Top 10 Films of The Year 1990
Many of us can recall the year 1990. George Bush Sr. engaged in the first Gulf War while former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbatchev is awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace for bringing an end to the Cold War. It’s also the year when the first season of The Simpsons aired on television and the beginning of a major economic recession in the US.
But you aren’t here for an history lesson so let’s get back on topic with the best films of the year 1990:
10. Total Recall
This Arnold Schwarzenegger film is by far his best, if you ask me. It is bold, it is science fiction at its best and it comes from under-appreciated director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Showgirls, The Black Book). Who can forget the woman with three boobs?! Now you tell me what’s not to like about Total Recall. Hollywood thought it was wise enough to produce a remake this year starring Colin Farrell.
9. Pretty Woman
Okay you may not be a fan of Richard Gere, me neither. But the film is about Julia Roberts living a fairy tale and for me, that’s a great reason enough. Plus, my wife will be happy that I haven’t only put foreign or underground obscure movies that no one has ever heard of. We could admit it, it is a fun film and we got to watch Roberts’ bare chest. Well what was it in 1990, they discovered breasts in American Cinema?
8. Darkman
This probably was Sam Raimi’s sandbox for his take on the Spider-man franchise. It is a superhero film that appeared before the whole concept took over Hollywood about a decade ago. It is indeed dark, grim, and violent just the way we like Raimi’s films. If you liked Spider-man 3 I wouldn’t recommend you to watch this.
7. Alice
In the 1980′s Woody Allen was on a row of superb films like Zelig, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Radio Days, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Hannah and Her Sisters. All these films were made with Mia Farrow as the main star. This is the case here with Alice, where she portrays the typical Allen lead female. Another nice performance from Mia Farrow and a very good script.
6. Close-Up
Iranian Cinema might not be your usual cup of tea but many movie goers actually enjoyed last year’s A Separation, winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. This film directed by Abbas Kiarostami, Iran’s most reknowned filmmaker, immerses us into the reality of the people making films in Tehran. Mixed with real documentary images and fictions ones recalling the events pictured in the film.
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28 Comments
I ain’t arguing with that list. It’s practically perfect… although I would switch Miller’s Crossing and Wild at Heart in their respective positions.
Thanks! I love Lynch’s film it is one of his most accessible work too!
Can anyone argue with GoodFellas?
I saw Nikita for as part of my International Club’s film screenings in High School.
Also: Europa Europa & Jacob’s Ladder.
Loved Kindergarten Cop
I sure ain’t gonna argue with GoodFellas!
The original Nikita is awesome. I’ll need to watch Europa Europa and Jacob’s Ladder though!
For the Chilhood Top, I like the films that reminds me of childhood memories…
I haven’t seen Goodfellas yet
I highly recommend it to you then!
Good choices there Michael, mine would probably be the same as yours but I would have The Hunt for Red October and Die Hard 2. I’m not a big fan of Pretty Woman and I’ve never seen Close-Up. Glad you didn’t include one of the most overrated films ever, Dances with Wolves. I’m still fuming over the fact that Costner won the Oscar for directing over Scorsese, Kevin Costner!! Alright I need to calm down.
Thanks. Die Hard 2 was a close one! Dances With Wolves is a film I just cannot stand! But I had to at least put it in the mentions at the end because of the Oscar steal.
Wow, 1990 was a pretty good year. Your top three would also be mine in that same order.
Those three will never move in my case. Solid films.
I’ll join the chorus and say that I can’t really argue for the list. Goodfellas is one of my favorite films period, and Miller’s Crossing and Wild at Heart are both remarkable movies and underrated within the careers of the Coens and Lynch. I also like seeing Nikita on there. I think its success is diminished by the remake and the multiple TV series. It’s also fun to see genre films like Darkman and Total Recall on here. Nice work!
It think it is important to reflect an era when doing a list like this. The 1990′s were a time of good and also mediocre genre films. I took the ones that really brought something to the film lovers. Darkman is an underrated film if you ask me.
Intetesting list. It is somewhat a celebration of some auteurs’ lesser well-loved films…such as the Coens, Woody Allen and Lynch but no less worthy. Can’t argue with your choice of number one but I would have had to find a place for Back to the Future III as it is one of the best sequels I’ve ever seen.
Back to the Future III should have been included in my childhood memories at least! I remember having watching it as many times as the first episode of the trilogy!
I am pleased to say I have seen most on this list and was nodding my head all the way down. Great work
Thank you Scott!
Excellent list. The only one I would swap out is Pretty Woman and replace it with either Ju Dou or Days of Being Wild.
I knew that Pretty Woman was gonna raise some eyebrows but I decided that it would be interesting to see how people react with this one. As ashame as I can be, I’ve never seen Ju Dou and Days of Being Wild. I’ll have to correct that sometime soon! Thank you BT.
Hi, Michael and company:
Well thought out and executed list!
Kudos for ‘Miller’s Crossing’, ‘Nikita’ and ‘Goodfellas’. Also for including ‘The King of New York’ in your Honorable Mentions.
Thank you Jack! The King of New York is in my re-watch list because it’s been too long I’ve seen it to actually add it up here…
Love the list! There could be only one number one. Though my 9 yr old self was screaming ‘I MADE MY FAMILY DISAPPEAR!!!!’
Thanks!
WHERE TH F IS JURASSIC PARK. Mental. A flawless film. Watched bits of it on bluray the other day. incredible.
We were talking about the best films of 1990. Jurassic Park, as much as I love it, was relaesed in 1993 so maybe later we’ll come back for that year!
So Blu-ray transfer’s good I’ll have to get that! It,s one of my favourite blockbuster.
Days of Being Wild is my hands down my favorite from the year, though I’d also throw in a genuine mention of Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan.
I’ll have to watch it (Days of Being Wild)! It might change the order of this list since you seem to love it! For Stillman’s Metropolitan, I haven,t herard about it but I’ll check some info about it. Looks interesting just by the title.
Close Up would be my number one of 1990, love that film and have it on Criterion. Glad it made your list
The Dances with Wolves hate is unfair I feel. Elements of the film, such as the score and certain iconic scenes, are complete a-grade. A top 10 of 1990 without Dances with Wolves is misguided imo. Goodfellas is electric, would be in my top 3 and a fine unanimous choice for No.1.
Other films I enjoyed in 1990 that didnt make the 10 are The Godfather Part III, Misery, Jacobs Ladder, The Grifters, The Rescuers Down Under and Life is Sweet.
I know many people liked and even loved Costner’s epic Dances With Wolves. However, I thought it didn’t really leave me an impression as much as the ten films I listed.
Yes Close Up is a wonderful film!
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