There are plenty of reasons Max is one of the best streaming services available right now, including the vast library of HBO originals and a surprisingly robust amount of live sports and news. But, another great aspect of the platform is that it offers some of the best ‘90s movies.
If you’re in the mood to revisit Gen X cinema at its finest, stick around, because we’re about to break down a dozen of the best ‘90s movies on Max right now. From Oscar-winning dramas to cult classic comedies and pretty much everything else, here are some of the flicks you can watch with a Max subscription.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Good Will Hunting put Matt Damon and Ben Affleck on the map, not only as actors but also as two of the brightest young voices in Hollywood thanks to their Oscar-winning script. This 1997 Gus van Sant film about a math prodigy from South Boston who’s given a chance at a better future is as remarkable now as it was more than a quarter-century ago.
Featuring one of the best Robin Williams performances, a bleak yet beautiful depiction of Boston, and an all-time great soundtrack featuring multiple Elliott Smith songs, Good Will Hunting is an achievement in every sense of the word.
Stream Good Will Hunting on Max.
Fargo (1996)
One of the best Coen brothers movies, Fargo had moviegoers around the country adopting terrible Minnesota accents following its release. Over the years, this quirky crime drama about a car salesman (William H. Macy) going to great lengths to get out of debt and the police officer (Frances McDormand, in her first of three Oscar-winning performances) trying to solve the mystery has become a touchstone of ‘90s cinema.
Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
If you’re looking for a sexually explicit movie on Max that also features two of the best performances of the 1990s, look no further than Mike Figgis’ Leaving Las Vegas. A mood piece if there ever was one, this down-and-dirty drama sees Nicolas Cage play a suicidal out-of-work screenwriter who goes to Sin City to drink himself to death only to meet a sex worker (Elisabeth Shue) who gives him a new perspective on life.
Stream Leaving Las Vegas on Max.
Office Space (1999)
Twenty-five years ago, Mike Judge gave us one of the best workplace comedies of all time with Office Space. Set in a fictional software company somewhere in Texas, the movie follows the frustrated and unmotivated Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) as he and two former disgruntled co-workers draw up a revenge plot that ends up blowing up in their faces.
Office Space, with all its side characters like Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole), Milton Waddams (Stephen Root), and Lawrence (Diedrich Bader), never allows you to put your guard down with its laugh-a-minute approach.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Reservoir Dogs put Quentin Tarantino on the map, but Pulp Fiction turned him into one of the best filmmakers of his generation. Released in 1994, this crime flick spends more than two hours following multiple characters in separate yet interconnected storylines that are filled with everything from discussions about cheeseburgers to dance sequences to the fallout of bad decisions.
Pulp Fiction is also the movie that rejuvenated John Travolta’s career and helped make Samuel L. Jackson one of the baddest actors on the planet.
White Men Can't Jump (1992)
One of the best basketball movies, White Men Can’t Jump follows streetballers Billy Hoyle (Woody Harrelson) and Sidney Deane (Wesley Snipes) as they come together to win riches and glory on the blacktops of Los Angeles. With a great script that is at times hilarious and others incredibly real, this iconic sports flick gets just about everything right.
Stream White Men Can’t Jump on Max.
Wes Craven’s Scream kicked off a great horror franchise and breathed new life into the slasher sub-genre back in 1996. When the quiet town of Woodsboro, California, becomes the personal playground for the sadistic “Ghostface” killer, a group of teenagers team up with some unlikely allies to put an end to the madness.
Though satirical and hilarious at times, Scream is one of the bloodiest slashers from the ‘90s, as well as one that gave the world some terrifying and unforgettable movie moments.
Election (1999)
In 1999, Alexander Payne gave audiences one of the best politically-driven black comedies with Election. Instead of being set on the national stage, though, this one centers on a heated race for student government president at a Nebraska high school. Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon are tremendous in their respective roles as a bitter teacher and overachieving student, and Payne’s script and direction are both top-notch.
Though it was not a box office success, Election is now remembered as one of the best ‘90s teen comedies and an all-time great political thrill ride.
The Hunt For Red October (1990)
With one of the best depictions of Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) and a stellar performance from Sean Connery, The Hunt for Red October is one of those Cold War thrillers that’s just so much fun to watch. John McTiernan’s adaptation of Tom Clancy’s legendary cat-and-mouse game involving a Soviet sub leaves you guessing at every turn until the credits roll. Masterful tension, great submarine sequences, and an unmatched attention to detail make this worth a watch.
Stream The Hunt For Red October on Max.
Get Shorty (1995)
The worlds of mobsters and Hollywood become one in Barry Sonnenfeld’s 1995 adaptation of the classic Elmore Leonard novel, Get Shorty. John Travolta, hot off the success of Pulp Fiction, plays a Miami loan shark who, through a series of circumstances, finds himself involved with a Hollywood production. With a cast that also includes Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito, there’s a lot to love in this crime caper comedy.
Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
One of the best romantic comedies, Nora Eprhon’s Sleepless in Seattle features one of the most charming on-screen pairings of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, as well as one of the most timeless love stories captured on film. When an East Coast reporter hears the story of a bereaved widower, she goes to great lengths to meet the man of her dreams, even if it means disrupting her life.
Stream Sleepless in Seattle on Max.
Hoop Dreams (1994)
Though technically a documentary, Hoop Dreams is one of the movies that defined 1994 with its heartfelt and insightful exploration of high school basketball in the Chicagoland area. Centering on two rising ballers with big aspirations, this documentary dives into how putting dreams ahead of everything else impacts teenagers and what happens when reality comes crashing down. One of the best documentaries on Max, Hoop Dreams is a must-watch for basketball fans.
Hopefully, these movies take you on a trip down memory lane to the ‘90s. If you’re looking for more great experiences, there are a ton of great movies on Max right now.
