Movie Releases by User Score

Secrets & Lies 1.

Secrets & Lies

September 27, 1996 | R
A middle-aged London factory worker is shocked when the mixed-race daughter she gave up at birth decides to track her down. At first she denies she is her mother. All family members become emotional, as everyone's secrets are exposed.
Metascore:
91
User Score:
8.2
Microcosmos 2.

Microcosmos

October 9, 1996 | G
A documentary on insect life in meadows and ponds.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
tbd
Shine 3.

Shine

November 20, 1996 | PG-13
Inspired by the troubled but ultimately triumphant life of classical pianist David Helfgott, Shine focuses on Helfgott's painful retreat into a private world while still in his early 20's and on the brink of a glittering international career. Spanning the 1950's to the 1980's, Shine dramatizes the deeply moving way in which Helfgott, after a decade of obscurity, achieves both personal and professional fulfillment through the love and support of a remarkable woman. (Fine Line Features)
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.3
The English Patient 4.

The English Patient

November 15, 1996 | R
An epic film of adventure, intrigue, betrayal and love about four strangers whose diverse lives become inextricably connected. (Miramax Films)
Metascore:
87
User Score:
7.3
Fargo 5.

Fargo

March 8, 1996 | R
Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has landed himself deep into debt. Desperate for money, he hires two inept crooks to kidnap his own wife in the hope that her wealthy father will pay the ransom, giving him enough cash to pay off his associates and clear his debts.
Metascore:
86
User Score:
8.6
Sling Blade 6.

Sling Blade

November 27, 1996 | Not Rated
A southern gothic tale about a man named Karl (Thornton), who's just been released from an asylum -- some 25 years after he committed a gruesome crime. He returns to the southern town of his youth, where his quiet, gentle manner and simple charm land him a job and lead him to an unlikely friendship with a young boy (Black) and his widowed mother. When the mother's abusive boyfriend appears, however, this simple man is thrust into a combustible dilemma that has powerful, moving consequences for all. (Miramax Films)
Metascore:
84
User Score:
8.3
Get on the Bus 7.

Get on the Bus

October 16, 1996 | R
Get on the Bus follows a group of different men traveling from Los Angeles to the Million Man Marchc in Washington, D.C. On the way, they will make friends, make enemies and make history.
Metascore:
84
User Score:
tbd
Trainspotting 8.

Trainspotting

July 19, 1996 | R
Renton (Ewan McGregor), a twenty-something junkie, is deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene. He must choose to clean up and get out, or continue following the allure of the drugs and the influence of friends.
Metascore:
83
User Score:
8.7
Welcome to the Dollhouse 9.

Welcome to the Dollhouse

March 22, 1996 | R
Welcome to the Dollhouse is a stark suburban comedy about 11-year-old Dawn Wiener (Matarazzo), a middle child in middle school in the middle of New Jersey. (Sony Pictures Classics)
Metascore:
83
User Score:
7.8
When We Were Kings 10.

When We Were Kings

October 25, 1996 | PG
An unforgettable account of the "Rumble in the Jungle," this Oscar-winning film captures all the magic of Muhammad Ali at the peak of his triumphant career. (Universal)
Metascore:
83
User Score:
8.5
Cold Comfort Farm 11.

Cold Comfort Farm

May 10, 1996 | PG
A young woman orphaned in London is forced to take up residence with a group of oddball relatives at their farm.
Metascore:
82
User Score:
7.9
Breaking the Waves 12.

Breaking the Waves

November 13, 1996 | R
Set in a remote coastal village in northern Scotland, this is the extraordinary tale of a young woman's love and devotion to her husband, recently paralyzed in an oil rig accident.
Metascore:
81
User Score:
8.0
Flirting with Disaster 13.

Flirting with Disaster

March 22, 1996 | R
In a quest to find his biological parents, Mel Coplin (Stiller) -- joined by his wife (Arquette) and a sexy adoption counselor (Leoni) -- embarks on a cross country search for his "roots." (Miramax)
Metascore:
81
User Score:
7.8
Ridicule 14.

