Top 10 movies from the 90s

Top 10 movies from the 90s that you cannot miss

by Editor on 09/09/2014

Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is relegated to the Shawshank State Prison in Maine for charges of double murder, where corrupt warden Norton (Bob Gunton), sadistic guards led by Capt. Byron Hadley (Clancy Brown) and savage inmates perpetrate unspeakable brutality on everyone.  Ellis Red Redding (Morgan Freeman), another inmate, believes it's just a matter of time till Andy cracks. However, Andy not only thrives, but a daring attempt, literally tries to dig himself out of the hell hole. Does he succeed? Shawshank Redemption (1994) is a movie that'll stay with you for a long, long time.

In Quentin Tarantino’s cult movie, Reservoir Dogs (1992), you are introduced to a genre redefining storytelling metaphor where flash-back and pull-forward bring alive a compellingly complex and violent gangster drama. At the heart lies a motley crew of thugs who botch up a jewelry store heist.

An MIT maths professor offers a prize to any student who can crack a boner of a problem. The next morning, the answer is scribbled on the class blackboard. Whodunit? Will Hunting, the institute janitor, as it turns out. A working genius with a chip on his shoulder, Will has a heartrending inability to recognize his own genius. Sensitive direction and star performances (Matt Damon, Robin Willams, Ben Affleck) make Goodwill Hunting (1997) a must-watch.           

Psychological thriller and cult classic The Silence of the Lambs (1991) revolves around the hauntingly absorbing interactions between a bright young FBI officer (Clarice Starling, played by Jodie Foster) and Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a convicted psychopath who holds the clue to the serial killer case that Clarice is pursuing. Lecter will help, but only if Clarice agrees to talk about the sensitive scars from her past. Will she break down? Or will the obsession to get Buffalo Bill help Clarice grit it out?

In Hitler's Germany during the height of the holocaust, influential Nazi officer Oskar Schindler is an aberration. Hiring Jews at cheap rates for his munitions factory, Schindler is, towards the end of the film, trying his best to save them. The lengths to which he goes in order to do so, and the maturity with which the subject is handled by director Steven Spielberg, makes Schindler's List (1993) a masterpiece, one nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won seven.

There may be many words to describe Forrest Gump (1994) – humorous, heart-warming, humorous, even sad - but 'magical' fits the bill best. 'Forrest Gump', played to perfection by Tom Hanks, is a man with a low IQ who somehow gets involved with great moments of USA's history - be it teaching Elvis how to swivel his hips, appearing on the Dick Cavett show with John Lennon, addressing a Vietnam peace rally or meeting president Nixon. Forrest makes us both smile and cry, before stealing our hearts.

Disney's Lion King (1994) traces the journey of a cute lion cub (Simba) from birth to adolescence to adulthood to the time he becomes king by avenging his father’s death (brought about by a scheming uncle). Drawing its inspiration from Hamlet, mythology and African folk tales, the 'Lion King' (1994) blends gorgeous visual imagery with foot tapping music to create a tale that delights at many levels.  

Three brothers from the Ryan family have died in quick succession fighting for the US in WW II, and the government wants the fourth one back – a mission that will endanger the ‘innocent’ soldiers assigned on the task. Forced to toe the official order, yet torn apart by the moral paradox of sacrificing lives to save a single solder, Tom Hanks essays the role of a lifetime in Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan (1998) – amongst the finest war movies ever made.

Lack of a sense of achievement in professional life fuels Edward Norton’s sense of alienation, till he meets Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), whose refreshingly different way of looking at the world (“It's only after you've lost everything that you're free to do anything.”) connects instantly with Norton. As a cathartic escape from reality, the two indulge in a bare-knuckle fight that, Norton discovers, makes him feel more alive than he has in years. Fight Club (1999) is born, a closely guarded secret, as other like-minded people join in. Not one to be missed.

Unloved by his daughter, ignore by his wife, and unnecessary at work, Lester Burnhan (Kevin Spacey) is a ‘loser’ who decides to turn things around by living it up in American Beauty (1999). He quits his job, buys a 1970’s Pontiac Firebird, and discovers a crush in his daughter’s friend. Thrown into the mix is a strange guy who videotapes Lester’s newfound crush. The lives intersect one dark and stormy night in a cathartic climax. A ‘beautifully’ rare peek into American society.

12 year old Mathilda (Natalie Portman) decides to become a protégée to her tough guy neighbour Leon (Jean Reno) to avenge the death of her brother killed by corrupt DEA agent Stansfield (Gary Oldman). In a twist of events, the two develop a mutual affection. Good direction and robust acting make Léon: The Professional (1994) a great movie to catch up on.

When an enormous explosion rips apart a ship causing 91 million dollars' worth of cocaine to go mysteriously missing, police detective Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) is forced to interrogate his only witness and key suspect, "Verbal" Kint. Five days earlier, a truckload of gun parts had been hijacked, and five men identified as suspects. But are they merely fronting for the sinister criminal mastermind Soze? Watch Kevin Spacey’s Oscar winning performance in The Usual Suspects (1995).

Few finer films have been made about organized crime than Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990). The story follows Hill, a New York kid who becomes an apprentice to the ‘wise guys’ of the underworld (whom he idolizes) – before joining them. He rises through the ranks, but his ethnicity will not allow him to become a real member of ‘the family’. Ultimately, he is hounded from both ends - the police and the mobsters. Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci turn in stellar performances.

A kid has the unenvious task of finding a guy to date the meanest girl in school (Katarina, played by Julia Stiles). The reason? Until Katarina dates, her family rule will forbid her younger sister (Bianca Stratford, played by Larisa Oleynik) from dating, and Bianca is the one he (amongst many others!) really has a crush on. All he can find, however, is Patrick (Heath Ledger), the school outlaw (who has to be bribed for the task). Patrick, though, falls for Kat. Yes, 10 Things I hate about you (1999) is a charming teenage movie you’ll love.

In Pulp Fiction (1994), Quentin Tarantino indulges in his love for violence, humour and language. He does it with such abandon, that the result is an iconic movie that affords us a delightfully incisive look at the underworld. Terrific screenplay and a compelling cast (Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken, Eric Stoltz and Uma Thurman) make for an eminently memorable watch.