Ah, the 1990s. It truly was a decade where the “Gimme an Oscar” movies reigned supreme! Did you have a craving for a Merchant/Ivory picture? A historical epic? A water-logged historical epic? A movie where they wore lots of fancy costumes? Chances are you weren’t disappointed! If you were like me, you largely tuned out of all of this snooty crap and gravitated toward comedies like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary!

That’s not to say there weren’t some “Oscar-ish” movies from the 1990s I didn’t like! I liked American Beauty, Pulp Fiction, and Jackie Brown, among others!

I say if Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels ever win Oscars, they wear these tuxedos to the ceremony! Who’s with me?

 

Below is a list of all of the Oscar nominees/winners from the decade of the 1990s. Just to be clear, the years are for the years the films were released, not the years they won their Oscars!

1990

Guess how Madonna got this job in Dick Tracy? 🙂 In this film, she sings the song Sooner or Later, which was written by lyricist/composer Stephen Sondheim. Typically, a song such as this will have a separate lyricist/composer. Some folks, however, are talented enough to do it all, including Stephen Sondheim, and in his day, Cole Porter.

WINNER – BEST PICTURE – Dances With Wolves

Nominees: Awakenings, Ghost, The Godfather Part III, Good Fellas

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTOR – Jeremy Irons, Reversal of Fortune

Nominees: Kevin Costner, Dances With Wolves; Robert DeNiro, Awakenings; Gerard Depardieu, Cyrano de Bergerac, Richard Harris, The Field.

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Joe Pesci, Good Fellas

Nominees – Bruce Davison, Longtime Companion; Andy Garcia, The Godfather Part III; Graham Greene, Dances With Wolves; Al Pacino, Dick Tracy.

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTRESS – Kathy Bates – Misery

Nominees – Anjelica Huston, The Grifters; Julia Roberts, Pretty Woman; Meryl Streep, Postcards from the Edge; Joanne Woodward, Mr. Mrs. Bridge.

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Whoopi Goldberg – Ghost.

Nominees – Annette Bening, The Grifters; Lorraine Bracco, Good Fellas; Diane Ladd, Wild At Heart, Mary McDonnell; Dances With Wolves.

WINNER – BEST ORIGINAL SONG – Dick Tracy – Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man, Stephen Sondheim

1991

Nick Nolte and Robert DeNiro in Cape Fear

WINNER – BEST PICTURE – Silence of the Lambs

Nominees: Beauty And The Beast, Bugsy, JFK, The Prince of Tides

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTOR – Anthony Hopkins, Silence of the Lambs

Nominees: Warren Beatty, Bugsy; Robert DeNiro, Cape Fear; Nick Nolte, The Prince of Tides, Robin Williams, The Fisher King.

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Jack Palance, City Slickers

Nominees – Tommy Lee Jones, JFK; Harvey Keitel, Bugsy; Ben Kingsley, Bugsy; Michael Lerner, Barton Fink

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTRESS – Jodie Foster – Silence of the Lambs

Nominees – Geena Davis, Thelma and Louise; Laura Dern, Rambling Rose; Bette Midler, For The Boys; Susan Sarandon, Thelma and Louise

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Mercedes Ruehl – The Fisher King

Nominees – Diane Ladd, Rambling Rose; Juliette Lewis, Cape Fear; Kate Nelligan, The Prince of Tides, Jessica Tandy; Fried Green Tomatoes

WINNER – BEST ORIGINAL SONG – Beauty and The Beast – Beauty and the Beast

1992

Best supporting actress Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny.

