While the 90s was a seminal decade across cinema, the period was also a golden age for great comfort movies. Beyond traditional box office blockbusters, many of the 90s biggest hits were gentle, heartwarming affairs, largely devoid of cynicism. As a result, the 90s is a great place to find classic feel-good films.
Audiences are usually nostalgic for any previous time period, but the nineties were an especially optimistic decade when the Cold War had just ended and the internet was just beginning. There were no smartphones or social media, but there were plenty of overalls and frosted hair tips. Theaters still reigned supreme, Blockbuster was an event, and movies from Jurassic Park to The Matrix could still be inventive without being weighed down by a franchise. Blockbuster may be gone, but these '90s movies continue to make people feel good today.
10 Babe
Babe follows an orphaned piglet who is raised on a farm by sheepdogs, yet Babe develops a special method of herding sheep by making polite requests. In a film co-written by Mad Max’s George Miller, Babe is a terrific underdog story for anyone who has felt like an outcast. Filled with warm lighting and talking animals, the film is gentle and inviting, like a blanket to cuddle into at the end of the day. Babe is seen fondly by children who grew up watching it, but its blend of humor and heartwarming moments demonstrate that despite ridicule and maliciousness in the world, kindness can prevail and be celebrated.
9 Groundhog Day
Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, a narcissistic weatherman who despises his Groundhog Day news assignment and holds contempt for the town that celebrates the day. Yet Connors is stuck in a loop and is forced to relive Groundhog Day repeatedly without an explanation why. Groundhog Day is inventive while being equally delightful and dark in its premise. The movie does not shy away from cynicism or morbid hypothetical questions that come from being trapped in a time loop, with even Groundhog Day's ending theorized to be a curse. For those who feel like they’re stuck reliving the same day, Groundhog Day conveys appreciation for the smaller pleasures and people in life that can be taken for granted.
8 Matilda
Matilda tells the story of a polite and smart girl who learns she has magical powers and utilizes them to help others at her new school. Matilda’s daily life is threatened by an abusive family and a cruel principal, but she finds solace in a few friends and a warm, ive teacher. Directed by Danny Devito and starring Mara Wilson, Matilda has become an iconic 90s children’s movie for its bright fashion and use of Rusted Root’s "Send Me on My Way." As the child chooses to stay inquisitive and helpful despite harsh treatment from adults, Matilda’s resilience becomes an inspiration for all.
7 Sister Act
Sister Act is a movie filled with endless joy, but it especially resonates with those who feel alone in a new environment. The story follows Whoopi Goldberg’s Deloris Van Cariter as she’s put through a witness protection program in a convent. While many might Whoopi Goldberg on the cover as a nun in shades, Sister Act embraces its fish-out-of-water premise with visual gags like seeing a nun struggle to say grace or fight bikers at a bar. As Deloris teaches the other nuns the joys of singing, Sister Act becomes a celebration of music, collaborating cultures, and finding somewhere to belong in the most unexpected places.
6 Dumb and Dumber
Dumb and Dumber is shameless in its silliness, with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels proudly wearing Lloyd and Harry’s stupidity as a badge of honor. This nineties road trip comedy about two friends trying to return a briefcase to a pretty lady is filled with slapstick humor, witty wordplay, improvised annoying sounds, gross-out visuals, and a soundtrack that captures the times. As they blissfully trip into one adventure after the next, Harry and Lloyd are unaware of the danger they’re in or the trouble they cause. Dumb and Dumber demonstrates that in these two friends’ endless quest to live a better life, they have all they really need in each other.
5 Good Will Hunting
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Good Will Hunting showcases the growth an individual could experience if they just had someone to listen to them. Matt Damon plays Will Hunting, a young man who's a genius but has never had much opportunity in life. Will doesn’t trust people and is suspicious of any luck that comes his way, yet he finds himself on the vulnerable yet exciting edge of hope and personal change. Robin Williams plays Will’s therapist with the patience, honesty, and that anyone wishes to have in their life. Good Will Hunting feels honest and doesn’t pander to sentimentality; the film earns its tears and laughs and shows the power of empathy.
4 A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own tells the story of the Rockford Peaches, a small team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that competes against larger teams with more resources. While the sports dramedy takes place in the 1940s, the cast boasts a collection of stellar nineties stars like Geena Davies, Tom Hanks, and Rosie O’Donnell. A League of Their Own ultimately celebrates women in a male-dominated area and serves as a reminder to pursue one’s dream despite what society dictates. If happiness comes from out of left field, A League of Their Own shows how to follow that happiness wherever it goes next.
3 10 Things I Hate About You
10 Things I Hate About You is a modernized version of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. After Kat and Bianca’s father sets a rule that Bianca cannot date unless her abrasive sister Kat finds a date, many teen guys create schemes to woo both women. While the film’s high school setting is perfect for gossip and melodramatic twists, 10 Things I Hate About You is memorable for its self-aware wit, ska-heavy soundtrack, and Heath Ledger’s star-making rendition of "Can’t Take My Eyes Off You." 10 Things I Hate About You celebrates nonconformity and the joy of finding others who celebrate the same.
2 The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer may take place in the ‘80s, but the humor, stars, and romance have turned this Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore comedy into a ‘90s comfort movie. Sandler and Barrymore’s chemistry is effortless and endearing, like watching two friends fall for each other. But the ing cast made up of Sandler’s signature crew is equally sweet, silly, and ive in a way previously unseen in a Sandler comedy. The Wedding Singer is able to mock weddings while sharing its own love story, and viewers will want to in on the party shenanigans.
1 Clueless
Clueless has become a ‘90s comfort movie staple for its depiction of Beverly Hills teens and their sense of fashion. The teen coming-of-age comedy follows Cher, a popular girl who naively believes she knows exactly how to better others’ lives. Alicia Silverstone plays Cher and leads the Clueless cast of characters with the confidence and lack of self-awareness many experience while young, but there’s also a sensitivity and willingness to change. Clueless depicts Cher’s shattered confidence and realization of knowing absolutely nothing as a relatable and educational experience that should be embraced by all.
