50 best movies of 1993

IMDb rating: 6.8

Director: Kenny Ortega

Runtime: 96 min.

This Halloween cult classic was neither a hit with critics nor moviegoers when it first hit theaters in 1993. But the Disney film, which tells the story of teenager Max, who moves to Salem and awakens a trio of witches killed in the Salem Witch Trials. The film is very much a '90s kids movie, but the cast stands out: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy play the witches, and Thora Birch plays Max's sister.  

IMDb rating: 6.8

Director: Sydney Pollack

Runtime: 154 min.

This movie, based on the bestseller by John Grisham, follows a young lawyer (Tom Cruise) who takes a lucrative gig at a firm with a dirty secret. Direction from Sydney Pollack gave this movie a true '90s thriller sheen. This stacked cast also features Ed Harris, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Holly Hunter, Gary Busey, and Wilford Brimley. In 2012, NBC attempted to retell the story as a one-hour drama, without much success.

IMDb rating: 6.8

Director: Nora Ephron

Runtime: 105 min.

A true rom com classic, directed by Nora Ephron, the film follows the story of a widower (Tom Hanks) who is spurred back into romance when his son calls a radio show. On the other side of the country, a news reporter (Meg Ryan) hears the broadcast, and falls in love. The rest of the film is a master class in near-misses, fate, and the complications of later-in-life modern love. 

IMDb rating: 6.9

Director: Ron Underwood

Runtime: 104 min.

This fantasy comedy tells the story of a businessman (Robert Downey Jr.) who works on behalf of four guardian angels to help tie up loose ends they've left on earth. Downey Jr.'s character is born near a fatal trolley crash, and the four passengers (Tom Sizemore, Kyra Sedgwick, Alfre Woodard, and Charles Godin) look after the throughout his childhood—for better or worse. 

IMDb rating: 6.9

Director: Fred Schepisi

Runtime: 112 min.

Based on a true story (and Pulitzer Prize-nominated play), "Six Degrees of Separation" tells the story of a conman (Will Smith) who convinces affluent New Yorkers that he is the son of actor Sidney Poitier. Stockard Channing and Donald Sutherland play a rich couple who become his marks. The film earned Channing a nomination for Best Actress at the 1994 Academy Awards.  

IMDb rating: 6.9

Director: Bille August

Runtime: 140 min.

Based on the novel by Isabel Allende, "The House of the Spirits" follows a young woman (Meryl Streep) with the ability to predict the future. Her husband (Jeremy Irons), gains power in Chile during its revolution. The story is told by the woman's daughter (Winona Ryder), who falls in love with a revolutionary (Antonio Banderas). The book, "La Casa de los Espíritus," is one of the great debut novels of the 20th century. The film, on the other hand, was panned by critics disappointed that the cast and director could make a "hugely, grandiosely, pompously bad" film.   
 

IMDb rating: 6.9

Director: Duwayne Dunham

Runtime: 84 min.

Based on a novel by Sheila Burnford (and a 1963 film), "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" helped a generation of kids fall (even deeper) in love with their cats and dogs. In the 1993 Disney version, Michael J. Fox, Don Ameche, and Sally Field voice three lost pets—an immature pit bull, a wise Golden Retriever, and a cat with an attitude, respectively—who set out to find their owners in San Francisco. The film is a classic story of an unlikely group thrust together for a common cause.

IMDb rating: 6.9

Director: Jon Turteltaub

Runtime: 98 min.

Due to an accident, a Jamaican sprinter doesn't qualify for the 1988 Olympics. Instead, he recruits a coach (John Candy) to start the first-ever Jamaican bobsled team, bent on qualifying for the games even though they've never seen snow. The movies benefited from a score by Hans Zimmer, and a breakout hit on its soundtrack by Jimmy Cliff. His cover of "I Can See Clearly Now" hit #18 on the charts. 

IMDb rating: 6.9

Director: Chris Columbus

Runtime: 125 min.

Roger Ebert was not a fan of this film, and many critics made sure to note that this film would never reach the heights of Dustin Hoffman's cross-dressing classic "Tootsie." Nevertheless, everyone else loved this heartwarming comedy about a divorced dad who disguises himself as a British housekeeper to spend more time with his kids. Sally Field plays Williams' ex-wife, and Pierce Brosnan plays the man seemingly poised to replace him.
 

IMDb rating: 7.0

Director: John Dahl

Runtime: 98 min.

