Decade by decade, I'm ranking the winners of the Academy Award for Best Picture. From greatest to least great, here's the '90s.
Schindler's List (1993) - Considered Steven Spielberg's masterpiece, for better or for worse. After years of snubs and speculation about his status as a serious director, Spielberg made a film so overwhelming in its scope and subject matter that it was impossible for the Academy to deny its importance and quality. I haven't seen this film in twenty years, but many scenes remain sharp in my memory. Other strong nominees from this year include "Remains of the Day" and "The Piano."
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Achieved a rare, but well-deserved sweep of the major categories, and is still one of the few real genre films to win Best Picture. The impact of "Lambs" on all crime and horror fiction has been significant, and Hannibal Lecter has become his own franchise in the years since this film. The win was deserve, but note that this was the closest any animated film ever got to Best Picture. "Beauty and the Beast" definitely would have had my vote.
Unforgiven (1992) - Clint Eastwood was an Oscars mainstay for decades, and this is easily the year he most deserved his kudos. I like the interpretation that this is Eastwood's final, elegiac goodbye to the movie western, and his last word on the subject of their mythic heroes. Eastwood's performance is great, of course, but this also has one of my favorite Gene Hackman appearances, playing the villain. Of the other nominees, "The Crying Game" and "Howard's End" are standouts.
Shakespeare in Love (1998) - Boy, those "Saving Private Ryan" fans know how to hold a grudge. I've been defending the "Shakespeare in Love" win for decades now, no matter what you want to say about Harvey Weinstein's awards campaigning tactics. It's a Stoppard script! It's a perfect cast! It's the first comedic winner since "Annie Hall"! It was the right movie at the right time, and it's still a fabulous watch. I refuse to apologize for being a fan or preferring this to Spielberg's gloomy WWII throwback.
Titanic (1997) - There's nothing wrong with a little quality spectacle, and James Cameron ensured that this was as spectacular as a disaster film could get. Even if you find the Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio love story a little lacking, the massive scale staging of the sinking of the Titanic more than makes up for it. Still, I prefer "A Night to Remember," and on rewatches I tend to skip the first half. This was also a year of very strong contenders, and I would've picked "The Full Monty."
Forrest Gump (1994) - Like "Titanic," this is one of the cultural touchstones of the 1990s. I saw it multiple times, simply because it was a popular success and firmly part of the mainstream consciousness. There's been a lot of reconsideration of the film's nostalgic depictions of American history, and the Forrest Gump character, which is indicative of how quickly this is aging. Other nominees, like "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Pulp Fiction" are holding up better.
American Beauty (1999) - I used to love this film, and I still have warm feelings toward it. However, it paints a melancholy view of adulthood and adolescence that looks much less insightful now that I'm actually grown. I appreciate the satirical elements more, though, and I've stopped feeling bad about enjoying Kevin Spacey's performance. Also, "American Beauty" is significantly better than all the other nominees - a weird mix of titles from a year with no shortage of great films.
Braveheart (1995) - I have no interest in ever watching this again, but I can't deny that it's a very effective piece of action filmmaking. Mel Gibson putting William Wallace's adventures onscreen certainly has more entertainment value than many of the other winners from this time period. I just happened to like all the other nominees from this year better - "Apollo 13," "Babe," "Il Postino," and "Sense and Sensibility." I'd pick "Babe" to win, edging out Jane Austen.
The English Patient (1996) - I can't take this film seriously anymore after that "Seinfeld" episode where Elaine suffers through multiple viewings, bored out of her mind. There's an old fashioned romanticism here that I really have to be in the right headspace to enjoy. This was also a very good year for Best Picture contenders with much better options - "Fargo," "Secret & Lies," and "Shine" among them. Even "Jerry Maguire" would have been a more memorable pick.
Dances With Wolves (1990) - This hasn't aged especially badly compared to some of the other winners, but the three hour running time, the white savior narrative, and Kevin Costner's screen presence sure don't do it any favors. The depiction of Native Americans is more tone-deaf than anything else. It also doesn't help that this was the same year that saw Best Picture nominations for "Awakenings" and "Goodfellas," which are far better films in retrospect.
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