1996 Top Movies

From Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, starring William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare
Rated R

Fargo is a 1996 dark comedy crime drama directed and written by the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan Coen. The film follows a pregnant police chief, Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), as she investigates a series of homicides and a kidnapping in rural Minnesota. When two inept criminals, Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) and Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi), hire a pair of hit-men to kidnap his wife, the situation soon spirals out of control. Marge soon finds herself on the trail of the criminals, who attempt to cover their tracks by disposing of bodies and evidence in the icy Minnesota snow. Fargo was a critical and commercial success, winning numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and Best Actress for McDormand. The film is a quintessential example of the Coen brothers' unique brand of darkly comedic and sardonic storytelling.

From Danny Boyle, starring Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd
Rated R

Trainspotting is a 1996 British black comedy movie directed by Danny Boyle and based on the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. The film follows the story of a group of heroin addicts living in the economically depressed area of Leith in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stars Ewan McGregor as Mark Renton, a young man whose life is spiralling out of control as a result of his drug use. The film follows the stories of his friends and acquaintances as they deal with the realities of drug addiction, social exclusion, and unemployment. Through a mix of comedy and tragedy, the film paints a vivid and often disturbing picture of the lives of its characters, exploring the extremes of their experiences and the lengths to which they will go in pursuit of an escape.

From Mike Leigh, starring Timothy Spall, Brenda Blethyn, Phyllis Logan, Claire Rushbrook
Rated R

Secrets & Lies is an acclaimed British drama, written and directed by Mike Leigh, that tells the story of Hortense Cumberbatch, a successful Black optometrist who discovers that her birth mother is a White, working-class London woman who had given her up for adoption as a baby. As Hortense, played by Marianne Jean-Baptiste, begins to form a relationship with her birth mother, Cynthia Purley, played by Brenda Blethyn, a series of family secrets and lies slowly unravels. Hortense soon discovers that the woman who raised her is not her real mother, and that Cynthia has a daughter, Roxanne, played by Claire Rushbrook, who she gave up for adoption. The story is a powerful portrayal of the complexities of family life and the depths of human emotion that can be triggered by secrets, secrets that can tear a family apart, or reunite them.

From Billy Bob Thornton, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakam, J.T. Walsh, John Ritter
Rated R

Sling Blade is a 1996 drama film written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton. The film stars Thornton as Karl Childers, a man with an intellectual disability who is released from a psychiatric hospital after killing his mother and her lover in a fit of rage when he was a child. After being released, Karl finds a job in a small town repairing lawnmowers and befriends a young boy named Frank, and Frank's mother Linda. However, Karl soon discovers that Linda's abusive boyfriend is a major source of her suffering and decides to take matters into his own hands. With the help of Frank, Karl must confront his own demons and fight to protect Linda and Frank from their abusive situation. Sling Blade is an emotionally gripping drama that delves into the complexities of human relationships and the power of redemption.

From Gregory Hoblit, starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, John Mahoney
Rated R

Primal Fear is a crime-thriller film from 1996 directed by Gregory Hoblit. The film stars Richard Gere and Edward Norton, and tells the story of a high-profile murder case in the city of Chicago. Aaron Stampler (Norton), a young altar boy with a history of mental illness, is accused of the murder of the beloved Archbishop Rushman. His charismatic lawyer, Martin Vail (Gere) takes on the case, determined to prove his client innocent. With the help of his assistant, Laura (Laura Linney), Vail delves into the dark secrets of the archbishop's past and discovers a tangled web of evidence that could prove Aaron's innocence. The film culminates in a highly suspenseful courtroom drama, as Vail attempts to convince the jury of Aaron's innocence.

From Scott Hicks, starring Geoffrey Rush, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Justin Braine, Sonia Todd
Rated PG-13

Shine is a biographical drama film directed by Scott Hicks and released in 1996. It tells the story of Australian pianist David Helfgott, who overcame a troubled childhood and a troubled adulthood to become a celebrated classical musician. Helfgott suffered a mental breakdown in his late teens and spent years in psychiatric institutions before eventually finding his way to music and regaining his sanity. The film focuses on the period of Helfgott's life leading up to his first performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and his struggles with his father, who was very strict and discouraged his musical ambitions. Along the way, Helfgott begins to build a relationship with his wife, Gillian, and finds some understanding and support from his music teacher, Dr. Levy. The film was critically acclaimed and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Geoffrey Rush in the title role, and Best Picture. It is an inspiring and uplifting story of hope in the face of adversity.

