Top 79 Ranked

Best Movies of 1995

Essential Cinema Classics and Iconic Blockbusters

Explore the best films from a landmark year in cinema. From animated hits to gritty thrillers, discover top-rated masterpieces and cult favorites.

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About Movies in 1995

If you ask a cinephile to name the definitive year of the nineties, you will likely hear a heated debate between the earth shattering shifts of 1994 and the prestige polish of 1999. However, 1995 stands as the secret architect of the modern movie landscape. It was a year that functioned like a bridge, keeping one foot in the grit of the burgeoning indie revolution while stepping boldly into a digital future that would eventually redefine how stories are told.

The most obvious reason 1995 remains legendary is the arrival of Toy Story. Before November of that year, feature length computer animation was a theoretical gamble. Pixar did more than just prove the technology worked; they proved that a digital soul could feel just as warm as hand drawn ink. It changed the industrial DNA of Hollywood forever, signaling the beginning of the end for traditional cel animation as the industry standard.

While Pixar was building the future, other masters were perfecting the present. Michael Mann released Heat, a crime saga that gave audiences the long awaited volcanic meeting between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. It remains the gold standard for the urban thriller, blending operatic scale with a chilly, meticulous realism. Meanwhile, David Fincher shook off his early career stumbles with Seven. It was a film so dark and uncompromising that it shifted the visual language of the nineties toward the macabre and the rain soaked, influencing a decade of police procedurals that tried, and usually failed, to replicate its nihilistic punch.

The year also excelled at capturing a specific kind of youthful zeitgeist. Clueless arrived as a pastel colored revolution, proving that a Jane Austen adaptation wrapped in Beverly Hills consumerism could be both whip smart and culturally defining. On the other side of the tracks, Richard Linklater gave us Before Sunrise, a quiet masterpiece of conversation and connection that suggested movies did not need plots if they had enough humanity. It was the ultimate validation for the indie movement, showing that two people walking through Vienna could be as gripping as any blockbuster.

Even the mainstream hits felt more textured and ambitious than today’s assembly line fare. Mel Gibson brought historical epic back to the Oscars with Braveheart, while Ron Howard turned a failed moon mission into a nail biting tension exercise in Apollo 13. We saw the rise of the smart action movie with GoldenEye, which successfully revived James Bond for a post Cold War world.

Ultimately, 1995 matters because it was perhaps the last year where the monoculture felt healthy. You could have a massive box office hit that was also a dark character study or a quirky foreign import. It was a time when the spectacle of the future and the craft of the past lived in perfect, thrilling harmony. We remember it because it felt like cinema was growing up and branching out all at once, offering something for the cynic, the romantic, and the dreamer in equal measure.

The Complete Rankings

Based on the top picks in drafts on SnakeDrafts

See Top Ten
79
1995 in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
1995

Six incredible teens out-maneuver and defeat evil everywhere as the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, but this time the Power Rangers may have met their match when they face off with Ivan Ooze, the most sinister monster the galaxy has ever seen.

Action
Adventure
1h 36m
Bryan Spicer
Karan Ashley, Johnny Yong Bosch, Steve Cardenas, Jason David Frank
78
1995 in Higher Learning (1995)
Higher Learning
1995

African-American student Malik is on a track scholarship; academics are not his strong suit, and he goes in thinking that his athletic abilities will earn him a free ride through college. Fudge, a "professional student" who has been at Columbus for six years so far, becomes friendly with Malik and challenges his views about race and politics in America.

Drama
Crime
2h 8m
John Singleton
Omar Epps, Kristy Swanson, Michael Rapaport, Jennifer Connelly
77
1995 in Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
1995

Jesse becomes reunited with Willy three years after the whale's jump to freedom as the teenager tries to rescue the killer whale and other orcas from an oil spill.

Family
Adventure
1h 35m
Dwight H. Little
Jason James Richter, Michael Madsen, Jayne Atkinson, August Schellenberg

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76
1995 in Judge Dredd (1995)
Judge Dredd
1995

In a dystopian future, Dredd, the most famous judge (a cop with instant field judiciary powers) is convicted for a crime he did not commit while his murderous counterpart escapes.

Science Fiction
Action
1h 36m
Danny Cannon
Sylvester Stallone, Diane Lane, Armand Assante, Rob Schneider
75
1995 in Restoration (1995)
Restoration
1995

An aspiring young physician, Robert Merivel found himself in the service of King Charles II and saves the life of someone close to the King. Merivel joins the King's court and lives the high life provided to someone of his position. Merivel is ordered to marry his King's mistress in order to divert the queens suspicions. He is given one order by the king and that is not to fall in love. The situation worsens when Merivel finds himself in love with his new wife. Eventually, the King finds out and relieves Merivel of his position and wealth. His fall from grace leaves Merivel where he first started. And through his travels and reunions with an old friend, he rediscovers his love for true medicine and what it really means to be a physician.

