Oscar Nominee Brendan Fraser’s 7 Best ’90s Movies
It’s great to see the Brenaissance happen. Oscar nominee Brendan Fraser has been a joy to watch in movies since 1992’s Encino Man. Although the Oscars tend to overlook comedy, Fraser has done strong dramatic work long before The Whale. However, it’s fantastic to see his performance in The Whale recognized.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet is here to look back at other worthwhile films in Fraser’s career. The ‘90s were a golden age for Fras,er so here are some of our favorite ‘90s Fraser vehicles and where to stream them.
‘School Ties’ was a powerful Brendan Fraser drama
Fraser actually filmed School Ties before Encino Man, but it was released afterward. School Ties proved a vehicle for many future Hollywood stars like Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris O’Donnell, and Cole Hauser. Fraser played David Greene, a quarterback recruited to a New England prep school on an athletic scholarship.
When Greene’s classmates find out he is Jewish, Greene faces anti-Semitism. Damon plays the lead anti-Semite. School Ties unfortunately remains relevant as anti-Semitism irisingse, even from the likes of Kanye West. The film also deals with privileged culture as the school leaves disciplinary action up to the students, and it turns out they don’t actually follow the honor system.
School Ties is currently available to rent or buy, but it often shows up on HBO Max.
Brendan Fraser graduated to college in ‘With Honors’
Two years after School Ties, Fraser played a Harvard senior who makes a deal with a homeless man (Joe Pesci) holding the only copy of his thesis hostage. At first, Monty (Fraser) reluctantly welcomes Simon (Pesci) into his home with his roommates.
The longer Monty gets to know Simon, the more he begins to learn there are more important things in life than graduating with honors. This is the sort of intimate drama that thrived in the ‘90s, but it’s never too late for it to touch new hearts. With Honors is currently streaming on Tubi and Kanopy, or available to rent and buy.
‘George of the Jungle’ is better than ‘Encino Man’
What Encino Man began, Fraser embraced exponentially with George of the Jungle. George’s bumbling Tarzan is akin to Encino Man’s caveman, but Fraser also got into Tarzan shape for the ultimate pratfalls. Based on the Jay Ward animated series, Fraser commits to the live-action cartoon, talking to animals while the narrator breaks the fourth wall. George of the Jungle is streaming on Disney+.
‘Gods and Monsters’ was Brendan Fraser’s first Oscar-nominated movie
Although Brendan Fraser wasn’t an Oscar-nominee himself for the supporting role of Clayton Boone, his film Gods and Monsters was the first Oscar-nominated movie he starred in. Clayton is a gardener who meets director James Whale (Ian McKellan) at the end of Whale’s life. Whale takes a fancy to Clayton, but expresses it in manipulative ways.
Gods and Monsters is a fascinating study of sexual tension, and while McKellan deserved his nomination, Fraser was great in the film too. Gods and Monsters is streaming on Tubi and Freevee and also available to rent or buy.
Brendan Fraser 1999 twofer
The last year of the ‘90s was a big one for Fraser. It saw the release of The Mummy, which became the first in a trilogy. Fraser played the role of Rick O’Connell, a soldier-turned-fortune hunter. The first Mummy was really the second coming of Indiana Jones. O’Connell had moves with some John Woo-esque double guns. The sequels leaned more heavily into the CGI, but the first film had the perfect balance.
Fraser’s last straight comedy of the ‘90s was a winner too. In Blast from the Past, Fraser plays a man who spent his entire life living in a bomb shelter and emerges into the ‘90s. Fraser was perfect to capture the innocence of a naif, but that didn’t hinder his crackling chemistry with ‘90s icon Alicia Silverstone.
Shout out to ‘Airheads’
Airheads may not have been the biggest hit and may not have the pop culture legacy of Encino Man or George of the Jungle but it deserves some love. Fraser plays the leader of a band who holds a radio station hostage to force them to play their demo. Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi are his bandmates.
Unfortunately, Airheads is not streaming anywhere so you’ll have to take our word for it or find a DVD copy. It’s a fun spoof of standoff scenarios and Fraser rocks the heavy metal hair.
