ford is rumored to be reprising his role in updated versions of Star Wars.
Dazed and Confused
We doubt Richard Linklater knew what kind of celebrity pay dirt he hit while filming this throwback, coming-of-age stoner comedy or did he? The slow-burn, blink-and-you-missed-it-in-theaters cult fave features Hollywood titans Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck and an uncredited Renee Zellweger in some of their very first roles. (They were literal nobodies when the film debuted.) Instead, the movie banked on stars like Jason London, Joey Lauren Adams and Milla Jovovich, who have all but essentially disappeared into the night. The title is derived from the 1969 Led Zeppelin song of the same name and prominently features Alice Coopers 1972 single Schools Out. Since its set in the summer of 76, arent we really looking at a 37-year gap here? Dont bring us down, man.
A Bronx Tale
As the directorial debut of Robert De Niro, A Bronx Tale won lots of critical acclaim but brought in few bucks at the box office, grossing just $17 million domestically. Yet the coming-of-age crime drama, set in the turbulent New York of the 1960s, left a lasting impression. It was based on the childhood of De Niros co-star Chazz Palminteri, who adapted the screenplay from his one-man, off-Broadway show of the same name. (The show was revived on Broadway in 2007 and was followed by a national tour.) There was a 13-year gap between De Niro-directed films, his only other directing credit so far being 2006s The Good Shepherd, starring Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie, which did exponentially better with a $100 million worldwide haul.
True Romance
Brad Pitt smoked a honey-bear bong. (Does the guy ever age?) Perfect Strangers Balki Bartokomous (Bronson Pinchot) turned into a Hollywood stereotype. James Gandolfini (R.I.P.) had his big-screen breakout as a leg-breakin tough guy. Patricia Arquette stepped out of big sister Rosannas shadow, becoming what can only be called a trailer-chic style icon. And screenwriter Quentin Tarantino solidified himself as the go-to guy for gutter poetry, as Rolling Stones Peter Travers put it, one year before Pulp Fiction made him a household name. If all that doesnt put it into perspective, heres something that will: Clarence (Christian Slater) and Alabama (Arquette)s kid Elvis (played by Arquettes biological son Enzo Rossi) is now 24. In a fetal position yet? If so, just keep repeating these three words: Youre so cool.
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Were men. Were men in tights (tight tights!)Admit it, you can still sing along to the theme of this Mel Brooks-helmed spoof of Kevin Costners 1991 adventure film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves that poked fun at the classic tale and even Costner himself. Unlike some Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent, British star Cary Elwes says with a smirk, referencing Costners lack of even attempting one. Although the legendary Brooks has since written and produced other movies, like 2005s remake of The Producers, Robin Hood was his second to last directorial effort. The very last? 1995s Dracula: Dead and Loving It. On the flipside, its the very first film comedian Dave Chappelle ever appeared in, as the character Ahchoo at the ripe old age of 19.
Searching for Bobby Fischer
Long before anyone was Searching for Sugar Man, they were searching for this child chess player. Actually, the biographical film isnt directly about the mysterious and controversial Fischer at all; instead, hes used as a metaphor for how main character Josh Waitzkin (Max Pomerac) is taught to play the game. The all-star cast includes Joe Mantegna, Joan Allen, Ben Kingsley and Laurence Fishburne, among others. Then-elementary-school-aged Pomerac, now 29, gave up acting in 1995 after a handful of films, becoming a mystery himself (the real Fischer died in 2008). Maybe someday therell be a film named Searching for Max Pomerac.
Last Action Hero
Two decades ago, no one would have wagered a bet that Arnold Schwarzenegger would spend two terms running the state of California. No one and if you claim you saw that coming, you just might grow a nose like Pinocchio. Especially after the fiasco that was Last Action Hero. Long considered one of Ahnolds biggest flops, the flick parodied the genre that made him a mega-star with such hit films like The Terminator, Predator and, everyones favorite, Kindergarten Cop. (Yes, those are all even older than 20.) But people just didnt want to see the Austrian actor biting the hand that feeds: despite it flopping, the muscle-bound future governator barely skipped a beat, quickly recovering with blockbusters like True Lies (1994), Eraser (1996) and Batman & Robin (1997). Always believe him when he says, Ill be back.
