Ah, the 1990s -- what a glorious time to be a movie fan. It was an era when Tarantino was reshaping the indie landscape, Disney animation was in the midst of a renaissance, and Spielberg was churning out classics like a legend... to name just a few of the noteworthy trends of the time.
And since this is 1990s Week at IGN, what better time to revisit that glorious decade?
It was hard to narrow down this list to just 25 entries, but our staff voted and came up with the following. We considered several factors when putting together this list of the best of the best movies of the 1990s: Did they leave an imprint on the cultural zeitgeist of the time? Did their release affect the course of filmmaking, influencing the industry as a whole? And, of course, did we just like them?
Read on for IGN’s picks for the 25 Best '90s Movies, and be sure to also let us know in the comments what your favorite movies are from that era!
25. Ghost in the Shell
It's difficult to come up with something interesting to say about Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell that wouldn't just be walking all over thoroughly covered ground -- and for good reason. This landmark film continues to be worthy of all the praise and buzz it's accrued over the years since its 1995 release. Its bold vision of a dystopia seems like the natural follow-up to what cyberpunk is, following Ridley Scott's Blade Runner and Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira. Ghost in the Shell is proof that the genre is far deeper than neon lights and rain-soaked streets; the film serves as a stark reminder of what being human looks like in a world where humanity is sorely lacking. And let's be real -- that opening assassination and river fight scene are dope as hell.
24. Boyz n the Hood
This 1991 coming-of-age tale earned the late John Singleton the distinction of being both the youngest person and the first African-American to ever be nominated for an Academy Award as Best Director. Boyz focuses on the lifelong friendship between Tre and siblings "Doughboy" and Ricky, whose diverging yet equally tragic paths eventually force Tre to decide between right and wrong, life and death. This seminal film remains a poignant look at the grim realities of life in South Central L.A. of that era, with Singleton paving the way for a whole generation of African-American filmmakers.
23. Fargo
I’m not gonna debate you, Jerry. I’m not gonna debate! The Coen brothers’ Fargo is the perfect mix of dark comedy and thriller that the pair excel at, telling the true-but-not-really-true story of regular schmoe Jerry Lundegaard (a painfully smiley William H. Macy) who arranges to have his wife kidnapped with the hopes of solving his money problems, only for things to go from bad to worse to the absolute worst. Frances McDormand won an Oscar (as did the Coens for their screenplay) for her portrayal as police chief Marge Gunderson, whose no-nonsense yet good-hearted instincts ultimately prove to be Jerry’s downfall. Also along for the hilariously troubling ride are Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, a variety of unknowns brandishing distinctive local accents, and, perhaps most unforgettably, a woodchipper.
22. Titanic
The film that truly launched Leonardo DiCaprio’s career into the stratosphere (and a thousand memes about whether two grown adults could fit on a door), the cultural impact of Titanic is… well, titanic. James Cameron’s epic disaster/romance was, at the time of its release, the most expensive film ever made (with a $200 million budget), the first film to ever reach a billion dollars at the box office, and the highest-grossing film of all time (until it was unseated by Cameron’s Avatar more than a decade later). It remains tied with Ben-Hur and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King as the film with the highest number of Oscar wins (11) and, for all that it’s become a bit of a punchline over the years, remains a cinematic marvel in terms of scale, ambition, and its ability to make us cry with just a few notes from a tin whistle.
21. Independence Day
Director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin’s Independence Day, or ID4 if you like, was the ultimate summer blockbuster of 1996, built on the hype of an explosive marketing campaign (which included an exploding White House), the peril of a classic disaster flick (alien invasion this time out), state-of-the-art visual effects (even more exploding landmarks), and the fun of a Will Smith/Jeff Goldblum romp that works way better than it should. The film has a huge cast of likable and recognizable faces, a threat that actually seems unbeatable (for a while), and the perfect balance of humor and pathos. Sure, Emmerich’s penchant for big-budget disaster would soon become passe, but all the pieces click together here for a textbook lesson in crowd-pleasing thrills and chills. Welcome to Earth!
20. The Shawshank Redemption
Based on Stephen King's 1982 novella, The Shawshank Redemption is an inspiring tale featuring brilliant performances from Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. Robbins' Andy Dufresne, who's forced to go to prison for a crime he didn't commit, is a character you can't help but root for, as he triumphs over unspeakable hardships brought on by prison life over a period of years. Andy's friendship with Freeman's Ellis Boyd Redding is one of film's most endearing aspects, with the two inmates sharing a deep bond that spans decades. King's stories may be known for scaring the pants off people, but you'll want to bring tissues for Shawshank.
