The ’90s were a golden age for the local video store, filled with weekend rentals that everyone seemed to be talking about at the time. They were incredibly entertaining for what they were, but as streaming took over, a huge chunk of those blockbuster hits quietly faded from our collective memory.
This is why we wanted to remind you of a few movies that, at least during their heyday, were everything people could talk about. And now no one remembers these Hollywood superstars ever making these films. Did you watch any of these films when they came out?
IMDbCity of Angels
Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan starred in this 1998 romantic fantasy. While it actually did quite well financially and was everywhere for a brief moment, this quiet romance just sort of disappeared from cultural conversations eventually.
IMDbSix Days Seven Nights
Harrison Ford and Anne Heche anchored this 1998 action comedy. Despite bringing in solid box office numbers at the time, the tropical adventure did not exactly secure a spot in the regular weekend movie rotation.
IMDbKiss the Girls
Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd teamed up for this 1997 psychological thriller. It was exactly the kind of dark mystery audiences loved renting, but it rarely gets mentioned today when discussing the best crime films.
IMDbA Perfect Murder
Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen led this slick 1998 crime thriller. Directed by Andrew Davis, it delivered plenty of twists back then, yet modern audiences seem to have completely forgotten it exists.
IMDbEnd of Days
Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in this 1999 action horror hybrid. Released right before the new millennium on November 24, it made money despite negative reviews, only to fade away almost immediately after the calendar actually flipped.
IMDbThe Bone Collector
Hitting theaters on November 5, 1999, this psychological crime thriller paired Denzel Washington with Angelina Jolie. The star power was undeniable at the time, but the dark mystery rarely pops up on streaming recommendations today.
IMDbThe Devil’s Own
Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt shared the screen in this 1997 action thriller. Released in March of that year, it struggled critically and financially in North America, ultimately becoming a completely forgotten footnote for both actors.
IMDbThe General’s Daughter
John Travolta and Madeleine Stowe headlined this 1999 mystery. It hit screens on June 18 and actually proved to be a financial success despite harsh reviews, though you would be hard pressed to find fans now.
IMDbThe Man in the Iron Mask
Based heavily on the legendary unidentified prisoner from the 1600s reign of Louis XIV, this historical adventure was huge at the video store. Today, the secret identity plot rarely crosses the minds of movie fans.
IMDbThe Pelican Brief
Alan J. Pakula directed this 1993 legal thriller based on a popular John Grisham novel. Released in December of that year, it was peak political suspense that simply fell off the map for modern viewers.
IMDbThe River Wild
Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon brought tense action to the water in this 1994 thriller. Hitting theaters on September 30, the outdoor adventure delivered solid suspense but eventually drifted away from public memory entirely.
IMDbThe First Wives Club
Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton united for this 1996 comedy. Released on September 20, it was a major cultural moment for revenge comedies that somehow rarely gets the modern screen time it deserves.
IMDbMurder at 1600
Wesley Snipes and Diane Lane led this 1997 action thriller directed by Dwight Little. The premise of solving a high profile mystery inside the White House felt huge then, but it is basically invisible now.
IMDbExecutive Decision
Kurt Russell, Steven Seagal, and Halle Berry starred in this intense 1996 action thriller. Released on March 15, the high altitude tension was a massive rental hit that completely vanished from the action genre conversation.
IMDbThe Ghost and the Darkness
Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas starred in this 1996 historical adventure directed by Stephen Hopkins. The intense animal tracking story provided plenty of suspense back then, though modern audiences have completely forgotten about the hunt.
