The Top Ten Films of the 1990’s

            The 1990’s was a wonderful decade for movies, and, while I’ve seen very few of these films in theaters, they have kept the spirit of this ingenious decade in my heart. Here they are:

1.     Goodfellas

The best film made in the 1990’s, “Goodfellas” is a haunting and awesomely realistic look at life in the mafia. Starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Paul Sorvino, Directed by Martin Scorsese

2.     Pulp Fiction

This is a really close second, but Quentin Tarantino’s bloody masterpiece is still a classic in any sense. Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Directed by Tarantino

3.     Fargo

The Coen Brothers have made a lot of great movies, but their quirky yet dark “Fargo” is still their best. Starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Busemi, Directed by Joel Coen

4.     JFK

The story of Jim Garrison and his theory that there was a conspiracy to kill JFK is wonderfully directed by Oliver Stone. Starring Kevin Costner, Joe Pesci, Kevin Bacon, Tommy Lee Jones, Directed by Stone

5.     American Beauty

Kevin Spacey is great in this mid-life crisis story; the best movie of 1999. Starring Spacey, Annette Bening, Chris Cooper, Directed by Sam Mendes

6.     Casino

Some people thought this was a lame remake of “Goodfellas,” but it’s really not. De Niro and Pesci are each terrific. Starring De Niro, Sharon Stone, Pesci, Directed by Martin Scorsese

7.     Heat/ L.A. Confidential

These two L.A. dramas are as character driven as they are just plain awesome. “Heat,” directed by Michael Mann, is a powerful cops-and-robbers tale with De Niro and Pacino, while “L.A. Confidential” is a 50’s crooked cop tale. Directed by Mann, Curtis Hanson

8.     Schindler’s List/ Saving Private Ryan

Steven Spielberg had two fantastic war dramas in this decade, and both created quite a stir with audiences. Directed by Spielberg

9.     The Player/ Short Cuts

These two Robert Altman movies are masterworks, and each features several of the same actors, including Tim Robbins and Peter Gallagher. Directed by Altman

10.                         Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Taratino’s first film is ultra-cool, and has the most violent scene in a movie I have ever seen, involving Michael Madsen and an ear. Directed by Tarantino

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