50 best movies from 1995

- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Number of IMDb votes: 65,300
- Director: Kevin Lima
- Run time: 1 hour 18 minutes

This animated Disney release takes Goofy on a cross-country road trip with his teenage son, Max. Naturally, hilarity ensues, but don't be fooled by the title: "A Goofy Movie" contains surprising emotional depth, and the film's portrayal of a father-son relationship has resonated with viewers of all ages. "A Goofy Movie" eventually scored five Annie Award nominations, including a nod for its earworm-filled soundtrack.

- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Number of IMDb votes: 91,899
- Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
- Run time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Starring John Travolta, Danny DeVito, and "The Sopranos" lead James Gandolfini, "Get Shorty" is a more lighthearted entry into the mob movie genre. The film follows Travolta's Chili Palmer, a gangster who visits Hollywood to collect on a debt but soon realizes he may be missing his true calling as a producer. Critics raved about "Get Shorty," which was eventually nominated for three Golden Globe Awards. Travolta took home the trophy for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy of Musical.

- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Number of IMDb votes: 137,553
- Director: Chris Noonan
- Run time: 1 hour 31 minutes

Few could have predicted the runaway success enjoyed by "Babe," an Australian comedy-drama centered on a little pig and his big dreams in the barnyard. Heartwarming and sentimental, "Babe" was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. The family-friendly animal adventure also grossed more than $250 million at the global box office. That'll do, pig.

- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Number of IMDb votes: 258,757
- Director: Amy Heckerling
- Run time: 1 hour 37 minutes

"Clueless" stars Alicia Silverstone as shallow but popular high schooler Cher Horowitz, who learns to reevaluate her own worth over the course of the movie. Though "Clueless" didn't please every critic (Time writer Richard Corliss bemoaned "several slow stretches of plot sludge"), it was well reviewed overall, and the film has become an undeniable classic. Writer-director Amy Heckerling adapted "Clueless" into a 2018 musical, and to this day, people still toss out memorable quotes like, "You're a virgin who can't drive."

- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Number of IMDb votes: 43,627
- Director: Woody Allen
- Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Despite the controversy surrounding director and star Woody Allen, "Mighty Aphrodite" remains one of the highest-rated films of 1995. Allen plays a professor who sets out to find the birth mother of his genius adopted son, only to discover that she's a scatterbrained sex worker. Actor Mira Sorvino won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Linda Ash, but later stated that working with Allen "tainted" her career.

- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Number of IMDb votes: 87,334
- Director: Larry Clark
- Run time: 1 hour 31 minutes

"Kids" earned its spot in Hollywood history for several reasons: launching the careers of Chloë Sevigny and Rosario Dawson, grossing $20.4 million worldwide against a $1.5 million budget, and, of course, stirring up massive controversy. Both praised and panned for its gritty portrayal of New York City teenagers, "Kids" still has a murky legacy. Many of the amateur actors who starred in the movie were barely paid for their work and later struggled to succeed in the industry due in part to the film's scandalous subject matter.

- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Number of IMDb votes: 130,883
- Director: Kevin Smith
- Run time: 1 hour 34 minutes

This Kevin Smith buddy comedy stars Jeremy London and Jason Lee as two guys who break up with their girlfriends and subsequently decide to spend their day—where else?—at the local mall. Though "Mallrats" underwhelmed at the box office at the time of its premiere, pulling in just $2.1 million, critics have since come to appreciate the movie's balance of slapstick physical comedy and Smith's trademark clever dialogue.

- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Number of IMDb votes: 18,139
- Director: Todd Haynes
- Run time: 1 hour 59 minutes

Not to be confused with the very different 2012 Jason Statham movie of the same name, 1995's "Safe" centers on a suburban housewife (Julianne Moore) who unexpectedly develops a mysterious debilitating illness. Though not a horror film per se, "Safe" creates an atmosphere of unsettling ambiguity that's continued to haunt audiences for decades. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the movie saw a resurgence in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Number of IMDb votes: 33,417
- Director: Oliver Stone
- Run time: 3 hours 12 minutes

Anthony Hopkins steps into the shoes of one of America's most infamous presidents in this gripping—and lengthy, running past the three-hour mark—political drama. Even with Hopkins in the title role, "Nixon" bombed at the box office, earning back just $34.7 million worldwide of its reported $44 million budget. Nevertheless, the movie was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Hopkins.

- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Number of IMDb votes: 49,571
- Director: Simon Wells
- Run time: 1 hour 18 minutes

Kids who grew up in the '90s are sure to remember this animated tale (based on real events) of outcast sled dog Balto, voiced by Kevin Bacon, and his lifesaving race through Alaska's interior. While critics were mixed on the film, complaining about a lack of characterization for the "blandly heroic" titular pooch, audiences fell in love. "Balto" currently has an audience score of 70% on Rotten Tomatoes and is now often described as a classic children's movie.

- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Number of IMDb votes: 100,277
- Director: Peter Segal
- Run time: 1 hour 37 minutes

"Saturday Night Live" alums Chris Farley and David Spade give memorable performances as a mismatched pair trying to save a family business. At the time of the movie's premiere, critics panned "Tommy Boy." Actor Bo Derek landed a Razzie nomination for Worst Supporting Actress, while Roger Ebert wrote that "the movie is an assembly of clichés and obligatory scenes from dozens of other movies, all are better." Audiences largely disagreed, however, and its many fans will tell you that "Tommy Boy" is one of the best comedies of the 1990s.

- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Number of IMDb votes: 201,812
- Director: Robert Rodriguez
- Run time: 1 hour 44 minutes

Salma Hayek and a long-haired Antonio Banderas lead this epic action pic about a musician-turned-gunslinger determined to take down a bloodthirsty drug lord, played by Joaquim de Almeida. The second part of director Robert Rodriguez's Mexico trilogy, "Desperado" quickly garnered a far-reaching fanbase thanks to its high-octane action sequences and the steamy romance between Hayek's and Banderas' characters. In fact, Hayek has noted that the movie launched her to international stardom nearly overnight.

- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Number of IMDb votes: 390,607
- Director: Joe Johnston
- Run time: 1 hour 44 minutes

Based on a 1981 children's book of the same name, "Jumanji" packs a surprising amount of action into a family-friendly kids' movie. The film stars a young Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce as a pair of siblings who unwittingly release a cursed board game on the world, freeing its previous player, Alan (Robin Williams), in the process. "Jumanji" grossed an impressive $262 million at the global box office and spawned a franchise, currently at four movies and counting.

- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Number of IMDb votes: 80,495
- Director: Kathryn Bigelow
- Run time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Despite featuring impressive special effects and strong performances from Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett, "Strange Days" flopped at the box office at the time of its premiere, netting a measly $7.9 million against a $42 million budget. But that wasn't the end for this sci-fi thriller, which won two Saturn Awards from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, and has since become something of a cult classic. "Strange Days" takes place during the tail end of 1999, when black marketeer Lenny Nero (Fiennes) uncovers a sinister conspiracy surrounding a virtual reality device.

- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Number of IMDb votes: 128,918
- Director: F. Gary Gray
- Run time: 1 hour 31 minutes

F. Gary Gray's "Friday" joins a long and venerable line of '90s stoner comedies. Ice Cube and Chris Tucker play two friends who spend their Friday on a wild adventure around town, trying to find, hustle, and steal enough money to pay off a local drug dealer. The movie was followed by two sequels, and according to Ice Cube, a fourth "Friday" is now in the works.

- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Number of IMDb votes: 275,729
- Director: Martin Campbell
- Run time: 2 hours 10 minutes

"GoldenEye" marked Pierce Brosnan's first outing as 007, as well as James Bond's return to the silver screen after six years away. The world's favorite British intelligence agent must face off against a Russian crime syndicate—and the seductive Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen)—to secure a powerful secret defense system. Nominated for two BAFTA Awards, "GoldenEye" is often ranked as the best of Brosnan's Bond movies.

- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Number of IMDb votes: 15,865
- Director: Richard Loncraine
- Run time: 1 hour 44 minutes

Ian McKellen plays the titular murderous monarch in this Shakespeare adaptation, which swaps 15th-century England for a fictitious U.K. civil war in the 1930s. McKellen and director Richard Loncraine ran out of funding halfway through the shoot and had to bootstrap the rest of the film, but the results speak for themselves: "Richard III" was nominated for two Academy Awards and won two BAFTAs. Defined by McKellen's sinister performance, the movie is widely regarded as one of the best Shakespeare adaptations of all time.

- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Number of IMDb votes: 24,806
- Director: Álex de la Iglesia
- Run time: 1 hour 39 minutes

"The Day of the Beast," or "El día de la bestia," tells the story of a Catholic priest who must locate the infant Antichrist in Madrid and avert the coming apocalypse. Naturally, he does so by joining a Black Metal fan and an Italian occultist to commit as many sins as possible. "The Day of the Beast" won several Goya Awards (Spain's equivalent of the Oscars) and has, appropriately enough, become a cult favorite in the years since its release.

- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Number of IMDb votes: 31,544
- Director: Marc Rocco
- Run time: 2 hours 2 minutes

Very loosely based on a true story, "Murder in the First" stars Christian Slater as novice lawyer James Stamphill, tasked with defending a once mild-mannered Alcatraz inmate (Kevin Bacon) who murdered a guard after spending three years in solitary confinement. The crime thriller's all-star cast garnered numerous accolades, including a Critics Choice Award win for Bacon. Screenwriter Dan Gordon later adapted the movie into a play, which premiered in Los Angeles in 2000.

- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Number of IMDb votes: 42,532
- Director: Stephen Herek
- Run time: 2 hours 24 minutes

This quintessential feel-good film explores the tremendous impact of educators. Richard Dreyfuss plays the title composer, who dreams of one day writing a famous original piece but teaches high school music to pay the bills. "Mr. Holland's Opus" landed Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, but the movie's influence reverberates well past any trophies. The film's composer, Michael Kamen, eventually opened a nonprofit dedicated to musical education.

- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Number of IMDb votes: 125,143
- Director: Scott Kalvert
- Run time: 1 hour 42 minutes

Before he broke hearts in "Titanic," Leonardo DiCaprio starred in "The Basketball Diaries," the haunting true story of a high school athlete who descends into drug addiction. Based on Jim Carroll's 1978 autobiography, the movie got less-than-stellar reviews from critics. DiCaprio's performance as Carroll, however, garnered plenty of praise, as did the film's unflinching look at the harsh realities of substance abuse.

- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Number of IMDb votes: 38,323
- Director: Todd Solondz
- Run time: 1 hour 28 minutes

Just about anyone who's been through the trials and tribulations of middle school can relate to "Welcome to the Dollhouse." This coming-of-age black comedy probes at the most painful parts of tweenhood, as seen through the eyes of seventh-grade misfit Dawn Wiener (Heather Matarazzo). "Welcome to the Dollhouse" was nominated for five Film Independent Spirit Awards, with Matarazzo winning for her debut performance, and remains a favorite among critics and audiences today. The Guardian's Keva York wrote in 2024 that the movie "is likely to stir up one's own memories of being pushed to the margins."

- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Number of IMDb votes: 38,912
- Director: Wayne Wang
- Run time: 1 hour 52 minutes

Slow-moving and thoughtful, "Smoke" takes place in a Brooklyn smoke shop, the stomping ground of choice for various colorful characters. Though the movie won over critics and picked up a handful of award nominations on the film festival circuit, "Smoke" failed to garner any Golden Globe or Academy Award nods. Still, the film's meandering, character-driven storyline has established it as a standout in director Wayne Wang's filmography.

- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Number of IMDb votes: 50,214
- Director: Taylor Hackford
- Run time: 2 hours 12 minutes

Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, "Dolores Claiborne" stars Kathy Bates as the titular woman, a housekeeper accused of murdering her wealthy elderly employer (Judy Parfitt). Fans of King's typical horror-movie adaptations may be disappointed by the slow-burning suspense of "Dolores Claiborne," but most viewers agree that the film merits a watch for Bates' stellar performance.

- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Number of IMDb votes: 127,571
- Director: Tony Scott
- Run time: 1 hour 56 minutes

This thriller takes place just after the Cold War, but the real conflict isn't between Russia and the U.S. Instead, a young and relatively inexperienced lieutenant commander (Denzel Washington) must take decisive—and mutinous—action to prevent his captain (Gene Hackman) from pulling the trigger on a nuclear warhead. "Crimson Tide" was nominated for three Oscars, and Hans Zimmer's original soundtrack won a Grammy Award.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Number of IMDb votes: 20,764
- Director: Tom DiCillo
- Run time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Starring Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, and Dermot Mulroney, this indie comedy shines a new light on the labor of love known as low-budget filmmaking. Both everyday audiences and industry insiders—who might see a little of themselves in Buscemi's Nick Reve—gave the movie largely glowing reviews. "Living in Oblivion" won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival, and later received three Film Independent Spirit Award nominations.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Number of IMDb votes: 22,631
- Directors: Katsuhiro Ôtomo, Kôji Morimoto, Tensai Okamura
- Run time: 1 hour 53 minutes

This Japanese sci-fi movie features three different short films, each of which is created by a different animator. All three vignettes—one about an abandoned space station, one about a lab worker, and one about a father and son—surprise and disturb in their own ways, so no spoilers here. Suffice it to say, "Memories" isn't for the faint of heart, but that hasn't diminished its lasting popularity among audiences.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Number of IMDb votes: 54,493
- Director: Wong Kar-wai
- Run time: 1 hour 39 minutes

Auteur Wong Kar-wai takes audiences to Hong Kong's seedy crime underbelly in "Fallen Angels," which follows a hit man (Leon Lai) and his female partner (Michelle Reis). While "Fallen Angels" isn't as instantly recognizable as some of Wong's other works, the movie is still seen as a perfect representation of the director's signature lush visual style.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Number of IMDb votes: 72,892
- Directors: Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet
- Run time: 1 hour 52 minutes

Despite its title and fantastical world building, "The City of Lost Children" is anything but a kids' movie. Grim and gritty, this surreal film centers on a scientist who abducts children to steal their dreams and slow his own aging process. "The City of Lost Children" quickly became a critical success—it was nominated for several high-profile awards, including multiple nods at France's César Awards.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Number of IMDb votes: 103,828
- Director: Tim Robbins
- Run time: 2 hours 2 minutes

Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn star in this movie about a death row inmate who befriends a nun as his execution date approaches. Inspired by the real-life story of Sister Helen Prejean, who became friends with Sarandon over the course of the production, "Dead Man Walking" won Sarandon the Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for three other Oscars, including Best Original Song for Bruce Springsteen's title track.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Number of IMDb votes: 105,281
- Director: Jim Jarmusch
- Run time: 2 hours 1 minute

Johnny Depp and Gary Farmer take a dreamy trip across the Wild West in "Dead Man," a black-and-white film channeling the style and substance of a bygone era. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, critics were divided on the film—Roger Ebert called it "a strange, slow, unrewarding movie," while Jack Mathews of the Los Angeles Times spoke highly of the film's "entertainingly quirky" characters. Enough influential people agreed with Mathews to get "Dead Man" nominated for four Film Independent Spirit Awards.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Number of IMDb votes: 139,036
- Director: Mike Figgis
- Run time: 1 hour 51 minutes

In one of his most critically acclaimed roles, Nicolas Cage plays alcoholic screenwriter Ben Sanderson, who forms an unexpected connection with sex worker Sera (Elisabeth Shue) in Sin City. While Cage might not have been paid for his work in "Leaving Las Vegas," he did pick up the Academy Award for Best Actor. Sometimes described as the "most absolutely depressing movie ever seen," "Leaving Las Vegas" is still praised for its writing and direction.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Number of IMDb votes: 37,686
- Director: Alfonso Cuarón
- Run time: 1 hour 37 minutes

