Top 10 Films of the 90s

[ianlow]

Here's my list of favourite films of the last decade:

1. American Beauty - Haunting, poetic and redeeming. The best film in nearly 20 years. Great performances just cement a film that will only get better with age. Looks and sounds beautiful as well.

2. Saving Private Ryan - It's not about the plot, it is about the experience. Like no other film since Platoon has any movie made you feel so deeply with images and sound.

3. The Sweet Hereafter - A movie that is so compelling that it will take more than one viewing to fully appreciate the depth of complexities.

4. The Insider - The most gripping thriller, if you can call it that, of the decade. Russell Crowe and Pacino just excels at every turn. And Mann's direction soars like never before.

5. Unforgiven - Possibly the greatest western ever. Mature, gripping and stunning to look at, Eastwood milks the performances out of Hackman, Freeman and himself.

6. Braveheart - The best epic film of the decade, better than Titanic. Moving at times, sweeping at others. Mel delivers a movie that can compare with the best of the classic epics.

7. Titanic - The other epic of the decade. Despite banal dialogue, everything else is just brilliant and spectacular. The romance is as sweeping as Gone With the Wind.

8. LA Confidential - No other crime drama movie fared as well as this one in the 90s. Except for an over exaggerated ending, the performances and direction and writing just excels.

9. The Shawshank Redemption - A movie that gets better with age and with each successive viewing. Tim Robbins & Morgan Freeman form the unlikeliest of buddies and the interaction between the 2 of them is just a delight. Slow, but ultimately rewarding.

10. Pulp Fiction - No other film in the 90s got as much critical acclaim as this one, for its innovative writing and kinetic energy. Great comeback performances from Travolta, Jackson and Willis in an understated role.

If anything, the 90s was a great decade, improving over the lacklustre 80s. While Hollywood reared its ugly commercial head during summer, when the good ones come, they really do deliver.

The advent of CGI may inadvertently generate more popcorn flicks than required, ultimately, the writing and innovation just got more developed during the last few years.

Many many good films and a good number of great ones were produced. It certainly bodes well for the next millennium.

[DrDetroit]

This list plays like something the AFI would release. All safe bets. Nothing controversial. All of them have oscar nominations; 4 Best Picture winners. You should've put Schindler's List on there, or maybe even Forrest Gump if you wanted to be completely straight-laced.

And what was wrong with the 80s? It had Scarface, Amadeus, Raging Bull, Say Anything, Back to the Future (parts I and II), The Dead Zone, E.T., Sex Lies and Videotape, Do the Right Thing, ALL THREE Indy movies, etc. etc. etc. You get the point. There was a wealth of quality pictures released in the 80s, and I resent you labelling it lackluster.

[ianlow]

I think the 80s has its fair share of good movies. My personal favs:

1. The Unbearable Lightness of Being
2. Platoon
3. Brazil
4. Witness
5. Raiders Of The Lost Ark
6. Blade Runner
7. Raging Bull
8. The Killing Fields
9. Rain Man
10. Gandhi

The 80s were not that bad, but the movies that you quoted seems to be more fantasy based and Spielberg influenced, like the Back to the future flicks and Indy movies.

I do think that the 80s did not have that much of a progression and movies generally took lesser risks. Because of Lucas and Spielberg, Hollywood decided to abandon the indie approach of the 70s and went to making commercial blockbusters filled with visual effects.

The 90s I felt, especially at the tail end of it, did tried to be more innovative. Even mainstream Hollywood were producing daring movies like LA Confidential and American Beauty says a lot.

What I liked about the 80s was that a lot of movies confronted issues which were tabooed prior to the decade. The Vietnam war, as vividly told in Platoon and Born on the 4th of July.

Overall, I still felt the 80s was a grade down from the 70s and 90s in terms of scope and innovation.

[deepfry]

Empire Strikes Back was released in the 80's, and it's arguably one of the few cases where a sequel outdid its predecessor. If you need any more proof that the 80's were a great decade for films....I'm sure someone else will have more reasons. Empire is all the reason I need.

