The 90’s was a great time in movies. Action movies were coming off the explosive and testosterone-filled 80’s. A couple of the funniest comedies ever were released. Children’s films went through a renaissance. And directors and film makers began tap into the potential of CGI. While I only remember seeing these movies for the first time in bits and pieces as a youngster, they all have held up if not become better with age in some instances. Possibly one of the best years in film happened to be the year I was born 1994. When I looked through the lists of movies I decided I would have to extend the list to 20 movies in order to really show the quality of the movies of the decade.
It was impossible to include all the great movies but I wanted to make sure to at least mention those that I hadn’t seen yet or believed deserved recognition. Some movies on here would be high on some people’s lists but I have either never seen them or just didn’t enjoy them as much as the general audience.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Ace Venture: Pet Detective – One of Jim Carrey’s funniest.
- Tommy Boy – Chris Farley’s best and just a stupid fun time.
- The Little Rascals – An awesome story about a gang of kids getting into trouble.
- True Lies – Have not watched all the way through yet, only heard good things about it.
- Rudy – One of the best underdog stories of all-time.
- Total Recall – Have not watched all the way through yet either, great action packed, scifi adventure.
- The Fugitive – Love me some Harrison Ford, and one of the best cat and mouse thrillers.
- Apollo 13 – One of the best casts and amazing historical thriller.
- Space Jam – Best live-action cartoon hybrid since Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
- The Big Lebowski – great comedy that transcends the genre.
- Pulp Fiction – For some reason I never got into this movie but I must acknowledge it’s overwhelmingly huge cult following.
Now for what I believe are the 20 best films from the 90’s, in my opinion. While the rankings express my appreciation and love for each movie, there is a little wiggle room for each movie as always. And this is always subject to change over time. But right now, these are my favorite 90’s movies and I think you should all check them out.
#20 From Dusk Till Dawn (’96) WATCH on NETFLIX
In it’s essence, this is 2 movies: a heist movie, and a horror B-movie. And it’s awesome. Go into this film with slightly lowered expectations and ready for a good time. While this is definitely not one of Quentin Tarantino’s gems (he helped write the screenplay), it certainly has his flavor to it. George Clooney as the “anti-hero” badass is unfamiliar but a ball to watch and will make you wish he took more roles like this early on in his career. While Tarantino as the brother and co-conspirator is laughable and sometimes disturbing, if you can get past it, this is a great fun flick to watch with a group of buddies or if you’re bored on the weekend.
#19 That Thing You Do (’96)
This isn’t based on a true story but it almost feels like it is. Ever wonder what it would be like to be a part of a one-hit-wonder band? Here’s the story. Tom Hanks as the business savvy and smooth talking manager just adds another electrifying layer to this musical adventure. Each little moment adds to the hysteria, building up to the meteoric rise and fall of the “Oneders”, or Wonders.
#18 Lion King (’94)
I’m not the biggest fan of the Lion King as most others but I still recognize how great of a film it is. Most people compare the Toy Story trilogy to the Godfather and this movie could similarly be compared to such a great film as Shawshank Redemption as it can stand alone as well for the test of time. All the influences from Macbeth and WWII culminate with the imaginative minds at Disney to create one of the greatest prodigal stories in cinematic history. And Hakuna Matata is easily one of the most recognizable songs even outside of movies ever.
#17 Men In Black (’97)
Ever wonder why we haven’t heard from aliens yet? This is the best….most fun explanation yet. MIB caught Will Smith near the apex of his fame and paired him surprisingly well with the stoic Tommy Lee Jones. One of the funniest action-packed scifi movies until maybe Guardians of the Galaxy, which is saying a lot. Anyone unfortunate enough to miss this gem when it first came out should definitely give it a watch. And when you’re done, the sequel (which decently follows it up) is on NETFLIX.
#16 Rush Hour (’98)
Speaking of unlikely pairings, no one expected this buddy cop comedy to work and it was so good it spawned arguably a better sequel, a third film, and possibly a fourth now. A large percentage of people are annoyed by Chris Tucker’s voice and humor but if you enjoy it like me you will get a huge kick out of this movie. And even if that’s not enough, any chance to watch Jackie Chan fight is a cherished treasure now that he’s done with movies.
