Why aren't there more '90s period films?

[imsounoriginal]

Feels like Netflix is turning into a nostalgia machine and bringing back stuff from the 90s. Just saw a poster somewhere that they're bringing back Magic School Bus

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

Feels like Netflix is turning into a nostalgia machine and bringing back stuff from the 90s. Just saw a poster somewhere that they're bringing back Magic School Bus

Haven't watched it yet, but I believe it came out last year, it's called The Magic School Bus Rides Again, and has Kate Mckinnon and Lily Tomlin as voices among others.

[The Debts]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

Feels like Netflix is turning into a nostalgia machine and bringing back stuff from the 90s. Just saw a poster somewhere that they're bringing back Magic School Bus

With Kate McKinnon to boot, if I recall correctly.

[CyberpunkCentral]

Originally Posted by Splatterpunk

I agree about just playing music in the background not being enough. It's the details that matter. No cell phones, almost no internet, the clothing, the political climate, etc...

Yeah, but even that's not enough either. You watch a movie like The Perks of Being a Wallflower and you don't even think about the film being set in the 90s.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by kylor

90s in a nutshell:

I love that movie. It's a huge "guilty pleasure" of mine.

[Splatterpunk]

Originally Posted by CyberpunkCentral

Yeah, but even that's not enough either. You watch a movie like The Perks of Being a Wallflower and you don't even think about the film being set in the 90s.

Are you saying that's a positive or a negative? I actually watched that recently and enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

[Todd Tomorrow]

Originally Posted by Splatterpunk

Hmmm, I guess I would say that's why it could be cool to explore. It's a relatively unprocessed time frame and would then lend itself to untainted analysis. I think much of what's happening in American political culture right now can be traced back to the deceptively calmer waters of the '90s. The current discussions around race and gender could easily be paralleled by certain events that happened then.

The current discussions about race and gender had their start in the civil rights movement of the 60s, the 90s were just another step on the way to now. Many film makers prefer to go back to the root or to major chapters in a movement.

Just thought of another movie set in the 90s, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

[Kazutaka]

Snowtown (2011) - Official Trailer - YouTube

or you can try the TLC and Toni Braxton TV movies...

[CyberpunkCentral]

Originally Posted by Splatterpunk

Are you saying that's a positive or a negative? I actually watched that recently and enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

I love The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I'm just saying, it's hard to stylistically pin point what makes the 90s really stand out compared to other decades. And this is coming from a 90s kid.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

'90's doesn't have that strong of a nostalgic pull as other decades. Either because it's just too soon, or because it was less defined. I think we're seeing a little more 90's influence in pop culture. Bruno Mars did a 90's throwback video/song recently, Netflix has a new TV series set in the 90's (Everything Sucks!). Perhaps in 5-10 years as we get further away from that time, we'll see more films in that setting too.

Originally Posted by Todd Tomorrow

For better or for worse, I think culturally, politically and in terms of style the 60s and 80s were more distinctive and iconic than the 90s. I'm still not that sure what the 90s were about. In terms of youth culture there was grunge and rave and they still don't look that great on screen. There aren't the same amount of iconic films from that era either, which anybody wants to pay homage to the way they do to 60s and 80s films.

Yeah, I agree to an extent.

There are definitely aspects of the 90s that are/can be very nostalgic, but collectively it doesn't seem as strong as prior decades. The very early 90s almost has it's own level of nostalgia that the rest of the decade largely lacks.

Some good, iconic movies came out in the 90s, but not to the extent that did in the 80s. As we got into the mid to late 90s, while there were still good movies in the mix, we got into that era where we were getting things like Speed 2, Spawn, Batman & Robin, etc.

As my tween and teen years took place during the 90s, I do have a lot of memories and personal nostalgia for that time period. But in terms of making movies and TV shows that are heavy in nostalgia from that time period, it's hard to see that working well.

Even the examples that we have now are questionable. For instance, compare the TV shows The Goldbergs, which takes place in the 80s, and Fresh Off the Boat, which takes place in the 90s. I enjoy both shows. But the Goldbergs feels more "set" in the 80s. In addition to period specific references, the clothing styles and such really stand out. With Fresh Off the Boat, while there are period specific references and jokes that come up (a recent episode had Eddie and his friends all chip in to buy a 300-disc CD changer, and were excited at being able to access so many songs without changing discs), but aside from the times when those specific references occur, it is very easy to forget or ignore the fact that it takes place in the 90s.

It's going to be interesting another decade or two down the road to see what nostalgia for the 2000s and 2010s will be like, with so much of it being remakes, rehashes, and so forth. Things were already starting to 'creep' into that direction in the late 90s, but was further exacerbated in the years since.

[Zodokai]

Originally Posted by Splatterpunk

I wonder, though, since Gen X has a smaller voice than either the Boomers or Millennials, if that will be the case.

I think it will still happen. Artists (filmmakers, musicians, etc.) are more likely to draw on their own experiences for inspiration than not, so it's only natural that the time period in which they grew up will have an effect on or be outright portrayed in their work. Because it's generational, there will be a point in time in which these people are the new artists who will eventually "take over" for the previous generation's artists. That transitional time is right about now. Baby Boomer directors are still around and making great films, but the younger generations are beginning to come to the forefront as well.