Drama
Romance
1h 57m
Michael Hoffman
74
1995 in The Scarlet Letter (1995)
The Scarlet Letter
1995

Set in puritanical Boston in the mid 1600s, the story of seamstress Hester Prynne, who is outcast after she becomes pregnant by a respected reverend. She refuses to divulge the name of the father, is "convicted" of adultery and forced to wear a scarlet "A" until an Indian attack unites the Puritans and leads to a reevaluation of their laws and morals.

Drama
Romance
2h 15m
Roland Joffé
73
1995 in Four Rooms (1995)
Four Rooms
1995

It's Ted the Bellhop's first night on the job...and the hotel's very unusual guests are about to place him in some outrageous predicaments. It seems that this evening's room service is serving up one unbelievable happening after another.

Comedy
1h 38m
Allison Anders
Tim Roth, Jennifer Beals, David Proval, Ione Skye
72
1995 in Jeffrey (1995)
Jeffrey
1995

Jeffrey, a gay man living in New York City with an overwhelming fear of contracting AIDS, concludes that being celibate is the only option to protect himself. As fate would have it, shortly after his declaration of a sex-free existence, he meets the handsome Steve Howard, his dream man -- except for his HIV-positive status. Facing this dilemma, Jeffrey turns to his best friend and an outrageous priest for guidance.

Comedy
Drama
1h 32m
Christopher Ashley
Steven Weber, Patrick Stewart, Michael T. Weiss, Bryan Batt
71
1995 in Virtuosity (1995)
Virtuosity
1995

The Law Enforcement Technology Advancement Centre (LETAC) has developed SID version 6.7: a Sadistic, Intelligent, and Dangerous virtual reality entity which is synthesized from the personalities of more than 150 serial killers, and only one man can stop him.

Action
Crime
1h 46m
Brett Leonard
Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Kelly Lynch, Alanna Ubach
70
1995 in Jade (1995)
Jade
1995

When a prominent art dealer is found murdered, the man's death leads to an intriguing investigation steeped in sex, corruption and crime. District Attorney David Corelli gets assigned to the case and discovers that a key suspect is his ex-lover Katrina Gavin, a beautiful psychologist who has settled down with his old friend and peer. As Corelli gets deeper into the case, he uncovers dark secrets with far-reaching implications.

Mystery
Thriller
1h 35m
William Friedkin
David Caruso, Linda Fiorentino, Chazz Palminteri, Richard Crenna
69
1995 in Powder (1995)
Powder
1995

Harassed by classmates who won't accept his shocking appearance, a shy young man known as "Powder" struggles to fit in. But the cruel taunts stop when Powder displays a mysterious power that allows him to do incredible things. This phenomenon changes the lives of all those around him in ways they never could have imagined.

Drama
Fantasy
1h 52m
Victor Salva
Mary Steenburgen, Sean Patrick Flanery, Lance Henriksen, Jeff Goldblum
68
1995 in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
1995

Six years after being presumed dead in a fire, and just as the town prepares to finally celebrate Halloween again, Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield to continue his reign of terror.

Horror
Thriller
1h 28m
Joe Chappelle
Donald Pleasence, Paul Rudd, Marianne Hagan, Mitchell Ryan
67
1995 in Persuasion (1995)
Persuasion
1995

In early 19th-century England, dire financial straits reacquaint the aristocratic Anne Elliot with her wealthy ex-fiance Frederick Wentworth. The two must choose between either putting the past behind them or listening to their hearts.

Drama
Romance
1h 44m
Roger Michell
Amanda Root, Ciarán Hinds, Susan Fleetwood, Corin Redgrave
66
1995 in Empire Records (1995)
Empire Records
1995

The employees of an independent music store learn about each other as they try to stop the store from being absorbed by a large chain.

Comedy
Drama
1h 30m
Allan Moyle
Liv Tyler, Johnny Whitworth, Renée Zellweger, Robin Tunney
65

A deadly airborne virus finds its way into the USA and starts killing off people at an epidemic rate. Col. Sam Daniels' job is to stop the virus spreading from a small town, which must be quarantined, and to prevent an over reaction by the White House.

Action
Drama
2h 9m
Wolfgang Petersen
64
1995 in Kiss of Death (1995)
Kiss of Death
1995

Jimmy Kilmartin's an ex-con who's trying to go straight. But he can't say no to a quick driving job because his so-called friend's life is threatened. The job is for Little Junior Brown, a violent and powerful villain. When things go wrong, Jimmy is left to do the time, and his whole life is turned upside-down, but if that wasn't enough, the cops won't leave Jimmy alone when he gets out... They want Little Junior Brown.

