20 best films of the 90s that will evoke nostalgia

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

These paintings have become real symbols of the era and are still loved by the audience.

1. Home alone

• USA, 1990.
• Family comedy.
• Duration: 103 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

On Christmas Day, the McCallister family with many children is going to fly to Paris, but in the confusion, the youngest son Kevin stays at home. He at first rejoices at getting rid of annoying relatives, but then begins to worry.

In addition, the house was chosen by the thieves Harry and Marv - to them it seems like a tidbit. And Kevin needs to show miracles of ingenuity to prevent criminals from getting inside until his parents return.

Chris Columbus's film has become a Christmas classic, and Macaulay Culkin is almost a national hero. But fame at a young age tired the actor terribly, and in the future he tried to distance himself from the role of Kevin as best he could.

2. Pretty woman

• USA, 1990.
• Romantic comedy, melodrama.
• Duration: 102 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 0.

Businessman Edward Lewis accidentally meets street prostitute Vivian. To his surprise, she turns out to be a very smart girl, and the rich man realizes that he does not want to part with her. But these two will have to seriously reconsider their life values in order to be together.

Pretty Woman was supposed to be a serious drama. And the heroine of Julia Roberts at the end, together with her friend, got on the bus and went to Disneyland. But then the producers, together with the director, realized that the audience would not like such an ending. Then it was decided to present the film as a fairy tale about a modern Cinderella.

As a result, the most famous rom-com of all times and peoples was born, and debutante Julia Roberts instantly became a star.

3. Ghost

• USA, 1990.
• Drama, melodrama, mysticism.
• Duration: 127 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 1.

Banker Sam Whit dies defending his bride from robbers. But he does not leave the earth, but becomes a ghost. By chance, the hero learns that danger is hanging over his girlfriend. The only way to warn the girl is to find a sensible psychic and convince him to cooperate. But it is not so easy when you cannot interact with the world of the living.

Jerry Zucker's painting is a hymn of eternal love, and the famous scene at the potter's wheel has become a cult one. But the comedy part of the film was also at its best thanks to Whoopi Goldberg. The actress portrayed the resourceful charlatan Oda May so well that she was even awarded an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

4. Silence of the Lambs

• USA, 1990.
• Thriller, detective, drama, horror.
• Duration: 114 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 6.

FBI agent Clarissa Starling is sent to a well-guarded prison, where the murderer, cannibal and dark genius Hannibal Lecter is sitting. Her task is to talk with a maniac and find out the motives of another thug, who was nicknamed Buffalo Bill because he liked to rip off his victims.

Lecter, however, communicates in riddles and refuses to speak directly. He gives out a little information in exchange for Clarissa's stories about her childhood. Meanwhile, Bill kidnaps the senator's daughter, and there are only a few days left to rescue her from captivity.

The relationship between the heroes Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins resembles a chess duel, and the ending is almost impossible to predict. For the role of Hannibal, the actor received an Oscar - although in total the character was shown on the screen for only 16 minutes.

5. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

• USA, 1991.
• Science fiction, action, family comedy, drama.
• IMDb: 8, 5.
• Duration: 137 minutes.

From the future, where machines have taken over the world, comes an invulnerable android programmed to kill young John Connor. However, there is another humanoid robot that is not so strong, but can fight back.

The history of this successful franchise began back in 1984 after the release of the first film. But the second part became truly legendary, people loved it very much and took it away for quotes.

The secret is that James Cameron cleverly diluted science fiction with elements of comedy and family drama. And the terminator performed by Arnold Schwarzenegger has turned from a soulless machine into a cute character.

6. Jurassic Park

• USA, 1993.
• Adventure, fantasy.
• Duration: 127 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

On a distant island, scientists have managed to bring dinosaurs back to life. Now there are plans to open an amusement park, but this requires expert approval. Who would have guessed that at the very moment when paleontologists Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler arrive, all security systems will fail.

It was in the 90s that Steven Spielberg's fame peaked. Moreover, "Jurassic Park" is distinguished not only by excellent direction, but also by such advanced special effects that the first viewers were overwhelmed with admiration.