19. The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project is a film that couldn’t make the impact today the way it did in the ’90s. Not only did it spawn a generation of found footage horror films, but it pioneered internet marketing techniques that modern studios are still learning from to this day. The whole Blair Witch Project experience extended beyond the movie and became vital in its success. With clever online techniques (such as having the cast’s IMDb pages listing the actors as “missing, presumed dead”) and the accompanying fake documentary (that established the world’s lore) airing on TV before release, the filmmakers managed to cultivate a public opinion that the events of three student filmmakers getting lost in the Burkittsville woods were legitimate -- something no film has even come close to managing since (despite sincere efforts) or ever likely will again. The Blair Witch Project is an outstanding piece of art that goes beyond cheap jump scares and haunting musical cues. It manages to be more terrifying than the majority of its peers, without all the bells, whistles and horror tropes we’ve come to expect. On an extremely modest budget, The Blair Witch Project created a truly unique cinema experience with a legacy that still stands today, and the final moments of the film, even over 20 years later, still haunt us.
18. Beauty and the Beast
In a decade full of genre-defining animated classics, there's a reason that Beauty and the Beast became the first animated movie considered to be such a breakthrough success that it was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. (It lost to The Silence of the Lambs.) Beauty and the Beast did take home Little Gold Men for its sweeping score and Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's sentimental "Beauty and the Beast" song, but it's more than just the praise lavished on the movie that has maintained its legacy. For a generation, Disney's Beauty and the Beast was a definitive tale as old as time, from its plucky female heroine to its fraught romance, from its misunderstood "bad boy" to its message about not judging a book by its cover. There's a good reason this animated classic remains one of the most iconic films in Disney's catalogue.
17. The Truman Show
It was an era that saw Jim Carrey talking out of his own butt and chewing all the scenery Batman Forever had to offer, but it was his turn as Truman Burbank in Peter Weir’s The Truman Show that finally gave him a chance to show off his range. While the film was set against a backdrop of the booming reality TV industry of the late '90s, Weir and Carrey dealt with themes of privacy, agency and authenticity in an age where they were in increasingly short supply. The film is as relevant today as it was 25 years ago.
16. Forrest Gump
In a list of the most zeitgeist-y movies of the ’90s, you can’t leave off the film that encapsulates the cultural zeitgeists of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s through the eyes of one man. Forrest Gump follows the odyssey of the title character, affably played by America’s sweetheart, Tom Hanks, as he fights bullies, Viet Cong, and heartbreak, while also probably influencing Elvis’ dance moves and exposing the Watergate scandal. This feel-good film about Americana swept the awards season, winning the Oscar for Best Picture and defeating the indie favorite Pulp Fiction. This is also the first Haley Joel Osment movie on this list and maybe that’s the key to an iconic ’90s film? Also, what other movie on this list has a real-life restaurant chain? #impact
15. Schindler’s List
Steven Spielberg’s 1993 historical epic tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who sets out to profit from the Nazi war effort by setting up an enamel factory in Poland using Jews from a nearby ghetto as cheap labor. But incapable of turning a blind eye to the atrocities around him, he turns his business into a means to save lives and his factory becomes a makeshift refuge. Spielberg shoots Schindler’s List in black and white and on handheld cameras to make it feel like a documentary, which gives it a visceral sense of realism and serves as a stark reminder that all of this actually happened. It hits home the most when he breaks the fourth wall and turns the cameras on actual holocaust survivors, who pay tribute to the real Oskar Schindler at his memorial. To some, this is more than the director's best work, but one of the most important films ever made, a sentiment seemingly shared by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Schindler’s List won seven Oscars, including the first directing Oscar of Spielberg’s career.
14. Seven
The twisted, corrupted version of Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” that accompanies the spliced, distorted imagery of Seven’s title sequence sets the tone of David Fincher’s dark thriller perfectly. It’s a depraved tale punctuated with astonishing performances throughout and an ending that is surely burnt into the mind of anyone who’s seen it. There isn’t much opportunity for laughter or even a smile to creep onto your face over the course of its twisting plot, but what exists is a truly engrossing venture into the macabre. Fincher’s second-ever feature film is a masterpiece and set the benchmark for a career that has seen him become one of the greatest directors of the past 25 years.
13. Trainspotting
Choose an unfilmable novel by Irvine Welsh skilfully weaved into an Oscar-nominated screenplay by John Hodge and memorably brought to life on screen by visionary director Danny Boyle. Choose incredible performances by the entire cast as a posse of disenfranchised 20-somethings (mostly) hooked on heroin. Choose an era-defining soundtrack so successful it led to the release of a second soundtrack album over a year later, full of songs that didn’t make the original tracklist. Choose “Lust for Life,” “Born Slippy,” and “Temptation.” Choose deftly balancing hilarity and tragedy as only the most impeccable black comedies can manage, from Spud’s spectacular tanking of a job interview while wired on speed to the gut-punching death of baby Dawn. Choose no c--- leaving ’til we find out what c--- did it. Choose 100 Great Goals or Tommy and Lizzy Vol. 1. Choose having parts of the film dubbed with clearer pronunciation on the back of fears American audiences would find the most deeply Scottish slabs of dialogue completely incomprehensible. Choose the highest-grossing British film of 1996. Choose a considerable and faithful cult following and a legacy of regularly being voted as one of the greatest British movies of all time. Choose the Worst Toilet in Scotland. Choose Trainspotting.
