15 Best Movies Of 1997, Ranked

There are far too many great movies of the '90s to limit to one list, from the debuts of directors like Spike Jonze to the start of iconic film franchises like "Toy Story." However, one year of the entire decade stands out as quite significant in the history of pop culture: 1997. Not only did this year see the debut of franchises like "Harry Potter," major historical events like the death of Princess Diana, and incidents like one where a "Pokémon" episode was banned outside of Japan, but it also saw the release of many memorable films. 

Especially in this day and age, it can seem nostalgic for a day when theaters reigned supreme, and great art pieces weren't subjugated to death-by-streaming-releases. In 1997, cinema was in its prime, with both indie films and major blockbusters seeing prosperous runs at the box office. In case you forgot just how idyllic 1997 was for the history of film, let's take a look back through the 15 best films that were released in that calendar year, spanning genres from satire, to action, and even animation. 

While two years after 1997, the world of action movie was changed forever with the first film in the Wachowskis' "The Matrix" franchise, the groundwork for that film had already been laid earlier in the decade by the work of director John Woo, best known in America for directing the 1997 flick "Face/Off." The iconic two-hander stars John Travolta as FBI Special Agent Sean Archer, who in his relentless hunt to stop domestic terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage). Archer agrees to undergo a highly experimental face swap surgery, allowing him to masquerade in his mortal enemy's skin as an undercover cop, all the while being hunted by Troy wearing his own face. 

Over 20 years later, "Face/Off" still remains one of the most suspenseful and engaging crime thrillers of the '90s. Even compared to modern-day blockbusters, audiences are still wondering how Woo pulled off that famous transplant scene, which utilized both extensive prosthetic makeup for its lead actors as well as life-size dummies of both Travolta and Cage. 

By 1997, Julia Roberts had already proven herself a bona fide movie star, with the actor's best movies including hits like "Pretty Woman" and "Sleeping with the Enemy." However, '97 was a pivotal year for Roberts, as it began a long run of films that quickly made her one of the best rom-com actors of all time, starting with "My Best Friend's Wedding." In the movie, Roberts plays Julianne, a woman whose long-time promise with best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) to marry each other if they're still single by 28 is derailed when Michael reveals he's about to be married. 

In typical rom-com fashion, Julianne resolves to crash the wedding and profess her love to her best friend, recruiting her gay friend George (Rupert Everett) to pretend to be her own fiancé in the hopes that Michael will realize he's making a mistake by marrying his soon-to-be-wife Kimmy (Cameron Diaz). What sets this movie apart when it comes to '90s rom-coms is that the ending is a lot more unpredictable than you'd assume, foregoing tired rom-com tropes in lieu of an ending that feels more appropriate for Julianne's journey. 

The '90s are often described as a golden age of Disney movies, featuring a renaissance of animated films like "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," and "The Little Mermaid." Among the many underrated Disney movies you need to see from this era is "Hercules," a family-friendly re-telling of the iconic Greek myth about the demigod son of Zeus, who must go from "Zero to Hero" in order to earn his rightful place as a god on Mount Olympus, despite the intervention of his evil uncle Hades.

The film's voice cast is stacked with talent, from Danny DeVito as Herc's curmudgeon of a trainer Philoctetes, and Susan Egan as his love interest, Megara, whose connection to the God of the Underworld jeopardizes her own romance with Zeus' son. While many Disney fanatics write off "Hercules" as a flawed but fascinating attempt to recapture the magic of "Aladdin," some would argue that it more than succeeds at putting a charming spin on a tale as old as time, the thing Disney movies from this era did best. 

It's tough to find a movie star who was bigger than Jim Carrey in the mid-90s. After hitting a sweet spot in 1994, when some of the best Jim Carrey movies were released, his 1997 box office hit "Liar Liar" proved that as the decade continued, Carrey had yet to slow down. Directed by "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" filmmaker Tom Shadyac, "Liar Liar" stars Carrey as a dishonest lawyer who, after his son makes a wish on his birthday, is cursed to be unable to lie for an entire day, wreaking havoc on both his professional and personal life. 

While some of Carrey's earlier movies in the decade divided critics based on their at-times juvenile humor, "Liar Liar" felt like a mature step forward for many doubters. Even the late, great Roger Ebert commended Carrey for giving his all to a simple premise like this, and that's not even mentioning the supporting cast including Jennifer Tilly, Cary Elwes, and Cheri Oteri. It's proof that even with a razor-thin story, Carrey can do great work when given room to be his goofy self. 

The '90s saw Quentin Tarantino go from a literal no-name to one of the greatest auteur directors in the history of cinema, even with only three projects directed by the end of the decade. The last of the three, and what some would argue is Tarantino's best and most underrated movie, is 1997's "Jackie Brown," the director's love letter to '70s blaxploitation centered on the interweaving criminal escapades of a flight attendant (Pam Grier), a weapons dealer (Samuel L. Jackson), a bail bondsman (Robert Forster), and an ex-convict (Robert De Niro). 

