Underrated '90s movies you can stream right now

We had Terry Gilliam’s “Brazil” on our ‘80s list, and we have his movie “12 Monkeys” on this one. Both are dystopian sci-fi mind-benders. What “12 Monkeys” has going for it, though, is a cast headlined by Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, both of whom are giving pretty "out-there" performances. You can watch it on HBO Max.

There was recently another adaptation of “Emma” that starred Anya Taylor-Joy. Also, in 1995 “Clueless” came out, which is actually an adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel as well. However, right around the same time, we got a more straightforward version of the story starring an up-and-coming Gwyneth Paltrow. The movie is available on HBO.

At the time “The Fugitive” was a pretty big hit, but over the years it has been forgotten and has become an under-the-radar classic thriller. After all, it stars Harrison Ford in the role of Richard Kimble, a man on the run from the law after being imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. The man chasing him? That would be Tommy Lee Jones, who won an Oscar for the movie. Watch the chase with HBO Max

If you want a solid sports movie, “A League of Their Own” is a fine choice. If you want a movie about friendship and family, it’s an even better option. The story of a women’s baseball league during World War II has a great cast, including Tom Hanks in his “There’s no crying in baseball!” role. You can enjoy the film with Sling or USA.

Romantic comedies may not be for everybody, and the same goes for William Shakespeare, but they combine here for a fun little film. “10 Things I Hate About You” is based on Shakespeare’s comedy “The Taming of the Shrew.” It also starred a young actor named Heath Ledger who would go on to great things. Find a few reasons to love this movie on Disney+.

The “Mission: Impossible” series has become quite popular in recent years, as Tom Cruise has done crazier and crazier stunts. When was the last time you checked out the first movie in the series, though? It came out a while ago now, and it isn’t nearly as nuts in terms of stunts. What it is, though, is a fine spy film that shows why it turned into such a successful franchise. It’s only available if you have a subscription to something called Fubo, but maybe you have that.

The live-action version of “Mulan” has finally come out, on Disney+ as opposed to a theater, to middling reviews. Maybe now is the time to check out the original animated film. It isn’t necessarily considered one of the all-time Disney classics, but nobody really has much bad to say about it either. Like all those other ‘90s Disney animated films, you can find it on Disney+.

Hey, you probably have some free time, right? The kind of time that you can fit a three-hour movie into? Well then this might be the opportunity for you to watch Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Magnolia.” The movie is packed to the brim with characters and stories, and it doesn’t always hold together. However, at its best, the film is truly beautiful. Watch it on HBO Max.

There are a lot of gangster movies that you’ve probably seen. Instead of watching “Goodfellas” for the umpteenth time, though, give “Donnie Brasco” a shot. It’s not a classic, but it is good, and it stars Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. It’s a somewhat subdued Pacino performance as well, with just enough of those classic Pacino touches. You can see it on Netflix

Sometimes you just want a silly monster movie, and “Tremors” delivers that in spades. It’s a goofy horror comedy with just enough scares and violence to keep it from just being pure camp. Plus, it stars a young Kevin Bacon! He was too famous for any of the sequels, but you can catch him in the original if you have Netflix.

If you’re in the mood for a farce, consider “The Birdcage.” Robin Williams and Nathan Lane star as two gay men who have to pretend to be straight for Williams’ son, who is marrying the daughter of a conservative politician. You can watch “The Birdcage” on Amazon Prime, Hulu, Epix, or Sling.

“Soapdish” is fairly clever, as it’s about the making of a soap opera. But there are a lot of soap opera elements in the actual story as well. Plus, there is a killer cast. We’ve got Kevin Kline, Sally Field, Robert Downey Jr, Whoopi Goldberg and many more. It’s available on Amazon Prime, not to mention Tubi, Crackle, and Pluto with ads.

Albert Brooks has a particular vision for comedy, and fortunately he’s made several films for fans of his style. “Defending Your Life” is perhaps his movie with the widest appeal. That may be because Meryl Streep stars opposite Brooks in this afterlife-set comedy. You rarely go wrong with Streep. “Defending Your Life” is on The Criterion Channel.

Among Quentin Tarantino's many films, "Jackie Brown" is often overlooked. That's a shame, because it's just as good as any other movie he's made. Pam Grier and Robert Forster both give the best performances of their careers in this movie based on a Elmore Leonard novel. Tarantino and Leonard? Sounds like a winning combo. You can see the movie on Starz.

At the time, “The Rocketeer” didn’t click with audiences. It was a throwback to the serials of the 1940s, and people weren’t quite ready for that. Since then, though, a fandom has built around the movie. People are on its wavelength now, and they appreciate the old-school feels of “The Rocketeer.” You can watch it for yourself on Disney+ or with Showtime.