Top 10 Sci-Fi Movies of the 1990's
By Connor Eyzaguirre
The 1990's was, in many ways, the golden age of sci-fi movies. We saw realistic dinosaurs, liquid metal terminators, and even a computer simulation that may or may not have been reality. These are my picks for the top 10 sci-fi movies of the 1990's. Let's get started.
10. Twelve Monkeys (1995)
First up is Terry Gilliam's dystopian epic about a a convict being sent back in time to find out why humanity has been nearly wiped out in the future. This film stars Bruce Willis as James Cole, the aforementioned convict and Brad Pitt as a psychotic mental patient in a breakout role that earned Pitt his first Oscar nomination. This film is very intriguing and gives an interesting take on how humanity will destroy itself.
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9. Men in Black (1997)
Kicking things off here is the 1996 sci-fi/action/comedy Men in Black, starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as covert government agents who defend the planet from alien threats. Jones and Smith have amazing chemistry and help make this film a joy to watch again and again. It spawned one sequel in 2002 and another in 2012. Neither were as good as the first.
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8. Mars Attacks! (1996)
Mars Attacks! is one of my all-time favorite movies and is, I believe, one of Tim Burton's most underrated movies. Obviously, it's about a vast Martian invasion, but what makes this film so unique is its diverse cast, which includes Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Michael J. Fox, Tom Jones, and a young Natalie Portman. Combine that with the comical design of the Martians themselves and you have one very enjoyable cult favorite.
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7. Starship Troopers (1997)
If you've ever wanted to see a bunch of soap opera actors fight an intergalactic war against giant alien bugs, then this is the film for you. Paul Verhoeven's sci-fi epic Starship Troopers earns a spot on this list by being so over-the-top dramatic and inspiring all of us to kill every bug we see. With an acceptable cast led by Casper Van Dien and Denise Richards, this film will have you cheering for the Federation and wanting to join the Mobile Infantry.
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6. The Fifth Element (1997)
Good vs. evil? Warring alien factions? Gary Oldman as the bad guy? If you've answered yes to all these questions, then the movie you're watching is Luc Besson's The Fifth Element. With a galaxy spanning plot about a retired fighter pilot being forced into a centuries old battle with the purest evil, this film is excitingly original and still feels epic to this day.
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5. Galaxy Quest (1999)
I absolutely adore this Star Trek spoof. It's one of the funniest movies I've ever seen and proves to be one of the best sci-fi films of the 90's. It revolves around a group of washed-up actors who once starred on the best sci-fi show ever, but are now stuck doing convention appearances and other small-time gigs. But everything changes when real aliens come to them for help, thinking the show was real. The entire cast does an incredible job, especially Sam Rockwell as the guy who's in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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4. Independence Day (1996)
Never before has blowing up so many national landmarks been so freakin' cool! Roland Emmerich (who's mostly known for disaster porn) clearly scored a win with Independence Day, one of the best alien invasion flicks ever made. The movie takes place over a span of four days, with an advanced alien race slowly invading Earth and causing mass hysteria before finally striking. The film stars Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Pullman as the president who makes one of the most inspiring speeches of all time. If you haven't seen the film, odds are you still know about the speech.
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3. Jurassic Park (1993)
"Welcome to Jurassic Park." That famous quote gave us the first look at what we still believe are real dinosaurs in one of the most incredible films ever made. Jurassic Park is about a theme park on an isolated island filled with real dinosaurs that have been cloned through blood inside fossilized mosquitoes .Steven Spielberg used mostly animatronics to create the infamous Tyrannosaurus Rex, which still holds up today. This film will always be a landmark in visual effects and one of the coolest films of all time.
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2. The Matrix (1999)
What if I told you Keanu Reeves used to be awesome? Well, this was the film that proved that Keanu could kick ass and take names. The Matrix is one of the most famous sci-fi flicks ever made and is so quintessential 90's that the entire film is jumpstarted by a dial-up connection. This movie is all about freeing your mind and transcending reality, a plot that provides for some landmark visuals back in the day. Though the sequels were pretty bad, the first Matrix will always be a win in my book.
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1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
My number one pick is the king of sequels and one of the coolest movies ever made. Easily the best of the Terminator franchise, this film has it all. A badass theme? Check. Ah-nold as the good guy? Check. A liquid metal bad guy and a beefed up Linda Hamilton? Double check. The incredible visual effects they used on the T-1000 still look as amazing today as they did in 1991. Terminator 2 will forever dominate the 1990's as the best sci-fi flick of the decade and has Schwarzenegger would say, "Hasta la vista, baby."
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