The Best Films of the ’90s: Edgar Wright,

Lulu Wang, Bill Hader, John Boyega, and

More Share Their Picks
Do you love the cinema of the '90s? So do dozens of
your favorite directors, writers, producers, and stars,
all of whom shared their lists with IndieWire.
David Ehrlich
Aug 19, 2022 10:01 am

We ranked the 100 best movies of the ’90s. We listed our

favorite performances, scores, and even made a video countdown of the
decade’s greatest needle-drops. We wrote about how ’90s movies shaped us,
how visionary artists like Gregg Araki and Bill Duke shaped them, and
what love had to do with it.
So now, as IndieWire’s ’90s Week extravaganza winds down, we thought
we’d turn the mic over to the people on the other side of the screen, and see
what they find most precious about the decade that was. We reached out to
over 60 actors, directors, writers, and so forth — an eclectic mix of
luminaries from then and now and all points in between — with a simple
question: What are your 10 favorite movies of the ’90s?
The responses we received ran the gamut (though some choices were
inevitably common). Some participants chose to provide insightful lists,
while others bared their soul with annotated confessionals. If the spectrum
of answers — and the enthusiasm with which we received them — made one
thing perfectly clear, it’s that every week is still ’90s week for someone.
This article was published as part of IndieWire’s ’90s Week spectacular. Visit our
’90s Week page for more.

BRADEN AFTERGOOD, producer (“Samaritan”)

“The Rock” — Michael Bay at the height of his powers. The perfect chemistry
between Cage and Connery. Hans Zimmer’s propulsive score. Michael
Biehn taking things REALLY seriously. This feels like the moment where the
dam broke — where every shot suddenly became active and epic and it didn’t
matter if it was a missile firing at San Francisco or two guys having a
conversation. “The Rock” is a ride, perfectly executed and incredibly
satisfying. Action cinema at its best.

“L.A. Story” — Chuck Klosterman writes about the ’90s actually starting in
1991, and “L.A.” Story is a movie that perfectly encapsulates the weird and
whimsical period of transition before grunge took hold. From a decade of
excess into a decade of ripped jeans and nihilism, this film is in the middle of
a pop-culture fade-in. It’s beautiful and magical and it celebrates life, love
and Los Angeles with the perfect amount of gloss; Every viewing makes me
want to sit outside and have brunch in the middle of an Earthquake with a
twist of lemon.

“Being John Malkovich” — There’s one scene in particular that sums up why
I love this movie. Craig gets on the elevator for the first time and the woman
next to him says “7 and a half, right? I’ll take ya through it.” And then we see
the crowbar lying by the door, and the door has a million dents as though
jamming a crowbar into it is the most natural thing in the world. The
filmmakers have gone out of their way to take this exceedingly absurd idea
and make it feel mundane; we shouldn’t even question it. In this way, the
high concept never feels like it’s getting in the way of the fundamentally
human story — the movie is ‘Malkovich Malkovich’ but it’s also about being
satisfied with what you have and who you are.

“Dead Man” — “Dead Man” is quintessentially ’90s cool — Vaguely nostalgic

for the 1970’s but still steeped in that grungy post-cold war ambivalence.
This movie is beautiful and haunting and irreverent and somehow still
shrugs its shoulders and says “whatever….who cares?” If you haven’t
watched the behind-the-scenes footage of Neil Young’s scoring session, do
yourself a favor.

“True Romance” — “Fanboy as hero” would grow to become a ubiquitous

offering throughout the 90’s, and it could be argued that this movie kicked
off the trend. This is the perfect marriage of the Tarantino homage-to-the-
classics pastiche with the uber-commercial vision of Tony Scott. The result is
arthouse film masquerading as popcorn, without a single ounce of
fat. When’s a guy supposed to get up and use the restroom if every scene is
more magnetic than the last? I like you, Clarence; always have, always will.

“Fargo” — I’m not going to say anything about “Fargo” that hasn’t already
been said, but I will flag what I think is most significant: I have no idea what
genre it is. A comedy? A drama? A thriller? It somehow executes all of those
tones and each one is pitch-perfect.
“Pulp Fiction” — Filmmakers find inspiration everywhere they look, but this
was the first film where inspiration felt like it was coming squarely from
within the aisles of the video store. Suddenly a movie geek was taking all his
geeky favorites and packaging them into something that felt mainstream and
commercial. I downloaded the script off a janky BBS when I was in middle
school and promptly memorized the whole thing. Yes, I had lots of free time
on my hands.

“Dazed and Confused” — Are you in high school? Are you bored? Do you just
want to drive around and find a good time and maybe there’s a tiny bit of
existential dread as you contemplate the future? Well guess what….you are
not alone. At their best, films make you feel like you’re a part of something
larger; they make you realize that your experiences are shared. For me,
Dazed and Confused defines this power — nostalgia for another time while
also acknowledging that those people weren’t any different than you.

“Point Break” — “Point Break” is what happens when you take your movie
seriously, no matter how ridiculous the story. Surfing bank robbers? Sure,
sounds like a cheesy gimmick-movie trying to cash in on the Lollapalooza
crowd. But instead, Kathryn Bigelow somehow does the impossible – present
a world, ridicule it, then make you want to be a part of it. The result is
seductive; epic and beautiful and perfectly celebrating its time and place.
Mark Isham’s score and Donald Peterman’s cinematography further elevate
this into a full-blown masterpiece. Even the final needle drop — Ratt’s
“Nobody Rides for Free”…somehow feels awesome and contemporary and
right at home in a post-Nevermind world.

“Jurassic Park” — This must have been what it felt like to watch Oz go from
black-and-white to color. A masterclass in technique – every frame of this
movie somehow feels more real than anything put out in the 20 years since
its release. A seamless combination of real places, practical effects and
judicious vfx enhancement; the peak of the mountain before we plunged into
CGI plasticity.

KATIE ASELTON, director (“Mack & Rita”)

“Before Sunrise”
“The Big Lebowski”
“Clueless”
“Fargo”
“Forrest Gump”
“Four Weddings and a Funeral”
“Pretty Woman”
“Reality Bites”
“Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion”
“The Silence of the Lambs”

ARI ASTER, writer-director (“Midsommar”)

“Goodfellas”
“Eyes Wide Shut”
“Topsy-Turvy”
“Starship Troopers”
“And Life Goes On” (aka “Life, And Nothing More”)
“Defending Your Life”
“Safe”
“The Kingdom” & “The Kingdom II” (aka “Riget” & “Riget II”)
“Raise the Red Lantern”
“The Hudsucker Proxy”

SEAN BAKER, writer-director (“Red Rocket”)

“Lovers on the Bridge”
“Buffalo ’66”
“Bad Lieutenant”
“Naked”
“Breaking the Waves”
“The Idiots”
“Slacker”
“Seven”
“Groundhog Day”
“Hard Boiled”

JOHN BOYEGA, actor (“Breaking”)

It’s impossible to rank these movies, they’re all dope in their own way. — JB

“The Lion King”

“Life”
“Juice”
“Menace II Society”
“Friday”
“Rush Hour”
“Mars Attacks”
“Independence Day”
“Boyz N the Hood”
“The Wood”

MARGARET BROWN, director (“Descendant”)

“Hands on a Hard Body” — When I watched it the first time I immediately
watched it again.
“Slacker” — I could watch this on repeat for an Austin that has vanished.
Makes me feel nostalgic for something I never experienced.
“Starship Troopers” & Showgirls” — I discovered these Verhoevens way past
the ’90s but I love them so much.

“Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai” — My second-favorite Jarmusch

“Mulholland Drive” — This is 2001 but arguably 1999. I only own two movies
on Blu-ray: this and “Step Brothers.”

“Wild at Heart” & “Gummo” — I used to love these. I need to rewatch them
but leaving them on the list for now.

“The Big Lebowski” — Does everyone put this? I’m already bored with myself
but it’s in the top 10 for sure.

“Happy Together” — So many scenes and colors in this film are just stuck in
my head.

REID CAROLIN, director, producer (“Dog”)

“The Big Lebowski”
“The Thin Red Line”
“Goodfellas”
“The Matrix”
“Pulp Fiction”
“Fight Club”
“Groundhog Day”
“Dazed And Confused”
“Magnolia”
“Hoop Dreams”
AYA CASH, actor (“The Boys”)
Since I was a 90s teen, my “best movies” picks are movies that meant
something to me at that time in my life. Also this is an impossible task and
everyone is going to put “Pulp Fiction” and “Bottle Rocket” so here are some
of my deeply personal favs in no particular order.

“Cry Baby” — John Waters forever. I definitely had a jar marked “tears” next
to my bed in high school.

“Defending Your Life” — I truly think the world would be a better place if
Albert Brooks still made movies.

“Sister Act” & “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit” — I still know all the songs
and these count as one pick and should be watched together.

“Clueless” — Maybe the most ’90s movie of all ’90s movies (except “Empire
Records,” which narrowly missed this list).

“Strictly Ballroom” — Baz Luhrmann’s first movie and, dare I say, a lesson in
limitations breeding creativity.

“Death Becomes Her” — Panned at the time. They were wrong.

“But I’m a Cheerleader” — Campy, hilarious and an explosion of talent in

every department.

“Fargo” — Might be a perfect film? Could also be titled “Fargo: Discovering

Frances McDormand.”

“Welcome to the Dollhouse” — We are all Dawn Wiener.