Crime
Thriller
1h 41m
Barbet Schroeder
63
1995 in Balto (1995)
Balto
1995

An outcast half-wolf risks his life to prevent a deadly epidemic from ravaging Nome, Alaska.

Family
Animation
1h 18m
Simon Wells
Kevin Bacon, Bob Hoskins, Bridget Fonda, Jim Cummings
62
1995 in Assassins (1995)
Assassins
1995

Assassin Robert Rath arrives at a funeral to kill a prominent mobster, only to witness a rival hired gun complete the job for him -- with grisly results. Horrified by the murder of innocent bystanders, Rath decides to take one last job and then return to civilian life. But finding his way out of the world of contract killing grows ever more dangerous as Rath falls for his female target and becomes a marked man himself.

Action
Adventure
61
1995 in Congo (1995)
Congo
1995

Eight people embark on an expedition into the Congo, a mysterious expanse of unexplored Africa, where human greed and the laws of nature have gone berserk.

Action
Adventure
1h 49m
Frank Marshall
Laura Linney, Dylan Walsh, Ernie Hudson, Tim Curry
60
1995 in Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995)
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
1995

A passenger train has been hijacked by an electronics expert and turned into an untraceable command center for a weapons satellite. He has planned to blow up Washington DC and only one man can stop him, former Navy SEAL Casey Ryback.

Action
Thriller
1h 39m
Geoff Murphy
Steven Seagal, Eric Bogosian, Katherine Heigl, Morris Chestnut
59
1995 in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (1995)
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
1995

When an English cartographer arrives in Wales to tell the residents of the Welsh village of Ffynnon Garw that their 'mountain' is only a hill, the offended community sets out to remedy the situation.

Drama
Comedy
1h 31m
Christopher Monger
Hugh Grant, Tara Fitzgerald, Colm Meaney, Ian McNeice
58
1995 in Sudden Death (1995)
Sudden Death
1995

When a man's daughter is suddenly taken during a championship hockey game – with the captors demanding a billion dollars by game's end – he frantically sets a plan in motion to rescue her and abort an impending explosion before the final buzzer.

Action
Drama
1h 50m
Peter Hyams
Jean-Claude Van Damme, Powers Boothe, Raymond J. Barry, Whittni Wright
57
1995 in Father of the Bride Part II (1995)
Father of the Bride Part II
1995

Just when George Banks has recovered from his daughter's wedding, he receives the news that she's pregnant ... and that George's wife is expecting too. He was planning on selling their home, but that's a plan that—like George—will have to change with the arrival of both a grandchild and a kid of his own.

Comedy
Family
1h 46m
Charles Shyer
Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Martin Short, Kimberly Williams-Paisley
56
1995 in Major Payne (1995)
Major Payne
1995

Major Benson Winifred Payne is being discharged from the Marines. Payne is a killin' machine, but the wars of the world are no longer fought on the battlefield. A career Marine, he has no idea what to do as a civilian, so his commander finds him a job - commanding officer of a local school's JROTC program, a bunch of ragtag losers with no hope.

Adventure
Comedy
1h 35m
Nick Castle
Damon Wayans, Karyn Parsons, William Hickey, Michael Ironside
55
1995 in Forget Paris (1995)
Forget Paris
1995

Mickey Gordon is a basketball referee who travels to France to bury his father. Ellen Andrews is an American living in Paris who works for the airline he flies on. They meet and fall in love, but their relationship goes through many difficult patches.

Comedy
Drama
Billy Crystal, Debra Winger, Joe Mantegna, Cynthia Stevenson
54
1995 in Tommy Boy (1995)
Tommy Boy
1995

To save the family business, two ne’er-do-well traveling salesmen hit the road with disastrously funny consequences.

Comedy
1h 38m
Peter Segal
53
1995 in Dangerous Minds (1995)
Dangerous Minds
1995

Former Marine Louanne Johnson lands a gig teaching in a pilot program for bright but underachieving teens at a notorious inner-city high school. After having a terrible first day, she decides she must throw decorum to the wind. When Johnson returns to the classroom, she does so armed with a no-nonsense attitude informed by her military training and a fearless determination to better the lives of her students -- no matter what the cost.

Drama
1h 39m
John N. Smith
Michelle Pfeiffer, George Dzundza, Courtney B. Vance, Robin Bartlett
52
1995 in Nine Months (1995)
Nine Months
1995

When he finds out his longtime girlfriend is pregnant, a commitment-phobe realizes he might have to change his lifestyle for better or much, much worse.

