49 Best ’90s Movies Ever and Where to Stream Them
All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
We don't have access to a time-travel machine, sadly, but we can revisit our favorite decade with the best ’90s movies available on streaming services. Because if we could relive the decade every day, we would. We're here for all of it: the chokers, the miniskirts, the baggy pants, the slew of pre-internet heartthrobs.
While we miss the days of heading to the local Blockbuster to pick up a VHS, there are so many classics to choose from across Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and other streaming services. One favorite, of course, is Clueless because it's the absolute peak of the teen movie genre and features the decade's most beloved heroine, Cher Horowitz. The wackiness of Michael Jordan coaching the Looney Tunes in the epic basketball flick Space Jam is always comforting. And we can't forget to mention one of the lengthiest—but greatest—love stories of all time, Titanic.
Picking favorites is nearly impossible, given how many masterpieces came out of the era. Still, we waded through some of the best ’90s movies we could think of. See what made the list, below. And happy streaming! (PS: If ’80s movies are more your thing, we have a guide to those too.)
All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection1/49Pretty Woman (1990)
First came Cinderella, then came Vivian Ward. The character—still one of Julia Roberts's most famous—was the girl everyone rooted for in this romantic comedy, featuring Richard Gere as the corporate jerk turned Romeo of our dreams. And even all these years later, that red dress from the opera scene makes us swoon every single time.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Off White Productions/Courtesy Everett Collection2/49Paris Is Burning (1990)
The only documentary on this list, Paris Is Burning gives viewers an intimate look at the ball culture of 1980s New York City led by queer black and Latinx folks. Though the events took place decades ago, it still feels relevant and timely—which may be one reason, in 2016, the Library of Congress added it to the National Film Registry for being a “culturally, historically, or aesthetically” significant work.
Available to rent on iTunes.
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection3/49Home Alone (1990)
This comedy, about a young boy who's accidentally left at home when his family leaves for Christmas vacation, is so sweet and charming that it deserves to be watched throughout the year. That's in large part thanks to writer and producer John Hughes, the same man who gave us ’80s classics like Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Pretty in Pink.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection4/49Ghost (1990)
Ah, yes, the movie that weirdly made us want to take a pottery class. This paranormal love story stars Patrick Swayze as a man who comes back from the grave for his true love, played by Demi Moore. It's a classic for a reason.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
20th Century Fox Licensing/Merchandising / Everett Collection5/49Point Break (1991)
Kathryn Bigelow directed this beloved action film that centers on Keanu Reeves as Johnny Utah, an undercover FBI agent investigating a string of bank robberies done by a group of surfers. (Yes, we know that sounds ridiculous...just trust us on this.) Patrick Swayze costars as Bodhi, the robbers' charismatic leader who develops a complicated friendship of sorts with Reeves.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection6/49My Girl (1991)
This coming-of-age tale about an 11-year-old girl (Veep star Anna Chlumsky, in her feature debut), her best friend (Macaulay Culkin), and her widowed father (Dan Aykroyd) has a lot of emotional highs and lows. Don't watch My Girl without a box of tissues nearby.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection7/49Thelma & Louise (1991)
When Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise came out in 1991, it was the female buddy film that had been sorely missing for decades. It put a women-driven friendship at the center as it followed Geena Davis as Thelma and Susan Sarandon as Louise, who hit the road together. The ending is one of cinema's most adored—plus, the two characters practically invented the art of the selfie.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Orion Pictures Corp/Courtesy Everett Collection8/49The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Considered by many critics to be one of the best horror films of all time, The Silence of the Lambs stars Jodie Foster as a FBI trainee who tentatively enlists the help of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, an imprisoned serial killer, in order to understand and catch another killer at large. It's brilliant—and completely haunting.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection9/49Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Disney stole the world's heart with its take on the French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, which ended up becoming the first animated film nominated for a best-picture Oscar. While we will gladly watch Emma Watson in the 2017 live adaptation, you can't deny the charm of the original cartoon classic—that "Be Our Guest" scene is unforgettable.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection10/49Sister Act (1992)
The plot of Sister Act was pure camp but also pure genius. It follows a former lounge singer who goes into a witness protection program after seeing her mobster boyfriend commit a crime. The twist? Her new identity is a nun named Sister Mary Clarence, and the movie follows her hilariously entering convent life. Whoopi Goldberg, of course, played the lead role with an endless amount of comedy and wit.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection11/49A League of Their Own (1992)
Directed by Penny Marshall and starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Lori Petty, A League of Their Own is a fictionalized account of the all-female professional baseball league that formed during World War II. It's one of the best sports movies ever, full stop, in a genre that largely ignores women's stories.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection12/49The Bodyguard (1992)
The Bodyguard is one of those rare instances in which the soundtrack is just as iconic as the movie it comes from. Of course, that's to be expected when you have legend Whitney Houston as the movie's star. “I Will Always Love You,” “I'm Every Woman,” and “I Have Nothing" are just a few of the famous hits you'll hear in this romantic thriller.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection13/49Death Becomes Her (1992)
Critics had mixed opinions on Death Becomes Her when it came out in 1992—“insistently grotesque, relentlessly misanthropic, and spectacularly tasteless,” said one reviewer—but the film found a huge following, especially with the queer community. And honestly, who wouldn't want to watch Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn wearing fabulous gowns and fighting over a magic potion that promises eternal youth?
