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30 of the Best '90s Movies on Netflix for *All* the Nostalgia

There’s no denying that the ‘90s was a golden era for entertainment. It was the age of boy bands, family-friendly sitcoms and Saturday morning cartoons. Even better? We got to devour a number of iconic movies that still resonate today.

Seeing as your favorite ‘90s trends are making a comeback in 2022 (yes, including The Rachel), Netflix has also decided to get in on our insatiable appetite for nostalgia. Yup, the streaming service has an astounding list of ‘90s titles, from childhood favorites like The Addams Family to rom-coms like Notting Hill. Allow us to introduce you to 30 of the best ‘90s movies on Netflix right now.

The 50 Best Romantic Movies on Netflix That You Can Stream Right Now


1. Clueless (1995)

  • Who's in it? Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd
  • Run time: 97 minutes

Easily one of the most iconic teen flicks of all time, Clueless follows quintessential It Girl Cher Horowitz, who embarks on a mission to transform Tai, the "tragically unhip" new girl at school. However, things take a turn for the worse when Tai's makeover causes her to become even more popular than Cher.

2. Menace II Society (1993)

  • Cast: Tyrin Turner, Samuel L. Jackson, Larenz Tate
  • Rating: R

Meet Caine Lawson, an 18-year-old whose number one goal is to escape a life of violence and crime in Los Angeles. With the help of a supportive teacher and his girlfriend, he sets out to make this happen, but it proves to be more challenging than he thought.

3. A Little Princess (1998)

  • Cast: Liesel Matthews, Eleanor Bron, Liam Cunningham
  • Rating: G

When her father gets drafted to serve in World War I, a free-spirited girl named Sara gets sent to boarding school. But then, she receives some devastating news. And thanks to her strict headmistress, she struggles to adapt to her new life.

4. Donnie Brasco (1990)

  • Cast: Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen
  • Rating: R

Depp is Joseph Pistone, an undercover FBI agent who manages to infiltrate a major Mafia family as "Donnie Brasco." But in the process, he develops a close bond with a hit man named Benjamin, forcing him to reassess where his true loyalty lies. Should he try to protect his friend, or finish the job he was hired to do?

5. In Defense Of A Married Man (1990)

  • Cast: Judith Light, Michael Ontkean, Jerry Orbach
  • Rating: TV-14

This made-for-TV movie follows a man who's accused of murdering his colleague and mistress. The person who volunteers to prove his innocence? His wife…also known as the best lawyer in town.

6. Men in Black (1997)

  • Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino
  • Rating: PG-13

An NYPD officer teams up with a seasoned government agent to track down extraterrestrials as part of a secret organization called the Men in Black. Their main mission? To protect mankind and ensure that these threats remain a secret from the rest of the world.

7. The Addams Family (1991)

  • Cast: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd
  • Rating: PG-13

Our favorite eccentric family is visited by a mystery man named Uncle Fester Addams, who claims to be a long lost relative. But when he fails to remember key details about the family, they begin to suspect that he's not who he really says he is...

8. Girl, Interrupted (1999)

  • Cast: Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall, Brittany Murphy
  • Rating: R

Girl, Interrupted depicts the incredible true story of Susanna Kaysen, a woman who gets sent to a mental institution after attempting suicide. Ryder delivers a powerful performance in this Oscar-winning film, which tackles themes like morality, mental health and isolation.

9. American Beauty (1999)

  • Cast: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch
  • Rating: R

Feeling stuck in a lifeless marriage and uninspired at work, Lester becomes infatuated with the best friend of his teenage daughter. The black comedy drama, which scored five Oscar wins, features plenty of commentary on youth, beauty standards and power.

10. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

  • Cast: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack
  • Rating: R

Inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s novella, the movie follows Dr. Bill Harford, who discovers that his wife nearly cheated on him. This inspires him to get out of his comfort zone and do some exploring of his own—even if it involves participating in a masked orgy.

11. Notting Hill (1999)

  • Cast: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Rhys Ifans, Emma Chambers
  • Rating: R

America's Sweetheart shines as famous actress Anna Scott, who meets and falls for a bookstore owner named William after visiting his bookstore. This classic has all the makings of a truly compelling rom-com, from endearing main characters to strong romantic chemistry.

12. The Bodyguard (1992)

  • Cast: Kevin Costner, Whitney Houston, Gary Kemp, Bill Cobbs
  • Rating: R

Frank Farmer is a former secret service agent turned bodyguard who gets hired to protect a famous singer after a bomb is planted in her room. Before long, the two start a romantic affair, but this could pose an even greater risk.

13. Heavy (1995)

  • Cast: Liv Tyler, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Shelley Winters
  • Rating: R

Heavy follows a shy cook named Victor, who falls head over heels for the new teen waitress and college dropout, Callie. The drama flick takes on a number of deep themes, from self-worth to unrequited love.

14. The Last Days (1998)

  • Cast: Bill Basch, Martin Basch, Randolph Braham
  • Rating: PG-13

Five Jewish Hungarians who survived the Holocaust bravely tell their stories in this eye-opening documentary, detailing the horrors of living in concentration camps. In addition to interviews, the film includes old photos, documents and archival footage.

