A2P Cinema's
200 Favorite Films of the 1990s

After previously taking on the challenge of a list of 200 Favorite Films of 21st Century I was inspired to expand to the decade prior... The 1990s!

The 1970s is a decade of American cinema that is noted for its "New Wave' of young pioneer filmmakers. American films in the 1990s saw a return to this with a mix of both new young innovative filmmakers (Paul Thomas Anderson, Todd Haynes, David Fincher, Quentin Tarantino, Gus Vant Sant, Spike Jonze, among others) as well as refreshing work from old 70s masters (Robert Altman, Steven Spielberg, David Cronenberg, John Carpenter, etc). The 1990s also welcomed the long awaited return of films from two of the all-time greatest filmmakers (Terrance Malick and Stanley Kubrick, who contributed two of the most notable achievements of the decade). It also sparked the launch of Pixar which reinvented the way we would see and make animation films. In international films, the 1990s saw the emergence of Iranian cinema as well as the rise of master filmmakers from far Eastern countries outside of just Japan and China (notably Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Wong Kar Wai, Stanley Kwan, Edward Yang, Tsai Ming Liang).

The 1990s might be the weakest era for horror cinema, yet still features some remarkable achievements in the genre… it's really a pretty diverse decade and one that helped reshape the direction of American films as well as broaden the depth and artistry of world cinema (see the bottom for a country-by-country breakdown of films on the list).

Look over the list ... I would be very interested in you sending your choices or sharing feedback (did I miss anything?).
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THREE COLORS TRILOGY (1993/4)
Directed by: Krzysztof Kieslowski (1st/2nd/3rd of 4 films on list)
France / Poland / Switzerland

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (1990)
Directed by: Tim Burton (1st of 4 films on list)
United States

.

EYES WIDE SHUT (1999)
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick (1st of 1 films on list)
United Kingdom / United States

.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998)
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen (1st of 4 films on list)
United States

.

DAYS OF BEING WILD (1990)
Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai (1st of 5 films on list)
Hong Kong

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SAFE (1995)
Directed by: Todd Haynes (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

.

AFTER LIFE (1998)
Directed by: Hirokazu Koreeda (1st of 2 films on list)
Japan

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AUDITION (1999)
Directed by: Takashi Miike (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

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CHUNKING EXPRESS (1994)
Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai (2nd of 5 films on list)
Hong Kong

.

A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY (1991)
Directed by: Edward Yang (1st of 1 films on list)
Taiwan

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JACKIE BROWN (1997)
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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HEAT (1995)
Directed by: Michael Mann (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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CONTACT (1997)
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

SHORT CUTS (1993)
Directed by: Robert Altman (1st of 4 films on list)
United States

.

METROPOLITAN (1990)
Directed by: Whit Stillman (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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GOODBYE, SOUTH, GOODBYE (1996)
Directed by: Hou Hsiao-Hsien (1st of 4 films on list)
Taiwan / Japan

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CENTER STAGE/ACTRESS (1991)
Directed by: Stanley Kwan (1st of 1 films on list)
Hong Kong

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THE THIN RED LINE (1998)
Directed by: Terrance Malick (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE WIND WILL CARRY US (1999)
Directed by: Abbas Kiarostami (1st of 3 films on list)
Iran / France

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THE PLAYER (1992)
Directed by: Robert Altman (2nd of 4 films on list)
United States

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HUSBANDS AND WIVES (1992)
Directed by: Woody Allen (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE SCENT OF THE GREEN PAPAYA (1993)
Directed by: Tran Anh Hung (1st of 2 films on list)
Vietnam / France

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THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VERONIQUE (1991)
Directed by: Krzysztof Kieslowski (4th of 4 films on list)
France / Poland / Norway

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THE PUPPETMASTER (1993)
Directed by: Hou Hsiao-Hsien (2nd of 4 films on list)
Taiwan

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GROUNDHOG DAY (1993)
Directed by: Harold Ramis (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

FLIRTING WITH DISASTER (1996)
Directed by: David O. Russell (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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MAGNOLIA (1999)
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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MABOROSI (1995)
Directed by: Hirokazu Koreeda (2nd of 2 films on list)
Japan

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ONLY YESTERDAY (1991)
Directed by: Isao Takahata (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

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THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES (1994)
Directed by: Abbas Kiarostami (2nd of 3 films on list)
Iran / France

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LATE AUGUST, EARLY SEPTEMBER (1998)
Directed by: Olivier Assayas (1st of 3 films on list)
France

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LE CEREMONIE (1995)
Directed by: Claude Chabrol (1st of 1 films on list)
France / Germany

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RAISE THE RED LANTERN (1991)
Directed by: Zhang Yimou (1st of 4 films on list)
China / Hong Kong / Taiwan