Romance
Comedy
1h 43m
Chris Columbus
51
1995 in A Little Princess (1995)
A Little Princess
1995

When her father enlists to fight for the British in WWI, young Sara Crewe goes to New York to attend the same boarding school her late mother attended. She soon clashes with the severe headmistress, Miss Minchin, who attempts to stifle Sara's creativity and sense of self-worth.

Drama
Family
1h 37m
Alfonso Cuarón
Liesel Matthews, Eleanor Bron, Liam Cunningham, Rusty Schwimmer
50

Fresh to Las Vegas with no connections, Nomi Malone takes a job as an exotic dancer. Her talents are quickly noticed by Cristal, a headlining dancer who senses an opportunity to bolster her own act. But Nomi won’t play second fiddle and soon begins her venomous path to the top, ruthlessly backstabbing anyone who gets in her way.

Drama
2h 11m
Paul Verhoeven
Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, Gina Gershon, Glenn Plummer
49
1995 in The Prophecy (1995)
The Prophecy
1995

The angel Gabriel comes to Earth to collect a soul which will end the stalemated war in Heaven, and only a former priest and a little girl can stop him.

Action
Mystery
1h 38m
Gregory Widen
Christopher Walken, Elias Koteas, Virginia Madsen, Eric Stoltz
48
1995 in Hackers (1995)
Hackers
1995

Along with his new friends, a teenager who was arrested by the US Secret Service and banned from using a computer for writing a computer virus discovers a plot by a nefarious hacker, but they must use their computer skills to find the evidence while being pursued by the Secret Service and the evil computer genius behind the virus.

Action
Crime
1h 45m
Iain Softley
Jonny Lee Miller, Angelina Jolie, Matthew Lillard, Jesse Bradford
47
1995 in The American President (1995)
The American President
1995

Widowed U.S. president Andrew Shepherd, one of the world's most powerful men, can have anything he wants -- and what he covets most is Sydney Ellen Wade, a Washington lobbyist. But Shepherd's attempts at courting her spark wild rumors and decimate his approval ratings.

46
1995 in Boys on the Side (1995)
Boys on the Side
1995

After breaking up with her girlfriend, a nightclub singer, Jane, answers a personal ad from Robin, a real estate agent with AIDS, seeking a cross-country travel partner. On their journey from New York City to Los Angeles, the two stop by Pittsburgh to pick up Jane's friend Holly, who is trying to escape an abusive relationship. With three distinct personalities, the women must overcome their differences to help one another.

Comedy
Drama
1h 55m
Herbert Ross
45
1995 in The Net (1995)
The Net
1995

Angela Bennett is a freelance computer systems analyst who tracks down software viruses. At night she hooks up to the internet and chats to others 'surfing the net'. While de-bugging a new high-tech game for a cyber friend, she comes across a top secret program and becomes the target of a mysterious organization who will stop at nothing to erase her identity and her existence, in order to protect the project.

Crime
Drama
1h 54m
Irwin Winkler
Sandra Bullock, Jeremy Northam, Dennis Miller, Wendy Gazelle
44
1995 in Species (1995)
Species
1995

In 1993, the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence Project receives a transmission detailing an alien DNA structure, along with instructions on how to splice it with human DNA. The result is Sil, a sensual but deadly creature who can change from a beautiful woman to an armour-plated killing machine in the blink of an eye.

Science Fiction
Horror
1h 48m
Roger Donaldson
43
1995 in The Basketball Diaries (1995)
The Basketball Diaries
1995

A high school basketball player’s life turns upside down after free-falling into the harrowing world of drug addiction.

Drama
Crime
1h 42m
Scott Kalvert
Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, James Madio, Lorraine Bracco
42

In a futuristic world where the polar ice caps have melted and made Earth a liquid planet, a beautiful barmaid rescues a mutant seafarer from a floating island prison. They escape, along with her young charge, Enola, and sail off aboard his ship. But the trio soon becomes the target of a menacing pirate who covets the map to 'Dryland'—which is tattooed on Enola's back.

Adventure
Action
2h 15m
Kevin Reynolds
41
1995 in Casper (1995)
Casper
1995

Casper is a kind young ghost who peacefully haunts a mansion in Maine. When specialist James Harvey arrives to communicate with Casper and his fellow spirits, he brings along his teenage daughter, Kat. Casper quickly falls in love with Kat, but their budding relationship is complicated not only by his transparent state, but also by his troublemaking apparition uncles and their mischievous antics.

Fantasy
Comedy
1h 40m
Brad Silberling
Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, Cathy Moriarty, Eric Idle
40
1995 in French Kiss (1995)
French Kiss
1995

After her fiancee admits to infidelity while on a business trip in France, a woman attempts to get her lover back and marry him by traveling to Paris despite her crippling fear of flying. On the way she unwittingly smuggles something of value that has a charming crook chasing her across France as she chases after her future husband.

