Film

Daniel Shmir

Mrs.Doubtfire was a movie in which the main character Dan (performed by the late Robin Williams) is divorced right after losing his job and throwing his son a huge birthday party. As redemption he pretends to be an elderly babysitter and is hired to babysit his own kids. While babysitting he learns how to cook and other things he was lacking in order to be a good father. Throughout the movie it is shown how with effort he earns the trust of his wife back and in the end they get back together. This shows the lengths that a father will go through to see his own kids and how much he loves them. I think this movie was popular because of the family values the movie portrayed.

This is a movie where there is a serial killer on the loose that kills women and then puts moths into their dead bodies. The police then turn to Hannibal Lecter knowing he thinks like a serial killer.The movie unravels as the person interviewing him finds killer while Lecter escapes (they form an intimate bond). This movie shows how a smart “badass” sort of goes and kills everyone. The way this movie is shot is like a suspense horror flick while staying a physiological film. This movie has a “badass” and shows how much people were obsessed with violence and other such things. However the main vibe of the movie is how badass can also be smart. I believe this movie did amazing because of the way it was shot and how well thought out it was.

1 year after her mother's death, Sydney , and her friends started experiencing some strange phone calls. They later learn that the calls are coming from a crazed serial killer, in a white faced mask and a large black robe, without evident motive. His phone calls usually consist of many questions, the main one being: What's your favorite scary movie? Along with many scary movie trivia, ending with bloody pieces of innocent lives scattered around the small town of Woodsboro. The movie exhibits traits of “coolness” as the friends go to a party ignoring curfews and warning. This shows “herd mentality” and how everyone just did what their friends did. I believe this movie became popular because it was horror movie that broke the "rules" that most horror movies had back then.

The ultimate encounter when mysterious and powerful aliens launch an all out invasion against the human race. The movie starts when massive spaceships appear in Earth's skies. But wonder turns to horror as the ships start destroying cities all over the planet. Now the world's only hope lies with a determined band of survivors, uniting for one last strike against the aliens, before it's the end of mankind. This movie has both a badass and a family vibe as one guy sacrifices himself for mankind and says tell my kids I love them before he dies. This shows how he would sacrifice himself for his kids. The badass vibe is represented by Will Smith as his character goes and kills an alien stealing the ship and destroying the ship's shield. I believe this movie became popular because it showed aliens and had a really compelling plot.

In the last movie a cyborg was sent from the future to kill Sarah Connor, but he failed. Now a much more powerful one sent from the future to kill Sarah's son: John Connor, the leader of the future rebels. A terminator was sent from the future once more, but this time to protect Connor. The only problem is that the terminator who was sent to kill Connor is much more powerful and clever than the one who was sent to protect him. Moreover, none can help Connor, since they do not believe in robots. Now Connor and his protector has no choice but to survive on their own. This movie has major family and badass vibes. The badass vibe is the protector of John who sports a shotgun and a bike and saves John multiple times. The family vibe is when Sarah (John’s mom) sacrifices herself but doesn’t die and is saved by the cyborg.

Music

Rachel Vildman

Nirvana

No band defined the music scene of the 1990s better than Nirvana. Arising from the Seattle “grunge” scene Nirvana struck a chord with the youth known as “Generation X,” the generation characterized as being unambitious, disaffected and cynical. “Grunge” is a sub-genre of alternative rock that combines elements of punk rock and heavy metal, which got its start the mid/late 1980s but became extremely popular in the 1990s. Lyrics were typically about one’s anxiety over life and addressed themes such as social alienation, apathy and a desire for freedom. The lead singer and songwriter of Nirvana was the infamous Kurt Cobain and their most popular song was called “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” which is considered “an anthem for apathetic kids of Generation X.” In keeping with the mood of the genre, the band grew uncomfortable with all the success and attention they started receiving and ultimately this led to the suicidal death of Kurt Cobain, breaking the hearts of the bands many devoted fans.

My Heart Will Go On- Celine Dion

“My Heart Will Go On,” music composed by James Horner, lyrics later added by Will Jennings and recorded by Celine Dion was the main theme song to James Cameron's blockbuster film Titanic. Released in 1997, the song went to number one all over the world and was included in the list of Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. Although Celine Dion was reluctant at first to record another movie theme song, this became here greatest hit. It will always stand out as an iconic song capturing the feeling of romantic longing.

Spice Girls

The spice girls were a pop girl group which formed in 1994 featuring Melanie Brown (Scary Spice), Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice), Victoria Adams A/K/A Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice), Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) and Melanie Chisholm (Sporty Spice). They became the best selling female group of all time with global gross estimates up to $500 million- $800 million by May 1998. With their “girl power theme” they became cultural icons of the 90s and their popularity was the phenomenon since The Beatles. Their popularity transcended beyond just their music, to fashion and even movies. The Spice Girls broke up at the height of their success for unknown reasons in 2001. The Spice Girls later got back together for a reunion world tour in 2007-2008.

