Top 20 Underrated Movies of the 1990s

It’s not often that you can call a Disney movie “underrated,” but “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” fits the bill. Although it may not be quite as obscure as some of the company's early package films, it is still criminally underappreciated by both fans and Disney alike. Based on the work of Victor Hugo, “Hunchback” is one of Disney’s darkest offerings, focusing on a hunchbacked orphan named Quasimodo. His begrudging guardian, Frollo, acts as the film’s antagonist, and is one of the scariest (and most realistic) villains in the House of Mouse’s repertoire. “Hunchback” is a film that deals with real world issues, some of which are still relevant to the modern day, and for that it is worth a second look.

Based on Lorenzo Carcaterra’s memoir of the same name, “Sleepers” adapts the harrowing true story of four boys who were taken advantage of by guards at a juvenile detention center. They all take radically different paths in life, but end up reunited after two of them kill one of their former abusers. The case is taken to court, and the truth is revealed. Featuring big names like Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, and Brad Pitt, it’s hard to understand just how “Sleepers” managed to fall into obscurity. Luckily, there’s still time to make “Sleepers” a sleeper hit in the modern age. Just be sure to have your tissues ready.

By the mid 1990’s, the internet was beginning to become a regular part of the average person’s everyday life. Nora Ephron would famously capitalize on its growing popularity with her 1998 film, “You’ve Got Mail,” but, unbeknownst to most, Japan was already ahead of the curve. Two years earlier, director Yoshimitsu Morita released “Haru,” a strikingly realistic depiction of online friendship turned courtship. At a time when many laughed at the idea of making genuine connections through a computer screen, “Haru” treated its protagonists’ bond with the same seriousness and gravity as any in-person relationship. It’s a beautiful and comforting slow-burn of a film, perfect for anyone who’s ever felt understood by someone miles away on the other side of a screen.

Critics in 1995 weren’t sold on Sam Raimi’s “The Quick and the Dead,” but its action-packed, dynamic style feels like a breath of fresh air in our modern cinematic landscape. A subversive spin on the spaghetti western, the film stars Sharon Stone as The Lady, a gunslinger who rides into town hoping to avenge the death of her father through a series of duels. It’s a briskly paced romp of a western, mixing familiar genre tropes with modern character writing and killer editing. The fact that it has continued to fly under the radar in spite of Raimi’s rising fame in the industry is criminal!

Film history is filled with so many “firsts” that some of them fall through the cracks - no matter how good they are. “The Watermelon Woman,” which has the distinction of being the first feature film directed by a Black lesbian, has unfortunately suffered this fate. Cheryl Dunye, the film’s director, also acts as its fictional protagonist, a video store clerk working on a documentary about a Black actress of the 30’s and 40’s who was credited only as The Watermelon Woman. The film is as fascinating as it is funny, examining the history of on-screen representation with a healthy dose of 90’s humor. If you have an interest in film and its history, we consider it a definite must-watch.

Nowadays, Peter Jackson is best known for bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world to the big screen with the “Lord of the Rings” film series. But before “Fellowship of the Ring,” Jackson was a small New Zealand filmmaker making schlocky horror films and the hauntingly beautiful crime drama, “Heavenly Creatures.” The latter was released in 1994, and starred actresses Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey in early roles. An atypical approach to the true crime genre, the film tells its story from the perspective of two teenage girls, whose unique connection with each other grows into all out obsession. With fantasy elements that hint at Jackson’s future as a director, “Heavenly Creatures” is a masterfully crafted tragedy about the dangers of repression and isolating relationships.

The 90’s and romcoms go hand in hand. It was the age of “Sleepless in Seattle,” “She’s All That,” “Notting Hill,” and countless others. Unfortunately, with an oversaturated market, some gems became lost to time - like this darkly comedic spin on the subgenre starring John Cusack and Minnie Driver. Cusack’s character, Martin, is a hired assassin with a growing sense of guilt about his occupation, whose latest assignment lands him right next to his high school reunion. He ends up linking up with his teenage sweetheart, Debi, and struggles to juggle his deadly job with his old flame. It's a more adult, and decidedly weirder, alternative to the previous decade's "Heathers" - and is long past due for a similar cult classic treatment.

There’s no denying the fact that Denzel Washington is one of the best to ever do it. So it’s surprising that more people don’t talk about his 1998 thriller, “Fallen.” Sure, it may not reach the dramatic peaks of “Malcolm X” or “Remember the Titans,” but its hair-raising supernatural premise is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout its two hour runtime. Critics were unimpressed with it upon its release, but it’s been gaining a small (yet passionate!) cult following over the years. The MCU series “Loki” even notably featured an homage to the film in its first season.

Wes Anderson has become well known in spite of his small budgets, in part due to his extravagantly symmetrical sets and talented arsenal of character actors. Nonetheless, there’s not nearly enough love for the director’s feature length debut, “Bottle Rocket.” Starring brothers Luke and Owen Wilson, the 90’s crime comedy isn’t quite as polished as Anderson’s more well-known works, but still contains many of the trademarks that make up his now-signature style. Number one amongst them - his unique brand of quirky comedy. The dialogue of “Bottle Rocket” is endlessly quotable, and its delivery pitch perfect, making for an unforgettably hilarious heist.

