The1990swere an exciting decade, as it was a time of relative peace as the Cold War concluded the previous decade, and the eventual global conflict of the War on Terror would not start until the early 2000s. Whether one digs the ’90s vibe or not, everyone can agree that it was unique and iconic. Besides fashion trends, gadgets, and music, many notable movies also emerged during the decade; action films became more exciting,the horror genre was revitalized, and epic dramas dominated the box office. Thirty years later, many of these movies remain iconic. Even someone who was not born in that decade likely knows many films from the decade and is still feeling their impact today.
The ’90s were a decade of films marked bythe star-powervehicle, a trend less common in 21st-century blockbusters. The rise of the independent film scene with the Sundance Film Festival becoming the hot spot for visionary new filmmakers who would redefine the Hollywood scene. With that in mind, what were the films of the decade that are still cited and watched by audiences today? Here are the best movies of the 1990s, ranked.
Update June 29, 2025: If you consider yourself a ’90s child, you’ll be happy to know this article was updated with fresh content.
20Scream (1996)
Horror master and groundbreaking film pioneer Wes Craven helped revitalize the dwindling public interest in the slasher and horror genre with the big-screenpop culture phenomenonScream. Ultimate scream queen Neve Campbell famously starred as Woodsboro resident and teenager Sidney Prescott, as she and her high school friends are terrorized by a psychopathic killer who mercilessly stalks them and torments them by calling them before their impending murders.
Related:Why Wes Craven is One of the Greatest Horror Movie Directors
Craven Helps Resuscitate Horror in Hollywood
While there are plenty of other trailblazing films of the ’90s, few were able to achieve what Craven did withScream, as the director not only sparked a resurgence of popularity with slasher movies but also launched a lucrative and enduring film franchise that changed the face of horror. The involvement of major movie star Drew Barrymore, whom many believed would be the lead protagonist, helped add to the overall public interest, and audiences were left stunned when she was brutally murdered in the opening sequence.Screamis celebrated for its satire, playful meta-humor, and iconic villain, which led to more esteemed actors appearing in the horror genre.Stream onParamount+
19Good Will Hunting (1997)
Good Will Hunting
Good Will Huntingis the story of Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a troubled teen with a genius-level IQ who accepts work as a janitor at MIT. After Will solves a university-level math problem, his intelligence is discovered by Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard), who offers to mentor Will. Shortly thereafter, Will is arrested for assaulting a police officer. Professor Lambeau secures a deal for Will to get leniency. However, he must agree to see therapist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams).
Cinema’s Ultimate Dynamic Duo
Good Will Huntingwon Robin Williams an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The Oscar-winningscreenplay was written bystars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The pair would reunite as co-writers nearly 25 years later (on their first screenplay sinceGood Will Hunting)for Ridley Scott’sThe Last Duel, and Damon would also star alongside his longtime pal in Affleck’s most recent directorial endeavor, the critically acclaimed sports dramaAir.Stream onMax
18The Lion King (1994)
Disney’s The Lion King
A Disney movie would inevitably end up on this list, andThe Lion Kingis perhaps one of Disney’s most beloved animated films of all time. This classic features a stunning score by Sir Elton John and a voice cast that includes notable names like James Earl Jones, Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Moira Kelly, and Whoopi Goldberg. The Lion King was a box office sensation and, to this day, is still the highest-grossing hand-drawn animated movie of all time.
An Unforgettable Disney Classic
In 2019, Disney broughtThe Lion Kingto the big screen once again with aphotorealistic computer-animated remakedirected by Jon Favreau. After all these years, the story ofThe Lion Kingstill resonates with audiences.The Lion Kingstands tall among Disney classics overseen by Walt Disney himself, likeSnow White and the Seven Drawves,Cinderella, andFantasia.Stream onDisney+
17Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Reservoir Dogs
Quentin Tarantino made his glorious cinematic film debut when he wrote and directed the neo-noir crime filmReservoir Dogs, enlisting the talents of actors like Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, and Tim Roth to portray a group of gangsters who plan to steal diamonds from a jewelry store but find the seemingly straightforward heist complicated when one of the criminals reveals themself to be a police informant. Naturally, chaos, murder, and mayhem ensue in the fallout.
Tarantino’s Marvelous Debut
Tarantino showcased his signature flair for violence and profanity in the universally-lauded cult classic, which was named by Empire as the “Greatest Independent Film of All Time”. The gripping movie was heavily inspired by Stanley Kubrick’sThe Killing,with thepopular director stating,“I didn’t go out of my way to do a rip-off ofThe Killing, but I did think of it as my ‘Killing’, my take on that kind of heist movie.“Reservoir Dogsremains one of the most influential and important independent films and helped pave the way forTarantino’s decorated career.Stream onParamount+
16Apollo 13 (1995)
Apollo 13is based on the true story of the lunar mission of Apollo 13. Astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton), and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) find themselves in life-threatening circumstances when an oxygen tank explodes. The spaceship shuttle’s scheduled moon landing is called off, and the crew must fight for their lives as they try to return safely to Earth.
