It’s time to break out your Doc Martens and snap bracelets, because the ’90s are like totally back! Trends and nostalgia for the decade have gradually been reappearing, but this weekend it is all too apparent. Heating up the box office will be two films trying to reach the market who grew up with Tamagotchis and Power Rangers: the re-release of “Titanic” in 3-D and “American Reunion.”
First released in 1997, “Titanic” was arguably the biggest pop culture phenomenon of the decade. It swept the Oscars with a record 11 wins, and at its time was the highest grossing film in the history of cinema. You couldn’t enter a teenage girl’s bedroom without seeing a poster of the newly crowned heartthrob, Leonardo DiCaprio, and it was impossible to turn on the radio without hearing Céline Dion belt out “My Heart Will Go On.”
Fifteen years have since passed, and sadly, it has become something of an embarrassment to admit your love for the film. People love to pick apart the movie for its so-called “cheesy romance” and sentimental nature. I hope this rerelease lets these naysayers realize just how sweeping, beautiful and classic “Titanic” really is. It’s also not just a marketing ploy for the studio to make even more money. I doubt perfectionist director James Cameron would spend years making every single effect and detail perfect to just add a few more dollars to his already stuffed wallet.
Cameron was the one who turned 3-D into a bona fide art form with “Avatar,” so I have complete faith the revamping of his most famous film will once again cause a full-fledged frenzy.
Two years after “Titanic,” a phenomenon of its own breed was released, changing the world’s perception of baked goods in the process. Of course, I’m referring to “American Pie,” the infamous gross-out teen comedy that truly ushered in an entirely new form of humor that is now the norm in this Judd Apatow era: dick jokes with heart.
The film spawned two theatrical sequels and four direct to video spinoffs. A fourth theatrical release, “American Reunion” brings together every major character from the first movie and is released Friday. It’s earned surprisingly decent reviews and looks to be a great trip down memory lane. My first memories of the original movie consist of sneaking down to my friend’s basement to watch it with our older sisters. None of us were quite yet old enough to understand every joke, but we sure as hell laughed like we did. In high school, I decided to revisit the original trilogy to find they still hold up amazingly well.
I, for one, plan on seeing both “Titanic” and “American Reunion” this weekend. Sure, I might have only been nine years old when the ’90s ended, but I still believe it was the greatest decade there ever was. From the grunge to the bubblegum pop and cartoons to the cheesy sitcoms, ’90s pop culture holds a fond spot in many hearts.
As long as there is a reverence for the original material, I fully support this ’90s comeback. Now if only we can stop Michael Bay from ruining the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles…