Looking at the list of all the Best Pictures of the 90’s, it’s easy to see that the Academy straight up got things wrong a good percentage of the time. But even with the miscarriages of justice that were Forrest Gump, Titanic, and Dances with Wolves, there were some quality films to be given the trophy that decade. I’d love to hear all your thoughts on the matter.
- Silence of the Lambs
Mistakes can be made with best picture winners, but when a film wins Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, and a Best Adapted Screenplay award, it’s hard to argue it doesn’t belong at the top of any list.
2. Schindler’s List
Spielberg went prestige once before with the surprisingly underrated The Color Purple, but for this movie he brought everything he had to the table and made an absolute masterpiece. An argument can be made that it’s the best film of the decade but it’s devastating portrayal of the Holocaust means I can only rewatch it once a decade or so.
3. Unforgiven
Growing up I’d always heard that Clint Eastwood was a western star, but I’d only known him from the Dirty Harry films, Pink Cadillac, and Heartbreak Ridge. Once I watched Unforgiven I understood what everyone had been talking about all these years. Probably my favorite western of all time.
4. The English Patient
If it hadn’t been for that damn Seinfeld episode I think more people would appreciate what a beautiful film Anthony Minghella gifted us with. Can it be slow in places? Most certainly. But it’s epically beautiful in ways that most films simply cannot attain with wonderful performances across the board.
5. Braveheart
Mel Gibson is problematic with a capital P, but much like Kevin Costner did a few years prior, Gibson directed the hell out of a passion project and made himself the star while he was at it. While the historical details are hardly accurate, there’s no denying that the film is a rousing three hours that fly right by.
BONUS: Top Five films that should’ve won best picture but didn’t.
- Goodfellas
- Pulp Fiction
- Saving Private Ryan
- LA Confidential
- The Insider