“Edward Scissorhands” — Tim Burton showed that you could be as creative

and weird as you want and if you did it well enough the masses would still
come to see it. Hint hint, Hollywood.

RAÚL CASTILLO, actor (“Cha Cha Real Smooth”)

In no particular order:

“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” — I just got to work with writer Peter Hedges
on his new film “The Same Storm” and I was geeking out because he was the
mind that created this gorgeous story.

“Desperado” — It would have been “El Mariachi,” but with “Desperado,”

Robert Rodriguez finally had all the toys to build the cinematic language that
makes him a genius.
“My Own Private Idaho” — This was one of the movies that made me want to
be an actor. River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves and Flea in one movie? Sign me
up.
“Malcolm X” — The film that should have earned Denzel the Best Actor
Oscar.
“All About My Mother” — The first Almodóvar movie I saw, and he quickly
became one of my favorite writer/directors.

“Basquiat” — Jeffrey Wright is an acting pillar for me and this was the movie
that introduced him to me. Plus, it’s full of so many great cameos.

“Fallen Angels” — A couple of the films on this list I didn’t actually watch in
’90’s but discovered later; this is one of them. Wong Kar-Wai is a genius.

“The Talented Mr. Ripley” — Why do I find myself identifying with Tom
Ripley so much? Patricia Highsmith is such a fascinating storyteller, and this
is such a beautiful adaptation.

“Boyz N The Hood” — No explanation needed.

“La Haine” — One of the first non-Spanish language foreign films I saw as a
young man, and it shook me to the core.

CARRIE COON, actress (“The Gilded Age”)

In chronological order:

“To Sleep With Anger”

“Light Sleeper”
“Naked”
“The Remains of the Day”
“The Story of Qui Ju”
“Chungking Express”
“Three Colors: Blue”
“American Movie”
“Topsy-Turvy”
“35 Up/42 Up” (1991/1998)

BRADY CORBET, actor, writer-director (“Vox Lux”)

“The Idiots”
“Sátántangó”
“Crash”
“The Puppetmaster”
“Taste of Cherry”
“Eyes Wide Shut”
“Gummo”
“No Fear No Die”
“Lovers on the Bridge”
“The Double Life of Veronique”
“Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me”
“Van Gogh”

ABI DAMARIS CORBIN, writer-director (“Breaking”)

’90s films are the stories of my childhood. My siblings, parents and our
friends gathered for home film nights with pitchers of iced orange juice and
giant bowls of popcorn. When I watch a film I still reach for the OJ and feel
like I’m that kid again, drawn into another world.

Here’s my 10:

“Good Will Hunting” — The filmmakers shot this around the corner from
where I grew up and I have a very faint memory of a call for extras going out
at L. Street Tavern. It was also the first script that I purchased in hardcopy.
It still sits on my desk.

“Life Is Beautiful” — The first non-English language film that I watched and
one of my most powerful cinematic experiences to date. I was wrung inside
out by Guido’s love.

“Mrs. Doubtfire” — Another Robin Williams masterclass.

“Seven” — I learned about building tension through visual design here.

“The Prince of Egypt” — I wore this VHS out as a kid, memorized every song
and sang along. I still blast this soundtrack.

“Air Force One” — My brother growled “GET OFF MY PLANE” for months
after we watched this and now as an adult it’s still a favorite. It’s a ride.

“Jurassic Park” — Iconic soundtrack, characters, visuals, and, of course,

dinosaurs.

“Home Alone” — I just love this film.

“Misery” — I watched this one as an adult and had never seen anything like
it. Incredible tension. Such angst. This film flipped a switch in me as a
filmmaker. From it, I understood capturing humanity in a stronger, more
honest, way.
“Titanic” — This expanded what’s possible for cinema and drove me to learn
“My Heart Will Go On” for piano. Also loved the costumes.

RJ CUTLER, writer, director (“Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry”)

RJ’s 1990s Film Festival (or Films That Helped Shape Me in the 1990s)

In chronological order:
“Goodfellas,” dir. Martin Scorsese (1990)
“Trust,” dir. Hal Hartley (1990)
“Hearts of Darkness,” dirs. Fax Bar, George Hickenlooper (1991)
“Dazed and Confused,” dir Richard Linklater (1993)
“The Piano,” dir Jane Campion (1993)
“Shallow Grave,” dir Danny Boyle (1994)
“Hoop Dreams,” dir. Steve James (1994)
“Fargo,” dir. Joel Cohen (1996)
“Paradise Lost,” dir. Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky (1996)
“South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut,” dir. Trey Parker (1999)

Honorable Mentions:

“Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn’t Made for these Times,” dir. Don Was (1995)
“Unzipped,” dir. Douglas Keeve (1995)
“When We Were Kings,” dir. Leon Gast (1996)

Plus two non-features:

“Ohne Mich” (“Without Me”), dir. Dani Levy (1992)

“Dream Deceivers,” dir. David Van Taylor (1992)

Excluding (but not failing to mention) films of my own:

“The War Room,” dir Chris Hegedus, DA Pennebaker (1992)

“A Perfect Candidate,” dir R.J. Cutler, David Van Taylor (1996)

NIA DACOSTA, writer-director (“The Marvels”)

A nowhere-near-exhaustive list of my top 10 as a ’90s kid:

“Eve’s Bayou” — On repeat in every house I was babysat or lived in. Way too
young to be watching this and when I tell you I was shook!
“Jurassic Park” — I was taken to see this in theaters when I was three years
old and I started crying so much during the T-rex attack that by the time the
brontosaurus appeared I had to be taken home. It’s now a movie that I can’t
not watch if it’s on television.

“American Beauty” — This VHS was in my house and I watched it over and
over again. I couldn’t grasp the nuance of what was going on at the time but I
was always drawn back to the central performances and the earnestness and
urgency of the storytelling.

“The Lion King” and other Disney Films (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,”
“Pocahontas”) — Let’s be real: I was born in 1989 so my cinematic life, when
I wasn’t being a precious weirdo, revolved around the last great era of
Disney’s hand drawn animation. “The Lion King” in particular was incredibly
effecting — story, score, art… It had everything.

“House Party” — Just fun as fuck and if you told me there were 12 sequels all
released in the ’90s, I would believe you.

“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” — Always on television in the ’90s, the rare

sequel that’s better than the first film.

“The Silence of the Lambs” / “Philadelphia” — I bow at the altar of Jonathan

Demme.

“Batman Returns” — The best live-action Batman movie. Period. I’ll be

taking no questions at this time.

“Candyman” — Too obvious?

“4 Little Girls” — There are so many ways in which a little Black girl learns
her place in America. For me, this film was one of them.

JULIE DASH, writer-director (“Daughters of the Dust”)

“Chungking Express”
“Farewell My Concubine”
“The Red Violin”
“Malcolm X”
“Ju Dou”
“Boyz N the Hood”
“The Best Man”
“Run Lola Run”
“The Piano”
“Raise The Red Lantern”
SEAN DURKIN, writer-director (“The Nest”)
In no particular order:

“White Men Can’t Jump”

“Dazed and Confused”
“The Silence of the Lambs”
“The Talented Mr Ripley”
“The Ice Storm”
“Funny Games”
“Point Break”
“Boogie Nights”
“The Big Lebowski”
“The Last Days of Disco”

CLEA DUVALL, actor, director (“High School”)

“The Silence of the Lambs”
“Fargo”
“Paris is Burning”
“Misery”
“Groundhog Day”
“Goodfellas”
“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”
“Heavenly Creatures”
“To Die For”
“Scream”

JACOB ELORDI, actor (“Euphoria”)

“Bottle Rocket”
“Romper Stomper”
“Magnolia”
“Before Sunrise”
“The Nightmare Before Christmas”
“The Player”
“My Own Private Idaho”
“Three Colors: Blue”
“Good Will Hunting”
“The Truman Show”
JOHN GALLAGHER JR., actor (“Gone in the Night”)
“Goodfellas” — A pitch-perfect feat of filmmaking filled with virtuoso
performances that hasn’t lost a step with age. Released in 1990, I always
think of this instant Scorsese gem as the rallying cry of a new decade in
American cinema.

“The Silence of the Lambs” — A timeless classic that boasts not one but two
of the most bone chilling villains of all time and one of the best act structures
in movie history. It still boggles the mind how Jonathan Demme pivoted
from music videos to comedies to this astounding thriller.

“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” — There are sequels and then there is “T2.” A
deliriously imaginative blend of science fiction and action. Jam packed with
stone cold sequences of suspense and groundbreaking visual effects.

“Jurassic Park” — A staggering achievement. Just like “Jaws” and “Close

Encounters” in the ’70s and “ET” and “Indiana Jones” in the ’80s, Spielberg
once again defines an entire decade at the movies with an expertly executed
piece of innovative movie magic the likes of which had never been seen
before and likely never will be again.

“Schindler’s List” — Simply a towering tour de force. It’s unthinkable to

imagine Spielberg making Jurassic Park and this film in the same year and
yet somehow he did just that. A searing cinematic document of historic social
significance featuring inspired performances all around.

“The Fugitive” — This movie really doesn’t have a right to be as good as it is.
Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones are at the peak of their powers. A
masterclass in tension and release style suspense.

“Speed” — If “Die Hard” is the great high-concept action movie of the 80s
then surely Speed is its natural ’90s kindred spirit. A nonstop thrill ride
that’s still an impressive thing to behold.