Ridicule

November 22, 1996 | R
To get royal backing on a needed drainage project, a poor French lord must learn to play the delicate games of wit at court at Versailles.
Metascore:
80
User Score:
tbd
Big Night 15.

Big Night

September 20, 1996 | R
The story of two Italian brothers, Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Stanley Tucci), who immigrated to America with the dream of running a successful restaurant. As their business struggles, they pin all of their hopes on a lavish banquet honoring star vocalist Louis Prima, who a friend has promised to bring to the restaurant.
Metascore:
80
User Score:
8.4
The People vs. Larry Flynt 16.

The People vs. Larry Flynt

December 25, 1996 | R
Woody Harrelson stars as publishing maverick Larry Flynt, who becomes the unlikely champion of the First Amendment when he takes his fight against the Rev. Jerry Falwell all the way to the Supreme Court. (Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Metascore:
79
User Score:
8.4
Thieves 17.

Thieves

December 25, 1996 | R
The fates of four different people - a thief, a cop, a female professor of philosophy, a suicidal girl - unexpectedly collide.
Metascore:
79
User Score:
tbd
Chungking Express 18.

Chungking Express

March 8, 1996 | PG-13
Wong Kar-Wai's movie about two love-struck cops is filmed in impressionistic splashes of motion and color. The first half deals with Cop 223, who has broken up with his girlfriend of five years. He purchases a tin of pineapples with an expiration date of May 1 each day for a month. By the end of that time, he feels that he will either be rejoined with his love or that it too will have expired forever. The second half shows Cop 663 dealing with his breakup with his flight attendant girlfriend. He talks to his apartment furnishings until he meets a new girl at a local lunch counter.
Metascore:
78
User Score:
8.3
Lone Star 19.

Lone Star

June 21, 1996 | R
The unearthing of human bones and a rusty sheriff's badge on a rifle range in a Texas border town resurrects painful memories for a young lawman (Cooper), drawing him into an intricate, fascingatingly woven web of ethical, familial, and intercultural conflicts.
Metascore:
78
User Score:
7.7
James and the Giant Peach 20.

James and the Giant Peach

April 12, 1996 | TV-G
After the daring rescue of a spider, a young boy named James finds gains possession of some magic crocodile tongues. When James spills them in the garden, out sprouts an enormous peach! Climbing inside, he meets an astonishing cast of characters and embarks on a magical odyssey full of thrills and adventure. [Disney]
Metascore:
78
User Score:
6.6
Courage Under Fire 21.

Courage Under Fire

April 12, 1996 | R
Lt. Colonel Serling (Washington) is sent home from the Gulf War and soon becomes embroiled in intrigue when he investigates the circumstances surrounding the death of medal-of-honor candidate Capt. Karen Walden (Ryan). (Twentieth Century Fox)
Metascore:
77
User Score:
6.6
Fly Away Home 22.

Fly Away Home

September 13, 1996 | PG
A father and daughter decide to attempt to lead a flock of orphaned Canada Geese south by air.
Metascore:
77
User Score:
tbd
Jerry Maguire 23.

Jerry Maguire

December 13, 1996 | R
Maguire (Cruise), a high-powered sports agent, is enchanted by a young mother (Zellweger) who believes in him and oversees the career comeback of his struggling football player client Ron Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.).
Metascore:
77
User Score:
8.2
Trees Lounge 24.

Trees Lounge

October 11, 1996 | R
Tommy is an unemployed mechanic who spends most of his time in a bar (Trees Lounge) in a small blue collar town. He seems to always be thinking, "If only X then I could stop drinking".
Metascore:
76
User Score:
6.8
Ghost in the Shell 25.

