Movies You Missed: 90s
by ZapperLife | created - 24 Jun 2011 | updated - 25 Jun 2011 | PublicStretching from excellent to good, or rather very good popcorn, these movies never found the audience they deserved. List continuously updated as I find new movies undeservedly overlooked. For now the list is unranked, but when I get around to more I'll take the time and rank them according to quality in my eyes.
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1. Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
PG | 125 min | Drama, Romance
China in the 1920s. After her father's death, Songlian is forced to marry the wealthy Master Chen. With three wives already, each living in a separate house, there is fierce competition for his attention and the privileges that are gained.
Director: Yimou Zhang | Stars: Gong Li, Jingwu Ma, Saifei He, Cuifen Cao
Votes: 35,190 | Gross: $2.60M
Fascinating tale of concubine life. As usual stylish shot by Yimou Zhang and great performance by Gong Li.
2. Show Me Love (1998)
Not Rated | 89 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Two teenage girls in small-town Sweden. Elin is beautiful, popular, and bored with life. Agnes is friendless, sad, and secretly in love with Elin.
Director: Lukas Moodysson | Stars: Alexandra Dahlström, Rebecka Liljeberg, Erica Carlson, Mathias Rust
Votes: 55,298 | Gross: $0.17M
Lukas Moodyson's excellent take on Swedish small-town life and teen angst.
3. The Double Life of Véronique (1991)
R | 98 min | Drama, Fantasy, Music
Two parallel stories about two identical women; one living in Poland, the other in France. They don't know each other, but their lives are nevertheless profoundly connected.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Irène Jacob, Wladyslaw Kowalski, Halina Gryglaszewska, Kalina Jedrusik
Votes: 52,754 | Gross: $2.00M
Kieslowski delivered all through the decade up to his retirement after the three colors trilogy. The Double Life of Veronique came first and delivered in all the ways Kieslowski usually did.
4. Naked (1993)
Not Rated | 131 min | Comedy, Drama
An unemployed Mancunian vents his rage on unsuspecting strangers as he embarks on a nocturnal London odyssey.
Director: Mike Leigh | Stars: David Thewlis, Lesley Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge, Greg Cruttwell
Votes: 43,742 | Gross: $1.77M
David Thewlis is brilliant in the lead of Mike Leigh's cast. A lot of awesome dialogue.
5. Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers (1993)
TV-PG | 29 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
Gromit butts heads with a mysterious penguin lodger, who hatches a sinister scheme involving the ex-NASA Techno Trousers that have been modified by Wallace for walkies.
Director: Nick Park | Stars: Peter Sallis, Peter Hawkins
Votes: 57,268
Nick Park's two early Wallace & Gromit shorts were both great claymation. Fun and original.
6. Wallace & Gromit: A Close Shave (1995)
TV-PG | 30 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
Wallace's whirlwind romance with the owner of the local wool shop puts his head in a spin; Gromit is framed for sheep-rustling in a fiendish criminal plot.
Director: Nick Park | Stars: Peter Sallis, Anne Reid, Justin Fletcher, Peter Hawkins
Votes: 43,317
Nick Park's two early Wallace & Gromit shorts were both great claymation. Fun and original.
7. La fille sur le pont (1999)
R | 90 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
One night, a fading entertainer intervenes when a woman contemplates suicide, beginning a strange, unpredictable relationship.
Director: Patrice Leconte | Stars: Vanessa Paradis, Daniel Auteuil, Frédéric Pfluger, Dimitris Georgalas
Votes: 14,338 | Gross: $1.71M
Patrice Leconte creates better highs throughout in this one, than the genre usually is able to even climax with.
8. Chungking Express (1994)
PG-13 | 102 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Two melancholic Hong Kong policemen fall in love: one with a mysterious female underworld figure, the other with a beautiful and ethereal waitress at a late-night restaurant he frequents.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Brigitte Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Faye Wong
Votes: 95,149 | Gross: $0.60M
With less than 20k votes on IMDB there's still not enough people falling in love with Wong Kar Wai's excellent feel and Doyle's equally stunning cinematography.
9. Eye of God (1997)
R | 84 min | Crime, Drama
We see two stories told over four time lines, which wind down to a devastating ground zero collision, as we watch a double tragedy unfold in a small Oklahoma town. The two stories are told ... See full summary »
Director: Tim Blake Nelson | Stars: Mary Kay Place, Nick Stahl, Chris Freihofer, Woody Watson
Votes: 1,266
A well told small town story, with a beautiful performance by Martha Plimpton.
10. Only Yesterday (1991)
PG | 119 min | Animation, Drama, Romance
A twenty-seven-year-old office worker travels to the countryside while reminiscing about her childhood in Tokyo.
