Top 10 Movies of the 90’s
90
Below is the list of the top ten movies from the 90’s based on gross inflation-adjusted revenue.
- The billion dollar blockbuster Titanic was shown for a near-month in my uno-screen hometown theater.
- JTT was the voice of courageous but innocent Simba in Lion King that won the approval of millions of parents to have their teenage daughter plaster his picture all over their walls.
- Home Alone was the only time I saw that same theater actually have a line into the street and gave children everywhere ideas for booby-traps.
- Forrest Gump will someday win Tom Hanks a spot in the government based on his performance.
Jurassic Park & Star Wars were able to edge in with revenue from toys and partnerships with all the McD’s of the World. You’ll also notice that Will Smith had himself a payday with I-Day and MIB - probably to fund Jada’s heavy metal band, Wicked Wisdom (I wish this was a joke, too). Mrs. Doubtfire was the first movie that taught all the kids that the divorce they brought on to their parents can turn out okay.
The other thing to note is that people either used to watch a LOT more movies before the 90’s or they are getting crappier. If you take a look at the overall list you can see that most of the top half of the list contains pre-1980’s releases. It’s only getting worse, too…the top release from this decade is The Dark Knight coming in at 27th overall.
Check the comments for my own list (what I choose now) & let’s hear what yours would include (either now or then). This is a great site that has a fairly exhaustive list with trailers if you want something that will help jog your memory.
| 90’s Rank |
Overall Rank |
Title | Inflation Gross (M) |
Unadjusted Gross (M) |
Year |
| 1 | 6 | Titanic | $924 | $601 | 1997 |
| 2 | 17 | Jurassic Park | $621 | $357 | 1993 |
| 3 | 19 | Star Wars: Episode I | $611 | $431 | 1999 |
| 4 | 22 | Forrest Gump | $566 | $330 | 1994 |
| 5 | 24 | The Lion King | $556 | $329 | 1994 |
| 6 | 35 | Independence Day | $499 | $306 | 1996 |
| 7 | 36 | Home Alone | $488 | $286 | 1990 |
| 8 | 60 | The Sixth Sense | $415 | $294 | 1999 |
| 9 | 75 | Twister | $394 | $242 | 1996 |
| 10 | 76 | Men in Black | $393 | $251 | 1997 |
| 11 | 84 | Mrs. Doubtfire | $379 | $219 | 1993 |
| 12 | 85 | Aladdin | $378 | $217 | 1992 |
| 13 | 86 | Ghost | $371 | $218 | 1990 |
| 14 | 91 | The Lost World: Jurassic Park | $359 | $229 | 1997 |
| 15 | 94 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | $350 | $205 | 1991 |
1. Good Will Hunting
2. Fight Club
3. American Beauty
4. Dumb and Dumber
5. Pulp Fiction
6. Armageddon (it got me a little teary eyed)
7. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (it takes more than 1 viewing to appreciate)
8. Se7en (the original Saw)
9. Empire Records (damn the man, save the empire!)
10. Dazed and Confused
First things first. I would like to point out that the bucket man is a complete tool for putting down his NOW favorite movies of the 90s. Fight Club was not a movie you liked when you were 12. Nor was Dazed and Confused, but for completely different reasons… the whole point is to reminisce, not talk about what you watched last Friday when you got home from the bars…..soooo here it goes:
1. MIB - Flying cars and Tommy Lee Jones, you dig?
2. Homeward Bound - Obviously
3. Independence Day - Yes, I liked Will Smith, but the real winner was Bill Pullman who could kick Paxton’s ass any day of the week
4. TMNT: Secrets of the Ooze - I rewatched the first and it was lame. I rewatched the second and it ruled. Go Ninja, Go Ninja, Go!
5. Space Jam - Bill Murray, Larry Bird, Newman and Bugs Bunny himself, who wouldn’t pick this one
I’m only posting 5 because the bucket man’s list made me want to go throw up.
1. Grumpy Old Men, 1993 (first “sex scene” at the PG-13 for many of us)
2. Surf Ninjas, 1993 (I repeat Surf and Ninjas)
3. Tombstone, 1993 (not ha-ha funny, but shouldn’t be left off any list)
4. Armageddon, 1998 (I needed something I didn’t see while in 3rd grade on my list plus I got to see the Bucket Man cry in public)
5. Unknown, 1997 (this one goes to that short 5 minute clip I saw shortly after my family’s computer was connected to the internet)
FREAKING SURF NINJAS!
1. Clerks, 1994 (Kevin Smiths first movie that explains Gen. X via Jay and Silent Bob and other unforgettable characters)
2. Toy Story, 1995 (Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as toys. gotta love it)
3. Shawshank Redemption, 1994 (Genius including everyone’s favorite gentle black man badass, Morgan Freeman)
4. There’s Something About Mary, 1998 (Eruptions from your abdomen will ensue, dont watch it with your parents)
5. The Matrix, 1999 (The trend setter. Ground-breaking special effects. Keanu Reeves not as the dumb ass sufer dude)
6. Goodfellas, 1990 (Scorsese’s mob masterpiece. DeNiro, Pesci, genius)
more … but you get the idea
My Favorite Movies of the 90’s
1. Clerks modern day classic!
2. Fight Club
3. Jurassic Park
4. Forrest Gump
5. Tombstone
6. Pulp Fiction
7. Saving Private Ryan
8. Dumb and Dumber
9. There’s Something About Mary
10. Chasing Amy
I know there are more then 10 but oh well!
Here’s my list:
The Lion King
Empire Records
Clueless
Romeo & Juliet
Varsity Blues
Home Alone
Scream
I Know What You Did Last Summer
My Girl
Casper
SpiceWorld
Mighty Ducks
Billy Madison
Aladdin
T2
Idol Hands
My favorites…not in order and not limited to 10, because all of them are awesome:
Hook - EPIC!!!
The Santa Clause
The Lion King - I can still quote the entire movie. :(
Titanic
Armageddon
Jurassic Park - My first “scary” movie in theaters…I think I was 7. So awesome!
Scream
Groundhog Day
Ever After
Mrs Doubtfire
Homeward Bound
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze - I can’t even tell you how many times I watched this movie.