I recently wrote an article about 20 movies that are turning 2020 in 2025, and making it created a mental montage of all the time that had passed in the last 20 years, but also had me remembering the nostalgia of where and who I was when all these movies came out. Inspired by this little emotional time travel, I’ve set the time machine back another decade because these 30 movies turn 30 in 2025.
It’s hard to believe, but these iconic films that hit theaters in 1995 are now on the cusp of their 30th anniversaries. There are so many classics from that year that this list will have you reminiscing about Saturday nights at the local video rental store or catching these hits on TV reruns.
So, let’s take a nostalgic trip back to 1995 and see which movies will be blowing out 30 candles next year.
1. Toy Story
- Release Date: November 22, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head)
- Fun Fact: Toy Story was the first fully computer-animated feature film, revolutionizing the animation industry.
2. Braveheart
- Release Date: May 24, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Mel Gibson (William Wallace), Patrick McGoohan (King Edward), Sophie Marceau (Princess Isabella)
- Fun Fact: The famous “Freedom!” battle cry wasn’t scripted. Mel Gibson improvised it during the scene, and it became one of the most memorable moments in the film!
3. Clueless
- Release Date: July 19, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Alicia Silverstone (Cher Horowitz), Paul Rudd (Josh), Stacey Dash (Dionne)
- Fun Fact: The film is a modern-day adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma.
4. Apollo 13
- Release Date: June 30, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Tom Hanks (Jim Lovell), Kevin Bacon (Jack Swigert), Bill Paxton (Fred Haise)
- Fun Fact: The iconic line “Houston, we have a problem” is actually a slight misquote from the real event.
5. Seven
- Release Date: September 22, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Brad Pitt (Detective Mills), Morgan Freeman (Detective Somerset), Kevin Spacey (John Doe)
- Fun Fact: The famous “What’s in the box?” scene was kept a secret from Brad Pitt until the day of filming. Director David Fincher wanted his genuine reaction, so Pitt didn’t know what was in the box until it was revealed on camera. That raw, shocked performance became one of the most iconic moments in the movie!
6. Jumanji
- Release Date: December 15, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Robin Williams (Alan Parrish), Kirsten Dunst (Judy), Bonnie Hunt (Sarah Whittle)
- Fun Fact: The special effects team used animatronics and puppetry to bring the jungle creatures to life, long before CGI became the norm. For instance, the stampede scene involved a mix of practical effects and models, making the action feel more real.
7. Heat
- Release Date: December 15, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Robert De Niro (Neil McCauley), Al Pacino (Vincent Hanna), Val Kilmer (Chris Shiherlis)
- Fun Fact: The famous coffee shop scene between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro was the first time the two legendary actors shared a scene together on screen, despite both having long careers by then. Director Michael Mann intentionally kept them apart for most of the film to build anticipation for their eventual meeting.
8. Casino
- Release Date: November 22, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Robert De Niro (Sam Rothstein), Sharon Stone (Ginger McKenna), Joe Pesci (Nicky Santoro)
- Fun Fact: Sharon Stone’s character, Ginger, was originally supposed to be much more glamorous and polished. However, director Martin Scorsese encouraged Sharon Stone to add a raw, more vulnerable side to her character, which led to her iconic performance. Her portrayal earned her a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination!
9. Pocahontas
- Release Date: June 23, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Irene Bedard (Pocahontas – voice), Mel Gibson (John Smith – voice), David Ogden Stiers (Governor Ratcliffe – voice)
- Fun Fact: Pocahontas was the first Disney princess inspired by a historical figure.
10. Batman Forever
- Release Date: June 16, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Val Kilmer (Bruce Wayne/Batman), Jim Carrey (The Riddler), Tommy Lee Jones (Two-Face)
- Fun Fact: Jim Carrey, who played the Riddler, was known for improvising a lot of his lines. One of his most memorable moments, where he says, “Riddle me this, riddle me that,” was largely improvised on the spot. Carrey’s over-the-top, comedic performance was a big shift from the darker tone of Batman films before it, and it became one of the film’s most iconic elements.
11. Tommy Boy
- Release Date: March 31, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Chris Farley (Tommy Callahan), David Spade (Richard Hayden), Bo Derek (Beverly Barish-Burns)
- Fun Fact: During the filming of Tommy Boy, David Spade and Chris Farley had a real-life argument that mirrored their on-screen dynamic. The fight started when Spade went out to dinner with Rob Lowe without inviting Farley, which reportedly led to Farley throwing Spade’s soda on him the next day on set. Despite the tension, their chemistry on screen remained flawless.