This small "neo-noir" movie was not widely seen, but was loved by critics. Nicholas Cage stars as a drifter mistaken for a hitman hired by Wayne (J.T. Walsh) to kill his wife Suzanne (Lara Flynn Boyle). Cage's character plays along, takes the money, and tries to save the wife. Things spiral when the real hitman (Dennis Hopper) finally arrives. 

IMDb rating: 7.0

Director: Rob Cohen

Runtime: 120 min.

This Bruce Lee biopic, based on the biography by his widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, tells the story of Lee's rise from a dishwasher in San Francisco to a world-famous actor and martial artist. Tragically, Bruce Lee's son, actor Brandon Lee, died on the set of "The Crow" the year this film hit theaters.

IMDb rating: 7.0

Director: Donald Petrie

Runtime: 103 min.

Two neighbors' rivalry is renewed when an attractive professor (Ann-Margret) moves onto the block. The film came out on Christmas Day and was a surprise hit, earning $70 million at the box office. The nostalgic fun of seeing "The Odd Couple" reunite proved irresistible. 

IMDb rating: 7.1

Director: Peter Weir

Runtime: 122 min.

Based on a novel by Rafael Yglesias, "Fearless" tells the story of a plane crash survivor (Jeff Bridges) whose subsequent change in character sees him estranged from his wife (Isabella Rossellini). John Turturro plays a psychiatrist studying Bridges' new personality. Rosie Perez was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as a fellow survivor who bonds with Bridges over their shared trauma.
 

IMDb rating: 7.1

Director: Frank Marshall

Runtime: 120 min.

"Alive" is based on the true story of the 1972 plane crash that stranded the Uruguayan rugby team in the snow-covered Andes mountains. As it becomes clear that no one is coming to save them, a new level of desperation hits. Ethan Hawke stars as Nando Parrado, one of the survivors, and John Malkovich narrates.
 

IMDb rating: 7.2

Director: Trey Parker

Runtime: 95 min.

Four years before "South Park" premiered, Trey Parker wrote and directed this musical about a pioneer who trades an insatiable appetite for gold for an appetite for human flesh. The film has become a cult classic, especially once Parker and writing partner Matt Stone became worldwide sensations. The two would return the musical genre again: first with "South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut" and again with their Tony Award-winning Broadway hit, "The Book of Mormon."

IMDb rating: 7.2

Director: Martin Scorsese

Runtime: 139 min.

Based on the classic novel by Edith Wharton, "The Age of Innocence" tells the story of a lawyer (Daniel Day-Lewis) set to marry a high-society woman (Winona Ryder), until he meets her soon-to-be-divorced cousin (Michelle Pfeiffer). Renowned director Martin Scorsese took the helm of this well-received period piece. 

IMDb rating: 7.2

Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik

Runtime: 98 min.

Johnny Depp plays Sam, an illiterate man who fancies himself a modern-day Buster Keaton, who falls in love with a mentally ill woman named Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson). Julianne Moore, Oliver Platt, and William H. Macy all appear in the film as well. The soundtrack helped bring The Proclaimers' "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" from Scotland to an American audience. The song was released in 1988, but didn't hit #3 on the Billboard Charts until August of 1993.

IMDb rating: 7.2

Director: Wolfgang Petersen

Runtime: 128 min.

"In the Line of Fire" is an essential 1990s thriller. Clint Eastwood stars as a Secret Service agent wracked with guilt after John F. Kennedy's assassination. He is called back to action to stop a modern-day presidential assassination. John Malkovich plays a former CIA agent now stalking the sitting president.
 

IMDb rating: 7.3

Director: Brian Gibson

Runtime: 118 min.

"What's Love Got to Do with It," based on the book "I, Tina" by Turner and Kurt Loder, tells the true story of Tina Turner's rise and struggle to free herself from her abusive relationship. In the film, Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne play Tina and Ike Turner, and both were nominated for Oscars.

IMDb rating: 7.3

Director: Agnieszka Holland

Runtime: 101 min.

Based on the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the 1993 adaptation of this popular story tells the tale of a young British girl living in India, sent to live at her uncle's English manor upon the untimely death of both parents. Her grief lifts upon discovering a walled-in garden on the estate (as well as a surprise in the house). Maggie Smith was nominated for a BAFTA for her portrayal of haughty and uptight housekeeper Mrs. Medlock.
 

IMDb rating: 7.3

Director: Michael Caton-Jones

Runtime: 115 min.

