I’ve been ripping my older DVDs on to my Asustor AS5402T 2 Bay NASA for local streaming via Jellyfin. One thing I noticed right off the bat is that most of my DVDs are from the 90s. Did the 90s have a lot of great movies? For sure.
The 1990s certainly was a fantastic decade for cinema, offering a diverse range of critically acclaimed and popular films. Here are a few of the best, spanning various genres:
- Pulp Fiction (1994): Quentin Tarantino’s groundbreaking crime drama, known for its nonlinear narrative, witty dialogue, and iconic soundtrack.
- The Shawshank Redemption (1994): A moving and hopeful story about friendship and perseverance in the face of adversity, adapted from Stephen King’s novel.
- Forrest Gump (1994): A heartwarming and thought-provoking film about an intellectually disabled man who experiences some of the most significant events of the 20th century.
- The Matrix (1999): A visually stunning and mind-bending science fiction action film that revolutionized special effects and storytelling.
- Saving Private Ryan (1998): A gritty and realistic portrayal of World War II, known for its intense battle sequences and emotional depth.
- Schindler’s List (1993): A powerful and moving historical drama about a German businessman who saves the lives of Jews during the Holocaust.
- Toy Story (1995): A groundbreaking animated film that brought Pixar to prominence and revolutionized the animation industry.
- Jurassic Park (1993): A thrilling and visually stunning adventure film that brought dinosaurs to life on the big screen.
- Goodfellas (1990): Martin Scorsese’s epic crime saga, known for its fast-paced editing, memorable characters, and exploration of the dark side of the American Dream.
- The Silence of the Lambs (1991): A suspenseful and terrifying thriller that features iconic performances and a chilling portrayal of serial killers.
This is just a small selection of the many great films that were released in the 1990s. It was a truly remarkable decade for cinema, with something for everyone to enjoy.
But that’s not the whole story…
Great movies and the new invention of the DVD player was only one reason I started collecting DVDs in the late 1990s. The other was the lack of video rental stores locally. Then came DVDs by mail via Netflix. Getting DVDs sent directly to our mail box changed everything.
Netflix has had many milestones since its founding in 1997, including:
- DVD-by-mail service – Netflix launched its website in 1998, offering tens of thousands of titles for subscribers to select and receive by mail.
- Subscription service – In 1999, Netflix introduced a monthly subscription service, and in 2000, it offered unlimited rentals with no late fees, shipping fees, or due dates.
- Personalized recommendations– Netflix introduced a personalized movie recommendation system in 2000 that used an algorithm to predict a user’s preferences.
- Streaming – Netflix introduced streaming in 2007, and by 2013, it had over 30 million subscribers.
Others might have used RedBox, the rental kiosks outside of grocery stores which started in 2002.
It would seem that my DVD buying habit dwindled after Netflix came along but then my collection took another turn with the birth of our son. Suddenly the collection started a new with animated films and kid movies.
It wasn’t until recently that revitalized the home theater with the purchase of a Panasonic 4k UHD Blu-ray player and started to collect some discs again with Dolby Atmos soundtracts, both blu-rays and 4k discs.