From beginning to finale, the 1990s were filled with some genuinely monumental film moments. This was the decade that saw Star Wars return to theaters after a 16-year hiatus, Tom Hanks win back-to-back Oscars for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, and the birth of enormous franchises like Jurassic Park, Toy Story, and The Matrix.
It is also the decade that gave birth to Batman and Robin, but no one's flawless. The 1990s were one of the final decades in which star power trumped IP, resulting in a slew of strange, daring, innovative films being greenlit only based on a single actor's involvement - a trend that resulted in a slew of box-office disasters, but also a slew of distinctive and intriguing pictures.
There was plenty going on during the 1990s, it's no coincidence that many of the decade's biggest blockbusters either have faded from memory or were underappreciated at their first theatrical runs. In this list, you will get to know the top 10 massively underrated movies from the 1990s.
10. Mimic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqwY-ejYiCg
Whilst the production delays that afflicted 1997's Mimic mean that the picture isn't quite as wonderful as it could have been, it's still a welcome addition to filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro's impressive portfolio.
The film, which follows a group of survivors who must fight a kind of bug that has evolved to look like people, bombed at the box office and had mixed reviews, but don't let that deter you. The film has just enough of Del Toro's characteristic strangeness to push it above conventional horror fare, with outstanding monster design and an amazingly cinematic mood - especially considering the story's somewhat uninteresting subway settings.
9. Darkman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgBwAEROVSw
The Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy catapulted filmmaker Sam Raimi to international stardom, but it wasn't his first foray into the superhero genre.
Darkman, based on an original character developed by Raimi (after failing to get the cinematic rights to Batman and The Shadow), isn't your typical comic-book film. Liam Neeson's main character is more of a psychotic vigilante than a stars-and-stripes hero, viciously pursuing down the criminals responsible for his damaged look.
Darkman is fantastic because it is very much a Sam Raimi film. It's brutal and violent, with horrible makeup and effects, and plenty of his signature camera flourishes. There's beauty in the terror, a delicate balance that only a few directors can achieve.
Despite the enormous popularity of superhero films these days, Darkman is rarely addressed among fans of the genre - a sad irony given that Raimi is one of the filmmakers who contributed to establish that appeal. Please watch the original before watching the direct-to-video sequels.
Darkman is fantastic because it is very much a Sam Raimi film. It's brutal and violent, with horrible makeup and effects, and plenty of his signature camera flourishes. There's beauty in the terror, a delicate balance that only a few directors can achieve.
Despite the enormous popularity of superhero films these days, Darkman is rarely addressed among fans of the genre - a sad irony given that Raimi is one of the filmmakers who contributed to establish that appeal. Please watch the original before watching the direct-to-video sequels.
8. The Cable Guy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhhI_qYOacw
From Ace Ventura: Pet Detective to Liar Liar, The Mask, and Dumb And Dumber, there's something for everyone. Despite the fact that Jim Carrey was at the height of his comedic skills in the 1990s, one of his comedies from the period receives far less attention than it deserves. People will invariably cite one of the aforementioned films before mentioning Carrey's role as Ernie "Chip" Douglas, the titular serviceman who steadily gets fascinated with one of his customers in The Cable Guy.
Despite this, the film contains just as many big laughs as any other Carrey comedy, and while Chip does come off as a touch unlikeable, it's the darker tone that distinguishes The Cable Guy from the rest of his career.
The film made over $100 million globally, so it's strange that people aren't talking about it more. With Carrey's current silly rebirth because to his involvement in the Sonic movies, there's never been a better opportunity to rewatch his underappreciated comic work from the '90s golden period.
7. Swingers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWCct8XbQD0
Jon Favreau created and acted in Swingers, a fantastic little film released at the tail-end of 1996, before he became Happy Hogan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, He was Pete "Ultimate Fighting Champion" Becker in Friends before directing Iron Man, Elf, and Zathura.Favreau co-stars in the film with Vince Vaughn, Heather Graham, and Ron Livingston as Mike Peters, a struggling actor-comedian attempting to make it big in Los Angeles while dealing with the breakup of his long-term relationship.
It's a lighthearted comedy with a lot of feel-good feelings and a great interplay between Favreau and Vaughn. Surprisingly, it also popularized the term "Vegas, baby, Vegas!" - implying that most people are familiar with the term even if they are unfamiliar with the film from which it originated. Criminal.
6. Strange Days:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_CRzVM1GuM
Point Break, released in 1991, launched Kathryn Bigelow's career, paving the way for her to earn an Academy Award for directing The Hurt Locker in 2008. Strange Days, a box-office disappointment (it grossed $8 million worldwide on a $42 million budget - ouch) that divided reviewers and audiences, slowed her career momentum in the mid-to-late 1990s.
