#’90s Movies That Are Way Better Than People Remember

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“’90s Movies That Are Way Better Than People Remember”

When people think about movies of the ’90s, they might think of Titanic, Braveheart, Forrest Gump, or other Oscar-winning films. However, many ’90s films often go under the radar due to their lack of popularity, underwhelming box-office performance, less-than-stellar critical reception, or a combination of all these elements that left films often forgotten or the object of people’s derision.
Of course, not every ’90s film can be a classic like the previously mentioned films, and many get overshadowed by more successful films (especially animated features during the great animation boom of the decade). However, some films may have a warmer reception as the years pass, with people reassessing said film with a new-found lens. Audiences may have more love for it, and it will be more accepted into cinema culture. Hopefully, this will also apply to the following films listed, which may not have gotten the acclaim in the ’90s that they deserved.

8 The Rescuers Down Under

A rat in a tuxedo in Rescuers Down Under — Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

This 1990 film is largely a forgotten early piece of the Disney Renaissance, but it has a sense of visual splendor and wonder that cannot be ignored. The Rescuers Down Under finds Miss Bianca and Bernard back at the old rescuing gig once again, taking place after the underrated 1977 Disney film, but in Australia this time.
The two mice are tasked with rescuing a young boy named Cody who has been held hostage by a devious poacher named McLeach, who uses the boy in an attempt to find a rare eagle and sell it for profit. The film was described as subpar when compared to the Disney flicks that came in its era, but The Rescuers Down Under has a sense of darling adventure for some nostalgic fans, and is being reevaluated as one of the best animated sequels.

7 Rocky V

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky in Rocky V — MGM

This Rocky entry finds the champ in some hot water after his fight with Ivan Drago in Moscow. The fight caused severe trauma to his internal organs, which prompts doctors to recommend that Rocky no longer fight anymore. This results in the champ’s downfall, and in an attempt to recapture his former glory, he trains another fighter named Tommy Morrison, but when Morrison throws Balboa under the bus in exchange for fame and money, it creates a wedge between the two.
Naturally, the Rocky series has been milked to the bone, but Rocky V is often cited as the worst Rocky film. However, given that it is a film within a large series of good movies (as in Star Wars), it is often not seen for what it is by itself. On its own terms, Rocky V is enduring, powerful, and motivating for any sports fan.

6 A Troll In Central Park

A Troll in Central Park and a young girl squeezing a chipmunk — Warner Bros.

This Don Bluth film did not make any kind of splash with critics or at the box-office. A Troll in Central Park centers around a kind-hearted troll named Stanley who is exiled to Central Park after he is found out to be growing flowers in the world of the trolls, which is illegal in his land. From there, he meets two children and takes them on a wild and wacky adventure.
Related: Animation Legend Don Bluth Announces Autobiography
This film has an abysmal 14% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is frowned upon as being Bluth’s worst film, but that really couldn’t be further from the truth. The film is adventurous and ambitious, with an earnest tone and unique, offbeat animation. Its innocent nature is often confused for being childish, juvenile, and schmaltzy, but this was classic Bluth letting his imagination run wild for a generation of believers.

5 Anastasia

Anastasia dances with someone in the streets — 20th Century Fox

Here we have another Don Bluth film that is often remembered for being his comeback after a series of box office bombs but has since been overshadowed by the massive wave of great animation during the ’90s. Anastasia centers around the titular young girl who is cursed by the dastardly Rasputin as retribution for exiling him.
Many animation fans will often resort to Walt Disney’s Renaissance era for their source of amusement, but this overlooked, yet beautifully-made musical is as sumptuous as it is compelling, with magical numbers and an earnestness for history.

4 An American Tail: Fievel Goes West

The cast of American Tail: Fievel Goes West — Universal Pictures

Everyone’s favorite and fearless mouse has returned for a Western-style sequel in An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. Fievel relocated to the wild west of 1890, where he and his family are still on the menu, so to speak, with a slew of Westernized cats. Luckily, our brave mouse has dog-sheriff Wylie Burp (a delightful late James Stewart movie role) come to his aid.
While it was often perceived as inferior to its predecessor and lacking in imagination, this film was a fun ride into the west with a healthy dose of nostalgia for the characters that kept the original afloat, and features some wonderful voice acting from Stewart, John Cleese, Dom DeLuise, and more.

3 The Little Rascals

Alfalfa and his little girlfriend row a boat in The Little Rascals — Universal Pictures

If you grew up in the ’90s or if you ran this film a lot on OnDemand, chances are that you will remember this rascally film fondly. The Little Rascals are led by their leader Spanky in the “Woman-Haters Club,” one of the many aspects of ’90s movies that probably could never be made today. However, their friend Alfalfa refuses to take part in the indoctrination of the group and has a huge crush on his love interest Darla.
Related: The Little Rascals: Where the Cast is Today
The film is adorable, precious, and a true testament to all of our childhoods that it seems disrespectful just to sweep it under the rug like some dust. This film and its young actors certainly have spunk, and update the old classic Little Rascals concept into something critics panned but audiences continue to really enjoy.

2 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro smoke and smile at the camera in Fear and Loathing — Universal Pictures

People didn’t know what to make of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas when it came out in 1998, feasting their eyes on Johnny Depp and all of his glory as the bald, drug-addled, genius writer that is Raoul Duke (a stand-in for author Hunter S. Thompson). The Terry Gilliam flick chronicles Duke’s and his lawyers’ tampering with illicit drugs in Sin City.
The film was criticized for its lack of character development and tonal anarchy, viciously criticized by many at the time, including the usually with-it Roger Ebert, who wrote that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is, “a horrible mess of a movie, without shape, trajectory or purpose — a one joke movie, if it had one joke.” However, the audience better understands Duke and all he thinks about in the recesses of his drug-laced mind. This film was another win in Johnny Depp’s formidable filmography, and is a quasi-experimental cult classic of the ’90s.

1 Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Obi-Wan, Darth maul, and Qui-Gon duel in the palaces of Star Wars Phantom Menace — 20th Century Fox

It should go without saying by now that this Star Wars entry is very underrated, especially after seeing the nightmare of the sequel trilogy. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace has Obi-Wan Kenobi and his master Qui-Gon Jinn help a young boy named Anakin Skywalker out of slavery and teach him the ways of the Jedi.
Back in 1999, the film was largely overshadowed by The Matrix and was seen as a disappointment in George Lucas’ empire of science fiction. However, given that it has been a couple of decades since the film’s release, fans have been kinder to it, better understanding its ardent themes and unique storytelling while forgiving some of its flaws. Also, who could ever forget about the masterful duel of the fates sequence.