Authenticity is Key
Nominated for a dazzling nine Academy Awards, Ron Howard’s film remains one of the best portrayals of NASA and space travel to this day.The revered directorwent to great lengths to ensure the docudrama was as accurate and authentic as possible, and not only did he consult NASA’s assistance but he also had the lead trioattend the U.S. Space Campand participate in training exercises inside a simulated Lunar Module and Command Module. Howard’s sharp attention to detail has led to the thrilling picture being regarded as one of the greatest of all time.Rent/Buy onPrime Video
15Fargo (1996)
The Coen brothers were on fire all throughout the ’90s, gifting audiences with a slew of fantastic films likeMiller’s Crossing, The Big Lebowski, and, of course, their exceptional black comedy crime masterpieceFargo. Frances McDormand was brilliant when she starred as the pregnant and determined Minnesota police chief Marge Gunderson, chronicling her efforts to solve a gruesome homicide carried out by two dangerous criminals (Steve Buscemi & Peter Stormare).
An Award-Winning Spectacle
Fargopremiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d’Or, with Joel Coen receiving the Best Director Award at the prestigious ceremony. For her scene-stealing performance as Gunderson, McDormand nabbed an Oscar for Best Actress, and the acclaimed picture also won Best Original Screenplay while also earning five other nominations.Fargowas named one of the “30 Most Significant Independent Films” of the past thirty years by the Independent Film & Television Alliance and remains one of the Coen brothers' mostesteemed cinematic contributions.Stream onMax
14Boogie Nights (1997)
Boogie Nights
Paul Thomas Andersonshowcased his distinct and refreshing directorial style when he helmed the engrossing period dramedyBoogie Nights, centering on an ambitious busboy Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) as he is taken under the wing by powerful porn director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) and transformed into sensational adult-film star Dirk Diggler in 1977 California. Gifted stars like John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle, and Julianna Moore round out the stellar ensemble in the epic and engaging flick.
Anderson’s Fearless Filmmaking
Boogie Nightshelped establish Wahlberg as one of Hollywood’s most exciting leading men while also cementing Anderson’s status as a true filmmaking visionary, with the ability to depict deeply-flawed, dysfunctional characters expertly.Boogie Nightsis heavily regarded as Anderson’s greatest work and has been praised for its bold storytelling, unapologetic themes, and fantastic soundtrack.Rent/Buy onApple TV+
13The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Silence of the Lambs
Nearly every horror movie fanatic has seenThe Silence of the Lambsand for good reason. Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee asked to interview imprisoned serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Sir Anthony Hopkins), who is believed to have information on another serial killer roaming the streets. Foster and Hopkins play beautifully off each other in scenes that are haunting to watch.
Major Oscars Sweep
The chilling masterpiece is one of only three in history to ever sweep the"big five” awards at the Oscars. Anyone who has seen the movie will be familiar with Hannibal Lecter’s most bone-chilling quote: “A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.” It launched a horror franchise, and Hannibal Lecter stands as one of cinema’s most iconic movie villains.Stream onMax
12Fight Club (1999)
Fight Club
Fight Clubis arguably the best film in David Fincher’s career and one of the most influential movies of the 1990s. The film starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helena Bonham Carter was a box office disappointment when it was released, but it found new life on home video. The film tackled the zeitgeist of the mentality of white-collar individuals of the 1990s, similar to other 1999 films likeOffice SpaceandAmerican Beauty.
Pop Culture Gold
Fight Clubis a complex movie that some viewers often misinterpret, but that makes it afascinating piece of pop culture. The message can be so clear-cut but also go over many viewers' heads.Fight Clubis a movie that will still be talked about for years to come and stands as an encapsulation of the 1990s mindset, withThe New York Timesrightfully dubbing the film as the “defining cult movie of our time.“Stream onPeacock
11Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama mystery directed by Stanley Kubrick centering on a Manhattan doctor who goes to unexpected lengths to please his wife after she admits she was unsatisfied and almost had an affair a year earlier. Eyes Wide Shut stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as husband and wife.
The final film for legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick,Eyes Wide Shut, is an erotic psychological drama that stars then-married couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, playing a husband and wife in a film who have become diseased with their marriage. The film is one of the darkest Christmas movies ever, as it deals with fears of sexual inadequacy, adultery, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Better With Age
At the time, the film received positive reviews, but they were more mixed, and many were a little disappointed by Kubrick’s last film (the movie was released four months after he died), and audience reaction was extremely negative gaining a D- CinemaScore. But as the years have gone on, time has been kinder to the movie, andmany see it as one of Kubrick’s best. Martin Scorsese wrote in the intro for Michel Ciment’s bookKubrick: The Definitive Edition,
“WhenEyes Wide Shutcame out a few months after Stanley Kubrick’s death in 1999, it was severely misunderstood, which came as no surprise. If you go back and look at the contemporary reactions to any Kubrick picture (except the earliest ones), you’ll see that all his films were initially misunderstood. Then, after five or ten years came the realization that2001orBarry LyndonorThe Shiningwas like nothing else before or since.”
Today,Eyes Wide Shutis a beloved film that is both beautiful, haunting, and emotionally devastating and one of the best movies to come out of the 1990s. It was a great way to end the decade and also a great final film for a legendary filmmaker.Rent onApple TV+
