Some years in film history are bland. Nothing particularly big gets released, major franchises are left to fester and new, original ideas are few and far between. On the other side of the spectrum, we have the years which are full of brilliant, unique ideas that grab the world by the horns. 1994 (alongside a multitude of other years, of course) was one of the best times for filmmakers to drop a spectacular work of cinematic brilliance.
We’ve put together a ranking of the ten best films to come from the mid-point of the 1990s, from Oscar-winning blockbusters to under-appreciated works of art.
Natural Born Killers
One of Woody Harrelson’s most-loved roles came from his starring place in Natural Born Killers. Many aren’t aware that the film’s story is actually credited to Quentin Tarantino himself (though he has since disowned it) as he came up with the idea of two lovers with traumatic childhoods who became glorified murderers. Critics were divided and the film, very controversially, inspired some copycat crimes in the real world.
Dumb And Dumber
The less said about both the prequel and sequel to Dumb and Dumber the better, but the original film is a comedy classic. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels combine to tell the story of Harry Dunne and Lloyd Christmas with trademark stupidity and a perfect script. It was a huge hit at the box office and was the film that primarily led Carrey towards a multitude of 1990s roles.
Speed
Speed has one of the craziest and most intense plots a film has ever managed to create: a bomb on a bus will explode if the bus dips below 50 miles per hour.
It keeps you on the edge of your seat whether you’re flying through the city or speeding down the closed-off freeway. The film won both Best Sound and Best Sound Editing at the Academy Awards.
Ed Wood
Tim Burton isn’t exactly known for making 'normal' films, and Ed Wood certainly isn’t a straightforward piece of clear-cut cinema, even if it is one of his less bizarre adventures. Johnny Depp, in one of his earlier collaborations with the director, portrays the titular Ed Wood, a real director known for his low-budget sexploitation films full of terrible effects, camp aspects, stock footage and just all-around terrible filmmaking.
The Lion King
The Lion King is considered by many to be one of the best films ever made, and by even more, the best animated film of all time. Disney’s take on a combination of Hamlet and the stories of Joseph and Moses from the Bible was a star-studded hit that has gone on to have two follow-up films, two TV series’ and the mega-budget Blockbuster of a 2019 remake. The original (and the best) hit screens in 1994.
Léon: The Professional
Natalie Portman’s first film role doubled up as what can very easily be considered the best film she has ever been a part of. Alongside Jean Reno and Gary Oldman, she played twelve-year-old Mathilda as she was taken on by Léon, a hitman, to learn his trade. The film was a success with critics and is remembered as a uniquely exciting, character-driven thriller.
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump swept up during the 1994 awards season, taking home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects and Best Film Editing at the Academy Awards. The charming story is a much more family-friendly version of Winston Groom’s 1986 novel, which places the titular character of Forrest Gump into the middle of various important historical events with touching wit.
The Usual Suspects
The story of The Usual Suspects is centered on a character called Verbal (played by Kevin Spacey, who we won’t talk about) and his retelling of the events of a massacre on board a ship, which he survived.
The mystery and tension surrounding the story and that twist are enough to have this film wander its way towards the top of this list, despite being overshadowed by many of the year’s big-budget blockbusters.
Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece, Pulp Fiction, lands in second place on our list of the best films of 1994. His non-linear storyline construction combined with excellent performances from Samuel L Jackson, John Travolta (who Tarantino believed in and helped forge a career outside of his typecast previous roles) and Uma Thurman turned Pulp Fiction into an instant classic. It features all of the calling cards of Tarantino’s style, from uber-violence to an ironic sense of humor and a cartoonish, parodical presentation.
The Shawshank Redemption
According to IMDb voters, The Shawshank Redemption is the greatest film ever made. It holds a truly impressive 9.3 rating on the site, amassed via an incredibly addictive story full of wonderful characters and some of the best acting performances of all time. Despite not being a horror, this story, like so many others, came from the mind of Stephen King and was turned into a masterpiece of cinema by Frank Darabont. It might have been nominated for seven Academy Awards in the end, but upon release, the film was a box office failure and was overshadowed by many of the films mentioned above.