Top Ten Films of 1990
I decided to make chunks of lists instead of doing the whole decade. I thought it would be fun to revisit each year like this. 1990 is the year the Hubble Space Telescope is launched, the World Wide Web was founded, and over 100 million dollars of paintings were stolen from a museum in Boston and to this day still haven’t been found. It is also a year full of movies: some of which were made by what are now considered some of the best directors of all time.
Here’s my favorite fifteen movies of this year. Five honorable mentions and then my top 10.
Here’s the video in case you prefer that.
Wild at Heart (Directed by David Lynch)
Mo’ Better Blues (Directed by Spike Lee)
Paris Is Burning (Directed by Jennie Livingston)
Home Alone (Directed by Chris Columbus) - HBO
The Hunt for the Red October (Directed by John McTiernan)
10. Blue Steel (Directed by Kathryn Bigelow) - Tubi
The police element of this movie isn’t great, but it dealing with females on the force and the struggles with that while also being a taut thriller of stalking and murder is fun. It’s also just dark enough to be eerie. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite Bigelow movie, but it certainly fits in with her other films depicting law enforcement and military. Another one I won’t be rewatching anytime soon.
9. Miller’s Crossing (Directed by Joel Coen)
Their third film is in my bottom half of their movies, but since they only make good films that just means it’s good instead of great. An old fashioned noir with fast talking and beautiful colors and characters. Back stabbing and two timing galore.
8. The Juniper Tree (Directed by Nietzchka Keene)
It’s got the style of a Bergman film and a great Björk performance. The black and white cinematography is gorgeous. Its landscapes are worth the 80 minutes alone. It made me think David Lynch would love it. I loved getting to see the restored version of it at Chattanooga Film Festival.
7. Close-Up (Directed by Abbas Kiarostami) - Criterion Channel
The type of movie that critics call a masterpiece. It didn’t stick with me the way it has others, but the hybrid documentary & fictional style has never won me over. It made me think much more than I actually loved it. One of those I’ll revisit in years and maybe it’ll knock me over. But for now I’ll just like it.
6. Total Recall (Directed by Paul Verhoeven)
One of my favorite practical effects movies of all time. I am not the biggest Arnold fan but the being directed by Verhoeven factor is what puts this one over the top. Sharon Stone is incredible in her few scenes, and Michael Ironside is one of my favorite bad guys.
5. The Exorcist III (Directed by William Peter Blatty) - Amazon Prime & Shudder
This might be a surprising entry but I swear it’s good. George C. Scott brings his alcoholic brooding ways to this series. The original writer of the first novel the movie was based on directs this one. It shows because this is much more about grief and sadness with strange novelistic vignettes. Patrick Ewing plays the angel of death at one point. I love it.
4. Tremors (Directed by Ron Underwood) - Netflix
One of my favorite movies on cable when I was a kid still holds up to me. It is better now that I understand the themes and character motivations. I just loved the tension and fun monsters. Now I can appreciate Fred Ward, Kevin Bacon, and Finn Carter. I haven’t seen the sequels but I plan on doing all of them someday.
3. King of New York (Directed by Abel Ferrera) - Amazon Prime & Tubi
Christopher Walken at his best. He plays a drug lord taking back his city after time in jail. It’s a pretty classic story plot wise, but the way this unfolds and how the actors bring the characters to life is so rare. David Caruso, Laurence Fishburne (incredible), and Wesley Snipes put it over the top.
2. Misery (Directed by Rob Reiner) - HBO Max
One of those classics that is considered that for a reason. James Caan is good, but Kathy Bates in the role that made her a household name is why you’re coming here. Every choice she makes is fascinating. I saw it again recently and it cemented it in this number 2 spot.
1. Goodfellas (Directed by Martin Scorsese) - Hulu
As close to a perfect movie as you can get in the gangster genre. You’ve probably seen it a few times and if you haven’t you know all about it. A touchstone movie in the culture. It was one of the first movies to change how I watched things. Ray Liotta, Lorraine Bracco, Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro, and Paul Sorvino make this thing sing. Scorsese directs the hell out of it. I can watch it anytime. One of my all time favorites and I get something new out of it each time.