The Spice Girls were as much merchandising scheme as girl group
In the mid-’90s, a force rose from the ruins of the British empire. This force would go on to assume a role of global…
Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and a bunch of British comedians got their start on an obscure TV show
Here at The A.V. Club, we’re pretty big on the movies director Edgar Wright has made with star and co-writer Simon…
What’s your favorite pop culture from 1996?
Welcome back to AVQ&A, where we throw out a question for discussion among the staff and readers. Consider this a prompt…
Stone Temple Pilots got weirder and better than anyone gives them credit for
In Hear This, The A.V. Club writers sing the praises of songs they know well. This week, we’re picking some of our…
Secrets, lies, Fargo, and Lars Von Trier made for a great year at Cannes
Robert Altman. David Cronenberg. Michael Cimino. Stephen Frears. Raúl Ruiz. André Téchiné. Chen Kaige. The Coen…
3-D dreams and 2-D extremes: 1996 in video game music
19XX was simultaneously the end of Capcom’s 1942/1943 shooters and their salvation. Trading in the deeply awkward World…
The Telecommunications Act Of 1996 gave us shitty cell service, expensive cable
When Congress passed the Telecommunications Act Of 1996, it didn’t seem like a big deal. An act that was meant to save…
The Romeo + Juliet soundtrack captured 1996’s awkward phase
Some things are best appreciated by the very young: Clove cigarettes. Wine coolers. The Rocky Horror Picture Show.…
Read This: Was The Simpsons’ Poochie inspired by a failed Olympic mascot?
One of the most infamous characters in Simpsons history might be partially inspired by one of the most infamous mascots…
Wilco bashed out a modern rock classic with “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”
In Hear This, The A.V. Club writers sing the praises of songs they know well. This week, we’re picking some of our…
Super Mario 64 introduced the camera as a friend and foe in video games
When the Nintendo 64 launched in the United States in September of 1996, players had just two games to choose from: a…
Doctor Who: The Movie makes a good first impression the second time around
Usually when I tell a fellow Doctor Who fan that my first real foray into the fandom was the 1996 TV movie, I get a…
As 3-D found its footing, Capcom’s 2-D games reached new heights
In 1996, 3-D video games made good. Super Mario 64 and Tomb Raider weren’t alone in the land of three-dimensional…
In 1996, TV-to-movie adaptations reached saturation point—and a creative peak
It may be difficult to remember now that big-ticket superhero movies arrive on a near-monthly basis, but back in 1996,…
1996 may not have been ready for Aphex Twin
In Hear This, The A.V. Club writers sing the praises of songs they know well. This week, we’re picking some of our…
Overlooked movies of 1996
1996 was a good year for popcorn blockbusters and hip French movies. It was the year that a bunch of great or at least…
Nickelodeon grew up and blew up in 1996
“It was just a normal Saturday, like the 51 other Saturdays that year.” So begins the 13th episode of the third season…
Rob Thomas reflects on Matchbox Twenty’s debut album 20 years later
On October 1, 1996, Matchbox Twenty, led by singer-songwriter Rob Thomas, released its debut album, Yourself Or Someone…
This new video will give ’90s kids some intense Fiona Apple flashbacks
Music fans who came of age during the era of Monica Lewinsky, Pearl Jam, and Friends may experience a strong sense of…