Comedy
Romance
1h 51m
Lawrence Kasdan
Meg Ryan, Kevin Kline, Timothy Hutton, Jean Reno
39
1995 in Mortal Kombat (1995)
Mortal Kombat
1995

For nine generations an evil sorcerer has been victorious in hand-to-hand battle against his mortal enemies. If he wins a tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, desolation and evil will reign over the multiverse forever. To save Earth, three warriors must overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, their own inner demons, and superhuman foes.

Action
Fantasy
1h 41m
Paul W. S. Anderson
Robin Shou, Linden Ashby, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, Christopher Lambert
38

Batman faces off against two foes: the schizophrenic, horribly scarred former District Attorney Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face, and the Riddler, a disgruntled ex-Wayne Enterprises inventor seeking revenge against his former employer by unleashing his brain-sucking weapon on Gotham City's residents. As the caped crusader also copes with tortured memories of his parents' murder, he has a new romance, with psychologist Chase Meridian.

Action
Crime
2h 1m
Joel Schumacher
37
1995 in While You Were Sleeping (1995)
While You Were Sleeping
1995

A transit worker pulls commuter Peter off railway tracks after he's mugged, but—while he's in a coma—his family mistakenly thinks she's Peter's fiancée, and she doesn't correct them. Things get more complicated when she falls for his brother, who's not quite sure that she's who she claims to be.

Romance
Comedy
1h 43m
Jon Turteltaub
36
1995 in Bad Boys (1995)
Bad Boys
1995

Marcus Burnett is a henpecked family man. Mike Lowrey is a footloose and fancy free ladies' man. Both Miami policemen, they have 72 hours to reclaim a consignment of drugs stolen from under their station's nose. To complicate matters, in order to get the assistance of the sole witness to a murder, they have to pretend to be each other.

Action
Comedy
35
1995 in Mallrats (1995)
Mallrats
1995

Both dumped by their girlfriends, two best friends seek refuge in the local mall. Eventually, they decide to try and win back their significant others and take care of their respective nemeses.

Romance
Comedy
Jason Lee, Jeremy London, Shannen Doherty, Claire Forlani
34
1995 in GoldenEye (1995)
GoldenEye
1995

When a powerful satellite system falls into the hands of Alec Trevelyan, AKA Agent 006, a former ally-turned-enemy, only James Bond can save the world from a dangerous space weapon that -- in one short pulse -- could destroy the earth! As Bond squares off against his former compatriot, he also battles Xenia Onatopp, an assassin who uses pleasure as her ultimate weapon.

Adventure
Action
2h 10m
Martin Campbell
Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen
33
1995 in To Die For (1995)
To Die For
1995

Suzanne Stone wants to be a world-famous news anchor and she is willing to do anything to get what she wants. What she lacks in intelligence, she makes up for in cold determination and diabolical wiles. As she pursues her goal with relentless focus, she is forced to destroy anything and anyone that may stand in her way, regardless of the ultimate cost or means necessary.

Drama
Comedy
1h 46m
Gus Van Sant
32

In the last days of 1999, ex-cop turned street hustler Lenny Nero receives a disc which contains the memories of the murder of a prostitute. With the help of bodyguard Mace, he starts to investigate and is pulled deeper and deeper in a whirl of murder, blackmail and intrigue.

31
1995 in Crimes of Passion (1995)
Crimes of Passion
1995

Gabriel, a mentally unstable actor, upon release from asylum falls for aspiring actress Julieta, and tries to help her win film roles – only, she doesn’t fancy him one bit, and merely uses his connections for bettering her career. Her best friend Letícia, also an aspiring actress, uses a friend’s uncle – a senator, to further her ambition. Both their interests clash at some point – crime ensues.

Drama
Crime
1h 34m
Adolfo Martínez Solares
Hugo Stiglitz, Raúl Araiza, Gerardo Vigil, Juan Carlos Colombo
30

A mysterious woman comes to compete in a quick-draw elimination tournament, in a town taken over by a notorious gunman.

29
1995 in Nixon (1995)
Nixon
1995

A look at President Richard M. Nixon—a man carrying the fate of the world on his shoulders while battling the self-destructive demands from within—spanning his troubled boyhood in California to the shocking Watergate scandal that would end his Presidency.

Drama
History
28
1995 in Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
Mighty Aphrodite
1995

When Lenny and his wife, Amanda, adopt a baby, Lenny realizes that his son is a genius and becomes obsessed with finding the boy's biological mother in hopes that she will be brilliant too. But when he learns that Max's mother is Linda Ash, a kindhearted prostitute and porn star, Lenny is determined to reform her immoral lifestyle. A Greek chorus chimes in to relate the plot to Greek mythology in this quirky comedy.