“Heat” — A sprawling, Dickensian LA crime opus starring De Niro and

Pacino and a crackerjack ensemble cast? It still sounds too good to be true!
Michael Mann’s masterwork.

“Pulp Fiction” — Tarantino’s explosive, hard-boiled, sprawling, ensemble

driven, genre bending game changer would leave filmmakers scrambling but
never quite succeeding to emulate his snappy, singular style. A real turning
point for the way we consume and comment on the history of film.
“Boogie Nights” — Arriving in 1998 and owing much to “Goodfellas” in its
pacing and plotting, this first sweeping epic from Paul Thomas Anderson
feels like a generational baton pass at the end of the era.
HONORABLE MENTIONS & RUNNERS-UP: “Miller’s Crossing,” “State of
Grace,” “The Last of the Mohicans,” “The Age of Innocence,” “Reality Bites,”
“The Paper,” “Scream,” “Swingers,” “Suburbia,” “That Thing You Do!,” “LA
Confidential,” “The Big Lebowski.”

SACHA GERVASI, director (“Anvil! The Story of Anvil”)

1. “The Remains of the Day”
2. “Schindler’s List”
3. “Naked”
4. “Goodfellas”
5. “La Belle Noiseuse”
6. “Secrets and Lies”
7. “Boogie Nights”
8. “Searching for Bobby Fischer”
9. “American Movie”
10. “Metropolitan”

EMILY GORDON & KUMAIL NANJIANI, writers, producers, actor (“The Big Sick”)
Emily’s Five:
“Blade”
“The Doom Generation”
“Ace Ventura: Pet Detective”
“Pump up the Volume”
“Boomerang”

Kumail’s Five:
“Four Weddings and a Funeral”
“Groundhog Day”
“Before Sunrise”
“Edward Scissorhands”
“The Silence of the Lambs”

WILL GRAHAM, writer, showrunner (“A League of Their Own”)

“A League Of Their Own”
“The Talented Mr. Ripley”
“Out Of Sight”
“Boogie Nights”
“Princess Mononoke”
“All About My Mother”
“The Fugitive”
“Paris Is Burning”
“Clueless”
“But I’m A Cheerleader”

ROBERT GREENE, writer, director, editor (“Procession”)

“Frost” (Fred Kelemen)
“A Moment of Innocence” (Mohsen Makhmalbaf)
“Beau Travail” (Claie Denis)
“From the East” (Chantal Akerman)
“Belfast, Maine” (Frederick Wiseman)
“After Life” (Hirokazu Kore-eda)
“Happy Together” (Wong Kar Wai)
“Hoop Dreams” (Steve James)
“Paris Is Burning” (Jennie Livingston, et al.)
“How to Live in the German Federal Republic” (Harun Farocki)

Shout out to Bennett Miller’s “The Cruise” and Chris Smith’s “American
Movie” for changing American documentary forever.

GIGI SAUL GUERRERO, writer-director (“Bingo Hell”)

I was born in 1990… though the ’90s is filled with impeccable storytelling,
this was the era of my childhood. My influences to who I am today! Since my
list can’t be the top 50 fave ’90s folks, this is “Gigi’s childhood list of the most
watched top 10 ’90s film.s”

I can practically quote all these movies:

“The Faculty”
“The Frighteners”
“Mars Attacks!”
“Tremors”
“Seven”
“From Dusk Till Dawn”
“The Addams Family Values”
“The Mask”
“The Good Son”
“Small Soldiers”

JORGE GUTIERREZ, writer-director (“Maya and the Three”)

The ’90s were a magical time for me and completely formed me as an artist
and storyteller. I lived in Tijuana and Los Angeles and drove back and forth
maybe a thousand times that decade thinking about these films. I finished
high school in 1994 and attended film school (CalArts, Experimental
Animation) for my BFA 1997 and MFA 2000. The wild energy and rebellion
of 90s cinema was endlessly intoxicating and it changed and empowered our
generation completely. My list is the ’90s films I have rewatched the most
and have had the most influence on me.

“Goodfellas”
“Unforgiven”
“Once Upon a Time in China” (also “OUTIC 2 & 3”)
“The Nightmare Before Christmas”
“Ninja Scroll”
“Pulp Fiction”
“Chungking Express”
“El Mariachi” / “Desperado”
“Heat”
“Trainspotting”

My first list was about 27 films so it was really tough to cut it down to 10!

BILL HADER, actor, writer-director (“Barry”)

“Goodfellas”
“Barton Fink”
“Silence of the Lambs”
“Cure”
“Dazed and Confused”
“Election”
“Bottle Rocket”
“Paris Is Burning”
“The Thin Red Line”
“Secrets and Lies”

ANNIE HAMILTON, writer-performer (“Mack & Rita”)

1. “Stepmom”

I watch this movie — three, four times a year? — I don’t know. It’s deservedly
numero uno. It makes me cackle and it makes me weep. I used to watch the
scene where Jena Malone asks her mom, Susan Sarandon, if she’s dying
(while they’re QUILTING cus it’s the NINETIES) in audition waiting rooms
back in Los Angeles, so I’d be able to feel something, anything. It didn’t
matter if I was going out for a sitcom or for General Hospital, Stepmom is
the perfect way to be reminded of the glory and pain of having a family and
of being alive.

2. “Monster in a Box”

For an hour-and-a-half Spalding Gray is mostly seated, but he’s basically

dancing. It’s so well written that it comes off like free association. His
performance is so desperate and so easy at the same time. I watched this a
lot while I was writing my last show for Cherry Lane and it really inspired
me.

3. “My Sex Life…Or How I Got Into an Argument”

An ex-boyfriend showed me this movie and it made me fall in love with him.
Desplechin is one of my favorite directors — “My Golden Days” and “A
Christmas Tale” are big for me — and “My Sex Life” was my introduction to
his work. Probably the best movie title I know of, too. Also Marion Cotillard
makes a cameo and it rocks.

4. “Postcards from the Edge”

I’m tied here between “Postcards” and “The Birdcage.” Mike Nichols!!!!!!
Mike Nichols! I watched “Postcards,” “Birdcage,” and “Working Girl” (not
the 90s sorry) on repeat the first 3 months of quarantine. That’s all I could
stomach. Everything else made me jealous or bored. These movies are
instant cures for purposelessness. They repair your self-esteem.

5.) “Private Parts”

Howard Stern is just the best and Private Parts is HOWARDS STORY! The
musty offices, the greasy hair and crumpled outfits – the aesthetic is
startlingly visceral. I can smell everything. I like watching it on dates, too. It’s
a good date movie.

6. “Husbands and Wives”

I debated putting this on here cus I didn’t want to upset anyone, and I don’t
think you should give Woody Allen your money, but this is my favorite of his
movies by far. It’s the first movie that made me think about how a movie is
filmed. The way the camera literally corners the characters in the way they’re
being cornered emotionally. Watch it when you have a therapy session
coming up, not immediately after therapy.
7. “The Talented Mr. Ripley”

My socialite freshman roommate who I tried desperately to fit in with came

home one night and told me I reminded her of Matt Damon in Mr. Ripley. I
hadn’t seen the movie so I lied, just like she wanted me to, and thanked her
for her compliment. Years later I saw it. She wasn’t wrong. I think I’ve
changed since then cus I can actually watch it now without closing one eye.
8. “The Basketball Diaries”

I really, really wanted to leave this out of my list. I really, really wanted to.
But I watched this every. single. night. from 14-17 years old?! I had a poster
of it that I kept UNDERNEATH my bed because I didn’t want my mom to get
the wrong idea about me. Lorraine Bracco gives an amazing performance.
Obviously Leo knocks it out of the park. The male camaraderie! The utter
anguish! The city living! Jim Carroll! I love it.

9. “The Age of Innocence”

Since no one ever asks me about my favorite movies, I just have to say that
Raging Bull is my fave Scorsese. Okay. We watched The Age of Innocence in
our History of NY class in High School, and it is one of the only things I
remember learning about in school. I walked outta class that day and bought
fake fur earmuffs on 42nd Street and then booked it to Fifth Avenue. Every
NYC high school should play this for the kids.

10. “Before Sunrise”

Great flick but “Before Sunset” is the best one. I’m sorta cheating, sorry.
“Before Sunset” is the ONLY movie where I actually needed to see the
characters kiss. I was tweaking out, man. Tweaking for the kiss to come! But
you have to see “Before Sunrise” first in order to really tweak out like that. If
you’re American you also just have to see these movies before you travel.
Going up to strangers on the Eurostar is one of the most exciting things a
person can do. Or the Metro North. It’s not the same, but it works.

