The Truman Show (1998)

The Moment: Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey) mak✱es his escape from his 24/7 reality show, only to crash into the painted sky at the edge of his self-contained world.

Only In The '90s: Reality TV became enough of a threat for Hollywood to make it the source of satire. See also: EDTV .

If It Was Made Today: Why bother? We have the Kardashians now.

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

The Moment: Norville ♕Barnes (Tim Robbins) has launched his great invention, the Hula Hoop - "y'know, for kids" - but it's a disaster. Until one early adopter picks it up, figures out what it does and starts a fad.

Only In The '90s: The throwaway, Simpsons -style gag of Hudsucker creatives taking so long to name the dingus that a secretary has time to read War And Peace and Anna Karenina .

If It Was Made Today: Norville Barnes would have invented the Wii.

Clerks (1994)

The Moment: Randal (Jeff Anderson) ponders whether any independent building contractors were killed during the attack on the Death Star in Return Of The Jedi , only for a passing roofer to tell him: "Any contractor working on that Death Star knew the risk involved. If they got🥂 killed, it's their own fault."

Only In The '90s: A film could stop dead ꦕwhile the characters cha🌠t about a movie.

If It Was Made Today: Actually, this🏅 one hasn't massively changed in the interim.

Good Will Hunting (1997)

The Moment: Dr Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) finally achieves a breakthrough in his sessions with troubled geniuಌs Will Hunting (Matt Damon) by repeatedly telling h💮im, "It's not your fault."

Only In The '90s: Two twentysomething kids can write one of the decade's sma𝔍rtest scripts and walk home wꩲith Oscars.

If It Was Made Today: Ben Affleck would direct.

Point Break (1991)

The Moment: Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) legs it in pursuit of the Reagan-mask wearing bank robber Bodhi (Patricౠk Swayze) in a kinetic, S൩teadicam'd foot chase.

Only In The '90s: Utah can't bring himself to kill his homo-erotic surf-dude sparring partner and unleashes several rounds into the air instജead.

If It Was Made Today: It'd be a Hot Fuzz -style celebratiܫon/deconstruction of the🥀 excesses of 90s action movies.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The Moment: Josh (Josh🍨ua Leonard) goes missing, and Heather (Heather Donahue) breaks down in grainy-cam snot-o-vision.

Only In The '90s: Advances in digital♕ technology make it possible to make a film on the fly, with the castꩲ doubling as their own crew.

If It Was Made Today: Enough with the 'found footage,' already.

Miller's Crossing (1990)

The Moment: Gangland goons attempt to take down Leo O'Bannon (Albert Finney) at his home, but he shows them who's boss by going on the warpath with a Tommy gun, all in time it takes Danny Boy to play on a gramophone.

Only In The '90s: Plots so complicated that it takes a couple of goes to figure out who's doing ꦚwha🍃t to who and why.

If It Was Made Today: The ﷽Coens would relegate the ꦰscene to an off-screen mention.

Swingers (1996)

The Moment: Mike (Jon Favreau) tries to leave a 🦄voicemail message for potential date Nicky, which gradually unravels into a multi-message monologue of despair and neediness.

Only In The '90s: Pre-iPhone, pre-Skype, the voicemail was the height of technology-based embarra෴ssment comedy.

If It Was Made Today: Mike would send a te🍸xt and book the date. Sorted.

JFK (1991)

The Moment: Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) outlines the case fo🌠r there being a second gunman on Dealey Plaza, endlessly replaying the Zapruder footage to show the killer bullet's trajectory: "back, and to the left."

Only In The '90s: An A-list director co꧙uld commit three hours toꦺ a big, political biopic.

If It Was Made Today: The baton for this kind of film has moved ﷽to the documentarians, while Oliver Stone flounders about looking for his mojo.

Audition (1999)

The Moment: Asami (Eihi Shiina) finally lets hubbie Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) kᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚnow what she was auditioning for when she saws off his 🌸foot and sticks needles into his eyes. "Kiri kiri kiri!"

Only In The '90s: Genre-bending was so ambitious that what started as a rom-com could end as the godfatheꦅr of torture por﷽n.

If It Was Made Today: It would absolutely have to be an X Factor spoof.