A Glean movie guide
Essential 90s: The Decade’s Must-Watch Movies
The ultimate 90s bucket list.
From indie revolutions to blockbuster icons, these are the films that defined an era.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Pulp Fiction
A non-linear crime odyssey that redefined cool for a generation of moviegoers.
A burger-loving hit man, his philosophical partner, a drug-addled gangster's moll and a washed-up boxer converge in this sprawling, comedic crime caper. Their adventures unfurl in three stories that ingeniously trip back and forth in time.
- 02
The Matrix
A mind-bending action spectacle that forever changed how we see reality and special effects.
Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.
- 03
The Shawshank Redemption
A deeply moving story of hope and friendship that remains a definitive audience favorite.
Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.
- 04
Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg’s prehistoric adventure remains the gold standard for cinematic wonder and suspense.
A wealthy entrepreneur secretly creates a theme park featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening day, he invites a team of experts and his two eager grandchildren to experience the park and help calm anxious investors. However, the park is anything but amusing as the security systems go off-line and the dinosaurs escape.
- 05
The Silence of the Lambs
A chilling, masterfully acted psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
- 06
Schindler's List
A powerful and essential historical drama that serves as a profound testament to the human spirit.
The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.
- 07
Toy Story
The groundbreaking film that launched a new era of animation with heart, humor, and imagination.
Led by Woody, Andy's toys live happily in his room until Andy's birthday brings Buzz Lightyear onto the scene. Afraid of losing his place in Andy's heart, Woody plots against Buzz. But when circumstances separate Buzz and Woody from their owner, the duo eventually learns to put aside their differences.
- 08
Goodfellas
Martin Scorsese’s fast-paced mob epic is a masterclass in style, energy, and storytelling.
The true story of Henry Hill, a half-Irish, half-Sicilian Brooklyn kid who is adopted by neighbourhood gangsters at an early age and climbs the ranks of a Mafia family under the guidance of Jimmy Conway.
- 09
Fight Club
A gritty, provocative exploration of modern identity that became a defining cult classic of the decade.
A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town, until an eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of-control spiral toward oblivion.
- 10
Saving Private Ryan
An immersive and visceral war drama known for its breathtaking realism and emotional weight.
As U.S. troops storm the beaches of Normandy, three brothers lie dead on the battlefield, with a fourth trapped behind enemy lines. Ranger captain John Miller and seven men are tasked with penetrating German-held territory and bringing the boy home.