Comedy 90s Movies

From David Fincher, starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Meat Loaf, Zach Grenier
Rated R

Fight Club is a 1999 American drama film directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. The film follows an unnamed narrator (Norton) who is discontented with his white-collar job. He forms a "fight club" with soap maker Tyler Durden (Pitt) and they are joined by men who also want to fight recreationally. The narrator becomes embroiled in a relationship with Durden and a dissolute woman named Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter). The film depicts a social revolution in the form of a gritty underground organization, which is responsible for bombings in corporate America. The narrator's unique perception of reality is challenged when he is introduced to a counter-culture that rejects his idealized version of society. With the help of Tyler and Marla, he discovers a greater sense of purpose in life. Fight Club ultimately deals with a man searching for meaning, who is confronted with a harsh truth about himself and the world around him. It is a film about the search for identity, and ultimately about the power of self-determination.

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field
Rated PG-13

Forrest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. The film stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field. The story follows Forrest Gump, an intellectually challenged man from Alabama, who has a strong sense of destiny guiding his life. Despite his limited IQ, he overcomes numerous obstacles to become a successful entrepreneur, a war hero, and a loving father. Along the way, he meets a variety of characters, including a Vietnam War friend, a love interest, and the President of the United States. As Forrest attempts to fulfill his destiny, he reflects on his life and the people he has encountered. The film was a massive box office success, grossing over $677 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing film of 1994. It won numerous awards, including six Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a People's Choice Award. The film has since been hailed as a classic and continues to be a worldwide favorite.

From Sam Mendes, starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley
Rated R

American Beauty is a 1999 American drama film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball. The film follows the life of Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), a middle-aged advertising executive who is unhappy with his life and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Meanwhile, his teenage daughter, Jane (Thora Birch), is caught up in her own world of teenage angst, and his wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) is preoccupied with her own ambitions. As Lester's journey progresses, it intersects with the lives of his dysfunctional family and the other residents of his suburban neighborhood. The film culminates with Lester's realization that life is beautiful and the importance of appreciating the beauty of it all.

From Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky
Rated PG

Groundhog Day is a 1993 American comedy fantasy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. The film follows Phil Connors (Murray), a grumpy television weatherman, who is caught in a time loop, repeatedly reliving the same day—February 2—in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. As Phil endlessly relives the same day, he becomes kinder and more appreciative of the world around him, and eventually develops a romantic relationship with Rita (MacDowell). In the end, he is liberated from his time loop and is able to live a normal life.

From Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi
Rated R

The Big Lebowski is a 1998 comedy crime film written, produced, and directed by the Coen Brothers. Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) is mistaken for a millionaire who shares his name and he is drawn into a convoluted kidnap scheme involving a millionaire's wife, Bunny. Throughout the movie, The Dude and his bowling buddies, Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi), get entangled in a series of misadventures while trying to help The Dude reclaim his rug and figure out the identity of the real kidnappers. Along the way, The Dude meets a colorful cast of characters including a porn star and a mysterious millionaire. The Big Lebowski is a classic cult movie with an iconic soundtrack and memorable quotes.

From Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Luis Guzmán
Rated R

Boogie Nights is a 1997 drama written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It tells the story of Eddie Adams, a young man from the San Fernando Valley who is given the opportunity to become a porn star by pornographer Jack Horner. His stage name is Dirk Diggler and he quickly rises to fame and fortune. As his career progresses, he encounters many colorful characters and forms various relationships, including with Amber Waves, a former adult film star who becomes like a mother figure to him. The film also follows the lives of other porn stars, including Rollergirl, Buck Swope and Reed Rothchild, as they navigate the porn industry in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Boogie Nights is a strikingly realistic and unflinching look at the porn industry in the '70s and '80s and ultimately speaks to the complexity of the human experience.

From Tim Burton, starring Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette
Rated R

Ed Wood is a biographical comedy-drama film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp as the eponymous cult filmmaker. The film follows the life of Edward D. Wood, Jr., a struggling director whose passion for making low-budget genre films despite his lack of conventional filmmaking skills has garnered him a cult following. With the help of his friends, including the cross-dressing actor Bela Lugosi and an agent named Criswell, Wood strives to achieve his dream of making a name for himself in the film industry. Along the way, he faces a variety of obstacles, including a hostile studio executive and a lack of funds, and ultimately finds success when his film, Plan 9 from Outer Space, is released. The film ultimately received critical acclaim and was nominated for two Academy Awards.