[SolidSnakeASS]

There is no way Titanic is better then GoodFellas. That came out in the 90's and should be on the list if it was a 'real' one. Schindler's List definitely should have been on there too. It's a brilliant movie that really recreates history and helps the audience really understand all the pain. I would say that the list does seem like an AFI list. Fight Club is the number one movie of the 90s anyway.

[Laughing Gravy]

The only one of ianlow's top ten that would be on my list of best films of the '90s would be UNFORGIVEN.

[BeanBandit]

What a list. Do you really believe that those are the top ten movies of the 90s or are you just trying to make people angry? Titanic? Gimme a break. Same with Private Ryan. And Braveheart. They aren't necessarily good movies, just expensive and grand epics. Fight Club should definitely be on the list; it changed my life. Oh, and the Matrix should be here too, because it was spectacular.

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- Are all men from the future loud mouthed braggarts?
- Nope. Just me baby. Just me.

[George McFly]

I must disagree, I think the 90's was a boring decade for movies, sure there were some good ones but not as many as in 80's plus 80's films seem more original to me.

top 5 80's films

1.Raiders of Lost Ark-nuff said
2.Top Gun-nothing like before or sense
3.Lethal Weapon- great film to say the least
4.Rain Man-stil my favorite Tom Cruise film
5.Back to the Future-need I say more.

top 5 from 90's

1.Forrest Gump-the one 90's film with an 80's feel
2.Saving Private Ryan-good but not great
3.Ttanic-I liked it but too damn long
4.Men in Black-just OK
5.The matrix-cool efects but I still "don't get it"



[This message has been edited by DVDnut (edited 05-07-2001).]

[Dehrian]

Top Gun? The Matrix? ...shivers...

Okay, my top ten (though I'm sure I'm forgetting something):

The 90s:
10. Magnolia
9. Unforgiven
8. The Player
7. Heat
6. Forrest Gump
5. GoodFellas
4. Being John Malkovich
3. The Silence Of The Lambs
2. The Thin Red Line
1. Schindler's List

Goddammit, it just erased my message.

Try this again.

1. Wild At Heart
2. Barton Fink
3. Starship Troopers
4. LA Confidential
5. Miller's Crossing
6. Braveheart
7. Dead Alive
8. Goodfellas
9. Lost Highway
10. Lord of Illusions

I don't know if that's in order... but these films, over the last ten years, have really spoken to me.

Ianlow, I truly hope that The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is up top of your Western list, because it blows Unforgiven out of the water, in my opinion.


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http://www.wordsfromhere.com

[Keyser5]

OK, top 10 of the Nineties, eh? Here goes the list, best I can off the top of my head... Yes, I'm sure there'll be a couple I've forgotten I'd want on there.... And yes, just because some of these did get Oscar nominations doesn't mean they should automatically dismissed as 'generic crap for the masses'... So, in no particular order - Actually, just the order I remember them in...

1) LA Confidential
2) Shawshank Redemption
3) Usual Suspects
4 & 4 1/2) Toy Story 1 & 2
5) Goodfellas
6) Fargo
7) The Insider
8) Reservoir Dogs
9) Glengarry Glen Ross
10) Rushmore

In the Company of Men, The Sweet Hereafter, The Player, Red, American Beauty, and Bug's Life all get special mention here too... Man, I wish this could be like a top 50 list or something like that - Seems horrifyingly tough to narrow it down to ten...


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[This message has been edited by Keyser5 (edited 05-16-2001).]

[Dehrian]

Ah man, how could I forget Fargo and the Three Colors trilogy? Now I've got to do my list all over again.

[Stormtrooper_Bob]

90's:

American Beauty
Star Wars: Phantom Menace
Hook
Pulp Fiction
Any Kevin Smith Flicks
JFK
Natural Born Killers
Saving Private Ryan
Schindlers List
Fight Club
Eyes Wide Shut
Dark City
M:I2
Carlitos Way
Shawshank


80's:

Any Indy films
Empire and Jedi
E.T.
Platoon
Aliens
Terms of Endearment
Das Boot
Goonies
Raging Bull
Full Metal Jacket
Shining
The Killer
Scarface

70's: (Best decade ever!)

Star Wars
Godfather 1&2
Close Encounters
Jaws
American Graffiti
Taxi Driver
Alien
Superman
Clockwork Orange
Rocky
Halloween
Young Frankenstein
Exorcist


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"Move Along, Move Along."

[This message has been edited by Stormtrooper_Bob (edited 05-26-2001).]

[Marty McFly]

My top films of the 90s would be:

The Matrix

Speed

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Rush Hour

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane

Brain Donors

Vegas Vacation

Back to the Future Part III

Beverly Hills Cop III

Naked Gun 2 & 3

Clerks

Mallrats

Dogma

Chasing Amy

Die Hard with a Vengeance

Army of Darkness

12 Monkeys

Pulp Fiction

Reservoir Dogs

I was a never a fan of most films from the 90s, as I'm more of an 80s guy myself. Even cinema now can't compare to the movies of the past 20 years.

(editing a message over a year after I posted it - who knew? )

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-->Marty McFly<--

This is like Speed 2 - but with a bus!

[Fr.Merrin]

OK...

90s:

1. Nixon
2. Happiness
3. Casino
4. The Sweet Hereafter
5. L'eau Froid
6. Crash
7. The Limey
8. The End Of The Affair
9. Husbands and Wives
10. Carlito's Way

80s:

1. Dressed To Kill
2. Bad Timing
3. Heaven's Gate
4. Stardust Memories
5. Lost In America
6. The Last Temptation of Christ
7. Prick Up Your Ears
8. Dead Ringers
9. Excalibur
10. Salvador

70s:

1. Night Moves
2. Pat Garratt And Billy The Kid
3. Night Moves
4. Carrie
5. Cries And Whispers
6. Don't Look Now
7. The Brood
8. The Conversation
9. Chinatown
10. Exorcist II The Heretic / Zardoz / Deliverance

[1138]

Welcome to the forum Fr.Merrin!

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1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter
Ty Cobb wanted to play. None of us could stand the son-of-a-bitch when we were alive, so we told him to stick it!

[Matlock]

I just wanna kiss the one who said Lost Highway and Wild At Heart David Lynch is nothing but a genius. These are not easy movie (duh!), but give you so much to think about.
So here''s my list for the 90s:
1- Boogie Nights
My all-time favorite. So well written, so well directed, with the best all-around cast ever, along with Magnolia (P.T. Anderson knows how to chose actors...)

2- Lost Highway
David Lynch, nothing else to say.

3- Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels
The most entertaining movie I've seen. So "quotable", it's insane. Better get used
to the huge Brit accent

4- Magnolia
Same director/cast as Boogie Nights, same high quality. Maybe the "shortest 3 hour film" ever

5- The Straight Story
Lynch again, but understandable by anyone this time Beautiful images, one of the most moving story.

6- Usual Suspects
So well done but so frustrating at the same time Surprise ending? Forget about the 6th Sense. THIS is the one.

7- Dracula (Coppola's one) Not perfect, but so beautifully shot...

8- The Phantom Menace
Maybe not as good as the original three, but the most technically impressive movie yet.

9- The Thin Red Line
My favorite war movie. I don't know exactly why, but I got so connected with this film...

10- Naked Lunch
Did somebody say weird? I'm still amazed, but so thankful, at how a studio authorized such a twisted project.

I also want to give a special mention to The X-Files. Not an amazing movie, but I'm so hooked on the series, I just love the movie too!

I'm sad it's not a Top 11... I could've put Pokemon....

[manigrasso]

I'd have to seriously ponder a list of my favorite moves from the nineties, but Waiting For Guffman would definitely be up there.