JULIA HART, writer-director (“Hollywood Stargirl”)

1. “Thelma and Louise”

2. “He Got Game”

3. “Being John Malkovich”

4. “Misery”
5. “Before Sunrise”
6. “Chungking Express”

7. “Jerry Maguire”

8. “Daughters of the Dust”

9. “Groundhog Day”

10. “A League of Their Own”

CHAD HARTIGAN, writer-director (“Little Fish”)

Ah, the ;90s. When there were just 3,000 prints of “Tommy Boy” floating
around and thousands of 16-year-old burnouts that knew how to inspect and
thread them through a projector. What a time! I was lucky enough to live
through all of it as an avid cinema-goer and then cinema worker, so I was at
first tempted to make a list of my 10 favorite movie theater experiences, but
the word count would have been too high. Needless to say, being 15 and
seeing “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” on opening night with my friends
Phil and Sara and losing my mind at the part where the dinosaur stepped on
a guy and then losing my mind even more when I looked over and saw that
they were making out instead of watching it, would be on there. Instead I
opted for a list that contains films I honestly do believe to be 5-star bangers
but also have some added special meaning to me that puts them above the
rest (and I added in the venue I first saw them for kicks). In chronological
order…

“The Lovers on the Bridge” (rented DVD from Video Update)

“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (VHS at a friend’s slumber party)

“Jurassic Park” (Syufy Theatre, Reno)

“Pulp Fiction” (Zena Palace, Cyprus)

“Dumb and Dumber” (pirated VHS my Dad bought in Abu Dhabi)

“Titanic” (Regal Greenbrier, Virginia Beach)

“Good Will Hunting” (Kempsriver Cinema Cafe, Virginia Beach)

“Can’t Hardly Wait” (Regal Greenbrier, Virginia Beach)

“Meet Joe Black” (Kinepolis, Brussels)

“American Movie” (Main Theatre, NCSA Film School)

PAUL WALTER HAUSER, actor (“Black Bird”)
1. “Fargo” — Steve Park’s performance is a huge inspiration for me;
McDormand & Lynch’s marriage is a portrait of virtues I wish I had.

2. “Toy Story” — Game-changer for animation. RIP Jim Varney

3. “The Matrix”

4. “Pulp Fiction”

5. “Hoop Dreams” — The doc that made me love documentaries

6. “American Movie” — One of the most painfully-underrated films of all

time; should be as celebrated as “Harlan County, USA”

7. “Schindler’s List” — Saw it recently for the 1st time & I wept while I wept.

8. “Dazed and Confused” — The greatest hangout movie of all time.

9. “Waiting for Guffman” — Catherine O’Hara is my Marlon Brando.

10. “The Shawshank Redemption”

JORDAN HOROWITZ, writer, producer (“Hollywood Stargirl”)

1. “Being John Malkovich”

2. “Thelma and Louise”

3. “Jerry Maguire”

4. “The Sweet Hereafter”

5. “Before Sunrise”

6. “The Silence of the Lambs”

7. “Pulp Fiction”

8. “A League of their Own”

9. “Groundhog Day”

10. “The Player”

Honorable Mentions:

“As Good As It Gets,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Blair Witch Project,” “Boogie
Nights,” “Buffalo ’66,” “Defending Your Life,” “Fargo,” “Fearless,” “King of
New York,” “Leap of Faith,” “Magnolia,” “Nothing But Trouble,” “Out of
Sight,” “Red Rock West,” “Rushmore,” “Seven,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” “That
Thing You Do,” “The Truman Show,” “The Usual Suspects,” “Waiting for
Guffman.”

STEPHAN JAMES, actor (“Surface”)

“Clueless”
“Forrest Gump”
“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”
“My Girl”
“Friday”
“Boyz N the Hood”
“White Men Can’t Jump”
“The Mask”
“The Brady Bunch”
“Rush Hour”

RIAN JOHNSON, writer-director (“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”)

“Goodfellas” — This list is not ranked except for this one which is an
indisputable #1.

“Barton Fink” — I could honestly swap with “Miller’s Crossing,” “Fargo,”

“The Big Lebowski,” you name it…

“Pulp Fiction”
“Chungking Express”
“Fight Club”
“The Matrix”
“Dead Man”
“Unforgiven”

“Terminator 2” — I went back and forth with “Total Recall,” but I’ve watched
“T2” more.

“American Movie”
NIKYATU JUSU, writer-director (“Nanny”)
“Death Becomes Her”
“The Devil’s Advocate”
“Audition”
“Hyenas”
“Belly”
“Blade”
“Magnolia”
“Eve’s Bayou”
“The Fifth Element”
“The Celebration”

TARAN KILLAM, actor (“Impeachment: American Crime Story”)

10. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” — Maybe have viewed this one the most.

9. “Waiting for Guffman” — Most quotable.

8. “Aladdin” — Favorite Disney animated film, although “Beauty and the

Beast” is probably the best.

7. “My Best Friend’s Wedding” — For the Rupert Everett sing-along alone.
Additional points for early Paul Giamatti.

6. “Jurassic Park” — My first date movie ever.

5. “Léon: The Professional” — My childhood crush: Natalie. My adult crush:

Gary.

4. “Se7en” — It was this or “Silence of the Lambs.” This one haunts me a

smidge more.

3. “Braveheart” — Sseparating the art from the artist. Hardest cry movie.

2. “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” — My first rated-R movie in the theater.

The BEST rated R movie in the theater.

1. The Jim Carrey Trilogy: “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” “The Mask,” and
“Dumb & Dumber” — A cheat, I know but they ALL came out in 1994! What
a year!!!

TRACY LETTS, actor, playwright (“Deep Water”)

1. “Hoop Dreams” (Steve James) — 1994

2. “The Story of Qiu Ju” (Zhang Yimou) — 1992

3. “Naked” (Mike Leigh) — 1993

4. “Crumb” (Terry Zwigoff) — 1994

5. “Lone Star” (John Sayles) — 1996

6. “The Double Life of Veronique” (Krzysztof Kieślowski) — 1991

7. “Ladybird, Ladybird” (Ken Loach) — 1994

8. HANA-BI” (“Fireworks”) (Takeshi Kitano) — 1997

9. “La Cérémonie” (Claude Chabrol) — 1995

10. “Breaking the Waves” (Lars von Trier) — 1996

LAWRENCE LEVINE, actor, writer-director (“Black Bear”)

“Raise the Red Lantern”
“Unforgiven”
“Hoop Dreams”
“Taste of Cherry”
“Short Cuts”
“The Dreamlife of Angels”
“Moloch”
“Schindler’s List”
“Naked”
“Close-Up”

DAVID LOWERY, writer-director (“The Green Knight”)

This is an impossible list: The ’90s carried me from the ages of nine to 19 and
are therefore rife with not only truly great movies but landmarks in my own
development as a cinephile and person. No decade feels longer and more all-
encompassing to me and trying to pare it down to ten films is nonsense. So
here I go. I am on principle excluding movies from 1999, which was basically
a decade unto itself, and for the remaining nine years trying to find a balance
between cultural value and nostalgia. I have already failed.

In alphabetical order:

“Bram Stoker’s Dracula”

I kept flip-flopping this title with Disney’s “Beauty & The Beast.” Both are
masterpieces of craft, both involve gothic castles and wilting flowers, and in
1992, I was definitely listening exclusively to the soundtracks to both of these
films on cassette tape. “Beauty & The Beast” is revolutionary and looks to the
future, Coppola reaches into the past, both are incredible, but there’s only
one I still watch almost every year.

“Boogie Nights”

This could just have easily been “Magnolia,” were it not for my 1999 rule, but
“Boogie Nights” is the cinematic equivalent of rose-colored star-shaped
glasses. It is full of terrible things we remember warmly and can’t wait to
revisit. The declarative nature of its filmmaking just gets better and better
with age. A perfect movie.

“Buffalo ’66”

Let this title represent your own does-it-still-hold-up ’90s Sundance title of
choice! This one is mine.

“Crash”

I think this was my first NC-17 movie? I was not old enough to see it when it
opened, and also not mature enough to appreciate it when I rented it on
VHS. I just revisited it for the first time since the ’90s and was surprised to
discover that it is not only one of the very best films of the ’90s, but it might
be one of the best movies ever made. I think I might write a book about it.

“Fargo”

I think about the Mike Yanagita scene at least once a week, and the last scene
with the Gundersons in bed even more often than that. Another perfect
movie!

“He Got Game”

This was a movie I watched repeatedly during my early tenure as a

projectionist and then lost track of. Revisiting it during the lockdown, I
wondered how it could be so forgotten: I think this might be Spike Lee’s best
movie of the ’90s, second best movie overall, and probably the most
aggressively poetic he’s ever been. The final moments of outright magical
realism had an unexpectedly outsize influence on this Peter Pan movie I’m
making.

“Mars Attacks!”
I needed to put a ’90s blockbuster on this list, and weighed all the best of
them, from Speed to “The Fugitive” (the first movie I ever bought on VHS!)
to “The Rock” to “Face/Off” to “Starship Troopers” — but ultimately, this
spot had to go to Tim Burton’s unloved but brilliant masterpiece of
misanthropy that, from its concept to its cast to its budget, could only have
been made in the late ’90s. No one in any decade will ever make another
movie like this one.

“Naked”

“Secrets & Lies: and “Naked” demarcate 90s Mike Leigh’s for me. I
remember being very intrigued by the newsprint ads for “Naked” in the
Sunday paper, tiny and grimy and tucked away beneath “Schindler’s List”
(which should also be on this list!). A few years later, my mom and I went to
see “Secrets & Lies: in the theater but we got lost en route to the mall
(because back then Mike Leigh movies played at the mall). I finally saw both
films on DVD in 2007. One is full of warmth and empathy, the other spit and
poison. Having just rewatched both of them, I’m going with the latter.

“The Piano”

This movie’s release coincided with my brief obsession with the Oscars, so by
the time I finally saw it, I knew it was a big deal, knew the music, knew that
Anna Pacquin did cartwheels on the beach. Eventually my local library got a
copy of it and I checked it out and swooned. I was just starting to get into
goth culture; this movie expanded my concept of what Gothic could be. A lot
of my taste in storytelling can be traced to that final shot.

