Top Movies of the 1990s

This page offers lists of the top 25 movies of the decade as determined by two different metrics. The first list is based on box office and the second is based on critics’ picks.

Box Office: Top 25 of the 1990s These are the top 25 movies of the decade as determined by adjusted worldwide box office gross. The first number indicates dollars made in millions. See sources for box office figures here.

1) 5192.10: Titanic (1997) 2) 2860.20: Jurassic Park (1993) 3) 2384.50: The Lion King (1994) 4) 2344.40: Star Wars – Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) 5) 2173.00: Independence Day (1996) 6) 1924.90: Forrest Gump (1994) 7) 1583.70: Jurassic Park II: The Lost World (1997) 8) 1557.70: The Sixth Sense (1999) 9) 1508.80: Men in Black (1997) 10) 1450.90: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) 11) 1427.10: Aladdin (1992) 12) 1404.70: Ghost (1990) 13) 1387.20: Armageddon (1998) 14) 1312.40: Twister (1996) 15) 1287.20: Pretty Woman (1990) 16) 1249.60: Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) 17) 1216.70: Mission: Impossible (1996) 18) 1202.20: Saving Private Ryan (1998) 19) 1186.10: Beauty and the Beast (1991) 20) 1180.60: Dances with Wolves (1990) 21) 1163.50: The Bodyguard (1992) 22) 1117.00: Toy Story 2 (1999) 23) 1091.10: True Lies (1994) 24) 1089.90: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) 25) 1076.30: The Matrix (1999)

Critics’ Picks: Top 25 of the 1990s These are the top 25 movies of the decade as determined by a combination of the movies’ ratings points and awards points.

1) Schindler’s List (1993) 2) Saving Private Ryan (1998) 3) Fargo (1996) 4) Pulp Fiction (1994) 5) American Beauty (1999) 6) L.A. Confidential (1997) 7) Goodfellas (1990) 8) The Silence of the Lambs (1991) 9) Forrest Gump (1994) 10) Titanic (1997) 11) Dances with Wolves (1990) 12) Unforgiven (1992) 13) Toy Story (1995) 14) Apollo 13 (1995) 15) The Shawshank Redemption (1994) 16) Jurassic Park (1993) 17) Shakespeare in Love (1998) 18) Beauty and the Beast (1991) 19) The Matrix (1999) 20) The Sixth Sense (1999) 21) Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) 22) Good Will Hunting (1997) 23) The Lion King (1994) 24) The English Patient (1996) 25) Hoop Dreams (1994)

Resources: Dave’s Movie Database: Eras Dave’s Movie Database: Movies of the Year Dave’s Movie Database: Box Office Dave’s Movie Database: Awards Page Dave’s Movie Database: Ratings Page Originally posted 3/8/2025.