The MoFos Top 100 of the 90s Countdown - Redux

34. The Sixth Sense (1999) - A horror film that has some pretty effective scares in it, and of course that twist which at the time caught so many people off-guard (it would fool nobody today - audiences have caught on.) This is another entry that I think is quite good, but isn't a real go-to favourite that I'd be putting on my ballot. I've seen it a few times, and while I wouldn't go out of my way to see it again, I'd sit and watch it if a situation developed where it just happened to be on. I remember the M. Night Shyamalan mania that developed after this was released, and how audiences reacted as he continually failed to live up to his own reputation as a master of psychological thrillers. Some of those movies I liked well enough - but his movies never go any further than being okay.

33. The Lion King (1994) - A Disney one that I still haven't seen. I intend to one day - I'd like to eventually see all the big-name Disney animated releases.

Seen 66/68

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The Lion King - because of all the hype and my friends really raving about it, I did watch this as a teenager. I have no real opinion on this movie. I'm sure I enjoyed. No desire to rewatch it.


The Sixth Sense - I recall I actually didn't watch this when it was first release, but rather the early 00s (after college)... But then I think I also watch Unbreakable in college and I'm pretty sure I saw The Sixth Sense first. So my mental timeline on this all messed up. I probably did watch it in high school. Um, I remember liking it then, but I can't separate my general recalled opinion of it from the movies Shamyalan would then make in the near future after this (not a positive opinion) and that streak when it felt like he needed to do reveals at the end of his movies making it seem like every one of his movies needed to have a twist. No idea how I'd feel about it if I watched it now.

I saw The Sixth Sense and The Lion King when they first came out in theatres and liked both. I didn't have room on my ballot for either one though.

Seen:68/68

I am behind on commenting but it's mostly a whole lot of films that I don't love as much as other people seem to and don't have much to say about.


Galaxy Quest is probably the only one that I considered for my list. It's a very likable film.



Leon I liked a lot when I saw it but haven't thought about in years. Reading about the controversy, there's either a lot of stuff I missed when I watched it or I saw a different version to some people. Or both.


I really, really disliked Braveheart and am baffled at its enduring popularity.


I'm surprised Sixth Sense is so high. I thought it was one of those 90s films that was a big deal at the time but had faded from the popular consensus - a bit like American Beauty. Wrong on both counts as far as those two are concerned, it seems.

I don't remember much about the Sixth Sense except for the iconic reveal. I just rewatched the scene on youtube and it's a proper tearjerker but I think I prefer the copycat reveal in The Others.
But since The Others doesn't belong in the 1990s countdown redux that opinion is neither here nor there.

The Lion King is great and I'm grateful that we got the Disney renaissance, but unlike the Disney classics from previous decades I would never place them in a favourites list. Or perhaps I would if the countdown was for a specific 90s year.

The original script was very creepy, and Jean Reno protested against turning his character into a predator. It's largely thanks to him they managed to keep it relatively tasteful, as evidenced by Léon always rejecting Mathilda's advances.

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Seen The Sixth Sense once and enjoyed it plenty. Surprised to see it show at this point but I have no objections.

Seen The Lion King once and enjoyed it plenty. It made my musical and animation ballots-a low bar with those!

Of course 6th Sense can't help but haunt this list. Is it a bad movie? Not quite. But after we know the reveal, the film reveals itself to be a cheap parlor trick and that is all that I can see in the film anymore. A whole bunch of scenes of Bruce Willis sitting around and not talking to anyone while the camera frequently cuts around him as not to draw attention to the fact that he's just awkwardly lingering in every scene. What should be tinged with emotion becomes comical. Which is essentially Shyamalans whole career in a nut shell.


If that guy has brought any value to the world of film though, it's in his contribution to how he reveals the actual magic of Steven Spielberg (the director hes most often compared to, LOL). Spielberg critics love to hit on his overt sentimentality, particularly in his presentation of family life. But please, enter exhibit A, MKSs entire career fudging every scene hes ever directed with people in it. It's clear his north star in these scenes is Spielberg, trying to highlight those familiar but essentially eccentric ways in which families often communicate with eachother. With Shymylan though, it comes off as forced and desperate in its attempts to get us to feel we are eavesdropping in on these private moments at dinner tables or BBQs or during television watching. But it never feels like real human conversation. It sounds like how a person thinks Spielberg would approach these kinds of scenes, but missing every mark along the way. It's tortuous. But...when contrasted with the master, it highlights the skill and nuance and subtlety that Spielberg is operating with, thst frequently just gets written off as easy sentimentality. But Shyamalan proves times and time again, there is nothing easy about doing this. In fact, barely no one else has ever really been able to capture that particular kind of magic .


Because **** the aliens and dinosaurs, this is the stuff where Spielberg's genius pushes through. And where hacks like Shyamalan need to lean so heavily on his monsters and spooks in the hopes of having any substance in his films at all.


As for Lion King, this is when the great meh-ness of Disney really calcified. Again, not a bad movie, just so so underwhelming and basic. Just watch Fantasia or Pinnochio or even second tier shit like Fox and the Hound. This is when the mighty Disney became boring.

Sixth Sense is an iconic movie that I like but just don’t love. Only watched it once at the theater though. Really should rectify that. Maybe have only watched all the Shamalan flicks I have seen once. That has to say something about how I feel about him.

