185 Favorite 90s Movies

Critics Consensus: The rare sequel that arguably improves on its predecessor, Toy Story 2 uses inventive storytelling, gorgeous animation, and a talented cast to deliver another rich moviegoing experience for all ages.

Synopsis: Woody (Tom Hanks) is stolen from his home by toy dealer Al McWhiggin (Wayne Knight), leaving Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the rest of the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer

Directed By: Ash Brannon, John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich

Critics Consensus: Entertaining as it is innovative, Toy Story reinvigorated animation while heralding the arrival of Pixar as a family-friendly force to be reckoned with.

Synopsis: Woody (Tom Hanks), a good-hearted cowboy doll who belongs to a young boy named Andy (John Morris), sees his position as Andy's favorite toy jeopardized... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney

Directed By: John Lasseter

Critics Consensus: A complex, stirring, and beautifully realized portrait of interconnected lives, Red is the captivating conclusion to a remarkable trilogy.

Synopsis: Part-time model Valentine (Irène Jacob) meets a retired judge (Jean-Louis Trintignant) who lives in her neighborhood after she runs over his dog. At first the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Irène Jacob, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jean-Pierre Lorit, Frédérique Feder

Directed By: Krzysztof Kieslowski

Critics Consensus: Thought-provoking and beautifully filmed, Before Sunrise is an intelligent, unabashedly romantic look at modern love, led by marvelously natural performances from Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

Synopsis: On his way to Vienna, American Jesse meets Celine, a student returning to Paris. After long conversations forge a surprising connection between them, Jesse convinces... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Erni Mangold, Hanno Poeschl

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Critics Consensus: An engrossing documentary that's as much about a time and a place as it is about a fight.

Synopsis: On October 30, 1974, perhaps the most famous heavyweight championship boxing match of all time took place in Kinshasa, Zaire: the "Rumble in the Jungle"... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King, B.B. King

Directed By: Leon Gast

Critics Consensus: Taut pacing, brilliantly dense writing and Oscar-worthy acting combine to produce a smart, popcorn-friendly thrill ride.

Synopsis: Three policemen, each with his own motives and obsessions, tackle the corruption surrounding an unsolved murder at a downtown Los Angeles coffee shop in the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell

Directed By: Curtis Hanson

Critics Consensus: Schindler's List blends the abject horror of the Holocaust with Steven Spielberg's signature tender humanism to create the director's dramatic masterpiece.

Synopsis: Businessman Oskar Schindler arrives in Kraków in 1939, ready to make his fortune from World War II, which has just started. After joining the Nazi... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: The rare family-friendly feature with a heart as big as its special effects budget, Babe offers timeless entertainment for viewers of all ages.

Synopsis: Gentle farmer Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell) wins a piglet named Babe (Christine Cavanaugh) at a county fair. Narrowly escaping his fate as Christmas dinner when... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Cromwell, Magda Szubanski, Hugo Weaving, Mary Acres

Directed By: Chris Noonan

Critics Consensus: Almodovar weaves together a magnificent tapestry of femininity with an affectionate wink to classics of theater and cinema in this poignant story of love, loss and compassion.

Synopsis: New friends help a woman (Cecilia Roth) struggling to get her life in order after her son's (Eloy Azorín) death.

Starring: Cecilia Roth, Eloy Azorín, Marisa Paredes, Penélope Cruz

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Critics Consensus: One of the most critically acclaimed documentaries of all time, Hoop Dreams is a rich, complex, heartbreaking, and ultimately deeply rewarding film that uses high school hoops as a jumping-off point to explore issues of race, class, and education in modern America.

Synopsis: Every school day, African-American teenagers William Gates and Arthur Agee travel 90 minutes each way from inner-city Chicago to St. Joseph High School in Westchester,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Steve James, William Gates, Arthur Agee, Sheila Agee

Directed By: Steve James

Critics Consensus: Director Atom Egoyan examines tragedy and its aftermath with intelligence and empathy.

Synopsis: A small mountain community in Canada is devastated when a school bus accident leaves more than a dozen of its children dead. A big-city lawyer... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ian Holm, Sarah Polley, Bruce Greenwood, Tom McCamus

Directed By: Atom Egoyan

Critics Consensus: Directed with sly refinement by Robert Redford and given pizazz by a slew of superb performances, Quiz Show intelligently interrogates the erosion of public standards without settling on tidy answers.

Synopsis: Queens-born Herbie Stempel (John Turturro) becomes an unlikely hero after winning on America's beloved game show, "Twenty One." When the network decides to bring in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Turturro, Rob Morrow, Ralph Fiennes, Paul Scofield

Directed By: Robert Redford

Critics Consensus: It follows a predictable narrative arc, but Good Will Hunting adds enough quirks to the journey -- and is loaded with enough powerful performances -- that it remains an entertaining, emotionally rich drama.

Synopsis: Will Hunting (Matt Damon) has a genius-level IQ but chooses to work as a janitor at MIT. When he solves a difficult graduate-level math problem,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver

Directed By: Gus Van Sant

Critics Consensus: Bitingly cynical without succumbing to bitterness, The Player is one of the all-time great Hollywood satires -- and an ensemble-driven highlight of the Altman oeuvre.

Synopsis: Certain that the anonymous threats he's been receiving are the work of David Kahane (Vincent D'Onofrio), producer Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins) tries to fix things... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Fred Ward, Whoopi Goldberg

Directed By: Robert Altman

Critics Consensus: A powerful, thought-provoking film that covers different angles of its topic without resorting to preaching, Dead Man Walking will cause the viewer to reflect regardless of their political viewpoint.

Synopsis: As death row inmate Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) nears his execution date, he calls upon Sister Helen Prejean (Susan Sarandon) to help him with one... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Robert Prosky, Raymond J. Barry

Directed By: Tim Robbins

Critics Consensus: The endearing Iron Giant tackles ambitious topics and complex human relationships with a steady hand and beautifully animated direction from Brad Bird.

Synopsis: In this animated adaptation of Ted Hughes' Cold War fable, a giant alien robot crash-lands near the small town of Rockwell, Maine, in 1957. Exploring... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Eli Marienthal, Harry Connick Jr., Vin Diesel

Directed By: Brad Bird

Critics Consensus: Intelligent, compelling, and packed with strong performances, The Insider is a potent corporate thriller.

Synopsis: After seeking the expertise of former "Big Tobacco" executive Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), seasoned TV producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino) suspects a story lies behind... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, Christopher Plummer, Diane Venora

Directed By: Michael Mann

Critics Consensus: A highly entertaining entry in Disney's renaissance era," Aladdin is beautifully drawn, with near-classic songs and a cast of scene-stealing characters.

Synopsis: When street rat Aladdin frees a genie from a lamp, he finds his wishes granted. However, he soon finds that the evil has other plans... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman

Directed By: Ron Clements, John Musker

Critics Consensus: As both director and star, Clint Eastwood strips away decades of Hollywood varnish applied to the Wild West, and emerges with a series of harshly eloquent statements about the nature of violence.

Synopsis: When prostitute Delilah Fitzgerald (Anna Thomson) is disfigured by a pair of cowboys in Big Whiskey, Wyoming, her fellow brothel workers post a reward for... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris

Directed By: Clint Eastwood

Critics Consensus: Exhilarating and intense, this high-impact chase thriller is a model of taut and efficient formula filmmaking, and it features Harrison Ford at his frantic best.

Synopsis: Wrongfully accused of murdering his wife, Richard Kimble escapes from the law in an attempt to find her killer and clear his name. Pursuing him... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward, Julianne Moore

Directed By: Andrew Davis

Critics Consensus: Hard-hitting and breathtakingly effective, La Haine takes an uncompromising look at long-festering social and economic divisions affecting 1990s Paris.

Synopsis: When a young Arab is arrested and beaten unconscious by police, a riot erupts in the notoriously violent suburbs outside of Paris. Three of the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé, Said Taghmaoui, Abdel Ahmed Ghili

Directed By: Mathieu Kassovitz

Critics Consensus: Three Colors: Blue contains some of director/co-writer Krzysztof Kieslowski's most visually arresting, emotionally resonant work -- and boasts an outstanding performance from Juliette Binoche in the bargain.

