Top 25 Films of the 1990's
I was royally bored this afternoon so I did some good old fashioned research, and came up with a list of my favorite films of the 90's. It was very difficult to narrow it down to 25. I tried to get a good balance of comedy, drama, action, horror, etc. films into the list. I would love to hear some feedback. This was a great decade for movies. A lot of these films I grew up watching over and over. I'm not going to get into too many details. I will try and give reasons for some films. Please enjoy!
25. Happy Gilmore (1996) - Directed by Dennis Dugan. Starring Adam Sandler.
I don't have to explain myself here. There are one-liners in this film that I still use to this very day.
24. The Firm (1993) - Directed by Sydney Pollack. Starring Tom Cruise.
This was a huge decade for Tom Cruise. His films have gotten a little shady lately, but he was a machine in the 90's, and this is a fantastic film.
23. The Truman Show (1998) - Directed by Peter Weir. Starring Jim Carrey.
This was a breakout performance for Carrey. This film never gets old.
22. The Fugitive (1993) - Directed by Andrew Davis. Starring Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones.
Remember when Harrison Ford kicked ass? I do. This film rules, thanks to Mr. Ford.
21. Rushmore (1998) - Directed by Wes Anderson. Starring Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray.
The birth of Jason Schwartzman and the film that put Wes Anderson on the map. Very funny, very smart, and a great high school film.
20. Trainspotting (1996) - Directed by Danny Boyle. Starring Ewan McGregor.
Danny Boyle is master at film making. This is another trophy to put on his mantle. This film takes a dive into the depths of drugs.
19. Jurassic Park (1993) - Directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum.
A work of art. This film is frightening, exciting, and fun. Hooray Steven Spielberg!
18. Fargo (1996) - Directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen. Starring William H. Macy, Frances McDormand.
Absolutely hilarious and thrilling. One of the Coen Brother's best films, which is saying something.
17. American History X (1998) - Directed by Tony Kaye. Starring Edward Norton.
Edward Norton's best performance, hands down. This is a shocking and daring film. See it!
16. Office Space (1999) - Directed by Mike Judge. Starring Ron Livingston.
A cult classic with hilarious performances by Gary Cole and Diedrich Bader.
15. The Cable Guy (1996) - Directed by Ben Stiller. Starring Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick.
Jim Carrey's funniest performance in my opinion. His lisp cracks me up like nothing else.
14. Titanic (1997) - Directed by James Cameron. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet.
Say what you want, but this movie rules. DiCaprio and Winslet are two of my favorites. And hello...James Cameron.
13. Mission: Impossible (1996) - Directed by Brian De Palma. Starring Tom Cruise.
Tom Cruise at his very best. I love this film.
12. Pulp Fiction (1994) - Directed by Quentin Tarantino. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta.
There really isn't anything quite like this film. Jackson's best performance, no contest.
11. There's Something About Mary (1998) - Directed by Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly. Starring Ben Stiller, Matt Dillon.
The Farrelly Brothers had a huge decade. This film really gave birth to Ben Stiller's career.
10. Dumb and Dumber (1994) - Directed by Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly. Starring Jim Carrey.
It's quite amazing just how funny this film is. Carrey and Jeff Daniels make one heck of a team.
9. Heavyweights (1995) - Directed by Steven Brill. Starring Ben Stiller.
Oh good Lord, what a performance by Ben Stiller. Don't tell me you haven't seen this film. It's a little tacky, but Stiller's performance is one in a million.
8. The Matrix (1999) - Directed by Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski. Starring Keanu Reeves.
This movie rules, but you already know that.
7. Fight Club (1999) - Directed by David Fincher. Starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton.
Oh what a combination Pitt, Norton and Fincher make.
6. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) - Directed by Stanley Kubrick. Starring Tom Cruise.
Kubrick + Cruise = Gold. It's too bad Kubrick died shortly after making this film.
5. The Big Lebowski (1998) - Directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen. Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman.
A comedic masterpiece. Enough said.