Pulp Fiction
Goodfellas
Boogie Nights
Mystery Science Theatre 3000: The Movie

That's all I can think of for now. I'm sleepy.

[ianlow]

I agree, i just saw magnolia yesterday and the 3 hrs passed by much faster than the terminally long pearl harbor which i watched only days earlier. i will now move magnolia into my no. 2 spot of the 90s.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

10) Dave - This is only a movie, but it would be great to have a president who actually has honor and common sense. (This analogy applies to the previous administration)

9) Aladdin - This was the movie that brought me back to Disney. Just a fun movie with some great songs.

8) Casino - I love Las Vegas, so I was instantly drawn to the subject matter.

7) The Lion King - Top flight animation, James Earl Jones & Jeremy Irons, great Elton John music, and a great story...life is good.

6) Schindler's List - This is Spielberg's masterpiece. Brilliantly acted and beautifully shot.

5) Saving Private Ryan - Schindler may have been the better movie, but I was more entertained by SPR. Entertainment is the chief reason that I go to the movie.

4) Goodfellas - Brilliant movie that does paints a picture of the Mafia that does not glorify these guys.

3) Titanic - Yeah, the love story was stupid, but the attention to detail and accuracy in depicting the sinking was amazing. I would LOVE to see an updated version of A Night To Remember with Titanic's special effects.

2) Braveheart - The battle scenes in this movie marked ne of the few times I sat in a theater and actually got pumped. You really missed something if you didn't see it on the big screen.

1) Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace - Written off as a kids movie...no way. Look below the surface, there is SOOO much more going on. I had a college professor, a doctor no less, who saw TPM 7 times (Once more than me ) and said the same thing: If you only see the movie at face value, you are missing out. All of that and it EASILY had the best lightsaber duel of all the Star Wars movies to date.

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They made me do community service once. Stupid lack of public urinals!!!

[Chunkblower]

These are in no particular order:

Leaving Las Vegas
Pulp Fiction
Heat
True Romance
Strange Days
Fargo
Silence of the Lambs
Fight Club
Seven
Schindler's List

Honorable mentions:
Boogie Nights
Shawshank Redemption
The Frighteners
Saving Private Ryan
Sling Blade

[Stormtrooper_Bob]

Originally posted by Grand Admiral Thrawn:
10) Dave - This is only a movie, but it would be great to have a president who actually has honor and common sense. (This analogy applies to the previous administration)

9) Aladdin - This was the movie that brought me back to Disney. Just a fun movie with some great songs.

8) Casino - I love Las Vegas, so I was instantly drawn to the subject matter.

7) The Lion King - Top flight animation, James Earl Jones & Jeremy Irons, great Elton John music, and a great story...life is good.

6) Schindler's List - This is Spielberg's masterpiece. Brilliantly acted and beautifully shot.

5) Saving Private Ryan - Schindler may have been the better movie, but I was more entertained by SPR. Entertainment is the chief reason that I go to the movie.

4) Goodfellas - Brilliant movie that does paints a picture of the Mafia that does not glorify these guys.

3) Titanic - Yeah, the love story was stupid, but the attention to detail and accuracy in depicting the sinking was amazing. I would LOVE to see an updated version of A Night To Remember with Titanic's special effects.

2) Braveheart - The battle scenes in this movie marked ne of the few times I sat in a theater and actually got pumped. You really missed something if you didn't see it on the big screen.

1) Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace - Written off as a kids movie...no way. Look below the surface, there is SOOO much more going on. I had a college professor, a doctor no less, who saw TPM 7 times (Once more than me ) and said the same thing: If you only see the movie at face value, you are missing out. All of that and it EASILY had the best lightsaber duel of all the Star Wars movies to date.

Finally, IM glad someone else saw of the deeper meanings and such. Good for you! And Maul kicks ass!



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"Move Along, Move Along."

[Taxi]

Please try to edit your quotes down a bit, Stormtrooper_Bob. If you need to quote, just quote the pertinent text, not the whole thing.

Thanks.