Synopsis: Julie (Juliette Binoche) is haunted by her grief after living through a tragic auto wreck that claimed the life of her composer husband and young... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Benoît Régent, Florence Pernel, Charlotte Véry

Directed By: Krzysztof Kieslowski

Critics Consensus: Well-acted and thematically rich, Boyz N the Hood observes Black America with far more depth and compassion than many of the like-minded films its success inspired.

Synopsis: Tre is sent to live with his father, Furious Styles, in tough South Central Los Angeles. Although his hard-nosed father instills proper values and respect... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Nia Long

Directed By: John Singleton

Critics Consensus: You will see what's coming, but the masterful performances, especially Thornton's, will leave you riveted.

Synopsis: Mentally disabled Karl Childers (Billy Bob Thornton) is released from the mental hospital where he has spent most of his life after murdering his mother... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakam, J.T. Walsh, John Ritter

Directed By: Billy Bob Thornton

Critics Consensus: Enchanting, sweepingly romantic, and featuring plenty of wonderful musical numbers, Beauty and the Beast is one of Disney's most elegant animated offerings.

Synopsis: An arrogant young prince and his castle's servants fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress, who turns him into the hideous Beast until he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach

Directed By: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

Critics Consensus: Director Jonathan Demme's smart, taut thriller teeters on the edge between psychological study and all-out horror, and benefits greatly from stellar performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.

Synopsis: Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine

Directed By: Jonathan Demme

Critics Consensus: The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stunningly original and visually delightful work of stop-motion animation.

Synopsis: The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey

Directed By: Henry Selick

Critics Consensus: A terrific popcorn thriller, Speed is taut, tense, and energetic, with outstanding performances from Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, and Sandra Bullock.

Synopsis: Los Angeles police officer Jack (Keanu Reeves) angers retired bomb squad member Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) by foiling his attempt at taking hostages. In revenge,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton

Directed By: Jan de Bont

Critics Consensus: The Crying Game is famous for its shocking twist, but this thoughtful, haunting mystery grips the viewer from start to finish.

Synopsis: Irish Republican Army member Fergus (Stephen Rea) forms an unexpected bond with Jody (Forest Whitaker), a kidnapped British soldier in his custody, despite the warnings... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Stephen Rea, Miranda Richardson, Forest Whitaker, Jim Broadbent

Directed By: Neil Jordan

Critics Consensus: A stunning feat of modern animation, Ghost in the Shell offers a thoughtful, complex treat for anime fans, as well as a perfect introduction for viewers new to the medium.

Synopsis: In this Japanese animation, cyborg federal agent Maj. Motoko Kusanagi (Mimi Woods) trails "The Puppet Master" (Abe Lasser), who illegally hacks into the computerized minds... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Epcar, Mimi Woods, William Frederick Knight, Tom Wyner

Directed By: Mamoru Oshii

Critics Consensus: This adaptation of David Mamet's play is every bit as compelling and witty as its source material, thanks in large part to a clever script and a bevy of powerhouse actors.

Synopsis: When an office full of New York City real estate salesmen is given the news that all but the top two will be fired at... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris

Directed By: James Foley

Critics Consensus: Robert Altman's ensemble drama deftly integrates its disparate characters and episodes into a funny, poignant, emotionally satisfying whole.

Synopsis: Many loosely connected characters cross paths in this film, based on the stories of Raymond Carver. Waitress Doreen Piggot (Lily Tomlin) accidentally runs into a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Andie MacDowell, Bruce Davison, Julianne Moore, Matthew Modine

Directed By: Robert Altman

Critics Consensus: Secrets & Lies delves into social issues with delicate aplomb and across-the-board incredible acting, and stands as one of writer-director Mike Leigh's most powerful works.

Synopsis: After her adoptive mother dies, Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), a successful black eye doctor, seeks out her birth mother. She's shocked when her research leads her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Timothy Spall, Brenda Blethyn, Phyllis Logan, Marianne Jean-Baptiste

Directed By: Mike Leigh

Critics Consensus: A funny, tender, and thought-provoking film, The Truman Show is all the more noteworthy for its remarkably prescient vision of runaway celebrity culture and a nation with an insatiable thirst for the private details of ordinary lives.

Synopsis: He doesn't know it, but everything in Truman Burbank's (Jim Carrey) life is part of a massive TV set. Executive producer Christof (Ed Harris) orchestrates... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone

Directed By: Peter Weir

Critics Consensus: In recreating the troubled space mission, Apollo 13 pulls no punches: it's a masterfully told drama from director Ron Howard, bolstered by an ensemble of solid performances.

Synopsis: This Hollywood drama is based on the events of the Apollo 13 lunar mission, astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise

Directed By: Ron Howard

Critics Consensus: Anchored by another winning performance from Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg's unflinchingly realistic war film virtually redefines the genre.

Synopsis: Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) takes his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Surrounded... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Jeremy Davies

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: Smart, sweet, and inventive, Groundhog Day highlights Murray's dramatic gifts while still leaving plenty of room for laughs.

Synopsis: Phil (Bill Murray), a weatherman, is out to cover the annual emergence of the groundhog from its hole. He gets caught in a blizzard that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky

Directed By: Harold Ramis

Critics Consensus: Smart, funny, and highly original, Being John Malkovich supports its wild premise with skillful direction and a stellar ensemble cast.

Synopsis: In this quirky cult-favorite comedy, unemployed New York City puppeteer Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) reluctantly takes a temp job as a filing clerk for the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, Orson Bean

Directed By: Spike Jonze

Critics Consensus: Three Kings successfully blends elements of action, drama, and comedy into a thoughtful, exciting movie on the Gulf War.

Synopsis: Just after the end of the Gulf War, four American soldiers decide to steal a cache of Saddam Hussein's hidden gold. Led by Sergeant Major... View Full Synopsis

Starring: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze

Directed By: David O. Russell

Critics Consensus: With its epic story and breathtaking visuals, Princess Mononoke is a landmark in the world of animation.

Synopsis: A prince becomes involved in the struggle between a forest princess and the encroachment of mechanization.

Starring: Claire Danes, Billy Bob Thornton, Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

Critics Consensus: Violent, quirky, and darkly funny, Fargo delivers an original crime story and a wonderful performance by McDormand.

Synopsis: "Fargo" is a reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has gotten... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy, Peter Stormare

Directed By: Joel Coen

Critics Consensus: Steven Soderbergh's intelligently crafted adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel is witty, sexy, thoroughly entertaining, and a star-making turn for George Clooney.

Synopsis: Meet Jack Foley, the most successful bank robber in the country. On the day he busts out of jail, he finds himself stealing something far... View Full Synopsis

Starring: George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle

Directed By: Steven Soderbergh

Critics Consensus: A superbly-mounted adaptation of E.M. Forster's tale of British class tension, with exceptional performances all round, Howard's End ranks among the best of Merchant-Ivory's work.

Synopsis: Helen Schlegel falls for Paul Wilcox, but is rebuffed. Her sister Margaret becomes friends with his mother, who promises her the family house, Howards End.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Vanessa Redgrave

Directed By: James Ivory

Critics Consensus: Featuring an excellent ensemble cast, a precise feel for the 1970s, and a killer soundtrack, Dazed and Confused is a funny, affectionate, and clear-eyed look at high school life.

Synopsis: This coming-of-age film follows the mayhem of a group of rowdy teenagers in Austin, Texas, celebrating the last day of high school in 1976. The... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Sasha Jenson, Rory Cochrane

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Critics Consensus: An outstanding sophomore feature, Welcome to the Dollhouse sees writer-director Todd Solondz mining suburban teen angst for black, biting comedy.

Synopsis: Middle-school student Dawn Weiner (Heather Matarazzo) faces degradation at school -- where she is teased constantly -- and at home. The middle child between nerdy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Heather Matarazzo, Daria Kalinina, Matthew Faber, Angela Pietropinto

Directed By: Todd Solondz

Critics Consensus: Impassioned and meticulously observed, In the Name of the Father mines rousing drama from a factual miscarriage of justice, aided by scorching performances and director Jim Sheridan's humanist focus.

