My Ten Favorite Movies From Each Decade: The 90s
This is a tough one.
Honorable Mention: JFK (1991), School Ties (1992), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), Leon the Professional (1994), Donnie Brasco (1997)
10. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992): The performance that Al Pacino gives in this is over the top animated and makes it one of my favorite movies of the 90s. “You stupid fucking cunt. You, Williamson, I'm talking to you, shithead. You just cost me $6,000. Six thousand dollars, and one Cadillac. That's right. What are you going to do about it? What are you going to do about it, asshole? You fucking shit. Where did you learn your trade, you stupid fucking cunt, you idiot? Who ever told you that you could work with men? Oh, I'm gonna have your job, shithead.”
9. Goodfellas (1990): The 90s is so stacked with great pieces of cinema that Goodfellas being at number nine almost feels wrong. Ray Liotta gives his most memorable performance as Henry Hill and when I think about this film, one scene stands tall amongst the rest. When Liotta is in prison with the other mobsters and they’re cooking is just so iconic because even when you think they’re down on their luck, they’re the top dogs.
8. Dazed and Confused (1993): Alright, alright, alright. While I do enjoy Fast Times At Ridgemont High more than Dazed and Confused, it’s an absolute classic. Really nothing occurs in regards to plot in Dazed and Confused, but you get amazing character development from everyone involved. Wooderson learns that he still loves high school girls, O’Bannion learns he’s a massive dick, and Kramer learns that when you’re asked “if you’re cool” it means you smoke weed. The portrayal of the 70s was beautifully done and the outfits stand king.
7. Reservoir Dogs (1992): Reservoir Dogs is the definition of a bro film. You get these sleezeballs talking shit to each other in a diner, violence, and a heist that’s coupled with an all star cast of Roth, Keitel, and Buscemi. The idea of the movie is cool and the way it’s executed is pretty badass where you see the characters in just about three locations the entire time. It’s vulgar, graphic, and a cinematic masterpiece.
6. Office Space (1999): I have an affinity for dry comedies and Office Space was what sparked my liking for films in that genre. The multiple storylines that occur at the same time in this small, boring setting is fun to follow. Like seeing Milton not get paid, Pete and Joannas relationship, Bill being a huge asshole, and Samir and Michael Boltons friendship; it’s just a hilarious and bizarre comedy.
5. American History X (1998): While it is controversial, American History X is an important and powerful movie. Seeing how ruthless Ed Nortons character is and his views against the black community evolve while in prison is a crazy ride. Then, you watch him try to protect his little brother, but it’s too late. The ending is sad. It doesn’t feel satisfying, but there was no other way this could have ended, because if Tony Kaye presented the audience with a feel good conclusion, the film would have been ruined.
4. American Beauty (1999): American History X is controversial from the point of race relations. American Beauty is problematic when you look at an adult man preying on a high school girl. I find myself to be a bit of a hypocrite as I had a major issue with Licorice Pizza, but love this movie, but that’s my cross to bear. The symbolism of roses to go with a lot of moving pieces from side characters makes this story come together in a creepy yet beautiful way. The last twenty minutes feels like you are boxing Mike Tyson as you get punched in the face with multiple twists and turns from characters that you didn’t think would do what they end up doing.
3. Fight Club (1999): With every watch, I grow fonder and fonder of Fight Club. The dynamic of Tyler Durden, this badass character with no fears, and the Narrator, a timid man coming out of his lifeless and rundown shell is fascinating because the way Tyler brings the Narrator out of that shell is through fighting. What I most enjoy is how the film gets progressively more complex and the actual fighting plot of the movie doesn’t wear thin. The Fight Club is only a prop to assemble terror groups across the country. We are also gifted one of the best ending scenes paired with one of the best usages of music in film as Where Is My Mind? by the Pixies plays as building collapse.
2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994): Shawshank Redemption is like a hypnotic spell. At any point when you’re flipping around the TV channels and see it’s on, no matter what part, you can guarantee people are watching it. Seeing Andy Dufresne go through so much is a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute he’s being raped by Boggs, then he’s doing the taxes for the guards and warden, and then he’s crawling through shit. He went through hell and back and is a character you root for throughout. While Tim Robbins is the main character, the side character of Red played by Morgan Freeman does steal the show. Some of the shots in this movie are so well done. When you see him throw his arms up in celebration in the rain or when the warden kills himself, you’re genuinely blown away.
1. Se7en (1995): Fincher in the 90s…wow. He gave us Fight Club AND Se7en, two outstanding psychological thrillers just years apart. Se7en is so great because in most detective thrillers, the killer doesn’t leave clues as grim as John Doe did, nor do they kill in the way John Doe did. He was overfeeding people, torturing pedophiles, and had his own life taken to conduct the seven deadly sins. The remorseless acts he goes through and shows no presence of guilt is terrifying. While Kevin Spacey as John Doe was great, the duo of Freeman and Pitt was even better. There interactions remind me a lot of Hackman and Dafoe in Mississippi Burning as they have different styles that clash, but when they put their heads together, they’re very productive. Everything about this movie is amazing from the cinematography to the character development to the sickening plot line.
