Every decade has an influence on the arts. Even movies that are period pieces contain elements of the decade in which they were filmed. For example, who can forget the 70s era hairstyles on display in a galaxy far, far away in George Lucas's original Star Wars? The 90s were an interesting decade as they marked the transition from practical to computer generated effects. In this article we will discuss the best 90s movies and provide some viewing suggestions that are both entertaining and culturally significant.
The 10 Best 90s Movies
It is difficult to come up with a fair criterion for determining the best 90s movies. Some films feature superior performances, others have exceptional narratives, and still others combine all the elements of film to create a beloved classic. In our list we selected 10 movies that stand out for their exceptional qualities and the influences they had both on cinema as an art form and popular culture as a whole.
Feel free to disagree with our selections and meet for a spirited debate down in the comments. Here is our list of the 10 best 90s movies listed in the order of their release:
Goodfellas
Cast
Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino
Director
Martin Scorsese
Year of Release
1990
Plot
Goodfellas is an adaptation of the 1985 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, and follows the career of mob associate Henry Hill. Henry is recruited by the mob at a young age and quickly becomes enamored by the promise of a glamorous and powerful lifestyle that commands both fear and respect. Hill becomes involved with more and more serious crimes that include robberies, drug trafficking, and murder. Eventually he concludes that his life is in danger from his mob associates and he enrolls in the witness protection program.
Why It's One of the Best 90s Movies
It can be said that Goodfellas is as important to the genre of mafia films as Game of Thrones is to the genre of fantasy. Prior to Goodfellas, The Godfather was the definitive mafia film just as the Lord of the Rings is considered the definitive work of fantasy. Goodfellas showed that it was possible to create a film of equivalent quality and value to The Godfather, but with its own unique and distinctive pacing and visual style.
Goodfellas is a more dynamic film than The Godfather with creative cinematography and a score that features Gimmie Shelter by the Rolling Stones. The most interesting thing about Goodfellas is that although it is purportedly a tough guy crime film, a lot of the drama and tension of the film comes from the relationship between Henry Hill and his wife Karen played by Lorraine Bracco.
The organized crime element is the backdrop, but in the foreground you witness how reasonable and likeable characters are torn apart by their own inadequacies and the demands of a brutal life that shows no mercy for anyone. The acting is top notch and Ray Liotta gives a career defining performance.
Goodfellas was nominated for best picture in 1991 along with The Godfather Part III, Ghost, Dances with Wolves, and Awakenings. The film lost to Dances with Wolves which is generally considered a miscarriage of justice.
Silence of the Lambs
Cast
Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine
Director
Jonathan Demme
Year of Release
1991
Plot
Clarice Starling, played by Jodie Foster, is a young FBI agent who seeks the assistance of a dangerous incarcerated psychopath named Hannibal Lector as she pursues a copycat killer. The film examines the psychological toil of her interviews with Dr. Lector who uses his time with her to probe her psyche. Dr. Lector is a brilliant psychiatrist, and the audience becomes fearful that he might have the power to corrupt Clarice Starling into his personal agent, or worse, transform her into a serial killer herself.
Why It's One of the Best 90s Movies
Silence of the Lambs offers a career defining performance from Anthony Hopkins, who has been a celebrated film star for decades. He is both charming and terrifying in the role and manages to create a representation of evil unlike anything that has appeared on the silver screen before or after. It's interesting to note that although Buffalo Bill is the film's ultimate protagonist, and the role is played very effectively by Ted Levine, Dr. Hannibal Lector provides the most memorable character performance in the film.
Silence of the Lambs, was nominated for best picture in 1992 along with JFK, The Prince of Tides, Bugsy, and Beauty and the Beast. The film is one of the most celebrated pictures in cinematic history winning best picture, best actor, best actress, best director, and best adapted screenplay among other awards.