Ghost in the Shell

March 29, 1996 | TV-MA
In the year 2029, cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of “The Puppet Master”—a mysterious and threatening computer virus is capable of infiltrating human hosts. Working closely with her fellow agents from Section 9, the Major embarks on a high-tech race against time to capture the omnipresent entity.
Metascore:
76
User Score:
8.5
Heavy 26.

Heavy

June 5, 1996 | R
This poignant film centers around an overweight chef at a rust-belt tavern.
Metascore:
75
User Score:
5.4
The Flower of My Secret 27.

The Flower of My Secret

March 8, 1996 | R
Leo (Paredes), a writer of romance novels under the name Amanda Gris, is unable to write a happy ending for her latest novel after realizing her marriage to Paco (Arias) is ending. She finds a job as a book reviewer witht he help of her best friend Betty (Elias) and meets Angel (Echanove), an Amanda Gris fan who persuades her to review her own book.
Metascore:
75
User Score:
7.4
The Crucible 28.

The Crucible

November 27, 1996 | TV-PG
A Salem resident attempts to frame her ex-lover's wife for being a witch in the middle of the 1692 witchcraft trials.
Metascore:
75
User Score:
tbd
I Shot Andy Warhol 29.

I Shot Andy Warhol

May 1, 1996 | R
In 1968, mad, radical-feminist genius Valerie Solanas shot pop-art icon Andy Warhol, seriously wounding him. This film traces her bizarre life leading to that moment, including the writing of her "SCUM Manifesto," which decrees males biologically obsolete. [MGM]
Metascore:
75
User Score:
7.3
Bastard Out of Carolina 30.

Bastard Out of Carolina

December 15, 1996 | R
An unflinching tale about a young girl who suffers terribly at the hands of her stepfather.
Metascore:
75
User Score:
7.4
Twelve Monkeys 31.

Twelve Monkeys

January 5, 1996 | R
Between sanity and madness, fantasy and reality, the past and the future, comes an adventure beyond imagination from Terry Gilliam, the acclaimed director of "The Fisher King." Penal colony prisoner James Cole (Willis) must travel back in time from the year 2035 to find the cause of a virus that killed five billion people in 1997. (Universal)
Metascore:
74
User Score:
8.6
The Hunchback of Notre Dame 32.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

June 21, 1996 | G
A deformed bell-ringer must assert his independence from a vicious government minister in order to help his friend, a gypsy dancer.
Metascore:
74
User Score:
7.8
Matilda 33.

Matilda

August 2, 1996 | PG
Story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher vs. the worst parents ever and the worst school principal imaginable.
Metascore:
72
User Score:
7.6
The Birdcage 34.

The Birdcage

March 8, 1996 | R
Mike Nichols remakes "La Cage Aux Folles." The comedy features a flamboyant gay couple (Williams and Lane) who attempt to "play it straight" for their son's prospective in-laws.
Metascore:
72
User Score:
7.7
A Family Thing 35.

A Family Thing

March 29, 1996 | PG-13
Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones portray long-lost brothers in this compelling and poignant family drama about a white Southerner whose identity is shaken after he learns that his natural mother was black. (MGM)
Metascore:
71
User Score:
7.8
Swingers 36.

Swingers

October 18, 1996 | R
Set in the back streets and sometimes hidden clubs of Hollywood, Swingers is an ensemble comedy about five guys, all in their twenties, all coping with the mysteries of life and women. (Miramax Films)
Metascore:
71
User Score:
4.2
That Thing You Do! 37.

That Thing You Do!

October 4, 1996 | PG
Set in the 1964 and steeped in Americana, this film chronicles the meteoric rise -- and equally quick demise -- of a music group called The Wonders. [Fox]
Metascore:
71
User Score:
7.8
Star Trek: First Contact 38.

Star Trek: First Contact

November 22, 1996 | PG-13
Picard orders the Enterprise to follow the Borg back in time to stop them from destroying the Phoenix, Earth's first warp-speed vessel. (Paramount Pictures)
Metascore:
71
User Score:
7.9
Twister 39.

