1990's

Directed by Mike Newell and written by Richard Curtis, Four Weddings and a Funeral is a quintessential British romantic comedy that became an unexpected global success and a defining film of the 1990s. With its charming ensemble cast, witty script, and heartfelt exploration of love and friendship, the movie helped reinvigorate the romantic comedy genre while introducing audiences worldwide to the quintessentially British blend of humor and sentimentality.

Sliding Doors is a romantic drama with a unique twist of magical realism, directed and written by Peter Howitt. Released in 1998, the film has become a cult favorite for its clever premise, exploration of fate versus chance, and the charismatic performance of Gwyneth Paltrow in a dual narrative role.

Jonathan Demme’s Philadelphia is a landmark film in American cinema, both as a poignant courtroom drama and as one of the first major Hollywood movies to tackle the AIDS crisis and homophobia head-on.

Mike Newell’s Donnie Brasco is a gripping 1997 crime drama that delves deep into the psychological and emotional toll of undercover work in the mafia. Based on true events and Joseph D. Pistone’s memoir Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia, the film presents a nuanced portrait of loyalty, deception, and the blurry moral lines that define the world of organized crime.

Cameron Crowe’s Jerry Maguire, released in 1996, is a rare film that successfully blends romantic comedy, sports drama, and character study into a compelling story of personal and professional redemption. Anchored by Tom Cruise’s charismatic and multifaceted performance, the film explores themes of integrity, love, loyalty, and the true meaning of success in a world often driven by money and superficiality.

Shakespeare in Love (1998) is a romantic period comedy-drama directed by John Madden and written by Marc Norman and acclaimed playwright Tom Stoppard. It is a film that blends historical fiction, romance, and meta-theatrical wit, resulting in a work that not only entertains but also pays homage to the timeless power of storytelling and the stage.

Directed by Tony Scott and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, Days of Thunder is a high-octane sports drama that captures the thrill, danger, and ego-driven world of NASCAR racing. Released in 1990, the film was designed as a star vehicle for Tom Cruise, reuniting the actor with the creative team behind Top Gun (1986).

Batman Forever, directed by Joel Schumacher and released in 1995, marked a dramatic tonal shift in the Batman film franchise. Following the darker, gothic stylings of Tim Burton’s “Batman” (1989) and “Batman Returns” (1992), Schumacher’s installment introduced a more vibrant, comic-book-inspired aesthetic.

Released in 1985 and directed by Joel Schumacher, St. Elmo’s Fire stands as one of the quintessential “Brat Pack” films of the 1980s. While critically divisive at the time, the movie has since become a cultural time capsule, capturing the anxieties, ambitions, and personal turbulence of young adulthood during the Reagan era.

Sleeping with the Enemy, directed by Joseph Ruben, is a tense psychological thriller that blends domestic drama with suspense, anchored by a powerful lead performance from Julia Roberts. Released in 1991, the film capitalized on Roberts’ post-Pretty Woman stardom, but it also showcased a darker, more dramatic side to her screen persona.

Garry Marshall’s Pretty Woman is one of the most enduring romantic comedies in Hollywood history, a modern-day Cinderella story that combines charm, humour, and heart. Released in 1990, the film became a cultural phenomenon, launching Julia Roberts to superstardom and re-establishing Richard Gere as a romantic leading man. More than three decades later, Pretty Woman continues to captivate audiences with its winning combination of fairytale romance and 1990s Los Angeles glamou

oel Schumacher’s Flatliners is a visually striking and psychologically charged thriller that blends science fiction, horror, and morality play into a unique cinematic experience. Released in 1990, the film stars Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin, and Oliver Platt as a group of ambitious medical students who dare to flirt with death itself.

Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 is a masterclass in historical drama and technical filmmaking, a gripping retelling of NASA’s 1970 near-tragedy that turned into one of humanity’s greatest survival stories. Released in 1995 and starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris, the film has since become a staple of both the space exploration genre and disaster cinema. It succeeds not only as a tense thriller but also as a deeply human story of courage, teamwork,

David Koepp’s Stir of Echoes is a taut, atmospheric supernatural thriller that manages to weave elements of horror, suspense, and psychological drama into an engaging cinematic experience.

Basic Instinct, directed by Paul Verhoeven and released in 1992, is one of the most provocative and controversial films of the 1990s — a neo-noir erotic thriller that shocked audiences with its explicit sexuality, ambiguous morality, and psychological complexity.

Spike Jonze’s Being John Malkovich, released in 1999, is one of the most original, inventive, and surreal films to emerge from American cinema in the 1990s. A bizarre blend of absurdist comedy, philosophical science fiction, and psychological drama, the film marked the feature debut of both Jonze (director) and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman.

Awakenings, directed by Penny Marshall and released in 1990, is a deeply moving and quietly powerful film based on the true story of Dr. Oliver Sacks. Adapted from Sacks’ 1973 memoir of the same name, the film explores the fragility and resilience of the human spirit through the lens of medicine, memory, and human connection. It is a story of miraculous awakenings — both literal and metaphorical — and one of the most affecting medical dramas ever brought to the screen.

Oliver Stone’s Any Given Sunday is a brash, visceral, and unrelenting dive into the heart of American football — not just the game itself, but the chaotic world that swirls around it. Released in 1999, this sprawling sports drama captures the raw physicality, political undercurrents, and ego-driven dynamics of professional football with a ferocious energy rarely seen in the genre.

Robert De Niro is in his element here as Sam—cool, competent, and calculating. De Niro plays him with quiet authority, bringing subtlety rather than flash to a character who’s always thinking three steps ahead. It's one of his most understated and convincing performances of the late ’90s, free of ego and all the more effective for it.

The Godfather Part III, released in 1990, is one of cinema’s most debated conclusions to a beloved saga. Serving as the epilogue to Francis Ford Coppola’s monumental crime saga, this third entry attempts to tie a definitive bow on the saga of Michael Corleone—a man who sought legitimacy but never escaped the sins of his past.