Cult 90s movies that need to make a comeback – just like The Mummy

Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis in a Ford Thunderbird convertible. Need I say more? It might sound obvious now, but Thelma & Louise was one of the defining films that paved the way for female-led narratives – and that iconic ending remains one of the most celebrated (and debated) in film history.

Directed by Ridley Scott, the crime adventure movie follows two polar-opposite best friends – housewife Thelma Dickinson and waitress Louise Sawyer – who set out for a weekend fishing trip. On the road, the friends encounter a man who tries to assault Thelma, and Louise shoots him in self-defense. Instead of reporting the incident to the authorities, the pair flee the scene and they begin their thrilling run from the law. 

If you’re after a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat cult horror, The Silence of the Lambs is without a doubt one of the most iconic. Anthony Hopkins’ chilling performance as the psychopathic killer Hannibal Lecter will get your heart racing – and I challenge you not to be thinking about it for days after the credits roll.

Starring Jodie Foster, the film follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling, who’s tasked with interviewing Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a renowned psychiatrist imprisoned for cannibalism. Clarice is used as bait to tempt Lecter into giving insight into a case that could stop a serial killer, Buffalo Bill, from murdering more women.

Nothing screams the ’90s quite like a young, fresh-faced Leonardo DiCaprio, and his turn as Romeo in Shakespeare’s best-known play is still one of my all-time favourite classics.

Directed by Baz Luhrmann, this version of the universal love story follows star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet (Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes), who belong to two of Verona’s most prominent families – the Montagues and the Capulets. This version modernised the Shakespearean tragedy and while it retained the 16th century language, its modern take brought the bard’s work to a whole new audience. Plus, it even made the BFI’s list of top 50 films to watch before the age of 14.

Comedy-crime thriller Fargo quickly became a fan favourite thanks to the unmistakable style of brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, who wrote, directed and produced this cult classic. It proved so successful that it even inspired an award-winning TV adaptation decades later – but nothing would please me more than to see the original cast (including Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi and William H. Macy) reprise their roles.

Set in the snowy, unforgiving landscapes of Minnesota and North Dakota, the film follows struggling car salesman Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), who hatches a plan to extort money from his wealthy father-in-law by hiring two hitmen to kidnap his wife. It’s dark, funny and completely unlike anything else from the decade.

I know this one could never truly happen after Heath Ledger’s sad passing, but I could watch another thousand versions of 10 Things I Hate About You and still not get bored. From Kat and Patrick’s perfect on-screen chemistry to Cameron’s wide-eyed infatuation with Bianca, this romcom remains endlessly rewatchable – especially for the millennials who grew up with it.

When teen Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) starts at a new school, he instantly falls for the glamorous – if slightly self-absorbed – Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). There’s just one problem: Bianca can’t date until her older sister, the sarcastic and cynical Kat, does too. In a bid to win Bianca’s heart, Cameron enlists the only person bold enough to take Kat on – Patrick, who has a reputation of his own.