Twister

May 10, 1996 | PG-13
The largest storm to hit Oklahoma in more than half a century is brewing, and it promises to drop multiple twisters into Tornado Alley. It's the storm that two rival groups of scientists have been waiting for to earn their place in meteorological history. [Warner Bros.]
Metascore:
68
User Score:
7.1
Jude 40.

Jude

October 18, 1996 | R
In 19th-century England, Jude (Eccleston) and his cousin Sue (Winslet) are ostracized when they have children together after leaving their spouses.
Metascore:
68
User Score:
7.3
Marvin's Room 41.

Marvin's Room

December 18, 1996 | PG-13
Seventeen years ago, fiercely independent Lee (Streep) left home ... and left behind her kindhearted sister Bessie (Keaton) to care for their father, Marvin (Cronyn). But now Lee is returning with her teenage son (DiCaprio), for a homecoming that's sure to turn the entire household upside down. (BV Entertainment)
Metascore:
68
User Score:
8.0
Bottle Rocket 42.

Bottle Rocket

February 21, 1996 | R
Three best friends attempt to escape their suburban boredom through a life of crime. But these bickering, bumbling thieves are no match for the local "godfather" who leads them into the biggest heist of their careers. [Sony Pictures]
Metascore:
67
User Score:
8.5
Walking and Talking 43.

Walking and Talking

July 17, 1996 | R
This comedy follows the hilarious antics of four friends looking for love in the '90s. (BV Entertainment)
Metascore:
67
User Score:
5.4
As Tears Go By (1988) 44.

As Tears Go By (1988)

April 19, 1996 | Not Rated
Mid-level gangster Wah falls in love with his beautiful cousin, but must also continue to protect his volatile partner-in-crime and friend, Fly.
Metascore:
67
User Score:
tbd
Emma 45.

Emma

August 2, 1996 | PG
Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Emma, Jane Austen’s classic heroine, a mischievous young beauty who sets up her single friends. (BV Entertainment)
Metascore:
66
User Score:
8.2
The Trigger Effect 46.

The Trigger Effect

August 30, 1996 | R
A blackout leaves those affected to consider what is necessary, what is legal, and what is questionable, in order to survive in a predatory environment.
Metascore:
66
User Score:
6.2
Restoration 47.

Restoration

February 2, 1996 | R
The exiled royal physician to King Charles II devotes himself to helping Londoners suffering from the plague, and in the process falls in love with an equally poor woman.
Metascore:
66
User Score:
tbd
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie 48.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

April 19, 1996 | PG-13
Mike Nelson and his robot companions watch and give their comments about "This Island Earth".
Metascore:
65
User Score:
7.3
Basquiat 49.

Basquiat

August 9, 1996 | R
Basquiat chronicles the meteoric rise to fame of the gifted and charismatic young New York artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat, as he emerged from the streets of the East Village to become an internationally renowned sensation. (BV Entertainment)
Metascore:
65
User Score:
6.7
Scream 50.

Scream

December 20, 1996 | R
After a series of mysterious deaths befalls their small town, an offbeat group of friends led by Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) become the target of a masked killer. As the body count begins to rise, Sydney and her friends find themselves contemplating the "Rules" of horror films as they find themselves living in a real-life one. [Miramax]
Metascore:
65
User Score:
8.6
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America 51.

Beavis and Butt-Head Do America

December 20, 1996 | PG-13
Beavis and Butt-head hit the road in search of their stolen TV and get mistaken for hit-men hired to "do" a man's sexy wife (Moore). In the pursuit of their misunderstood task, the duo tour the country from Vegas, to the Grand Canyon, and finally to D.C. where Beavis' alter-ego Cornholio makes his last stand at the White House.
Metascore:
64
User Score:
7.4
The Truth About Cats & Dogs 52.

