Ahhh, the ‘90s, how sweet this name rolls around on the tongue, evoking many happy memories for many people who've lived their childhoods, teenage years, or spent their young adult lives throughout the decade. And though this post isn't necessarily meant as praise for the ‘90s, it will definitely take you on a merry walk down memory lane once you discover the movies we've listed here. After all, who doesn't love a good ‘90s comedy movie, especially the one that you originally watched on a videotape in horrible quality? So, if you're actively nodding right now, let us present you a thorough compendium of cool and funny ‘90s movies!
But before you go along and scroll down to our top ‘90s comedies, let's talk about why exactly the flicks from this decade were so good and made such an impact on the evolvement of the industry. For one, this era saw a significant improvement in the technologies used for watching movies at home. Though DVDs came later in the decade, the VHS tapes grew better and better in quality, renting them was easy (Blockbuster, anyone?), and some Hollywood movies went straight to tapes or disks for your watch-at-home pleasure. In addition, a more accessible form of entertainment meant growing income for those who made it, thus perpetuating faster movie-making.
The ‘90s movies also saw vastly improved special effects, the rise of Hollywood superstar actors, indie filmmakers gaining the audience's respect, and loads of fresh ideas from seasoned directors. Mix all that with the innocence and simplicity of the ‘90s, and there you have it - a string of blockbusters, classic, and iconic movies, that have outlived the era.
But let's go back to the main topic here - comedy movies. Just a few scrolls down below, and you'll have the pleasure to be reminded of such classic comedies as The Groundhog Day, Dumb and Dumber, Mrs. Doubtfire, and many, many more. We're sure that this list will make you run to your attic, scramble for the dusty VHS player and shuffle around the videotape collection. Or finding the best movie streaming service with a comprehensive ‘90s movies library, that is. Tell us which flicks are the funniest or the most nostalgic to you, don't forget to vote for the best movies, and share this article with your friends!
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#21 The Wedding Singer
Surprisingly romantic, sweet, and beguiling, The Wedding Singer is consistently named one of the best Adam Sandler comedies. And you know what, we might just agree - everything's better with a bit of romance and an awesome soundtrack in it. It's also one of the few movies on our list that got a Broadway remake, and though it wasn't a massive success, The Wedding Singer musical has become popular with community theaters and high schools.
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44points
#22 American Pie
Five high school guys on a deflowering quest can only mean lots of embarrassment, hilarity, mishaps, and raunchy jokes. And if that's what you're looking for in a comedy, American Pie is a bullseye shot. This teenage drama-comedy-romp was so hugely successful that it spawned three direct sequels and five spin-off movies.
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44points
#23 The Mask
"Sssomebody stop me!" before I run and get myself a Milo from a dog shelter and try to mimic all the legendary scenes from The Mask. Loosely based on the comics by the same name, The Mask stars comedy icon Jim Carrey with a debuting Cameron Diaz by his side. Call it either fantastic or bombastic; this movie made us hee-haw throughout its whole 101 minutes run time and left us wishing for more of The Mask's shenanigans.
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43points
#24 The Waterboy
Ah, Adam Sandler and his never-ending portrayals of somewhat mentally challenged personas. So here's one more to add to this list - The Waterboy. And as with basically all the other Sandler movies from the era, this one was also nominated for Golden Raspberries and Stinkers Bad Movies. Still, to us, it encapsulates the naivete and simple way of living of the ‘90s better than anything.
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40points
#25 What About Bob?
A dark comedy starring Bill Murray can only mean success in our book. What About Bob? follows a relationship (of sorts) between an irritating patient and his psychotherapist. With such a premise, jokes can only get dark and the situations amusing. Interestingly enough, it might have been Woody Allen in the role of Dr. Leo Marvin and in the director's chair. However, he refused as he always worked on projects generated by himself.
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39points
#26 Billy Madison
Still not had enough of Adam Sandler? No probs, here's another movie of his, portraying a dimwitted adult as per usual! However, if you watch this movie keeping in mind that Sandler's persona is meant to be an irritating one, the laughs will definitely come, as some of the sequences in this movie are beyond hilarious.
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37points
#27 Toy Story 2
A sequel to the 1995 Toy Story, it opened to wild box office success and just as its predecessor did, it gained a rare 100% rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes. But, if not for Galyn Susman, Toy Story 2 might've perished without us ever seeing it. See, in 1998, two years into making this animated film, one of the animators accidentally deleted all the material created up to date. But thanks to Galyn, who was working from home while taking care of her newborn baby, backup files were kept, and the production moved on.
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31points
#28 Pretty Woman
There aren't many romantic comedies on our list, but it wouldn't be complete without Pretty Woman. Though it is filled with slick humor and charisma supplied by Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, the critics weren't too enthralled about Pretty Woman's premise, and the reviews were quite average. Average or not, the movie resonated with audiences and saw the highest ticket sales for a romantic comedy ever.
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31points
#32 Bid Daddy
Another Golden Razzies and Stinkers award nominee by Adam Sandler on our list might not even come as a surprise anymore. What's surprising, though, is that it was the seventh highest-grossing movie of the year it was released and Sandler's biggest earner up until Hotel Transylvania 2. And though critics once again bashed Big Daddy, the film has an unlikely fan - director Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Night, There Will Be Blood) named it among his all-time favorite movies.
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27points
#35 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
A second installment in the Austin Powers movie series, The Spy Who Shagged Me, was an instant box office hit. Filled with theme-appropriate jokes and spy-inspired gags, this movie was even more successful than its predecessor. And there's always a spot on our list for a special agent with horrible teeth and a great sense of humor!
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24points