15. The End Of Evangelion (1997)

  • Cast: Megumi Ogata, Kotono Mitsuishi, Megumi Hayashibara
  • Rating: TV-MA

Anime fans, rejoice! The popular sci-fi film, which is actually a parallel ending to the TV series, Neon Genesis Evangelion, follows Shinji Ikari as he pilots Evangelion Unit 01. Though it was initially met with mixed reviews, the film won the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize for 1997 and the Japan Academy Prize for Biggest Public Sensation of the Year.

16. Legends of the Fall (1994)

  • Cast: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond
  • Rating: R

Set in 20th-century Montana, Legends of the Fall follows Col. William Ludlow, who lives with his three sons in the wilderness. But when one of his sons gets killed in World War I, his remaining sons fall in love with their late brother’s fiancé and develop a bitter rivalry.

the emigrant
Films A2

17. The Emigrant (1994)

  • Cast: Mahmoud Hemida, Hanan Tork, Khaled El Nabawy
  • Rating: TV-14

Inspired by the Biblical character of Joseph, this film follows a young man named Ram, who gets sold to an Egyptian while traveling through the desert with his brothers. When he gets to Egypt, he crosses paths with the military leader, Amihar, and his cunning wife, who seems determined to sleep with him.

18. Vampires (1998)

  • Cast: James Woods, Daniel Baldwin, Sheryl Lee, Thomas Ian Griffith
  • Rating: R

After seeing both of his parents get murdered by vampires, Jack Crow trains to become a master vampire slayer. When he learns that the creatures of the night are hunting for a crucifix that can make them even more powerful, he and his team of hunters must do what it takes to stop them.

19. A River Runs Through It (1992)

  • Cast: Craig Sheffer, Brad Pitt, Tom Skerritt, Brenda Blethyn
  • Rating: PG

This gripping drama follows Norman and Paul, the two sons of a no-nonsense minister as they come of age during World War I and the Great Depression. (Fun fact, this actually marked Joseph Gordon-Levitt's film debut, where he appeared as the young Norman.)

20. Natural Born Killers (1994)

  • Cast: Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr., Tommy Lee Jones
  • Rating: R

Mickey and Mallory Knox are essentially a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde, going on murder sprees while being glorified by the media. The film cleverly examines the media's problematic approach when it comes to how they cover criminals.

21. Any Given Sunday (1999)

  • Cast: Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx
  • Rating: R

DAmato, coach of the Miami Sharks, has a lot on his plate. Not only is he struggling to get his failing team back on track, but he also has to deal with a marriage that's on the rocks and his children. The sports drama is packed with famous cameos and it takes on themes like the ageism, racism and the importance of teamwork.

out of life
Galatée Films

22. Out Of Life (1991)

  • Cast: Hippolyte Girardot, Rafik Ali Ahmad, Hussein Sbeity
  • Rating: TV-MA

While covering the Lebanese Civil War, Patrick Perrault, a French photographer, is suddenly kidnapped by rebel forces. Will he get out of this alive?

23. Rush Hour (1998)

  • Cast: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Tzi Ma
  • Rating: PG-13

By far one of the best additions to the buddy cop genre, this film follows the adventures of Detective Inspector Yan Naing Lee and Detective James Carter. Although they're total opposites, this unlikely team must work together to save the kidnapped daughter of a Chinese diplomat.

24. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

  • Cast: Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York
  • Rating: PG-13

Austin Powers, a cryogenically preserved secret agent from the '60s, wakes up three decades in the future. But he's stunned to learn that his sense of style and vocabulary are seriously outdated. Still, this is the least of his worries, because he must defeat his nemesis, Dr. Evil.

25. West Beirut (1998)

  • Cast: Rami Doueiri, Mohamad Chamas, Rola Al Amin
  • Rating: TV-MA

Set in 1975 during a civil war in Beirut, the Lebanese drama film details how the Greet Line (a line of demarcation to separate the Muslim community into two factions) affects young Tarek and his loved ones.

26. Duplicate (1998)

  • Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Sonali Bendre
  • Rating: TV-14

Manu Dada (Shah Rukh Khan) manages to escape prison, and while on the run, learns that he has look-alike, who happens to be an aspiring chef named Bablu Chaudhary. Manu immediately assumes Bablu's identity, using it as an opportunity to seek revenge against his enemies.

27. Dennis the Menace (1993)

  • Who’s in it? Robert Wagner, Louise Fletcher, Maxwell Perry Cotton
  • Rating: G

Dennis is determined to help his bitter neighbor experience the joy of Christmas. But despite his best efforts, he only seems to make matters even worse.

28. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)

  • Cast: Paige Turco, David Warner, Brian Tochi
  • Rating: PG

Need an option that you can enjoy with the kids? Revisit your childhood with Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael, who team up once again to fight against the Shredder, who's hell bent on getting his revenge.

29. Unspeakable Acts (1990)

  • Cast: Jill Clayburgh, Brad Davis, Gregory Sierra
  • Rating: TV-14

Based on Sarah Weinman's true-crime book of the same name, the film addresses one of the country’s biggest child sex abuse scandals. Laurie and Joseph Braga, a husband-and-wife team of child psychologists, discover that there have been a number of disturbing acts of sexual abuse at Miami's Country Walk Day Care Center in 1984.

30. Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

  • Cast: Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, BD Wong
  • Rating: PG-13

Based on Heinrich Harrer's 1952 memoir of the same name, Seven Years in Tibet tells the story of an Austrian mountaineer who escapes a a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II and travels to Tibet. There, he meets and befriends the 14th Dalai Lama, which ultimately changes his views on life.