Unforgiven
Cast
Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek
Director
Clint Eastwood
Year of Release
1992
Plot
Clint Eastwood plays retired gunfighter Bill Munny who has sworn off violence as a promise to his wife so that he might be a better father to his children. Munny's wife has passed away prior to the events of the film, and he is finding it is difficult to eke out a life as a farmer. When two drunken cowboys disfigure a prostitute in the town of Big Whiskey, Wyoming, the other women in the brothel pool together money to offer as a reward for the deaths of the guilty cowboys.
The reward gets the attention of gunfighter Ned Logan, played by Morgan Freeman, who appeals to Munny to help him with the job. Munny reluctantly agrees with Logan and the two of them pick up a third associate, 'The Schofield Kid' played by Jaimz Woolvett on the way to Big Whiskey. Throughout the journey, Munny seems almost comically incompetent. He repeatedly falls off his horse, falls ill, and is incapable of hitting anything with his pistol. The Schofield Kid begins to doubt Munny's legend, but Logan's faith never waivers.
The sheriff of Big Whiskey is a dominant figure named Little Bill Daggett played by Gene Hackman who won an academy award for best supporting actor for his performance. Little Bill hears about the reward and vows to guard the lives of the cowboys as he considers any attempt on their lives an encroachment on his authority.
He assassinates Logan which inspires Munny to embrace his inner killer and wreak vengeance upon the town of Big Whiskey. By the end of the film, all the characters involved understand why Munny attempted to denounce his inner killer, and are terrified of him even as he attempts to resume his passive existence.
Why It's One of the Best 90s Movies
By the time Clint Eastwood made Unforgiven he was already a legendary actor because of his Dirty Harry and Spaghetti Western starring roles. The news that Clint Eastwood would be directing and starring in yet another western in 1992 was met with little enthusiasm since it was widely believed that there was nothing more Eastwood could add to the genre. However, Unforgiven, proved the critics wrong and went on to win academy awards for best picture, best supporting actor, best director and best editing.
Unforgiven is different than Eastwood's other Westerns because it does not romanticize the image of the gunslinging cowboy. Where Eastwood's 'man with no name' from the Spaghetti Western's is an indisputably cool anti-hero, Bill Munny is a repulsive figure who comes across as clumsy, weak, and appears to be a hopeless drunk.
Munny is tormented by his past and carries a physical burden from every life he has ever taken. When he succumbs to his true nature as a heartless assassin at the end of the film, it is not a celebration of good over evil, but a resigned acceptance that a lethal conflict leaves no victors.
Unforgiven is the type of film that can only be made by a film legend the stature of Clint Eastwood. It is almost as if Eastwood sought to deconstruct his own legendary status, and it's rare to see so many unflattering images of a lead man in a single film. Gene Hackman is an actor of almost equal stature to Eastwood, and his performance of subdued menace is the prefect foil to Eastwood's.
Also notable is the brief appearance of legendary actor Richard Harris who has a scene with Hackman that is a true highlight not just of Unforgiven, but of all film.
There are many Westerns, but only a few of them rise above the level of casual entertainment and manage to make a profound comment on the human condition. Unforgiven is on the short list of films that are often considered among the best Westerns of all time. You might have people disagree with you if you select it as your pick for the best Western, but nobody's going to laugh at your choice.
Groundhog Day
Cast
Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Brian Doyle-Murray
Director
Harold Ramis
Year of Release
1993
Plot
Bill Murray plays arrogant and conceited weatherman Phil Connors who reluctantly goes to the quaint little town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover their Groundhog's Day celebration. While in Punxsutawney, Phil discovers he is trapped in a time loop that has him living the same day over and over again.
As the film progresses, Phil responds to his fate with a variety of emotions that align with the five stages of grief. The audience watches him progress through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. Phil's curse is broken when he finally learns the value of selfless behavior.
Why It's One of the Best 90s Movies
In an era of films that rely more and more heavily on complex digital effects, it can be refreshing to visit a film like Groundhog Day that entertains on the strength of its clever premise and strong acting. Groundhog Day evokes memories of the old Twilight Zone episodes that relied on good storytelling and visual tricks in the early days of film and television.
