Netflix has tens of thousands of viewing choices and it can be somewhat overwhelming when deciding on what to watch. But if you are looking for a good comedy you can kick your shoes off and have a laugh with, with an added sprinkling of nostalgia, we’ve got you covered.
Netflix is constantly acquiring a colorful and diverse film catalog, with some of Hollywood’s most celebrated and fan-favorite comedies regularly being added. With the '90s being a hotbed for top comedy movies, from family-friendly fantasy flicks to sardonic slashers, we’ve selected 8 sidesplitting '90s comedies available to watch right now on Netflix.
8 Big Daddy (1999)
- Release Date
- June 25, 1999
- Runtime
- 93 Minutes
Big Daddy stars Adam Sandler as an irresponsible man whose life is turned around when he finds himself in the guardianship of a young boy. Perhaps not the most original of concepts, but Sandler’s portrayal of a man in disarray who is forced to quickly mature highlights his ability to blend humor with genuine warmth and gives the movie a level of comedic and emotional depth rarely found in films of this ilk.
As We Have Now Come to Expect, Adam Sandler’s Performance Was Hugely Divisive
Sandler is undeniably a talented comic actor; he has legions of dedicated fans and a huge catalogue of blockbuster hits under his belt. But he divides opinions, perhaps more than any other actor in recent memory, and this is exemplified in Big Daddy.
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The movie received mixed reviews from critics but was a huge hit at the box office. Sandler, himself, won Best Actor Awards at the MTV Movie and TV Awards, The Kids' Choice Awards, and the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, yet won the Worst Actor award at the Golden Raspberries. Similarly, the movie was nominated and won multiple best movie awards, but was also nominated for Most Painfully Unfunny Comedy at the Stinkers Bad Movie Awards.
7 The Little Rascals (1994)
- Release Date
- August 5, 1994
- Cast
- Travis Tedford , Kevin Jamal Woods , Jordan Warkol , Zachary Mabry , Ross Bagley , Courtland Mead
The Little Rascals is based on a series of short films which aired during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. The movie follows a group of young boys, who are all part of an anti-girls club, as they prepare for the local soap box derby-style race. Things get complicated, though, when a former member of the club is seen fraternizing with a girl. Shenanigans and tomfoolery ensue as the group try to split the pair up and end up learning some important life lessons.
Fun for the Whole Family
The Little Rascals is a fun, family-oriented comedy that still stands up today, despite a couple of outdated jokes and an odd cameo from Donald Trump. It’s not really groundbreaking or particularly Oscar-worthy, but if you are looking for an easy-to-watch lighthearted comedy that you can enjoy with the kids, this could be just the ticket.
6 Life (1999)
Starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence as two men wrongly convicted of murder in 1930s Mississippi, Life follows the unlikely friends as they navigate the hardships of prison life. The moviefeatures some genuinely funny moments as the leads, seasoned in the art of comedy, masterfully and hilariously bounce off each other. There’s also plenty of emotion and drama to be found, setting it aside from other works of the actors at the time.
Life Was Overshadowed by Bigger Movies the Leads Actors Were Apart Of
The '90s was a huge decade for both Murphy and Lawrence. After establishing himself as one of the biggest names in comedy in the ‘80s, Eddie Murphy had a run of blockbuster smashes in the ‘90s including Dr. Doolittle, Mulan, and The Nutty Professor. Lawrence, who started the decade as a stand-up comedian, was elevated to superstar status following his appearance in Michael Bay’s mega-hit Bad Boys.
Despite positive reappraisals of Life and it developing a small cult following, the movie went largely unnoticed at the box office, perhaps being overshadowed by its lead actors’ previous, more lighthearted, work. Fortunately, this hidden gem is now available to revisit on Netflix.
5 Matilda (1996)
- Release Date
- August 2, 1996
- Runtime
- 98
The story of Matilda centers around the titular young orphan girl, Matilda Wormwood, who is gifted with a sharp intellect and supernatural powers. She uses her abilities to help free herself, her fellow students, and her favorite teacher, Miss Honey, from their sadistic headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. The journey also draws Matilda closer to Miss Honey, with Matilda finally believing that she may find a family to take her in.