“Pulp Fiction”

I debated whether or not it was rote to put “Pulp Fiction” on this list instead
of, say, an Almodovar or Kieslowski or Heat (another perfect movie) my
beloved “Meet Joe Black,” but then remembered that this list isn’t fair in the
first place, and “Pulp Fiction” is the definitive ’90s movie, so here it is,
encompassing all that Tarantino brought to the decade, including “True
Romance,” “Natural Born Killers” and that classic Siskel & Ebert episode. A
classmate and I performed the climactic diner scene in our 9th grade theater
class and the script is so undeniable that our drama teacher let us keep the
swear words in. I already regret giving this movie a spot.

“Romeo + Juliet”

I saw this movie six times in the cinema in the span of about a month. Four
Baz Lurman epics later and it is still ahead of its time. On a cultural level,
maybe this spot should go to “Titanic,” which packaged a similar sentiment
in a more streamlined package (and is also a masterpiece that is one of the
best movies of the ’90s and should definitely be on this list). On a personal
level, it could have gone to “Edward Scissorhands,” which made baby me feel
seen in the same way this movie did. But that movie is timeless and this list
is all about a moment in time, and I can’t think about 1996 without hearing
“Number One Crush” in my head.

“Satantango”

The most momentous black-and-white art film that I actually saw in the 90s
proper was Jim Jarmusch’s “Dead Man,” which I watched on VHS with my
dad, and has since become one of my favorite movies of all time. But so has
“Satantango,” which I saw a decade later and which deserves a spot on this
list on account of the sheer weight of its 35mm print alone. That said print is
now not the only way in which to endure this epic is conservationally
comforting but also a little bit sad. I only ever want to see this movie in the
theater, once every ten years or so, with intermissions imposed by the sheer
amount of celluloid running through the projector.

JENA MALONE, actress (“Adopting Audrey”)

“Thelma and Louise” — The film that opened my world to acting , making
stories that were meaningful and the importance of friendship. This one will
always take the cake for me.

“A League of Their Own” — A personal favorite as a child. Just a fucking

classic that I still reach to rewatch when I need a fix.

“The Shawshank Redemption” — This may be one of my favorite films ever

made. Maybe more meaningful that I saw it when I was so young and it had a
very powerful effect on me

“A Time to Kill” — I haven’t rewatched in a long while but it had a very

powerful impact on me as a child. Need to revisit but here it is on the list
none the less.

“Edward Scissorhands” — The joy of sharing this film with my son made me
realize how important this film truly is. What a perfect movie !
“Falling Down” — Phew buddy!! This film blew me away as a child. I
remember studying. Micheal Douglas’s performance in this one again and
again.
“Magnolia” — I wasn’t allowed to watch Boogie Nights” ’til I was older for
some reason so this was the first Paul Thomas Anderson film I watched and
will always remain with me. Growing up in the valley, this film opened up an
entire emotional landscape I had never known before.

“Girl, Interrupted” — This was at the tale end of the ’90s but still as a young
actress this one was a big deal.
“Clueless” — Duh.

“Powder” — I was looking for more films to put on this list and I stumbled
across this one and my heart started singing. I loved this film as a child. I’m
literally finding to re-watch right now. If it doesn’t hold up , my apologies.

“Contact” — The best film I’ve ever been apart of. Hands down. Still holds
up. Love love love love this one so much

“From Dusk ’til Dawn” — I know I know everyone will say pulp fiction. But
this one was more impactful to me for some wild reason. I loved it so much.
And now will be rewatching to make sure I wasn’t a little disturbed as a child.
Hahaha.

DAVID MANDEL, writer, producer, showrunner (“Veep”)

I like to “watch” movies while I write. Some people are confused by this, and
most people are really bothered by it. I don’t watch as much as I listen, kind
of like a normal person listens to music. Therefore, the movies that I watch
when I write are movies I have seen over and over again. They allow my
conscious to be distracted while my subconscious does the work. Since there
were no rules for what this list should be, I decided to choose my Top 10 ’90s
movies that I like to watch while writing. In no particular order and with
apologies to all the ’90s movies I left off the list…

“Boogie Nights” — I can put this on from the beginning or randomly come
across it at any point and watch till the end.

“JFK” — Especially if I am pulling an all-nighter, this movie is three-and-a-

half hours long and never stops.

“Postcards from the Edge” — Carrie Fisher’s writing coming out of Meryl
Streep’s mouth has a melodic rhythm to it. Plus, a couple of actual musical
numbers. (Does anyone have a copy of “I’m Checking Out” for me? Please
reach out.)

“The Cutting Edge” — Toe pick!

“Sneakers” — So re-watchable. Just a fun heist movie with a great cast.

“The Last Boy Scout” — If anyone else puts this on their list, I am going to
dance a jig!

“Volcano” – There is something about writing in Los Angeles, while watching

Wilshire Boulevard get destroyed by a volcano that I find inspiring. I once
worked on a pilot with my friend Brian Kelley (“The Simpsons”) and made
him watch this movie over and over. He has never forgiven me.

“Miller’s Crossing” — This is the rumpus.

“Bowfinger” — Possibly the funniest Eddie ever. Even though I feel like I
might ignite, I probably won’t.

“Goodfellas” — At this point, I have it memorized like my Torah portion. I

don’t even need to put the sound on.

HEATHER MATARAZZO, actress (“Welcome to the Dollhouse”)

“Heavenly Creatures”
“Trainspotting”
“Like Water for Chocolate”
“The Crying Game”
“The House of Yes”
“Waiting for Guffman”
“High Art”
“Flirting With Disaster”
“Boy’s Don’t Cry”
“Muriel’s Wedding”
“Election”
“The Last Days of Disco”
“Lost Highway”

PETE NICKS, director (“Homeroom”)

“Paris Is Burning” — A truly seminal doc that breaks stereotypes while
immersing you in a vibrant world.
“The War Room” — A master class of access.

“American Movie” — To date, I still haven’t seen a doc that’s made me laugh
like this one did.

“Goodfellas” — The writing. The camera work. The acting. It’s all there.
“Sing Faster: A Stagehands’ Ring Cycle” — One of this generation’s great
vérité masters doing his thing.
“Hoop Dreams” — This movie opened my eyes to the narrative potential of
nonfiction and the power of commiting to characters over an arc of time.

“Buena Vista Social Club” — One of the first music films I fell in love with
and also inspiring for showing the cinematic potential of nonfiction.

“4 Little Girls” — One of the great directors of our time shows a remarkably
deft nonfiction touch with this powerful story.

“Pulp Fiction” — Dialogue. Dialogue. Dialogue.

“Muhammad Ali: When We Were Kings” — One of the best athlete profiles
I’ve seen.

LEE PACE, actor (“Bodies Bodies Bodies”)

“The Fifth Element”
“Dazed and Confused”
“The Talented Mr. Ripley”
“Happy Together”
“Pulp Fiction”
“My Own Private Idaho”
“Romeo + Juliet”
“True Lies”
“La Haine”
“Paris is Burning”

ALEX ROSS PERRY, actor, writer-director (“Her Smell”)

These are all films that I lost time with. I saw none upon initial release and
caught up with them later. This is true for a lot of 90s movies released during
the tail end of my childhood (“Goodfellas,” “Pulp Fiction,” etc), but I saw
those films as soon as I was ready and was prepared to correctly engage with
them, and not a moment later.

The list below is different. In every instance, I lost time that I will never
regain with the movie. Those are missed repeat viewings at home, missed
“you’ve never seen this? Let’s put it on right now” interactions with friends,
missed repertory screenings and missed opportunities to have been inspired.
All remedied now, and I hope in 10 more years to have another 10 films from
the 1990s that I have not seen as of today.
“The Age of Innocence”
“Before Sunrise”
“Belfast, Maine”
“Breaking the Waves”
“Hard Boiled”
“Khrustalyov, My Car!”
“Lovers on the Bridge”
“Paradise Lost”
“Point Break”
“The Remains of the Day”

STEVE PINK, actor, writer-director (“The Wheel”)

“Pulp Fiction”
“Goodfellas”
“Fargo”
“Election”
“The Matrix”
“Seven”
“Trainspotting”
“Life is Beautiful”
“Run Lola Run”
“Hoop Dreams”

“Grosse Pointe Blank” as the #11 ALT since it’s one of mine!

The honorable mentions!

Devil In A Blue Dress

Princess Mononoke

When We Were Kings

Delicatessen

To Live

JFK
Malcolm X

JAMES PONSOLDT, writer-director (“Summering”)

1. “Three Colors” trilogy
2. “Beau Travail”
3. “Princess Mononoke”
4. “Eve’s Bayou”
5. “Show Me Love/Fucking Åmål”
6. “Paris is Burning”
7. “Devil in a Blue Dress”
8. “Gas Food Lodging”
9. “Sick”
10. “To Sleep with Anger”

P.S. For what it’s worth, the other films that were on the list/off the list over
and over were “Secrets and Lies,” “After Life,” “Close-Up,” “Dazed and
Confused,” “Heavenly Creatures,” “The Matrix,” “The Dreamlife of Angels,”
“Swoon,” “The Virgin Suicides,” “Boogie Nights,” “Safe,” “Short Cuts,”
“Breaking the Waves,” “Chungking Express,” “Clockers, “Go Fish,” “The
Sweet Hereafter,” “The Piano,” “Fargo,” “Jackie Brown,” “Slacker,” “Dead
Man,” and, and, and…

ALEX PRITZ, director (“The Territory”)

What an incredible decade! As a ’90s kid, this is truly the list that got me
hooked.

