Goodfellas, 1990
“Three Decades of Life in the Mafia”. Goodfellas tells the real life story of the rise and fall of Henry Hill in the world of organized crime. At a young age, he runs errands for a family of mobsters; as he gets older, he progresses up the hierarchy. Adapted from the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, it is brilliantly directed by Martin Scorsese and is reminiscent to some extent of his early Italian-American mob film Mean Streets. It features an Oscar-winning performance from Joe Pesci as the psychotic, yet funny, Tommy De Vito.
“What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?”
By Becci Jameson
Shallow Grave, 1995
Our very own Danny Boyle’s directorial debut, three friends find their new flatmate has overdosed and left them a suitcase full of cash. Starring Ewan McGregor and Christopher Eccleston, they decide to keep the money but now have to get rid of the body. It’s dark, gritty and gives me a warm feeling inside. There’s one moment were Eccleston knocks the body’s teeth out with a hammer and that’s when I realised I was way to young to be watching this brilliant and disturbing film. I turned out just fine…
By Harriet Weller
Forrest Gump, 1994
‘Run Forrest Run’ – the tag line of my youth.
How can anyone not fall for Forrest Gump? Never have I learnt so much from a character, my life philosophy is now based on a ‘box of chocolates’ (said with an amazing Alabama twang). I am pretty sure Forrest was my sole reason for choosing to take up American History as he manages to weave his way into every event which happened in the 20th century. An emotional rollercoaster of a film which Tom Hanks puts on a very believable performance, leaving me with the new life ambition to visit Bubba Gump Shrimp and co.
By Sophie Smith
The Lion King, 1994
It’s safe to say that, like so many other 90’s kids, Disney dominated my childhood, and chief among those films will always be The Lion King. Disney’s re-working of Hamlet, complete with an Oscar winning soundtrack by Elton John, follows Simba, a young prince trying to escape the guilt of ‘causing’ his father’s death, to battle to reclaim his throne from his nefarious uncle Scar. Famous for one of the saddest deaths in cinema history, and one that still manages to make me tear up 20 years later, The Lion King is easily their best film to date and no true 90’s childhood was complete without it.
By Joe Keep
Shawshank Redemption, 1994
Andy Dufresne; played by Tim Robbins, the world’s most imaginative and polite convict in ever to have graced the silver screen. Shawshank Redemption follows Andy, backed up by Red, played by Morgan Freeman, as he attempts to escape prison after being incarcerated despite claims of innocence. Both Robbins and Freeman put in fantastic performances with supporting actors also providing nicely to the overall feeling of the movie. This is a gem of a 90s film, with great acting coupled with a meaningful storyline driven by purpose and undertones of justice and perseverance, Shawshank Redemption is a must watch film.
