100 Overlooked Films of the ’90s

This entry was published at least two years ago (originally posted on December 8, 2004). Since that time the information may have become outdated or my beliefs may have changed (in general, assume a more open and liberal current viewpoint). A fuller disclaimer is available.

I stumbled across this list of the 100 most overlooked films of the 1990’s yesterday, meant to do a meme-style “seen it” list, and then spaced it. I was reminded today when DeAnna beat me to the punch — so here’s mine. Bold title films I’ve seen…

  1. Miller’s Crossing (Been meaning to see this one for ages.)
  2. Safe
  3. The Sweet Hereafter
  4. Lone Star
  5. Heavenly Creatures (Another that’s been on my “need to see” list.)
  6. Waiting for Guffman (So far, I’ve really enjoyed all of Guest’s mockumentaries that I’ve seen.)
  7. The Hudsucker Proxy (One of my favorites.)
  8. Babe: Pig in the City
  9. Dead Man (Another that’s been on my “need to see” list.)
  10. Fearless
  11. Bound (Though it’s been a long time, I remember enjoying it.)
  12. Chungking Express
  13. The Straight Story
  14. Searching for Bobby Fischer
  15. Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai
  16. That Thing You Do!
  17. Dead Again (Quite the fun little thriller, and it’s fun to see Branagh and Thompson in something non-Shakespearean.)
  18. Sneakers
  19. Zero Effect
  20. The Butcher Boy
  21. Truly, Madly, Deeply
  22. In the Company of Men
  23. Devil in a Blue Dress
  24. The Red Violin (Beautiful film.)
  25. Cemetery Man
  26. Hamlet (This so needs to come out on DVD.)
  27. Breakdown
  28. Welcome to the Dollhouse (This one, I don’t remember liking at all. Maybe I need to give it another chance someday?)
  29. The Apostle
  30. Eve’s Bayou
  31. Hard Eight
  32. Defending Your Life
  33. A Little Princess
  34. Bringing Out the Dead
  35. Fireworks
  36. Jacob’s Ladder (Hated this the first time I saw it, then watched it again and saw everything I missed the first time. Great film.)
  37. The Spanish Prisoner
  38. Pump Up The Volume (Talk Hard! Love this one. And I really need more women coming on to me like the girl in here does….)
  39. Beautiful Girls
  40. The Double Life of Veronique
  41. Very Bad Things (One of the blackest comedies I’ve seen. Love it, and own it.)
  42. Richard III (Another one that really needs to be on DVD.)
  43. October Sky
  44. Strange Days (Had me really freaked about the Y2K turnover for a while.)
  45. My Neighbor Totoro (I want a catbus!)
  46. L.A. Story (Surreal and cute romantic comedy don’t always go together, but they work well here.)
  47. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
  48. A Bronx Tale
  49. The Limey
  50. A Perfect World
  51. Before Sunrise
  52. Bob Roberts (One of my favorite political comedy/mockumentaries. Own it.)
  53. Dick
  54. Raise the Red Lantern
  55. One False Move
  56. The Ref (Another wonderful black comedy.)
  57. Exotica
  58. Sonatine
  59. Joe Versus the Volcano
  60. Matinee (Saw it when it was in the theatre, and don’t really remember much of it.)
  61. The Ice Storm
  62. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (“Oh, that’s the last thing we need. A cock. In a frock. On a rock.”)
  63. Croupier
  64. The Winslow Boy
  65. Girl on the Bridge
  66. Bullet in the Head
  67. Darkman (Been ages since I’ve seen it, but remember enjoying it more than I expected.)
  68. Cannibal! The Musical
  69. Fast, Cheap & Out of Control
  70. Smoke (All I really remember is thinking that it was interesting…should re-rent it sometime.)
  71. The Last Days of Disco
  72. Fresh
  73. Eye of God
  74. Flirting With Disaster
  75. Bottle Rocket
  76. Ashes of Time
  77. Fallen Angels
  78. Great Expectations
  79. Kundun
  80. A Midnight Clear
  81. Deep Cover
  82. Ravenous
  83. Twin Falls, Idaho
  84. The People vs. Larry Flynt (Another one I don’t really remember.)
  85. Quick Change
  86. The Secret of Roan Inish
  87. Beloved
  88. Big Night (This one’s been on my “need to see” list since I fell in love with The Impostors.)
  89. Topsy-Turvy
  90. Living in Oblivion
  91. Jesus’ Son
  92. Glengarry Glen Ross (Didn’t like it at all when I saw it — another one to give another chance.)
  93. Chaplin (Loved this one.)
  94. Dead Alive (Another that’s been on my “need to see” list.)
  95. Jude
  96. Cradle Will Rock
  97. Proof
  98. The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl
  99. Titus (So, so good.)
  100. Mystery Men (Much better and funnier than I expected it to be.)

Wow — that’s kind of depressing, actually. Figured I’d have seen more than a quarter of them (just over, actually, at 28). Looks like I’ve got a lot to add to my Netflix queue!

iTunesCrablouse, The (Sample to the Lab)” by Lords of Acid from the album Crablouse, The (1994, 8:34).