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection14/49Aladdin (1992)
You already have "A Whole New World" stuck in your head, don't you? The catchy music of Aladdin is just one of the many reasons the Disney film about a young man who discovers a magic lamp is so beloved. Also great: Robin Williams's wildly spirited performance as the genie who grants Aladdin his three wishes.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
©Samuel Goldwyn Films/Courtesy Everett Collection15/49The Wedding Banquet (1993)
The Wedding Banquet was one of director Ang Lee's earliest successes, and it remains a beloved piece in his oeuvre. (It still holds a high 96% rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.) The romantic comedy follows Wai-Tung Gao (Winston Chao), a young gay man who agrees to marry a woman in an attempt to appease his family.
Available to stream on Pluto TV.
©MCA/Courtesy Everett Collection16/49Jurassic Park (1993)
Steven Spielberg's 1993 sci-fi thriller blew the world's mind with its use of high-tech imagery that, at the time, was sincerely groundbreaking. While there have been several reboots, video games, and theme park rides inspired by the film, there's still nothing quite as exciting as watching the original in all its glory. It still feels like a magical portal into the world of dinosaurs.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection17/49Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
This heartwarming story centers around Daniel Hillard, a dad who goes to some wild lengths to be near his kids after a messy divorce. This is easily one of Robin Williams's most memorable roles, and the film is one we could watch over and over again.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection18/49The Joy Luck Club (1993)
This film adaptation of Amy Tan's best-selling novel tells the stories, past and present, of four women who have immigrated to the United States from China and started a mah-jongg club. It's a moving study of the complex, deep bond women have with their daughters that must be seen.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection19/49Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
The ’90s was a golden era for the romantic comedy, and Sleepless in Seattle, directed and cowritten by Nora Ephron, is one of the finest examples of the genre. Meg Ryan plays Annie, a reporter who falls in love with a widower (Tom Hanks) after she hears him on a popular radio program.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©GramercyPictures/Courtesy Everett Collection20/49Dazed and Confused (1993)
Though Dazed and Confused is one of the best ’90s movies of all time, this story about Texas teens on the last day of school is actually a throwback to the 1970s. Feel nostalgic for lazy, pre-internet summer days, covet the high-waist vintage denim, and get amusement out of spotting the cast of before-they-were-famous stars, including Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, Renée Zellweger, and others.
Available to stream on Starz.
©Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection21/49The Piano (1993)
The Piano, a dark romantic drama set in the 19th century, was a huge critical and commercial success when it came out in 1993. Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin won best actress and best supporting actress, respectively, for their roles as a mute woman and her young daughter who are sent to New Zealand after Hunter's character is forced into an arranged marriage.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection22/49Forrest Gump (1994)
Is there anything more ’90s than hearing someone call out, "Run, Forrest, run," in their best Jenny voice? Doubtful. The 1995 Oscar winner for best picture, based on a 1986 novel by Winston Groom, sees Tom Hanks doing just about everything you can imagine—inspiring Elvis Presley's dance moves, becoming a world-renowned Ping-Pong champion, exposing Watergate, and, of course, sitting on a bench discussing how life is like a box of chocolates.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©GramercyPictures/Courtesy Everett Collection23/49Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
We have this British romantic comedy to thank for introducing all of us to Hugh Grant as a romantic-comedy lead. The actor plays a young man who becomes smitten with an American woman at—you guessed it—a wedding. Over the following year, they come in and out of each other's lives until, spoiler, they fall in love.