#15 Dumb and Dumber (’94)
It could be argued that this is the best buddy comedy ever. While the humor is definitely dumb, it doesn’t dismiss the fact that this movie leaves you in stitches and busting a gut every time you watch it. It’s extremely quotable and even thought it inspired a terrible prequel, it also was beloved enough to bring the two original actors back for a fairly decent and funny sequel. Any fan of comedy has to watch this movie at least every few years to remember the basics of what can make movies so funny.
#14 Good Will Hunting (’97) Watch on NETFLIX
After Robin Williams passed away I went back and watched some of his movies and finally watched this movie. I’m a big fan of Matt Damon and was curious to see what him and Ben Affleck could write. I was blown away by Robin Williams performance. I had scene him act serious in several of his goofier and more silly roles before but never in such a dramatic role as this. The scene on the park bench between him and Damon’s character was my favorite and I was waiting for each conversation between the two to be mesmerized by their amazing chemistry and dialogue. While the overall story to me was not stellar, the acting and especially the chemistry between Williams and Damon was legendary.
#13 Terminator 2: Judgement Day (’91)
I watched this in its entirety for the first time a few weeks ago and wasn’t very impressed after all the great things I had heard about it. However, after a few weeks to mull it over and revisit some scenes, I have gained a great respect and affection for this film. I also just recently watch the first movie (NETFLIX) which greatly helped put the film in perspective. The T-1000 is tremendously well-done and Arnold as the T-800 is improved upon from the previous movie. I have recently been watching several of Schwarzenegger’s older movies and believe this may be my favorite of his performances. Even though I found John Connor’s character annoying and dumb at some points, I felt he overall fit into the setting and story of the film. I also enjoyed Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor a ton more in T2 than I did in the first Terminator. If you are like I was and haven’t gotten around to it yet, don’t waste your money on Terminator Genysis and go rent Terminator 2.
#12 Schindler’s List (’93)
I’ve only seen this once and it was in school, but it was still remarkably powerful and captivating. I plan on probably watching this movie one more time, maybe twice in my life. It is an extremely hard movie to watch and can be emotionally draining. Everyone should watch this movie once but it is not the type of movie that needs multiple viewings. The powerful visual and oral messages of the film are for more impacting than the entertainment value of this film. The choice to do it in black and white somehow made the scenes even more disturbing and realistic. It felt as though you were watching old footage from camps and factories at that time. There are few movies who have ever delivered a message and truth so carefully and powerful as this film has.
#11 Reservoir Dogs (’92) Watch on NETFLIX
The first time I tried to watch this I turned it off after about 20 minutes. The first restaurant scene can be a bit off-putting but if you can get past it, this really is a well-crafted story. With Quentin Tarantino as the director, what do you expect? The dialogue and flashbacks are used perfectly and help advance the story with only a few minutes of unnecessary conversations. This was Tarantino’s major picture directorial debut and he knocked it out of the park. He set the tone for the rest of his films to come: heavy and smart dialogue, realism and ultra graphic violence.
#10 Braveheart (’95) Watch on NETFLIX
This was one of the first movies I ever wrote a review for and I loved it. For a in depth review and analysis of the film check out my review page. But for the short summary, the score is amazing, the battles are violent but tasteful, and the theme is beautifully crafted and delivered. My favorite Mel Gibson role. And of course one of the best speeches ever.
#9 Shawshank Redemption (’94)
Watching this movie for the first time was the first time I realized how good movies could be. It caused me to view movies more deeply and gave me a higher standard for the films I watched then on out. While the characters are performed well by their respective actors, the real star of this movie is the plots and story telling. You are instantly sucked into this world within the prison as Andy Dufresne slowly turns it upside down until he makes his daring escape.
#8 Fight Club (’99)
One of the weirdest and most surprising movies I’ve watched in a while. Fight Club is way more than a movie about people punching each other. It’s a thought provoking and mind bending journey with twists and turns. I don’t want to give too much away to ruin the movie, but you will instantly want to watch it again after it’s over to try to understand everything that happened. Brad Pitt is a rockstar and gets to personify it in this role and it’s a blast to watch.