The Truth About Cats & Dogs

April 26, 1996 | PG-13
Abby, a talk-radio veterinarian whose self-perceived lack of attractiveness masks her wit and warmth, recruits her neighbor, the beautiful but not so bright Noelle, to act as her stand-in when she makes a date over the phone with Brian. Cyrano-like complications ensue when the charade goes too far and both women fall for Brian, who is attracted to the combination of Abby’s personality and Noelle’s beauty. (Fox)
Metascore:
64
User Score:
8.1
Beautiful Girls 53.

Beautiful Girls

February 9, 1996 | R
An all-star cast sparks this comedy about a group of old friends whose 10-year high school reunion creates some unexpected surprises. (Miramax)
Metascore:
64
User Score:
8.6
Muppet Treasure Island 54.

Muppet Treasure Island

February 16, 1996 | G
The Muppets' twist on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of a young orphan who becomes involved with pirate Long John Silver.
Metascore:
64
User Score:
7.4
Citizen Ruth 55.

Citizen Ruth

December 13, 1996 | R
A hilarious, provocative look at what happens when a sperm meets an egg and sparks fly. (Miramax)
Metascore:
64
User Score:
6.0
Executive Decision 56.

Executive Decision

March 15, 1996 | R
When terrorists seize control of an airliner, an intelligence analyst accompanies a commando unit for a midair boarding operation.
Metascore:
62
User Score:
7.0
Set It Off 57.

Set It Off

November 6, 1996 | R
Desperation drives four inner-city women to bank robbery in Los Angeles, then they start mistrusting each other.
Metascore:
62
User Score:
tbd
The Nutty Professor 58.

The Nutty Professor

June 28, 1996 | PG-13
Eddie Murphy stars as Dr. Sherman Klump, a kind, 'calorically challenged' genetics professor who longs to shed his 400-pound frame in order to win the heart of beautiful Jada Pinkett. So, with one swig of his experimental fat-reducing serum, Sherman becomes 'Buddy Love', a fast-talking, pumped-up, plumped-down Don Juan. Can Sherman stop his buff alter ego before it's too late, or will Buddy have the last laugh? (Universal)
Metascore:
62
User Score:
6.9
Dead Man 59.

Dead Man

May 10, 1996 | R
In search of a fresh start, William Blake embarks on an exciting journey to a new town, never realizing the danger that lies ahead. When a heated love triangle ends in double murder, Blake finds himself a wanted man, running scared—until a mysterious loner teaches him to face the dangers that follow a "dead man." [BV Entertainment]
Metascore:
62
User Score:
7.2
City Hall 60.

City Hall

February 16, 1996 | R
The accidental shooting of a boy in New York leads to an investigation by the Deputy Mayor, and unexpectedly far-reaching consequences.
Metascore:
62
User Score:
tbd
Butterfly Kiss 61.

Butterfly Kiss

April 26, 1996
Eunice wanders the English countryside looking for Judith. Miriam takes pity on Eunice and decides to assist in her search. But when Eunice's sociopathic tendencies lead to bloodshed, Miriam tries to help her find her soul too, all the while slowly losing her own.
Metascore:
61
User Score:
tbd
Bound 62.

Bound

October 4, 1996 | R
A provocative and passionate thriller from the creators of the Matrix series.
Metascore:
61
User Score:
8.6
Broken Arrow 63.

Broken Arrow

February 9, 1996 | R
A traitorous Air Force major hijacks two nuclear warheads with the intent to extort money from the government. But his plans are complicated by his co-pilot and a park ranger determined to recover the Broken Arrow.
Metascore:
61
User Score:
3.4
Freeway 64.

Freeway

August 23, 1996 | NC-17
In this updated version of Little Red Riding Hood, the main character is actually a hood and the wolf is a serial killer in sheep's clothing.
Metascore:
61
User Score:
6.0
Rumble in the Bronx 65.

