1997 was a really good year for movies. So many beloved classics came out that year (and sure, some absolute flops did too, but that’s okay).
Looking back at the movies that came out that year, and are now turning 25 in 2022, so many of them are worth watching again and again . Here’s a list of just a few of them.
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‘Good Will Hunting’.
Though not Matt Damon’s feature film debut, this is unarguably the movie that made him a big star. With both Damon and Ben Affleck winning the Oscar for Best Screenplay, and Robin Williams winning for Best Supporting Actor, it’s easy to see why this now-25-year-old movie is one you might want to watch more than once.
‘Boogie Nights’.
This film deals with a subject that’s still somewhat taboo to speak about openly: the pornography industry. But seeing as it was critically acclaimed and received a number of accolades that year, you definitely shouldn’t let the subject matter turn you off.
‘Life Is Beautiful’.
How can one movie make you laugh and cry at the same time? Directed by and starring Roberto Benigni, this World War II era Italian drama really does live up to its name. It’s one beautiful movie.
‘Men in Black’.
There’s something about ’90s sci-fi that really hits different, and Men in Black is really no exception. Among the most well-remembered of Will Smith’s early film career, this movie, where he stars alongside Tommy Lee Jones, is just so much fun to watch.
‘Lost World: Jurassic Park’.
2022 marks yet another installment in the Jurassic Park / Jurassic World series, which means it’s also a good time to look back on the earlier films of the franchise. Though not as well-loved as its predecessor, it’s still an entertaining watch.
‘Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery’.
Both a parody and a love letter to ’60s culture (including James Bond, of course), it’s one of those movies that probably shouldn’t work, and yet it does. Most likely because of how brilliantly hilarious Mike Myers is.
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’.
Adapted from a novel of the same name, I Know What You Did Last Summer played as an ’80s slasher, apart from the fact that it released and took place in the ’90s. It’s a definite must-see for horror fans.
‘As Good as It Gets’.
As Good as It Gets is the third movie for which Jack Nicholson won a Best Actor Oscar. It also got Helen Hunt a Best Actress Oscar. And for good reason, too; it’s, like, really good.
‘Con Air’.
Sure, Con Air might not be a feat of cinematographic genius, but it’s still an entertaining (albeit somewhat goofy) watch. And the fact that it managed to gross over $200 million worldwide during its theatrical run definitely counts for something.
‘Hercules’.
This is purely subjective, but Disney’s Hercules has some of the best music out of any Disney movie to date. It’s also a really fun family adventure. A part of me feels like this movie doesn’t get as much love as its animated contemporaries.
‘Air Force One’.
There’s something very satisfying about watching Harrison Ford play President of the United States, fighting off terrorists (led by Gary Oldman) on the titular presidential plane. Not to mention the fact that Glenn Close is the Vice President. What a movie.
‘Scream 2’.
Scream takes the ’80s slasher sub-genre and completely turns it on its head with self-referential and meta humor. Scream 2 follows its predecessor, this time taking on the conventions of a horror sequel. With a fifth installment in the franchise having released earlier this year, now’s as good a time as any to check the earlier films out.
‘Good Burger’.
This one is for the ’90s kids. Before Kenan Thompson landed a spot in the Saturday Night Live cast, he and Kel Mitchell starred in Good Burger , which was based off a sketch from Nickelodeon’s All That (which was basically a kid-friendly version of SNL).
‘Anastasia’.
Based on the real story of the Romanov family, as well as the since-debunked rumors that Anastasia was the sole survivor , living somewhere with amnesia, this beautifully animated movie has some truth to it. But it’s still mostly fiction. Still, it’s a wonderful movie.
‘Batman & Robin’.
There’s no sugarcoating it: Batman & Robin is a bad movie. Its star-studded cast, including George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Uma Thurman, just couldn’t save it.
So why is it on this list? Well, it might’ve been bad, but it was still incredibly entertaining — and it might be worth a try at a re-watch just to see how bad it really is.
‘The Fifth Element’.
This movie is a wonderfully bizarre product of its time. Like, in a lot of ways, it only works as well as it does because it came out in the ’90s. You might not get deep, career defining performances out of this film — Chris Tucker basically stole the show — but you will get a lot of camp (which is sometimes better), and a heap of fun.
‘Tomorrow Never Dies’.
The second of Pierce Brosnan’s four Bond films, this one gives you exactly what you’d expect: James Bond fighting bad guys. And it delivers with a good deal of success, as well as a somewhat prescient use of a media mogul as the villain. Definitely not one to skip during your next Bond marathon.
‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’.
You really can’t talk about ’90s movies without bringing up rom-coms. And one starring Julia Roberts is, like, peak ’90s rom-com to boot. My Best Friend’s Wedding is beloved by people who love the genre, and people who generally don’t.
‘The Rainmaker’.
1997 was Matt Damon’s year, though it was mostly thanks to Good Will Hunting . But a month before that film released, The Rainmaker made its theatrical debut. Still good, even if it gets overshadowed in Matt Damon’s filmography.
‘Titanic’.
You can’t talk about films of 1997 without talking about Titanic . You just can’t. It’s one of the highest-grossing films of all time, and one of only 5 films (so far) to gross more than $2 billion worldwide . And yeah, it kind of deserves it.
