Xfinity | “Jurassic Park Works”
For the millions who flocked to theaters to see Jurassic Park in 1993, composer John Williams’ magisterial theme whisks them back to that time like nothing else—no small reason why the score is as central to this spot as the roaring T-Rex. The conceit here is that if only the park had installed Xfinity Wi-Fi, the sabotage that let the giants loose would never have happened. (Xfinity wouldn’t even exist until 17 years after the movie, but such is the magic of advertising.) This spot fast-forwards Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, and Sam Neill to the present day, where they’re way less stressed: Xfinity saved the day 33 years ago, so today’s Jurassic Park is a spa. The characters have aged a bit, but so have the rest of us.
Dunkin’ | “Good Will Dunkin’”
As the title suggests, “Good Will Dunkin’” reimagines the 1997 hit Good Will Hunting (which Ben Affleck co-wrote with Matt Damon) as a sitcom set in a Dunkin’ shop, complete with a who’s who of 1990s faces including Jason Alexander from Seinfeld, Jaleel White from Family Matters, and Friends’ Matt LeBlanc and Jennifer Aniston. (Affleck is here too with his feigned Boston accent.) All these actors really showed up, but the digital de-aging of their faces was creepy for some. No matter: If you were around in the 1990s, these are all old TV friends who’ve returned—if only to plug coffee and doughtnuts.