#7 Toy Story (’95)
Not much can be said that hasn’t been already about the Pixar debut and classic. It revolutionized animated films for the future and jump started possibly the best and most consistently good movie production company in the past 20 years. Woody and Buzz are gods in the animated community, almost eclipsing Mickey Mouse as the the main characters of Disney. I work at a daycare and see children wearing some kind of Woody or Buzz clothing at least 2 or 3 times a week. On top of being a very popular movie, it really is a fantastic family adventure that is timeless and will be enjoyed for generations.
#6 The Iron Giant (’99)
This is in my top 2 all-time favorite animated films, alongside The Sword In The Stone. It’s an awesome scifi/coming-of-age/action/comedy/family film that still holds up great. There have been numerous animated films getting rebooted as live action versions and I believe this movie is highly deserving of one as well. While it is entertaining to watch the Iron Giant learn about things from Hogarth it is also a very emotional and pulse-pounding film. And I must mention the ending, which is one of my favorite of all-time. It’s nearly guaranteed you will cry the first time you watch it. Any one who is a fan of Disney’s Big Hero 6 should give this movie a try.
#5 Forrest Gump (’94) Watch on NETFLIX
Forrest Gump is like apple pie and baseball in America. It is almost unpatriotic to have never seen Forrest Gump. Funny story: I watched this several times as a kid and didn’t watch again until I was a teenager and realized that Forrest was mentally challenged. I just thought he was really weird as a child. My favorite part of the movie and one of my favorite secondary characters of all-time is Lt. Dan. His interactions with Forrest have always cracked me up and sometimes touched me emotionally.
Extra: There is a channel on YouTube that makes “Honest Trailers” for movies and the one for Forrest Gump is hilarious. Check them out on the Screen Junkies channel!
#4 Saving Private Ryan (’98)
F.U.B.A.R. This acronym from the film best describes the movie and the war. Arguably the best war film of all-time and it does not hold any punches. The opening half hour of the movie displays the horror and valor of war for these soldiers. Probably the most tasteful, yet realistic depiction of war in any movie thus far. While most action/war movies try to make the violence slightly entertaining but not glorify, Spielberg did a magnificent job of making it horrifying without being overly disturbing. An essential movie for any fan of war films or history.
#3 Jurassic Park (’93)
When you think of a dinosaur movie you don’t imagine developed characters and well told story, but that’s what you get when Steven Spielberg directs it. He found a way to merge dinosaurs with a thoughtful script and fun visual adventure. It is remarkable how well the dinosaurs hold up today after over 20 years. The blend of practical and CG dinosaurs makes you believe that the extinct creatures are actually on screen with these actors. The other masterful aspect of this film is the amount of screen time for the dinosaurs. Any other director may have felt pressured to put dinosaurs on the screen as much as possible, but Spielberg held back and only showed them for about 15 minutes of the hour and a half film. This built suspense and anticipation for each next scene that involved the dinos. Even though I loved this movie as a child, along with other factors it brought about a huge fear of dinosaurs within me. To this day I can’t ride any rides involving dinosaurs or go near any dinosaurs inside museums.
#2 Tombstone (’93)
The best western in my opinion and the best Kurt Russell performance also. The cast is incredible from Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer to Powers Boothe and Michael Biehn. Tombstone also has one of the most badass quotes ever when Wyatt Earp, Russell’s character, says: This an action-packed modern western with a great story and even great characters like Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Johnny Ringo and Curly Bill Brocius. Saddle up for an awesome time and give Tombstone a watch for a rootin’ tootin’ good time.
#1 Goodfellas (’90)
This one of the few films I’ve seen that I can say is perfect. The dialogue and story telling are magnificent and draw you deep into the world of the mobsters. There’s so much to say about it that I recommend you read my full review here. It took me forever to get around to watching it but I’m kind of glad I got to watch it in its entirety for the first time at a more mature age.
I hope you enjoyed my list and will watch any of the movies you had never heard of or seen before. You won’t be disappointed, I promise. Please any comments on what would make it on your list and what you liked and disliked about mine. Thanks for reading!
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