Danny Devito Delivers One of the Best Comedic Adaptations of Dahl's Work
The movie was directed and co-produced by Hollywood legend Danny DeVito, who also acted as narrator and as Matilda’s father in the film. DeVito injects it full of his customary humor and pathos, resulting in what is possibly both the funniest and the saddest Dahl adaptation.
Grounded by a gripping and rather sinister story, Matilda is a young girl who is the victim of family neglect and is terrorized by a teacher who locks disobedient schoolchildren in a closet lined with broken glass. But somehow, the movie is still tremendous fun and much of this is down to the committed performances from the cast, including Mara Wilson as Matilda, Rhea Pearlman, Embeth Davidtz, and Paul Reubens, alongside DeVito.
4 Bride of Chucky (1998)
- Release Date
- October 16, 1998
- Director
- Ronny Yu
The 4th entry in the Child’s Play series, Bride of Chucky moves away from the Andy Barclay storyline of the first three films and, instead, focuses on Chucky and his former lover, Tiffany. With their tempestuous relationship now continuing with the pair as dolls, things get bloody.
Bride of Chucky Is More a Comedy Than Its Child’s Play Predecessors
The Child’s Play movies have always contained splatterings of humor, most of which is thanks to Chucky and his over-the-top kills and sarcastic, expletive-ridden vocal delivery. It was the Bride of Chucky, though, where the creators decided to lean fully into humor and self-referential parody. Jennifer Tilly joins the cast as the titular bride alongside Brad Dourif who returns as the voice of Chucky. Both are suitably vulgar as they rack up a highly impressive body.
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3 Kicking and Screaming (1995)
Before the Oscar wins and nominations for the likes of The Squid and the Whale and Marriage Story and writing the screenplay for last year’s highest-grossing movie, Barbie, Noah Baumbach wrote and directed Kicking and Screaming. It revolves around a group of young adults who have graduated from college and are struggling to find direction and purpose and navigate adulthood.
Noah Baumbach Was an Emerging Talent Who Highlighted His Promising Potential
Full of witty dialogue and amusing situations, Baumbach successfully blends romance and drama and manages to find humor in it to create a well-rounded and strong debut feature film that was generally well-received by critics and helped set the stage for his future endeavors.
2 Bad Boys (1995)
Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, played by Will Smith and Martin Lawrence respectively, first came into the public consciousness way back in 1995 after the release of the Michael Bay-directed blockbuster action-comedy Bad Boys. The movie elevated Smith from a sitcom actor and Lawrence from a stand-up comedian and cemented them as certified Hollywood megastars.
Buddy Cop Comedy Done Right
The buddy cop genre is dependent on the chemistry of its leads and Smith and Lawrence are dripping in it. Here, the two stars as a pair of no-nonsense cops, with Burnett being the more highly strung of the duo and Lowrey being more reckless. The playful, sidesplitting, banter between the two leads remains a constant highlight throughout the movie and subsequent sequels.
1 Jumanji (1995)
- Release Date
- December 15, 1995
Recently back in the public consciousness due to a couple of legacy sequels, the original Jumanji is a wildly original fantasy-comedy based on the 1981 children's picture book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg. It follows the story of two kids who discover a magical board game that, with each throw of the dice, brings parts of a wild jungle to them. During the game, they meet Alan Parrish, a man who had been trapped inside the game for 26 years. Together, they must finish the game to reverse the chaos, facing wild animals and dangerous challenges that threaten their town.
Robin Williams Shines as Alan Parrish
While billed as a family comedy movie, it does not skimp on the scares one might expect when dealing with the dangers of a jungle in your living room. The cast does a fine job of conveying the carnage. Robin Williams, in particular, elevates proceedings by injecting Alan Parrish with not just his trademark humor and wit, but also layers of charm and vulnerability. The result is a multifaceted and relatable character in an otherwise fantastical and chaotic world.
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