(Oh, and to stay on topic...)
Here are my top 10 90s flicks:

10. The Iron Giant - Excellent animation presenting an awsome story about the use of tools.
9. A Midwinter's Tale - Hilarious story about an ill-fated showing of Hamlet.
8. Apollo 13 - I'm a space freak. So sue me.
7. Big Night - Another film you may not have heard of. Funny touching story of two brothers, and their failing Italian restaurant. Ian Holm gives an excellent performance, as well as Stanly Tucci and Tony Shalhoub.
6. Schindler's List - I remember after watching this for the first time (on video) everybody in the room was silent for minutes. It really makes an impact.
5. The Shawshank Redemption
4. As Good As It Gets
3. Joe vs. The Volacno - Everybody that I know doesn't get this movie. I feel sorry for them. This is an awesome movie.
2. Contact - The best "true" science fiction film, IMHO.
1. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Much much much better than is given credit. But oh well...

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Taxi - DVDFile Forum Administrator
Eleven plus two = Twelve plus one

[This message has been edited by Taxi (edited 05-31-2001).]

[Stormtrooper_Bob]

Originally posted by Taxi:
Please try to edit your quotes down a bit, Stormtrooper_Bob. If you need to quote, just quote the pertinent text, not the whole thing.

Thanks.

(Oh, and to stay on topic...)
Here are my top 10 90s flicks:

10. The Iron Giant - Excellent animation presenting an awsome story about the use of tools.
9. A Midwinter's Tale - Hilarious story about an ill-fated showing of Hamlet.
8. Apollo 13 - I'm a space freak. So sue me.
7. Big Night - Another film you may not have heard of. Funny touching story of two brothers, and their failing Italian restaurant. Ian Holm gives an excellent performance, as well as Stanly Tucci and Tony Shalhoub.
6. Schindler's List - I remember after watching this for the first time (on video) everybody in the room was silent for minutes. It really makes an impact.
5. The Shawshank Redemption
4. As Good As It Gets
3. Joe vs. The Volacno - Everybody that I know doesn't get this movie. I feel sorry for them. This is an awesome movie.
2. Contact - The best "true" science fiction film, IMHO.
1. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Much much much better than is given credit. But oh well...

Excuse me, but I will quote has much has a damn well please! Thank you!



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"Move Along, Move Along."

[Stormtrooper_Bob]

Originally posted by BeanBandit:
What a list. Do you really believe that those are the top ten movies of the 90s or are you just trying to make people angry? Titanic? Gimme a break. Same with Private Ryan. And Braveheart. They aren't necessarily good movies, just expensive and grand epics. Fight Club should definitely be on the list; it changed my life. Oh, and the Matrix should be here too, because it was spectacular.

You know, maybe they like the films! Did you ever think of that. There are other opinions other than yours.


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"Move Along, Move Along."

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

8. Apollo 13 - I'm a space freak. So sue me.

If I were to do a top 15 list, Apollo 13 would be there. Ed Harris was cheated out of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

5. The Shawshank Redemption

See above (minus the Ed Harris part )

1. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Much much much better than is given credit. But oh well...

Two others who share my opinion that this was the best movie of the 90's? Maybe there IS still hope Episode 1 completely rocked and, despite what the Academy seemed to think, had the best special effects I've ever seen in a movie. Episodes 2 & 3 should be even better.

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They made me do community service once. Stupid lack of public urinals!!!



[This message has been edited by Grand Admiral Thrawn (edited 05-31-2001).]

[eel]

In no particular order


Spawn
Phantom Menace
The skulls
Tomb Raider
Blair Witch
American Pie 2
Godzilla
Wild Wild West
Congo
Red Planet

[Lex M]

Originally posted by eel
In no particular order


Spawn
Phantom Menace
The skulls
Tomb Raider
Blair Witch
American Pie 2
Godzilla
Wild Wild West
Congo
Red Planet

Eel...

Four of those 10 movies are from the current decade, not the '90s. And is this a Best-of or Worst-of list???