At the time of the film's release, Bill Murray was just beginning his transition from comic actor to the independent film icon that he has become. This is an appealing transitional point in what has been a fine and influential acting career.
Groundhog Day belongs to that interesting category of films that was not highly celebrated upon its initial release. The film received positive reviews and was successful at the box office, but did not generate award attention. Despite its comic premise, Groundhog Day shares many elements of classic Greek tragedy, and many of its virtues only become evident years later after many repeat viewings.
Fortunately television stations in need of topical programming always turn to Groundhog Day on February 2nd since there are no other films for that calendar event.
Pulp Fiction
Cast
Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, John Travolta, Harvey Keitel, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Uma Thurman, Eric Stoltz
Director
Quentin Tarantino
Year of Release
1994
Plot
Pulp Fiction follows the stories of a boxer, two mob hitmen, a gangster's wife, and a pair of smile time criminals who attempt to rob a diner. The film does not play out in chronological order, which emphasizes different elements of the film like reflecting on a memory instead of experiencing a true life moment. Honor, betrayal, and personal salvation are themes that are engaged by this violent and comical cult classic.
Why It's One of the Best 90s Movies
Few movies have made such an impact on the history of film, let alone a single decade, as Pulp Fiction. The film's screenplay became the bestselling screenplay of all time which is very unusual for any film. In the next view years there would be dozens of Pulp Fiction knock off films like The Way of the Gun, Go, The Big Hit, 2 Days in the Valley (which featured the screen debut of Charlize Theron), and the cult classic The Boondock Saints.
It's hard to believe that although Samuel L. Jackson had been a respected film actor for years, he was virtually unknown to the public prior to Pulp Fiction. Similarly John Travolta experienced a career revival after this film and Tarantino has made a career of breathing new life into the careers of actors in the midst of career lulls.
Pulp Fiction won the academy award for best original screenplay but lost out to Forrest Gump for best picture. It won the Cannes film festival's top price, the Palme d'Or, which is more highly regarded than the Oscars in some circles.
The Shawshank Redemption
Cast
Tim Robbins, Morgan freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows
Director
Frank Darabont
Year of Release
1994
Plot
Tim Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a successful banker who is found guilty for the murder of his wife and sent to the Shawshank prison for a life of incarceration. Dufresne adapts to his life over time and develops a strong friendship with a fellow inmate named 'Red' who is played by Morgan Freeman. Through Dufresne's perspective you learn about life in prison in the late 1940s and see the relationships and the communities that can form even within the harsh environment of prison.
Dufresne learns to thrive in prison even though he recognizes that the warden and the guards are corrupt individuals. When evidence comes to light that might clear Dufresne's name, the authorities that have the power to exonerate him are reluctant to do so because they know Dufresne has information on their corrupt business dealings.
Dufresne eventually must choose whether he will continue his incarcerated life or attempt to win back his freedom by whatever means possible. The story is based on a Stephen King novel.
Why It's One of the Best 90s Movies
The Shawshank Redemption is another one of those movies that flew under the radar after its initial release. The film was a modest box office success earning 58.3 million in ticket sales on a 25 million dollar budget. It was even nominated for best picture along with Four Weddings and a Funeral, Forrest Gump, Quiz Show and Pulp Fiction.
It was a nominee for 6 other categories but failed to win an award. Some critics said that the films unwieldy title prevented it from gaining more word-of-mouth traction since 'Shawshank' was difficult to pronounce.
Although Tim Robbins is the headliner, Morgan Freeman steals the show and much of the movie's charm comes from his voice over narration. It's fair to say that Morgan Freeman's voice has become common in film and television ads largely due to his work in The Shawshank Redemption.
The film features a very tight narrative and a touching theme that speaks to people from all walks of life. The performances are strong at every level and build to a satisfying and appropriate conclusion. The Shawshank Redemption gained much of its following thanks to its popularity as a featured film on free cable channels.