Synopsis: Unemployed young Irishman Gerry Conlon gets by as a petty thief in the 1970s Belfast. When local IRA leaders get fed up with him, he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite, Emma Thompson, John Lynch

Directed By: Jim Sheridan

Critics Consensus: Hard-hitting and stylish, GoodFellas is a gangster classic -- and arguably the high point of Martin Scorsese's career.

Synopsis: Henry Hill, a poor Irish-Italian growing up in the 1950s New York City, rises through the ranks of his neighborhood's organized crime branch; he ends... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: To Sleep with Anger examines cultural tensions with a deft hand and a potent blend of comedy and drama, stirred skillfully to life by a strong cast led by Danny Glover.

Synopsis: Vagabond Harry (Danny Glover) pays an unexpected visit to his old chum Gideon (Paul Butler), who accepts the aimless man into his home, despite the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Danny Glover, Paul Butler, Mary Alice, Richard Brooks

Directed By: Charles Burnett

Critics Consensus: John Travolta and Nicolas Cage play cat-and-mouse (and literally play each other) against a beautifully stylized backdrop of typically elegant, over-the-top John Woo violence.

Synopsis: Obsessed with bringing terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) to justice, FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) tracks down Troy, who has boarded a plane in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Alessandro Nivola

Directed By: John Woo

Critics Consensus: More fun than a barrel of Jean-Paul Sartre, pic's energy riffs on an engaging love story and really human performances while offering a series of what-ifs and a blood-stirring soundtrack.

Synopsis: In this visually and conceptually impressive film, two-bit Berlin criminal Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) delivers some smuggled loot for his boss, Ronnie (Heino Ferch), but accidentally... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup, Armin Rohde

Directed By: Tom Tykwer

Critics Consensus: Though possibly more notable for its distinctive style than an airtight story, this Coen brothers take on the classic gangster flick features sharp dialogue, impressive cinematography, and a typically quirky cast of characters.

Synopsis: When the Italian Mafia threatens to kill a crooked bookie (John Turturro), Irish mob boss Leo O'Bannon (Albert Finney) refuses to allow it, chiefly because... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, Marcia Gay Harden, Jon Polito

Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Critics Consensus: Fueled by Quentin Tarantino's savvy screenplay and a gallery of oddball performances, Tony Scott's True Romance is a funny and violent action jaunt in the best sense.

Synopsis: A comic-book nerd and Elvis fanatic Clarence (Christian Slater) and a prostitute named Alabama (Patricia Arquette) fall in love. Clarence breaks the news to her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer

Directed By: Tony Scott

Critics Consensus: Injecting its compendium of crime tales with the patois of everyday conversation, Pulp Fiction is a cinematic shot of adrenaline that cements writer-director Quentin Tarantino as an audacious purveyor of killer kino.

Synopsis: Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) are hitmen with a penchant for philosophical discussions. In this ultra-hip, multi-strand crime movie, their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Critics Consensus: Emotionally stirring, richly drawn, and beautifully animated, The Lion King is a pride within Disney's pantheon of classic family films.

Synopsis: This Disney animated feature follows the adventures of the young lion Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), the heir of his father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones). Simba's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Madge Sinclair

Directed By: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

Critics Consensus: Endlessly witty, visually rapturous, and sweetly romantic, Shakespeare in Love is a delightful romantic comedy that succeeds on nearly every level.

Synopsis: "Shakespeare in Love" is a romantic comedy for the 1990s set in the 1590s. It imaginatively unfolds the witty, sexy and timeless tale behind the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush, Judi Dench

Directed By: John Madden

Critics Consensus: Hugh Grant ably snatches up the bouquet of leading man status with Four Weddings and a Funeral, a sparkling romantic comedy given real charm by its chummy ensemble and Richard Curtis' sharp-witted screenplay.

Synopsis: Lovable Englishman Charles and his group of friends seem to be unlucky in love. When Charles meets a beautiful American named Carrie at a wedding,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow

Directed By: Mike Newell

Critics Consensus: Election successfully combines dark humor and intelligent writing in this very witty and enjoyable film.

Synopsis: Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick), a well-liked high school government teacher, can't help but notice that successful student Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) uses less than ethical... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell

Directed By: Alexander Payne

Critics Consensus: Sarita Choudhury and Denzel Washington's romantic chemistry lights up the screen in Mississippi Masala, Mira Nair's observant and sexy tale of cultures clashing.

Synopsis: The vibrant cultures of India, Uganda, and the American South are blended and simmered into a rich and fragrant fusion feast in Mira Nair's luminous... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Sarita Choudhury, Roshan Seth, Sharmila Tagore

Directed By: Mira Nair

Critics Consensus: Tim Burton and Johnny Depp team up to fete the life and work of cult hero Ed Wood, with typically strange and wonderful results.

Synopsis: Because of his eccentric habits and bafflingly strange films, director Ed Wood (Johnny Depp) is a Hollywood outcast. Nevertheless, with the help of the formerly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette

Directed By: Tim Burton

Critics Consensus: An auspicious debut for writer-director Cheryl Dunye, The Watermelon Woman tells a fresh story in wittily irreverent style.

Synopsis: An aspiring black lesbian filmmaker researches an obscure 1940s black actress billed as the Watermelon Woman.

Starring: Cheryl Dunye, Guinevere Turner, Valarie Walker, Lisa Marie Bronson

Directed By: Cheryl Dunye

Critics Consensus: Coolly collected and confidently performed, The Grifters is a stylish caper that puts the artistry in con.

Synopsis: Hard-as-nails Lily Dillon (Anjelica Huston) works as a swindler for dangerous bookie Bobo (Pat Hingle), probably the only man she fears. Arriving in Los Angeles... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Cusack, Anjelica Huston, Annette Bening, Pat Hingle

Directed By: Stephen Frears

Critics Consensus: Jurassic Park is a spectacle of special effects and life-like animatronics, with some of Spielberg's best sequences of sustained awe and sheer terror since Jaws.

Synopsis: In Steven Spielberg's massive blockbuster, paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) are among a select... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: Grounded in strong characters, bold themes, and subtle storytelling, Boogie Nights is a groundbreaking film both for director P.T. Anderson and star Mark Wahlberg.

Synopsis: In the San Fernando Valley in 1977, teenage busboy Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) gets discovered by porn director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), who transforms him... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly

Directed By: Paul Thomas Anderson

Critics Consensus: T2 features thrilling action sequences and eye-popping visual effects, but what takes this sci-fi action landmark to the next level is the depth of the human (and cyborg) characters.

Synopsis: In this sequel set eleven years after "The Terminator," young John Connor (Edward Furlong), the key to civilization's victory over a future robot uprising, is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick

Directed By: James Cameron

Critics Consensus: Smart and absorbing, Lone Star represents a career high point for writer-director John Sayles -- and '90s independent cinema in general.

Synopsis: In the Texas border town of Frontera, Sheriff Sam Deeds (Chris Cooper) digs up the past when he finds an old skull in the desert.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Peña, Joe Morton, Ron Canada

Directed By: John Sayles

Critics Consensus: Thanks to a smart script, spectacular set pieces, and charismatic performances from its leads, Men in Black is an entirely satisfying summer blockbuster hit.

Synopsis: Working for a highly funded yet unofficial government agency, Kay and Jay are the Men in Black, providers of immigration services and regulators of all... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio

Directed By: Barry Sonnenfeld

Critics Consensus: A Simple Plan is a riveting crime thriller full of emotional tension.

Synopsis: While in the woods near their small town, upstanding local Hank Mitchell (Bill Paxton), his dim brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton) and their friend Lou... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, Brent Briscoe, Bridget Fonda

Directed By: Sam Raimi

Critics Consensus: The first collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands is a magical modern fairy tale with gothic overtones and a sweet center.

Synopsis: A scientist (Vincent Price) builds an animated human being -- the gentle Edward (Johnny Depp). The scientist dies before he can finish assembling Edward, though,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall

Directed By: Tim Burton

Critics Consensus: It's solidly directed by Robert Benton and stacked with fine performances from an impressive cast, but above all, Nobody's Fool is a showcase for some of Paul Newman's best late-period work.