Lou Pearlman

Louis “Lou” Pearlman, the notorious music industry record producer and manager of of the 1990s, was born in June 19, 1954 in Flushing, New York and died at the age of 62. He started Trans Continental Record with the intent to market boy bands. The label’s first band was the Backstreet Boys which consisted of five unknown young male performers who Pearlman hand selected. The Backstreet Boys became the best selling boy band of all time. He later went on to create another successful boyband called NSYNC and some other less well-known boybands. Eventually, members of the Backstreet Boys filed a lawsuit against Pearlman for fraud when they received only $300,000 for all of their work while Pearlman and his record company made millions. Lawsuits against him by his other performers followed for similar reasons. All of the cases against him were either won or settled out of court. Ultimately Pearlman wound up in jail when it was discovered in 2006 that he was behind a long running ponzi scheme that defrauded investors in over $300 million dollars. He was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in jail where he suffered a stroke and died in 2010.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey was born on March 27, 1969 in Long Island, New York. She rose to fame in 1990 and has continued to have commercial success up to the present day. In 1998, she was honored as the world’s best selling recording artist of the 1990s at the World Music Awards. One of here most famous songs, “One Sweet Day” performed with Boy Boyz II men spent a record 16 weeks at the top of the billboard top 100 in 1995-1996 and still remains the longest running number 1 song in U.S song history. Mariah Carey has had 18 number 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 14 of which were in the 1990s. Here holiday song, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is the most downloaded holiday song of all time. To date, Mariah has been nominated for 480 prestigious musical awards and has won 284 of them including 5 Grammys and 10 American Music awards.

News And Politics

Samantha Medvinsky

Iraq Invades Kuwait

In the 1990’s Iraq had invaded Kuwait. It happened on August 2 at 2 am. Iraq went to their neighbors, Kuwait, while Kuwait’s forces were overwhelmed and unprepared. Which was the perfect time for an invasion. The Kuwait leaders, rulers, government leaders, and their families all had to leave to Saudi Arabia and the Iraq were in full control over Kuwait. For that reason Iraq got 20% percent of the world’s oil reserves and, for the first time, a substantial coastline on the Persian Gulf. However, at the same time the United Nations Security Council told Iraq to stop the invasion and leave. Then on August 6 United Nations Security Council banned the trade with Iraq. At the end Bush declared that they would end the band from Iraq, of Iraq’s oil sales, if Iraq destroyed their weapons in front of the United Nations Security Council. Which they did on April 6. With George Bush’s resolution, it gave hope to the iraq that the resolution can work. Which is what made them take it.

Earthquake in Iraq

On June 21 1990, there was a terrible earthquake in Iran. It started 30 minutes before midnight while everyone was sleeping. At the Caspian Sea in northwestern Iran along the centered shore. It was a really calm night and that was all shattered by the violent quake. 20,000-square-mile area in Zanjan and Gilan was completely destroyed. The farms and sea resorts were all destroyed. Every single resident destroyed and every single building was waste, in towns along 80-mile stretch. Then in the morning a little bit of Rasht because of 6.5-magnitude aftershock. It destroyed a large part of their farmlands. People couldn’t go on the roads because it was destroyed. The people that survived under the waste couldn’t be rescued because their air was running out. About 400,000 people were left homeless and about 50,000 people were killed. As people were about to lose hope, the United States afford to help out. The Iranian government gradually accepted help from the United States. With the United States help the Iranian got there hope back and they were able to get back what was destroyed.

Bill Clinton Brings Hope to America

On Tuesday, November 3, 1992 Bill Clinton was elected as the first democratic president in 15 years. While he has been president he has made people have hope in the 90s. He has made more jobs for people. He declined crime rates, like the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement act in 1994. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement act is known as the largest crime bill in the history of the United States. So in 1994 Bill clinton signed the the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement act, which added 100,000 police officers on the force. Giving more people jobs. He also made people get more money in their jobs so they pay more taxes. By doing this and so much more, he gave lots of hope to people. They felt safe with Bill Clinton as president and they had trust in him.

John Glenn Being the Oldest Man To Go Into Space

On October 29, 1998 John Glenn became the oldest man to fly in space aboard the space shuttle Discovery, at age 77. It was a nine day mission, orbiting the Earth 134 times, to experiment how his body responded in a weightless environment. They focused on balance, perception, immune system response, bone and muscle density, metabolism, blood flow and sleep.They were also studying solar wind, and hardware for an upcoming maintenance mission on the Hubble Space Telescope. At the end, John Glenn became a hero to everyone because of his bravery, and how he gave hope to people that no matter how old you are, you can still do the impossible.

