The 100 Greatest movies of the 1990s #45. Apollo 13 (5 Viewers)

[Gally]

I see old people

Yeah, no kidding.

I think there was a thread recently that proved this

 

[Dr. Octopus]

51. The Iron Giant (1999)

Directed by: Brad Bird

Starring the voices of: Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick, Jr., Vin Diesel

Synopsis: During the Cold War, a young boy is befriended by a 50 foot mechanical robot from outer space.

You are who you choose to be…Superman. - Vin Diesel as the Iron Giant.

I think this is probably the best non-Disney, non-Pixar animated movie of all time. At least of the ones I’ve seen. Great story, great look, very moving, extremely entertaining and exciting film.

Great movie - Pete Townsend album about the same story is very good as well.

It seems the 1990s may be the golden age of animation, according to this list at least.

You mean according to some old *** dude that has never seen anime

No, I did not mean that.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Wow, a thread about 20th century movies attracting older posters. Who could have predicted that.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

Iron Giant was so good

 

[timschochet]

In truth I really should watch more anime. The problem is that the artwork all looks like Speed Racer to me. Sure the technology has gotten a lot better but…it still looks like Speed Racer.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

In truth I really should watch more anime. The problem is that the artwork all looks like Speed Racer to me. Sure the technology has gotten a lot better but…it still looks like Speed Racer.

Most of the Japanese animation looks like that to me, too. Ugh. I don't have that problem with Pixar.

 

[Todem]

And Osment's acting in the entire film is the best kid performance I've ever seen.

He hasn’t aged well, physically or psychologically:

https://x.com/nypost/status/1913212438507348199?s=46&t=kXp9uTPT7MTZKlfkEtBQZw

What a mess he has become.

I will choose to simply only remember him as the kid who sees dead people. Not that fat pile of anti semtic ****.

 

[Gally]

I will choose to simply only remember him as the kid who sees dead people. Not that fat pile of anti semtic ****.

He was also really good in Pay it Forward

 

[General Malaise]

And Osment's acting in the entire film is the best kid performance I've ever seen.

He hasn’t aged well, physically or psychologically:

https://x.com/nypost/status/1913212438507348199?s=46&t=kXp9uTPT7MTZKlfkEtBQZw

What a mess he has become.

I will choose to simply only remember him as the kid who sees dead people. Not that fat pile of anti semtic ****.

Good lord, he kind of looks like this guy now...yikes.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I LOVE Iron Giant and would have it top 10 for the decade.

"You are who you choose to be."
"Suuuuperrmannnnn..."

 

[zamboni]

And Osment's acting in the entire film is the best kid performance I've ever seen.

He hasn’t aged well, physically or psychologically:

https://x.com/nypost/status/1913212438507348199?s=46&t=kXp9uTPT7MTZKlfkEtBQZw

What a mess he has become.

I will choose to simply only remember him as the kid who sees dead people. Not that fat pile of anti semtic ****.

Good lord, he kind of looks like this guy now...yikes.

Maybe a bit of this guy too.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

51. The Iron Giant (1999)

Directed by: Brad Bird

Starring the voices of: Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick, Jr., Vin Diesel

Synopsis: During the Cold War, a young boy is befriended by a 50 foot mechanical robot from outer space.

You are who you choose to be…Superman. - Vin Diesel as the Iron Giant.

I think this is probably the best non-Disney, non-Pixar animated movie of all time. At least of the ones I’ve seen. Great story, great look, very moving, extremely entertaining and exciting film.

Great movie - Pete Townsend album about the same story is very good as well.

It seems the 1990s may be the golden age of animation, according to this list at least.

You mean according to some old *** dude that has never seen anime

No, I did not mean that.

Sorry, truth hurts.

So does getting punched in the mouth.

Do you think physical violence is a good response to being questioned or challenged?

"Face it girls. I'm older and have more insurance."

 

[El Floppo]

Watched 6th Sense in the last year with my kids... They loved it. And I keep finding new cool moments if they played it already knowing the plot.

Don't think I've watched Iron Giant with my kids who are both over animation. But dammit- might be my favorite animated movie. The story and writing is fantastic, and in an era where we were starting to see a shift to CGI animation, this felt old school but also so cool and original.

 

[TripItUp]

52. The Sixth Sense (1999)

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osmont

Meh, was fun the first time but always felt too gimmicky for me to deserve this much praise.

Trip's Official Ruling: Slightly overranked.

 

[TripItUp]

51. The Iron Giant (1999)

Directed by: Brad Bird

Starring the voices of: Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick, Jr., Vin Diesel

Oof, this is terrible. But we already know how I feel about ranking animated this high. I mean I liked it, don't really care to see it again.

Trip's Official Ruling: Significantly Overranked

 

[Andy Dufresne]

@TripItUp will not be invited over for movie night.

 

[KarmaPolice]

@TripItUp will not be invited over for movie night.

He likes completely average, cookie cutter Disney movies, but not the best of the genre.

Even WE can agree on these movies.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

Iron Giant was so good

I LOVE Iron Giant and would have it top 10 for the decade.

