It’s May, 1996. The Chicago Bulls just won a record-breaking 72 NBA games and are on their way to another championship. Welsh singer Donna Lewis’ hit ‘I Love You Always Forever’ is climbing the pop charts. Bob Dole is the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential candidate ahead of the 1996 election (which he will lose). And people are still talking about that Independence Day teaser that aired during Super Bowl XXX in late January. The one where the White House is blown up by an alien space laser. Before long, Will Smith would become the biggest movie star in the world.
Let us take you back to the movie summer of 1996, where the breadth of options were diverse and exciting. In the space of three short months, Tom Cruise produces his first blockbuster, Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in one of his final action hits, Robert Altman directs one of his most personal films and biggest financial failures and Nicole Holofcener makes her first feature. The comic book movie subgenre appeared dead, and the Disney animation hit machine was as strong as ever. All of the above plus the ascension of both Danny Boyle and Peter Jackson. And barely a sequel in sight! Below, in chronological order, we highlight ten films from the summer of 1996 that were hits with a lasting cultural imprint, and ten that may not have hit at first, but are worthy of rediscovery.