7. Schindler's List

• USA, 1993.
• Historical drama, biography.
• Duration: 195 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 9.

Oskar Schindler, a wealthy manufacturer, spends a lot of money to rescue Jews from concentration camps. Thanks to his efforts, it is possible to save the lives of hundreds of innocent people.

Schindler's List was born right after the box office blockbuster Jurassic Park. Thus, he proved that Steven Spielberg is capable of not only entertaining films about dinosaurs and sharks, but also powerful dramas.

8. Forrest Gump

• USA, 1994.
• Drama, melodrama, comedy.
• Duration: 142 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

Kind Forrest Gump is not very smart, but everyone can envy his big heart. The hero takes on any business and achieves success in it. So, he becomes a famous football player, war hero and table tennis champion. But all this time he thinks about his beloved girlfriend Jenny, whom they met in childhood.

Forrest Gump, played by Tom Hanks, has become one of the most famous characters in Hollywood cinema, and his statement about the box of chocolates is winged, like many other phrases from the film.

9. The Shawshank Redemption

• USA, 1994.
• Drama.
• Duration: 142 minutes.
• IMDb: 9, 3.

Accountant Andy Dufrein is unfairly accused of murder and imprisoned in Shawshank Prison. Gradually, the hero finds friends, and the leadership even begins to sympathize with him. However, Andy's dreams of freedom never leave.

The Shawshank Redemption was released in the same year as Forrest Gump and was also nominated for an Oscar, but did not receive any awards. But on the side of Frank Darabont audience sympathy. The film regularly appears on various lists of the most beloved films and firmly holds the first place in the list of 250 best films according to IMDb.

10. Pulp Fiction

• USA, 1994.
• Crime, thriller, black comedy.
• Duration: 154 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 9.

Bandits Vincent Vega and Jules Winfield decide the affairs of their boss, but constantly get involved in trouble. In addition, Vincent needs to spend the evening with the boss's wife, although he is said to be terribly jealous.

The film not only glorified Quentin Tarantino, but also opened the way for young authors, in fact, marking the beginning of a new era in cinema. Most of all, the audience remembered the dance of John Travolta and Uma Thurman, inspired by the painting "8½" by Federico Fellini.

Although all of "Pulp Fiction" as a whole can be considered one big reference to the cinema of the past.

11. Leon

• France, USA, 1994.
• Crime, drama, action.
• Duration: 133 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 5.

The whole family of young Matilda is killed by corrupt police officers, and then the girl goes to her neighbor, the assassin Leon. They live together for some time, after which Matilda asks to teach her the craft of a killer.

Luc Besson has created an almost perfect picture from which to teach how to make films. The role of Matilda made young Natalie Portman a star, and Jean Reno finally cemented his status as a cool action hero.

12. Seven

• USA, 1995.
• Detective, thriller, neo-noir.
• Duration: 127 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 6.

Detectives William Somerset and David Mills are looking for serial killer John Doe. The maniac decided to punish each of his victims for one or another mortal sin. There are seven of these sins in the Bible.

David Fincher's feature-length debut, Alien 3, did not go well. The director was not allowed to fully control the filming process. As a result, his patience ran out, and the director left at the final stage of production.

But with his second film, Fincher was completely rehabilitated in the eyes of critics and viewers. Martin Freeman and Brad Pitt played excellently, but the image of a maniac played by Kevin Spacey was especially successful. The killer appears on the screen only in the last minutes of the film. But forgetting it, having seen it once, will never work.

13. Fargo

• USA, UK, 1995.
• Crime, drama, black comedy.
• Duration: 98 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

A timid sales manager decides to steal his own wife in order to demand a ransom from his father-in-law for her. But the plan fails miserably, as a result of which people die. A pregnant police officer, Marge Gunderson, takes over this case.

The Coen brothers' painting has collected a huge harvest of awards and brought fame to actress Frances McDormand. Many years later, a series was even shot based on the film. True, the plot in it is already different.

