Blockbusters & Critical Acclaim:
* Independence Day: A sci-fi action film about an alien invasion of Earth, starring Will Smith and Bill Pullman.
* Mission: Impossible: The first film in the long-running spy franchise, starring Tom Cruise.
* Twister: A disaster movie about a group of storm chasers, starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton.
* Fargo: A dark comedy crime film directed by the Coen brothers, starring Frances McDormand and William H. Macy.
* Jerry Maguire: A romantic comedy-drama starring Tom Cruise and Renée Zellweger, about a sports agent who has a crisis of conscience.
* Trainspotting: A British dark comedy drama about a group of heroin addicts, starring Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlyle.
* The English Patient: A romantic war drama set during World War II, starring Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas.
* Romeo + Juliet: A modern adaptation of Shakespeare's classic play, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
* Scream: A horror film that redefined the genre, starring Neve Campbell and Drew Barrymore.
* Space Jam: A live-action/animated film featuring Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes, directed by Joe Pytka.
* 101 Dalmatians: A live-action remake of the classic Disney animated film, starring Glenn Close.
* The Rock: An action thriller starring Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery.
* The Birdcage: A comedy about a gay couple forced to pretend to be straight, starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.
* The Cable Guy: A dark comedy starring Jim Carrey, about a cable installer who becomes obsessed with a customer.
Other Notable Releases:
* The Crucible: A period drama starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder.
* The Nutty Professor: A comedy starring Eddie Murphy, about a scientist who transforms himself into a slimmer, more attractive version of himself.
* Lone Star: A crime drama directed by John Sayles, starring Chris Cooper and Matthew McConaughey.
* The Pallbearer: A dark comedy starring David Schwimmer and Gwyneth Paltrow.
* Emma: A period drama starring Gwyneth Paltrow, based on Jane Austen's novel.
* Slingshot: A documentary about the story of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1.
* The Phantom: A superhero film based on the comic strip character, starring Billy Zane.
This list is not exhaustive, but it highlights some of the most popular and critically acclaimed films of 1996. The year saw a diverse range of genres, from action and sci-fi to comedy and drama, with something to offer every moviegoer.