Box Office Flashback: 1996

[claws]

DOMESTIC GROSSES #1–20

01. $306,169,268 - Independence Day
02. $241,721,524 - Twister
03. $180,981,856 - Mission: Impossible
04. $153,952,592 - Jerry Maguire
05. $136,492,681 - Ransom
06. $136,189,294 - 101 Dalmatians
07. $134,069,511 - The Rock
08. $128,814,019 - The Nutty Professor
09. $124,060,553 - The Birdcage
10. $108,766,007 - A Time to Kill

11. $105,489,203 - The First Wives Club
12. $104,636,382 - Phenomenon
13. $103,046,663 - Scream
14. $101,295,562 - Eraser
15. $100,138,851 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
16. $095,318,203 - Michael
17. $092,027,888 - Star Trek: First Contact
18. $090,418,342 - Space Jam
19. $078,676,425 - The English Patient
20. $070,770,147 - Broken Arrow

I was annoyed by the Jerry Maguire and Space Jam hype, and thought The Birdcage was quite hilarious.

[Psycho Circus]

I don't like a single one of those films, all were built up on hype or the star power involved. I think I've probably watched about 20 films made after 1996. Bad year, full of soulless, plotless crap. I only watched Twister because it was supposed to have a Buckingham/Nicks song on the soundtrack.

[Leah]

which version of 101 dal. was it.

[Psycho Circus]

which version of 101 dal. was it.

Live action

[Rev. Powell]

I agree with Circus, this is a really bad year for mainstream movies.  When JERRY MAGUIRE and THE ENGLISH PATIENT are the best movies in the top 20, you're in trouble. 

[lester1/2jr]

michael?

[Doggett]

michael?

John Travolter angel film.

[lester1/2jr]

wow

[Mr. DS]

Whoa, that year blew goats.

[JaseSF]

DOMESTIC GROSSES #1–20

01. $306,169,268 - Independence Day (Dumb Sci-fi actioner, totally a FX film, overrated)
02. $241,721,524 - Twister (Overrated, another dumb action film relying on FX)
03. $180,981,856 - Mission: Impossible (More of the same but perhaps slightly more enjoyable)
04. $153,952,592 - Jerry Maguire (Haven't seen)
05. $136,492,681 - Ransom (Not half bad)
06. $136,189,294 - 101 Dalmatians (Preferred the animated version)
07. $134,069,511 - The Rock (Yep more mindless dumb action relying on explosions and FX)
08. $128,814,019 - The Nutty Professor (Offensive comedy that relies on FX and fat jokes. Kinda sad in a way. The original with Jerry Lewis is actually much better)
09. $124,060,553 - The Birdcage (Haven't seen)
10. $108,766,007 - A Time to Kill (Haven't seen)

11. $105,489,203 - The First Wives Club (Thought this was awful)
12. $104,636,382 - Phenomenon (Actually one of the better films from this year)
13. $103,046,663 - Scream (opening surprised me but really overall a tad disappointing)
14. $101,295,562 - Eraser (Haven't seen)
15. $100,138,851 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame (I liked this one)
16. $095,318,203 - Michael (Haven't seen)
17. $092,027,888 - Star Trek: First Contact (Arguably the best film on this list)
18. $090,418,342 - Space Jam (Very disappointing use of classic cartoon characters)
19. $078,676,425 - The English Patient (Bored me to tears)
20. $070,770,147 - Broken Arrow (not half bad)

[HappyGilmore]

Personally, looking at this list, how bad is it when I find Scream to the best one of the lot?

[Flick James]

01. $306,169,268 - Independence Day (The only Roland Emmerich flick I enjoyed, but not because it's good)
02. $241,721,524 - Twister (It's got everything Independence Day had, AND Bill Paxton!)
03. $180,981,856 - Mission: Impossible (myeh)
04. $153,952,592 - Jerry Maguire (I don't care what anybody says, I thought it was okay)
05. $136,492,681 - Ransom (I liked it)
06. $136,189,294 - 101 Dalmatians (myeh)
07. $134,069,511 - The Rock (never liked it)
08. $128,814,019 - The Nutty Professor (how this didn't kill Eddie Murphy's career is beyond me)
09. $124,060,553 - The Birdcage (myeh)
10. $108,766,007 - A Time to Kill (Sammy L was good in it)

11. $105,489,203 - The First Wives Club (no thank you)
12. $104,636,382 - Phenomenon (unwatchable)
13. $103,046,663 - Scream (I liked it)
14. $101,295,562 - Eraser (myeh)
15. $100,138,851 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame (didn't see it)
16. $095,318,203 - Michael (didn't see it)
17. $092,027,888 - Star Trek: First Contact (didn't see it)
18. $090,418,342 - Space Jam (didn't see it)
19. $078,676,425 - The English Patient (booooooring)
20. $070,770,147 - Broken Arrow (wow, big year for mediocre John Travolta movies)

Interesting. There are quite a few movies that I liked on and "okay" level. I would say the one I enjoyed the most was Twister because it's just such bad, bad fun.