Synopsis: Donald "Sully" Sullivan (Paul Newman) is an expert at avoiding adult responsibilities. At 60, he divides all his time between a local bar and the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Paul Newman, Jessica Tandy, Melanie Griffith, Bruce Willis

Directed By: Robert Benton

Critics Consensus: Taking a lighter tone than the other films of the Three Colors trilogy, White is a witty, bittersweet comedy with heavier themes on its mind than one might at first realize.

Synopsis: Polish immigrant Karol Karol (Zbigniew Zamachowski) finds himself out of a marriage, a job and a country when his French wife, Dominique (Julie Delpy), divorces... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Zbigniew Zamachowski, Julie Delpy, Janusz Gajos, Jerzy Stuhr

Directed By: Krzysztof Kieslowski

Critics Consensus: Intelligent and humorous satire with an excellent cast -- no previous Trekkie knowledge needed to enjoy this one.

Synopsis: The stars of a 1970s sci-fi show -- now scraping a living through re-runs and sci-fi conventions are beamed aboard an alien spacecraft. Believing the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub

Directed By: Dean Parisot

Critics Consensus: This cult favorite is a quirky coming of age story, with fine, off-kilter performances from Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray.

Synopsis: When a beautiful first-grade teacher (Olivia Williams) arrives at a prep school, she soon attracts the attention of an ambitious teenager named Max (Jason Schwartzman),... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, Seymour Cassel

Directed By: Wes Anderson

Critics Consensus: A brutal, often times funny, other times terrifying portrayal of drug addiction in Edinburgh. Not for the faint of heart, but well worth viewing as a realistic and entertaining reminder of the horrors of drug use.

Synopsis: Heroin addict Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends -- Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), Begbie (Robert... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd

Directed By: Danny Boyle

Critics Consensus: Harrowing yet stirring, Boys Don't Cry powerfully commemorates the life -- and brutally unjust death -- of transgender teen Brandon Teena.

Synopsis: Young female-to-male transgender Brandon Teena leaves his hometown under threat when his ex-girlfriend's brother discovers that he's biologically female. Resettling in the small town of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brendan Sexton III

Directed By: Kimberly Peirce

Critics Consensus: Thrumming with intelligence and energy, Reservoir Dogs opens Quentin Tarantino's filmmaking career with hard-hitting style.

Synopsis: A group of thieves assemble to pull of the perfect diamond heist. It turns into a bloody ambush when one of the men turns out... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Critics Consensus: Powered by Holly Hunter's main performance, The Piano is a truth-seeking romance played in the key of erotic passion.

Synopsis: After a long voyage from Scotland, pianist Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter) and her young daughter, Flora (Anna Paquin), are left with all their belongings, including... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, Anna Paquin

Directed By: Jane Campion

Critics Consensus: Twisty and unsettling, the Coen brothers' satirical tale of a 1940s playwright struggling with writer's block is packed with their trademark sense of humor and terrific performances from its cast.

Synopsis: Set in 1941, an intellectual New York playwright Barton Fink (John Turturro) accepts an offer to write movie scripts in L.A. He finds himself with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis, Michael Lerner

Directed By: Joel Coen

Critics Consensus: With its quirky characters and clever, quotable dialogue, Clerks is the ultimate clarion call for slackers everywhere to unite and, uh, do something we guess?

Synopsis: Dante (Brian O'Halloran) is called in to cover a shift at his New Jersey convenience store on his day off. His friend Randal (Jeff Anderson)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Lisa Spoonauer

Directed By: Kevin Smith

Critics Consensus: Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet deftly combines horror, sci-fi, and humor in Delicatessen, a morbid comedy set in a visually ravishing futuristic dystopia.

Synopsis: Clapet (Jean-Claude Dreyfus) is a butcher who owns a run-down apartment building in post-apocalyptic France. The building is in constant need of a handyman, because... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dominique Pinon, Marie-Laure Dougnac, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Rufus

Directed By: Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro

Critics Consensus: Oscar-awarded Nicolas Cage finds humanity in his character as it bleeds away in this no frills, exhilaratingly dark portrait of destruction.

Synopsis: Adapted from the novel by John O'Brien, this acclaimed drama follows alcoholic screenwriter Ben Sanderson (Nicolas Cage) as he drinks himself into oblivion in Las... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth Shue, Julian Sands, Richard Lewis

Directed By: Mike Figgis

Critics Consensus: Chen Kaing's epic is grand in scope and presentation, and, bolstered by solid performances, the result is a film both horrifying and enthralling.

Synopsis: Chen Kaige's much acclaimed, long out of print masterpiece chronicles the rise of two young stars of the Beijing Opera House, their turbulent relationship, and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Leslie Cheung, Fengyi Zhang, Gong Li, Qi Lü

Directed By: Chen Kaige

Critics Consensus: It's sentimental and somewhat predictable, but those are small complaints, given the tender atmosphere and moving performances at the heart of What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

Synopsis: Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) is a small-town young man with a lot of responsibility. Chief among his concerns are his mother (Darlene Cates), who is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenburgen, Leonardo DiCaprio

Directed By: Lasse Hallström

Critics Consensus: Steeped in old-fashioned storytelling and given evergreen humanity by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, The Shawshank Redemption chronicles the hardship of incarceration patiently enough to come by its uplift honestly.

Synopsis: Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover and is sentenced... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler

Directed By: Frank Darabont

Critics Consensus: Anchored by a powerful performance from Denzel Washington, Spike Lee's biopic of legendary civil rights leader Malcolm X brings his autobiography to life with an epic sweep and a nuanced message.

Synopsis: A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman Jr.

Directed By: Spike Lee

Critics Consensus: Even if all it had to offer were writer-director Wong Kar-wai's thrillingly distinctive visuals, Chungking Express would be well worth watching; happily, its thoughtfully drawn characters and naturalistic performances also pack a potent dramatic wallop.

Synopsis: Every day, Cop 223 (Takeshi Kaneshiro) buys a can of pineapple with an expiration date of May 1, symbolizing the day he'll get over his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brigitte Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Faye Wong

Directed By: Kar-Wai Wong

Critics Consensus: With a perfect cast and a sly twist on the usual Hollywood gangster dynamic, Get Shorty delivers a sharp satire that doubles as an entertaining comedy-thriller in its own right.

Synopsis: Chili Palmer (John Travolta) is a Miami mobster who gets sent by his boss, the psychopathic Bones Barboni (Dennis Farina), to collect a bad debt... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito

Directed By: Barry Sonnenfeld

Critics Consensus: A mostly unqualified triumph for James Cameron, who offers a dizzying blend of spectacular visuals and old-fashioned melodrama.

Synopsis: Two young lovers from different backgrounds meet and fall in love on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the unsinkable R.M.S. Titanic.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates

Directed By: James Cameron

Critics Consensus: The Last of the Mohicans is a breathless romantic adventure that plays loose with James Fenimore Cooper's novel -- and comes out with a richer action movie for it.

Synopsis: The last members of a dying Native American tribe, the Mohicans -- Uncas, his father Chingachgook, and his adopted half-white brother Hawkeye -- live in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means, Eric Schweig

Directed By: Michael Mann

Critics Consensus: Although somewhat lackadaisical in pace, Jackie Brown proves to be an effective star-vehicle for Pam Grier while offering the usual Tarantino wit and charm.

Synopsis: When flight attendant Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is busted smuggling money for her arms dealer boss, Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson), agent Ray Nicolette (Michael... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Critics Consensus: The plot's a bit of a jumble, but excellent performances and mind-blowing plot twists make 12 Monkeys a kooky, effective experience.

Synopsis: Traveling back in time isn't simple, as James Cole (Bruce Willis) learns the hard way. Imprisoned in the 2030s, James is recruited for a mission... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer

Directed By: Terry Gilliam

Critics Consensus: Filled with style and dark, lurid energy, The Crow is an action-packed visual feast that also has a soul in the performance of the late Brandon Lee.

Synopsis: The night before his wedding, musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his fiancée are brutally murdered by members of a violent inner-city gang. On the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson, Michael Wincott, David Patrick Kelly

Directed By: Alex Proyas

Critics Consensus: Dramatically gripping and frighteningly smart, this Lynchian thriller does wonders with its unlikely subject and shoestring budget.

Synopsis: A paranoid mathematician searches for a key number that will unlock the universal patterns found in nature. Pushed to his limits, he spirals between brilliance... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman, Pamela Hart

Directed By: Darren Aronofsky

Critics Consensus: A stark, nuanced portrait of life in organized crime, bolstered by strong performances from Al Pacino and Johnny Depp.