4. Forrest Gump (1994) - Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Starring Tom Hanks.
What an emotional roller coaster ride of a film. Possibly Hanks' best performance.
3. American Beauty (1999) - Directed by Sam Mendes. Starring Kevin Spacey, Chris Cooper.
1999 was one of the best years ever. And this film sits at the very top. A truly amazing film.
2. Boogie Nights (1997) - Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Starring Mark Wahlberg.
What a beast of a film. An achievement on so many levels.
1. Saving Private Ryan (1998) - Directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring Tom Hanks, Matt Damon.
The best war film ever. The best film of the decade. Possibly the best film ever.
25. Happy Gilmore (1996) - Directed by Dennis Dugan. Starring Adam Sandler.
I don't have to explain myself here. There are one-liners in this film that I still use to this very day.
24. The Firm (1993) - Directed by Sydney Pollack. Starring Tom Cruise.
This was a huge decade for Tom Cruise. His films have gotten a little shady lately, but he was a machine in the 90's, and this is a fantastic film.
23. The Truman Show (1998) - Directed by Peter Weir. Starring Jim Carrey.
This was a breakout performance for Carrey. This film never gets old.
22. The Fugitive (1993) - Directed by Andrew Davis. Starring Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones.
Remember when Harrison Ford kicked ass? I do. This film rules, thanks to Mr. Ford.
21. Rushmore (1998) - Directed by Wes Anderson. Starring Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray.
The birth of Jason Schwartzman and the film that put Wes Anderson on the map. Very funny, very smart, and a great high school film.
20. Trainspotting (1996) - Directed by Danny Boyle. Starring Ewan McGregor.
Danny Boyle is master at film making. This is another trophy to put on his mantle. This film takes a dive into the depths of drugs.
19. Jurassic Park (1993) - Directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum.
A work of art. This film is frightening, exciting, and fun. Hooray Steven Spielberg!
18. Fargo (1996) - Directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen. Starring William H. Macy, Frances McDormand.
Absolutely hilarious and thrilling. One of the Coen Brother's best films, which is saying something.
17. American History X (1998) - Directed by Tony Kaye. Starring Edward Norton.
Edward Norton's best performance, hands down. This is a shocking and daring film. See it!
16. Office Space (1999) - Directed by Mike Judge. Starring Ron Livingston.
A cult classic with hilarious performances by Gary Cole and Diedrich Bader.
15. The Cable Guy (1996) - Directed by Ben Stiller. Starring Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick.
Jim Carrey's funniest performance in my opinion. His lisp cracks me up like nothing else.
14. Titanic (1997) - Directed by James Cameron. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet.
Say what you want, but this movie rules. DiCaprio and Winslet are two of my favorites. And hello...James Cameron.
13. Mission: Impossible (1996) - Directed by Brian De Palma. Starring Tom Cruise.
Tom Cruise at his very best. I love this film.
12. Pulp Fiction (1994) - Directed by Quentin Tarantino. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta.
There really isn't anything quite like this film. Jackson's best performance, no contest.
11. There's Something About Mary (1998) - Directed by Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly. Starring Ben Stiller, Matt Dillon.
The Farrelly Brothers had a huge decade. This film really gave birth to Ben Stiller's career.
10. Dumb and Dumber (1994) - Directed by Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly. Starring Jim Carrey.
It's quite amazing just how funny this film is. Carrey and Jeff Daniels make one heck of a team.
9. Heavyweights (1995) - Directed by Steven Brill. Starring Ben Stiller.
Oh good Lord, what a performance by Ben Stiller. Don't tell me you haven't seen this film. It's a little tacky, but Stiller's performance is one in a million.
8. The Matrix (1999) - Directed by Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski. Starring Keanu Reeves.
This movie rules, but you already know that.
7. Fight Club (1999) - Directed by David Fincher. Starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton.
Oh what a combination Pitt, Norton and Fincher make.
6. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) - Directed by Stanley Kubrick. Starring Tom Cruise.
Kubrick + Cruise = Gold. It's too bad Kubrick died shortly after making this film.