Lion King is one if four Disney movies that could be my favorite depending on what day you hit me. This movie does get extra points from me for starting my love for Elton John too. I went to my first concert of his the summer this came out. Not my favorite of his but Can You Feel The Love is way up there. I’m suddenly regretting not putting this on the list. I only made room for one animation though, and it’s Disney with a capital P. Hoping that one is pretty high.

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Ah, the 90's were a golden age for Disney animated films. The Lion King was my #12, which shouldn't be a surprise given that Beauty and the Beast is my #3.


It's such a classic story with unforgettable songs (whether you like it or not) and near-perfect visuals. It still holds up so well after all these years. If anything diminishes it, it's the extremely unnecessary cgi remake and prequel.


Sixth Sense is a very good ghost story regardless of whether or not you know the twist, but i think it's true that it wouldn't have been nearly as big if it didn't have the twist. I agree that modern audiences wouldn't be fooled, there have been far too many imitators. Still a great film, but it missed my list.


Seen: 33/68
List: 8/25

The Sixth Sense is okay. I'm surprised that it's still held in such high regard by some and it made it this high on the list. There was a projectionist strike in Vancouver when this movie was released. One picketer standing outside my local cinema had a sign that spoiled the ending. Not cool but I always think of that when I think of this movie, and really only that. Luckily I didn't see it before I saw the movie.

The Lion King is good quality Disney animation. I don't care for musicals too much but I like the songs in this one! They did well with this one and I think kids and adults will be watching it for many years to come.

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"Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

The Sixth Sense. My #19. Hearing there was a startling reveal at the end, I purposely avoided reading anything else about it until I saw it. And I'll admit: The first few minutes jarred me a bit ... continuity error or such? Then the weird, disjointed husband/wife dinner non-dialog between Willis and Olivia Williams. But I totally missed the big secret until that final scene when Bruce Willis realizes ... well, no spoilers from me (like that matters). Haven't rewatched lately, so not sure if I will enjoy it as much, though keeping an eye peeled for clues would be fun. And Haley Joel Osment, what a terrific performance. Few kids could do "terrified" like him. To make sure I was spelling his name right, I went to IMDB ... and saw his picture. Yikes! He's a middle-aged guy with a beard!

Lion King: Another very fine movie that didn't make my list. It had a lot of buzz when I watched it lo those many years ago. Just doesn't touch me.

Seen: 51/68
Ballot: 8/25

My predictions of how my picks will place:

Good Chance: 4/12
-- The Sixth Sense #34 / My #19
-- Dances with Wolves #36 / My #9
-- Rushmore #42 / My #16
-- Jackie Brown #44 / My #13
Fair Chance: 4/10
-- Sense and Sensibility #49 / My #2
-- Clueless: #58 / My #5
-- Sleepless in Seattle: #91 / My #3
-- Office Space: #95 / My #23
No Chance: 0/3

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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.

Heard of: 57/66
Started: 45/66
Finished: 23/66
Contenders for my ballot: 13/66
In my ballot: 4/66
Maximum films from my ballot that can still make the list: 25/25

(updated for today's 2, not yet in the OP)

Sixth Sense is still among Shyamalan’s best. A movie that’s more than just about its famous twist somehow since rewatches allow you to spot things you otherwise wouldn’t have noticed the first time. Osment gives one helluva child performance to boot. It’s one I don’t revisit much but I still recognize its place in pop culture.

Lion King I watched a lot as a kid and would have told you I loved it back then. As an adult it doesn’t do much for me anymore and I’d rather watch other Disney animated films from that time.

I'm surprised to see The Sixth Sense this high. I hadn't gotten to the point where I didn't think it could show, but we were past the point I thought it would. I've seen it a couple of times, but both of those were in the year or so it was released. I liked it a lot, but the thing I liked most about it was that I figured what happened straight away, but over the course of the film it convinced me I was wrong and so the reveal did work on me even better, I think, because I respected that the film convinced me I was wrong.

I saw the Lion KIng when it came out on video and liked it. I've never felt the need or desire to see it again.

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Lion King was my 13!!!!! Great Disney flick.

But seriously Sixth Sense this far!?!?! I mean it's ok, but 34!?!?!

So true since this particular twist in any movie is still referred to as a "Sixth Sense" twist.

Lion King....I don't like Disney. Not seen it and don't want to.
I've never heard of a movie called Sixth Sense.



But, I've seen The Sixth Sense. It was a good one time watch but I don't really feel the need to catch it again.

Voted for both of these. I was a Shyamalan (and horror movie) hater for many years, and I already knew the ending like everyone does, but when I finally watched The Sixth Sense, the rest of the movie was so good it forced me to reevaluate his entire filmography. I don't think he's ever made anything as good again, but he's one of the few directors whose movies are an automatic watch for me.


I saw The Lion King as a kid, but I think I like it a bit more now than I did then.


3. The Sixth Sense (#34)
6. The Remains of the Day (#75)
11. The Fugitive (#72)
13. The Lion King (#33)
14. Jackie Brown (#44)
15. Sense and Sensibility (#49)
22. Twelve Monkeys (#50)

Both The Lion King and The Sixth Sense are two very mid films to put it in the words of today's yutes.

Neither made my top 25, nor would make my top 100 of the 90's. Both might have a chance on my top 1,000 films of the 90's list.

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