Based on Tobias Wolff's memoir, this film stars a Leonardo DiCaprio as Toby, a teenager who escapes an abusive father, only to arrive in Seattle where his mother marries another abusive man (Robert De Niro). Eliza Dushku and Tobey Maguire also appear in the film.
 

IMDb rating: 7.4

Director: Woody Allen

Runtime: 104 min.

In this Woody Allen comedy, a middle-aged couple (Allen and Diane Keaton) dive into an amateur investigation into the mysterious death of their neighbor's wife. The couple is aided by their friends, played by Alan Alda and Anjelica Huston. 
 

IMDb rating: 7.4

Director: Emir Kusturica

Runtime: 142 min.

"Arizona Dream" tells the surreal story of a young man (Johnny Depp) who travels from New York City to Arizona for his uncle's wedding (Jerry Lewis). Depp's character decides to stay in Arizona and meets two women: Elaine Stalker (Faye Dunaway) and her stepdaughter Grace (Lili Taylor). Tom Petty's "Into the Great Wide Open" was shot on set, and starred Depp and Dunaway.

IMDb rating: 7.4

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Runtime: 111 min.

This film, based on the Shakespearean play, has an impressive cast: Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves, Michael Keaton, and Kate Beckinsale all appear in this story of engagements and infidelities. The film was well-received and critically acclaimed, but Reeves was mocked for his portrayal of Don John—in fact, he got a Razzie for worst performance in a supporting role. Sir Kenneth Branagh starred in and directed the film.
 

IMDb rating: 7.5

Director: Steven Zaillian

Runtime: 109 min.

Based on the book by the father of chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin, "Searching for Bobby Fischer" tells the story of a young chess champion and the pressure to become the "next Bobby Fischer." Ben Kingsley plays the young prodigy's coach, who tries to push him to become brutally aggressive like Fischer. The boy is also mentored by Vinnie (Laurence Fishburne), a speed chess hustler who plays in Washington Square Park. The film was nominated for Best Cinematography at the 1994 Academy Awards, losing out to "Schindler's List."
 

IMDb rating: 7.5

Director: Albert and Allen Hughes

Runtime: 97 min.

This powerful directorial debut by the Hughes brothers tells the story of a young Caine Lawson and his friends getting pulled into a life of crime. Samuel L. Jackson and Jada Pinkett Smith star, and Tupac Shakur was originally supposed to be in the film, but was fired by Allen Hughes.
 

IMDb rating: 7.5

Director: David Anspaugh

Runtime: 114 min.

A sports movie classic, "Rudy" tells the true story of an undersized walk-on who works tirelessly to play on the Notre Dame football team. Sean Astin stars as the titular Rudy, and Jon Favreau as his friend and tutor. The film was written by Angelo Pizzo and directed by David Anspaugh—the same duo that wrote and directed "Hoosiers."

IMDb rating: 7.5

Director: Clint Eastwood

Runtime: 138 min.

Clint Eastwood directed this road thriller, starring Kevin Costner as an escaped convict who kidnaps a young boy. Eastwood plays a Texas Ranger on his trail, aided by a criminologist (Laura Dern) and an FBI agent (Bradley Whitford). The film is rarely mentioned as one of Eastwood's best, but it was both critically and commercially successful.

IMDb rating: 7.6

Director: Wayne Wang

Runtime: 139 min.

Based on the best-selling novel by Amy Tan (who also wrote the screenplay), "The Joy Luck Club" follows four Chinese women and their Chinese-American adult daughters. The film investigates the women's difficult relationships through flashbacks to their respective childhoods. Despite its success, both critically and at the box office, the film did not spur a wave of Asian-American films in Hollywood. 25 years later, "Crazy Rich Asians" was the next major film telling an Asian-American story.
 

IMDb rating: 7.6

Director: Joel Schumacher

Runtime: 113 min.

This strange film follows a recently divorced and laid-off man (Michael Douglas) who walks across Los Angeles to his daughter's birthday party, leaving a path of destruction. Robert Duvall plays an LAPD sergeant who attempts to track down Douglas.

IMDb rating: 7.7

Director: Ang Lee

Runtime: 106 min.

This 1993 romantic comedy by Ang Lee tells the story of a gay Taiwanese man (Winston Chao) who agrees to marry a Chinese woman (May Chin) to help her get a green card and placate his traditional parents. When his parents arrive and insist on a grand wedding banquet, complications ensue. This film was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 1994 Oscars. 12 years later, Lee would win his first of two Best Director Oscars for "Brokeback Mountain."
 

IMDb rating: 7.7

Director: Ron Maxwell

Runtime: 271 min.