Available to stream on Starz.
©MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection24/49Speed (1994)
A bomber rigs a speeding bus to blow up if it drops below 50 mph, and Keanu Reeves is the LAPD SWAT officer who saves the day...and somehow finds time to start a romance with Sandra Bullock's character, Annie, in the process. The premise sounds silly, we know, but it actually works.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection25/49Little Women (1994)
Fans of Greta Gerwig's 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women should take the time to watch this delightful 1994 version too. It's especially fun to spot all the A-list stars among the cast, including Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Christian Bale, and Susan Sarandon.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection26/49The Lion King (1994)
The Lion King got a 2019 live-action update, with none other than Beyoncé voicing the character of Nala. As thrilled as fans were about the reboot, a bit of nostalgia for the original is totally understandable. The animated Disney fave was a box office smash when it came out in 1994, and the soundtrack is still addictive all these years later.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
©New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection27/49Seven (1995)
If you like podcasts like My Favorite Murder, then Seven is your ultimate ’90s rewatch. The thriller was directed by David Fincher and stars Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as two detectives on the hunt for a serial killer who incorporates the seven deadly sins into each of his murders. It’s haunting—but you can't look away.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection28/49Bad Boys (1995)
This buddy cop action film about two fast-talking Miami detectives (Martin Lawrence, Will Smith) remains so popular that a third sequel, Bad Boys for Life, hit theaters as recently as January 2020 and still made $100 million at the box office its opening weekend.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection29/49Sense and Sensibility (1995)
In addition to playing lead Elinor Dashwood, Emma Thompson wrote the screenplay for this beautiful adaptation of Jane Austen's novel directed by Ang Lee. Thompson even won the Academy Award for her work, making her the first person to win Oscars for both acting (Howards End) and screenwriting.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection30/49Toy Story (1995)
Almost every kid out there imagined their toys coming to life at some point, and this Pixar gem built the most tenderhearted story around that fantasy. The original featured Tom Hanks as a beloved pull-string cowboy doll and Tim Allen as a flashy Space Ranger action figure, both of whom competed for the affection of their kid owner Andy. The franchise recently wrapped up with its fourth and final film, but it's fun to revisit the toys when they were shiny and new.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection31/49Clueless (1995)
This might just be the best ’90s movie of all time. The classic teen movie follows the antics of rich kid Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) in Los Angeles. Things get interesting when she and her best friend Dionne Davenport (Stacey Dash) decide to make over new girl Tai Frasier (Brittany Murphy), leading to a lot of “whatever”s and “as if”s.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection32/49Waiting to Exhale (1995)
Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon play four single women who are holding their breath until they find a supportive, loving, and committed relationship. Yeah, can't relate. Bonus points to this movie for the original music, which was composed by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection33/49The First Wives Club (1996)
Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler star as three lifelong friends who decide to get delicious revenge on their ex-husbands (played by Stephen Collins, Victor Garber, and Dan Hedaya). It's campy, witty, and features a truly iconic dance number set to "You Don't Own Me."