Though "Jackie Brown" has garnered controversy for many of the typical criticisms of Tarantino's directorial quirks (to put it lightly), it's hard to deny some of the expert filmmaking at work here. From its surprising (and terribly violent) plot twists to instantly memorable quotes ("My ass may be dumb, but I ain't no dumbass"), it simply wouldn't be right to list the best films of 1997 and not include this classic crime dramedy. By the way, can we make sure De Niro has a role in Tarantino's final film? 

These days, lots of young people may know "Perfect Blue" from its screenshots being used for "(slowed + reverb)" versions of popular songs on YouTube. Don't let that be this film's legacy; "Perfect Blue" is the kind of anime masterpiece that reminds us of what animation can be. The story follows Mima Kirigoe, a Japanese pop star who decides to pivot into acting, unknowingly triggering a chilling descent into psychosis for both herself and an obsessive stalker convinced that Mima has been "replaced". 

Though many cinema fans have possibly never even seen or heard of "Perfect Blue," it's without a doubt the scariest animated movie ever made, stretching the limits of animation to derive the most terror from its psychologically horrifying storyline. It's not for the faint of heart, we'll say that, and watching it very well might ruin the image of a few of those (slowed + reverb) videos, but if you have any interest in watching the best films of the 1990s, this is one you definitely shouldn't skip. 

Staying on the previous entry's theme of combining grizzly noir with an examination of celebrity life, one of the best movies of the '90s is "L.A. Confidential." The film was new territory for its director, Curtis Hanson, whose previous projects included B-movie horror and box office dark horses, but resulted in a crime thriller that feels fresh and innovative even by today's standards. It was also incredibly timely for 1997, hot off a decade of public reckoning with police corruption, particularly with the LAPD who this film centers on.

The film revolves around three LAPD detectives: vengeful "Shotgun Ed" (Guy Pearce), violent "Bud" (Russell Crowe), and whistleblower "Hollywood Jack" (Kevin Spacey). All three become embroiled in a homicide mystery that loops in a fascinated journalist (Danny DeVito), one of the detective's illicit affair with a prostitute (Kim Basinger), and corrupt police captain (James Cromwell). It's a pastiche to say it at this point in film history, but they simply don't make films as intricate and edgy as "L.A. Confidential," and that needs to change.

"Ma vie en rose" hasn't garnered much attention in the west, given that it's directed by a Belgian filmmaker (Alain Berliner) and produced by a French indie film studio (Haut et Cort), and on top of that was rated R for its American release, titled "My Life in Pink," despite not having any graphic language or sexual content. However, that decision was seemingly prompted by good ol' transphobia, of which this film was unfortunately a victim of having released in 1997. 

Georges Du Fresne stars as Ludo, a young transgender girl who struggles to be accepted by her family, her community, and most of all, herself. Though it's hardly known outside of Europe, it's easily one of the most influential LGBTQ+ movies ever made, depicting the harsh realities of life as a transgender person in a society not yet willing to accept, or understand, their existence. 

You didn't forget that "Men in Black" released in 1997, did you? Well, if you did, then congrats, you may have been visited by Agent J and Agent K and had your memory wiped with a neuralyzer. The sci-fi film was one of Will Smith's earliest film roles that established him as a box office draw and a household name, alongside the likes of "Bad Boys" in 1995 and "Independence Day" in 1996. However, nobody could've expected that this one film based on a comic book from 1990 would spawn many future "Men in Black" movies. 

Maybe the film just came at the perfect time, riding a wave of '90s UFO conspiracy theories and pop culture phenomena like "The X-Files," or maybe it just simply is as good as the hype makes it out to be. Smith is the embodiment of cool as an NYPD officer recruited by Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) to help investigate and prevent extra-terrestrial life forces from invading Earth. It's not the type of sci-fi film that'll haunt your dreams like "Alien," either. It's just a fun time that'll make you wanna kick back with a bag of popcorn and watch some alien guts get shot up. 

In 1997, one of the best Mike Myers movies asked the question no other film from the decade was willing to ask: "Do I make you horny, baby?"

"Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" is a lot of things. It's a send-up of the "James Bond" franchise. It's a love letter to the '60s swinger generation. It's an opportunity for Mike Myers to play several ridiculous characters in one film. But more than anything else, "Austin Powers" is just flat out one of the funniest movies that have ever been made. Not only did it spark one of the greatest film trilogies of all time, but it has since embedded itself in pop culture through catchphrases, merchandise, and countless Internet memes.

