The latest Marvel Studios addition has finally hit the big screen and it’s already bloody dominating at the box office across the globe – seriously, it’s already earned over 500 million bucks and it’s only been out for a hot sec.
Going off my adequate maths, I’ve calculated that between 1.2 to 1.4 bagillion people have already seen the Brie Larson-starring flick which means 0.9 to 0.95 moviegoers might have missed a couple of ’90s references that were hiding in plain sight. I’m absolutely smashing it in the maths department today, bow down everyone else.
It’s also likely that a bunch of people who saw it weren’t even born in the ’90s so you know, there’s that.
Anyway, for those of us who do remember the glorious decade that was the ’90s, a collective squeal of joy could be heard in the theatre whenever we got a glimpse of that A+ nostalgia featured throughout Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel (it’s set in the ’90s, just in case you’re part of that .002 bagillion that’s yet to see it).
So, for those of you who might’ve missed it, here are some of the highlights:
BRAD PITT NAME-DROPPED
There’s no denying that Brad Pitt is still a snack pack with extra garlic sauce, but it can be argued that he’s no longer the go-to actor who everyday people use as the yardstick for measuring peak hotness. These days you’d probably cop an earful of your Chris Hemsworths or your Ryan Reynolds if you were comparing some normal pleb to a beyond-hot person.
So, when Brad Pitt’s name was used in Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel to explain hotness, it really does encapsulate that entire pre-00s decade.
11/10 SOUNDTRACK
Everyone will have their own personal attachments to most of the songs on the Captain Marvel soundtrack – personally, I hear No Doubt‘s Just A Girl and immediately revert back to the age when I’d sit next to my brother or sister on the family computer and watch them play Prince of Persia while they pretended to let me help.
The entire soundtrack is full of these moments and thankfully, the movie is full of this soundtrack.
FAUX-GRUNGE GALORE
Is there anything more ’90s than a knock-off band t-shirt worn under an oversized jacket? Well, unless you throw in some flannel, some ripped jeans and a permanent look of angst, no there is not.
And how do I know that’s a knock-off Nine Inch Nails shirt, you may ask? Carol Danvers AKA Captain Marvel swiped that look from a mannequin so I highly doubt the actual NIN were loaning their band tees to retail stores – just a hunch.
CHUNKY-ASS COMPUTERS
Admittedly, the computer Captain Marvel uses in the movie is nowhere near as archaic as the one above but it may as well be, compared to the technology we have now, computers before 2005 were absolute shite.
If you didn’t notice, Captain Marvel uses the absolute relic when she’s trying to suss out what’s been happening and what else is completely baffling is the fact that she’s quite obviously at a library – can you imagine having to go to a library to use an old computer to go online? It’s a far cry from whipping out your phone.
OLD-SCHOOL TV FTW
I know, I know, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is still a beloved TV show and it’s still relevant but you will struggle to find people dropping it in casual conversation when they’re talking about having nothing to do.
In Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel, Monica (Akira Akbar) does just that – and I tell ya what, if this was set in 2019, you bet you’d be hearing Riverdale or Chilling Adventures of Sabrina coming out of her mouth. Ah, how the times change.
BLOCKBUSTER RETURNS
Admittedly, this was a ’90s gem that was noticeable even before the movie dropped. In fact, within the first ten seconds of the official Captain Marvel trailer (below), our favourite gone-but-not-forgotten past-time makes quite a significant appearance.
I don’t mean to crap all over people who weren’t alive when video stores were but honestly, you missed out. There was nothing more thrilling than heading down to a Blockbuster on a Friday night, not wearing shoes as you frantically run around the aisles trying to find your favourite movies (or any movie if you were trying to get it up to five weeklies so they were all $1). RIP Blockbuster, you’ll forever be in our hearts.
Wanna get even more nostalgic? Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel is in cinemas right now.
