Imagine this, it’s movie night but you aren’t sure what to watch. Would you rather pop in a DVD and watch your favorite 90’s movie that you have seen many times or would you rather watch the newest Netflix movie that you aren’t even sure is good? Many people would rather choose the 90s and here’s why.

One of the major differences between movies then and now is the quality of acting. In the 2000s, many actors were more passionate about their jobs. This made their acting seem more realistic. Now, acting comes off as cheesy and fake. Many people view the 1999 film She’s All That as an iconic rom-com that they could rewatch many times. However, the 2021 remake film He’s All That, is so cheesy it’s hard to watch, even though it’s basically the same movie. 

In the iconic comfort movie 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), many songs are played that fit the mood of the show such as “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts or “Cruel to Be Kind” by Letters to Cleo. These classic rock songs have a “vintage vibe” to them that makes the movie more amusing for some watchers. In new movies, songs are played that are usually overplayed, making the movie less enjoyable as it comes off as “annoying” to some.

Since old movies have been out for a longer time, people have had more time to watch them. Many people watch old movies for the nostalgic feeling or even because it’s predictable since they have seen it many times. People may have even watched the movie with family members, so they watch it on repeat to have a reminder of them, giving it a sentimental feeling.

One of the major differences between movies then and now is the cameras they used to film them. Movies from over 20 years ago have a vintage effect to them because they used cameras that weren’t completely modified at the time. Now we have the clearest TVs and cameras to give us the most realistic perspective.

When people think of nostalgia, many think of VHS tapes or even DVDs. When you pop one into your player, the first thing that pops up is commercials for movies that premiered around the time of the film you’re watching. Many of these shows may remind you of your childhood. It will then ask you to press play. You then had three options: wait to see if it will play on its own, search high and low for your DVD player remote, or get out of your comfortable spot, and press play on the DVD player. DVDs even have a bonus features option on the play screen that features bloopers, behind-the-scenes, and even sometimes games for you to play.