Fargo
Cast
William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Frances McDormand
Director
Joel and Ethan Coen
Year of Release
1996
Plot
Jerry Lundegaard played by William H. Macy embarks on a scheme to have his wife kidnapped so that her wealthy father might pay the ransom. Lundegaard intends to use the money on a business investment. However, the kidnapping is bungled as is the ransom payment which eventually draws the attention of a very pregnant local law enforcement agent named Marge Gunderson played by Frances McDormand.
Fargo takes place in Minnesota and goes to great lengths to represent the midwestern culture, climate, and accent. Midwesterners are known for their winsome and kind nature, which serves as a stark contrast to the brutal violence that forms a fundamental component to Fargo's plot. Although Marge Gunderson appears as a naïve and comical character, she proves to be highly competent and endowed with a fundamental capacity for comprehending both the best and worst aspects of human nature.
Why It's One of the Best 90s Movies
By the time the Coen brothers released Fargo in 1996, they had already developed an impressive resume of films. Miller's Crossing from 1990 is an underrated gangster film that deserves mention alongside Goodfellas or The Godfather, and in 2008 the Coen brothers would win an academy award for No Country for Old Men. Fargo represents a transitional point in their career where the cinematic community stopped viewing them as an oddity and started to take them seriously as some of the best filmmakers of their time.
The catalog of films from the Coen brothers sometimes might make you think that they have an identity complex. They tend to specialize in thrillers but follow up each thriller they produce with an extremely dark comedy. Historically, the comedies they've produced have been less well-received since their suspense instincts and visual style lends itself much better to serious drama. However, when they add comedic moments to films such as Fargo, the result is often quite mesmerizing.
There are several sequences in Fargo that elevate the film above the level of its contemporaries. The kidnapping scene is a very creepy mash up of horrific violence and slapstick comedy. Later in the film one of the kidnappers played by Steve Buscemi has to navigate a series of annoyances, including an unreasonable partner, after being shot in the face. Buscemi gives a career defining performance, and his combination of impudent rage, pain, and existential frustration is both comical and depressing to witness.
Saving Private Ryan
Cast
Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Jeremy Davies, Ted Danson, Paul Giamatti, Matt Damon
Director
Steven Spielberg
Year of Release
1998
Plot
Captain Miller is given a mission to retrieve a paratrooper whose three brothers have been killed in combat. The soldiers of Miller's unit, including Captain Miller, have a hard time comprehending the decision to exempt a soldier from further battle simply because his brothers have died. The order contains an inherent contradiction because the military is willing to put the lives of Miller and his men at risk to save a soldier they don't even know. The film begins with a stunning recreation of the Omaha beach landing in World War II.
As Captain Miller and his group navigate through the war zone, the humanitarian nature of their mission allows them to recover a certain component of their humanity which had been lost due to the brutality of the war.
Why It's One of the Best 90s Movies
Saving Private Ryan being passed over for best picture in the 1999 academy awards in favor of Harvey Weinstein's inferior Shakespeare in Love is often cited as an example of the complete corruption of award ceremonies. Saving Private Ryan is a thoughtful war epic that is something of a spiritual if not a direct sequel to Spielberg's other great war film, Schindler's List.
Schindler's List was a strong consideration for this list of the best 90s movies, but ultimately we picked Saving Private Ryan because it didn't win an academy award. We highly recommend watching both of them in order if you have the chance.
Tom Hanks gives his typical, superior performance, although the cynicism of his character is a bit of a departure from his other roles. Ted Danson's brief cameo is an important and memorable pivot scene in this film and it helps to underscore Captain Miller's conflict and eventual resolution.
Matt Damon as the titular Private Ryan was just coming off his 1998 Oscar win for best original screenplay for Good Will Hunting. The D-day invasion scene at the beginning of Saving Private Ryan justifies revisiting this film all on its own. The rest is just a bonus.
