I'm putting this into two categories: 1. Things which capture the lifestyle of the period 2. Things which capture the culture of the period (and thus things like "Rocko's Modern Life", the "Gex" video game, and such come into this. They are fantasy, but they capture some of the culture of the era).
Along with films and TV, this can also include music, video games, books, magazines, anything really.
First Kid Richie Rich Camp Nowhere Bye Bye Love Harriet the Spy Space Jam Small Soldiers Jumanji
TV:
Boy Meets World(season 1) Clarissa Explains It All The Secret World of Alex Mack Big Bad Beetleborgs Celebrity Death Match Yo! MTV Raps
Music:
Los del Rio - Macarena Will Smith - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air R. Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly Seal - Kiss from a Rose Tupac ft Dr. Dre - California Love Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy Snoop Dogg - Gin & Juice Skee-Lo - I Wish Kris Kross - Jump Shania Twain - You're Still The One Haddaway - What is Love Amber - This is your Night 2 Unlimited - Get Ready for This Chumbawamba – Tubthumping
Others:
You've Got Mail Kids for Character(I'm surprised this little movie doesn't hit home much)
I've never been to summer camp, but Camp Nowhere (1994) and Heavy Weights (1995) always take me back to being a kid in the 90's. Those movies capture the essence of childhood. Salute Your Shorts (1991) is a classic Nick show, but like a lot of early 90's shows, it seemed to have more of an 80's feel. There was a reality show about summer camp called Bug Juice (1998). It aired on the Disney Channel in 1998. I remember seeing re-runs as late as 2004.
As for videogames, I always think of those loony, strange, and all-together offbeat video games like Toejam & Earl, Boogerman, Earthworm Jim, and Parappa the Rapper.
Beverly Hills 90210 in the high school years. When I look back at the high school years I automatically think of the early 90s. Just the way the females was dressing like the flower print dresses, shirts the females wore, shorts over leggings, Levi jeans with a button up flannel or plain color shirt. The men had the mullets, or sideburns was big in the 90s. Can't forget the music that was featured on BH90210 all the dance music of the 90s, the R&B/pop music and some of the hip hop songs that was popular at the time.
Moesha is another good one especially the 90s language, the fashion like braids around the mid 90s was real popular for black girls, the purse backpacks I had me one of those like what Brandy would wear on the show, and baggy pants that men wore then instead of skinny jeans, and even females would wear baggy jeans.
Clueless is a good one that movie explains the 90s to a T.
1. Jurassic Park owned 90s film making. Was the Lord of the Rings back then. 2. Metal Gear Solid for Play Station is still the greatest game ever written. 3. The Simpsons Cartoon show over Butt Head and Beeves because it's still going. 4. The X-Files
I don't know. Television was still stuck in a Leave It to Beaver-type phase. Things seemed a little too perfect and the problems were always resolved. I think My So-Called Life was the only show to accurately depict 90's teenage life. It was just brutally honest and full of angst. It's a shame it didn't last longer.
Good thread. For movies, I'm thinking Space Jam, Jumanji, Home Alone 1 & 2, the Mask, Toy Story, and Flintstones.
TV: Definitely Boy Meets World, Fresh Prince, Saved By the Bell, Sister Sister, Dinosaurs, and pretty much any cartoon.
I'll add one comic book too, even though there are several that could be mentioned: Superboy and the Ravers. Remember leather jacket Superboy? This series had him joining an "intergalactic rave" which was an actual teen party full of super-powered teenagers of alien races. Yes, it was as nineties as it sounds. Magical times, weren't they?
---------------- "Trust me, Clark. Our friendship is going to be the stuff of legends." Lex Luthor
Beverly Hills 90210--the cast from high school years were getting mobbed @ malls.
Blossom--those hats were everywhere
Simpsons--when they were still edgy
Movie
Home Alone--one was coming out constantly
Music
Nirvana--they came out with Nevermind, and EVERYTHING changed in music scene