The users at Letterboxd are known to be major lovers of film. They tend to appreciate cinematic viewing experiences more than simply watching the top blockbusters of any given year. That means their choices for the most popular movies can range from big-budget productions to beloved indie films.
The '90s are an interesting time to look back on when it comes to which movies are the most popular on Letterboxd. These received positive reviews and are given out ratings and been viewed by more users than any other in their given year of the decade. They include blockbusters, cult classics, Best Picture winners, and more.
One consistent trend you'll find among the most popular movies of the '90s is that they are often helmed by some of the most acclaimed directors to ever live. Goodfellas is one of them as it is directed by Martin Scorsese and some consider it his greatest work, which is saying something.
The story centers on the rise and fall of Henry Hill, a famous mobster whose notoriety spanned several decades. Goodfellas is basically mafia movie royalty at this point and it boasts an incredibly loaded cast. It scored six Academy Award nominations and won one. The film beat out Home Alone and Edward Scissorhands to top 1990.
1991 was a spectacular year for films, with some of the most iconic in history released during that time. Among them are sci-fi classics like Terminator 2 and Best Picture nominee Beauty and the Beast, which are also popular. The one to top the year for Letterboxd though is The Silence of the Lambs.
History was made when The Silence of the Lambs won Best Picture at the Oscars as it remains the only true horror film to do so. It also won in the other four major categories, becoming only the third movie to pull that off. The premise sees an FBI trainee who gets advice from a convicted cannibal on how to catch a serial killer.
Every well-received director has to start somewhere and for Quentin Tarantino, his feature-length debut came in 1992. Reservoir Dogs was cool because it was a unique version of a heist film as it focused on the aftermath of a job gone wrong and not the actual heist itself.
Just edging out Aladdin and Home Alone 2 to top 1992, Reservoir Dogs is iconic and helped establish many of the trademarks Tarantino is known for including non-linear storytelling, pop culture references, and acts of violence. It also marked the start of Tarantino collaborating with some of his favorite actors.
The string of legendary directors continues as Jurassic Park was helmed by Steven Spielberg. This is pretty much the definition of an epic blockbuster as the movie is most remembered for the outstanding visual effects, which hold up today and look better than many modern films.
As pretty much everyone knows by now, Jurassic Park centers on a wildlife park where de-extinct dinosaurs get loose and wreak havoc. Not only was it a massive box office success but it has become a pop culture staple and spawned a franchise. The next closest popular films of the year are Schindler's List and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Like 1991, the year 1994 proved to be something special. It featured the likes of Forrest Gump, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Lion King, which could all be the most popular movie of any other year but in 1994, they all sit comfortably behind Pulp Fiction.
Two years after Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino was back with this release that took non-linear storytelling to the next level. It features one of the most impressive casts ever put together, some of the most quotable dialogue in history, and has gone on to influence almost countless movies ever since.
Another of the greatest directors in history is David Fincher. He's known for some of the most twisted films you could imagine like Gone Girl, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and Fight Club. His second-ever movie, Se7en, might actually still be the best work of his career though.
The film focuses on two detectives (Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt) who track down a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as a theme for all of his murders. While not nominated for a ton of awards, it has become an iconic film with a devastating twist ending. Toy Story and Before Sunrise are the other most popular 1995 flicks.
Yet again, it's a movie made by filmmakers who are critical darlings. The Coen Brothers have been behind so many classics at this point but Fargo is still a favorite for longtime fans. The film sees a car salesman hire two criminals to kidnap his wife for a ransom from her wealthy father.
Of course, everything that can go wrong does in this crime comedy, setting the stage for some of the wackiest antics you'll ever see. Scream and Trainspotting also ranked high for 1996 but Fargo takes the cake and has gone on to spawn an anthology TV series on FX.
You almost can't discuss top directors without mentioning James Cameron, who is basically the king of the blockbuster. He proved that in spades with Titanic, which is a romantic retelling of the sinking Titanic ship, grounded by the love story between two people from different social classes.
While the romance is the heart of the tale, audiences certainly showed up for the huge set pieces and impressive visual effects. The film soared to gross more than $2 billion and set records at the box office. That helped it be the most popular of 1997 above Good Will Hunting and Princess Mononoke.
1998 featured an interesting blend of popular films from animated features to big war movies to things that have gone on to become cult classics. That includes The Big Lebowski and Saving Private Ryan but the most popular release from the year is The Truman Show.
Jim Carrey had made a name for himself as a comedy icon but The Truman Show allowed him to display his dramatic chops. In it, he plays the titular Truman Burbank, a man who is unaware that his entire life is the subject of a precisely executed TV show.
Returning to David Fincher, Fight Club feels like a fantastic encapsulation of who he is as a filmmaker. At the time of its release, the film wasn't met with a great response from critics or even audiences but it actually has gone on to become beloved in the years since.
Fight Club sees a man unhappy with his life who forms a secret fight club that ends up leading to much more harrowing plots. Based on a novel of the same name, it's an acquired taste that fans have grown to love over the past few decades. The Matrix and American Beauty rank second and third.