From Spike Jonze, starring John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, John Malkovich
Rated R

Being John Malkovich is a 1999 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman. The film stars John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, and John Malkovich, with Catherine Keener, Orson Bean, and Ned Bellamy in supporting roles. The film follows Craig Schwartz (Cusack), a puppeteer who discovers a portal that leads into the mind of actor John Malkovich (Malkovich). After gaining access to this portal, each person entering the portal is temporarily transported into Malkovich’s body, experiencing his life for fifteen minutes before being dumped out on the side of the New Jersey Turnpike. Craig and his wife Lotte (Diaz) eventually use the portal to gain access to a world within Malkovich’s mind, where they experience the extraordinary lives of Malkovich’s characters. Craig and Lotte are eventually confronted with the idea that they must decide if they should stay in Malkovich’s mind or venture out into their own lives. The film is widely praised for its originality and the performances of its cast. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, and won the awards for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting

From Kevin Smith, starring Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Lisa Spoonauer
Rated R

Clerks is a 1994 American black-and-white independent comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, and starring Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson as two store clerks in a New Jersey convenience store. The film follows a day in the lives of two clerks, Dante Hicks (O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Anderson). Dante is not particularly enthusiastic about his job, and spends most of his time in philosophical conversations with his best friend Randal. Over the course of the day, they deal with various customers and various trivial tasks, while being constantly interrupted by Jay and Silent Bob, two local drug dealers. The film is shot in the style of a mockumentary, and features a wide range of both serious and funny conversations between the clerks and their customers. The conversations range from philosophical musings about life and death, to pop-culture references and puns, to arguments about job responsibility. The film highlights the banality of everyday life in the modern world and the often absurd behavior of its characters.

From Trey Parker, starring Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mary Kay Bergman, Isaac Hayes
Rated R

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut tells the story of four young boys Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny on a mission to see an R-rated movie featuring their favorite fictional characters, Terrance and Phillip. After sneaking into the theater and watching the movie, the boys are inspired to create their own profanity-filled movie. When the adults of South Park find out about the movie, they declare war on Canada, sending the town into chaos. Meanwhile, Stan and Kyle must save Terrance and Phillip from execution and save the day. In the end, the boys learn an important lesson about the power of words and friendship.

From James L. Brooks, starring Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr.
Rated PG-13

As Good as It Gets tells the story of a misanthropic and obsessive-compulsive novelist, Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson), whose life changes when a waitress, Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt), and his gay neighbor, Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear), enter his life. Melvin’s cynical outlook is challenged by the unexpected kindness and friendship of Carol and Simon, who help him to come to terms with the tragedy in his past. Through his relationships with these unlikely friends, Melvin discovers the depths of his own capacity for kindness and compassion. The film also stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Skeet Ulrich, and Shirley Knight. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning two for Best Actor (Jack Nicholson) and Best Actress (Helen Hunt).

From Mike Judge, starring Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, David Herman, Ajay Naidu
Rated R

Office Space is a 1999 comedy film written and directed by Mike Judge, who is best known for creating the television series King of the Hill and Beavis and Butt-head. The film stars Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, and Stephen Root and follows the story of three under-appreciated and overworked office employees who embark on a mission to un-do the tedium of their everyday lives. The trio, Peter, Michael, and Samir, hatch a plan to hijack the software of their employer, the fictional software company Initech, and sell it to a competitor. Along the way, they must deal with the obnoxious management and their own personal problems. The film was a modest success at the box office, but was widely praised by critics, and even spawned a cult following.

From Richard Linklater, starring Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Matthew McConaughey, Rory Cochrane
Rated R

Dazed and Confused is a 1993 coming-of-age comedy film by Richard Linklater. Set in 1976 Texas, the film follows a group of high school seniors and incoming freshman on their last day of school. Over the course of the night, the teens experience the highs and lows of teenage life as they go to parties, go out for a drive, and engage in various hijinks. Throughout the night, the characters grapple with peer pressure, new relationships, and the excitement and uncertainty of their teenage years. The film has become a cult classic, and its soundtrack has become iconic.

From Tom DiCillo, starring Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, Dermot Mulroney, Danielle von Zerneck
Rated R

Living in Oblivion is a 1995 independent film directed by Tom DiCillo and starring Steve Buscemi. The film follows a day in the life of director Nick Reve (Buscemi) and his cast and crew as they struggle to make a low-budget independent film. Nick has to deal with budgetary restrictions, a neurotic actress (Catherine Keener), a cast and crew that are becoming increasingly frustrated with the production, and the surreal dream sequences that keep invading his own reality. Ultimately, Nick must come to terms with his own failings as a director, and face the harsh reality that his dream of making a great film may never be realized.

From Wes Craven, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich
Rated R

From Milos Forman, starring Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Gerry Becker, Greyson Erik Pendry
Rated R

From Christopher Guest, starring Christopher Guest, Fred Willard, Catherine O'Hara, Parker Posey
Rated R

From James Cameron, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton
Rated R

From Kevin Smith, starring Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Ethan Suplee, Scott Mosier
Rated R

From Doug Liman, starring Vince Vaughn, Heather Graham, Jon Favreau, Ron Livingston
Rated R

From Doug Liman, starring Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf, Taye Diggs
Rated R

From Jim Mallon, starring Trace Beaulieu, Michael J. Nelson, Jim Mallon, Kevin Murphy
Rated PG-13

From Peter Cattaneo, starring Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Addy, Wim Snape
Rated R

From Peter Segal, starring Chris Farley, David Spade, Brian Dennehy, Bo Derek
Rated PG-13

From Chris Columbus, starring Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein
Rated PG-13