12. The Usual Suspects
- Release Date: August 16, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Kevin Spacey (Verbal Kint), Gabriel Byrne (Dean Keaton), Benicio del Toro (Fred Fenster)
- Fun Fact: The iconic lineup scene in The Usual Suspects was originally meant to be serious, but the actors couldn’t stop laughing during filming — especially Benicio Del Toro, who kept passing gas. Director Bryan Singer eventually decided to keep the humorous takes, and it became one of the film’s most memorable moments.
13. GoldenEye
- Release Date: November 17, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Pierce Brosnan (James Bond), Sean Bean (Alec Trevelyan), Izabella Scorupco (Natalya Simonova)
- Fun Fact: The iconic bungee jump off the dam in GoldenEye was performed by stuntman Wayne Michaels and is considered one of the greatest stunts in film history. The 722-foot (220-meter) jump off the Verzasca Dam in Switzerland set a world record at the time and remains a popular destination for adventure-seekers looking to recreate the legendary Bond moment.
14. Friday
- Release Date: April 26, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Ice Cube (Craig), Chris Tucker (Smokey), Nia Long (Debbie)
- Fun Fact: Friday was filmed in just 20 days with a budget of only $3.5 million. Despite its modest production, the film became a massive cult classic, earning over $27 million at the box office and launching a franchise. Its mix of humor, social commentary, and unforgettable one-liners like “Bye, Felicia” cemented its place in pop culture.
15. Billy Madison
- Release Date: February 10, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Adam Sandler (Billy Madison), Bradley Whitford (Eric Gordon), Bridgette Wilson (Veronica Vaughn)
- Fun Fact: The hilarious “O’Doyle Rules!” running gag in Billy Madison was a last-minute addition to the script. The phrase, chanted by the bully family throughout the movie, became so popular that it’s still referenced in pop culture today. Adam Sandler liked it so much that he continued the O’Doyle family joke in later films like Click and Hubie Halloween.
16. Johnny Mnemonic
- Release Date: May 26, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Keanu Reeves (Johnny Mnemonic), Dina Meyer (Jane), Ice-T (J-Bone)
- Fun Fact: The original script for Johnny Mnemonic was written by William Gibson, the same author who coined the term “cyberspace” and is considered one of the pioneers of the cyberpunk genre. The film was based on Gibson’s 1981 short story of the same name, and while the movie took creative liberties, it remains one of the earliest Hollywood attempts to bring cyberpunk aesthetics and themes to the big screen.
17. 12 Monkeys
- Release Date: December 29, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Bruce Willis (James Cole), Madeleine Stowe (Dr. Railly), Brad Pitt (Jeffrey Goines)
- Fun Fact: The eerie, disjointed style of 12 Monkeys was inspired by a French short film called La Jetée (1962), which is composed almost entirely of still images. Director Terry Gilliam used the film’s unique visual storytelling as a blueprint for 12 Monkeys, creating its haunting, dreamlike atmosphere and unconventional narrative structure.
18. Mortal Kombat
- Release Date: August 18, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Robin Shou (Liu Kang), Linden Ashby (Johnny Cage), Christopher Lambert (Raiden)
- Fun Fact: The iconic “Get over here!” line from Scorpion in the Mortal Kombat movie was actually voiced by Ed Boon, the co-creator of the Mortal Kombat video game series. Boon’s distinct delivery of the line became one of the most famous catchphrases in gaming history, and the film stayed true to its source by using his voice for Scorpion.
19. Fallen Angels
- Release Date: September 6, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Leon Lai (Wong Chi-ming), Michelle Reis (The Agent), Takeshi Kaneshiro (He Zhiwu)
- Fun Fact: The visually stunning, dreamlike cinematography of Fallen Angels was achieved using ultra-wide-angle lenses, which created a distorted, almost surreal perspective. Director Wong Kar-wai and cinematographer Christopher Doyle intentionally used this technique to emphasize the characters’ isolation and disconnection from the world around them, giving the film its unique and unforgettable visual style.
20. Bad Boys
- Release Date: April 7, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Will Smith (Mike Lowrey), Martin Lawrence (Marcus Burnett)
- Fun Fact: Bad Boys was originally written for Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz as the lead roles. However, when Will Smith and Martin Lawrence were cast, the script was rewritten to highlight their comedic chemistry and improvisation skills. This change proved to be a game-changer, as their dynamic became one of the defining elements of the film’s success and spawned a beloved action-comedy franchise.
21. The Net
- Release Date: July 28, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Sandra Bullock (Angela Bennett), Jeremy Northam (Jack Devlin)
- Fun Fact: The Net was one of the first major Hollywood films to explore the concept of online identity theft and digital privacy. Released in 1995, it was ahead of its time in predicting the dangers of the internet and cybercrime. The movie’s portrayal of hacking, online databases, and identity erasure seemed far-fetched at the time but later proved to be eerily accurate as real-world cybercrime grew more sophisticated.
