Movies of the 90s

Continuing my series on the best motion pictures of each decade, which started in January when the 2nd movie in the Lord of the Rings franchise The Two Towers was anointed my favorite movie of the current decade.  The '90s were a much more solid decade for movies though, making the task of cutting it down to 20 films much more difficult.  That is why this is actually a 30 movie list, starting today with numbers 30 to 21.  Tomorrow will see the release of the top 20 of the '90s.  And this list is much more varied than the previous list, if only because 3 of the top 6 weren't in the same trilogy.  There are a few sequels sprinkled in, including one near the very top.  Any guesses as to what it is?  Stay tuned for the rest of the list to find out.  For now, here's the start of the Top 30 Movies of the '90s.

30.  Ronin (Robert De Niro, Jean Reno). 1998.  Just a great action thriller, with a decidedly stylish, European feel.  Underrated by critics and audiences alike, this movie grew on me in subsequent viewings and really captivated my imagination.  Well done all around.

29.  Rounders (Matt Damon, Edward Norton, John Malkovich). 1998. 

    Worm: You know what always cheers me up?
    Mike McDermott: No, what's that?
    Worm: Rolled up aces over kings. Check-raising stupid tourists and taking huge pots off of them. Playing all-night high-limit Hold'em at the Taj, "where the sand turns to gold." Stacks and towers of checks I can't even see over.
    Mike McDermott: Fuck it, let's go.
    Worm: Don't tease me.
    Mike McDermott: Let's play some cards.
    Worm: Yes!

28.  Death and the Maiden (Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley).  1994.  An adaptation of a play that becomes an acting tour-de-force, this unheralded but amazingly intense film revolves around a South American revolutionary and his wife in a remote house in the country who become hosts for a wayward traveler who may or may not be the lecherous doctor who held the wife captive and raped her decades earlier.  Just about a perfect psychological tempest, carried by Weaver and Kingsley's wonderful performances.

27.  Enemy of the State (Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight).  1998.  Will Smith became a superstar in the decade, going from the Fresh Prince albums and television series to big blockbusters like Bad Boys, Men in Black, and Independence Day.  None of those films came close to making this list.  In fact, I blame the unqualified success of Independence Day, as well as Twister, for the state of movies for much of the past ten years, relying on dazzling special effects over believable and interesting storylines that used to carry action/adventure films during my youth.  This movie though, uses Smith's charm as a weapon, in a claustrophic thriller about the government's ability to spy on an individual no matter how hard he tries to hide, a bit of an advanced commentary on the state of the Bush administration today.  It's also just a great thrill ride, with non-stop action and tension the whole way through, despite the rather convenient ending.

26.  Hoop Dreams (William Gates, Arthur Agee). 1994.  Heartbreaking documentary detailing the lives of a couple of inner-city youths whose dreams of becoming NBA legends go through traumatic turns over a 4-year period, each of them never quite achieving what they'd hoped to, and yet somehow surviving their surroundings becomes an accomplishment in itself.

25. King of the Hill (Jesse Bradford, Jeroen Krabbe). 1993.  Steven Soderbergh's understated delight about a boy growing up during the Great Depression, abandoned by his parents and forced to try to survive on his wits alone.  Future Oscar winner Adrien Brody has a small role here as a teenager who befriends young Aaron, but it is Bradford who excels as the boy, unable to fully grasp the situation he is in, but able to heartbreakingly get by.  A criminally underrated pleasure.

24.  The Fugitive (Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Jeroen Krabbe). 1993.  Krabbe appeared in each of the last two movies in 1993, in supporting roles, which is about the only thing I know about the Dutch actor.  He played Dr. Charles Nichols, Ford's "friend", in this movie, which is close to the perfect action thriller.  Smart, vaguely believable, packed with adventure and suspense, and Harrison Ford running and running.  Oh yeah, and Tommy Lee Jones won himself an Oscar for his role as the no-nonsense U.S. marshal.  It's funny, but I never actually watched the Ford-less sequel.

 

23.  Quiz Show (Ralph Fiennes, John Turturro, Rob Morrow). 1994.  Robert Redford's acclaimed film about the 1950s "quiz show" scandals, particularly the television program "21", where rich pretty boy Charles van Doren is fed the answers to defeat Turturro's Herb Stempel, who eventually blows the whistle and takes down the whole corrupt operation.  Just a well-acted, very intriguing movie, that gives some insight into the very beginnings of the television and celebrity obsessed country we would become.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.

22. Go (Sarah Polley, Katie Holmes, Scott Wolf, Jay Mohr). 1999.  Director Doug Liman followed up Swingers with this Pulp Fiction - esque comedy/drama about a bunch of bored young people doing a bunch of drugs and getting into a lot of trouble, but not really caring so much about any of it.  The interweaving storylines set into three distinct acts may have been stolen from Tarantino (who I'm sure stole it from somewhere else), but this movie is just so cool and so funny that it feels fresh and original nonetheless.  Polley is amazing as the checkout clerk enduring a night from hell, while Holmes is adorably insane.  Another underrated pleasure.

21. The Silence of the Lambs (Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster). 1991.  This was obviously a great movie.  Scared the hell out of me.  Disgusting too.  And I could never really listen to Tom Petty's "American Girl" in the same way again.  It also ruined me for all future serial killer themed movies and TV series, which is probably why I don't watch CSI.  A great movie, though.  One of the few Academy Award winners I've actually seen and liked.

That's it for today.  Stay tuned for the next 10 in the list tomorrow.  And comment on what you think should be at or near the top.  And what you think of the new ad in the upper left corner... oh baby!

Comments

[switsky]

I am not happy with these 10

[Bill]

What about the new ad in the corner?

[LegFuJohnson]

Don't compare Independence Day to Twister. Twister was dumb.
Let's chase the tornados
We're too close! Hang on!
We survived!
Let's chase the next one.
(Repeat)

Independence Day was pretty good, once you accept the premise that aliens exist...

And I've only seen 4 of these 10, although I should see Hoop Dreams.

[LegFuJohnson]

And I like the Ad in the corner. Next week, have the Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee tape advertised, and you'll really see some hits.

[Bill]

I'm supposed to be getting a DVD of the uncensored Pam Anderson roast to review for the site. It's only a matter of time before indie labels start sending me CDs to review, right?

[Bill]

Twister and ID4 came out a couple months apart, if I recall, and were both hugely successful. That's why I'm lumping them together. But you're right, Twister was the much, much worse film. Doesn't mean that ID4 was any good, though.

[F Everyone]

nice work with the new ad - keep 'em coming.

Will reserve judgment on this list until I see the other 20, but do you really have 20 movies from the '90s better than Silence of the Lambs?