The 1990s were a unique time for movies. Having come out of the wild time of the 1980s, with all its doomsday satire and video nasties, the cultural landscape was ready to handle blockbusters of a different variety. New filmmakers brought fresh ideas to the table. Then, there were familiar directors of the previous decade who took infatuating new takes on old formulas. More TV shows hit the big screen, more sequels burst forth, and great technology brought about remarkable revivals, so we decided to rank the greatest 1990s movies.
The films of previous decades had easily iconic movie trends, such as the swinging ’70s and radical 80s. In contrast, the ’90s did not contain a singular movement to define it. However, there were still plenty of films that left a profound and lasting cultural impact.
Here are 10 top movies essential to 1990s pop culture as Sega Genesis or Air Jordan sneakers.
Presenting the Top 10 Movies of the 1990s!
10. Beauty and the Beast
Disney had some new life breathed into it with the coming of the Disney Renaissance, starting with The Little Mermaid in 1989. The studio had finally found a way to get back on track to being the place of top-tier animated features. The blending of awesome music with state-of-the-art animation technology paved the way.
Beauty and the Beast, a tale as old as time with scenes that age like a fine wine. These scenes best display Disney’s animation skills. The simple story of a woman coming to love a cursed monster works well in boasting a tale of acceptance. Yet, it is bolstered by some breathtaking sequences and music that is impossible to forget. It was so groundbreaking that it was one of the first animated features ever to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
9. The Addams Family
There were plenty of big-screen adaptations of classic TV series present in the 1990s. However, none stand taller than that of The Addams Family. The film followed the many strange and darkly comedic exploits of the eccentric Addams household based on the show. Before that, the comic strips.
Director Barry Sonnenfeld gave such new life to the grim affections of the kooky original series. A stellar ensemble that boasts a career-best by Raul Julia and a stunning early performance by Christina Ricci complete the film. So rollicking was this version that audiences often consider at the top of the list for depictions of the family. So, this film quickly became a Halloween-worthy classic.
8. Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks played the titular Forrest Gump. This role seemed to be a treasure trove of memorable sayings such as “My momma always said life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get”. Audiences may not have known what they were going to get with this film. What they received was an enduring tale of one mentally-challenged man growing up in America. Also, this film featured one of the finest performances of Tom Hank’s career. Director Robert Zemeckis, better known for the Back to the Future trilogy, pulled out many nifty special effects tricks to recreate the many eras in which Forrest occupies. For instance, he created creative compositing to make it look like Forrest met JFK and John Lennon. The film inspired many parodies, including a full song by Weird Al.
7. Fargo
The Coen Brothers were directing some quality films into the 1990s. Still, few of them ever stuck out that far to be iconic. That all changed with Fargo, a tongue-in-cheek crime dramedy that takes place mostly in Minnesota. The main story concerns a kidnapped woman whose husband, Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), is nervously orchestrating her capture to get in on the ransom money. However, the good-natured Brainerd police chief, Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), threw off his plans. Fargo is most notable for its overly exaggerated Midwest accents (“Oh, yeah!”) and its intense dark comedy level. The climax of Marge seeing a body being shoved into a woodchipper is equal parts hilarious and horrifying from such an offbeat picture.
6. Independence Day
Alien invasion movies were quite the rage in the 1950s. They also had a surprising blockbuster revival in Independence Day. The film follows a host of characters played by an all-star ensemble: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Mary McDonnell. Unfortunately, Earth is under attack as alien invaders aim at the planet with giant flying disc-like ships. They discover that the invaders desire the complete annihilation of the human race. With the aliens armed with shields, the remaining humans must then find an innovative means of taking out the creatures. Aside from being one of the biggest blockbusters of the decade, there are plenty of memorable moments that have stood the test of time. The crowning achievement of the picture occurs early on. In this scene, the ship hovers above the White House before blowing up the building with a powerful laser.