WINNER – BEST PICTURE – Unforgiven

Nominees: The Crying Game, A Few Good Men, Howard’s End, Scent of a Woman

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTOR – Al Pacino, Scent of a Woman

Nominees: Robert Downey Jr.,  Chaplin; Clint Eastwood, Unforgiven; Stephen Rea, The Crying Game, Denzel Washington, Malcolm X

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Gene Hackman, Unforgiven

Nominees – Jaye Davidson, The Crying Game; Jack Nicholson, A Few Good Men; Al Pacino, Glengarry Glen Ross; David Paymer, Mr. Saturday Night

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTRESS – Emma Thompson – Howard’s End

Nominees – Catherine Deneuve, Indochine; Mary McDonnell, Passion Fish; Michelle Pfeiffer, Love Field; Susan Sarandon, Lorenzo’s Oil

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Marisa Tomei– My Cousin Vinny

Nominees – Judy Davis, Husbands and Wives; Joan Plowright, Enchanted April; Vanessa Redgrave, Howard’s End, Miranda Richardson; Damage

WINNER – BEST ORIGINAL SONG – A Whole New World – Aladdin

1993

Both Daniel Day-Lewis and Emma Thompson received acting nominations for In The Name Of The Father, but neither of them won.

WINNER – BEST PICTURE – Schindler’s List

Nominees: The Fugitive, In the Name of the Father, The Piano, The Remains of the Day

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTOR – Tom Hanks, Philadelphia

Nominees: Daniel Day Lewis,  In The Name of the Father; Laurence Fishburne, What’s Love Got To Do With It; Anthony Hopkins, The Remains of the Day, Liam Neeson, Schindler’s List

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Gene Hackman, Unforgiven

Nominees – Jaye Davidson, The Crying Game; Jack Nicholson, A Few Good Men; Al Pacino, Glengarry Glen Ross; David Paymer, Mr. Saturday Night

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTRESS – Holly Hunter– The Piano

Nominees – Angela Bassett; What’s Love Got To Do With It; Stockard Channing, Six Degrees of Separation; Emma Thompson, The Remains of the Day; Debra Winger, Shadowlands

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Anna Paquin– The Piano

Nominees – Holly Hunter, The Firm; Rosie Perez, Fearless; Winona Ryder, The Age of Innocence, Emma Thompson; In The Name of the Father

WINNER – BEST ORIGINAL SONG – Streets of Philadelphia – Philadelphia – Bruce Springsteen

1994

A gritty scene from Pulp Fiction

WINNER – BEST PICTURE – Forrest Gump

Nominees: Four Weddings and a Funeral, Pulp Fiction, Quiz Show, The Shawshank Redemption

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTOR – Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump

Nominees: Morgan Freeman,  The Shawshank Redemption; Nigel Hawthorne, The Madness of King George; Paul Newman, Nobody’s Fool, John Travolta, Pulp Fiction

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Gene Hackman, Unforgiven

Nominees – Jaye Davidson, The Crying Game; Jack Nicholson, A Few Good Men; Al Pacino, Glengarry Glen Ross; David Paymer, Mr. Saturday Night

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTRESS – Jessica Lange– Blue Sky

Nominees – Jodie Foster; Nell; Miranda Richardson, Tom and Viv; Winona Ryder, Little Women; Susan Sarandon, The Client

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Dianne Wiest– Bullets Over Broadway

Nominees – Rosemary Harris, Tom and Viv; Helen Mirren, The Madness of King George; Uma Thurman, Pulp Fiction, Jennifer Tilly; Bullets Over Broadway

WINNER – BEST ORIGINAL SONG – Can You Feel The Love Tonight – The Lion King – Elton John/Tim Rice

 

1995

The best original song for a 1995 film was from Pocahontas. A few best original song Oscar winners from this decade were for animated films!

WINNER – BEST PICTURE – Braveheart

Nominees:  Apollo 13, Babe, Il Postino, Sense and Sensability

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTOR – Nicolas Cage, Leaving Las Vegas

Nominees: Richard Dreyfuss, Mr. Holland’s Opus; Anthony Hopkins, Nixon; Sean Penn, Dead Man Walking, Massimo Troisi, Il Postino

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Kevin Spacey, The Usual Suspects

Nominees – James Cromwell, Babe; Ed Harris, Apollo 13; Brad Pitt, 12 Monkeys; Tim Roth, Rob Roy

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTRESS – Susan Sarandon– Dead Man Walking

Nominees – Elisabeth Shue; Leaving Las Vegas; Sharon Stone, Casino; Meryl Streep, The Bridges of Madison County; Emma Thompson, Sense and Sensability

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Mira Sorvino– Mighty Aphrodite

Nominees – Joan Allen, Nixon; Kathleen Quinlan, Apollo 13; Mare Winningham, Georgia, Kate Winslet; Sense and Sensability

WINNER – BEST ORIGINAL SONG – Pocahontas – Pocahontas – Alan Menken

1996

Barbara Hershey and John Malkovich in The Portrait of a Lady. Hershey received a supporting actress nod for her role in this movie.

