The New Essentials: Essential Movies of the 1990s
Continuing our series of Essentials*, here's our Essentials list for the 1990s. Here's what our writer said:
We can already hear the outrage: "How can you leave out The Shawshank Redemption? What about Schindler's List? Where is Titanic?!?" In 50 years, those great films may be considered the true classics of the 1990s. But the movies on this list--some widely acclaimed, some beloved by a passionate few--had an influence more significant than popularity alone can indicate. Some had dozens of imitators; others spawned entire genres.
* "Essential" is not the same as "best," so these are not top 10 lists, but more a library-building guide that samples the significant DVDs from a genre, a decade, or a career.
Essentials by Decade: The 1990s (in no ranked order)
Toy Story (10th Anniversary Edition)
Pulp Fiction (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
The Silence of the Lambs (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
My Own Private Idaho - Criterion Collection
Out of Sight (Collector's Edition)
Flap Jackson on August 03, 2008 at 03:57 PM
Give me a freakin' break. No Titanic? You leave out the highest grossing movie of all time???
And what the frak is Before Sunrise and My Own Private Idaho? Out of Sight for that matter, and Fargo also deserve to get the ax.
moqui on August 04, 2008 at 12:25 PM
A "library building list" should include movies you are likely to see more than once, and things you are likely to want to see over and over again. I submit that the 90's Coen brothers film that you would want in your library before all others is The Big Lebowski, not Fargo. You might watch Fargo again a couple of times, but you will certainly watch Lebowski more frequently (I would actually put Miller's Crossing in there ahead of Fargo, as I consider it there best picture to date).
Jack Flapson on August 04, 2008 at 12:41 PM
obviously, Flap, you weren't paying attention. *Essential* is not related to popularity. You also have a crappy taste in movies.
MarkJ on August 04, 2008 at 12:55 PM
As far as I'm concerned, the best "movie" of the 1990's wasn't a movie at all: it was "The Sopranos" HBO series (premiered 10 January 1999).
Chuck Pelto on August 04, 2008 at 01:01 PM
TO: All
RE: Heh
The only ones of THIS lot worth watching, in my honest opinion, are:
The Matrix
Toy Story
And where the hell is Saving Private Ryan [War Drama]? Or The Mask of Zorro [Action Adventure]? Or Apollo 13 [Space Drama]? Or Dances With Wolves [Western Drama]? Soapdish [Television Comedy]? Galaxy Quest [Space Comedy]?
Sheesh....
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[Watership Down: You've read the book. You've watched the movie. Now, eat the stew!]
Red on August 04, 2008 at 01:03 PM
This list is bogus due to the fact that Shawshank Redemption (1994) is not on it.
Lockestep on August 04, 2008 at 01:05 PM
this is at least a more reasonable list than the horrid 2000's list. I agree with moqui on Millers Crossing as perhaps the finest Coen brothers film, but Fargo forshadows No Country, so if you rate NCFOM as one of the best of the '00s, I can see going with Fargo here.
I'd take Unforgiven or The Ice Storm over Before Sunrise or Out of Sight, but no way do you add Titanic. Overblown, overrated, terrible score and wooden acting.
Monty on August 04, 2008 at 01:20 PM
Shaw Shank Redemption is bogus due to the fact Tim Robbins is in it.
D Palmer on August 04, 2008 at 01:27 PM
Chuck,
I'm with you on Soapdish. That is a movie that has stood the test of time. I've watched it on cable more than once in the same week and it still makes me laugh.
Glaxy Quest is an interesting call. The sendup of Star Trek and its fans is priceless (and I have been to more than one Sci Fi Con, so I too am a Trekkie Geek). This is a movie that has also stood up well over time.
Leland Meeks on August 04, 2008 at 01:42 PM
LA Confidential is the essence of essential.
Gullyborg on August 04, 2008 at 01:51 PM
How about TERMINATOR 2?
FORREST GUMP anyone?