“The Talented Mr. Ripley” — The top film on the list, without a doubt.

“My Best Fiend” — We now call them toxic work relationships, but this was
next level.

“Pi” — Brilliant storytelling on a budget.

“Hands on a Hardbody” — I didn’t appreciate this one until I got older, but
now I reference it all the time.

“Gattaca” — between CRISPR, 23andMe, and Social Credit Systems, this film
was ahead of its time.

“Trainspotting” — Wildly creative editing.

“Fargo” — I would die for Frances if she asked me to.

“Hoop Dreams” — The documentary that got me into nonfiction.

“Jurassic Park” — A children’s fable about capitalist greed.

“Paris is Burning” — The cinematography in this film is out of this world.

TEGAN AND SARA QUIN, writer-producers (“High School”)

“Dazed and Confused” — THIS STILL HOLDS UP! A perfect balance of
skeezy and sweet. Soundtrack was excellent and we tried hard to dress as
cool as Randall “Pink” Floyd.
“Reality Bites” — Two words: Janeane Garofalo.

“Empire Records” — Great soundtrack! Working at a record store and being

a band was a fantasy and this film was aspirational. Also, had the hots for Liv
Tyler and was tormented by the blue fuzzy sweater she wore in the movie
poster.

“Kids” — This movie terrified us. It was a glimpse into a world far crueler
and alive than ours and it made me want to move to New York City
immediately.

“High Art” — This absolutely floored us and we returned to the theater to see
it twice. Queer stories were nearly non-existent and finding one was life
saving.

“True Romance” — Is there anyone cooler than Patricia Arquette?

“The Crying Game” — Our parents were obsessed with this film and we were
deemed mature enough to watch it at a holiday party in grade eight.
Haunting.

“Chungking Express” — I did not see this film in the 1990’s but after moving
to Montreal in 2003 I stumbled upon the films of Wong Kar-wai at Cinema
Du Parc.

“But I’m a Cheerleader” — We weren’t yet cool enough to get all the jokes,
but we fell in love with Clea Duvall.

“Rushmore” — At the time, Wes Anderson vibes hadn’t yet permeated

everything and this movie felt so fresh and clever.

THEO ROSSI, actor (“Emily the Criminal”)

“Goodfellas” — “Goodfellas” felt like I was watching snapshots of my
childhood and surroundings growing up. To this day it’s easily the film I’ve
seen the most.
“Menace ll Society” — My son is named Kane in large part to Menace. (Also
Big Daddy Kane and “Citizen Kane”). Great films show you worlds you have
never entered and in “Menace” you feel like you’re walking with O and Caine
in the heat of LA. You exist in their lives.

“Heat” — “Heat” is like riding a motorcycle on a highway at night and

turning the speed up every 10 minutes until you feel like you have
transcended time. It’s as close to a perfect film for me as there is.

“Carlito’s Way” — In “Carlito’s Way” I related at a young age so much to the

struggle of trying to abandon who you were to become who you wanted to be.
Also Penn puts on an acting clinic for the viewer.

“Seven” — “Seven” is a film you can smell. It’s so visceral and grimy that
you’re part of the hunt to find Doe. Also, adds like the train that shakes
apartment is the chefs kiss. It never stands still.

“Reservoir Dogs” — “Reservoir Dogs” changed the way I looked at pictures.

It’s like someone reset the Hollywood system. The group of character actors
being the stars paved the way for everything including “Sons of Anarchy.”

“The Truman Show” — “The Truman Show” is a timeless film that becomes
more obvious as the years progress. Every emotion is emoted by the
audience because of the specificity of the storytelling.

“Get Shorty” — “Get Shorty” has one of the absolute best performance by one
of my all time favorite actors Dennis Farina. It’s such a fun ride and the ways
it’s intertwined with the Hollywood system is magnificent.

“Good Will Hunting” — I watched “Good Will Hunting” in the theatre 3

times and it solidified Robin Williams as my absolute favorite all time artist.
Perfect film and the perfect time in my existence.

“Pulp Fiction” — “Pulp Fiction” changed cinema in every single way possible
and has influenced how everyone operates in it since it’s debut. It’s my
generation’s “Godfather.”

ELI ROTH, actor, writer-director (“Borderlands”)

The 90s
by Eli Roth

In the fall of 1990, I was a freshman at NYU film school, living more an
Andrew Bergman film than Ingmar, and I was hungry for anything
weird. And suddenly, the ’90s happened. The Coen Brothers. Tarantino.
Jeunet and Caro. P.T.A. It felt like what was happening in the ’70s, with the
rise of the Miramax and the rebirth of New Line Cinema and I was watching
it unfold in real time with all the other aspiring filmmakers in my class.

So here are the films that blew my mind and showed me new possibilities of
what you can do as a filmmaker. I’m gonna leave out a lot of film I love
(“Goodfellas,” “Terminator 2,” “Boyz N The Hood,” “The Crying Game,”
“Jurassic Park,” “Forrest Gump,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Scream,” “Sling Blade,”
“Starship Troopers,” “The Sixth Sense”) because they’ve been written about a
lot, and I want this to be under 10,000 words, as well as throw in a few films
people might have overlooked.

In chronological order.

1. “Cinema Paradiso”

Okay, I’m already cheating because this film played European film festivals
in 1989, but it wasn’t released in the U.S. until February 1990, and in a time
when streamers didn’t exist, as far as I’m concerned, for me that makes it a
’90s movie. This was the last film I saw before leaving for N.Y.U. film school.
I remember “The Freshman” also came out that summer, a comedy about
Matthew Broderick starting as a freshman at N.Y.U. film school, and
although I enjoyed it, that film didn’t resonate with me the way “Cinema
Paradiso” did. Tornatore’s masterpiece encapsulated everything I loved not
just about movies, but about loving movies. I watched the scene of the
director screening all the censored kisses and broke down in tears. The
heartbreak of devoting yourself to cinema at the cost of the love of your life
— it was too much for me at 18. Was that going to be me? (I secretly hoped
so.) I listened to the soundtrack so much I wore out the cassette tape. I
noticed that the film bore the logo of a new distribution company —
Miramax. Their only other movie I could recall was “The Outside Chance of
Maximilian Glick” which looked a little schmaltzy to me, even as a Jewish
kid. Who knew, maybe this company was going to be something…

2. “Barton Fink”

“Devil on the Canvas, take Charlie!” “I will destroy you!” Not since
“Eraserhead” have hotel room radiators been so absorbing and hypnotic. I
really liked “Miller’s Crossing,” but this movie changed what I thought
movies were supposed to be and I still quote it to this day.

3. “Delicatessen”
I remember going to see this because it said “Terry Gilliam Presents.” I had
never seen anything like it. Perfect in every way, especially the casting.
Something just felt different in how movies were being made.
4. “Ruben and Ed”

Crispin Glover screaming “I’m the King of the Echo People!” Crispin Glover
proudly bragging “My cat can eat a whole watermelon!” Howard Hessman
as a pyramid scheme salesman trying to help Crispin Glover find the perfect
spot to bury his frozen dead cat. Need I say more? Just… trust. Just watch
it.
5. “Man Bites Dog”

What a tragic loss that Rémy Belvaux died age 39. I was lucky enough to see
this on an invite to the New York Film Festival, and hung out with the
filmmakers after. I was twenty years old, I thought they were the coolest. A
brilliant, brutal, hilarious film that was so sick and so funny at the same time
it really made an indelible impression on me.

6. “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me”

I remember this film being reviled at the time it was released, and now it’s
regarded as one of the greatest films of the decade and of Lynch’s incredible
career. Wildly creative, beautifully rendered, it moves at its own pace in its
own world and doesn’t try to please anyone. I love it. I helped dig up the
original elements to transfer it on DVD and found a lot of the lost scenes. I
still write to Badalamenti’s hypnotic score.

7. “Reservoir Dogs”

I was lucky enough to see this in the theater without knowing anything about
it. It absolutely blew my mind: violence was back. I was a Resident Assistant
in my dorm at NYU and was in charge of decorating the floor. I decorated
the entire floor as an homage to Tarantino, and Lawrence Bender’s sister
Karen was a friend and lived on my floor. Lawrence happened to be in town
shooting “Fresh” across the street and came by and saw it and was
completely amazed there was already a Tarantino Superfan. My student film
was called “Restaurant Dogs.” I told Quentin I was the original Tarantino
ripoff. By “Pulp Fiction” everyone was copying him. I was the first! Years
later I got to run my 16mm print of “Restaurant Dogs” at Quentin’s cinema
The New Beverly. Life is pretty cool sometimes.

7A. “Bad Lieutenant”

I mean… what a year for movies 1992 was. I love Abel Ferrara, I could list so
many of his films as my favorites of the 90s but this one just blew me away.
Keitel is absolutely unhinged, written by “Ms. 45” herself Zoe Lund. “Bad
Lieutenant” and “Reservoir Dogs” in the same year? And the baseball subplot
on the radio — it was genius. I can’t leave it off the list it’s too good.