12. The Silence of the Lambs
Jonathan Demme is a director who should get talked about more and the discussion should start with The Silence of the Lambs. The story of FBI trainee Clarice Starling and the investigation which leads her to the notorious Hannibal Lecter is worth studying on every level. From one of the most iconic performances of all time from Anthony Hopkins, to the incredible camera work (just try not to squirm under the scrutiny of all that direct address!), The Silence of the Lambs is fascinating and terrifying in equal measure. The five Academy Awards the film took home, including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Adapted Screenplay, only support the notion that it’s one of the best of any decade, not just the '90s.
11. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Is there a more perfect sequel than Terminator 2? Director James Cameron followed up the 1984 original with a movie that managed to be bigger and bolder in every way that matters. The action scenes alone rank among the most satisfying in Arnold Schwarzenegger's long and eventful career. The special effects were truly groundbreaking at the time and still hold up surprisingly well almost three decades later. But while other Terminator sequels have upped the ante in terms of spectacle, none have managed to replicate T2's heart. This Terminator movie proved that a remorseless killing machine could understand what it means to be human. And it reminded us that there's no future except the one we make for ourselves, a message that only grows more poignant and relevant with time.
10. The Sixth Sense
Would it be accurate to say that M. Night Shyamalan invented plot twists? Absolutely not, but after the supernatural success of The Sixth Sense, it kind of seems that way. While the film is more remembered today for its classic quote (you know which one) and implosive plot twist, which have been memed and referenced from here to kingdom come, it’s Shyamalan’s entire movie and the splash he made with it in the '90s that earned a place on this list. Sure, the truly disturbing and memorable visual set pieces of young Mischa Barton covered in vomit or flung-open kitchen cabinets stay with audiences the longest, but it’s important to see The Sixth Sense as not a story about ghosts. A young Haley Joel Osment delivers a remarkable performance as the (literally) haunted boy turned young ghost whisperer who helps Bruce Willis’ character more than he helps the young boy. This is a story of learning to deal with the emotional and psychological trauma of loss and how to move forward.
9. Fight Club
The story of one man’s dissatisfaction with everyday life -- which leads to the Fight Club of the title, not to mention schizophrenia and worse -- David Fincher’s film is a strange, gritty and highly original outing, featuring stand-out turns by stars Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. Critical of American consumerism yet made by Hollywood, Fight Club is an enigma in many ways. Fincher plays with the medium of film through spliced footage and imagery reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman's Persona, but the best part is if you have no idea what an Ingmar Bergman is, the movie still works on so many levels thanks to its rollercoaster-like pacing and grand reveal. But really, the magic of Fight Club stems from the onscreen chemistry between Norton, Pitt, and Helena Boham Carter, who captivate from beginning to end. Plus this movie probably introduced you to The Pixies, so that's always a good thing.
8. The Big Lebowski
It may not be the most "important" or artistically groundbreaking film the Coen Bros. have ever given us, but darned if The Big Lebowski isn't the most fun. Jeff Bridges is perfectly cast as an affable, middle-aged hippie whose primary concerns in life are improving his bowling score and where he can get a refill on his White Russian. The ensemble cast, from John Goodman to Julianne Moore to John Turturro, only makes this strange odyssey that much more enjoyable with their uniquely oddball roles. Even after 20 years, The Big Lebowski remains one of the most quotable and rewatchable comedies ever made. But that's just, like, our opinion, man.
7. The Lion King
Boasting one of Disney’s most iconic (and catchy) soundtracks from Elton John and Tim Rice, truly stunning visuals, and a coming-of-age story that still resonates, The Lion King remains one of the Mouse House's most effective and affecting entries -- appealing equally to adults and kids thanks to its surprisingly dark, Hamlet-inspired story. The film’s legacy has only been cemented by the release of the technically impressive -- but somewhat soulless -- CGI remake, which introduced the timeless tale to a new generation, while the original is still the highest-grossing traditionally animated movie in cinematic history. Long live the king, indeed.