What, no HUDSON HAWK? (I know, many people would put this on a top-ten DON'T see list, but I really enjoyed it. I also used to drink heavily, though.)
Let's not overlook LAST OF THE MOHICANS!
Umm, did y'all forget THE LION KING, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and ALADDIN?
Back to the "heavy" side, AMERICAN HISTORY X...
BRAVEHEART!
SCHINDLER'S LIST!!!
There are many, many more worth listing ahead of such yawners as My Own Private Idaho...
Gullyborg on August 04, 2008 at 01:58 PM
I just found this list, and while I don't agree with (nor have I even seen) everything on it, I did - on first review - find 51 titles that I would recommend highly:
http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/movie-pages/movie_90s.html
That's 51 movies (plus more I haven't seen yet but would like to) that I recommend anyone purchase before spending money on MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO or OUT OF SIGHT.
GW Crawford on August 04, 2008 at 02:08 PM
How could not include the surreal and very funny 'Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead' (1990)?
L.A. Story (1991)?
Fight Club (1999)?
Madness of King George (1994)?
As far as Titanic, essential does not equal tripe for the chick flic afficionada crowd
Brian G. on August 04, 2008 at 02:18 PM
I have seen every one of these movies. Many of them sucked, and I especially didn't enjoy watching the late great River Phoenix, um, you know, in My Own Private Idaho.
Most importantly, I cannot take the list seriously simply because it includes Out of Sight. That has to be a joke.
If the list had any juice, it would have included Braveheart, Forrest Gump, The Sixth Sense, and American Pie.
AF on August 04, 2008 at 03:46 PM
I know "essential" lists rarely pleases everyone, but this is one of the worst lists for the 90s that I can imagine. Out of Sight?? Really? REALLY??? Fargo? Rushmore? Either Amazon needs to hire new movie critics or the movies listed above are greatly overstocked and this is Amazon's attempt to sell a bunch of movies that aren't otherwise moving.
emf on August 04, 2008 at 03:57 PM
Clerks
The Big Lebowski
Elizabeth
tim maguire on August 04, 2008 at 05:03 PM
I agree that Rushmore is overrated. So is My Own Private Idaho, but it probably was influential and makes the list on that score. But if you need a Western, it has to be Unforgiven. Fight Club should be in there, LA Confidential should not. Well done leaving that titanically craptacular Titanic off. Terminator Two couldn't hold a candle to the first one, which I expect to see in the 80's list.
Goodfellas--excellent choice! Best mafia movie since Godfather II.
Half Canadian on August 04, 2008 at 08:55 PM
My Own Private Idaho? Horrible movie.
I agree that at least one of the Disney animated movies of the era (Beauty & The Beast or Aladdin) should be on the list, as well as the Shawshank Redemption. And The Sixth Sense. If you wanted to be daring, throw in 12 Monkeys or Rob Roy.
Reeler on August 05, 2008 at 02:35 AM
How could "Falling Down" not be on this list? Great acting and timely with regard to politics?
Jim Kidder on August 05, 2008 at 05:18 AM
Roger Ebert called "Dark City" the best movie of 1998. It should be on the list. Rufus Sewell and William Hurt are phenomenal.
Chuck Pelto on August 05, 2008 at 06:49 AM
TO: Jim Kidder
RE: Dark City
It was okay and certinaly different, but I'd place The Matrix ahead of it for the genre.
For a different genre, weird Science Fiction involving children, I suggest City of Lost Children.
Braveheart for battling evil government in the Middle Ages.
The Patriot for battling evil government in the 18th Century.
Clear and Present Danger for battling evil in government in the 20th Century.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Gullyborg on August 05, 2008 at 10:34 AM
DARK CITY totally pwns THE MATIRX.
I would also include BABE. Or perhaps BABE 2: PIG IN THE CITY.
And let's not forget THE FIFTH ELEMENT and STARSHIP TROOPERS!
And ditto on 12 MONKEYS.