8. “Menace II Society”
I remember this film being billed as a reaction to “Boyz N the Hood.” There
was a real danger to this movie — stories of people were being shot in the
cinemas. It blew me away.
8. “Mute Witness”

I saw in the theaters, and for the first 45 minutes I was completely
exhilarated. Here was an original, no holds barred cat-and-mouse slasher
film with a fantastic premise of the mute make up artist who accidentally
walks in on a snuff film after hours and can’t call for help. As brilliant as the
first 45 minutes were is as messy as the second half is where the film can’t
sustain its premise and falls apart. But I still watch that first half as a
masterclass in horror film tension and suspense.

9. “Kids”

This was the new cinema. I lived right there in Washington Square Park
where they filmed so much of it, it felt so real. A terrifying wake up call for
people, to me something changed in terms of who was now allowed to make
movies. You could write a film at 19 years old? What?

10. I can’t believe I’m at 10 already! Okay I’m going to cheat more.

“Friday”
Still holds up as one of the funniest movies ever made. Masterpiece. People
say “Bye Felicia” not even knowing it’s from this film.

10A. “Trainspotting”

When was the last time you left the theater and people were bouncing
around the streets singing the music for the film? For me that was
“Trainspotting.” Felt like something changed after that movies, this was the
new cool.

10B. “Scream”

I lied. I want to write about “Scream.” I remember July 4th, 1995, age 22,
giving my agent the first draft of “Cabin Fever” and he handed me back a
script called “Scary Movie” written by Kevin Williamson and said “This script
just sold to Miramax for $500,000.” I read it on the bus ride home from
NYC to Newton, Mass, thinking “Oh…this is what a real script reads like….”
At the end of the ride I was too depressed to get off. I just thought man, I’ll
never write anything this good. Great writers can either inspire you or be so
great they make you feel like quitting.

11. “Boogie Nights”

This film subverted my expectations on every level. I thought it would be a

fun throwback film about 70s porn, not one of the greatest dramas I had ever
seen. It’s one of those movies that now feels too short when I watch it. I wish
it went on forever so I could just live with those characters in that world.

12. “The Big Lebowski”

Okay I’m breaking my rule about movies that were discussed to death, but
man, this movie… it just ties the article together. And at the time it wasn’t a
hit – people were talking about how the movie didn’t make any money and
wasn’t as good as the other Coen brothers other films. And then there were
those of us who saw it and went and bought bowling balls and had the name
WALTER engraved on them and bowled at the same bowling alley (now
closed) on Hollywood boulevard where they filmed — recreating the
Lebowski scenes week after week after week. Guess which group I was in.

13. The Blair Witch Project”

I got a VHS tape from my friend Kevin Foxe who told me “This movie I’m a
producer on just got into Sundance. I know you’re into horror, check it out.”
I watched it in my apartment alone, then slept with the lights on. That hadn’t
happened since I was a kid.

14. “American Movie”

I still quote it to this day. All-time favorite. I related to this movie so much.
Borchardt is a poet and Mike Shank is his muse.

BENNY & JOSH SAFDIE, actor & writer-directors (“Uncut Gems”)

There are two of us, so two top 10s in one:

“Goodfellas”
“The Lovers on the bridge”
“Close-Up”
“Jackie Brown”
“Short Cuts / “The Player”
“Kids”
“Beau Travail”
“Fargo”
“Indecent Proposal”
“Hero”
“Naked”
“Single White Female”
“Narrow Margin”
“Ed Wood”
“Crooklyn”
“The Wedding Singer” / “Big Daddy”
“Boogie Nights”
“The Slums of Beverly Hills”
“Total Recall”
“Cliffhanger”
“Buffalo ’66”
“Fire in the Sky”

DEVON SAWA, actor (“Chucky”)

In no particular order:

“Goodfellas” — It’s my favorite movie ever made. It’s a movie that I can
watch whenever it’s on. The performances, soundtrack, cinematography…
It’s the definition of great cinematic chemistry.

“Schindler’s List” — As a young person viewing this film, I felt conflicted. A

beautifully crafted masterpiece about one of the most horrific events in
modern history. I appreciated it and I hated it.

“True Lies” — James Cameron’s most underrated gem. It’s what popcorn was
made for.

“The Blair Witch Project” — I sat in the theater for about 5 minutes after the
end credits thinking to myself, “what the f*ck just happened?”. I knew
nothing about it, going in and it took me a bit to realize it wasn’t a real
documentary. It was an incredibly original and powerful idea, at the time.
Perfectly executed.

“Pulp Fiction” — This movie was extremely important to me. It was the film
that came at a time when I was ready to start looking at my job in a different
way. I was 15 and this movie set me on a whole new path. It made me want to
start making art by thinking outside the box.
“Dumb And Dumber” — Never had I laughed so hard in a theater. It’s genius.
Jim Carrey as a young fearless movie star.

“Silence Of The Lambs” — Anthony Hopkins demonstrating how an actor

can be huge, while staying grounded. Watching Hopkins, with Jodie Foster,
going toe-to-toe… An acting clinic.

“Boogie Nights” — Along with “Pulp Fiction,” and unlike “Goodfellas,” this
film really made you feel like this new generation of filmmakers were
throwing out the classic filmmaking rules and doing things their way. These
new styles were fun to watch. “Boogie Nights” had a fresh new explosive
energy with an up-and-coming, badass cast.

“The Shawshank Redemption” — The second-best Stephen King adaptation,

next to “Stand By Me.” It’s a perfect film and might be my number two.

“As Good As It Gets” — Jack Nicholson is absolutely flawless in this film. I’d
be lying if I didn’t say I haven’t stolen from Jack Nicholson, for my own
work. He’s always so watchable.

PAUL SCHRADER, writer-director (“Master Gardener”)

“A Brighter Summer Day”
“Affliction”
“All About My Mother”
“Boogie Nights”
“GoodFellas”
“Natural Born Killers”
“Pulp Fiction”
“Taste of Cherry”
“Three Colors”
“The Truman Show”

ANDREW SEMANS, writer-director (“Resurrection”)

The film from the ’90s that means the most to me is “Safe.” Nine other
favorites from the decade are:

“An Angel at My Table”

“Beau Travail”
“Cold Water” (L’eau froide)
“Crumb”
“Goodfellas”
“Miller’s Crossing”
“Naked”
“Ratcatcher”
“The Thin Red Line”

CHLOË SEVIGNY, actress (“The Girl from Plainville”)

“Breaking the Waves”
“My Own Private Idaho”
“Gummo”
“The Lovers on the Bridge”
“The Piano”
“Saving Private Ryan”
“The Silence of the Lambs”
“Short Cuts”

MICHAEL SHOWALTER, actor, writer-director (“The Dropout”)

1. “Safe”
2. “Fargo”
3. “Dazed and Confused”
4. “The Fugitive”
5. “L.A. Confidential”
6. “Clueless”
7. “Election”
8. “Swingers”
9. “The Sweet Hereafter”
10. “The Sixth Sense”

RILEY STEARNS, writer-director (“Dual”)

Was going to watch a bunch of stuff i’d been meaning to but ended up just
going with what I’d already seen. I was born in 1986 and only really started
“watching” films around 17 so the ’90s were a sort of school for me in
discovery of voice and style. Notice the utter lack of anything foreign or
ultra-indie because I was just scratching the surface then.

1. “Fargo”
2. “Eyes Wide Shut”
3. “The Silence of the Lambs”
4. “The Thin Red Line”
5. “Being John Malkovich”
6. “Jurassic Park”
7. “Rushmore”
8. “Boogie Nights”
9. “Starship Troopers”
10. “Pulp Fiction”

MARTHA STEPHENS, writer-director (“To the Stars’)

“Dazed and Confused” (Richard Linklater, 1993)
A seminal film for all us middle school aged oddballs, just wishing and
praying that high school would be the thrill we all dreamed it would be. This
was watched at countless slumber parties, an anthem for restless
Appalachian youth!

“Dogfight” (Nancy Savoca, 1991)

Lili Taylor’s soft, hushed voice is a warm balm and her performance is
beguiling. One of the most tender love scenes accompanied by dare I say the
best use of Bob Dylan in a movie ever???

“Edward Scissorhands” (Tim Burton, 1990)

A treasured childhood favorite that still wrecks me.

“Heat “(Michael Mann, 1995)

I can’t say anything about Heat that hasn’t already been said, but
every viewing sends me starry-eyed and slack-jawed.

“One False Move” (Carl Franklin, 1992)

Seedy, sweaty, strange, and deliciously hard boiled. Carl Franklin

delivers with workmanlike precision. Billy Bob Thornton’s script is full of
thorny pulpy goodness.

“The Apostle” (Robert Duvall, 1997)

Wild card selection! My screenwriter friend Ryan Binaco urged me for

months to watch this. When I finally did, I was completely enamored. What a
disarming, peculiar character study with a balls to the wall performance by
Duvall. Would pair well in a double feature with Slingblade.

“The Company of Strangers” (aka Strangers in Good Company) (Cynthia

Scott, 1990)

A lesser known gem and a recent discovery that charmed my pants off. I wish
I had seen this prior to making Land Ho!
“The Long Day Closes” (Terence Davies, 1992)

A ghostly and exquisite tapestry of memory.

“The Silence of the Lambs” (Jonathan Demme, 1991)

This movie is near perfection and I’ll die on a hill on this.

“Wild at Heart” (David Lynch, 1990)

One of my favoite love stories and the namesake of my beloved cat of nearly
eighteen years, Sailor Ripley, who passed away this Spring. He also stood for
his individuality and belief in personal freedom.