The Matrix
Cast
Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano
Director
The Wachowski Brothers
Year of Release
1999
Plot
Keanu Reeves plays a computer hacker who goes by the name Neo. Neo is approached by a mysterious figure named Morpheus, played by Laurence Fishburne, who promises to show Neo the true nature of the world. Neo agrees and soon finds himself awaking in a machine controlled dystopia only to discover that the world as he knew it was nothing more than a complex computer program known as the matrix. Neo finds that Morpheus believes him to be the chosen one destined to free humanity from machine domination.
Why It's One of the Best 90s Movies
Even to this day, the "bullet time" special effects used in The Matrix are still referenced in modern film, television, and advertisements. The Matrix spawned two less well-received sequels that did not fully capitalize on the mythos of the first film. Released just prior to the Y2K scare, The Matrix capitalized on a growing sense that technology might be the embodiment of an existential threat. Keanu Reeves is featured here in a career defining role, and the rest of the cast, particularly Laurence Fishburne, is excellent.
To this day, the special effects of The Matrix are both entertaining and thrilling. If you have the opportunity to see it on a big screen do not hesitate, this is a film that cannot be truly experienced without an immersive sound and visuals. But The Matrix is not one of those films that has special effects only for the sake of dazzling the audience.
It is one of those rare examples where the technical prowess of the filmmakers melds beautifully with the thematic ambitions of the story being told. It's worth watching The Matrix just for the slow motion action and the cool leather outfits and stylish sunglasses.
Fight Club
Cast
Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Meat Loaf, Helena Bonham Carter, Jared Leto
Director
David Fincher
Year of Release
1999
Plot
A nameless narrator played by Edward Norton who is plagued by insomnia comes home to discover his apartment has exploded and all his belongings are burning in the street. He calls up a random stranger named Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt, who he met on a recent business flight and asks if he can crash for the night. Durden lives in an abandoned house on the fringes of civilization, and the two of them begin to fight each other in a physical expression of the rage and frustration they feel due to their place in modern society.
Young men start to hear about the budding fight club, and soon Durden and Norton's character find themselves in a position of leadership in a ramshackle army of angry and disenfranchised young men. When Durden's activities become more violent, Norton's character realizes that he has inadvertently become the founding member of a very dangerous terrorist cell. However, he also discovers that a large part of him is fully committed to the idea.
Why It's One of the Best 90s Movies
The subject matter of Fight Club has only become more controversial over time, and the film was largely misunderstood and criminally ignored by critics upon its initial release. Ironically, the film American Beauty won the academy award for best picture in 2000 with similar themes to Fight Club and even a few almost identical scenes.
The main difference between Fight Club and American Beauty was that the former was conceived to appeal the angst of Gen Xers, and the latter was conceived to appeal to the angst of Baby Boomers. Since Baby Boomers owned the media, American Beauty was celebrated and Fight Club was panned.
However, Fight Club is a superior film to American Beauty. The direction is perfect, the pacing and dialogue is poetic, and the overall look and feel of the movie is a tight narrative without a single element out of place. Ironically, in an era where sexual impropriety has become the object of greater attention, American Beauty's plot device of an older man obsessing over the friend of his teenage daughter seems much more inappropriate to a modern audience than the violence and chaos of Fight Club.
Fight Club truly captures the fundamental existential conflict of modern existence and has become a cult classic with a legion of fans. It's one of the few cases where you can make a strong argument that the film adaptation is superior to the book.
Let the Debate Begin
Keep in mind that any "best of" list cannot be considered definitive. The whole purpose of creating a 10 best 90s movies is to begin a discussion that provides a new perspective which allows you to revisit old favorites and discover something new.
Some films are noteworthy for the acting, some have superior effects, and a very small minority take every element of filmmaking and combine them perfectly to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. The best 90s movies continue to influence modern filmmaking, and it's always fun when you recognize a nod to an old classic in a modern feature.
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