The Top 10 Films of 1991

1. Raise the Red Lantern

Zhang Yimou’s cinematically gorgeous film tells the tale of a young woman who becomes one of many concubines to a wealthy and powerful man.  The movie explores the themes of class, love, jealousy, betrayal, rivalry, loneliness and empowerment.  Gong Li is at her most beautiful in this amazing performance.  “Lantern” is one of the most aesthetically resplendent movies of the nineties.

2. City Slickers

Sometimes, movies like “City Slickers” can get demoted in people’s memories because of its lighthearted tone.  However, it is a lovely and often profound story of friendship and loyalty.  It is about the peaks and valleys of life… surviving the adventurous and the mundane.  It is about finding purpose and, ultimately, true contentment.  All of those beautiful themes are doused in dozens of hilarious scenes.  It is a virtually perfect blend of the silly and the sublime.

3. Silence of the Lambs

What hasn’t been said about “Silence of the Lambs”?  It is one of the most critically acclaimed movies of its decade.  Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster are both powerhouses here.  It swept the major awards at the Oscars.  Most would accept that it is a masterpiece.  My favorite scene of 1991 is the now infamous moment pictured left… “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”

4. Fried Green Tomatoes

An exquisite cast delivers a poignant story of friendship, marriage, abuse and justice.  Each of the actresses central to the film have  moments of brilliance with this superb script.  Everyone who sees this movie loves this movie.

5. Thelma and Louise

The preeminent female-empowerment film of all time, “Thelma and Louise” offers two incredible performances and one of the greatest endings in movie history.  Sarandon and Davis are so iconic and wonderful as the titular characters… and Brad Pitt makes his first cinematic impression here too.

6. T2: Judgment Day

I would be confident in claiming that this is one sequel generally considered to be better and more iconic than the original.  Sure, the 1984 movie has one of the most famous lines in film history, (‘I’ll be back.’), but the overall impact of “T2” is far greater.  Featuring some of the greatest visual effects of the era, this Schwarzenegger vehicle is exciting, energetic and often very funny.

7. Class Action

This film is virtually forgotten.  I never see it on television.  No one ever talks about it.  I don’t think Netflix, Prime or Hulu have it streaming.  However, it features Gene Hackman in one of his ten best performances.  Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is superb as his daughter.  The two of them play attorneys on opposite sides of a “Class Action” lawsuit.  It is a fascinating face off of morals, ideas and a problematic family history.

8. Boyz N The Hood

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9. JFK

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10. Ricochet

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