Synopsis: Joseph Pistone (Johnny Depp) is an FBI agent who has infiltrated one of the major New York Mafia families and is living under the name... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby

Directed By: Mike Newell

Critics Consensus: Dark and bleak, the "kick-ass" performances, especially Nolte's "effective" portrayal of an abused soul, is the reason to see this film.

Synopsis: In a small New Hampshire town, washed-up cop Wade Whitehouse (Nick Nolte) has a troubled past, an abusive father (James Coburn), the contempt of his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, James Coburn, Willem Dafoe

Directed By: Paul Schrader

Critics Consensus: Flawlessly cast and brimming with dark, acid wit, American Beauty is a smart, provocative high point of late '90s mainstream Hollywood film.

Synopsis: Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is a gainfully employed suburban husband and father. Fed up with his boring, stagnant existence, he quits his job and decides... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley

Directed By: Sam Mendes

Critics Consensus: Driven by ride-or-die chemistry between Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon while director Ridley Scott provides scorching visuals fit for a postcard, Thelma & Louise is a feminist adventure that's equal parts provocative and rollicking.

Synopsis: Meek housewife Thelma (Geena Davis) joins her friend Louise (Susan Sarandon), an independent waitress, on a short fishing trip. However, their trip becomes a flight... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen

Directed By: Ridley Scott

Critics Consensus: Expertly shot and edited, The Usual Suspects gives the audience a simple plot and then piles on layers of deceit, twists, and violence before pulling out the rug from underneath.

Synopsis: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist," says con man Kint, drawing a comparison to the most enigmatic... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Kevin Pollak

Directed By: Bryan Singer

Critics Consensus: Bound's more titillating elements attracted attention, but it's the stylish direction, solid performances, and entertaining neo-noir caper plot that make it worth a watch.

Synopsis: Sparks fly when Violet (Jennifer Tilly) sets eyes on Corky (Gina Gershon) in an elevator. Violet is the girlfriend of a violent gangster, Caesar (Joe... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, Barry Kivel

Directed By: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Critics Consensus: Funny, heartfelt, and effortlessly cool, Swingers made stars out of Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau, established Doug Liman as a director to watch.

Synopsis: A transplanted New Yorker attempting to acclimate to Los Angeles, Mike Peters (Jon Favreau), is struggling to both boost his comedy career and get over... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Ron Livingston, Patrick Van Horn

Directed By: Doug Liman

Critics Consensus: Full of creepy campfire scares, mock-doc The Blair Witch Project keeps audiences in the dark about its titular villain, proving once more that imagination can be as scary as anything onscreen.

Synopsis: Found video footage tells the tale of three film students (Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams) who've traveled to a small town to collect... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard, Bob Griffith

Directed By: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez

Critics Consensus: M Night Shayamalan's The Sixth Sense is a twisty ghost story with all the style of a classical Hollywood picture, but all the chills of a modern horror flick.

Synopsis: Young Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) is haunted by a dark secret: he is visited by ghosts. Cole is frightened by visitations from those with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams

Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan

Critics Consensus: Though it suffers from excessive length and ambition, director Minghella's adaptation of the Michael Ondaatje novel is complex, powerful, and moving.

Synopsis: The sweeping expanses of the Sahara are the setting for a passionate love affair in this adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's novel. A badly burned man,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Kristin Scott Thomas

Directed By: Anthony Minghella

Critics Consensus: Although Chasing Amy's depiction of queer sexuality is frustratingly clumsy, it handles an array of thorny themes with a mixture of sensitivity, raw honesty, and writer-director Kevin Smith's signature raunchy humor.

Synopsis: Holden and Banky are best friends and authors of a popular comic book. Holden falls in love with Alyssa, who happens to be a lesbian.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Jason Lee, Dwight Ewell

Directed By: Kevin Smith

Critics Consensus: James L. Brooks and Jack Nicholson, doing what they do best, combine smart dialogue and flawless acting to squeeze fresh entertainment value out of the romantic-comedy genre.

Synopsis: Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is an obsessive-compulsive writer of romantic fiction who's rude to everyone he meets, including his gay neighbor Simon (Greg Kinnear), but... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr.

Directed By: James L. Brooks

Critics Consensus: Smart, well-acted, and uncomfortably prescient political satire from director Barry Levinson and and all-star cast.

Synopsis: Two weeks prior to reelection, the United States president lands in the middle of a sex scandal. In need of outside help to quell the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Anne Heche, Woody Harrelson

Directed By: Barry Levinson

Critics Consensus: Bottle Rocket is Reservoir Dogs meets Breathless with a West Texas sensibility.

Synopsis: In Wes Anderson's first feature film, Anthony has just been released from a mental hospital, only to find his wacky friend Dignan determined to begin... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Robert Musgrave, Andrew Wilson

Directed By: Wes Anderson

Critics Consensus: With Matt Damon's unsettling performance offering a darkly twisted counterpoint to Anthony Minghella's glossy direction, The Talented Mr. Ripley is a suspense thriller that lingers.

Synopsis: To be young and carefree amid the blue waters and idyllic landscape of sun-drenched Italy in the late 1950s; that's la dolce vita Tom Ripley... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Cate Blanchett

Directed By: Anthony Minghella

Critics Consensus: The deft comic interplay between Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei helps to elevate My Cousin Vinny's predictable script, and the result is a sharp, hilarious courtroom comedy.

Synopsis: New York lawyer Vinny has never won a case. When his teenage cousin Bill and his friend Stan are accused of murder in a backwater... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei, Ralph Macchio, Mitchell Whitfield

Directed By: Jonathan Lynn

Critics Consensus: A brutal, relentlessly grimy shocker with taut performances, slick gore effects, and a haunting finale.

Synopsis: When retiring police Detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) tackles a final case with the aid of newly transferred David Mills (Brad Pitt), they discover a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey

Directed By: David Fincher

Critics Consensus: Though Al Pacino and Robert De Niro share but a handful of screen minutes together, Heat is an engrossing crime drama that draws compelling performances from its stars -- and confirms Michael Mann's mastery of the genre.

Synopsis: Master criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) is trying to control the rogue actions of one of his men, while also planning one last big... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight

Directed By: Michael Mann

Critics Consensus: Anchored by dazzling performances from Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Renée Zellweger, as well as Cameron Crowe's tender direction, Jerry Maguire meshes romance and sports with panache.

Synopsis: When slick sports agent Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) has a crisis of conscience, he pens a heartfelt company-wide memo that promptly gets him fired. Desperate... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger, Kelly Preston

Directed By: Cameron Crowe

Critics Consensus: American History X doesn't contend with its subject matter as fully as it could, but Edward Norton's performance gives this hard-hitting drama crucial weight.

Synopsis: Living a life marked by violence and racism, neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) finally goes to prison after killing two black youths who tried to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Fairuza Balk, Beverly D'Angelo

Directed By: Tony Kaye

Critics Consensus: There's Something About Mary proves that unrelentingly, unabashedly puerile humor doesn't necessarily come at the expense of a film's heart.

Synopsis: Ted's dream prom date with Mary never happens due to an embarrassing injury at her home. Years later, Ted hires Pat Healy to track down... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Lee Evans

Directed By: Robert Farrelly, Peter Farrelly

Critics Consensus: An odd but affecting mixture of drama, comedy and fantasy, The Fisher King manages to balance moving performances from Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges with director Terry Gilliam's typically askew universe.

Synopsis: After shock jock Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) inadvertently provokes a caller into murdering a group of innocent people in a Manhattan bar, he grows depressed... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges, Amanda Plummer, Mercedes Ruehl

Directed By: Terry Gilliam

Critics Consensus: Mike Nichols wrangles agreeably amusing performances from Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in this fun, if not quite essential, remake of the French comedy La Cage aux Folles.

Synopsis: In Miami Beach, a gay couple pretend to be man and wife when a son's future father-in-law and family visit.

Starring: Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Dianne Wiest

Directed By: Mike Nichols

Critics Consensus: Breaking the Waves offers a remarkable testament to writer-director Lars von Trier's insight and filmmaking skill -- and announces Emily Watson as a startling talent.