27
1995 in Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)
Mr. Holland's Opus
1995

In 1965, passionate musician Glenn Holland takes a day job as a high school music teacher, convinced it's just a small obstacle on the road to his true calling: writing a historic opus. As the decades roll by with the composition unwritten but generations of students inspired through his teaching, Holland must redefine his life's purpose.

Drama
Music
2h 23m
Stephen Herek
Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly, Jay Thomas, Olympia Dukakis
26
1995 in Now and Then (1995)
Now and Then
1995

Waxing nostalgic about the bittersweet passage from childhood to puberty, four childhood girlfriends — Teeny, Chrissy, Samantha and Roberta — recall the magical summer of 1970. During their walk down memory lane, they reconcile experiences with boys, secrets, bullies and more.

Comedy
Drama
1h 42m
Lesli Linka Glatter
Christina Ricci, Rosie O'Donnell, Thora Birch, Melanie Griffith
25
1995 in A Goofy Movie (1995)
A Goofy Movie
1995

Goofy’s teenage son Max is desperate to impress his crush and fit in at school. After well-meaning but ignorant Goofy suddenly whisks him away on a cross-country road trip—messing up Max’s first date plans in the process—Goofy’s old-school parenting and Max’s desire for independence lead to a vacation of hilarious mishaps, as they both learn to understand and listen to eachother.

Adventure
Comedy
1h 18m
Kevin Lima
Bill Farmer, Jason Marsden, Rob Paulsen, Jim Cummings
24
1995 in Billy Madison (1995)
Billy Madison
1995

Billy Madison is the 27 year-old son of Bryan Madison, a very rich man who has made his living in the hotel industry. Billy stands to inherit his father's empire, but only if he can make it through all 12 grades, 2 weeks per grade, to prove that he has what it takes to run the family business.

Comedy
1h 30m
Tamra Davis
Adam Sandler, Bradley Whitford, Josh Mostel, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras
23
1995 in Pocahontas (1995)
Pocahontas
1995

Pocahontas, daughter of a Native American tribe chief, falls in love with an English soldier as colonists invade 17th century Virginia.

Adventure
Animation
1h 21m
Mike Gabriel
Irene Bedard, Mel Gibson, David Ogden Stiers, John Kassir
22
1995 in The City of Lost Children (1995)
The City of Lost Children
1995

A scientist in a surrealist society kidnaps children to steal their dreams, hoping that they slow his aging process.

Fantasy
Science Fiction
1h 52m
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon, Judith Vittet, Daniel Emilfork
21
1995 in Babe (1995)
Babe
1995

Babe is a little pig who doesn't quite know his place in the world. With a bunch of odd friends, like Ferdinand the duck who thinks he is a rooster and Fly the dog he calls mum, Babe realises that he has the makings to become the greatest sheep pig of all time, and Farmer Hoggett knows it. With the help of the sheep dogs, Babe learns that a pig can be anything that he wants to be.

Fantasy
Drama
1h 32m
Chris Noonan
Christine Cavanaugh, Miriam Margolyes, Danny Mann, Hugo Weaving
20

El Mariachi plunges headfirst into the dark border underworld when he follows a trail of blood to the last of the infamous Mexican drug lords, Bucho, for an action-packed, bullet-riddled showdown. With the help of his friend and a beautiful bookstore owner, El Mariachi tracks Bucho, takes on his army of desperados, and leaves his own trail of blood.

Thriller
Action
Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Joaquim de Almeida, Steve Buscemi
19

Ben Sanderson, an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter who lost everything because of his drinking, arrives in Las Vegas to drink himself to death. There, he meets and forms an uneasy friendship and non-interference pact with prostitute Sera.

Drama
Romance
1h 51m
Mike Figgis
Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth Shue, Julian Sands, Richard Lewis
18

In the year 2035, convict James Cole reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth's population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996, he's arrested and locked up in a mental hospital. There he meets psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly and the son of a famous virus expert who may hold the key to the Army of the 12 Monkeys; thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease.

17

Photographer Robert Kincaid wanders into the life of housewife Francesca Johnson for four days in the 1960s.

Drama
Romance
Meryl Streep, Clint Eastwood, Annie Corley, Victor Slezak
16

A death row inmate turns for spiritual guidance to a local nun in the days leading up to his scheduled execution for the murders of a young couple.

Drama
Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Robert Prosky, Raymond J. Barry
15
1995 in La Haine (1995)
La Haine
1995

After a chaotic night of rioting in a marginal suburb of Paris, three young friends, Vinz, Hubert and Saïd, wander around unoccupied waiting for news about the state of health of a mutual friend who has been seriously injured when confronting the police.

