{"id":7547,"date":"2016-05-10T20:42:53","date_gmt":"2016-05-10T20:42:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tenkmovies.com\/?p=7547"},"modified":"2026-04-08T22:06:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T22:06:53","slug":"everything-that-follows-is-older-than-hit-girl-a-brief-look-back-at-1996","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tenkmovies.com\/?p=7547","title":{"rendered":"Everything that follows is older than Hit Girl: A look back at 1996"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 1996,<\/p>\n

The murder of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman\u00a0inspired the creation of the AMBER Alert system;<\/p>\n

Deep Blue\u00a0defeated Garry Kasparov;<\/p>\n

Major League Soccer\u00a0began its inaugural season;<\/p>\n

The Unabomber\u00a0was arrested;<\/p>\n

The Nintendo 64\u00a0was released in Japan and the United States;<\/p>\n

Alanis Morisette’s\u00a0Jagged Little Pill\u00a0<\/em>won the Grammy for Album of the Year;<\/p>\n

Dolly the sheep, the first cloned mammal, was born;<\/p>\n

Prince Charles and Diana\u00a0divorced;<\/p>\n

The Taliban\u00a0captured Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan;<\/p>\n

The Fox News Channel\u00a0debuted;<\/p>\n

Sophie Turner, Abigail Breslin, Tom Holland, Kodi Smith-McPhee, Jena Irene, Liam James, and Dylan Minnette were born;<\/p>\n

While Francois Mitterand, Barbara Jordan, A.G. Gaston, Jonathan Larson, Joseph Brodsky, Jerry Siegel, Gene Kelly, Audrey Meadows, Martin Balsam, McLean Stevenson, Pat Brown, Audrey Munson, Haing Ngor, Minnie Pearl, George Burns, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Edmund Muskie, David Packard, Greer Garson, Christopher Robin Milne, Erma Bombeck, Saul Bass, P.L. Travers, Jon Pertwee, Lash LaRue, Timothy Leary, Ray Combs, Jo Van Fleet, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Allen, Margaux Hemingway, Herb Edelman, Claudette Colbert, Bill Monroe, Juanita Wright, Tupac Shakur, Spiro Agnew, Paul Erd\u00f6s, Rene Lacoste, Morey Amsterdam, Alger Hiss, Tiny Tim, Pete Rozelle, Howard Rollins, Carl Sagan, Lew Ayres, JonBenet Ramsey, and Jack Nance died.<\/p>\n

The following is a list of my ten favorite films released in 1996:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Ransom<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

10)\u00a0Ransom<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

A group led by NYPD detective Jimmy Shakes (Gary Sinise) abducts Sean Mullen, the child of millionaires Tom (Mel Gibson) and Kate (Renee Russo) Mullen. After a failed attempt to pay the two million dollar ransom, a frustrated Tom goes on television to offer a substantial bounty \/ reward.<\/p>\n

A panicked Shaker murders his accomplices and “finds” Sean, so he can collect the reward, but this plan falls apart when Sean recognizes his voice.<\/p>\n

This film reminds us what a fascinating and intelligent actor Mel Gibson was before his drunken arrest and the controversy of\u00a0The Passion of the Christ <\/em>changed our perception of his work.<\/p>\n

Ron Howard’s early films were light, comedic affairs, but this is a taut, suspenseful film grounded with great performances from Russo and Gibson. My only quibble is the casting of Sinise as the heavy in a clear attempt to avoid typecasting.\u00a0With a more menacing bad guy, this would have been a better film.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Swingers<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

9)\u00a0Swingers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Leaving behind a long-term relationship in New York City, Mike (Jon Favreau) moves to LA to further his comedy career where he befriends aspiring actor and self-styled relationship expert Trent (Vince Vaughn).<\/p>\n

Alongside their friend Rob (Ron Livingston) and Sue, they enthusiastically explore the LA night life.<\/p>\n

Written by Favreau, the film is eminently quotable. For twenty years, everyone who lands at McCarran International Airport\u00a0immediately thinks, “Vegas, baby!”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n