California

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

In this animated feature set in the 1940s, the troubled yet heroic Batman (Kevin Conroy) is pitted against a mysterious figure who is rubbing out Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals, and who many believe is the caped crusader himself. Batman’s alter ego, millionaire Bruce Wayne is about to get married to the lovely Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delany), who helps him recover from his need to avenge his parents’ murder — meaning that his crime-fighting days may be numbered.

Father of the Bride (1991)

George Banks (Steve Martin) and his wife, Nina (Diane Keaton), are the proud parents of Annie (Kimberly Williams), but when she returns from studying abroad and announces that she’s engaged, their whole world turns upside down, especially that of overprotective George. From meeting the in-laws to wedding plans with an over-the-top consultant (Martin Short) and his flamboyant assistant (B.D. Wong), it seems as if the troubles never end in this update of the classic Spencer Tracy comedy.

The Sure Thing (1985)

Gib (John Cusack), a college freshman, keeps striking out with women. When he learns that a beautiful Californian (Nicollette Sheridan) wants to have a tryst with him, he decides to carpool all the way to the West Coast to meet her. Unfortunately, one of the other passengers on the trip is Alison (Daphne Zuniga), an attractive but domineering girl who has rejected Gib once before. The journey is a nightmare until a funny thing happens – Gib and Alison start to fall in love.

Scream (1996)

Wes Craven re-invented and revitalized the slasher-horror genre with this modern horror classic, which manages to be funny, clever, and scary, as a fright-masked knife maniac stalks high-school students in middle-class suburbia. Craven is happy to provide both tension and self-parody as the body count mounts – but the victims aren’t always the ones you’d expect.

The Usual Suspects

The Usual Suspects (1995)

“The Usual Suspects” “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist,” says con man Kint (Kevin Spacey), drawing a comparison to the most enigmatic criminal of all time, Keyser Soze. Kint attempts to convince the feds that the mythic crime lord not only exists but is also responsible for drawing Kint and his four partners into a multi-million dollar heist that ended with an explosion in San Pedro Harbor – leaving few survivors.

Of Mice and Men (1992)

Itinerant worker George (Gary Sinise) reflects on the time he spent traveling with Lennie (John Malkovich), a huge childlike man. The two men drift through California during the Great Depression, looking for work. After they find jobs on a ranch, Lennie develops an infatuation with the owner’s daughter-in-law (Sherilyn Fenn). However, when George and Lennie are handed an opportunity to own part of the ranch, Lennie’s fascination with the beautiful woman threatens to destroy their dreams.

Hook (1991)

When his young children are abducted by his old nemesis, Capt. Hook (Dustin Hoffman), middle-aged lawyer Peter Banning (Robin Williams) returns to his magical origins as Peter Pan. Peter must revisit a foggy past in which he abandoned Neverland for family life, leaving Tinkerbell (Julia Roberts) and the Lost Boys to fend for themselves. Given their bitterness toward Peter for growing up — and their allegiance to their new leader, Rufio — the old gang may not be happy to see him.

Robot Jox (1990)

In the distant future, mankind has forsaken global wars for battles of single combat. The world has been divided into two opposing superpowers, with each side represented by trained champions. Their weapons are huge robotic machines, capable of battle on the land, sea, and in the air.