Drama
1h 38m
Mathieu Kassovitz
Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé, Saïd Taghmaoui, Abdel Ahmed Ghili
14

An unexpected meeting on a train leads two travelers to spend an evening wandering through Vienna. As the night unfolds, they share stories and conversations about life and love, exploring new ideas while a quiet intimacy grows between them, knowing it may be their only night together.

Drama
Romance
Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Andrea Eckert, Hanno Pöschl
13

Chili Palmer is a Miami mobster who gets sent to L.A. to collect a bad debt from Harry Zimm, a Hollywood producer who specializes in cheesy horror films. When Chili meets Harry's leading lady, the romantic sparks fly. After pitching his own life story as a movie idea, Chili learns that being a mobster and being a Hollywood producer really aren't all that different.

12
1995 in Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
Die Hard: With a Vengeance
1995

New York detective John McClane is back and kicking bad-guy butt in the third installment of this action-packed series, which finds him teaming with civilian Zeus Carver to prevent the loss of innocent lives. McClane thought he'd seen it all, until a genius named Simon engages McClane, his new "partner" -- and his beloved city -- in a deadly game that demands their concentration.

Action
Thriller
11

When siblings Judy and Peter discover an enchanted board game that opens the door to a magical world, they unwittingly invite Alan -- an adult who's been trapped inside the game for 26 years -- into their living room. Alan's only hope for freedom is to finish the game, which proves risky as all three find themselves running from giant rhinoceroses, evil monkeys and other terrifying creatures.

Adventure
Fantasy
1h 44m
Joe Johnston
Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Bonnie Hunt
Why it ranks

This chaotic adventure pushes the boundaries of digital effects to create a tactile sense of jungle-born carnage in a suburban setting. It stands out for its frantic, percussive energy and a lingering sense of genuine peril that distinguishes it from safer family fare.

10

Shallow, rich and socially successful Cher is at the top of her Beverly Hills high school's pecking scale. Seeing herself as a matchmaker, Cher first coaxes two teachers into dating each other. Emboldened by her success, she decides to give hopelessly klutzy new student Tai a makeover. When Tai becomes more popular than she is, Cher realizes that her disapproving ex-stepbrother was right about how misguided she was -- and falls for him.

Comedy
Romance
1h 37m
Amy Heckerling
Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd
Why it ranks

Amy Heckerling delivers a wickedly sharp satire of Beverly Hills youth that functions as both a candy-colored fashion statement and a brilliant reimagining of classical literature. Its biting dialogue and linguistic invention have already begun to reshape the cultural lexicon.

9

The Dashwood sisters, sensible Elinor and passionate Marianne, learn that their prospects of marriage seem doomed by their family's sudden loss of fortune. After Henry Dashwood dies unexpectedly, his estate must pass on by law to his son. These circumstances leave Mr. Dashwood's wife and daughters without a home and with barely enough money to live on. As Elinor and Marianne struggle to find romantic fulfillment in a society obsessed with financial and social status, they must learn to mix sense with sensibility in their dealings with both money and men.

Why it ranks

Emma Thompson’s literate adaptation breathes vibrant, modern life into Jane Austen’s prose without sacrificing its period elegance. Ang Lee’s restrained direction captures the quiet devastation of social manners with a sharp, satirical edge and deep emotional intelligence.

8
1995 in Friday (1995)
1995

Craig and Smokey are two guys in Los Angeles hanging out on their porch on a Friday afternoon, smoking and drinking, looking for something to do.

Comedy
Drama
1h 31m
F. Gary Gray
Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Tommy Lister Jr.
Why it ranks

Chris Tucker delivers high-wire comedic electricity as Craig’s motor-mouthed sidekick, turning what could have been a simple caricature into a masterpiece of facial gymnastics and screeching punchlines. It is the role that catapulted him from stand-up curiosity to a global superstar by proving he could command the screen through pure, unadulterated energy. He carries the film's rhythm on his shoulders, immortalizing the character of Smokey as the ultimate blueprint for the cinematic slacker.

7

The true story of technical troubles that scuttle the Apollo 13 lunar mission in 1970, risking the lives of astronaut Jim Lovell and his crew, with the failed journey turning into a thrilling saga of heroism. Drifting more than 200,000 miles from Earth, the astronauts work furiously with the ground crew to avert tragedy.

Why it ranks

Ron Howard transforms a known historical outcome into a masterwork of claustrophobic tension and technical precision. By prioritizing procedural authenticity over melodrama, it celebrates human ingenuity through a lens of chilling, high-stakes realism.

6

Led by Woody, Andy's toys live happily in his room until Andy's birthday brings Buzz Lightyear onto the scene. Afraid of losing his place in Andy's heart, Woody plots against Buzz. But when circumstances separate Buzz and Woody from their owner, the duo eventually learns to put aside their differences.

