Top Ten Films Of The 90's!

As part of my series on the "top ten" films of the year, I have managed to work my way back to the 1990s. But before I start with my list of the "ten best films of 1999" I thought it would make more sense to start with my list of the best films of the 90s first.

Looking back on the movies of the 1990s, we have to admit it was quite a good decade. While it is generally agreed upon by most movie critics (sheep) and cinephiles, the 1980s were disappointing, a "recovery" began in the 90s. The decade started off slow but the remaining years got better and better. Great directors were still making great films and new talents set the film world ablaze.

The great masters that left us in the decade, each gave us one more marvel to cherish, from Federico Fellini's "Intervista" to Akira Kurosawa's "Madadayo" to Stanley Kubricks's "Eyes Wide Shut".

While the deaths of those filmmakers left a giant hole in cinema, I suppose if one director could sum up the mid-90s onward it would have to be Quentin Tarantino. Although his gifts were on display in "Reservoir Dogs" it wasn't until his follow-up film, "Pulp Fiction" that he became a cultural phenomenon. If a best of the decade list is meant to reflect on what changed the culture of filmmaking (instead of personal choices), Tarantino and "Pulp Fiction" would surely have to top any list. An entire generation was inspired by the movie and Tarantino's style of dialogue. However the imitators were never quite able to match it.

In addition to Tarantino, the other dominant voices of the decade were David Mamet, another writer known for his distinct style ("Homicide", "The Spanish Prisoner" and "The Winslow Boy"), Neil Jordan ("The Crying Game", "Interview with the Vampire") and Oliver Stone ("JFK", "Heaven & Earth", "Nixon" and "Natural Born Killers"). Americans became aware of Chinese filmmakers; Zhang Yimou ("Raise the Red Lantern", "The Story of Qiu Ju" and "To Live") and Chen Kaige ("Farewell My Concubine", "Temptress Moon" and "The Emperor and the Assassin") and Asian-American stories like "The Joy Luck Club".

With these fresh voices of cinema, the old pros were still able to create magic too. The French director Eric Rohmer made some of the finest films of his career in his "Tale of Four Seasons" series. Though the great Ingmar Bergman gave up directing, he wrote some of his most confessional screenplays; "The Best Intentions", "Sunday's Children" and "Private Confessions". It was the decade Steven Spielberg grew up and matured beyond a childhood fantasy filmmaker and began to broach serious topics. He devoted much of his time to WW2; "Schindler's List", "Saving Private Ryan" and serving as an executive producer on the mini-series, "Band of Brothers". Despite scandal, Woody Allen, the greatest comedy filmmaker working today, never lost his fierce wit and insights, releasing contemporary masterwork after masterwork; "Husbands & Wives", "Bullets Over Broadway", "Deconstructing Harry" and "Sweet and Lowdown". And Robert Altman, who sadly died in 2006, was "re-discovered" after the release of "The Player". With a renewed verve, Altman seemed to never stop working, directing "Short Cuts", "Ready-To-Wear", "Kansas City", "The Gingerbread Man" and "Cookie's Fortune" all in the 90s. Almost every one of them is a wonder to behold.

Speaking of a re-emergence, as a teenager during the 90s, the decade saw an avalanche of teen movies, especially in the horror genre, which was redefined with the release of Wes Craven's "Scream". Its success brought us "I Know What You Did Last Summer", "Urban Legend", a "Scream" sequel, "Disturbing Behavior" and "The Faculty". Then there were teen comedies like "Can't Hardly Wait", "She's  All That" and "10 Things I Hate About You".

So many (myself included) often complain they don't make 'em like they used to. To a certain extent that is true but great movies were still being made in the 1990s, in particular 1994 and 1999!. It was such a strong decade I am having difficulty limiting myself to only ten movies. I'm certain I'm going to leave great movies off my list. So I am making a "runner's up" list too.

There wasn't really a criteria set in place for these choices. It all comes down to my memories. Which movies stood with me. Which movies took up the majority of my thoughts. Regardless of popularity or "cultural significance", my choices are personal to me. This is not a national consensus of what the most celebrated movies of the 90s were. 

Here are my top choices of the best films of the 90s, listed alphabetically.