5. The Big Lebowski (1998) - Directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen. Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman.
A comedic masterpiece. Enough said.
4. Forrest Gump (1994) - Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Starring Tom Hanks.
What an emotional roller coaster ride of a film. Possibly Hanks' best performance.
3. American Beauty (1999) - Directed by Sam Mendes. Starring Kevin Spacey, Chris Cooper.
1999 was one of the best years ever. And this film sits at the very top. A truly amazing film.
2. Boogie Nights (1997) - Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Starring Mark Wahlberg.
What a beast of a film. An achievement on so many levels.
1. Saving Private Ryan (1998) - Directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring Tom Hanks, Matt Damon.
The best war film ever. The best film of the decade. Possibly the best film ever.
Eyes Wide Shut
Pulp Fiction
Boogie Nights
This would be a hard list to create, so my sympathy is with you. However, I'm going to hit a few movies that I think should be rearranged. Fight Club and Matrix need to be higher. Why? The creativeness how both films are incredible...I don't know why but when I think back into the 1990-2000 films I feel as if people were simply not as smart as present day. Matrix blew the technology/future thought process out of the water...I shit my pants when I watched it! Not really, but close! Dumb and Dumber need to be ahead of Heavyweights, because dumb and dumber related to the larger crowd and to this day is a classic. Whereas Heavyweights was more of a big hit for the younger generation or I guess I could say our (you and me) generation. Overall though, good job...this would be tough.
ReplyDeleteI see what you're saying, but it was 1999. Technology was finally going somewhere. Also, they are in the top 10 films of the decade. That's pretty darn high. I'm interested to hear what films on there you haven't seen or didn't like. It would be great to spark some controversy on the bitch.
ReplyDeleteDumb and Dumber and Heavyweights are both hilarious, no doubt. What sets them apart is that Heavyweights was PG. They couldn't use curse words or anything else for that matter. And yet Ben Stiller comes out with one of the best/funniest villians ever. A lot of people don't know about Heavyweights, and I could care less. I feel like I'm in an elite group of people. That's what makes a great underground band or a great indie film. That's where the term sellout comes from. Heavyweights is the best Disney film ever made IMHO. Thoughts?
Hey, Uncle Tony! I guess you can't really go wrong with either of those films, so it's pretty much a coin toss decision. I've seen 95% of these movies and I'll continue dissecting your top 25. Titanic behind "Something about Mary"...aaaaaahhhhh, come on now! James Cameron took the movie industry to a whole new level with that film and he continues to do so with Avatar. I was a little surprised to see "Fargo" on the list. Yes, it was funny...but so far off from accurate it was embarrassing. It's like me making a film about you and your skin is black....just didn't work and gave us north folk a ridiculous image. Final say...TAKE IT OFF THE BOARD! COMEDY-YAAAAHHHH-HAAAAAAA. "American History X"...like you said, "very daring film" but with no risk comes no reward. I loved it and it really gave the U.S. a solid look at what true racism really is and how hate destroys families, friends, communities, etc. Tony Kaye never backed down with this movie and earned himself a name!
ReplyDeleteTitanic was an epic film that was on top of the box office until the The Dark Knight and later Avatar. So, that went into the decision. A couple things you have to take into consideration about Fargo. The Coen Bros are actually from Minnesota. The whole film is a goof, it's a joke about how the rest of the US sees Minnesota/North Dakota. And people still think it's based on a true story to this day. People were digging in the snow looking for the the money for years. Just hilarious. Fargo, just like other Coen films, has layers and layers of details that aren't seen until a 3rd or 4th viewing. Tony Kaye has actually disappeared after X. He has a couple films coming out next year, but he hasn't made a film since. Interesting stuff.
ReplyDeleteOhh...behind Mary. Okay, yeah. Titanic is an epic film, but the first half hour is unnecessary and it is kind of a chick flick. There's Something About Mary is hilarious from start to finish. Matt Dillon, Lee Evans, and Chris Elliott come up with their funniest performances ever. I just love that film.
ReplyDelete