Family
Comedy
1h 21m
John Lasseter
Why it ranks

Pixar’s feature debut isn't merely a technical milestone for computer animation; it is a masterclass in kinetic storytelling that breathes soul into silicon. This instant classic redefines the scope of the family film by pairing sophisticated wit with a visceral sense of wonder.

5
1995 in Casino (1995)
1995

In Las Vegas, two best friends--a casino executive and a Mafia enforcer--compete for a gambling empire and a fast-living, fast-loving socialite.

Why it ranks

Martin Scorsese delivers a shimmering, neon-drenched eulogy for the mob’s reign in Las Vegas, blending operatic excess with a detailed sociological study. The film’s frantic editing and sprawling narrative capture the dizzying heights and violent decay of an empire built on sand.

4

Held in an L.A. interrogation room, Verbal Kint attempts to convince the feds that a mythic crime lord, Keyser Soze, not only exists, but was also responsible for drawing him and his four partners into a multi-million dollar heist that ended with an explosion in San Pedro harbor – leaving few survivors. Verbal lures his interrogators with an incredible story of the crime lord's almost supernatural prowess.

Why it ranks

A labyrinthine puzzle of a script marks this as the year’s most clever subversion of the crime noir tradition. It thrives on a jittery, ensemble energy that keeps the viewer perpetually off-balance until the final, masterful rug-pull.

3

Enraged at the slaughter of Murron, his new bride and childhood love, Scottish warrior William Wallace slays a platoon of the local English lord's soldiers. This leads the village to revolt and, eventually, the entire country to rise up against English rule.

Action
Drama
Mel Gibson, Catherine McCormack, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan
Why it ranks

Mel Gibson revives the sweeping historical epic with a brutal, visceral energy that rejects the polished artifice of old Hollywood. The film’s raw, muddy battle sequences and unapologetic emotional scale command the screen with a primal ferocity.

2
1995 in Se7en (1995)
1995

Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the "seven deadly sins" in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Somerset researches each sin in an effort to get inside the killer's mind, while his novice partner, Mills, scoffs at his efforts to unravel the case.

Crime
Mystery
Why it ranks

David Fincher’s rain-soaked procedural plunges the audience into a nihilistic abyss, elevating the serial killer thriller into a grand, operatic tragedy. Its meticulously bleak aesthetic and suffocating atmosphere set a new, uncompromising benchmark for the genre.

1
1995 in Heat (1995)
1995

Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.

Crime
Drama
Why it ranks

Michael Mann’s sprawling urban saga is a technical marvel of sound and shadow, featuring the most tactical and thunderous street-warfare sequence ever filmed. It is a brooding, melancholic meditation on the professional codes that bind and destroy men on both sides of the law.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts

The best movies of 1995 showcase a rich variety of genres including crime thrillers like 'Se7en', historical dramas such as 'Braveheart', and revolutionary animation exemplified by 'Toy Story'. This diversity highlights 1995 as a year bridging intense storytelling with groundbreaking cinematic techniques.

1995 marked a pivotal moment where films like 'Toy Story', the first fully computer-animated feature, introduced new digital storytelling methods, while classics like 'Heat' maintained gritty, character-driven narratives. This blend of innovation and tradition set a new standard for the film industry.

Films like 'The Usual Suspects' and 'Clueless' have morphed into cult classics owing to their unique storytelling, memorable characters, and enduring appeal across generations. Their influence can still be seen in modern cinema and pop culture.

Crime films such as 'Heat', 'Se7en', and 'Casino' stand out for their complex characters, intricate plotting, and stylistic brilliance, which have earned them critical acclaim and lasting influence. This genre’s prominence reflects the era's fascination with moral ambiguity and intense drama.

Many 1995 films achieved both critical and commercial success, with 'Braveheart' winning the Academy Award for Best Picture and 'Sense and Sensibility' earning acclaim for its adaptation of classic literature. This year’s movies fortified the reputations of their directors and cast alike.

While most directors on the list were established by 1995, movies like 'Before Sunrise' showcased Richard Linklater’s burgeoning style that would influence indie cinema profoundly. The year highlighted a mix of veteran visionaries and emerging auteurs.

'Toy Story' revolutionized family-friendly animation by being the first fully computer-animated feature film, merging heartwarming storytelling with cutting-edge technology, making it a landmark in animation history and influencing countless future projects.

1995’s films, such as 'La Haine' and 'Friday', delve into social issues like urban unrest and racial dynamics, reflecting contemporary cultural tensions. This grounding in real-world themes enhanced the era’s cinematic relevance and depth.
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