’90s movie roles we wish we could live out IRL

‘In the 90s, we didn’t discover our favorite actresses because of their Instagram accounts or reality programs. We fell in love with them because of their movie roles. We collected films on VHS tapes, which we rewound endlessly. And if we’re honest, there are still a lot of ’90s roles we keep deeply embedded in our hearts. Here are a few.

Christina Applegate as Sue Ellen in Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead (1991)

Your mom goes on a three-month vacation and leaves you with the Crypt Keeper as your babysitter, who ends up biting the dust on your watch. This leaves you as the sole provider for your four out-of-control siblings—what’s a teenage girl to do? Tell a few white lies and land a job as a professional at a fashion agency in Los Angeles, that’s what! Nothing screams badass like an underage fashionista putting on a rad fashion show in her backyard, all while taking care of her family AND scoring a date with the cutest boy to ever step into a Clown Dog uniform. Fashion, success, and romance all before the age of 18? Even Kelly Bundy is jealous.

Kristy Swanson as Buffy Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

She is a hot cheerleader that trades in her snobby friends and pom-poms to hang out with a wise old dude and use her back handsprings to slay evil vampires—all while wearing a crop top! If being the “chosen one” of her generation to kick-ass and save the world isn’t reason enough to want her life, she also gets to slow dance and make-out with a motorcycle riding 1992 version of Luke Perry.

Stacey Dash as Dionne “Dee” Davenport in Clueless (1995)

I know, I know. What about CHER? Cher Horowitz is fabulous. I think we can all agree one that one. From the Jeep to the pink fluffy pen to the rotating closet—she’s got it all. But, it takes A LOT to be able to stand next to her and still standout. Dee did just that with an epic snap and neck roll to boot! The nose ring, the braids (not polyester, unlike Shawana), the bad boy boyfriend, the statement hats—Dionne can hold her own. Plus, she would never call her bestie a “virgin who can’t drive.” (Way harsh, Tai.)

Liv Tyler as Corey Mason in Empire Records (1995)

Has there ever been anyone as effortlessly cool as Corey Mason? Yeah, she had a short-lived crush on that nasty Rex Manning and a minor drug problem, but that is all behind her now thanks to her friends. In the span of 24-hours, she throws her friend a mock funeral, kicks her bad habit to the curb, and makes out with a long-time crush—all while dancing on the rooftop of a record store she just helped save to some seriously timeless tunes.

Robin Tunney as Sarah Bailey in The Craft (1996)

She dabbled in the darkness long enough to learn how to get some serious revenge on her high school bully and the guy that started that nasty “slut” rumor about her. We also learn that her beauty is not just on the surface when she dedicates her craft to righting the wrongs she helped create. Who doesn’t love a good girl that can hang with the bad? Plus, she can go from brunette to blonde in seconds without ever damaging her tresses: SOLD.

Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow as Romy & Michelle in Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997)

How can you choose between these two? Both of these ladies have crazy style, witty comebacks, and (most importantly) each other. After they recover from an unfortunate fabrication (who really knows who invented Post-its, anyway?), they get to shove their happiness in the face of their formerly popular nemesis whose babies are totally going to look like monkeys.

Jennifer Love Hewitt as Amanda Beckett in Can’t Hardly Wait (1998)

She gets her heartbroken by the most popular guy in school on graduation day, and STILL shows up to the after party. Not to mention, in one of the most epic slow-mo entrances ever (cue Sneaker Pimps). While at the party, Aman-duh exposes her asshole ex-boyfriend for the stereotype that he is, ditches her fake friends, and falls for the boy that loves her just the way she is. She is totally Gwyneth (but with way bigger boobs) and Mike Dexter is NO Brad.

Reese Witherspoon as Mary Sue Parker in Pleasantville (1998)

This girl single-handedly introduces sex, raw emotion, AND color to a black and white, ultraconservative town—need I say more?

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Kathryn Merteuil in Cruel Intentions (1999)

I know what you’re thinking: Why not the sweet and innocent Annette Hargrove? Because, if we are being honest with ourselves, we did not go see the movie to watch Reese Witherspoon fall in love. We watched the movie to see how one girl could posses so much sex appeal that Selma Blair makes out with her and even her insanely hot stepbrother (Ryan Phillipe) wants in her pants. Kathryn is the ultimate bad girl that we all hate to love.

Drew Barrymore as Josie Geller in Never Been Kissed (1999)

Josie gets to redo what so many wish they could: High school. From bookworm to the most popular girl in school, Josie Geller has seen it all. While she attends high school for the second time around, she finds her tribe in a self-proclaimed group of math geeks, ditches them for the popular crowd, gets asked to the prom by the hottest guy in school, exposes her cover just to stick up for her real “geek” friends, helps her brother find his dream job, falls in love with her smokin’ hot English teacher, AND receives her very first kiss from him on a pitcher’s mound in front of everyone she loves. She is definitely not Josie Grossy anymore.

Charlotte Crow is the blogger for Charlotte’s Little Web. She enjoys writing about self-love, body image, sisterhood, and the comedic balance of the three. A dry sense of humor, hotter than hell hot sauce, and moderately priced red wine are her weaknesses. Read more on her Blog, Instagram and Facebook.