6. Saving Private Ryan
Decades of war movie tropes died on July 24, 1998, when Steven Spielberg put a helmet on loveable American everyman Tom Hanks and tossed him into the fiercest, most unflinchingly brutal battle scene cinema-goers had ever seen. Saving Private Ryan is packed with credible combat sequences but it’s the opening Omaha Beach landing that makes it one of the most influential war movies ever made. The film changed the way war was depicted onscreen; sanitised wide angles gave way to highly kinetic and claustrophobic shots so close to the action the camera literally got blood on it. Somehow able to juggle being an earnest action blockbuster as well as an honest portrayal of the awful reality of war, Saving Private Ryan kickstarted a whole new era of WWII fiction, from Band of Brothers to Medal of Honor.
5. Goodfellas
Martin Scorsese's amazing 1990 true-crime epic follows 30 years in "The Life" of mobster Henry Hill, who eventually breaks every rule of the Mafia's code, from selling drugs to ratting out his lifelong friends to the Feds. The Godfather saga is wonderful, but Goodfellas is the real deal when it comes to depicting organized crime. It's utterly engrossing, sweeping the viewer up in its cocaine-fueled delirium of greed, excess, and ball-busting. It captures a time and place and lifestyle unlike any other crime movie, and remains the template from which all modern gangster movies borrow.
4. Pulp Fiction
There was a time in 1995 where half of bedrooms across the planet had a poster of Uma Thurman draped across a bed tacked onto their walls. That’s just a fact. It’s hard to underestimate quite the cultural impact that Pulp Fiction had on the world of cinema. An all-star cast assembled to tell an intertwining series of stories across Los Angeles that both bolstered careers and rejuvenated them in equal measure. Quentin Tarantino somehow managed to create a post-modern tale consisting of drug overdoses, gimps and rambling conversations about the quirks of international burger colloquialisms, appealing to the masses along the way. It’s a unique movie that Tarantino has arguably struggled to capture the magic of since, but it still enthralls audiences to this day. Even if they’ll never quite agree on what’s inside that glowing case.
3. Jurassic Park
In a decade of groundbreaking Spielberg movies, Jurassic Park reigns supreme. It's not just the incredible visual and practical effects that made dinsours seem like they had realistically come to life, from the jaw-dropping first look at the Brachiosaurus to the triumphant showdown between the T. rex and Velociraptors. It's not just the great use of tension and horror threaded through what is ostensibly a family-friendly summer movie. It's not just the impressive sets, soaring John Williams score, epic action sequences, sharp writing, strong character development, or any one single element of the 1993 film that helped redefine the summer blockbuster. It's the magic of Jurassic Park being greater than the sum of its already impressive parts. It somehow creates a two-hour-plus stretch of time where you can suspend disbelief and feel like dinosaurs could actually still exist, and it impressively still holds up, not losing any of that magic over the decades even after so many other Jurassic Park movies.
2. The Matrix
The Matrix is more than an action movie. It’s a technical masterclass that, more than once, reinvented how visual effects could work, changing the industry in the process. It’s a 101 in ontological philosophy, one that’s easy to make fun of as an adult, but which opened a generation of teenagers’ minds to new ideas. Twenty years after the fact, it’s a clear -- and strikingly optimistic -- metaphor for the Wachowski Sisters’ transitions, a tale about finding strength in who you really are, and shutting up everyone who deadnames you (in this case, mostly with kung fu). Yes, it’s more than an action movie. But the fact that it does all of the above, and simultaneously includes the Lobby Scene -- a name so incredibly generic that you shouldn’t immediately have the same shot in your head as I do right now -- makes it one of the greatest of all time. Also, Will Smith turned down the role of Neo to make Wild Wild West. Ha.
1. Toy Story
The ’90s was an era of change for many aspects of filmmaking, but few movies can claim to have had quite the impact as Toy Story. Pixar's first feature film proved to be not only a heartwarming tale of building friendships and escaping from Mrs. Nesbitt's nightmarish tea party, but also a revolution in animated cinema. The day Toy Story landed in theatres marked the start of the decline of traditional, hand-animated films in the West; within a decade, pretty much every animated film coming out of the big studios used the CGI techniques pioneered by Pixar with Toy Story. But while that's what Toy Story may be remembered for in history books, those who've seen it will remember it for its impeccable approach to characters and dialogue; a witty, snappy adventure with a cast of huge characters that measure barely a foot tall. Regardless of if you were there munching popcorn in 1995 or caught it on Blu-ray in 2015, chances are you made a big choice one Christmas: Did you want a Woody or a Buzz? There are very few films that feature heroes that have such an enduring, multi-generational impact, and that's why Toy Story has not only expanded with three practically perfect sequels (spin-offs notwithstanding), but also stands tall as the best movie of the 1990s.
This list was originally published on Sept. 25, 2019. It was updated on August 1, 2023 with our latest picks.