Synopsis: In a small and religious coastal town, a simple, devoutly religious Scottish woman, Bess McNeill (Emily Watson), finds a partner in an oil rig worker... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård, Katrin Cartlidge, Jean-Marc Barr

Directed By: Lars von Trier

Critics Consensus: Told with grit and verve by the Hughes brothers in their feature debut, Menace II Society is a gangland epic that breathes with authenticity while steeped in style.

Synopsis: After growing up in the gang lifestyle of the Los Angeles projects, 18-year-old Caine Lawson (Tyrin Turner) wants a way out. Everyone around him, including... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tyrin Turner, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vonte Sweet, Larenz Tate

Directed By: Allen Hughes, Albert Hughes

Critics Consensus: Thanks to the Wachowskis' imaginative vision, The Matrix is a smartly crafted combination of spectacular action and groundbreaking special effects.

Synopsis: Neo believes that Morpheus, an elusive figure considered to be the most dangerous man alive, can answer his question -- What is the Matrix? Neo... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving

Directed By: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Critics Consensus: Philadelphia indulges in some unfortunate clichés in its quest to impart a meaningful message, but its stellar cast and sensitive direction are more than enough to compensate.

Synopsis: Fearing it would compromise his career, lawyer Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) hides his homosexuality and HIV status at a powerful Philadelphia law firm. But his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jason Robards, Antonio Banderas

Directed By: Jonathan Demme

Critics Consensus: Taste of Cherry's somewhat simple aesthetic belies a richly ambiguous character study with an impressively ambitious thematic scale.

Synopsis: A middle-aged Tehranian man, Mr. Badii (Homayoun Ershadi) is intent on killing himself and seeks someone to bury him after his demise. Driving around the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Homayoun Ershadi, Abdolrahman Bagheri, Afshin Khorshid Bakhtiari, Safar Ali Moradi

Directed By: Abbas Kiarostami

Critics Consensus: An eruption of feeling that's as overwhelming as it is overwrought, Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia reaches a feverish crescendo and sustains it thanks to its fearlessly committed ensemble.

Synopsis: On one random day in the San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous lost son, a police officer... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Robards, Julianne Moore, Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Directed By: Paul Thomas Anderson

Critics Consensus: A funny and clever reshaping of Emma, Clueless offers a soft satire that pokes as much fun at teen films as it does at the Beverly Hills glitterati.

Synopsis: Shallow, rich and socially successful Cher (Alicia Silverstone) is at the top of her Beverly Hills high school's pecking scale. Seeing herself as a matchmaker,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd

Directed By: Amy Heckerling

Critics Consensus: Thanks in large part to one of Denzel Washington's most powerful on-screen performances, The Hurricane is a moving, inspirational sports drama, even if it takes few risks in telling its story.

Synopsis: Denzel Washington is Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a man whose dreams of winning the middleweight boxing title were destroyed when he was arrested along with another... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Vicellous Reon Shannon, Deborah Kara Unger, Liev Schreiber

Directed By: Norman Jewison

Critics Consensus: Mike Judge lampoons the office grind with its inspired mix of sharp dialogue and witty one-liners.

Synopsis: Corporate drone Peter Gibbons hates his soul-killing job at software company Initech. While undergoing hypnotherapy, Peter is left in a blissful state when his therapist... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, David Herman, Ajay Naidu

Directed By: Mike Judge

Critics Consensus: Intelligent and scientifically provocative, Gattaca is an absorbing sci fi drama that poses important interesting ethical questions about the nature of science.

Synopsis: Vincent Freeman has always fantasized about traveling into outer space, but is grounded by his status as a genetically inferior in-valid. He decides to fight... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Gore Vidal

Directed By: Andrew Niccol

Critics Consensus: Though not without its flaws, He Got Game finds Spike Lee near the top of his game, combining trenchant commentary with his signature visuals and a strong performance from Denzel Washington.

Synopsis: Jake Shuttleworth (Denzel Washington) has spent the last six years in prison after accidentally killing his wife during a violent domestic dispute, leaving his son,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, Milla Jovovich, Rosario Dawson

Directed By: Spike Lee

Critics Consensus: It might soar on Al Pacino's performance more than the drama itself, but what a performance it is -- big, bold, occasionally over-the-top, and finally giving the Academy pause to award the star his first Oscar.

Synopsis: Frank is a retired Lt. Col. in the US army. He's blind and impossible to get along with. Charlie is at school and is looking... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, Chris O'Donnell, James Rebhorn, Gabrielle Anwar

Directed By: Martin Brest

Critics Consensus: Heartfelt and quirky, though at times broad, Muriel's Wedding mixes awkward comedy, oddball Australian characters, and a nostalgia-heavy soundtrack.

Synopsis: Socially awkward Muriel Heslop (Toni Collette) wants nothing more than to get married. Unfortunately, due to her oppressive politician father (Bill Hunter), Muriel has never... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Toni Collette, Bill Hunter, Rachel Griffiths, Jeanie Drynan

Directed By: P.J. Hogan

Critics Consensus: Solid acting, amazing direction, and elaborate production design make Fight Club a wild ride.

Synopsis: A depressed man suffering from insomnia meets a strange soap salesman named Tyler Durden and soon finds himself living in his squalid house after his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf

Directed By: David Fincher

Critics Consensus: Its jokes are profoundly bold and rude but incredibly funny at the same time.

Synopsis: In this feature film based on the hit animated series, the third-graders of South Park sneak into an R-rated film by ultra-vulgar Canadian television personalities... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mary Kay Bergman, Isaac Hayes

Directed By: Trey Parker

Critics Consensus: Under Paul Verhoeven's frenetic direction, Total Recall is a fast-paced rush of violence, gore, and humor that never slacks.

Synopsis: Douglas Quaid is a bored construction worker in the year 2084 who dreams of visiting colonized Mars. He visits "Rekall," a company that plants false... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox

Directed By: Paul Verhoeven

Critics Consensus: A tantalizing glimpse of a talented director and his stars all at the top of their respective games, Gus Van Sant's loose reworking of Henry IV is smart, sad and audacious.

Synopsis: In this loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Mike Waters (River Phoenix) is a gay hustler afflicted with narcolepsy. Scott Favor (Keanu Reeves) is the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, James Russo, William Richert

Directed By: Gus Van Sant

Critics Consensus: It misses perhaps as often as it hits, but Jim Carrey's manic bombast, Cameron Diaz' blowsy appeal, and the film's overall cartoony bombast keep The Mask afloat.

Synopsis: When timid bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) discovers a magical mask containing the spirit of the Norse god Loki, his entire life changes. While... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Riegert, Peter Greene

Directed By: Chuck Russell

Critics Consensus: An audacious, unsettling Japanese horror film from director Takashi Miike, Audition entertains as both a grisly shocker and a psychological drama.

Synopsis: This disturbing Japanese thriller follows Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), a widower who decides to start dating again. Aided by a film-producer friend (Miyuki Matsuda), Aoyama uses... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Jun Kunimura, Miyuki Matsuda

Directed By: Takashi Miike

Critics Consensus: An entertaining Jackie Chan stunt-fest in which the impressive action sequences overcome the low production value and by-the-numbers plot.

Synopsis: Hong Kong policeman Keung (Jackie Chan) arrives in New York for the wedding of his uncle Bill (Bill Tung), a grocer who recently sold his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Bill Tung, Françoise Yip

Directed By: Stanley Tong

Critics Consensus: The Thin Red Line is a daringly philosophical World War II film with an enormous cast of eager stars.

Synopsis: In 1942, Private Witt (Jim Caviezel) is a U.S. Army absconder living peacefully with the locals of a small South Pacific island. Discovered by his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, Jim Caviezel, Ben Chaplin

Directed By: Terrence Malick

Critics Consensus: Benigni's earnest charm, when not overstepping its bounds into the unnecessarily treacly, offers the possibility of hope in the face of unflinching horror.

Synopsis: A gentle Jewish-Italian waiter, Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni), meets Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), a pretty schoolteacher, and wins her over with his charm and humor. Eventually... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini, Giustino Durano

Directed By: Roberto Benigni

Critics Consensus: Not all of its many intriguing ideas are developed, but The City of Lost Children is an engrossing, disturbing, profoundly memorable experience.

