Are Movies In Store for a 1990s Renaissance?

The 1970s brought us 'American Graffiti,' a film about life in the early '60s. The '80s had 'Platoon,' about the Vietnam War. And in 1993, there was Richard Linklater's 'Dazed and Confused,' about Ben Affleck getting drunk and hazing freshmen high school teens in the late '70s. There's a pattern here: Hollywood may have a habit of rushing out craptacular nonsense before giving themselves time to fully digest their ideas, but that's (usually) not the case when it comes to handling nostalgia. In general, studios tend to ignore the past decade and obsesses over the one (or two) before that. This raises the question: when will the '90s finally get their day in the sun? 2011 is almost over, meaning we're two decades past the heyday of grunge, flannel shirts, Pogs and the first season of 'Seinfeld.' Well, judging from the slate of upcoming films, that moment seems to be here. From romance to action to music, many directors will soon put their own stamp on the era of dial-up. This weekend, Cameron Crowe will release his highly anticipated music documentary, 'Pearl Jam 20.' Crowe -- who knows a thing or two about depicting a group that's "struggling with their own limitations in the harsh face of stardom" (see: 'Almost Famous') -- chronicles the formation of the band, the chaos that ensued after they hit it big with 'Ten' and how they stepped back from the spotlight to regain their footing. Speaking of music, we were already treated to 'Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest,' earlier this year. Tribe was essential to the '90s hip-hop movement, and Michael Rapaport's documentary was a long overdue look at the rap pioneers. Also on the music doc bill is 'Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone.' Although Fishbone began at the end of the '70s, their two most successful albums were released in 1991 and 1999. The film, slated for an October premiere, will document the influential rockers from their inception to their rise to fame. Madonna is involved '90s film renaissance, as well -- though it will have nothing to do with her music. The Material Girl will double-up on the nostalgia -- not unlike what Woody Allen did with 'Midnight in Paris' -- for 'W.E.' The film, which she wrote and directed, follows a woman named Wally Winthrop (Abbie Cornish) who becomes obsessed with the love between King Edward VIII and the Duchess of Windsor (Andrea Riseborough). Despite the nod to the WWI-era monarchy, the bulk of the movie takes place in NY in 1998. Another female star known for being in front of the camera will also direct a '90s flick. In Angelina Jolie's directorial debut, 'In the Land of Blood and Honey,' the mega-star tells the story of two lovers during the Bosnian War, which occurred between 1992 and 1995. In other words, Jolie will be hitting the familiar Oliver Stone angle by using one of the decade's signature military crises to illustrate larger themes. Rounding things out are two features that were originally released in the '90s, and once again make it to the big screen (in 3D!): 'The Lion King' and 'Titanic.' 'The Lion King' is already a success, having reached No. 1 at the box office last weekend. We are still not sure how to feel about our Simba getting the 3D treatment, but it is cool to see a beloved family film getting a second go-round for a new generation of children. 'Titanic' will also get it's chance to relive the glory days. There probably won't be the same type of teenage-girl hysteria for Jack and Rose this time around, though James Cameron is likely to have a few 3D tricks up his sleeve. After all, the director received rave reviews from the footage he showed back in June at CineEurope. 'Titanic 3D' won't hit theaters until April 2012. We still haven't heard of any 'Ghostwriter' films or Pixar movie about boomboxes in the works, but we will definitely keep you updated if something breaks. Until then, listen to some Nirvana, drink some Crystal Pepsi and bask in the glory that was the 1990s. Pearl Jam photo by Danny Clinch

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