Based on the historical novel "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara, "Gettysburg" tells the story of the gruesome three-day Civil War battle, during which more than 7,000 American soldiers were killed. The film is perhaps the most "epic" of war epics, clocking in at more than four hours. Martin Sheen plays Robert E. Lee, and Jeff Daniels is a standout among the stacked cast, portraying Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.  

IMDb rating: 7.7

Director: Robert Altman

Runtime: 188 min.

Based on nine short stories and a poem by Raymond Carver, this ensemble film by Robert Altman weaves together the stories of 22 Angelenos dealing with different variations of emptiness and infidelity. The cast features Julianne Moore, Matthew Modine, Tim Robbins, Robert Downey Jr., Jennifer Jason Leigh, Lily Tomlin, Jack Lemmon, and Frances McDormand. 
 

IMDb rating: 7.7

Director: Richard Linklater

Runtime: 102 min.

Richard Linklater's "Dazed and Confused" follows a interwoven friend groups—the stoners, the cool kids, and the incoming eighth-graders—finally uniting everyone at a keg party. Ben Affleck as a bully and Matthew McConaughey as a somewhat unsavory twenty-something who befriends high school students are standouts. Parker Posey said this was the best time she ever had on a set.

IMDb rating: 7.7

Director: Jonathan Demme

Runtime: 125 min.

In "Philadelphia," Tom Hanks plays lawyer Andrew Beckett, who is fired from his firm when his AIDS diagnosis is made public. After a difficult search, Beckett finally finds a lawyer (Denzel Washington) willing to represent him in a discrimination lawsuit. Hanks had been a much-loved movie star before this film, but his portrayal of Beckett brought his career to a new level. He won the Academy Award in 1994 (then again in 1995).

IMDb rating: 7.8

Director: David Mickey Evans

Runtime: 101 min.

1993 was a big year for nostalgic sports movies. Transporting the viewer to the summer of 1962, this classic tells the story of an awkward new kid in town, who finds a group of goofy, baseball-loving friends. Dennis Leary plays the boy's unpleasant stepfather, and James Earl Jones plays Mr. Mertle, the frightening owner of Beast, an English Mastiff who's ruining their good time. Bleacher Report named "The Sandlot" the greatest sports movie of all time.

IMDb rating: 7.8

Director: George P. Cosmatos

Runtime: 130 min.

Famous lawman Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) attempts to settle into a quiet retirement in Tombstone, Arizona, hoping to spend his days with his brothers (Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton) and his old friend Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer). Unfortunately, a band of bandits start making trouble in the era, so Earp and his crew head back into the fray. 
 

IMDb rating: 7.8

Director: Robert De Niro

Runtime: 121 min.

This mob movie classic, starring and directed by Robert De Niro, tells the story of a father who tries desperately to keep his young son away from mafia life. Chazz Palminteri plays the local mob boss in this film adapted from his autobiographical one-man show. De Niro bought the rights to the story after seeing the show in Los Angeles. It was his directorial debut, and helped launch Palminteri's film acting career.  
 

IMDb rating: 7.8

Director: Lasse Hallström

Runtime: 118 min.

Though "This Boy's Life" proved that Leonardo DiCaprio was a young actor to watch, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," which premiered just a couple weeks later, showed his true talents. DiCaprio plays Arnie Grape, the mentally challenged younger brother of Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp), a grocery store clerk. Juliette Lewis co-stars as Becky, the out-of-towner who falls for Gilbert Grape. DiCaprio was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 1995 Academy Awards. 

IMDb rating: 7.8

Director: Andrew Davis

Runtime: 130 min.

Based on the 1960s TV series, "The Fugitive" tells the story of Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), who escapes from custody and goes on the run after having been wrongfully convicted of his wife's murder and becoming the subject of a nation-wide manhunt led by Deputy Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones). This action thriller was critically acclaimed and a hit at the box office; it also was nominated for seven Oscars. Jones won Best Supporting Actor. The film is regularly cited as an example of a fan-favorite that was also an Oscar favorite.

IMDb rating: 7.9

Director: Eric Radomski

Runtime: 76 min.

This animated Batman movie is ambitious, but was a bit grim for some critics who were put off by the amount of violence in a PG-rated cartoon. The story focuses on a vigilante murderer the police mistake for Batman. Mark Hamill put down his lightsaber to voice "The Joker" in this film. 
 

IMDb rating: 7.9

Director: James Ivory

Runtime: 134 min.

