# Best films of the 90s **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 21, 1999, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336 "1999-10-21T05:52:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/1 "1999-10-21T05:52:00Z")
## How original, I know. But it bears discussion. My top 10 (in alphabetical order, not preferential): 1)American Beauty (the antidote to all those teen-orgy films) 2) Boogie Nights 3) Goodfellas 4) Fight Club 5) Saving Private Ryan (best anti-war message I’ve seen) 6) Silence of the Lambs 7) Titanic (whether you like it or not) 8) Toy Story (the first all-CGI movie) 9) Trainspotting (incredible to think how little this film cost) 10) Welcome to the Dollhouse (I’ve waited all my life for someone to tell this story) I would also give Deep Impact and ID4 honorable mentions. I know they had their detractors, but they both illustrate how paranoid the 90s were/are. Remember, I’m pulling for you; we’re all in this together. —Red Green ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/2 "1999-10-21T07:21:00Z")
I loved _Welcome To The Dollhouse_ too. Funny, yet disturbing and agionizingly familiar, especially the lunch room scene. I put a vote in for _Clerks_. * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![Fatal\_Image](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/73ab20/32.png) [@Fatal\_Image](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fatal_Image)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/3 "1999-10-21T09:35:00Z")
In order of preference… 1. 12 Monkeys 2. The Shawshank Redemption 3. Reservoir Dogs 4. Contact 5. Seven 6. The Silence of the Lambs 7. Pulp Fiction 8. Dark City 9. The Sixth Sense 10. Face/Off ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/4 "1999-10-21T09:44:00Z")
1. Pulp Fiction 2. Shawshank Redemption 3. Schindler’s List 4. The Godfather III (I believe this one was '90, but could be '89) 5. Reservoir Dogs 6. Star Trek: First Contact 7. Trainspotting 8. Heavenly Creatures 9. Brain Dead (Dead Alive in the US, or so I’m told) 10. Scent of a Woman ## I could go on for hours. The order of this list varies according to my mood. Coldfire * * * “You know how complex women are” - Neil Peart, Rush (1993) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/5 "1999-10-21T13:37:00Z")
1. Shakespeare in Love (probably the best single script ever written for the movies and brilliant on all levels) 2. Pulp Fiction 3. The Usual Suspects 4. Fargo 5. 12 Monkeys 6. Mulan (In a decade where animated films flowered, this was the best) 7. Bullets over Broadway 8. Chasing Amy 9. Dark City 10. The Shawshank Redemption (I see nearly all my films on video, so I haven’t seen many of this year’s films yet.) ---
**Author:** ![metroshane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@metroshane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metroshane)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/6 "1999-10-21T13:44:00Z")
not in order shawshank forest gump usual suspects sling blade swingers desperado scream (brought back slasher flicks, even if they are bad) shakespeare in love silence of the lambs that’s all for now honorable mention replacement killers ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/7 "1999-10-21T14:01:00Z")
In no particular order: [list=1][li]Ghost[/li][li]Saving Private Ryan[/li][li]A Few Good Men[/li][li]Star Trek: First Contact[/li][li]Sleeping With The Enemy[/li][li]Toy Story[/li][li]Apollo 13[/li][li]Shawshank Redemption[/li][li]Air Force One[/li]Thelma & Louise[/list=1] ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/8 "1999-10-21T15:01:00Z")
Oh, and I’m forgetting the obvious here - The Pamela Anderson - Tommy Lee film was one for the ages. The many sequels did NOTHING to take away from the originals cunning script, cinematography and explosive climax! ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/9 "1999-10-21T15:24:00Z")
In no particular order except for number 1 and 2 1. Clerks 2. Falling Down 3. Shawshank Redemption 4. Scream 5. Seven 6. ID4 7. Goodfellas 8. Reservoir Dogs 9. Scream 10. Silence of the Lambs ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/10 "1999-10-21T16:13:00Z")
You guys have covered most of my choices. I’d also nominate: Pulp Fiction. BWP see [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mblair.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mblair.html) as is says there, any indie film that can kick Phantom Menance’s ass deserves respect, wheither you like the film or not (I did). The Truman Show. The Matrix. Fight Club. Shawshank Redemption. * * * You say “cheesy” like that’s a **BAD** thing. ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/11 "1999-10-21T19:44:00Z")
“Children Playing with Fish” “Blacksmith Scene” “Corbett & Courtney Before the Kinetograph” “Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze” “Souvenir Strip of the Edison Kinetoscope” “Dickson Experimental Sound Film” “Oxford & Cambridge University Boat Race” “Governor Bushnell of Ohio, and Staff” “13th Infantry, U.S. Army: Full Dress Parade and Manoeuvering, Governors Island” * * * “My hovercraft is full of eels.” ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/12 "1999-10-21T19:48:00Z")
I’m surprised so many people named ID4…I always thought it was pretty lame, though not as bad as the AWFUL “Godzilla” remake…I would definitely put in my vote for Fargo, Sling Blade, Forrest Gump, Schindler’s List, Pulp Fiction, American Beauty, etc. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/13 "1999-10-21T19:52:00Z")
American Beauty Silence of the Lambs The Truman Show Pi Rushmore Pulp Fiction Angel Baby * * * Magnificent to behold - Greatly to be praised. ---
**Author:** ![Boris\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Boris\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boris_B)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/14 "1999-10-21T19:55:00Z")
All right Torgo, you kept us in the dark long enough … what the heck are you talking about? We’re dying here! ---
**Author:** ![Boris\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Boris\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boris_B)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/15 "1999-10-21T20:00:00Z")
Wait a minute … I think I get it … films of the _18_90s? Sorry, I’m a little slow with these urbane jokes. I’m going to go hose down Bessie’s stall now. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/16 "1999-10-21T20:01:00Z")
I think Torgo is just pointing out that it was not specified which '90’s. ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/17 "1999-10-21T20:05:00Z")
Uh, Scream? I don’t think so… How about The Matrix? I’d have to agree with most everything else, especially Shawshank Redemption and The Usual Suspects. That, “Who is Kaiser Sose’” line still gets me. * * * “The world is not five hours old and evil has already entered it” - Aslan _The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe_ ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/18 "1999-10-22T00:28:00Z")
I agree with many of those above, but you forgot some… Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (1991) Godzilla vs Mothra (1992) Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla (1993) Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla (1994) Godzilla vs Destroyer (1995) Japanese subtitled versions, of course. Um, that’s all I can think of. That 1998 American Godzilla bastardization is intentionally left off. * * * “It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in an argument” - William McAdoo ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Spaulding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5a626/32.png) [@Capt.Spaulding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Spaulding)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/19 "1999-10-22T20:16:00Z")
Saw ‘American Beauty’ a few weeks ago and was just floored by how good it was. I rented ‘Election’ the other night and would have to vote for it as well. ---
**Author:** ![beefymeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@beefymeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beefymeg)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336/20 "1999-10-22T20:54:00Z")
I just saw Life Is Beautiful last week and it was So Incredibly Wonderful I can’t believe nobody’s mentioned it. I cried for an hour afterward. “Buongiorno, Principesa!” _sob!_ Otherwise y’all have pretty much nailed it. * * * Sucks to your assmar. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-the-90s/10336.md?page=2)