Audiences are still seeing the impact of 1990s movies and the love fans have for them today, as Director Michael Man just recently announced that Heat 2 will be released as a novel later this year. The original 1995 movie is one of many 90s films that Redditors have debated as the very best release of the 1990s.
It's a testament to how great of a decade the 90s was for movies that some absolute classics don't even appear. Though the decade houses iconic movies like The Truman Show, and so many others, Redditors have made much better arguments for other classics and even lesser-known movies.
Fargo (1996)
The Coen brothers are two of the best directors working today, and they have tons of beloved movies under their belts, many of which came from the 90s. But the crown jewel in their career, or at least of the decade, is the dark, snowy thriller, Fargo.
Quinnly thinks the movie is easily the best film released in the 90s, claiming that it has the "perfect story, perfect tone, perfect performances." Few films are as aesthetically pleasing as Fargo, as the blizzards and snow-white-look of the chilling thriller are all big parts of its appeal, not to mention how amusing the "Minnesota nice" accents are.
Heat (1995)
Saving Private Ryan and Blackhawk Down." But there's even more to the gunplay than the Reddit knows.
Not only is it one of the most nail-biting cat-and-mouse thrillers, but it also has the most exciting and realistic shootout in movie history. According to Task and Purpose, the sequence after the bank robbery is even screened for Marines at the Corps' School of Infantry, as the way the police bound overwatch on the street is exactly how it should be done in real life.
The Fugitive (1993)
Cat-and-mouse chase movies were a popular subgenre in the 90s. Along with Heat, The Fugitive is one of the most popular cat-and-mouse thrillers, as it follows a U.S. Marshal hunting down Richard Kimble, who is accused of killing his wife. DigitialOpinion calls the fugitive "A near-perfect movie" and that "even the obligatory romance angle that all movies have to have was tastefully done in the form of flashbacks."
Though many film critics and film school teachers will accuse flashbacks of being almost as bad of a storytelling device as voiceover narration, it has never been done better than in The Fugitive. The flashbacks between Kimble and his wife add stakes to the present day in the movie and add to the whodunnit mystery of the film.
Toy Story (1995)
Toy Story "was groundbreaking and it changed the way we do animated movies to this day." The movie changed the cinema landscape more than any other 90s movie, and in many ways, it's the most influential movie of all time.
While dozens of animated movies came before the 1995 film, and while plenty of digitally animated short films were made, a feature-length digitally animated movie had never been done before and it was such an ambitious feat. And though the sequels aren't as technically influential, Toy Story has two follow-ups that have even stronger storytelling, and the 90s movie started the most consistent movie franchise of all time.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
If IMDb is anything to go by, The Shawshank Redemption is objectively the correct answer, as it isn't just the highest-rated movie of the 90s, but it's ranked as the greatest film of all time according to the movie database. RenandMorty thinks the movie holds a legacy that no other 90s movie can compete with.
The Redditor explains that "Shawshank has done nothing but grow in stature over the decades. I don't see that changing." Though some think Shawshank has the worst movie title ever, the content of the film is funny, heartbreaking, and shocking, and if any movie could be considered perfect, it's the 1994 classic.
Titanic (1997)
Just like how IMDb dictates that The Shawshank Redemption is the best movie of the 1990s, the worldwide box office dictates that Titanic is the best. IAmNotYourBoss argues that the movie's "cultural moment was so sweeping, so all-consuming, it's hard to think of archetypal nineties films and not hit that."
The film was the highest-grossing movie of all time, and it held that record for 12 years. That's such an incredible feat given that the movie is over three hours long, but it's simply because there's something in the film that every audience member will love. Titanic is a period drama, a romance, a biopic, and a disaster movie all at once.
Point Break (1995)
Point Break is one of the most entertaining action movies about an undercover cop, but MoppySlowgai thinks it's the best 90s movie for how aesthetically pleasing it is. The Redditor notes, "the clothes, the hair, the cars, the music... it's very 90s."
The Redditor makes a great point, and while not many others would call it the very best movie of the 90s, it's certainly the movie that best defines the 90s. And, ironically, as a secret remake of Point Break, it's also arguably the defining movie of the 2000s for all the same reasons. The 1995 movie also sees Keanu Reeves in one of his iconic performances, and as he is reprising all of his most classic roles, maybe Point Break 2 should be next.
Space Jam (1996)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit did it first, the way the 1996 movie intertwines live-action and animation is still one of the most entertaining examples of the technique.
Space Jam is such a time capsule too, as it features all of the Looney Tunes acting like their wacky selves, and it stars Michael Jordan, who is arguably the greatest basketball player who ever lived. And Bill Murray also has a ing role for good measure. Just like Point Break, Space Jam might not be the greatest 90s movie, but it's one of the most fascinating films to watch to get an understanding of 90s pop culture and fashion.
Fight Club (1999)
Fight Club eerily predicted the future with one line.
In the movie, Tyler goes on a tirade that includes him briefly mentioning how men of the time are soft because they never lived through any great war or depression. Following the film, the War on Terror started and the financial crisis came shortly after. And outside of that, while Fight Club's twist coming and it's still blowing people's minds today.
The Matrix (1999)
Along with Fight Club, The Sixth Sense, The Matrix. Reddit Wisemanwandering specifically notes that the movie "kicked off the cultural revolution that largely defines our society today, where technology rules the world and the geeks are the cool kids."
The movie also set 2000s filmmaking methods into motion. While CGI had lasted long before the 1999 movie, it had never been used so extensively and been so invisible at the same time. Between the digital effects, the complex narrative, and the inherent coolness of The Matrix, it influenced a whole generation and cinema hasn't been the same since. And while the sequels have been polarizing, some think The Matrix deserves a prequel focusing on Morpheus.
