For every medium, there's an era or decade that revolutionizes the art form. Literature had the beat generation. Music had the psychedelically tinged 60s. For cinema, that decade is arguably the 90s.

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The decade was huge for film and gave rise to some scintillating narratives across a variety of in-demand genres. Couple with that the breakthrough hits of esteemed directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson, in addition to hugely memorable characters like Tyler Durden and Keyser Soze, and it's small wonder the era is remembered so very fondly.

9. American History X (1998)

Edward Norton as Derek in 'American History X'

A movie famed for its necessity as much as its brutal honesty, Tony Kaye's American History X follows Derek (Edward Norton), a recently released convict and former neo-nazi skinhead who fights to prevent his younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong) from straying down the same, toxic path that he once did.

American History X is commendably distinguished by some very effective performances from its leading actors, and it's an early notch in the belt for the ever-impressive portfolio of Edward Norton.

8. Heat (1995)

Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in 'Heat'

Heat is quite possibly the model modern heist movie. While occasionally flirtatious with the paradigm of style over substance, no film epitomizes Michael Mann's candid style of direction than Heat.

The biggest draw, though, is the on-screen chemistry of Hollywood icons Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, as two opposing but mutually respective leaders on either side of the law. This was a combination that wasn't repeated until Martin Scorsese's The Irishman in 2020.

7. The Usual Suspects (1995)

The cast of 'The Usual Suspects'

Despite being somewhat on the nose with its cinematic influences, The Usual Suspects, directed by Bryan Singer is nonetheless a well-conceived thriller led by a gifted cast. Kevin Spacey and Benicio Del Toro are amongst a gang of five unassuming criminals who are one day led into each other's path during a seemingly routine police line-up.

The enigmatic and villainous Keyser Soze heads a twisting narrative that builds a desire for repeated viewings if only to find the breadcrumbs when and where they fall.

6. Fargo (1996)

Frances McDormand as Marge Gunderson in 'Fargo'

Quintessentially Coen brothers, Fargo expertly blends dark humor with small-town satire. Frances McDormand turns in an Academy Award-winning performance as Marge Gunderson, a heavily pregnant police officer hoping to solve three murders linked by a failing Minnesota car salesman (William H. Macy).

The renowned director's subtle use of violence here is deliberate and shocking, helping to instill a narrative tone that feels remarkably original when compared against films that are relatively more violent and action-packed. Fargo was so influential, it even inspired a leading television series.

5. Boogie Nights (1997)

The cast of 'Boogie Nights'

One can wonder if anyone but Paul Thomas Anderson could create a film with the controversial subjects of drugs and pornography, and steer it so admirably from crass exploitation. More than that, Boogie Nights fills its story with surprisingly empathetic, if flawed characters.

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The cast is led by Mark Wahlberg as an up-and-coming adult movie star Dirk Diggler, discovered by idealistic producer Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) in the hopes of exalting his craft. Anderson's breakout picture stands as a provocative and thoughtful case study of the much-maligned, yet largely misunderstood porn industry of the late 1970s.

4. Goodfellas (1990)

Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta as Tommy DeVito and Henry Hill in 'Goodfellas'

Martin Scorsese's intricately engrossing tale of organized crime in America is the consummate gangster film, arguably rivaled only by that of The Godfather and The Sopranos. It's based on the real-life story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his life and exodus from the Italian-American crime syndicate.

Visually mesmeric and distinctive in tone, if there is but one quality we can otherwise assert with Goodfellas, it's Joe Pesci's captivating performance as Tommy DeVito, as unsettlingly natural as it is passionate.

3. Pulp Fiction (1994)

John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson as Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield in 'Pulp Fiction'

A marvel of interwoven storylines connects two hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits in Quentin Tarantino's third directorial picture. Add a thoroughly well assembled, ensemble cast, punchy dialogue, and Tarantino's penchant for gradual character development and irreverent violence, and you have a stunningly original film that, over two decades later, has lost none of its pull.

2. Fight Club (1999)

Edward Norton as The Narrator and Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden in 'Fight Club'

We'll break the first rule here. David Fincher's adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's watershed novel polarized audiences upon its release. However, as a commentary on the fragility of masculinity and the depravities of consumerism, Fight Club is a hugely relevant picture of the 90s.

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Stylistically, it's undoubtedly accomplished, and Brad Pitt's turn as the dangerously charismatic Tyler Durden is also up there as perhaps the greatest the most significant in his versatile body of work.

1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption'

Followers of IMDB may see this as the obvious choice, but there's a reason it's stayed top of the top 250 user-reviewed films on the site for what feels like forever.

The Shawshank Redemption is, by all regards, a flawless story, seamlessly blending the harrowing and the poignant in a drama with unforgettable characters. This is an endlessly quotable movie that sticks around long after its touching and well-earned conclusion.

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