Adapted from the award-winning book by Kazuo Ishiguro, "The Remains of the Day" tells the story of Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), the butler at an English manor in the years before World War II. The film focuses on the day-to-day life and unrealized love for one of the housekeepers (Emma Thompson), as lord of the manor creeps toward fascist ideology. James Ivory, who wrote the screenplay for "Call Me By Your Name," was nominated for Best Director at the 1995 Academy Awards. Both Hopkins and Thompson were also nominated.  

IMDb rating: 7.9

Director: Brian De Palma

Runtime: 144 min.

After his release from prison, Carlito (Al Pacino) does his best to steer clear of the world of drugs, crime, and violence that surrounds him. When he takes a job at a nightclub, it becomes harder and harder to stay on the straight and narrow. Pacino and director Brian De Palma reunited for this film 10 years after their cult classic mob movie "Scarface." Sean Penn plays Carlito's friend and scummy lawyer, and John Leguizamo plays on-the-rise gangster Benny Blanco.

IMDb rating: 7.9

Director: Tony Scott

Runtime: 119 min.

This film, directed by Tony Scott and written by Quentin Tarantino, stars Christian Slater as a pop culture nerd who marries a call girl (Patricia Arquette), kills her pimp (Gary Oldman), then runs off to Los Angeles. The cast is impressive: Dennis Hopper plays the main character's father, Christopher Walken plays a terrifying mob boss, James Gandolfini is the mob muscle, and Brad Pitt is a stoner roommate. Even Samuel L. Jackson shows up for a bit part. Tarantino's breakthrough came the year before with "Reservoir Dogs." The year after, he would write and direct "Pulp Fiction."  

IMDb rating: 8.0

Director: Taylor Hackford

Runtime: 180 min.

Written by poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, "Blood In, Blood Out" tells the story of three members from a Mexican family who take divergent paths from a life of crime in East Los Angeles. Critics are lukewarm on this film, but it's loved by fans.

IMDb rating: 8.0

Director: Henry Selick

Runtime: 76 min.

Produced by Tim Burton, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is the stop-motion dark epic musical we didn't know we needed until it arrived. The film tells the story of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, who grows tired of running Halloween and decides to try to do Santa's job this year. The film was a box office hit and critically lauded, with Roger Ebert putting it in a class of revolutionary world-building alongside "Metropolis" and "Star Wars."
 

IMDb rating: 8.0

Director: Harold Ramis

Runtime: 101 min.

Harold Ramis ("Caddyshack" and "Ghostbusters") wrote and directed the classic comedy that asks the question: "What if you had to live the same day over and over again?" Bill Murray stars as Phil, a crotchety weatherman sent to report on a small town's Groundhog Day festivities. Each morning, he wakes up to "I Got You Babe" on his radio alarm before reliving the same day. Andie Macdowell plays Rita, who lives each day with Phil before the loop restarts. Ramis was arguably the most important comedy writer of the second half of the 20th century, authoring and directing all-time great comedies and influencing the next generation of comedy writers.  

IMDb rating: 8.1

Director: Jim Sheridan

Runtime: 133 min.

Based on the autobiography of Gerry Conlon, "In the Name of the Father" tells the true story of Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) and the rest of the Guildford Four, who were wrongfully accused of being members of the Irish Republican Army. The film traces Conlon's life of petty crime before the bombing, the trial and injustice after the conviction, and the fight to clear their names. Day-Lewis was nominated for Best Actor, with co-stars Emma Thompson, Pete Postlewaite, and director Jim Sheridan receiving nominations as well.  
 

IMDb rating: 8.1

Director: Steven Spielberg

Runtime: 127 min.

Based on the bestseller by Michael Crichton, "Jurassic Park" takes place at a dinosaur-themed park where visitors can view dinosaurs brought back to life by genetic engineering, until things go horribly wrong. Spielberg used animatronics and practical effects to create the dinosaurs, which has enabled "Jurassic Park" to age very well. Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum star in this enduring classic action film. 

 

IMDb rating: 8.9

Director: Steven Spielberg

Runtime: 195 min.

In the same year that Steven Spielberg released the dinosaur movie that earned $357 million, he directed one of the greatest films of all time. "Schindler's List" tells the true story of Polish businessman Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who is slowly spurred to action to save his Jewish workforce from the Nazi occupiers. Ben Kingsley plays Schindler's Jewish accountant, and Ralph Fiennes plays an SS officer. The film was nominated for 12 Oscars, going on to win seven, including Best Picture and Best Director. Schindler's story remains an inspiring tale of unlikely heroism to this day.