With sequels and reboots still dominating Hollywood, it can sometimes be easy to forget just how long it’s been since certain movies were first released. As we head into 2026, we’ll be celebrating the 30th anniversaries of some of the biggest movies of the 1990s, all of which continue to connect to modern pop culture.
In 1996, there were huge sci-fi blockbusters, genre-defining horror movies and groundbreaking comedies released in theaters, from some of the most accomplished filmmakers of the era. It was a year that launched franchises, set new trends and showcased some of the best that cinema had to offer.
It’s hard to believe that these nine movies from 1996 are already about to be 30 years old, but that’s a landmark worthy of celebration.
‘Independence Day’
The highest-grossing movie of 1996 has maintained a prominent place in pop culture since its release, thanks in part to a holiday connection that gives it a convenient reason to be revived every year. The plot doesn’t really have anything to do with July 4th celebrations, but it still has a rousing, patriotic flair, especially in Bill Pullman’s oft-quoted speech as the President of the United States, rallying the forces of humanity to fight back against an invading alien force.
Most of the special effects hold up better than modern CGI, and director Roland Emmerich puts together iconic images that have defined the alien-invasion genre, including the destruction of multiple major landmarks. Will Smith exudes maximum swagger as the fighter pilot who leads the counterattack against the aliens, with Jeff Goldblum as the quirky tech expert who figures out the enemy’s weakness.
‘Mission: Impossible’
It took nearly 30 years for this Tom Cruise-led action franchise to get to “The Final Reckoning” in 2025, and the first movie in the series seems almost quaint in comparison. It’s somewhat jarring to watch Cruise’s Ethan Hunt work with what now looks like outdated technology, in a story that more closely resembles the 1960s TV show it’s based on than the later “Mission: Impossible” movies.
Here, Hunt is just one part of a larger covert team, until he has to go on the run after all of his teammates are killed. That sets the stage for his future lone-wolf status, as he takes down the first of many vast conspiracies. While the stunts in this movie are not nearly as elaborate as in subsequent installments, there are still multiple memorable set pieces, with director Brian De Palma bringing visual mastery to Cruise’s acrobatic feats.
Watch on Paramount Plus
‘Scream’
The “Scream” franchise has had a remarkable resurgence in recent years for a series that began three decades ago. The self-aware approach to horror perfected by writer Kevin Williamson and director Wes Craven has also become a staple across the entire genre. The original movie is still the best, though, and its deconstruction of slasher-movie elements feels as clever and fresh as it did in 1996.
“Scream” is successful because it’s not about simple mockery — the filmmakers use their tongue-in-cheek meta-commentary to construct a genuinely scary and suspenseful story, with people who are worth caring about. Characters like Neve Campbell’s teenage survivor Sidney Prescott and Courteney Cox’s intrepid reporter Gale Weathers have held the audience’s interest across an entire film series, regardless of who is behind the mask of serial killer Ghostface.
‘Fargo’
Brothers Joel and Ethan Coen were already established in Hollywood when they made “Fargo,” but the Oscar-winning dark comedy catapulted them into the realm of top-level auteurs. It wouldn’t be surprising if some people think that “Fargo” is the first Coen brothers movie, since it perfectly encapsulates their mix of deadpan humor, offbeat characters and sometimes shocking bursts of violence.
Frances McDormand deservedly won Best Actress for her role as small-town Minnesota police chief Marge Gunderson, who’s a beacon of decency in a movie full of corruption and greed. Marge’s investigation into a strange kidnapping case is full of delightfully weird twists, with the kind of silly yet profound developments that are the Coens’ specialty. After “Fargo,” every Coen Brothers movie became a significant event.
Watch on MGM Plus
‘101 Dalmatians’
It may seem like Disney’s practice of remaking all of its animated classics as live-action movies is a recent phenomenon, but it goes all the way back to this 1996 hit, based on the 1961 animated film. Glenn Close made such an indelible impression in her performance as villainous fashion designer Cruella De Vil that Emma Stone channeled that same energy into the title role of “Cruella” 25 years later.
Close is more memorable than the rest of the movie, which retells the story of Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita and their numerous puppies, along with dozens of other Dalmatian puppies that Cruella steals for the purpose of turning them into a coat. Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson play the human couple hoping to save their dog-napped pets, but the animals upstage pretty much all of the people — aside from Cruella.
Watch on Disney Plus
‘That Thing You Do!’
We are now nearly as far from 1996 as this movie was from its 1964 setting. That adds an extra layer of nostalgia to Tom Hanks’ warmly nostalgic directorial debut, about the brief rise and fall of a one-hit wonder rock band. Hanks’ film is upbeat and fun, with strong performances from Tom Everett Scott, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn and Ethan Embry as the band members, plus Liv Tyler as the center of a love triangle between two of the musicians.
Perhaps even more importantly, the title song is an all-time banger, which is easily believable as a massive hit. It may still be more popular than the movie itself, which underperformed at the box office but has built up a large cult following in subsequent years, just like a rock band that never got proper credit during its time.
‘Happy Gilmore’
When Adam Sandler made “Happy Gilmore” in 1996, he was still just at the beginning of his movie career, and mainly known for his goofy sketch-comedy work on “Saturday Night Live.” Sandler is now a comedy institution, and he owes a lot of that to this lowbrow comedy about a short-tempered hockey player who finds an unlikely second career in professional golf.
“Happy Gilmore” proved that Sandler’s style of comedy was perfectly suited to feature films, and along with 1995’s “Billy Madison,” it formed the basis for every Sandler movie to follow. Sandler’s massive ongoing fan base would never exist without “Happy Gilmore,” which reached both adult fans who’d watched Sandler on “Saturday Night Live” and an entirely new following of kids who gravitated to his affable man-child persona.
‘Waiting for Guffman’
Christopher Guest pretty much invented the modern mockumentary along with Rob Reiner, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean for “This Is Spinal Tap,” then he reinvented it for this incredibly influential comedy about a small-town theater production. Shearer and McKean are involved behind the scenes this time as well, joined by numerous actors who formed Guest’s informal repertory company for ensuing mockumentaries, including Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Parker Posey and Fred Willard.
All of them give hilarious performances as the endearingly deluded residents of Blaine, Missouri, who are convinced that their little musical about the history of their town will attract the attention of a Broadway producer. Guest’s improvisational style allows the actors free rein to craft their oddball characters in a format that is still emulated in most mockumentaries released today.
‘Space Jam’
The kids who grew up with this ridiculous team-up between Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan are now old enough to show it to their own kids, along with its vastly inferior decades-later sequel “Space Jam: A New Legacy.” The original movie still sometimes comes across as a crass commercial, but it has its charms, including the introduction of future long-running Looney Tunes character Lola Bunny.
Jordan proves that he’s a better basketball player than actor, but Bill Murray adds some comedic spark, even though he often looks bored. The Looney Tunes characters are the main draw, in one of their infrequent feature-film showcases. “Space Jam” helped bring Bugs and his pals to a new generation of fans, opening a door to greater appreciation for so many classic animated characters.
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