+1
I posted a list of "best three of a particular year" but ordered them by what I thought was universally agreed. Herewith, in a different order based on silly personal preference:
Eat Drink Man Woman (early Ang Lee; very charming and rewatchable)
Forrest Gump (admittedly sentimental, but it does just get me every time)
The Secret of Roan Inish (delightful and fanciful)
The Professional (just for Natalie Portman's debut)
In my other post I noted that it struck me it was a year of notable debuts and other notable achievements. Here, in no particular order:
Double Happiness (Sandra Oh debut, one of those "I remember when first seeing her" moments)
Pulp Fiction (John Travolta resurrected; Tarantino cements his auteur status; I still have misgivings though)
The Shawshank Redemption (tops many lists for "best ever")
Three Colors: Red (Krzysztof Kieslowski's conclusion to Three Colors series; 100% on the Tomatometer)
Four Weddings and a Funeral (Hugh Grant breakthrough as heartthrob)
Little Women (Winona Ryder re-emerging)
Ed Wood (overdue recognition for Martin Landau)
Clerks (Kevin Smith's debut hit)
Hoop Dreams (some consider it the best doc ever)
Heavenly Creatures (first major role for Kate Winslet; breakthrough for Peter Jackson)
Speed (Sandra Bullock's first hit and major starring role)
Bullets Over Broadway (Jennifer Tilly standout)
Muriel's Wedding (Toni Colette breakthrough; Rachel Griffiths debut)
Il Postino (The Postman; not seen yet)
And without comment, but all notable for the attention they got:
Death and the Maiden
Crumb
Quiz Show
Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
__________________
Scarecrow: I haven't got a brain ... only straw. Dorothy: How can you talk if you haven't got a brain? Scarecrow: I don't know. But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they? Dorothy: Yes, I guess you're right.