David, Juliet, and Alex are looking for a new roommate. Trouble is, none of them are what you’d call a people person. Following a series of hilariously abrasive interviews with prospective subtenants, they settle on the strangely “interesting” Hugo…only to find him dead shortly after. This is where the real story begins, as the trio of friends find themselves at odds over what to do with his body - and, more importantly, his money. Written and directed by the duo responsible for “Trainspotting,” the darkly funny “Shallow Grave” stars Kerry Fox, Ewan McGregor, and a pre-“Doctor Who” Christopher Eccleston in leading roles. While its central theme of money’s corruptive power may feel overdone, it’s hard to deny the sheer watchability of its uniquely fun execution.

This movie, a science fiction classic as far as we’re concerned, was destined for failure from the very beginning. For the theatrical release, New Line Cinema was concerned that audiences wouldn’t understand the story of an amnesiac who is accused of murder, and therefore, asked the director to integrate voiceover narration to the beginning of the movie. And really, that explains everything. This neo-noir, despite being refreshingly original and a visual masterpiece, did not sit well with audiences, and bombed at the box office. The mysteries of “Dark City,” however, are well worth uncovering.

“Boogie Nights” would eventually solidify director Paul Thomas Anderson as one of the greats, but his mastery of filmmaking was clear even earlier on in his feature debut, “Hard Eight.” The crime film featured a small but stacked cast, even by today’s standards, including John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Alongside Philip Baker Hall, they each give stellar performances, upholding the film’s small scale story of gambling and deceit with ease. Sure, it’s not PTA’s strongest film, but that’s hardly saying much considering just how impressive the rest of his filmography has been. “Hard Eight” still accomplishes far more than the average film, and is more than worth a watch.

Another underrated science fiction tour de force, the story of “Strange Days” follows a former cop, played terrifically by Ralph Fiennes, who sells black-market videos that allow people to experience the experiences of others. He then discovers a conspiracy regarding the police force. Co-written by James Cameron and directed by eventual Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow, it has all the ingredients for a fantastic movie, but never received the praise it merited. The gritty and faced-paced drama took in just under $8 million on a $42 million budget, and remains largely ignored despite its excellence and the fantastic crew behind the camera.

Just a year after breaking onto the scene with “Reservoir Dogs,” Quentin Tarantino teamed up with “Top Gun” director, Tony Scott for this darkly comedic crime film. Titled “True Romance,” the film follows the strange plot of an Elvis fanatic, compelled to kill by the ghost of The King himself. It’s just as fun as it sounds and, as its title implies, has an added dash of romance between lead actors Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette. While it’s true some of its dialogue may not fly in the modern day, its cinematic style is the perfect blend of Tarantino and Scott’s best qualities. There will never be anything else like it!

A sci-fi film with horror elements, “eXistenZ” is a little known movie by Canadian director David Cronenberg, whose 1996 film “Crash” also deserves more respect than it gets. “eXistenZ” is set in the future when video games are no longer played on consoles, but through virtual reality by inserting a cord into players’ spines. The story serves as a statement on our relationship with technology and does so in an exciting fashion. Unfortunately, it never reached an audience and has seemingly disappeared from existence. No pun intended.

A classic comedy directed by the Farrelly brothers, “Kingpin” is a largely ignored entry on their filmography despite the fact that it’s just as hilarious as any of their other movies. The story follows Roy, a skilled bowler, and Ishmael, an Amish man, who go to compete in a bowling tournament to save Ishmael’s land. The movie’s cast is fantastic, including Woody Harrelson and an always hilarious, scene-stealing Bill Murray. It also features the staple raunchy Farrelly humor that made the brothers so famous. It truly is an uproarious film that deserves far more attention.

Don’t let the goofy title fool you; the movie is not actually about a spectral pooch. Ghost Dog is a hitman for the mob who adheres to the ancient Samurai code in his proceedings, and is portrayed perfectly by Forest Whittaker in one of his most underrated roles. The movie is refreshingly unique, as it organically blends the completely differing styles of gangster and Samurai films, and it was even nominated for various prestigious accolades, including an Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature. Despite all this, we bet there’s a good chance you’ve never even heard of it.

This movie is a classic noir with Nicolas Cage in the leading role and he was actually quite good in it. The story follows Cage’s character, who is mistaken for the hitman that another man hired to kill his wife, and as such, unpredictable chaos ensues. Everybody involved in the film is fantastic, but if you’ve never heard of it, we don’t blame you, as it was sent direct-to-video, even after an enthusiastic response at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Everyone loves the Coen brothers. So why doesn’t everybody love this movie? The most anyone knows about it is the famous forest scene, but there’s so much more in the story of a man who plays both sides of a gangster family rivalry. It features the signature Coen intensity, and the performances are all outstanding. The film was released before the brothers became popular, and consequently, was quickly forgotten, but that’s not to say this outing isn’t just as fantastic as their other efforts.

Easily the most underrated film of the decade, “A Simple Plan” has an A-list cast and the fantastic Sam Raimi behind the camera. The flick follows Billy Bob Thornton and Bill Paxton as brothers who discover over $4 million in cash and begin to doubt each other in their plan to keep it secret. The story plays out intensely and unpredictably, and the performances are all mesmerizing, with each character reaching their breaking point in realistic fashion. It was even nominated for two Academy Awards, but sadly, never got a fraction of the audience it should have.


Which of these underrated movies will you be adding to your watchlist? Let us know in the comments!