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the Frances Hodgson Burnett novel, "A Little Princess" helped define children's movie releases in 1995. The film stars Liesel Matthews as Sara Crewe, an imaginative student at an all-girls boarding school during World War I. Acclaimed for its fantastical depictions of childhood, "A Little Princess" was nominated for two Academy Awards.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Number of IMDb votes: 91,773
- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Run time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Clint Eastwood both directs and stars in this simmering romantic drama based on the novel of the same name by Robert James Waller. "The Bridges of Madison County" sees a traveling photographer (Eastwood) and a housewife (Meryl Streep) connect and embark on a stirring affair that lasts just a few days. Aside from generating a lasting appreciation for the historically significant bridges of the title, the movie also landed Streep an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Number of IMDb votes: 417,646
- Director: John McTiernan
- Run time: 2 hours 8 minutes

The third film in the "Die Hard" franchise, "Die Hard with a Vengeance" has Bruce Willis' John McClane team up with electrician Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson) to defeat a terrorist (Jeremy Irons) who has taken control of New York City. The movie enjoyed a favorable audience response and was a major box-office success, grossing more than $366 million in global ticket sales.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Number of IMDb votes: 129,863
- Director: Ang Lee
- Run time: 2 hours 16 minutes

Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet star in this Regency-era period drama as the polar opposite Dashwood sisters, who embark on their own journeys of life and love after their father's passing. Known as one of the most faithful Jane Austen adaptations, "Sense and Sensibility" earned numerous accolades, including Academy Award nominations for both Thompson and Winslet. Ultimately, the film won just one of its seven Oscar nods, with Thompson's script landing the Best Adapted Screenplay prize.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Number of IMDb votes: 323,648
- Director: Ron Howard
- Run time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Based on the harrowing true story of a 1970 space mission gone wrong, "Apollo 13" scored big at the box office and with critics, and ultimately won two Academy Awards. The film stars Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Bacon as a trio of astronauts who must find their way safely home after their rocket undergoes major damage. Applauded for its masterful handling of tension and drama, "Apollo 13" is often ranked as one of Hollywood's best space movies.

- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Number of IMDb votes: 76,858
- Director: Yoshifumi Kondō
- Run time: 1 hour 51 minutes

One of the most unique yet often overlooked Studio Ghibli films, "Whisper of the Heart" is the only Ghibli release directed by Yoshifumi Kondō before his death at age 47. The movie follows a tween bookworm who befriends an aspiring violin-maker and gets into all manner of shenanigans—including chasing a giant cat—along the way. The film's idyllic coming-of-age narrative and original soundtrack have earned "Whisper of the Heart" enduring critical acclaim (and a spot on countless "Underrated Studio Ghibli Films" lists).

- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Number of IMDb votes: 162,847
- Director: Mamoru Oshii
- Run time: 1 hour 23 minutes

Based on a manga series, "Ghost in the Shell" centers on a cyborg police officer as she and her partner hunt down a powerful hacker. The film landed five Annie Award nominations and has only become more popular among global audiences in the years since its release. The same can't be said for the movie's 2017 live-action adaptation, which was met with significant casting controversy and dismal reviews.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Number of IMDb votes: 62,367
- Director: Emir Kusturica
- Run time: 2 hours 47 minutes

In the surreal dark comedy "Underground," two black market salesmen attempt to turn a quick buck and lead a life of luxury during wartime. While the Serbian movie doesn't fit neatly into a single genre, "Underground" is generally regarded as a war film—and one of the best ones ever made at that. The film won the Cannes Palme d'Or and is widely appreciated outside of its native region.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Number of IMDb votes: 79,305
- Director: Aditya Chopra
- Run time: 3 hours 1 minute

In this romantic comedy, two young lovers traverse Europe and India, trying to get their traditional families to rally around their relationship. Seamlessly combining modern perspectives with Indian cultural traditions, "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" is often credited with revolutionizing Bollywood for a younger generation of moviegoers.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Number of IMDb votes: 659,718
- Director: Terry Gilliam
- Run time: 2 hours 9 minutes

Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt star in this twisty sci-fi drama about a convict sent back in time to gather information on a deadly virus. Acclaimed for its riveting original storyline and Terry Gilliam's strong directorial voice, "12 Monkeys" continues to win over viewers to this day. Pitt also earned recognition for his unsettling portrayal of eco-activist Jeffrey Goines, landing an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe win for Best Supporting Actor.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Number of IMDb votes: 207,418
- Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
- Run time: 1 hour 38 minutes

Three decades after its release, the French drama "La Haine" remains tragically relevant to the social issues of today. The movie (whose title translates to "Hatred") chronicles the effects of a violent riot that takes place after an Arab man is beaten unconscious by police. Director Mathieu Kassovitz recently adapted the story to a hip-hop stage musical, which premiered in 2024.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Number of IMDb votes: 353,540
- Director: Richard Linklater
- Run time: 1 hour 41 minutes

"Before Sunrise" ranks as one of the most popular '90s love stories for good reason. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy star as a pair of young romantics who spend one magical evening together in Vienna, knowing that they must part at dawn. The movie currently holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising everything from Linklater's writing to the film's cinematography to the effortless chemistry between Hawke and Delpy. The actors reunited for the sequels "Before Sunset" in 2004 and "Before Midnight" in 2013.

- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Number of IMDb votes: 584,114
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Run time: 2 hours 58 minutes

This mob movie spans several years in the life of Las Vegas mafia enforcer Sam "Ace" Rothstein, played with finesse by Robert De Niro. Though some reviews felt "Casino" was a retread of Martin Scorsese's earlier works, the film nevertheless succeeded at the box office and with most critics. Sharon Stone, who plays Rothstein's flighty wife Ginger, received the movie's lone Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Number of IMDb votes: 744,884
- Director: Michael Mann
- Run time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Robert De Niro also stars in "Heat," acting alongside Al Pacino and Val Kilmer. The epic film sees a group of high-rolling thieves face off against the Los Angeles Police Department. This tense action thriller received waves of critical acclaim, much of it for the movie's all-star performances. That said, the forthcoming sequel, announced by director Michael Mann in 2024, will likely have a brand new cast.

- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Number of IMDb votes: 1.11 million
- Director: John Lasseter
- Run time: 1 hour 21 minutes

This instant classic from Disney went down in cinematic history as the first film to ever be wholly animated using computer generated imagery. Beyond its technological achievements, "Toy Story" also benefited from a compelling story about toys that come to life when their owner isn't looking. The film's stellar soundtrack—featuring the Oscar-nominated original song "You've Got a Friend in Me"—also won over countless viewers. Of course, it helps that Woody, Buzz, and friends have appeared in several sequels, with "Toy Story 5" due out in 2026.

- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Number of IMDb votes: 1.12 million
- Director: Mel Gibson
- Run time: 2 hours 58 minutes

Years before Mel Gibson's blue-faced Scottish warrior became internet meme fodder, "Braveheart" was one of the most highly rated movies of 1995. Based very loosely on the story of 13th-century rebel William Wallace, the movie grossed more than $213 million globally and won five of its 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Gibson. As the film's shine has dimmed over the decades, viewers have been quick to point out the slew of historical inaccuracies in "Braveheart" (including a white van appearing in the background of one shot).

- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- Number of IMDb votes: 1.18 million
- Director: Bryan Singer
- Run time: 1 hour 46 minutes

At this point, "The Usual Suspects" is probably best known for its well-executed plot twist, but masterful performances from stars Benicio Del Toro, Gabriel Byrne, and Kevin Spacey have also helped cement the movie's legacy. Spacey won an Academy Award for playing con artist Verbal Kint, while screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie picked up the Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Number of IMDb votes: 1.88 million
- Director: David Fincher
- Run time: 2 hours 7 minutes

This grisly horror-thriller shocked audiences when it premiered and has since become one of the most iconic movies of the '90s, with the unforgettable line "What's in the box?" still quoted today. In "Se7en," Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt play a pair of police detectives who must track down a serial killer taking inspiration from the seven deadly sins. Though "Se7en" didn't win any major awards, the movie made more than $328 million at the global box office and remains a beloved favorite among film fans.

Data reporting by Wade Zhou. Story editing by Louis Peitzman. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.