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection34/49Space Jam (1996)
Michael Jordan plus the Looney Toons crew was definitely one combination no one saw coming, but it somehow worked perfectly in this 1996 live-action-animated hit. The film follows Jordan, who plays himself, as he gets sucked into a cartoon world. He ends up coaching several Looney Toons characters as they try to win a basketball game over a pack of alien bullies called the Monstars. Yes, the plot sounds silly years later, but the movie is still a delight.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Dimension Films/Courtesy Everett Collection35/49Scream (1996)
When Scream came out in 1996, it was a groundbreaking twist on the horror genre. Here was a slasher film that openly discussed all the clichés in scary movies—a woman running upstairs to get away from the killer, characters who have sex will die first—while simultaneously satirizing and subverting them. Even star Neve Campbell leaned into the final girl trope to great success.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection36/49The Craft (1996)
Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True star in this teen movie about a group of high schoolers studying witchcraft. At first, it's all just for fun—a prank on the school's resident mean girl, a love spell on a crush. But when the group's magic starts going to a darker place, one of the teens decides she must put a stop to it.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection37/49Titanic (1997)
Before The Notebook rolled around in 2004, Jack and Rose were the couple goals of an entire generation. Sure, watching their love story unfold in this epic three-hour-long blockbuster by James Cameron is always a commitment, but there are way too many things that make the journey worth it. There's a young Leonardo DiCaprio, the “I'm flying” scene, and all of the drama around the stunning Heart of the Ocean. We'll never let go.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection38/49Men in Black (1997)
Will Smith movies consistently topped the box office in the ’90s, but Men in Black is one of his best. In it, he plays an agent (opposite Tommy Lee Jones) in a secret organization that polices the aliens who live on earth, keeps their existence hidden from humans, and protects the planet from any outside threats.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection39/49My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
Upon learning that her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) is getting married—to Cameron Diaz's bubbly Kimmy, no less—Julianne (Julia Roberts) realizes she's in love with him and tries to sabotage the engagement. Not the nicest premise for a romantic comedy, which is why it was a brilliant move to cast Roberts, America's sweetheart, as the lead.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection40/49Selena (1997)
Here's the film that shot Jennifer Lopez into superstar status. She plays the role of the Mexican American icon Selena Quintanilla, who became known as the Queen of Tejano music after changing the industry with her singular sound. Sadly, the singer's life ended far too early, but this excellent biopic brings her story to life in touching detail.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
20th Century Fox Licensing/Merchandising / Everett Collection41/49Ever After (1998)
This is one of the better retellings of the classic Cinderella story you can find. Drew Barrymore plays Danielle, a young woman who is forced to clean, cook, and care for her evil stepmother and stepsisters. And then, spoiler, she meets a prince and everything changes.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection42/49Mulan (1998)
When her aging father is conscripted to go to war, Mulan pretends to be a man in order to take his place. In short, she's one of the most badass Disney characters of all time, and she finally got her own live-action adaptation in 2020.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection43/49The Parent Trap (1998)
Lindsay Lohan absolutely shines in The Parent Trap as both Annie and Hallie, twins who discover they were separated at birth and plot to get their divorced parents back together. It may have been her film debut, but she's just as charming as A-list stars Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection44/49Practical Magic (1998)
Practical Magic has since become a Halloween movie staple, but we think it's a classic year round. The romantic comedy stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as two witchy sisters navigating love, loss, and, yes, magic.
Available to stream on HBO Max.
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection45/49Election (1999)
Long before she was Queen Bee Madeline Mackenzie in Big Little Lies, Reese Witherspoon played another ambitious woman with a dark side: Tracy Flick, a conniving teen vying to be student body president in 1999's political satire Election. Though it wasn't a box office hit at the time, the film—and Witherspoon's fierce performance—has since gained a cult following.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
Everett Collection / Everett Collection46/49The Best Man (1999)
The Best Man has a fairly basic plot for a romantic comedy—a group of old college friends come together for a wedding weekend—but it stands out with its impressive lineup of talent that includes Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut, Sanaa Lathan, and Regina Hall.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection47/4910 Things I Hate About You (1999)
This Taming of the Shrew adaptation had absolutely everything our angsty teen selves needed. There was Alex Mack, a baby Joseph Gordon-Levitt, lots of references to The Raincoats, and Heath Ledger singing "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" in one of the greatest rom-com scenes of all time. Plus, if you rewatch it now, it becomes really clear just how much of a badass Julia Stiles's character was.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection48/49The Matrix (1999)
Written and directed by the Wachowskis, this science fiction thriller about a dystopian future in which humans are unknowingly stuck inside a simulated reality was an instant hit at the box office and won four Academy Awards. More than that, it became a cultural touchstone. Action films and video games still visually reference The Matrix's unique style of slow-motion and other special effects. And if you've ever heard someone ask if you want to take the red pill or blue pill, you can thank The Matrix.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video
©Paramount Classics/courtesy Everett Col / Everett Collection49/49The Virgin Suicides (1999)
This was acclaimed director Sofia Coppola's debut feature, but you wouldn't know from watching it—the film is a masterpiece. Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, and more star in this story of five sisters and how their isolated lives leads to increasingly depressed behavior.
Available to stream on Pluto TV.