O.J. Simpson Trial

On June 12, 1994 O.J. Simpson's ex wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Lyle Goldman were both found slashed to death in Los Angeles. O.J. Simpson was later arrested for allegedly killing his wife and her friend. Then on January 25 1995 O.J. Simpson’s trial began. Everyone heard about the trial. It was on the news, all the front covers, it was everywhere. People say it was a big deal because he was a famous football player. He was known as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. His career then got bigger once he became an actor. Even after retiring from football he still was very famous. It was very shocking when the public found out that he destroyed his entire career. However, right now this wouldn’t be as big of a deal as it was in the 90’s. Which explains that not a lot of bad things happened, and the O.J. Simpson trial proves that the 90’s was a year of hope.

Television

Jessica Shekhtman

Friends

Friends shows five characters; Monica, Rachel, Joey, Ross, Chandler, Phoebe. Each character had a different dream as a career to make it in New York City, which required hope. Although most of the show is cast in a coffee shop called “Central Perk,” most of their conservations were cast under the theme of getting a job. For example, Rachel came to New York City to become a famous fashion designer, but she ended up being a waitress for about four to five years. She was hoping to get an opportunity because she sent out many resumes. Rachel learned that after you get your dream job, you have to work hard. In the episode of friends, The One with George Stephanopoulos Rachel complains about her job as a waitress to Phoebe and Monica. She learns towards the end of an episode she she needs to have hope for the future, and not give up now. This teaches viewers that to become big you have to start small and work hard.

Roseanne

Roseanne represented a poor/middle class family who had many problems in work and at home. The mom; Roseanne does all the work around the house and earning the money. Her children argue with her a lot, her husband is lazy, and Roseanne needs to have hope to believe that everything will get better or go back to normal. Not only that, Roseanne gets pregnant in the middle seasons, and her husband is very self- involved. Roseanne is the main person who supports the family. She needs to persevere through the many family/work- problems, and hope that things will get better for her family and herself.

Seinfeld

The TV show Seinfeld presents four characters Elaine, Kramer, Seinfeld and George. It takes place in New York City and everyday they need to have hope through the troubles everyday. There was an episode where Elaine lost her job, ran out of money, and George got dumped by his girlfriend. Elaine needed to have hope that everything was going to come together one point in life. She was at a really low point in her life, her self-confidence was lowered, she did not know how to go on in her life, and she needed to go on to a better life that waited for her in the future. America was presented in more of a honest way in this tv show then some types of music because it does not show the 1990s as a lala land it shows it in a honest way except comedic. America has changed over the course of tv shows because there is less racism, and beginning of more equality than in the 1940s.

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

The TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air presents the characters Uncle Phil, Aunt Viv, Hilary, Ashton, Carlton and Will. The plot line of the show was that Will moved from a bad neighborhood from Philadelphia, to a rich neighborhood to live with his uncle. Will moved to that neighborhood for hope of a better life. He always needed to have hope that he would make it in this new environment. Will was doubtful in the theme song of his new life in the neighborhood, but his family life reassured him because they were supportive. In one of the episodes he was feeling down because he was failing school and then his brother reassured him that everything was going to be fine as America was hopeful in the 1990s. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air represents how immigrants felt when the came to America and needed to have hope that they were going to survive and their life was going to be successful.

Beverly Hills 90210

The series began with the introduction of the Walsh family—Jim, Cindy, Brandon, and Brenda—who had recently moved from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Beverly Hills, California as a result of Jim's job promotion. All of their kids had to start their life anew. When the kids went to their new school, everyone else was much wealthier than them. They were put in an environment where they were the most different ones. Like a “fish out of water” experiment to see if they will work harder. They needed hope that a good opportunity would come their way so that they could be successful. Some could have felt overshadowed by their dad’s success which made them persevere even harder to live up to their parents’ expectations.

Advertising

Samantha Medvinsky

Race Advertisement

In the 90’s there were lots of advertisement for military, food, restaurants, etc. However, they did not have advertisements for race. The only advertisements their were for race was 1980’s - 1850’s and some in the 2000’s. The reason for this was because in the 90’s people had hope and peace. They didn’t believe in racist advertisement because they didn’t need them. In the 90’s everyone was politically correct, and if everyone is politically correct then they didn’t advertisements to tell them to stop being racist or keep being racist. For example in the 2000’s people were sending out advertisements for people to stop being racist.