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AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE (1990)
Directed by: Jane Campion (1st of 3 films on list)
New Zealand / Australia / United Kingdom / United States

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FLOWERS OF SHANGHAI (1998)
Directed by: Hou Hsiao-Hsien (3rd of 4 films on list)
Taiwan / Japan

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UNDERGROUND (1995)
Directed by: Emir Kusturica (1st of 1 films on list)
Yugoslavia / France / Germany / Bulgaria

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BEFORE SUNRISE (1995)
Directed by: Richard Linklater (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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CLOSE-UP (1990)
Directed by: Abbas Kiarostami (3rd of 3 films on list)
Iran

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TO SLEEP WITH ANGER (1990)
Directed by: Charles Burnett (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)
Directed by: Jonathan Demme (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

THE APOSTLE (1997)
Directed by: Robert Duvall (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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CRUMB (1994)
Directed by: Terry Zwigoff (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

GOOD MEN, GOOD WOMEN (1995)
Directed by: Hou Hsiao-Hsien (4th of 4 films on list)
Taiwan / Japan

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FIREWORKS (1997)
Directed by: Takeshi Kitano (1st of 4 films on list)
Japan

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THE MATRIX (1999)
Directed by: The Wachowski Brothers (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

THE TOKYO SIBLINGS (1995)
Directed by: Jun Ichikawa (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

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BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997)
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

.

TO LIVE (1994)
Directed by: Zhang Yimou (2nd of 4 films on list)
China / Hong Kong / Taiwan

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UNFORGIVEN (1992)
Directed by: Clint Eastwood (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

.

PULP FICTION (1994)
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

.

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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PERSUASION (1995)
Directed by: Roger Michell (1st of 1 films on list)
United Kingdom / France / United States

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WHITE HUNTER BLACK HEART (1990)
Directed by: Clint Eastwood (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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COLD WATER (1994)
Directed by: Olivier Assayas (2nd of 3 films on list)
France

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ED WOOD (1994)
Directed by: Tim Burton (2nd of 4 films on list)
United States

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THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS (1992)
Directed by: Michael Mann (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

.

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (1992)
Directed by: James Foley (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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IRMA VEP (1996)
Directed by: Olivier Assayas (3rd of 3 films on list)
France

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BATMAN RETURNS (1992)
Directed by: Tim Burton (3rd of 4 films on list)
United States

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FLIRTING (1991)
Directed by: John Duigan (1st of 1 films on list)
Australia

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THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999)
Directed by: Daniel Myrick / Eduardo Sánchez (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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GOODFELLAS (1990)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

.

THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY (1996)
Directed by: Jane Campion (2nd of 3 films on list)
United Kingdom / United States

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LONE STAR (1996)
Directed by: John Sayles (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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IN THE COMPANY OF MEN (1997)
Directed by: Neil Labute (1st of 1 films on list)
Canada / United States

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ROSETTA (1999)
Directed by: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (1st of 2 films on list)
France / Belgium

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RUBY IN PARADISE (1993)
Directed by: Victor Nunez (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993)
Directed by: Henry Selick (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THREE KINGS (1999)
Directed by: David O. Russell (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (1991)
Directed by: James Cameron (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

JU DOU (1990)
Directed by: Zhang Yimou (3rd of 4 films on list)
China / Japan

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MOTHER AND SON (1997)
Directed by: Aleksandr Sokurov (1st of 1 films on list)
Russia / Germany

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THE SWEET HEREAFTER (1997)
Directed by: Atom Egoyan (1st of 2 films on list)
Canada

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HEAVY (1995)
Directed by: James Mangold (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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BREAKING THE WAVES (1996)
Directed by: Lars Von Trier (1st of 1 films on list)
Denmark / Sweden / France / Netherlands / others

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QUIZ SHOW (1994)
Directed by: Robert Redford (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE SPANISH PRISONER (1997)
Directed by: David Mamet (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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TRUE ROMANCE (1993)
Directed by: Tony Scott (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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MATINEE (1993)
Directed by: Joe Dante (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999)
Directed by: Spike Jonze (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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VISIONS OF LIGHT (1992)
Directed by: Arnold Glassman/Todd McCarthy/Stuart Samuels
United States / Japan

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A LITTLE PRINCESS (1995)
Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE LAST SEDUCTION (1994)
Directed by: John Dahl (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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ASHES OF TIME (1994)
Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai (3rd of 5 films on list)
Hong Kong / Taiwan

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WHISPER OF THE HEART (1995)
Directed by: Yoshifumi Kondô (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

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TO DIE FOR (1995)
Directed by: Gus Van Sant (1st of 2 films on list)
United States / United Kingdom / Canada

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THE LOST HIGHWAY (1997)
Directed by: David Lynch (1st of 2 films on list)
United States / France

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THE INSIDER (1999)
Directed by: Michael Mann (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

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HOOP DREAMS (1994)
Directed by: Steve James (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

U-TURN (1997)
Directed by: Oliver Stone (1st of 2 films on list)
United States / France

.