So I Married an Axe Murderer
Sandwiched between Waynes World movies, this quirky comedy starring Mike Myers totally flopped. Still, who could ever forget such a title and premise? For those who dont remember: A commitment-phobe (Myers) falls for a woman (Nancy Travis) who works at a butcher shop and just might be a serial killer. Like many of the other movies on this list, the now-cult fave gained a following over the years as VHS tapes saturated the market yeah, remember those? They were still popular back in the 90s then DVDs took over. Axe Murderer came out four years before a guy named Austin Powers turned Myers into a superstar, way back in 1997. Yeah, baby, yeah!
Whats Eating Gilbert Grape
Another small but mighty film, Grape put 19-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio on the map, earning him his first Oscar nomination for his role as a mentally challenged boy in a dysfunctional family that includes the title character, played by Johnny Depp. The movie also stars Juliette Lewis, who briefly dated Depp in 1993 after breaking off her engagement to Brad Pitt (yes, that Brad Pitt); John C. Reilly, in one of his first roles; and Crispin Glover, playing a coroner eight years after his role as George McFly in 1985s Back to the Future. Phew, thats a lot to take in, right? Well, heres some more: Darlene Cates, the morbidly obese mother, lost 250 lbs. by 2012, taking her from 575 to 331 lbs. And Depp? He turned 50 in June 2013. Let that sink in.
Sleepless in Seattle
Love it or loathe it, this romantic comedy was inescapable in 1993. Starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan and directed by Nora Ephron, Sleepless was inspired by the 1957 film An Affair to Remember, and follows two would-be lovers who have yet to meet. The Hanks-Ryan duo had previously paired up in 1990s Joe Versus the Volcano and then worked together again on 1998s Youve Got Mail. But 1993 was really a banner year for Hanks, as this and his Oscar-winning role in Philadephia represented a seismic shift in his career, moving him from comedic goofball to serious actor. Still, sometimes we just like to kick back and laugh at his roles in The Money Pit and The Man With One Red Shoe.
Alive
They ate the bones. Sorry, we couldnt resist, because basically what most people will remember about this film is that Ethan Hawke and the rest of the cast chowed down on each other. But in all seriousness, this biographical flick chronicles the harrowing two-month ordeal a South American rugby team endures when their plane crashes and theyre forced to turn to cannibalism. Alive features John Malkovich in an uncredited voiceover role, and came out one year before Hawkes big 1994 Gen X dramedy Reality Bites, which just so happened to introduce the world to one Ben Stiller. Like how we didnt make this one a total Debbie Downer?
Benny & Joon
Young, warped love at its best and an early glimpse at the oddball acting genius that is Johnny Depp. Before this, he had starred in a mish-mash of titles that included A Nightmare on Elm Street, Platoon, Cry-Baby and Edward Scissorhands, all equally classic in their own right. But there was something about Benny & Joon that showed just how kooky and brilliant he could be. While it was the end of an era of sorts for co-star Mary Stuart Masterson, who had previously starred in Fried Green Tomatoes and Some Kind of Wonderful, it signified the beginning of Depps high-profile trajectory. His game-changing portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean is already 10 years old, if you can believe that.
The Firm
One of the biggest films of 1993 came in the form of this Sydney Pollack-directed legal thriller starring Tom Cruise, which banked $270 million worldwide. Based on the John Grisham novel of the same name, it follows a promising young lawyer (Cruise) who lands his first big job at a firm where two associates die under mysterious circumstances. The Firm ushered in a new era for then-30-year-old Cruise, who soon launched his action-star franchise Mission: Impossible. Back in 93, Cruise was still married to Nicole Kidman and had just joined the Church of Scientology. 20 years later, though, he still flashes that million-dollar smile and has barely aged a day. If only we could all be so lucky, right?
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