SOPHIA TAKAL, actor, writer-director (“Black Christmas”)

“Antz”
“As Good As it Gets”
“Clueless”
“The Game”
“Heat”
“The Player”
“Schindler’s List”
“Short Cuts”
“Six Degrees of Separation”
“Waiting for Guffman”

SANDI TAN, director (“Shirkers”)

“Bitter Moon”
“Lovers on the Bridge”
“My Own Private Idaho”
“Leolo”
“Boogie Nights”
“The Double Life of Veronique” / “Center Stage” aka “Actress” (tied”)
“In the Heat of the Sun”
“Man on the Moon”
“Portrait of a Lady”
“Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me”

JOACHIM TRIER, writer-director (“The Worst Person in the World”)

“Beau Travail”
“Close-up”
“My Sex Life… Or How I Got into an Argument”
“Cyclo”
“Goodfellas”
“Heat”
“Husbands and Wives”
“The Idiots”
“Lost Highway”
“Three Colors: Blue”

PEJ VAHDAT, actor (“The Old Man”)

“The Shawshank Redemption” — Still one of my favorites of all time.

“Casino” — This is my favorite Pesci performance.

“Goodfellas” — I always get hungry for pasta watching this.

“Friday” — I have watched this at least 100 times.

“Dumb and Dumber” — Jeff Daniels is brilliant.

“White Men Can’t Jump” — Woody has game!

“Jerry Maguire” — Tom Cruise is fantastic in this.

“Good Will Hunting” — Robin Williams is one of my favorites of all time.

“Can’t Hardly Wait” — To this day I still watch if it’s on TV.

“Forrest Gump” — Tom Hanks is a genius.

LULU WANG, writer-director (“The Farewell”)

I couldn’t list just 10 so here’s a longer list in no particular order.

“Three Colors”
“Contact”
“Chungking Express”
“Eat Drink Man Woman”
“Secrets and Lies”
“The Celebration”
“The Wedding Banquet”
“After Life”
“Maborosi”
“Princess Mononoke”
“Home Alone”
“Kids”
“Safe”
“Gattaca”
“Short Cuts”
“The Piano”
“Good Will Hunting”
“As Good As It Gets”
“Magnolia”
“Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion”

WILEY WIGGINS, actor (“Dazed and Confused”)

I have a terrible time with lists. I hate quantifying art. When I think about
movies especially, I think about what was going on when I saw them, who I
was with, how they related to what was happening at the time, not ranking
them against one another. Picking 10 movies from a decade where I was
watching a lot of movies was hard, especially since I didn’t give myself a very
clear criteria — movies that I saw multiple times when they played, movies
that stayed with me, movies that have held up over time.

There are a lot of big, great omissions here that were maybe too popular, and
then plenty of movies that need more eyeballs but are a tough argument for
placement on a top 10, and what stayed is in no order. Also — so many
movies I wanted to include that I realized came out in 2000 or 1989 (“In the
Mood for Love”! “Parents”!). There were also incredibly memorable
moments and performances in 90’s films that couldn’t fit here (Samantha
Morton dancing to “Sweet Pea” in “Jesus’ Son” should be its own whole list).
I’m a wreck now, thanks. With all that hand-wringing behind me, here’s 10
of my keepers from a decade I’m stuck being associated with, by virtue of a
weird summer job I had when I was 15.

“Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me”

I don’t remember at what point in my first viewing of this incredible, tone-

spanning film that people started leaving the theater, but one-by-one the
“cherry pie and coffee” fans of the television show walked out — scared,
confused and disgusted. I think it’s the strongest in a decade of career-bests
for Lynch, which includes the underrated “Straight Story” and “Wild at
Heart.” I’m glad that people seem to have finally caught up with this film,
derided by critics on its release. Sheryl Lee and Ray Wise are unstoppable
here, especially considering how difficult the material is. Also, Moira Kelly is
the better of the two Donnas, fight me.

“Careful”
I’ve loved Guy Maddin since seeing “Tales from the Gimli Hospital” on VHS.
His first color feature, “Careful,” is surreal and expressionistic, loaded with
pathos and unfathomably weird and Canadian.
“Naked”

“Naked” is an unforgettable collision of actors at the height of their abilities

working with difficult characters in punishing situations. I hadn’t expected to
have quite so much sexual violence on this list, but it’d be impossible for me
not to include this unsettling and unflinching achievement by Mike Leigh.
“Barton Fink”

Like Lynch, the Coen Brothers had an incredibly strong decade with “Miller’s
Crossing,” “Hudsucker Proxy,” “Fargo,” and “The Big Lebowski” (that was
still in the ’90’s?). “Barton Fink” is somehow still my favorite, simultaneously
funny and horrifying and mad, following a caricatures of Clifford Odets and
William Faulkner as they slum in Hollywood, losing their footing and their
minds in the process.

“Princess Mononoke”

Beyond being one of the most beautiful animated films of all time, Miyazaki’s
“Princess Mononoke” sets itself apart from so many fantasy stories in its
absolute refusal of black-and-white moralizing, and in the way that it defuses
and de-escalates its conflict into a sort of homeostasis rather than a
righteous hero destroying an unrepentant villain. It was really difficult to
pick between this and “Porco Rosso,” which I also love, but “Princess
Mononoke” dominated my imagination when it came out, and “Porco Rosso”
came out of its shadow only later for me, so I went with “Mononoke.”

“The City of Lost Children”

’90s science fiction in retrospect feels incredibly homogenous to me, all so

much bank gothic typefaced soggy rave flyers. “The City of Lost Children” felt
fresh, displaced in time (excellent costuming by Gaultier, who seemed to be
costuming every science fiction movie around the time, but carefully helped
make the mood here).

“Chungking Express”

Fresh, expressionistic, beautifully shot, loaded with trademark longing and

charm. Like many of the movies on this list I remember seeing it in the Dobie
theater in Austin multiple times, caught up in its moody pleasures.

“Beau Travail”
Physical, musical, haunting and extremely French. An incredible interaction
of landscape and bodies in time.
“Slacker”

Before I had any relationship with Rick Linklater, I’d already seen this movie
several times during its run at Austin’s Dobie theater. It was a vertiginous
feeling to see the streets and environments I was living in suddenly become
cinema, become the main character of a movie, crawling with a variety of
people that movies at the time seemed to shun.
“Tetsuo the Iron Man”

This was an impulse pick. Is Tetsuo a “better” movie than “Ed Wood” or
“Silence of the Lambs?” No? Is it a muscular spasm of expressionistic
junkpunk madness that kind of bookmarks the 90’s for me? Yes!

EDGAR WRIGHT, writer-director (“Last Night in Soho”)

This was a very difficult list to make as there are so many great films of the
decade that I couldn’t fit on (“La Haine,” “Heat,” “American Movie,” “All
About My Mother”) are well as personal faves that equally I was unable
sneak on (“Point Break,” “Tremors”). But ultimately I narrowed it down to
one film per director and ranked it alphabetically, as I cannot not
subjectively say which is of these 10 is ‘greater’ than the other (a foolish
concept!).

This top 10 represent films I saw at the cinema on their initial release that
left me feeling awed, and inspired as well as envious. All of them made me
excited about film and desperate to make movies. And still do.

Limited myself to one entry per director, aside from the end one.

“Boogie Nights”
“Delicatessen”
“Election”
“Goodfellas”
“Hard Boiled”
“Reservoir Dogs”
“Run Lola Run”
“Rushmore”
“The Silence of the Lambs”
“Trainspotting”
Bonus cheat selection – The “Three Colors” trilogy

Bonus short – “The Wrong Trousers”

ELIJAH WOOD, actor, producer (“The Faculty”)

“Bottle Rocket” — Before Wes Anderson’s beloved signature aesthetic was
established, came this delightful heist film oozing with charm. anthony +
inez 4ever.

“Delicatessen” — A dizzyingly inventive debut from Jeunet & Caro, whose

incredible world-building production design and colorful cast of characters
came to define them as singular auteurs.

“Léon: The Professional” — The montage set to Björk’s “Venus as a Boy” is a

highlight in this beautiful and violent story of an unlikely friendship between
hitman and a young just-orphaned girl.

“Festen” (aka “The Celebration”) — A proverbial bomb is dropped at a family

gathering that reverberates through the entire film, in this pinnacle of the
Dogme 95 movement that will undoubtedly leave you shook. one of my all
time favorite films.

“Audition” — The moving-body-in-the-sack moment is reason alone to watch

this disturbing tale of what goes wrong for a recently widowed man in his
pursuit of a wife. Best-of-genre stuff.

“Cube” — How to make a film with nearly no budget? Set it in a single room
that you need to find a way out of, only to find the rules change upon each
successful escape. A truly brilliant debut.

“The Frighteners” — A deliciously wild tonal balance of horror, comedy and

adventure; the kind of film that just isn’t made anymore, but should be.

“The Vanishing” — A masterful, unmatched film that tells a chilling story of

both the abducted and the abductor.

“The Game” — The possibility of this kind of elaborate immersion experience

was — and still is — so thrilling. It remains a favorite Fincher film of mine.

“Barton Fink” — The first Coen Brothers film I remember seeing. That
dripping wallpaper is still etched in my mind.
Bonus: “Out of Sight” — clooney + guzman + cheadle + zhan + rhames +
keener + farina + lopez + brooks + soderbergh = fuck+yes