14. Titanic

• USA, 1997.
• A disaster film, drama, melodrama.
• Duration: 194 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

Liner "Titanic" departs for its first and, alas, the last voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Against the backdrop of an impending catastrophe, the love story of the aristocrat Rose and the poor artist Jack unfolds.

James Cameron's Titanic became a real hit and remained the highest grossing film in the history of cinema, until this achievement was interrupted by Avatar. The secret of the film's success, which won 11 Oscars, is very simple: it was able to reach out to the hearts of every viewer.

There is love, tension, beautiful historical surroundings, special effects - in a word, everyone will find a lot of interesting things for themselves.

15. Brother

• Russia, 1997.
• Action, drama, crime.
• Duration: 96 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

Danila Bagrov has just demobilized, but he is bored with living in his native province. Then he decides to go to Petersburg to see his older brother. But it turns out that he makes a living by contract killings.

If you choose one Russian film that perfectly embodies the era of the 90s, Alexei Balabanov's "Brother" is best suited. The main role in the film was played by Sergei Bodrov Jr. - an actor without professional education. But he compensated for his absence with a crazy charm, thanks to which Danila Bagrov is remembered and loved to this day.

16. American beauty

• USA, 1999.
• Drama, melodrama, satire, parable.
• Duration: 122 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 3.

Suburban Leicester Burnham is going through a midlife crisis. His relationship with his wife Caroline has long been not the same as before, and Jane's daughter hates everyone around her, including her father. Everything changes dramatically when Lester catches sight of Angela, a friend of his daughter, who plays with her in a school support group.

From that moment on, Burnham becomes a new person. He leaves his unloved job, begins to actively play sports and take drugs. But his family is not happy about such changes.

There are no good or bad characters in the Sam Mendes film. This is just a story about people, about inner liberation, about how good it is from contemplating the beauty of the moment.

"American Beauty" even touched the Academy of Sciences so much that it won an Oscar as the best film of the year, although this prize was usually awarded to completely different, more commercial films.

17. Fight club

• Germany, USA, 1999.
• Thriller, drama, crime
• Duration: 139 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

The unnamed protagonist hates his dull job and lives as if by inertia. But unexpectedly, a soap dealer Tyler Durden appears in his life. A new acquaintance pushes the hero to open "Fight Club" - a secret place where anyone can come to fight. But gradually the project develops into something new and threatening.

Fincher's film based on the scandalous book by Chuck Palahniuk caused no less controversy than the novel, and still does not lose its relevance. By the way, the director convinced the author, who was in charge of the script, to write another ending. So the picture doesn't end the way readers might think.

18. Green Mile

• USA, 1999.
• Fantasy, drama, crime, detective
• Duration: 189 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 6.

Big black man John Coffey is unfairly accused of a brutal crime and brought to death row. There, overseer Paul Edgecomb realizes that the newcomer is not only innocent, but also has a wonderful gift.

This is the second work by Frank Darabont, based on the work of Stephen King. And after "The Shawshank Redemption" she firmly settled in the lists of the best films of all times and peoples. In addition, The Green Mile is also considered one of the most accurate King's film adaptations.

19. Sixth sense

• USA, 1999.
• Drama, thriller, mysticism.
• Duration: 107 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

Psychiatrist Malcolm Crowe takes on the case of Cole Ciara, a child who claims to see spirits. At first, the hero is skeptical, but then he realizes that it is really possible to contact the other world.

M. Night Shyamalan is one of the most controversial directors. Some of his works are undoubtedly talented, while others are puzzling - for example, "The Girl from the Water" and "The Lord of the Elements". But "The Sixth Sense" with Bruce Willis literally turned the industry around in its time. And the phrase "I see dead people" (I see dead people) became winged.

20. Matrix

• USA, Australia, 1999.
• Science fiction, thriller.
• Duration: 136 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 7.

Office worker and part-time hacker Thomas Anderson learns that the world is a simulation, and the people in it are only batteries to power machines. But he himself is the chosen one and can change everything.

When creating The Matrix, the Wachowskis relied on existing ideas - for example, they really liked Ghost in the Shell. But the directors managed to get into the very nerve of the audience and revive interest in cyberpunk thrillers.