5. Goodfellas
Martin Scorsese had already directed some of the finest films about flawed characters in previous decades, with Taxi Driver in the 1970s and Raging Bull in the 1980s. What is perhaps one of his most revered films, Goodfellas, was based on the biographical book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi. The film followed Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) on his rise in gangster status amid the intimidating figures of Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). After some time, Hill finds himself deep in a dangerous pit of drug dealing gone bad and unexpected assassinations. What has become most iconic of Goodfellas is its heated conversations with Tommy (“Do I amuse you?”) and the perfectly timed one-take shot through a night club. So legendary was this film that the cartoon Animaniacs parodied it in a regular segment, dubbed Goodfeathers making this one of the greatest 1990s movies.
4. Jurassic Park
An instant classic, Jurassic Park holds up to the test of time with its spectacular VFX and movie sets. It would be ludicrous not to put Jurassic Park on the list of the greatest 1990s movies. Steven Spielberg continued his devotion to exciting adventure films with this big-screen adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel of the same name. Drawing from the monster movie formula, Jurassic Park finds a group of guests invited to explore a theme park developed for newly cloned dinosaurs. When the park’s power is sabotaged, the human characters find themselves running for their lives from man-eating dinosaurs. Quotable dialogue, some of the most fantastic advancements in special effects to create the dinosaurs, and an unforgettable score by composer John Williams pack the film. The T-Rex encounter when the power goes out has redefined the building of terror in the same way Spielberg did with Jaws way back in 1975.
3. The Matrix
The Matrix posed a mind-bending idea of a sci-fi story: What if we were all trapped in a simulation and didn’t know it? But this wasn’t some ambiguous lost-memory deal like Total Recall. It’s confirmed pretty early in the film that humans are being harvested by machines while being lulled into a programmed world. Leading the resistance is the newly awakened Neo (Keanu Reeves) and a band of other rebels that must master reality-distorting fighting techniques to fight for their freedom. Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, this film drew from cyberpunk material and Hong Kong wire-work stunts to craft fight scenes so extraordinary it’d become a trend of parody well into the 2000s. With its remarkable story-telling, world-building, and acting, it is truly one of the greatest 1990s movies.
2. Home Alone
A traditional classic, Home Alone has been statued and granted by most as one of the Greatest 1990s movies. The boy Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) has his wish come true of being alone for the holidays when his family forgets him at home when going on vacation. With his newfound freedom, Kevin spends the holidays his way while growing up a bit to take care of the house. He’ll also have to defend his home from the likes of the thieves Harry & Marv (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern), which he’ll do by crafting elaborate traps to torture the intruders. Loaded with ridiculous slapstick and kid-appeasing amusement, Home Alone creates an adventurous take on being home for the holidays has made it an essential Christmas movie over time. The film was also written by Brat Pack creator John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus, who would later direct the first two Harry Potter movies.
1. Pulp Fiction
By far, the break-out hit director of this era was Quentin Tarantino, a pop culture junky who got into making movies for falling in love with them so much. Due to his apt knowledge, Tarantino knew enough about cinema through his video store education on turning convention on its head. Nowhere was this more present than his landmark picture of Pulp Fiction, a multi-story crime drama with a knowing wink of nostalgia. With a fantastic cast that includes a revived John Travolta, a rising Samuel L. Jackson, and a soon-to-be-Tarantino staple Uma Thurman, the film followed around numerous characters in a non-linear format. Some of them are trying to retrieve a mysterious briefcase, while others just want to skip town.
What made the film stand out so well was its devotion to relatable dialogue, where gangsters talk of burgers and Green Acres between the killings. It’s why one of the most memorable moments from the film is the endlessly quotable discussion of the Royale with Cheese. Because of all these reasons Pulp Fiction is one the Greatest 1990s movies by many and the greatest by us.
Author: Chris Ingledue
Contact: email
Bio: I’m the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab pop Culture and Toy Shop. My vision has always been to reunite customers with their favorite childhood toys and pop culture, triggering fond memories, and reigniting their imaginations. Every day I work in the “lab” where it’s Christmas 365 days a year; scouring the internet – like we did the Sears Catalog of yesteryear – for the next great treasure, awaiting the arrival of the postman as if he was Santa Claus himself and helping collectors worldwide with their own versions of Christmas. Every day as a vintage toy buyer is an absolute joy!