Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
The Moment: Estate agent troubleshooter Blake (Alec Baldwin) arrives at the offices of Mitch & Murray to explain to the staff the rules for the month ahead. "First prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired."
Only In The '90s: Alec Baldwin waltzes into a film starring Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey and Jack Lemmon and steals the whole thing in a single scene.
If It Was Made Today: It'd be impossible to cast Baldwin without thinking of 30 Rock 's Jack Donaghy.
Being John Malkovich (1999)
The Moment: John Malkovich discovers that Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) has turned the inside of his head into a tourist attraction, and decides to have a go: "Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich."
Only In The '90s: Such is the hunger for originality that somebody gives the green light to Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze.
If It Was Made Today: You still wouldn't believe that somebody would come up with this stuff, let alone convince Malkovich to star in it.
A Few Good Men (1992)
The Moment: "You can't handle the truth!" Col. Jessop (Jack Nicholson) tells Danny Kaffee (Tom Cruise). But when the truth is that Tom can take on Jack and win, he can probably handle anything.
Only In The '90s: Aaron Sorkin could write the big speeches without anybody knowing who he was.
If It Was Made Today: They'd have to rewrite the courtroom scenes to turn them into a Sorkin-style "walk and talk."
American Pie (1999)
The Moment: Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs) tries to find out whether third base really does feel like warm apple pie, only to be caught cuddling dessert by his dad (Eugene Levy).
Only In The '90s: Sweet and sour could be mixed so deftly in a comedy that was as romantic as it was gross.
If It Was Made Today: Time for a Reunion , obviously.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
The Moment: Jerry (Tom Cruise) tries to persuade Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr) to keep him as his agent, but the football player only wants to know one thing. "Show me the money!"
Only In The '90s: A brief international craze for shouting the one-liner that swept Cuba to an Oscar.
If It Was Made Today: The catchphrase would be hashtag-flash-your-cash.
Fargo (1996)
The Moment: Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand) finally tracks down the kidnappers, only to find that Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stomare) is feeding his partner Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi) into a woodchipper.
Only In The '90s: The Coens' piss-take of "based on a true story" movies proves so successful that their editing pseudonym, Roderick Jaynes, earns an Oscar nomination.
If It Was Made Today: It's actually happening - the Coens are exec-producing a TV spin-off.
The Lion King (1994)
The Moment: Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella) teach Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) about Hakuna Matata - "What a wonderful phrase, ain't no passing craze, it means no worries for the rest of your days."
Only In The '90s: The top-grossing movie of the year could be a traditional 2D animation.
If It Was Made Today: The inevitable 3D makeover has already happened.
Braveheart (1995)
The Moment: Woad-dyed William Wallace (Mel Gibson) rouses the sons of Scotland before battle. "They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom!"
Only In The '90s: Mel Gibson: global megastar, Oscar-winning director and underdog-championing historian.
If It Was Made Today: Er... where do you want us to start?
Mission: Impossible (1996)
The Moment: Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) knocks how to make an entrance - through the roof, hanging from a wire, silent as the grave. One false move and every alarm in Langley will go off.
Only In The '90s: A blockbuster franchise could still be built on a genuine A-list star.
If It Was Made Today: Check out Ghost Protocol . Cruise still liking dangling from things, the more dangerous the better.
Fight Club (1999)
The Moment: Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) gets all fin de siècle as he plots Project Mayhem. "We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off."
Only In The '90s: David Fincher decides that pre-millennial tension means doing everything possible to break up the old way of making films.
If It Was Made Today: It'd make a great 'American recession' double-bill with Killing Them Softly .
