One question people always ask is what are the greatest films of all-time. There is a lot of different criteria that goes into coming up with a list and it all depends on your taste mainly due to all film being subjective and everyone liking or disliking the same/different things. I've decided to do a new series in which I try to decide what I think are the greatest films of all-time. One way to help do that is by deciding what the best films of each decade are. Each month until October I will choose what I think are the best films from each decade and in November I will take the number one films in each decade and put them into a top 10 greatest films of all-time list. Now the list will bot be based on scores or my own personal lists, but based off the popularity of each film and how much of an effect it has had or is having on film today. For example my favorite film of all-time is The Dark Knight, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I think it is the greatest film of its decade. For this month I'm going to bring you the top 10 films of the 1990's. So without further ado...
10. Beauty and the Beast
This film is one the list of a lot of reasons. One of the most obvious reasons is that it was the first ever fully animated film nominated for the Best Picture Oscar in 1992 which is just a really huge accomplishment. Among the other reasons includes, the music composed by Alan Meneken which is just a tale as old as time and it has an everlasting legacy. The cast assembled for the film is one of the better voice casts ever heard on the big screen. Finally we have the animation, which is just gorgeous and using the CAPS program created by Pixar, they were able to use the hand-drawn animation and CGI to kae it flow so well that it looks like you looking at a real life image. This film can bring out a lot of emotions in people and it's a classic film.
9. The Matrix
This film changed the game when it comes to visual effects. Now while others have contributed to the change in CGI technology (we'll get to those films), this film introduced so many new techniques that we still use today that in 1999 we had never seen before. While not creating it, using the "bullet time effect" in the way it was used made this film into a pop culture phenomenon. The story while not the greatest, did inroduce a lot of different things and it made us as human beings think of different possibilities that have never been thought of and it kinda helped that everyone was freaking out about Y2K at the time.
8. Jurassic Park
Just like The Matrix, this film changed filmmaking for the better. The creation of the dinosaurs and the making of them look so real is a huge achievement. Also hats off to the team who built the animatronic dinosaurs because those things look absolutely amazing. Plus to get the sound effects for the dinosaurs, Spielberg had to create a whole new sound effects company called DTS and it's still used today. From the moment you first see the dinosaurs roaming the land to the giant T-Rex chase, the film is just going non-stop and it makes for one of the greatest action thrillers of all-time.
7. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Eventhough we've had films that were great with technology like Jurassic Park and The Matrix, none of them would've had there opportunities if it weren't for this film. James Cameron is a masterful visual director and he's always looking to change the game with every film he makes and he does it again with this film. Today we're used to seeing actors like Andy Serkis play roles that require motion capture and while the technology for that has advanced, it would be possible without this film. The way the T-1000 was created is just brilliant and we have to thank this film for a lot of different technological advances. It also is one of the rare sequels better than the original and it has some of the most iconic lines in film history.
6. Schindler's List
This film may not have all of the flashiness of other films on this list, but it is one of the most emotional films ever made. It tackles the subject of the Holocaust and it's one that no one ever wanted to make because they didn't know how to tell it. The only man for the job was Stephen Spielberg and just adds to the list of reasons why he is the greatest director of all-time. It's a film that reached millions and it told the true story of the horrific events of the Holocaust are and even some emotional heartbreak from Germans who partook in the events. It has so many undertones in the film and it just let's us just emotionally connect with the story and and the events that took place.
5. Goodfellas
What else can you say about this film that hasn't been said before. It's easily one of the top three mob films of all-time, it's a very violent film, the acting it just perfection and you have one of the greatest directors of all-time in Martin Scorsese behind the camera. The film moves a fairly fast pace and it helps when the editing is top-notch. The camera movement in the film is revolutionary and the kitchen with the single-shot scene has inspired a lot of films today to use it and even one of the most recent Best Picture winners Birdman has the entire film seem like one shot. There are a lot of different techniques that give hints to events that happen on the film and there are so perfectly placed that it makes the film so re watchable to see all of them.