Director: Isao Takahata | Stars: Miki Imai, Toshirô Yanagiba, Yoko Honna, Mayumi Izuka
Votes: 37,001 | Gross: $0.45M
Isao Takahata keep reminding us there's more to Studio Ghibli than the beauty of Hayao Miyazaki's work.
11. Perfect Blue (1997)
R | 81 min | Animation, Crime, Drama
A pop singer gives up her career to become an actress, but she slowly goes insane when she starts being stalked by an obsessed fan and what seems to be a ghost of her past.
Director: Satoshi Kon | Stars: Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji, Masaaki Ôkura
Votes: 94,215 | Gross: $0.78M
Satoshi Kon's psychological anime thriller is a well crafted movie especially Afronofsky have found great pleasure in.
12. Open Your Eyes (1997)
R | 119 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A very handsome man finds the love of his life, but he suffers an accident and needs to have his face rebuilt by surgery after it is severely disfigured.
Director: Alejandro Amenábar | Stars: Eduardo Noriega, Penélope Cruz, Chete Lera, Fele Martínez
Votes: 73,086 | Gross: $0.37M
Later remade by Hollywood into Vanilla Sky, but as usual you should concentrate on the original.
13. High Art (1998)
R | 101 min | Drama, Romance
A young female intern at a small magazine company and a drug-addicted lesbian photographer slowly fall in love while exploiting each other to advance their respective careers.
Director: Lisa Cholodenko | Stars: Radha Mitchell, Ally Sheedy, Patricia Clarkson, Gabriel Mann
Votes: 11,095 | Gross: $1.93M
Great feature film debut and great performances, especially by Radha Mitchell.
14. Following (1998)
R | 69 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
A young writer who follows strangers for material meets a thief who takes him under his wing.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell, John Nolan
Votes: 101,323 | Gross: $0.05M
Christopher Nolan's debut can certainly stand on its own feet, even if it's not as good as what he later have given us. Still less than 20k votes on IMDB is too few for this movie.
15. Playing by Heart (1998)
R | 121 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Eleven articulate people work through affairs of the heart in Los Angeles.
Director: Willard Carroll | Stars: Gillian Anderson, Ellen Burstyn, Sean Connery, Anthony Edwards
Votes: 20,259 | Gross: $3.96M
An impressive cast haven't helped this one to much attention. it's flawed and uneven, but worth looking into.
16. Heavy (1995)
R | 105 min | Drama, Romance
The life of an overweight, unhappy cook is changed after a kind, beautiful college drop-out comes to work as a waitress at his and his mother's road-side restaurant.
Director: James Mangold | Stars: Pruitt Taylor Vince, Liv Tyler, Shelley Winters, Debbie Harry
Votes: 5,897 | Gross: $0.99M
Pruitt Taylor Vince delivers, and even Liv Tyler shows of more of her real talent than she usual gets cast to do. Flawed and uneven, but worth more attention.
17. Running Out of Time (1999)
Not Rated | 93 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Police inspector and excellent hostage negotiator Ho Sheung-Sang finds himself in over his head when he is pulled into a 72 hour game by a cancer-suffering criminal out for vengeance on Hong Kong's organized crime Syndicates.
Director: Johnnie To | Stars: Andy Lau, Ching Wan Lau, YoYo Mung, Waise Lee
Votes: 6,514
Hong Kong action-thriller-drama with good pace, nice turns and overall a feel Hollywood never have found. It's not as good as Woo's greatest Hong Kong-action-flicks or Infernal Affairs, but still well worth checking out.
18. But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)
R | 85 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A naive teenager is sent to rehab camp when her straitlaced parents and friends suspect her of being a lesbian.
Director: Jamie Babbit | Stars: Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Michelle Williams, Brandt Wille
Votes: 40,885 | Gross: $2.21M
Far from everything works, but has some major satirical highs as well as some really great scenes. Should be seen by more people even if it's not to the same standard as Heathers, Saved! or Mean Girls.
19. Simon, the Magician (1999)
100 min | Drama
In this surrealistic movie from the director of My 20th Century, the French police seek help from Simon, a visionary living in Budapest to solve a murder case. Whilst in Paris, Simon falls ... See full summary »
Director: Ildikó Enyedi | Stars: Péter Andorai, Julie Delarme, Péter Halász, Hubert Koundé
Votes: 860
Surreal and intriguing film-making. A little too uneven to claim the fame it might deserve, but there's more than enough to make it well worth your time.