YAY I get to go to movie night!

 

[El Floppo]

Iron Giant was so good

I LOVE Iron Giant and would have it top 10 for the decade.

YAY I get to go to movie night!

some of these are just obvious... Iron Giant is a really well made, written, directed and voiced/acted movie... regardless of animation or not. some people can't see past that.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

animation is just a delivery system. I think I may have had a similar bias where I said animation=kids stuff but as I've grown older I think that less and less. Now when it comes to anime I still might have that same bias. I remember when I was a kid and I'd come home and watch Cartoon Network. I like/d Robotech which is an anime so I guess I'm a hypocrite but when things like Dragonball Z or Full Metal Alchemist came on I didn't watch. I also tend to associate anime with something that kids these days or kids of the 2000's like (I guess kids these days are on tik tok all day?) and I cringe everytime I see someone with an anime avatar online.

 

[KarmaPolice]

animation is just a delivery system. I think I may have had a similar bias where I said animation=kids stuff but as I've grown older I think that less and less. Now when it comes to anime I still might have that same bias. I remember when I was a kid and I'd come home and watch Cartoon Network. I like/d Robotech which is an anime so I guess I'm a hypocrite but when things like Dragonball Z or Full Metal Alchemist came on I didn't watch. I also tend to associate anime with something that kids these days or kids of the 2000's like (I guess kids these days are on tik tok all day?) and I cringe everytime I see someone with an anime avatar online.

It's also a laughably broad descriptor when it includes Curious George to Akira and South Park.

 

[TripItUp]

He likes completely average, cookie cutter Disney movies, but not the best of the genre.

Even WE can agree on these movies.

Nah, I just don't care for animated enough to rank it highly in a list like this. It appears I'm in the minority and I'm good with that!

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

So if there was a live action remake of an animated movie the live action would be better just because its live action?

 

[KarmaPolice]

He likes completely average, cookie cutter Disney movies, but not the best of the genre.

Even WE can agree on these movies.

Nah, I just don't care for animated enough to rank it highly in a list like this. It appears I'm in the minority and I'm good with that!

I just thought it was funny your first post made it sound like anybody watching these movies are some weird creep. Also that you seemed to like The Lion King but not movies I think are way better in the genre.

 

[TripItUp]

I just thought it was funny your first post made it sound like anybody watching these movies are some weird creep. Also that you seemed to like The Lion King but not movies I think are way better in the genre.

I mean, I like all of these films, just not as much as you guys.

 

[timschochet]

50. The Usual Suspects (1995)

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey

Synopsis: A mysterious Turkish crime lord manipulates events that lead to an unfortunate outcome.

The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist: Kevin Spacey as “Verbal” Kint.

Like The Sixth Sense this is a superb film with an ending twist that, for me, has made it unnecessary ever to watch again. Otherwise it might be ranked higher. I’m sure some will no doubt take issue with this ranking as they did with the earlier film.

On a side note, Kevin Spacey has played a significant role in this list with even more to come. He is/was one of our finest actors, and it’s really too bad that he has behaved so shamefully in his personal life as to now deprive us of his great talent.

 

[El Floppo]

I freaking loved Del Toro in this.

He'll flip ya. Flip ya for real.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I freaking loved Del Toro in this.

He'll flip ya. Flip ya for real.

He and Baldwin during the lineup always cracks me up.

 

[General Malaise]

Kevin Pollak has to be one of the most under appreciated actors of all time. Dude had a run in the 90s of some incredible performances in fantastic films.

 

[TripItUp]

50. The Usual Suspects (1995)

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Solid flick. Great cast, writing, directing. An easy movie to like that is rewatchable and has aged well.

Trip's Official Ruling: Appropriately Ranked

 

[Tau837]

50. The Usual Suspects (1995)

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey

Synopsis: A mysterious Turkish crime lord manipulates events that lead to an unfortunate outcome.

The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist: Kevin Spacey as “Verbal” Kint.

Like The Sixth Sense this is a superb film with an ending twist that, for me, has made it unnecessary ever to watch again. Otherwise it might be ranked higher. I’m sure some will no doubt take issue with this ranking as they did with the earlier film.

On a side note, Kevin Spacey has played a significant role in this list with even more to come. He is/was one of our finest actors, and it’s really too bad that he has behaved so shamefully in his personal life as to now deprive us of his great talent.

As usual, my rankings would be very different, and I would have ranked some movies already revealed higher than Tim. But this is the first one that moved me to comment that it feels significantly underranked to me.

 

[TripItUp]

So if there was a live action remake of an animated movie the live action would be better just because its live action?

All things being equal I would prefer the live action. No doubt.

 

[TripItUp]

In truth I really should watch more anime. The problem is that the artwork all looks like Speed Racer to me. Sure the technology has gotten a lot better but…it still looks like Speed Racer.

Exactly. The style throws me off every time.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Just did a quick check and there are 30 movies still to come that SHOULD be in the top 50.
At least 5 are foreign language and several from those 30 are unlikely to make this list.