1. BUGSY (Dir. Barry Levinson; U.S.) - Nominated for an outstanding 10 Academy Awards, director Barry Levinson's gangster bio on the "Father of Las Vegas", Bugsy Siegel, has somehow become an underappreciated film. It is a pity because this is Barry Levinson's best film. Perhaps the best picture win for "The Silence of the Lambs" has made the movie an afterthought.

Starring Warren Beatty (in one of his greatest roles) and Annette Bening, the movie rarely hits a false note (one scene with Siegel making someone bark like a dog is out of place). Blending the story of Las Vegas, a romance, a bio-pic, a gangster movie and a homage to classic Hollywood storytelling, "Bugsy", co-starring Harvey Keital, Ben Kingsley and Joe Mantegna, is a masterpiece.

2. (tie) CASINO (Dir. Martin  Scorsese; U.S.) / GOODFELLAS (Dir. Martin Scorsese; U.S) - Martin Scorsese gives us two of the greatest films based on Mafia lore (of course nothing beats "The Godfather"). Many consider "GoodFellas" to be the best film of the 90s and the rightful best picture Oscar winner of 1990 (it infamously lost to "Dances with Wolves", which is actually a great film as well).

"Casino" on the other hand is often thought of as a "lesser" film, especially compared to "GoodFellas". That isn't necessarily my opinion. Together however they pack quite a punch.

3. EYES WIDE SHUT (Dir. Stanley Kubrick; UK/U.S.) - The last film given to us by a master director (Stanley Kubrick). Like "Bugsy", this is an underappreciated masterpiece. So much gossip and scandal surrounded the movie's release, it could never be accepted on its own terms, purely as a movie.

It is criticized by some as "pornography" when in reality it is a study in the fragility of marriage and relationships. A mental "battle of the sexes" as Tom Cruise voyages on a sexual odyssey, in order to retaliate against his wife (Nicole Kidman), for a fantasy she revealed to him, involving another man.

Like so many other Kubrick films, the movie explores the mind of its characters. Perhaps one day it can be viewed for what it is.

4. HUSBANDS & WIVES (Dir. Woody Allen; U.S.) - Woody Allen takes a trip to Ingmar Bergman land in this "Scenes From A Marriage" -ish examination of marriage and relationships, not altogether unlike Kubrick's film. Of course with Allen at the helm, the insights are humorous and sarcastic. Allen is one of the few American filmmakers with the special gift to combine comedy and drama so effortlessly. The movie's screenplay was nominated for an Oscar, as well Judy Davis' performance.

Unfortunately, gossip and scandal surrounded the release of this film as well. Around the time of the movie's release Allen's relationship with Soon-Yi was revealed.

5. (tie) LANDSCAPE IN THE MIST (Dir. Theo Angelopoulos; Greece) / ULYSSES' GAZE (Dir. Theo Angelopoulos; Greece) - These pair of Greek movies, given to us by the master of imagery, Theo Angelopoulos, aren't going to be familiar titles to the majority of readers. That is the unfortunate fate of this most gifted director. Never really appreciated by the American art-house crowd, Angelopoulos' style of filmmaking transports us back to a different time.

"Landscape in the Mist" tells the story of two children searching for their father, whom they are told lives in Germany. On their journey they find many father figure substitutes but the movie is a meditative reflection on identity, the past, dreams and memories.

"Ulysses' Gaze" is a movie I have not been able to shake out of my head. The movie only seems to grow stronger in my memories. Starring Harvey Keitel, the movie also takes us on a odyssey, telling the story of a filmmaker searching for his soul. Made during the Bosnian War, Angelopoulos' masterpiece, among other things, is a commentary on the value of art during war.

6. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (Dir. Roberto Benigni; Italy) - Comparable to Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator", this Italian comedy - drama, caused some controversy when released (it seems to be a running theme with all of my choices). Many Jewish organizations felt director Roberto Benigni was belittling the movie's subject matter, the Holocaust.

Benigni, a popular comedy director in his homeland, best known for silly comedies ("Johnny Stecchino") set out for a dramatic departure in "Life Is Beautiful", creating a more heartfelt story. Revolving around a Jewish father and son sent to a concentration camp, the father tries to shield his son for the surrounding horrors, telling him they are playing a game.

It was one of the highest grossing foreign films in the United States when released. Unfortunately, Benigni never made another movie with the same cross over success. He even, surprisingly, won the Academy Award for best actor.

