It was a year that reinforced Scottish cinema as a global force to be reckoned with, while a Hollywood superstar would earn praise and criticism, after receiving a $20 million payday for a film that was—honestly?—a little hit and miss with critics, but has since become a cult classic.
1996 saw franchises being given a new lease of life, with successful shows transitioning from the small screen to the silver screen. Disney started their tactic of making live-action versions of some of their classics. And a little film noir, set in cold, snowy climates and dealing with moral ambiguities, would become the Oscar darling that season. We were also set to have the future of home cinema released a year later after their initial release in Japan - something they call a “doovd.”
Sorry, I meant DVD.
Feeling old yet? It’ll be 30 years in 2026 since we last went to the cinema to see some of these incredible and/or cult classics. Here are 30 films throughout that year that became mainstays on television and video rental stores (remember them? They existed back then still!), and in some cases would influence many films to come decades later.
Did you go to the cinema or hire any of these films out upon their release?
25. Space Jam (November 15)
A cultural landmark combining Michael Jordan with the Looney Tunes. The film was inspired by a hugely popular series of Nike commercials and proved the commercial viability of blending traditional animation with live-action basketball spectacle. | Warner Bros.
26. Star Trek: First Contact (November 22)
A rare critical and commercial high-point for the long-running franchise. This was the highest-grossing Star Trek film at the US box office until the 2009 reboot, revitalizing the Next Generation crew for a new generation of blockbuster audiences. | Paramount Pictures
27. Jingle All The Way (November 22)
A satirical look at consumerism and parental competition, this Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle became an enduring (if sometimes maligned) holiday staple. It was set and filmed primarily in the Twin Cities, including scenes shot at the famous Mall of America. | 20th Century
28. 101 Dalmatians (November 27)
The massive success of this lavish live-action remake, featuring a Golden Globe-nominated performance by Glenn Close as Cruella de Vil, definitively proved to Disney that remaking its animated catalogue was a multi-billion-dollar strategic concept. | Disney
29. Jerry Maguire (December 13)
Cameron Crowe’s soulful romantic dramedy was both a critical and commercial darling. Cuba Gooding Jr. won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Rod Tidwell, and the film earned five Oscar nominations in total, including Best Picture. | TriStar Pictures
30. Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (December 20)
This feature film, based on the MTV animated series, was a surprisingly successful major studio release, pulling in over $63 million worldwide against a modest $12 million budget. Its success helped solidify the commercial viability of adult-skewing animation on the big screen. | Paramount Pictures/MTV Films