The picture, on the other hand, is far better than its critical reaction suggests. It was written and produced by James Cameron, the man behind Aliens, Terminator 2, Titanic, and Avatar, and stars Ralph Fiennes as Lenny Nero, a black market tech dealer who allows individuals to experience memories and feelings they wouldn't otherwise be able to (such as stealing a bank).
It's essentially a polished sci-fi thriller with conspiracy undertones, starring Fiennes (coming off his Oscar nomination for Schindler's List) and co-star Angela Bassett. What's not to appreciate about that?
5. Mystery Men
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weL-NjlIQ0E
Given just how much superhero genre has risen in popularity over the previous two decades, Mystery Men appears to have been published far ahead of its time.This absurd comedy, which premiered in summer 1999, stars Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, and Hank Azaria as a group of misfit superheroes with some very weird abilities.
There's the terrifying Mr. Furious, whose primary skill is to become enraged and throw tantrums. He's accompanied by the gigantic Blue Raja, who has the ability to throw precise cutlery. Who can forget the fearsome Shoveler, a man with absolutely exceptional shoveling abilities. The Avengers must be shaking in their boots right now!
Fans would go crazy over Mystery Men if it were released today, especially because popular releases like Deadpool and The Suicide Squad poke fun at the superhero genre and play with its cliches. Forget Zoolander 2; this is the older franchise that Stiller should have attempted to revive.
4. The Man In The Moon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blrhMiffRDU
Reese Witherspoon's first big-screen excursion, 1991's The Man In The Moon, was another Oscar-winning actress's feature debut - and she got off to a great start.
The Guy In The Moon is a poignant coming-of-age drama about two sisters contending for the favor of a gorgeous young man who lives next door, directed by Robert Mulligan (the man behind the 1962 classic To Kill A Mockingbird). The script does hit most of the beats you'd anticipate from a picture like this, but that's a small issue when contrasted to the film's terrific performers, flawlessly balanced tone, and stunning rural scenery, shot with exquisite accuracy by famed cinematographer Freddie Francis.
Witherspoon ended up going far bigger (and possibly better) things after this, so it's logical that a minor film like this would get lost in the shuffle on her IMDB profile. However, famous cinema reviewer Roger Ebert regarded this picture as one of the finest of the year, so it's definitely worth looking for.
3. Heavenly Creatures
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ2yZjnPwQc
Peter Jackson, believe it or not, made movies before the Lord Of The Rings trilogy - and some of them were rather outstanding.
Heavenly Creatures, a 1994 thriller starring a young Kate Winslet in her feature debut, is based on the true tale of the 1954 Parker-Hulme murder case, in which two adolescent daughters plotted to murder one of their mothers. At first glance, it appears to be one of those formulaic thrillers we've all seen a thousand times, but because Jackson is clearly a fantasy fan at heart, he injects some fresh touches into the film, such as a scene in which one of the girls, Pauline, imagines herself in an alternate world to escape the boredom of having sex with a boy. It's a little strange... but it works.
2. Toy Soldiers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAIG5SRxPVA
Is it any coincidence that a film written by the man behind Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Panic Room, and Spider-Man is a lot of fun?
Toy Soldiers, a 1991 film starring Sean Astin (Lord Of The Rings), is around a bunch of delinquent teenagers who decide to fight back against a band of terrorists who have taken over their school.
The teenage actor who plays the machine gun-wielding Astin steals the show, demonstrating the same tenacity and enthusiasm that made him such a terrific fit for Samwise Gamgee a decade later. He also gets to spit in the terrorists' sandwiches when he gives them lunch, which earns him bonus points.
While Toy Soldiers is neither as terrific nor as beloved as those two classics, it is a confidently-made action-thriller that takes a ridiculous idea and tackles it with a surprising level of seriousness, resulting in a tremendously pleasant final product.
1. Gattaca
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_KruQhfvW4
Original sci-fi movies are hart to come up with these days, and even when they do, there is a massive chance it would abe just another flop, as seen by Ad Astra, Midnight Special or Captive State.
Gattaca, which was released in 1997 and barely recouped a third of its $36 million production costs, was an example of this. Nobody went to watch it at the time, but happily, respect for the picture has grown over the subsequent two decades.That being said, it isn't as well-known as it needs to be, so go watch it!
It's a fascinating film that takes on some important issues via a sci-fi lens, backed up by one of Hawke's greatest performances - and rounded off with a twist that will stay with you for a long time.es - and rounded off with a twist that will stay with you for a long time.
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