MOVIE QUIZ
It’s been 25 years since “Independence Day” invaded theaters on July 2, 1996, quickly becoming the second highest-grossing movie in history for a while, and starting Will Smith’s run as “Mr. July” (“Men in Black,” “Wild Wild West,” “Men in Black II,” “Bad Boys II,” “I, Robot” — all July releases).
But it wasn’t the only movie to come out that month. Test your knowledge of July 1996’s other big screen offerings with our latest quiz’s 10 questions, none of which involve the abysmal version of “The Adventures of Pinocchio” where Queen guitarist Brian May supplied the (sped-up) singing voice for lead teen Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Don’t say you never learn something new here.
1. The same week that “Independence Day” dominated the box office, John Travolta, Robert Duvall and Forest Whitaker starred in “Phenomenon.” Two years later, Travolta and Duvall reunited in “A Civil Action,” earning Duvall the sixth of his seven Oscar nominations. And two years after that, Travolta and Whitaker teamed up one more time for a movie where Whitaker was the only one to “lose” a Razzie out of the notorious film’s eight nominations. Name the movie.
2. Released late in July 1996 was a little-seen, little-loved Jon Cryer movie that took its title from a lyric in the Steve Miller song, “The Joker.” Which one of these was it? A. “Space Cowboy” B.“the Gangster of Love” C. “I’m a Midnight Toker” D. “The Pompatus of Love”
3. July 1996 was a significant month for cable TV networks breaking into feature films. “Joe’s Apartment” starring Jerry O’connell was the first one produced by MTV Networks, based on a short of the same name the channel aired in 1994. Meanwhile, Nickelodeon had their inaugural outing with what movie based on a classic children’s book by Louise Fitzhugh?
4. The Mandela Effect is a term used to describe the unusual phenomenon of a large group of people remembering something differently than how it occurred, a situation that’s happened often over the past few years. But maybe the most famous instance of this in pop culture is people’s insistence that Sinbad once starred as a genie in a movie called “Shazaam.” The comedian and actor did host a day of “Sinbad” movies on TV in 1994 wearing a genie-like costume, but the confusion is mostly owed to another movie from July 1996 with a sports star playing a lamp-bound wish giver. Name the movie and neophyte actor.
5.“Courage Under Fire,” released on July 12, 1996, reunited Denzel Washington with Edward Zwick, who directed him to his first Oscar in “Glory.” The two teamed up one more time in 1998 for
a critically panned, box office dud action thriller that was also a controversy magnet because it depicted Arab and Muslim characters as terrorists attacking New York City. What was it?
6. The late Harold Ramis had a big day on July 17, 1996. He had a cameo in writer-director Nicole Holofcener’s debut film, “Walking and Talking,” and on the same day, the comedy he directed with Michael Keaton duplicating himself many times over also hit the big screen. What was it?
7. “The Frighteners,” released on July 19, 1996, was writer-director Peter Jackson’s last film before spending the next seven years making the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. It was also the last leading role in a movie for its star, who has concentrated since then on TV work. Name the star.
8. Which future Oscar-winning actress made her feature film debut in “A Time to Kill” — based on John Grisham's first novel and starring Matthew Mcconaughey and Samuel L. Jackson — released on July 24, 1996? A. Sandra Bullock B.brenda Fricker C.octavia Spencer D. Viola Davis
9. Eleven-year-old Scarlett Johansson had already made two films before 1996’s now mostly forgotten comedy-drama “Manny & Lo,” but it was the first for her then 16-year-old co-star, Aleksa Palladino. The latter actress’ most recent movies, both released in 2019, were (coincidentally) a thriller called “The Mandela Effect,” as well as one in which she played the first wife of Robert De Niro’s character. What was that film?
10.“Kingpin” was a box office disappointment in July 1996 for the Farrelly Brothers after the success of their first film, “Dumb and Dumber,” two years before, but its later release on home video made it a cult classic. One of its stars, though, had more immediate consolation owing to their appearing at the same time in “Independence Day.” Who was it?