22. Outbreak
- Release Date: March 10, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Dustin Hoffman (Sam Daniels), Rene Russo (Robby Keough), Morgan Freeman (Billy Ford)
- Fun Fact: The monkey that played the host of the Motaba virus in Outbreak is the same capuchin monkey that played Marcel, Ross’s pet, on Friends. The monkey, named Katie, became one of Hollywood’s most famous animal actors of the 90s, appearing in multiple TV shows and films.
23. A Goofy Movie
- Release Date: April 7, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Bill Farmer (Goofy – voice), Jason Marsden (Max Goof – voice), Jim Cummings (Pete – voice)
- Fun Fact: Powerline, the pop star in A Goofy Movie, was inspired by a mix of real-life music icons, including Prince, Michael Jackson, and Bobby Brown. The character’s hit songs “Stand Out” and “I2I” were performed by Tevin Campbell, a teen R&B sensation at the time.
24. While You Were Sleeping
- Release Date: April 21, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Sandra Bullock (Lucy Moderatz), Bill Pullman (Jack Callaghan), Peter Gallagher (Peter Callaghan)
- Fun Fact: The role of Lucy in While You Were Sleeping was originally written for Demi Moore, but Sandra Bullock convinced the filmmakers to cast her instead. Bullock felt a deep connection to the character’s loneliness and charm, and her performance became one of her most beloved roles, solidifying her status as a rom-com superstar in the 90s.
25. Die Hard with a Vengeance
- Release Date: May 19, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Bruce Willis (John McClane), Samuel L. Jackson (Zeus Carver), Jeremy Irons (Simon Gruber)
- Fun Fact: The original script for Die Hard with a Vengeance was not written as a Die Hard movie. It was a spec script called Simon Says that was intended to be a stand-alone action film. The script was reworked to fit the Die Hard franchise, with John McClane taking the lead role and Samuel L. Jackson’s character Zeus being added to create the iconic buddy-cop dynamic.
26. The Bridges of Madison County
- Release Date: June 2, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Clint Eastwood (Robert Kincaid), Meryl Streep (Francesca Johnson)
- Fun Fact: Clint Eastwood insisted on casting Meryl Streep as Francesca in The Bridges of Madison County, even though the studio wanted a younger, more “bankable” actress. Eastwood, who also directed the film, believed Streep was perfect for the role, and his instincts proved right. Her nuanced performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
27. Desperado
- Release Date: August 25, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Antonio Banderas (El Mariachi), Salma Hayek (Carolina), Joaquim de Almeida (Bucho)
- Fun Fact: Antonio Banderas performed most of his own stunts in Desperado, including the intense gunfights and acrobatic action sequences. Director Robert Rodriguez encouraged Banderas to do his own stunts to create a more authentic, gritty feel. Banderas’s fearless approach helped make Desperado a standout entry in the action genre and cemented his status as a Hollywood action star.
28. Waterworld
- Release Date: July 28, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Kevin Costner (The Mariner), Dennis Hopper (The Deacon), Jeanne Tripplehorn (Helen)
- Fun Fact: Waterworld was one of the most expensive films ever made at the time, with a production budget of around $175 million. The film’s costs skyrocketed due to massive sets built on open water, frequent weather delays, and a hurricane that destroyed much of the set. Despite being considered a box office disappointment initially, Waterworld eventually turned a profit through home video sales and has since gained a cult following.
29. The Basketball Diaries
- Release Date: April 21, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Leonardo DiCaprio (Jim Carroll), Lorraine Bracco (Jim’s mother), Mark Wahlberg (Mickey)
- Fun Fact: Leonardo DiCaprio was personally chosen by Jim Carroll, the author of The Basketball Diaries memoir, to play the lead role of Jim. Carroll believed DiCaprio could perfectly capture the raw emotion and turmoil of his teenage years. This role became one of DiCaprio’s most intense early performances and showcased his range as a dramatic actor, helping pave the way for his later success in Romeo + Juliet and Titanic.
30. To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar
- Release Date: September 8, 1995
- Actors and Roles: Patrick Swayze (Vida Boheme), Wesley Snipes (Noxeema Jackson), John Leguizamo (Chi-Chi Rodriguez)
- Fun Fact: Patrick Swayze beat out Robin Williams and Robert Downey Jr. for the role of Vida Boheme in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. To prove he could convincingly play a drag queen, Swayze dressed in full drag and filmed a screen test. His performance was so compelling that he secured the role, and his portrayal remains one of the most celebrated aspects of the film.
Hard to believe 30 movies turn 30 this year, right? It’s the perfect dose of 90s nostalgia! From animated adventures to crime dramas, these iconic films are incredible entry into the best films of the 1990s. If you’re still feeling nostalgic, don’t miss our look at Discontinued Snacks From the 90s, or check out our list of 20 Movies Turning 20 in 2025.