Rumble in the Bronx

February 23, 1996 | R
When a tourist from Hong Kong comes to New York City to attend his uncle's wedding, his plans include a little relaxation, sight-seeing and helping out around the family grocery store. But somebody forgot to tell him that the market was located in the middle of the South Bronx. (New Line Cinema)
Metascore:
61
User Score:
8.0
The Portrait of a Lady 66.

The Portrait of a Lady

December 24, 1996 | PG-13
Isabel Archer (Nicole Kidman), a head strong American finds herself trapped in a marriage to Gilbert Osmond (John Malkovich).
Metascore:
60
User Score:
6.0
Ransom 67.

Ransom

November 8, 1996 | R
In this action-thriller, Mel Gibson stars as Tom Mullen, a wealthy executive whose charmed life is suddenly shattered when his young son is abducted and held for ransom by a gang of ruthless criminals. (BV Entertainment)
Metascore:
60
User Score:
2.1
Tin Cup 68.

Tin Cup

August 16, 1996 | R
Ron Shelton ("Bull Durham") directs Kevin Costner and Rene Russo in another sports tale about coulda been golf contender's romantic pursuit of a psychiatrist and his attempt to prove himself.
Metascore:
60
User Score:
8.1
The Neon Bible 69.

The Neon Bible

March 1, 1996 | Not Rated
While on a train, a teenage boy thinks about his life and the flamboyant aunt whose friendship acted as an emotional shield from his troubled family. This film evokes the haunting quality of memory while creating a heartfelt portrait of a boy's life in a rural 1940s Southern town.
Metascore:
60
User Score:
tbd
Stealing Beauty 70.

Stealing Beauty

June 14, 1996 | R
Liv Tyler stars as a nineteen-year old beauty who summers at a villa in Tuscany with a variety of artistic types after the death of her mother, who had stayed there years earlier.
Metascore:
60
User Score:
7.3
Michael Collins 71.

Michael Collins

October 11, 1996 | R
In Ireland, where national pride is a passion akin to religion and romantic love, one man became a legend for his fierce devotion to his land and its independence. Liam Neeson stars as Michael Collins in a story about the real-life patriot whose bravery and unswerving dedication to the Irish people changed history as it made him into a legend. Collins' quest would bring a man raised on war into an even more dangerous battle for peace. It would cost him his life but would make him a hero for the ages. (Warner Bros.)
Metascore:
60
User Score:
7.4
Romeo + Juliet 72.

Romeo + Juliet

November 1, 1996 | PG-13
Baz Luhrmann's dazzling and unconventional adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic love story is spellbinding. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes portray Romeo and Juliet, the youthful star-crossed lovers of the past who now meet in the futuristic urban backdrop of Verona Beach. Their two rival families, the Montaques and the Capulets, are now gangs and every other aspect of life surrounding Romeo and Juliet's tragic love affair has moved from its Elizabethan origins to a decidedly contemporary, brilliantly stylized reality. (Fox)
Metascore:
60
User Score:
6.3
Space Jam 73.

Space Jam

November 15, 1996 | PG
Bugs Bunny has gotten himself and his Looney Tunes cohorts into a jam by facing off against the Nerdlucks, a grouchy gang of tiny space creatures who land on Earth. The Nerdlucks, dispatched by their boss, the ruthless, belligerent Swackhammer, intend to kidnap and export the Looney Tunes to Moron Mountain, Swackhammer's failing theme park on the Nerdlucks' boring planet. Bugs has challenged the small, weak aliens to a fateful basketball tournament: if the Looney Tunes win, they'll remain on Earth. But if the aliens win, Bugs and company are headed into the hands of Swackhammer. When Bugs does discover what he's up against, he knows he needs some serious help. But where can he go? Basketball's best players are all having their skills "absorbed" by the aliens. Of course, there's a baseball player he happens to know...
Metascore:
59
User Score:
7.1
Mr. Holland's Opus 74.