Synopsis: Old and decrepit Krank has lost his capacity for dreaming and is attempting to fight death by stealing the dreams of children. Krank's cadre of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ron Perlman, Daniel Emilfork, Judith Vittet, Dominique Pinon

Directed By: Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Critics Consensus: The Big Lebowski's shaggy dog story won't satisfy everybody, but those who abide will be treated to a rambling succession of comic delights, with Jeff Bridges' laconic performance really tying the movie together.

Synopsis: Jeff Bridges plays Jeff Lebowski who insists on being called "the Dude," a laid-back, easygoing burnout who happens to have the same name as a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi

Directed By: Joel Coen

Critics Consensus: An oddball comedy that revels in its silliness and memorable catch phrases, Wayne's World is also fondly regarded because of its endearing characters.

Synopsis: A big screen spin-off of the "Saturday Night Live" skit. Rob Lowe plays a producer that wants to take the public access "Wayne's World" to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Rob Lowe, Tia Carrere

Directed By: Penelope Spheeris

Critics Consensus: Impressive ambition and bravura performances from an outstanding cast help Casino pay off in spite of a familiar narrative that may strike some viewers as a safe bet for director Martin Scorsese.

Synopsis: In early-1970s Las Vegas, low-level mobster Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Robert De Niro) gets tapped by his bosses to head the Tangiers Casino. At first, he's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, James Woods

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: Smart, funny, and engagingly scruffy, Singles is a clear-eyed look at modern romance that doubles as a credible grunge-era time capsule.

Synopsis: In Seattle during the era of grunge music, the lives and relationships of a group of young people, all living in the same apartment building,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bridget Fonda, Matt Dillon, Campbell Scott, Kyra Sedgwick

Directed By: Cameron Crowe

Critics Consensus: Though The Green Mile is long, critics say it's an absorbing, emotionally powerful experience.

Synopsis: Paul Edgecomb walked the mile with a variety of cons. He had never encountered someone like John Coffey, a massive black man convicted of brutally... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, David Morse, Michael Clarke Duncan, Bonnie Hunt

Directed By: Frank Darabont

Critics Consensus: Horror icon Wes Craven's subversive deconstruction of the genre is sly, witty, and surprisingly effective as a slasher film itself, even if it's a little too cheeky for some.

Synopsis: The sleepy little town of Woodsboro just woke up screaming. There's a killer in their midst who's seen a few too many scary movies. Suddenly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard

Directed By: Wes Craven

Critics Consensus: Smart and stylish, Cape Fear is a gleefully mainstream shocker from Martin Scorsese, with a terrifying Robert De Niro performance.

Synopsis: When attorney Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte) knowingly withholds evidence that would acquit violent sex offender Max Cady (Robert De Niro) of rape charges, Max spends... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: Distractingly violent and historically dodgy, Mel Gibson's Braveheart justifies its epic length by delivering enough sweeping action, drama, and romance to match its ambition.

Synopsis: Tells the story of the legendary thirteenth century Scottish hero named William Wallace (Mel Gibson). Wallace rallies the Scottish against the English monarch and Edward... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Catherine McCormack

Directed By: Mel Gibson

Critics Consensus: Pivoting on the unusual relationship between seasoned hitman and his 12-year-old apprentice -- a breakout turn by young Natalie Portman -- Luc Besson's Léon is a stylish and oddly affecting thriller.

Synopsis: Mathilda (Natalie Portman) is only 12 years old, but is already familiar with the dark side of life: her abusive father stores drugs for corrupt... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello

Directed By: Luc Besson

Critics Consensus: Self-indulgent yet intriguing, Buffalo '66 marks an auspicious feature debut for writer-director-star Vincent Gallo while showcasing a terrific performance from Christina Ricci.

Synopsis: Convict Billy Brown (Vincent Gallo) dreads going home so much upon his release from prison that he tries to get back inside. In desperation, Billy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Anjelica Huston, Ben Gazzara

Directed By: Vincent Gallo

Critics Consensus: If you're seeking a stylish modern western with a solid story and a well-chosen ensemble cast, Tombstone is your huckleberry.

Synopsis: Wyatt Earp and his brothers, Morgan and Virgil, have left their gunslinger ways behind them to settle down and start a business in the town... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Michael Biehn, Powers Boothe

Directed By: George P. Cosmatos

Critics Consensus: Tom Hanks' rigorously earnest performance keeps Forrest Gump sincere even when it gets glib with American history, making for a whimsical odyssey of debatable wisdom but undeniable heart.

Synopsis: Slow-witted Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) has never thought of himself as disadvantaged, and thanks to his supportive mother (Sally Field), he leads anything but a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson

Directed By: Robert Zemeckis

Critics Consensus: Sleepless in Seattle is a cute classic with a very light touch and real chemistry between the two leads -- even when spending an entire movie apart.

Synopsis: After the death of his wife, Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) moves to Seattle with his son, Jonah (Ross Malinger). When Jonah calls in to a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger

Directed By: Nora Ephron

Critics Consensus: Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels is a grimy, twisted, and funny twist on the Tarantino hip gangster formula.

Synopsis: Eddy (Nick Moran) convinces three friends to pool funds for a high-stakes poker game against local crime boss Hatchet Harry (P.H. Moriarty). Harry cheats and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran, Jason Statham

Directed By: Guy Ritchie

Critics Consensus: Falling Down's popcorn-friendly take on its complex themes proves disquieting -- and ultimately fitting for a bleakly entertaining picture of one man's angry break with reality.

Synopsis: A middle-aged man dealing with both unemployment and divorce, William Foster (Michael Douglas) is having a bad day. When his car breaks down on a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey, Rachel Ticotin

Directed By: Joel Schumacher

Critics Consensus: A fantastic cinematic and artistic achievement, Edward Yang's A Brighter Summer Day depicts youth, ideals, violence and politics in a melancholic, tender light, culminating in a complex portrait of Taiwanese identity.

Synopsis: A boy experiences first love, friendships and injustices growing up in the 1960s Taiwan.

Starring: Kuo-Chu Chang, Elaine Jin, Chang Chen, Han Chang

Directed By: Edward Yang

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In Bela Tarr's seven-hour episodic film, inhabitants of a small village in Hungary deal with the effects of the fall of Communism. The town's source... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mihály Vig, Putyi Horvath, János Derzsi, Miklós B. Székely

Directed By: Béla Tarr

Critics Consensus: The Wind Will Carry Us slowly casts its transporting spell as writer-director Abbas Kiarostami explores ineffable themes with patience and grace.

Synopsis: A group of people from the city arrive in a little village with a different kind of mission. They pretend to be communications engineers, but... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Behzad Dourani

Directed By: Abbas Kiarostami

Critics Consensus: Visually thrilling and rich with emotion, Raise the Red Lantern offers an engrossing period drama anchored by an outstanding performance from Gong Li.

Synopsis: Teenage Songlian (Gong Li), whose family has been devastated by the recent death of her father, becomes the third concubine of wealthy Master Chen (Ma... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gong Li, Jingwu Ma, Saifei He, Cao Cuifeng

Directed By: Yimou Zhang

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In this entrancing tale by renowned Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, World War I flying ace Marco Pagot mysteriously turns from a man into a pig... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Keaton, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers, Cary Elwes

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

Critics Consensus: House Party is a light, entertaining teen comedy with an infectious energy.

Synopsis: Play's parents are out of town, and he's planning the house party to end all house parties. His best friend, Kid, wants to go more... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robin Harris, Christopher Reid, Christopher Martin, Martin Lawrence

Directed By: Reginald Hudlin

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: The working-class malaise of suburban London is captured in this comedic drama, which focuses on twin sisters Natalie (Claire Skinner) and Nicola (Jane Horrocks) and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alison Steadman, Jim Broadbent, Timothy Spall, Claire Skinner

Directed By: Mike Leigh

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: While reading a novel by Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf on the bus, Ali Sabzian strikes up a conversation with a pretty girl, Mahrokh Ahankhah. When... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hossain Sabzian, Hassan Frazmand, Abolfazi Ahankhah, Mehrdad Ahankhah

Directed By: Abbas Kiarostami

Critics Consensus: Pump Up the Volume can be a bit overbearing, but this is one teen drama with the courage of its convictions -- and a killer soundtrack.