[Doggett]

01.  Independence Day - Stupid but fun.
02. Twister - Just stupid
03.  Mission: Impossible - REALLY liked this.
04. Jerry Maguire - Really didn't like this
05. Ransom - Don't like Mel. Even when he wa sane.
06. 101 Dalmatians - Perfectly fine family entertainment
07. The Rock - Micheal Biehns ALWAYS great to watch.
08. The Nutty Professor - Hmmm... Very so-so. Jada Pinkett was gorgeous in it though.
09. The Birdcage - Loved it !
10. A Time to Kill - Made me angry. Never finished it.

11. The First Wives Club - I'm a sucker for Keaton, Midler and Hawn
12. Phenomenon - Even I dont know why I watched this. I won't be doing it again.
13. Scream - Very over-reated in my book. But it has its fans so it must be doing something right.
14. Eraser - kinda bland action for me
15. The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Never saw. Its Disney,I wonder if they kept the original ending....
16. Michael - I liked it. Its cheesy but fun.
17. Star Trek: First Contact - LOVE IT ! I love a bit of Trek!
18. Space Jam - This was HUGE when I was in school. I do have nostalia for it.
19. The English Patient - I think I'm still watching it... It never ends, it's...just...one...boring..scene..after...another....
20. Broken Arrow - If it has Christian Slater in it, I've seen it but can't remember a single thing about it. Is there a plane involved ?

[Hammock Rider]

01.  Independence Day - Big,dumb fun B movie
02. Twister - Big,dumb fun B movie. Come for the FX stay for Philip Seymore Hoffman.
03.  Mission: Impossible - Best of the series
04. Jerry Maguire - You lost me at Rene Zellwegger
05. Ransom - It's a decent enough action thriller
06. 101 Dalmatians - Missed it.
07. The Rock - It was fun. Good acion B movie.
08. The Nutty Professor - Not a bad re-imagining or whatever.
09. The Birdcage - Missed it.
10. A Time to Kill - I'm glad I saw it but I haven't ever watched it again.
11. The First Wives Club - Missed it, on purpose
12. Phenomenon - Missed it on purpose part 2
13. Scream - I liked it, but I didn't "like" it like it.
14. Eraser - Missed it. Looked like Arnie on a downswing
15. The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Nope
16. Michael - I walked out on it. Smells like cookies my a$$.
17. Star Trek: First Contact - I really enjoyed it. James Cromwell was aces.
18. Space Jam - Um..it was ok
19. The English Patient - I'm with Elaine Benis on this one.
20. Broken Arrow - Didn't see it.


   I agree that in balance this was a pretty mediocre year for films. There was just enough good stuff to keep your hopes up.

[akiratubo]

01. $306,169,268 - Independence Day

Started out decently enough, then it assaulted me with more suck than I had hitherto imagined from a big-budget movie.  I believe this is the first movie I ever seriously considered walking out on.

02. $241,721,524 - Twister

Never saw it, don't see any reason to.

03. $180,981,856 - Mission: Impossible

Tom Cruise making faces while stuff explodes.

04. $153,952,592 - Jerry Maguire

Never saw it.

05. $136,492,681 - Ransom

Pretty good, as I recall.

06. $136,189,294 - 101 Dalmatians

Why?

07. $134,069,511 - The Rock

Probably Michael Bay's best movie.  When he has actors who can actually, you know, act, and a script that isn't utter s**t, Bay can turn in an entertaining movie.

08. $128,814,019 - The Nutty Professor

Never saw.

09. $124,060,553 - The Birdcage

Stuffy straight people are uncomfortable around gay people!  Ha ha ha!

10. $108,766,007 - A Time to Kill

Uh ... was this that movie with Sam Jackson on trial for shooting someone?

11. $105,489,203 - The First Wives Club

I don't think I've ever heard of this movie.

12. $104,636,382 - Phenomenon

Harmless chick flick.

13. $103,046,663 - Scream

Self-parodying slasher movies had been around since the early 80s, so I didn't see the big deal.  However, it was honestly pretty good.  Better than most 90s slasher movies, at any rate.

14. $101,295,562 - Eraser

Just another action movie.

15. $100,138,851 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Never saw.

16. $095,318,203 - Michael

???

17. $092,027,888 - Star Trek: First Contact

I didn't like the concept of a "Borg queen".  Otherwise, pretty good.

18. $090,418,342 - Space Jam

I was 17 when this came out, too old for it.  If I'd been, say, 7 instead I'd probably have liked it.

19. $078,676,425 - The English Patient

This movie SUCKS!  (True story: when I rented it from Blockbuster, the clerk actually warned me against it.  His words were something along the lines of, "Uh, you know this movie is terrible, right?  I don't care if it won Best Picture.")

20. $070,770,147 - Broken Arrow

Doves.  Jumping in slow motion while shooting two guns.  Two men running while shooting through some sort of barrier at each other.  Yep, this is a John Woo movie.