4. Toy Story
Who honestly can say that they don't like this film. Yes we all love the film for it's story, but it's achievements are remarkable and it changed the way we look at animated films. It's the first ever fully CGI animated film ever made and it launched the company of Pixar is unbelievable heights to where it's a perennial juggernaut and we can expect nothing less than perfection from them. The characters and lines are iconic and the story itself has been remade countless times due to this film working so well. It also created one of the greatest trilogies ever made both critically and financially.
3. Pulp Fiction
I know Quentin Tarantino doesn't have a great reputation for a lot of people and some people are turned away by his films due to there violent nature. Even if you don't like him, you have to give him credit for giving us this glorious film. The film revitalized the career of John Travolta and it launched the careers of Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman. It's lines are just perfect and they have since become so legendary that most people use them in their everyday lives. The real big thing that makes this film so great and gives it this high ranking is the non-linear story-telling and it's just not a "gimmick' as some people would call it. Eventhough the film is told in a non-linear way, you almost can't tell it, by the way it's edited and it's neat to see all of the characters in the film be connected in some way. While Reservoir Dogs was his directorial debut, Pulp Fiction gave Tarantino the launch to stardom and recognition that he's earned.
2. Titanic
Now I know some will roll their eyes at this film being this high on the list, but this film has an everlasting legacy. Yes the tragic story of the Titanic takes a backseat to a love story, but not to the point everyone thinks it does. If you look at it, the tragedy is connected to the love story as each event happens to the main characters something else around them goes wrong in the sense that their love might be forbidden. The visual effects are glorious as always mainly due to James Cameron behind the camera. This film was awarded and rightfully so by getting 14 Oscar nominations (which is tied for 1st all-time) and it won 11 of those (which is tied for 1st all-time). Also until another James Cameron film in Avatar came out, this film held the record for highest grossing film of all-time for 11 years and it had one of the greatest runs in box office history.
1. Saving Private Ryan
Once again Spielberg makes the list, but this time he has the greatest film of the decade under his belt. The film has been regarded as the greatest war film of all-time and rightfully so. The opening 20 minutes alone make this film what it is. When you have WWII veterans who were at Normandy say that the beach scene is the most authentic interpretation of the events of that day. Everything in this film feels authentic and so realistic that you feel like you are World War II Germany. The sounds and the camera movements put you in that sense of reality and you see what things soldiers were having to go through during this time.
So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of the list, what films should be added or deleted and what do you think is the greatest film of the 1990's? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.
Jonah Sparks
10. Beauty and the Beast
This film is one the list of a lot of reasons. One of the most obvious reasons is that it was the first ever fully animated film nominated for the Best Picture Oscar in 1992 which is just a really huge accomplishment. Among the other reasons includes, the music composed by Alan Meneken which is just a tale as old as time and it has an everlasting legacy. The cast assembled for the film is one of the better voice casts ever heard on the big screen. Finally we have the animation, which is just gorgeous and using the CAPS program created by Pixar, they were able to use the hand-drawn animation and CGI to kae it flow so well that it looks like you looking at a real life image. This film can bring out a lot of emotions in people and it's a classic film.
9. The Matrix
This film changed the game when it comes to visual effects. Now while others have contributed to the change in CGI technology (we'll get to those films), this film introduced so many new techniques that we still use today that in 1999 we had never seen before. While not creating it, using the "bullet time effect" in the way it was used made this film into a pop culture phenomenon. The story while not the greatest, did inroduce a lot of different things and it made us as human beings think of different possibilities that have never been thought of and it kinda helped that everyone was freaking out about Y2K at the time.
8. Jurassic Park
Just like The Matrix, this film changed filmmaking for the better. The creation of the dinosaurs and the making of them look so real is a huge achievement. Also hats off to the team who built the animatronic dinosaurs because those things look absolutely amazing. Plus to get the sound effects for the dinosaurs, Spielberg had to create a whole new sound effects company called DTS and it's still used today. From the moment you first see the dinosaurs roaming the land to the giant T-Rex chase, the film is just going non-stop and it makes for one of the greatest action thrillers of all-time.
7. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Eventhough we've had films that were great with technology like Jurassic Park and The Matrix, none of them would've had there opportunities if it weren't for this film. James Cameron is a masterful visual director and he's always looking to change the game with every film he makes and he does it again with this film. Today we're used to seeing actors like Andy Serkis play roles that require motion capture and while the technology for that has advanced, it would be possible without this film. The way the T-1000 was created is just brilliant and we have to thank this film for a lot of different technological advances. It also is one of the rare sequels better than the original and it has some of the most iconic lines in film history.
6. Schindler's List
This film may not have all of the flashiness of other films on this list, but it is one of the most emotional films ever made. It tackles the subject of the Holocaust and it's one that no one ever wanted to make because they didn't know how to tell it. The only man for the job was Stephen Spielberg and just adds to the list of reasons why he is the greatest director of all-time. It's a film that reached millions and it told the true story of the horrific events of the Holocaust are and even some emotional heartbreak from Germans who partook in the events. It has so many undertones in the film and it just let's us just emotionally connect with the story and and the events that took place.
5. Goodfellas
What else can you say about this film that hasn't been said before. It's easily one of the top three mob films of all-time, it's a very violent film, the acting it just perfection and you have one of the greatest directors of all-time in Martin Scorsese behind the camera. The film moves a fairly fast pace and it helps when the editing is top-notch. The camera movement in the film is revolutionary and the kitchen with the single-shot scene has inspired a lot of films today to use it and even one of the most recent Best Picture winners Birdman has the entire film seem like one shot. There are a lot of different techniques that give hints to events that happen on the film and there are so perfectly placed that it makes the film so re watchable to see all of them.
4. Toy Story
Who honestly can say that they don't like this film. Yes we all love the film for it's story, but it's achievements are remarkable and it changed the way we look at animated films. It's the first ever fully CGI animated film ever made and it launched the company of Pixar is unbelievable heights to where it's a perennial juggernaut and we can expect nothing less than perfection from them. The characters and lines are iconic and the story itself has been remade countless times due to this film working so well. It also created one of the greatest trilogies ever made both critically and financially.
3. Pulp Fiction
I know Quentin Tarantino doesn't have a great reputation for a lot of people and some people are turned away by his films due to there violent nature. Even if you don't like him, you have to give him credit for giving us this glorious film. The film revitalized the career of John Travolta and it launched the careers of Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman. It's lines are just perfect and they have since become so legendary that most people use them in their everyday lives. The real big thing that makes this film so great and gives it this high ranking is the non-linear story-telling and it's just not a "gimmick' as some people would call it. Eventhough the film is told in a non-linear way, you almost can't tell it, by the way it's edited and it's neat to see all of the characters in the film be connected in some way. While Reservoir Dogs was his directorial debut, Pulp Fiction gave Tarantino the launch to stardom and recognition that he's earned.
2. Titanic
Now I know some will roll their eyes at this film being this high on the list, but this film has an everlasting legacy. Yes the tragic story of the Titanic takes a backseat to a love story, but not to the point everyone thinks it does. If you look at it, the tragedy is connected to the love story as each event happens to the main characters something else around them goes wrong in the sense that their love might be forbidden. The visual effects are glorious as always mainly due to James Cameron behind the camera. This film was awarded and rightfully so by getting 14 Oscar nominations (which is tied for 1st all-time) and it won 11 of those (which is tied for 1st all-time). Also until another James Cameron film in Avatar came out, this film held the record for highest grossing film of all-time for 11 years and it had one of the greatest runs in box office history.
1. Saving Private Ryan
Once again Spielberg makes the list, but this time he has the greatest film of the decade under his belt. The film has been regarded as the greatest war film of all-time and rightfully so. The opening 20 minutes alone make this film what it is. When you have WWII veterans who were at Normandy say that the beach scene is the most authentic interpretation of the events of that day. Everything in this film feels authentic and so realistic that you feel like you are World War II Germany. The sounds and the camera movements put you in that sense of reality and you see what things soldiers were having to go through during this time.
So ladies and gentlemen what do you think of the list, what films should be added or deleted and what do you think is the greatest film of the 1990's? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.
Jonah Sparks
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