The first "Austin Powers" is probably the best straight-up film of the trilogy, following the shagadelic spy being revived from cryogenic stasis in order to stop his arch-nemesis, Dr. Evil, from destroying the planet's atmosphere. On his side, Powers teams up with his former lover's daughter, Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley), who not only tests his limits as a swinger but forces Powers to reckon with his past behavior. Yes, it's ridiculously funny, but we'll bet you forgot just how much heart "International Man of Mystery" has compared to other satirical comedies of its time. 

Speaking of satirical comedies, who does the mockumentary better than Christopher Guest, who practically invented the genre with one of the best movies of the 1980s, "This is Spinal Tap"? 1997 saw the first proper follow-up to "Spinal Tap," "Waiting for Guffman," debut in theaters, following an eclectic troupe of amateur theater performers, whose efforts to put up a musical about their rural town's history creates tension when their director and star, Corky St. Clair (Guest), invites a real Broadway producer (the titular Guffman) to see their show. 

Among the many great qualities of "Waiting for Guffman" is the fact that all of its dialogue was entirely improvised by the performers, including Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara as an overenthusiastic married couple, Eugene Levy as the town dentist, and Parker Posey as a wayward Dairy Queen employee. It's the kind of film that will especially resonate with anyone who's done school or community theatre, and despite how ridiculous each and every character is, it's hard to not fall in love with them and their passion for their terribly underwhelming hometown. 

"Princess Mononoke" is one of the most famous films of Hayao Miyazaki, the Japanese director who had previously influenced pop culture with animated movies like "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Kiki's Delivery Service." Released in 1997, the film tells the story of Ashitaka, a prince who seeks a cure for his cursed arm from the god Shishigami, only to become entangled in the conflicts between man and nature, encountering a human woman, San, who was raised by the wolf god Moro and fights to protect the nature gods. 

Aside from being a great, action-packed, meaningful animated film, "Princess Mononoke" influenced "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and, for many filmmakers and fans of cinema, served as an introduction to Miyazaki's work in the west. Its star-studded English voice cast includes Claire Danes as San and Billy Crudup as Ashitaka, but don't let its westernization take away from the film's deep themes of the plights of industrialization and destruction of nature by capitalism. In that regard, it's a film that defines Miyazaki's own style better than most of his other films. 

It's hard to find a film more iconic than James Cameron's "Titanic," the fictional story of a star-crossed romance between Rose (Kate Winslet), a first-class passenger on the doomed real-life luxury liner, and Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio), a poor artist who has won tickets aboard through gambling. So many of the saddest moments in "Titanic" are overshadowed by its most romantic, from Rose's seductive request for Jack to draw her, to them standing at the bow of the ship as Jack wraps his arms around Rose. 

Maybe we still talk about "Titanic" to this day because of those iconic moments, or maybe it's the fact that it swept 11 categories at the 1998 Academy Awards, or maybe it's because of how much of a global box office juggernaut it was and still remains, even in re-releases. Whatever the case may be, there likely won't be a time in the near future where we don't consider "Titanic" to be one of the most important films in the history of cinema ... even if it doesn't make the top of this list. 

We take it for granted nowadays, but there was a time not too long ago when Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were truly nobodies in Hollywood. If there's any single film that changed that for the foreseeable future, it's 1997's "Good Will Hunting," whose Oscar-winning screenplay was written by the two Bostonians and lifelong friends that also star in the film. Damon plays the titular Will, a genius janitor and petty criminal who, after solving a difficult math problem posed by MIT professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård), is sought after for a job worthy of his intellect by attending therapy sessions with the reclusive Sean Maguire (Robin Williams). 

It's one of those movies that's difficult to watch without crying at some point, even if it contains some of the funniest moments in any drama film, like Williams' improvised heart-warming scene about his wife farting, which on its own made the comedian deserve his Oscar win. Some fans may write this film off as cheesy, but they fail to understand what's truly magical about this film. In a society that prioritizes academic intelligence over emotional intelligence, it's a redemptive underdog story about a hurt boy who has yet to truly grow up and fulfill his potential, even if that means eschewing an opportunity for great success.

We remember the '90s for introducing to us directors like Quentin Tarantino and the Wachowskis, but in 1996, the world was also introduced to Paul Thomas Anderson with "Hard Eight." However, it was his follow-up film the subsequent year that launched PTA into mainstream success and acclaim, with 1997's "Boogie Nights." The ensemble dramedy tells the story of Eddie (Mark Wahlberg), who is groomed by filmmaker Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) into becoming an adult movie star, luring him into the glamorous but dangerous world of pornography as Dirk Diggler, whose reputation is as massive as ... y'know. 

Anderson's "Boogie Nights" keeps getting better with age, a harrowing cross-section of how brutal working in pornography can be on an individual's life. Plus, it boasts one of the best supporting casts in the history of film, with Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle, Heather Graham, and Philip Seymour Hoffman all in the film's ensemble. Maybe PTA's future work in the 2000s is worthy of more praise, but as far as the year 1997 goes, "Boogie Nights" is as good as it gets.