7. (tie) PULP FICTION (Dir. Quentin Tarantino; U.S.) / RUN, LOLA, RUN (Dir. Tom Tykwer; Germany) - As I had previously mentioned, the decade belonged to Tarantino and "Pulp Fiction". For many it was a fresh and daring film. It held special appeal for many because of its twisted view of violence (which it was criticized for) mixed with dark humor and seemingly irrelevant dialogue peppered with pop culture references. It's storytelling techniques, using flashbacks, was different and new for this generation (especially when they hadn't seen "Citizen Kane").

Of the many imitations to emerge as a result of "Pulp Fiction", only Germany's "Run, Lola, Run" seemed to set me on fire. After I first saw it I described it as "The kind of film which jumps out at you, grabs you and never lets go." It was indeed Germany's answer to "Pulp Fiction" but please don't think of this as a cheap imitation. This is a great stand alone movie.

8. (tie) RAISE THE RED LANTERN (Dir. Zhang Yimou; China) / TO LIVE (Dir. Zhang Yimou; China) - This pair of social dramas from China's Zhang Yimou firmly positioned him as one of the country's greatest filmmakers. Both of these films placed on top of my year end lists, making Yimou the only director to do that throughout the decade.

"Raise the Red Lantern" tells the story of a young woman becoming the fourth wife of a wealthy lord but it is really a commentary on the social conditions for women.

"To Live" is a sprawling epic telling the story of communist China through the eyes of one family. It must have been too critical and too honest of a portrait because Yimou was banned from making movies for two years. A similar story was released during the same year (1994) called "The Blue Kite" directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang. For that movie the director was banned from making films for 10 years. Between the two however, "To Live" touched me more on an emotional level.

9. (tie) SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (Dir. Steven Spielberg; U.S.) / SCHINDLER'S LIST (Dir. Steven Spielberg; U.S.) - Our little Steven grew up, leaving behind him the days of "E.T.", "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park". Wanting to become the great film historian on WW2, Spielberg gave us two of the decade's best movies. Originally an unlikely choice for "Schindler's List" (Roman Polanski and Billy Wilder were considered) Spielberg matured before our eyes.

Coming off of so many anti-war movies, based on Vietnam, "Saving Private Ryan" wants to be a celebration of the "greatest generation". It has gritty battle scenes, the Normandy landing sequence caused quite a stir at the time, but ultimately is an old-fashion war picture displaying the moral superiority of the American soldiers.

"Schindler's List", like "Pulp Fiction", was something of a cultural phenomenon. Nominated for 12 Academy Awards, the movie was placed in the 8th spot on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list (the most modern movie to rank that high).

10. UNDERGROUND (Dir. Emir Kusturica; Bosnia & Herzegovina) -  The 1995 Cannes Film Festival, Palme d'Or winner is Bosnian filmmaker Emir Kusturica's masterpiece. This is a maddening, passionate, chaotic celebration of Kusturica's homeland, the former Yugoslavia. Its camera dances with excitement, recalling the work of Fellini.

Also a commentary on the Bosnian War, a key line in the movie is "there is no war until a brother kills a brother". The movie dared to not picks sides in the conflict between Bosnians and Serbians, which caused quite a controversy (there's that blasted word again!). Kursturica has never made a movie that has captured what this movie had, but because of this movie, I will follow him wherever he may lead me.

Runner's Up List (Alphabetically)

11. AMERICAN BEAUTY (Dir. Sam Mendes; U.S.)

12. DANCES WITH WOLVES (Dir. Kevin Costner; U.S.)

13. FORREST GUMP (Dir. Robert Zemeckis; U.S.)

14. LA BELLE NOISEUSE (Dir. Jacques Rivette; France)

15. MY FAVORITE SEASON (Dir. Andre Techine; France)

16. SATANTANGO  (Dir. Bela Tarr; Hungary)

17. SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (Dir. Frank Darabont; U.S.)

18. TALE OF FOUR SEASONS - A TALE OF SPRINGTIME / A WINTER'S TALE / A SUMMER'S TALE / AN AUTUMN TALE (Dir. Eric Rohmer; France)

19. THE USUAL SUSPECTS (Dir. Bryan Singer; U.S.)