Synopsis: In Arizona, an introverted and insightful teenager, Mark Hunter (Christian Slater), finds an outlet for his viewpoints through a shortwave radio. Broadcasting as Hard Harry,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Ellen Greene, Scott Paulin

Directed By: Allan Moyle

Critics Consensus: What Friday might lack in taut construction or directorial flair, it more than makes up with its vibrant (albeit consistently crass) humor and the charming, energetic performances of its leads.

Synopsis: It's Friday and Craig Jones has just gotten fired for stealing cardboard boxes. To make matters worse, rent is due, he hates his overbearing girlfriend,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Tommy Tiny Lister

Directed By: F. Gary Gray

Critics Consensus: Baz Luhrmann's visual aesthetic is as divisive as it is fresh and inventive.

Synopsis: Baz Luhrmann helped adapt this classic Shakespearean romantic tragedy for the screen, updating the setting to a post-modern city named Verona Beach. In this version,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo

Directed By: Baz Luhrmann

Critics Consensus: A light and goofy comedy which provides laughs, largely due to performances and screenwriting by Myers.

Synopsis: A world-class playboy and part-time special agent, Powers is defrosted after 30 years in a cryogenic freeze to match wits with his nemesis, Dr. Evil... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York, Mimi Rogers

Directed By: Jay Roach

Critics Consensus: Violent images and blunt audience provocation make up this nihilistic experiment from one of cinema's more difficult filmmakers.

Synopsis: An idyllic lakeside vacation home is terrorized by Paul (Arno Frisch) and Peter (Frank Giering), a pair of deeply disturbed young men. When the fearful... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Mühe, Frank Giering, Arno Frisch

Directed By: Michael Haneke

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Novelist Harry Block (Woody Allen) has become a success by turning his family and friends' lives into fodder for his books. Due to his novels'... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Caroline Aaron, Woody Allen, Kirstie Alley, Bob Balaban

Directed By: Woody Allen

Critics Consensus: Looking for a sweet musical comedy about a witness to a crime hiding out from killers in a convent? There's nun better than Sister Act.

Synopsis: When lively lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg) sees her mobster beau, Vince LaRocca (Harvey Keitel), commit murder, she is relocated for her protection.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena

Directed By: Emile Ardolino

Critics Consensus: Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger add strong performances to an unexpectedly clever script, elevating 10 Things (slightly) above typical teen fare.

Synopsis: Kat Stratford is beautiful, smart and quite abrasive to most of her fellow teens, meaning that she doesn't attract many boys. Unfortunately for her younger... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik

Directed By: Gil Junger

Critics Consensus: Visually inventive and gleefully over the top, Luc Besson's The Fifth Element is a fantastic piece of pop sci-fi that never takes itself too seriously.

Synopsis: The Earth is about to be destroyed by a huge ball of fire racing toward the planet. Cornelius, an old monk, knows how to stop... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, Milla Jovovich

Directed By: Luc Besson

Critics Consensus: On paper, Mrs. Doubtfire might seem excessively broad or sentimental, but Robin Williams shines so brightly in the title role that the end result is difficult to resist.

Synopsis: An unemployed actor disguises himself as an elderly nanny in order to spend more time with his estranged family.

Starring: Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein

Directed By: Chris Columbus

Critics Consensus: A relentlessly stupid comedy elevated by its main actors: Jim Carrey goes bonkers and Jeff Daniels carries himself admirably in an against-type performance.

Synopsis: Imbecilic best friends Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) stumble across a suitcase full of money left behind in Harry's car by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Lauren Holly, Teri Garr

Directed By: Peter Farrelly, Robert Farrelly

Critics Consensus: The plot is thin and so is character development, but as a thrilling, spectacle-filled summer movie, Independence Day delivers.

Synopsis: In the epic adventure film "Independence Day," strange phenomena surface around the globe. The skies ignite. Terror races through the world's major cities. As these... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell

Directed By: Roland Emmerich

Critics Consensus: While decidedly not for all tastes, Dead Man marks an alluring change of pace for writer-director Jim Jarmusch that demonstrates an assured command of challenging material.

Synopsis: Circumstances transform a mild-mannered accountant (Johnny Depp) into a notorious Old West gunslinger.

Starring: Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Lance Henriksen, Michael Wincott

Directed By: Jim Jarmusch

Critics Consensus: Some of the evil magic is gone as this trilogy capper dispenses with most of the scares, but Bruce Campbell's hammy charm and Sam Raimi's homage to classic visual effects make for a fun enough adventure.

Synopsis: 3rd Evil Dead movie. Ash finds himself trapped in medieval times. He must quest for the Necronomicon, a book of evil which can return him... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert, Ian Abercrombie

Directed By: Sam Raimi

Critics Consensus: Absurd, over-the-top, and often wildly entertaining, Point Break is here to show you that the human spirit is still alive.

Synopsis: After a string of bizarre bank robberies in Southern California, with the crooks donning masks of various former presidents, a federal agent, Johnny Utah (Keanu... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Gary Busey, Lori Petty

Directed By: Kathryn Bigelow

Critics Consensus: For visceral thrills, it can't be beat. Just don't expect The Rock to engage your brain.

Synopsis: FBI chemical warfare expert Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage) is sent on an urgent mission with a former British spy, John Patrick Mason (Sean Connery), to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, Michael Biehn

Directed By: Michael Bay

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: The activities of rampaging, indiscriminate serial killer Ben (Benoît Poelvoorde) are recorded by a willingly complicit documentary team, who eventually become his accomplices and active... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Benoît Poelvoorde, Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, Jean-Marc Chenut

Directed By: Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel

Critics Consensus: This late-career anthology by Akira Kurosawa often confirms that Dreams are more interesting to the dreamer than their audience, but the directorial master still delivers opulent visions with a generous dose of heart.

Synopsis: This imaginative Japanese production presents a series of short films by lauded director Akira Kurosawa. In one chapter, a young boy spies on foxes that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Akira Terao, Mitsunori Isaki, Martin Scorsese, Mitsuko Baishô

Directed By: Akira Kurosawa, Ishirô Honda

Critics Consensus: Home Alone's uneven but frequently funny premise, stretched unreasonably thin, is buoyed by Macaulay Culkin's cute performance and strong supporting stars.

Synopsis: When bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, his mother makes him sleep in the attic. After the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara

Directed By: Chris Columbus

Critics Consensus: It may be shamelessly derivative and overly nostalgic, but The Sandlot is nevertheless a genuinely sweet and funny coming-of-age adventure.

Synopsis: When Scottie Smalls (Thomas Guiry) moves to a new neighborhood, he manages to make friends with a group of kids who play baseball at the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Patrick Renna, Chauncey Leopardi

Directed By: David M. Evans

Critics Consensus: Those who enjoy Adam Sandler's schtick will find plenty to love in this gleefully juvenile take on professional golf; those who don't, however, will find it unfunny and forgettable.

Synopsis: All Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) has ever wanted is to be a professional hockey player. But he soon discovers he may actually have a talent... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, Frances Bay

Directed By: Dennis Dugan

Critics Consensus: A pulpy crime drama/vampire film hybrid, From Dusk Till Dawn is an uneven but often deliriously enjoyable B-movie.

Synopsis: On the run from a bank robbery that left several police officers dead, Seth Gecko (George Clooney) and his paranoid, loose-cannon brother, Richard (Quentin Tarantino),... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Juliette Lewis

Directed By: Robert Rodriguez

Critics Consensus: A better-than-average sci-fi shoot-em-up with a satirical undercurrent, Demolition Man is bolstered by strong performances by Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, and Sandra Bullock.

Synopsis: With innocent victims caught in the crossfire in Los Angeles' intensifying war on crime, both cop John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) and violent thug Simon Phoenix... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne

Directed By: Marco Brambilla

Critics Consensus: Pretty Woman may be a yuppie fantasy, but the film's slick comedy, soundtrack, and casting can overcome misgivings.

Synopsis: A prostitute and a wealthy businessman fall for one another, forming an unlikely pair; while on a business trip in Los Angeles, Edward, who makes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Ralph Bellamy, Jason Alexander

Directed By: Garry Marshall