20. Fireworks (1997)
103 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
Nishi leaves the police in the face of harrowing personal and professional difficulties. Spiraling into depression, he makes questionable decisions.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Kayoko Kishimoto, Ren Ôsugi, Susumu Terajima
Votes: 33,031 | Gross: $0.23M
Takeshi Kitano's fireworks doesn't sparkle at every frame, but he combines beautiful shots with outrageous violence in his own special way.
21. Days of Being Wild (1990)
Not Rated | 94 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
A man tries to find out who his real mother is after the woman who raised him tells him the truth.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, Carina Lau
Votes: 25,359 | Gross: $0.14M
Lesser known Wong Kar Wai, and not as good as his best, but still way better than most.
22. One False Move (1991)
R | 105 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A small town police chief awaits the arrival of a gang of killers.
Director: Carl Franklin | Stars: Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, Cynda Williams, Michael Beach
Votes: 13,861 | Gross: $1.54M
A play with stereotypical assumptions, as well as a crime story. A little flawed and easy to read at times, but there's a lot of greatness in it.
23. Breaking the Waves (1996)
R | 159 min | Drama
Oilman Jan is paralyzed in an accident. His wife, who prayed for his return, feels guilty; even more, when Jan urges her to have sex with another.
Director: Lars von Trier | Stars: Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård, Katrin Cartlidge, Jean-Marc Barr
Votes: 71,401 | Gross: $4.04M
Lars von Trier is rarely easy, but its usually rewarding. His look into a small Scottish community with much church influences is well worth a look. Emily Watson is brilliant.
24. Porco Rosso (1992)
PG | 94 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
In 1930s Italy, a veteran World War I pilot is cursed to look like an anthropomorphic pig.
Director: Hayao Miyazaki | Stars: Shûichirô Moriyama, Tokiko Katô, Bunshi Katsura VI, Tsunehiko Kamijô
Votes: 101,451
Another Hayao Miyazaki-gem, but far from his best. A sequel coming next year, and you should check out this one as soon as possible to be prepared.
25. To Live (1994)
Not Rated | 133 min | Drama, War
After Fugui and Jiazhen lose their personal fortunes, they raise a family and survive difficult cultural changes during 1940s to 1970s China.
Director: Yimou Zhang | Stars: You Ge, Gong Li, Ben Niu, Wu Jiang
Votes: 20,355 | Gross: $2.33M
Another Zhang Yimou - Gong Li production. Not as good as their best work, but a lot rewarding you here as well.
26. Underground (1995)
Not Rated | 167 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Two underground black marketeers, Marko and Blacky, sell weapons to the Communist resistance in wartime Belgrade, living the good life along the way.
Director: Emir Kusturica | Stars: Predrag 'Miki' Manojlovic, Lazar Ristovski, Mirjana Jokovic, Slavko Stimac
Votes: 61,111 | Gross: $0.17M
Emir Kusturica covers a lot of ground with this one, but there's so many highs throughout you're well rewarded for your patience.
27. Ninja Scroll (1993)
Not Rated | 94 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A vagabond swordsman is aided by a kunoichi and a spy in battling a demonic clan of killers - led by a ghost from his past - who are bent on overthrowing the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri | Stars: Kôichi Yamadera, Emi Shinohara, Takeshi Aono, Osamu Saka
Votes: 40,583
Uneven and flawed anime, but has a lot going for it.
28. Hard Boiled (1992)
R | 128 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
A tough-as-nails cop teams up with an undercover agent to shut down a sinister mobster and his crew.
Director: John Woo | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Teresa Mo, Philip Chan
Votes: 53,852
Not the best cooperation between John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat, but it's a lot of fun, stylish and impressive.
29. Three Colors: Red (1994)
R | 99 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
A model discovers a retired judge is keen on invading people's privacy.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Irène Jacob, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Frédérique Feder, Jean-Pierre Lorit
Votes: 109,681 | Gross: $4.04M
If my cut-off for the 00s was 35k votes for Lars and the Real Girl, I have to give something to this fantastic Kieslowski-trilogy as well.
30. Three Colors: Blue (1993)
R | 94 min | Drama, Music, Mystery
A woman struggles to find a way to live her life after the death of her husband and child.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Juliette Binoche, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Julie Delpy, Benoît Régent
Votes: 110,132 | Gross: $1.32M
It's fairly well known, but with less than 35k votes on every single one of the three movies I can't avoid singing their praises.
31. Three Colors: White (1994)
R | 92 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
After his wife divorces him, a Polish immigrant plots to get even with her.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Zbigniew Zamachowski, Julie Delpy, Janusz Gajos, Jerzy Stuhr
Votes: 79,328 | Gross: $1.46M
The weakest link of Kieslowski's 90s-catalog, but still well worth a look.
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