CASINO (1995)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

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MATILDA (1996)
Directed by: Danny DeVito (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

THE IRON GIANT (1999)
Directed by: Brad Bird (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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MARS ATTACKS! (1996)
Directed by: Tim Burton (4th of 4 films on list)
United States

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BARTON FINK (1991)
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen (2nd of 4 films on list)
United States

.

A PERFECT WORLD (1993)
Directed by: Clint Eastwood (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

NIGHTJOHN (1996)
Directed by: Charles Burnett (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991)
Directed by: Gary Trousdale / Kirk Wise (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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CRONOS (1993)
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro (1st of 1 films on list)
Mexico

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DRIFTING CLOUDS (1996)
Directed by: Aki Kaurismäki (1st of 1 films on list)
Finland / Germany / France

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THE SECRET GARDEN (1993)
Directed by: Agnieszka Holland (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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OFFICE SPACE (1999)
Directed by: Mike Judge (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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SEOPYEONJE (1993)
Directed by: Im Kwon-taek (1st of 1 films on list)
South Korea

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THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998)
Directed by: Peter Weir (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE WHITE BALLOON (1995)
Directed by: Jafar Panahi (1st of 1 films on list)
Iran

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KIKUJIRO (1999)
Directed by: Takeshi Kitano (2nd of 3 films on list)
Japan

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THE STRAIGHT STORY (1999)
Directed by: David Lynch (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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REBELS OF A NEON GOD (1992)
Directed by: Tsai Ming-liang (2nd of 5 films on list)
Taiwan

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GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH (1990)
Directed by: Joe Dante (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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NAKED (1993)
Directed by: Mike Leigh (1st of 2 films on list)
United Kingdom

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BARCELONA (1994)
Directed by: Whit Stillman (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

CURE (1997)
Directed by: Kiyoshi Kurosawa (1st of 2 films on list)
Japan

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HEAVENLY CREATURES (1994)
Directed by: Peter Jackson (1st of 2 films on list)
New Zealand / Germany

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OUT OF SIGHT (1998)
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL (1994)
Directed by: Luc Besson (2nd of 3 films on list)
France

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THE EEL (1997)
Directed by: Shôhei Imamura (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

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SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER (1993)
Directed by: Steven Zaillian (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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DEFENDING YOUR LIFE (1991)
Directed by: Albert Brooks (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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AFTER DARK, MY SWEET (1990)
Directed by: James Foley (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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BUFFALO '66 (1999)
Directed by: Vincent Gallo (1st of 1 films on list)
United States / Canada

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BELOVED (1998)
Directed by: Jonathan Demme (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

.

SCREAM (1996)
Directed by: Wes Craven (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES (1993)
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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THE HOLE (1998)
Directed by: Tsai Ming-liang (3rd of 5 films on list)
Taiwan

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THE DREAMLIFE OF ANGELS (1998)
Directed by: Erick Zonca (1st of 1 films on list)
France

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A SCENE AT SEA (1991)
Directed by: Takeshi Kitano (3rd of 3 films on list)
Japan

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MY COUSIN VINNY (1992)
Directed by: Jonathan Lynn (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

HIGH ART (1998)
Directed by: Lisa Cholodenko (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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POINT BREAK (1991)
Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow (1st of 1 films on list)
United States / Japan

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WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE (1995)
Directed by: Todd Solondz (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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KANSAS CITY (1996)
Directed by: Robert Altman (3rd of 4 films on list)
United States

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KINGPIN (1996)
Directed by: Bobby and Peter Farrelly (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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A SINGLE GIRL (1995)
Directed by: Benoît Jacquot (1st of 1 films on list)
France

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HOMICIDE (1991)
Directed by: David Mamet (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

.

GET SHORTY (1995)
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

.

OSCAR AND LUCINDA (1997)
Directed by: Gillian Armstrong (1st of 1 films on list)
Australia / United States / United Kingdom

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CLUELESS (1995)
Directed by: Amy Heckerling (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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BULWORTH (1998)
Directed by: Warren Beatty (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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SE7EN (1995)
Directed by: David Fincher (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

LA PROMESSE (1996)
Directed by: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (2nd of 2 films on list)
Belgium / France / Luxembourg / Tunisia

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BOYZ N THE HOOD (1991)
Directed by: John Singleton (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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ELECTION (1999)
Directed by: Alexander Payne (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

CARLITO'S WAY (1993)
Directed by: Brian De Palma (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

LIFE IS SWEET (1990)
Directed by: Mike Leigh (2nd of 2 films on list)
United Kingdom

.