 

[Ghost Rider]

There is no way on God's green earth that ther are 49 movies better than The Usual Suspects ever, much less in the 90s alone (although the 90s WAS an awesome decade for movies in general). A perfect movie, really.

 

[TripItUp]

There is no way on God's green earth that ther are 49 movies better than The Usual Suspects ever, much less in the 90s alone (although the 90s WAS an awesome decade for movies in general). A perfect movie, really.

I think I could come up with a list of 50...but it would be close. Several of which have already been ranked.

 

[General Malaise]

Just did a quick check and there are 30 movies still to come that SHOULD be in the top 50.
At least 5 are foreign language and several from those 30 are unlikely to make this list.

How many G rated movies are on here so far and how many more are available to draft from?

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

I think Tim said there were only 2 foreign language films. One was Life is Beautiful and the other is pretty easy to guess.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I freaking loved Del Toro in this.

He'll flip ya. Flip ya for real.

He and Baldwin during the lineup always cracks me up.

I think I read or saw somewhere that one of them (Del Toro IIRC) passed gas while they were filming that scene and that's why all of them cracked up. Singer didn't bother re-filming it.

 

[Don Quixote]

I think Tim said there were only 2 foreign language films. One was Life is Beautiful and the other is pretty easy to guess.

Is there one pretty obvious? A few foreign language films that I could see.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

Spoiler: pretty sure

its run lola run

but I could be wrong

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

and if it;s not then I'd be shocked how a Madonna docie got in over it

 

[Don Quixote]

Spoiler: pretty sure

its run lola run

but I could be wrong

Spoiler

That is one of the ones that I was thinking of as a possibility. I’d have some Wong Kar Wai like Chungking Express higher though. And maybe Princess Mononoke could show up given Tim’s love of animation.

 

[zamboni]

I think Tim said there were only 2 foreign language films. One was Life is Beautiful and the other is pretty easy to guess.

Emmanuelle Part IX?

 

[Tin Cup]

52. The Sixth Sense (1999)

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osmont

Synopsis: A child psychologist works with a child who says he can see dead people.

I see dead people…all the time. They’re everywhere. - Haley Joel Osmont as Cole Sear

So there’s a few films on this list that are extremely powerful when you watch them for the first time, because of the twist at the end. After that they lose a little of their power and though they are enjoyable the next time around some of the power is lost. That’s how I feel about this movie and a couple of others coming up. It is very well made though.

Too low, IMO. That's one of the most memorable movies of my lifetime and it is very rewatchable even though you know the ending.

Not saying it needs to be top 10, but there aren't 51 better movies from the 90's.

Yeah I get that the ranking may be unpopular for this and the other two “twist” films I am thinking of. I just disagree with you about the rewatchable part. I watched it a second time just to see what I missed knowing the twist. Then I had no interest. And for me that puts it below the classic films ranked above it, most of which I love to watch over and over.

The scene where Cole tells his mom what his grandma told him is as moving a scene as there is in film. The room gets dusty every time I watch it.

I couldn't agree more and consider it one of the finest scenes in movie history.
And Osment's acting in the entire film is the best kid performance I've ever seen.

Arguably also Donnie Wahlberg’s finest acting performance.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

There is no way on God's green earth that ther are 49 movies better than The Usual Suspects ever, much less in the 90s alone (although the 90s WAS an awesome decade for movies in general). A perfect movie, really.

How much of this is the retrospective Spacey ick factor?

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

This is one of two foreign language films that made the list. Normally I don’t include foreign language films on these lists, not because of their lack of value but because of my inexcusable ignorance on the subject. But these two films saw wide release to American audiences; both dealt with the same basic subject matter (though the films are extremely different.) This one was easily the more famous of the two, though I rank the other one significantly higher.

Spoiler: pretty sure

its run lola run

but I could be wrong

Spoiler

That is one of the ones that I was thinking of as a possibility. I’d have some Wong Kar Wai like Chungking Express higher though. And maybe Princess Mononoke could show up given Tim’s love of animation.

that's a good guess too but it could be none of those

so maybe

Spoiler

city of lost children

which I finally watched and would be way too high

or

Spoiler

Europa, Europa

which I enjoyed but I don't know if it was ever popular

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I freaking loved Del Toro in this.

He'll flip ya. Flip ya for real.

The line-up scene was scripted as a serious scene, but after a full day of filming takes where the actors couldn't keep a straight face, director Bryan Singer decided to use the funniest takes. A making-of documentary shows Singer becoming furious at the actors for the constant cracking-up. In an interview (on the Special Edition DVD), Kevin Pollak states that the hilarity came about when Benicio Del Toro "farted, like 12 takes in a row." Del Toro himself said "somebody" farted, but no one knew who.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Kevin Pollak has to be one of the most under appreciated actors of all time. Dude had a run in the 90s of some incredible performances in fantastic films.

“We can put you in Queens during the time”
“I live in Queens.”

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I think Tim said there were only 2 foreign language films. One was Life is Beautiful and the other is pretty easy to guess.

At least it can't be The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Good lord, that was awful.