10 Favorite Summer Blockbusters of the 90's.

The summer movie season was a cherished moment in my life as I was away from school and enjoyed a film that would capture the attention of others as well. Being young in the 90’s and 2000’s. I got to experience what the summer movie season has to offer. The 90’s was a time that I remembered fondly. Studios would bet it all on extravaganza with big stars attached to it. Here is a list of films that are my personal choices and ones that I have in my collection. Honorable mentions that didn’t make the list include: Armageddon, the “Batman” franchise, The Lion King, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, Braveheart.

10. Mission Impossible (1996)

Based on the 1960’s spy series, IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) goes on the run after a mission gone wrong and tries to clear his name while on the lam.  

Tom Cruise's first foray into producing films launched a franchise that is still going to this day. The first one hails from director Brian DePalma (Blow Out, The Untouchables, Scarface, Carrie), who brings his signature flair and style to create a taunt white knuckle thriller from beginning to end. Plus the theme song will be playing in your head long after the film is done.  

9. Face/Off (1997)

An FBI agent (John Travolta) and international terrorist (Nicolas Cage) assumes each other’s identities in order to foil a terror plot.

Hong Kong film director John Woo brings his trademark heroic bloodshed from his earlier films, like The Killer and Hard Boiled, to a Hollywood film. Both Travolta and Cage are at the top of their game in their performances as they play off each other. 

8. Men in Black (1997) 

A young NYPD cop (Will Smith) gets recruited by a veteran government agent (Tommy Lee Jones) and introduces him to a world of extraterrestrials living among us. Some of whom are peaceful while others seek chaos.

After making a name for himself in works like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Bad Boys and Independence Day, Will Smith cemented his status with this film and Tommy Lee Jones’ performance is also memorable. Director Barry Sonnenfeld along with executive producer Steven Spielberg blends science fiction with comedy. Special shoutout to makeup designer Rick Baker, whose alien makeup designs were perfectly crafted.  

7. Speed (1994)

LAPD SWAT officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) must stop a madman’s plot of blowing up a bus if it reaches 50 MPH. Along with passenger Annie (Sandra Bullock), the pair are in the ride of their lives. 

Cinematographer Jan De Bont, who did Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Basic Instinct, makes his directorial debut with this Die Hard inspired plot. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock have excellent chemistry and Dennis Hopper is great as the madman who rigs the bus with explosions. 

6. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

In this sequel, the cyborg Terminator is sent to the past to protect future resistance leader John Connor, along with his mother Sarah, from another cyborg, who intends on killing Connor.

Director James Cameron's follow up to The Terminator is vastly different, where the original was more of a sci-fi thriller and the second one is action oriented, This is also Arnold Schwarzenegger’s finest performance in his signature role as well as Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor. The film also pioneered visual effects, which still hold up to this day.     

5. The Rock (1996)

A goofy chemist (Nicolas Cage) teams with a former spy (Sean Connery) to rescue hostages at Alcatraz after a group of rouge soldiers led by a grief stricken General (Ed Harris). 

Though he gets a lot of flak in his films, director Michael Bay strikes gold here thanks to great action set pieces, good story and the performance from all three main actors. Especially Connery and Cage’s chemistry and quips. 

4. Twister (1996)

A pair of divorced storm chasers (Helen Hunt & Bill Paxton) set out to deploy a tornado research device during a severe outbreak of tornadoes.

“Speed” director Jan De Bont teams up with executive producer Steven Spielberg and “Jurassic Park” writer Michael Crichton for this thrilling disaster film. Seeing this in the theater gave me chills but I was in awe of the spectacle. Hunt and Paxton are great in their roles as bickering exes that ultimately come together. Great supporting role by the great late Philip Seymour Hoffman. 

3. The Mask of Zorro (1998)

Former Zorro Don Diego De La Vega (Sir Anthony Hopkins) gets imprisoned for 20 years and escapes to seek revenge on the person that sent him to prison and took his daughter (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Along the way, he recruits a protege (Antonio Banderas) to train and take up the mask. 

An entertaining swashbuckling adventure romp that harkens back to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and watching the sword fights as a kid was exciting in the theater. Banderas made an excellent hero, and was the first Hispanic actor to portray the swordsman. 

2. The Mummy (1999)

When an Egyptian high priest gets brought back to life, it’s up to an adventurer (Brendan Fraser), a librarian (Rachel Weiz) and a rag tag group to put a stop before he takes over. The titular creature also see’s the librarian as his lost love reincarnated. 

At the end of the 90’s, director Stephen Sommers creates a fun blend of supernatural horror with Indiana Jones style action and adventure. 25 years later, the film still holds up , thanks to its thrilling action, visual effects, humor and chemistry between Fraser and Weiz. 

1. Jurassic Park (1993)

A group of scientists and experts get invited to an island where dinosaurs are brought back to life. Then the dinosaurs get loose, terrorizing the guests. 

Legendary director Steven Spielberg made a film that defined my childhood and was on instant replay of VHS. Sam Neil, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum are a perfect trio, Goldblum in particular as chaos theory expert Dr. Ian Malcolm. Seeing the dinosaurs come to life onscreen had an impact on me and would rank this highly alongside Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark as perfect Spielberg blockbusters.