Mr. Holland's Opus

January 19, 1996 | PG
A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher.
Metascore:
59
User Score:
6.3
Mission: Impossible 75.

Mission: Impossible

May 22, 1996 | PG-13
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is a secret agent framed for the deaths of his espionage team. Fleeing from government assassins, breaking into the CIA's most impenetrable vault, clinging to the roof of a speeding bullet train, Hunt races like a burning fuse to stay one step ahead of his pursuers... and draw one step closer to discovering the shocking truth. [Paramount]
Metascore:
59
User Score:
7.9
Independence Day 76.

Independence Day

July 3, 1996 | PG-13
Mysterious and powerful aliens launch an all-out invasion against the human race. The spectacle begins when massive spaceships appear in Earth's skies. But wonder turns to terror as the ships blast destructive beams of fire down on 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 invaders - before it's the end of all mankind. [20th Century Fox]
Metascore:
59
User Score:
6.8
The First Wives Club 77.

The First Wives Club

September 20, 1996 | PG
Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton portray mid-life Manhattanites who have more than a longtime friendship in common. After years of helping their hubbies climb the ladder of success, each has been dumped for a newer, curvier model. But the trio is determined to turn their pain into gain. They come up with a cleverly devious plan to hit their exes where it really hurts - in the wallet. (Paramount Pictures)
Metascore:
58
User Score:
7.1
The Rock 78.

The Rock

June 7, 1996 | R
All of San Francisco is taken hostage when a vengeful general (Ed Harris) seizes control of Alcatraz Island, threatening to launch missiles loaded with deadly poison gas. With time running out, only a young FBI chemical weapons expert (Nicolas Cage) and a notorious federal prisoner (Sean Connery) have the skills to penetrate the island fortress and defuse the lethal situation. [Buena Vista Entertainment]
Metascore:
58
User Score:
8.6
Kansas City 79.

Kansas City

August 16, 1996 | R
Robert Altman's jazz-fueled film explores themes of love, crime, race, and politics in 1930's Kansas City.
Metascore:
57
User Score:
7.6
A Very Brady Sequel 80.

A Very Brady Sequel

August 23, 1996 | PG-13
The Bradys receive a surprise visit when a man claiming to be Carol's long-lost first husband shows up at their residence, the family question his motives.
Metascore:
56
User Score:
6.4
Extreme Measures 81.

Extreme Measures

September 27, 1996 | R
A young doctor confronts a famous colleague when he learns about the true methods of his work.
Metascore:
56
User Score:
tbd
The Arrival 82.

The Arrival

May 31, 1996 | PG-13
Zane (Charlie Sheen), an astronomer, discovers intelligent alien life. But the aliens are keeping a deadly secret, and will do anything to stop Zane from learning it.
Metascore:
56
User Score:
6.3
One Fine Day 83.

One Fine Day

December 20, 1996 | PG
The lives of two strangers and their young children unexpectedly intersect on one hectic, stressful day in New York City.
Metascore:
56
User Score:
tbd
The Cable Guy 84.

The Cable Guy

June 14, 1996 | PG-13
A lonely and disturbed cable guy raised on television just wants a new friend, but his target, a designer, rejects him, with bad consequences.
Metascore:
56
User Score:
8.1
2 Days in the Valley 85.

2 Days in the Valley

September 27, 1996 | R
48 hours of intersecting lives and crimes in Los Angeles.
Metascore:
56
User Score:
tbd
Eraser 86.

Eraser

June 21, 1996 | R
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as the best of the elite federal marshals working for the Federal Witness Protection Program, one of the government's most clandestine agencies. When all hope is gone, he moves in and saves the lives of those at risk by eliminating all evidence of their existence. He will do anything to keep his witnesses safe. Operating in secrecy by necessity and anonymity by design, he is United States Marshal John Kruger. John Kruger is "Eraser." (Warner Bros.)
Metascore:
56
User Score:
7.5
The Craft 87.