Also, at least as far as the 90s are concerned, there is a lot of overlap between Generation X and Millennials (aka Generation Y). Gen Xers were born from the early 60s to the early 80s (making them somewhere between 10 and 30 in the mid 90s). Millennials born from the early 80s until about 2000 (15 and younger during the mid 90s). So late Xers (like you, from the sound of your first post) and early Millennials like me both share in 90s nostalgia. That nostalgia may have come from slightly different time periods in our lives (childhood vs. teenage/young adulthood), but still during our formative years and so I think that will be reflected in the films of artists from our generation(s).

[Splatterpunk]

Originally Posted by Todd Tomorrow

The current discussions about race and gender had their start in the civil rights movement of the 60s, the 90s were just another step on the way to now. Many film makers prefer to go back to the root or to major chapters in a movement.

Just thought of another movie set in the 90s, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

All I'm saying is that there's plenty of interesting comparisons that can be drawn. I think to go any further would be to get into the weeds. Yes, I enjoyed PERKS more than I thought I would!

Originally Posted by Kazutaka

Snowtown (2011) - Official Trailer - YouTube

or you can try the TLC and Toni Braxton TV movies...

I remember this coming out but I never saw it. Any good?

[Rodney-2187]

Dream of the '90s | Portlandia | IFC - YouTube

[Kazutaka]

Originally Posted by Splatterpunk

I remember this coming out but I never saw it. Any good?

Definitely worth a watch.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by rodneyfaile

Dream of the '90s | Portlandia | IFC - YouTube

I was hooked on the show after watching that. I think it was even the opening from the very first episode. Probably still my favorite thing from the show, but I love everything else about it too.

[cinemaphile]

I find it odd people are thinking of Generation X as the ones who would be all about the 90's. Generation X are the ones making the 80's the decade of choice right now. When I think of Generation X, I am thinking of my age - kids who grew up in the 80's. By the 90's we were in our twenties, and honestly I don't have any nostalgia for that time - it just felt like another decade and when I think about it doesn't seem much different than now.

[blu blood]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

I find it odd people are thinking of Generation X as the ones who would be all about the 90's. Generation X are the ones making the 80's the decade of choice right now. When I think of Generation X, I am thinking of my age - kids who grew up in the 80's. By the 90's we were in our twenties, and honestly I don't have any nostalgia for that time - it just felt like another decade and when I think about it doesn't seem much different than now.

Younger Gen Xers and older millenials(and the fabled "Oregon Trail microgeneration" to which I belong) are the ones who will be making 90s nostalgia.

[Splatterpunk]

Originally Posted by Zodokai

I think it will still happen. Artists (filmmakers, musicians, etc.) are more likely to draw on their own experiences for inspiration than not, so it's only natural that the time period in which they grew up will have an effect on or be outright portrayed in their work. Because it's generational, there will be a point in time in which these people are the new artists who will eventually "take over" for the previous generation's artists. That transitional time is right about now. Baby Boomer directors are still around and making great films, but the younger generations are beginning to come to the forefront as well.

Also, at least as far as the 90s are concerned, there is a lot of overlap between Generation X and Millennials (aka Generation Y). Gen Xers were born from the early 60s to the early 80s (making them somewhere between 10 and 30 in the mid 90s). Millennials born from the early 80s until about 2000 (15 and younger during the mid 90s). So late Xers (like you, from the sound of your first post) and early Millennials like me both share in 90s nostalgia. That nostalgia may have come from slightly different time periods in our lives (childhood vs. teenage/young adulthood), but still during our formative years and so I think that will be reflected in the films of artists from our generation(s).

It's interesting to think that maybe the blurring of the generational line has maybe contributed to the perception of the '90s being ill defined.

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

I find it odd people are thinking of Generation X as the ones who would be all about the 90's. Generation X are the ones making the 80's the decade of choice right now. When I think of Generation X, I am thinking of my age - kids who grew up in the 80's. By the 90's we were in our twenties, and honestly I don't have any nostalgia for that time - it just felt like another decade and when I think about it doesn't seem much different than now.

I guess I'm not necessarily thinking about nostalgia, although I'm not opposed to nostalgic approaches. My childhood was definitely in the '80s so I have a taste for that time period as well. I wouldn't describe myself as being particularly enthusiastic for the '90s. I just feel like it's missing from the cinematic discussion in some ways.

[esteban²]

The 90s themed movies are taking baby steps now, but it is already happening for sure. In 5 to 10 years it will have taken over the 80s trend we're going through now. It's just a matter of generations turning almost 30, that's when they start to have nostalgia attacks and want to go back and revisit that decade. We've seen it over and over again. It's coming ... Although I'm an early 80s kid, I was a teenager during the 90s and can't wait to see some of that.

[Zodokai]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

I find it odd people are thinking of Generation X as the ones who would be all about the 90's. Generation X are the ones making the 80's the decade of choice right now. When I think of Generation X, I am thinking of my age - kids who grew up in the 80's. By the 90's we were in our twenties, and honestly I don't have any nostalgia for that time - it just felt like another decade and when I think about it doesn't seem much different than now.

I agree, though like I said in my post above, I think there is some overlap between late Generation X and early Millennial in this regard. But being one of the latter and growing up during the 90s, I have nostalgia for the decade.

I also think people get a little confused about the distinction between some of the "Generations" which is understandable because the year boundaries are a little fuzzy and the naming (especially with Millennials) is a bit of a misnomer.