SATANTANGO (1991)
Directed by: Béla Tarr (1st of 1 films on list)
Hungary / Germany / Switzerland

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DREAM OF LIGHT (1992)
Directed by: Victor Erice (1st of 1 films on list)
Spain

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ULEE'S GOLD (1997)
Directed by: Victor Nunez (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER (1999)
Directed by: Pedro Almodóvar (1st of 1 films on list)
Spain / France

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JURASSIC PARK (1993)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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WILD REEDS (1994)
Directed by: André Téchiné (1st of 2 films on list)
France

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BAD INFLUENCE (1990)
Directed by: Curtis Hanson (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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MISERY (1990)
Directed by: Rob Reiner (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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A LEAGUE OF THIER OWN (1992)
Directed by: Penny Marshall (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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MEN IN BLACK (1997)
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

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THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO (1998)
Directed by: Whit Stillman (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

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THE RIVER (1997)
Directed by: Tsai Ming-liang (4th of 5 films on list)
Taiwan

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DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993)
Directed by: Richard Linklater (2nd of 2 films on list)
Unied States

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A FAMILY THING (1996)
Directed by: Richard Pearce (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

FORGOTTEN SILVER (1995)
Directed by: Costa Botes / Peter Jackson (2nd of 2 films on list)
New Zealand

.

THE GLASS SHIELD (1994)
Directed by: Charles Burnett (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

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FALLEN ANGELS (1995)
Directed by: Wong Kar-wai (4th of 5 films on list)
Hong Kong

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FARGO (1996)
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen (3rd of 4 films on list)
United States

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ESCAPE FROM L.A. (1996)
Directed by: John Carpenter (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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MY FAVORITE SEASON (1993)
Directed by: André Téchiné (2nd of 2 films on list)
France

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BAD LIEUTENANT (1992)
Directed by: Abel Ferrara (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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THE PIANO (1993)
Directed by: Jane Campion (3rd of 3 films on list)
New Zealand / Australia / France

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RUSHMORE (1998)
Directed by: Wes Anderson (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE AGE OF INNOCENCE (1993)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

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HARD BOILED (1992)
Directed by: John Woo (1st of 1 films on list)
Hong Kong

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NAKED LUNCH (1991)
Directed by: David Cronenberg (1st of 1 films on list)
Canada / United Kingdom / Japan

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PORCO ROSSO (1992)
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS (1994)
Directed by: John Carpenter (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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EVE'S BAYOU (1997)
Directed by: Kasi Lemmons (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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VIVE L'AMOUR (1994)
Directed by: Tsai Ming-liang (5th of 5 films on list)
Taiwan

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THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (1999)
Directed by: Anthony Minghella (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

THE LOVERS ON THE BRIDGE (1991)
Directed by: Leos Carax (1st of 1 films on list)
France

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RHAPSODY IN AUGUST (1991)
Directed by: Akira Kurosawa (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

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BESIEGED (1998)
Directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci (1st of 1 films on list)
Italy / United Kingdom

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CHARISMA (1999)
Directed by: Kiyoshi Kurosawa (2nd of 2 films on list)
Japan

CITY OF HOPE (1991)
Directed by: John Sayles (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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MALCOLM X (1992)
Directed by: Spike Lee (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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A SIMPLE PLAN (1998)
Directed by: Sam Raimi (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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TOY STORY 2 (1999)
Directed by: John Lasseter / Ash Brannon (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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RUN LOLA RUN (1998)
Directed by: Tom Tykwer (1st of 1 films on list)
Germany

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JACOB'S LADDER (1990)
Directed by: Adrian Lyne (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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KING OF THE HILL (1993)
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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THE CABLE GUY (1996)
Directed by: Ben Stiller (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

VINCENT & THEO (1990)
Directed by: Robert Altman (4th of 4 films on list)
France / Netherlands / UK / Germany / Italy

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CENTRAL STATION (1998)
Directed by: Walter Salles (1st of 1 films on list)
Brazil / France

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CANDYMAN (1992)
Directed by: Bernard Rose (1st of 1 films on list)
United States / United Kingdom

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THE FUNERAL (1996)
Directed by: Abel Ferrara (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

.

MILLER'S CROSSING (1990)
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen (4th of 4 films on list)
United States

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JFK (1991)
Directed by: Oliver Stone (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States / France

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THE STORY OF QIU JU (1992)
Directed by: Zhang Yimou (4th of 4 films on list)
China / Hong Kong

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DAYS OF THUNDER (1990)
Directed by: Tony Scott (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

.

ICE STORM (1997)
Directed by: Ang Lee (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

.

THE RIVER WILD (1994)
Directed by: Curtis Hanson (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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DEAD MAN (1995)
Directed by: Jim Jarmusch (1st of 1 films on list)
United States / Germany / Japan

.

HARD EIGHT (1996)
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

.

SLING BLADE (1996)
Directed by: Billy Bob Thornton (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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