The Craft

May 3, 1996 | R
A newcomer to a Catholic prep high school falls in with a trio of outcast teenage girls who practice witchcraft, and they all soon conjure up various spells and curses against those who anger them.
Metascore:
55
User Score:
8.2
Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy 88.

Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy

April 19, 1996 | R
A pharmaceutical scientist creates a pill that makes people remember their happiest memory, and although it's successful, it has unfortunate side effects.
Metascore:
55
User Score:
8.5
Surviving Picasso 89.

Surviving Picasso

September 20, 1996 | R
A cinematic portrayal of Francoise Gilot's (McElhone) relationship with Picasso (Hopkins).
Metascore:
55
User Score:
8.5
Dunston Checks In 90.

Dunston Checks In

January 12, 1996 | PG
A 5-star hotel turns into a 3-ring circus when an orangutan named Dunston checks in! Dodging his jewel-thieving owner and the frantic hotel manager, Dunston is befriended by the manager's ten-year old son, Kyle, who is determined to help his new friend escape.
Metascore:
54
User Score:
5.2
A Time to Kill 91.

A Time to Kill

July 24, 1996 | R
A murder trial brings a small Mississippi town's racial tensions to the flashpoint. Amid a frenzy of activist marches, Klan terror, media clamor and brutal riots, an unseasoned but idealistic young attorney mounts a stirring courtroom battle for justice. (Warner Bros.)
Metascore:
54
User Score:
8.5
Escape from L.A. 92.

Escape from L.A.

August 9, 1996 | R
Snake Plissken is once again called in by the United States government to recover a potential doomsday device from Los Angeles, now an autonomous island where undesirables are deported.
Metascore:
54
User Score:
6.1
Multiplicity 93.

Multiplicity

July 17, 1996 | PG-13
A man who never has enough time for the things he wants to do is offered the opportunity to have himself duplicated.
Metascore:
53
User Score:
tbd
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood 94.

Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood

January 12, 1996 | Unrated
A parody of several U.S. films about being in the 'Hood', for instance Boyz n the Hood (1991), South Central (1992), Menace II Society (1993), Higher Learning (1995) and Juice (1992).
Metascore:
53
User Score:
5.8
The Phantom 95.

The Phantom

June 7, 1996 | PG
The Phantom, descendent of a line of African superheroes, travels to New York City to thwart a wealthy criminal genius from obtaining three magic skulls which would give him the secret to ultimate power.
Metascore:
53
User Score:
tbd
She's the One 96.

She's the One

August 23, 1996 | R
The love lives of two brothers, Mickey and Francis, interconnect as Francis cheats on his wife with Mickey's ex-girlfriend, while Mickey impulsively marries a stranger.
Metascore:
53
User Score:
tbd
White Squall 97.

White Squall

February 2, 1996 | PG-13
A group of boys learn about life and death during their senior year as the crew on the ship Albatross.
Metascore:
53
User Score:
6.2
Mars Attacks! 98.

Mars Attacks!

December 13, 1996 | PG-13
Earth is overrun with mean, green invaders! They're armed with insta-fry ray guns, endowed with slimy, humungous brains, and enlivened with out-of-this-world but state-of-the-art special effects. Thrill! As Earth fights back with an unexpected weapon. Take that, Martians! (Warner Bros.)
Metascore:
52
User Score:
6.9
The Frighteners 99.

The Frighteners

July 19, 1996 | R
After a tragic car accident kills his wife, a man discovers he can communicate with the dead to con people. However, when a demonic spirit appears, he may be the only one who can stop it from killing the living and the dead.
Metascore:
52
User Score:
7.5
Fear 100.

Fear

April 12, 1996 | R
David McCall (Wahlberg) becomes a psychopath boyfriend when Nicole (Witherspoon) tries to end their relationship.
Metascore:
51
User Score:
1.1

Titles with fewer than 7 critic reviews are excluded.