A Glean movie guide
The 90s Essentials
The ultimate 1990s watchlist.
From gritty indies to massive blockbusters, these are the films that defined a decade.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Pulp Fiction
A non-linear crime masterpiece that redefined independent cinema with sharp dialogue and effortless style.
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 groundbreaking sci-fi spectacle that blended high-concept philosophy with revolutionary action sequences.
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
Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg’s dinosaur epic remains the gold standard for big-screen wonder and technical innovation.
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.
- 04
The Shawshank Redemption
A deeply moving story of hope and friendship that has become one of the most beloved dramas in film history.
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.
- 05
The Silence of the Lambs
A chilling psychological thriller featuring one of the most intelligent and terrifying villains ever put to film.
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
Toy Story
The film that changed animation forever, pairing technical firsts with a timeless story about friendship.
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.
- 07
Goodfellas
Martin Scorsese’s fast-paced mob saga is a masterclass in energy, editing, and cinematic 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.
- 08
Clueless
A sharp, stylish comedy that perfectly captured the fashion and spirit of 90s youth culture.
Shallow, rich and socially successful Cher is at the top of her Beverly Hills high school's pecking scale. Seeing herself as a matchmaker, Cher first coaxes two teachers into dating each other. Emboldened by her success, she decides to give hopelessly klutzy new student Tai a makeover. When Tai becomes more popular than she is, Cher realizes that her disapproving ex-stepbrother was right about how misguided she was -- and falls for him.
- 09
Fight Club
A gritty, provocative look at modern identity that became a definitive cult classic of the late nineties.
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
Titanic
A massive romantic epic that combined historical tragedy with a record-breaking cinematic scale.
101-year-old Rose DeWitt Bukater tells the story of her life aboard the Titanic, 84 years later. A young Rose boards the ship with her mother and fiancé. Meanwhile, Jack Dawson and Fabrizio De Rossi win third-class tickets aboard the ship. Rose tells the whole story from Titanic's departure through to its death—on its first and last voyage—on April 15, 1912.
- 11
Seven
A dark and atmospheric neo-noir that set the bar for the modern serial killer thriller.
- 12
The Lion King
A powerful coming-of-age tale with an iconic soundtrack that represents the peak of the Disney Renaissance.
Young lion prince Simba, eager to one day become king of the Pride Lands, grows up under the watchful eye of his father Mufasa; all the while his villainous uncle Scar conspires to take the throne for himself. Amid betrayal and tragedy, Simba must confront his past and find his rightful place in the Circle of Life.