From Jonathan Frakes, starring Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton
Rated PG-13

Star Trek: First Contact is a feature-length film that takes place in the Star Trek universe. It is the eighth film in the Star Trek film series and the second to feature the cast of the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. The film stars Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, and Marina Sirtis. It follows the adventures of the crew of the Starship Enterprise-E as they travel back in time to the mid-21st century. The Enterprise crew must battle the Borg, an alien race of cybernetically enhanced lifeforms, as they attempt to prevent the Borg from changing the course of humanity's future. The Enterprise crew must also protect their ship and their own lives as they travel through time. The film was a commercial and critical success and was the highest grossing Star Trek film of the time. Its success helped to reinvigorate the series, leading to four additional feature films.

From Barry Levinson, starring Robert De Niro, Kevin Bacon, Brad Pitt, Jason Patric
Rated R

Sleepers is a 1996 crime drama directed by Barry Levinson and starring Robert De Niro and Kevin Bacon. It follows the story of four teenage boys in Hell’s Kitchen in New York, who are sent to a juvenile detention center after a prank goes wrong. The boys are subjected to physical and sexual abuse at the hands of the guards and staff, which affects them deeply. Years later, two of the boys (Shawshank Redemption's Brad Pitt and The Sopranos' Joe Pesci) become successful criminals, using the knowledge and skills they acquired in the juvenile center. They hatch a plan to get revenge on the guards who abused them. Meanwhile, two other boys (Jason Patric and Brad Renfro) become lawyers and use the legal system to take on the case and seek justice for the boys. The story follows the boys' quest for revenge, as well as their struggle to overcome the trauma of their past.

From Joel Schumacher, starring Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey
Rated R

A Time to Kill is a 1996 American legal drama film directed by Joel Schumacher, based on the 1989 novel of the same name by John Grisham. The film follows a young lawyer, Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey), who defends a black man, Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson), accused of murdering the perpetrators of a horrific crime against his daughter. With the help of his mentor, Lucien Wilbanks (Donald Sutherland), and a legal team of friends and family, Jake works to prove Carl Lee's innocence in a town with deep racial divisions. The film also stars Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey, and Ashley Judd, and explores themes of justice, race, and morality.

From Anthony Minghella, starring Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Kristin Scott Thomas
Rated R

From Wes Craven, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich
Rated R

From Christopher Guest, starring Christopher Guest, Fred Willard, Catherine O'Hara, Parker Posey
Rated R

From Todd Solondz, starring Heather Matarazzo, Christina Brucato, Victoria Davis, Christina Vidal
Rated R

From Milos Forman, starring Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love, Edward Norton, Brett Harrelson
Rated R

From Mike Nichols, starring Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest
Rated R

From Carroll Ballard, starring Jeff Daniels, Anna Paquin, Dana Delany, Terry Kinney
Rated PG

From Albert Brooks, starring Albert Brooks, Debbie Reynolds, Paul Collins, Laura Weekes
Rated PG-13

From Stephen Hopkins, starring Michael Douglas, Val Kilmer, Tom Wilkinson, John Kani
Rated R

From Nicholas Hytner, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder, Paul Scofield, Joan Allen
Rated PG-13

From Henry Selick, starring Paul Terry, Joanna Lumley, Pete Postlethwaite, Simon Callow
Rated PG

From Douglas McGrath, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, James Cosmo, Greta Scacchi, Alan Cumming
Rated PG

From Ridley Scott, starring Jeff Bridges, Caroline Goodall, John Savage, Scott Wolf
Rated PG-13

From Mary Harron, starring Lili Taylor, Jared Harris, Martha Plimpton, Lothaire Bluteau
Rated R

From Andrew Fleming, starring Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Rachel True
Rated R

From Hugh Wilson, starring Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, Maggie Smith
Rated PG