WINNER – BEST PICTURE – The English Patient

Nominees:  Fargo, Jerry Maguire, Secrets and Lies, Shine

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTOR – Geoffrey Rush, Shine

Nominees: Tom Cruise, Jerry Maguire; Ralph Fiennes, The English Patient; Woody Harrelson, The People Vs. Larry Flynt, Billy Bob Thornton, Sling Blade

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Cuba Gooding Jr., Jerry Maguire

Nominees – William H. Macy, Fargo; Armin Mueller-Stahl, Shine; Edward Norton, Primal Fear; James Woods, Ghosts of Mississippi

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTRESS – Frances McDormand– Fargo

Nominees – Brenda Blethyn; Secrets and Lies; Diane Keaton, Marvin’s Room; Kristin Scott Thomas, The English Patient; Emily Watson, Breaking the Waves

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Juliette Binoche– The English Patient

Nominees – Joan Allen, The Crucible; Lauren Bacall, The Mirror Has Two Faces; Barbara Hershey, The Portrait of a Lady, Marianne Jean-Baptiste; Secrets and Lies

WINNER – BEST ORIGINAL SONG – You Must Love Me – Evita – Webber/Rice

 

1997

A  scene from As Good As It Gets when Jack Nicholson’s character Melvin tells Carol (Helen Hunt) “You make me want to be a better man” after she demands he give her a compliment.

WINNER – BEST PICTURE – Titanic

Nominees:  As Good As It Gets, The Full Monty, Good Will Hunting, L.A. Confidential

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTOR – Jack Nicholson, As Good As It gets

Nominees: Matt Damon, Good Will Hunting; Robert Duvall, The Apostle; Peter Fonda, Ulee’s Gold, Dustin Hoffman, Wag The Dog

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Robin Williams, Good Will Hunting

Nominees – Robert Forster, Jackie Brown; Anthony Hopkins, Amistad; Greg Kinnear, As Good As It Gets; Burt Reynolds, Boogie Nights

WINNER – BEST LEAD ACTRESS – Helen Hunt– As Good As It Gets

Nominees – Helena Bonham Carter, The Wings of the Dove; Julie Christie, Afterglow; Judi Dench, Mrs. Brown, Kate Winslet; Titanic

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Kim Basinger– L.A. Confidential

Nominees – Joan Cusack; In And Out; Minnie Driver, Good Will Hunting; Julianne Moore, Boogie Nights; Gloria Stuart, Titanic

WINNER – BEST ORIGINAL SONG – My Heart Will Go On – Titanic 

1998

Tom Hanks and Matt Damon in Saving Private Ryan, which earned Steven Spielberg an Oscar for best director (though it did not win best picture)

 

WINNER – BEST PICTURE – Shakespeare In Love

Nominees:  Elizabeth, Life is Beautiful, Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTOR – Roberto Benigni, Life is Beautiful

Nominees: Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan; Ian McKellen, Gods and Monsters; Nick Nolte, Affliction, Edward Norton, American History X

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – James Coburn, Affliction

Nominees – Robert Duvall, A Civil Action; Ed Harris, The Truman Show; Geoffrey Rush, Shakespeare In Love; Billy Bob Thornton, A Simple Plan

WINNER – BEST LEAD ACTRESS – Gwyneth Paltrow– Shakespeare In Love

Nominees – Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth; Fernanda Montenegro, Central Station; Meryl Streep, One True Thing, Emily Watson; Hilary and Jackie

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Judi Dench– Shakespeare In Love

Nominees – Kathy Bates; Primary Colors; Brenda Blethyn, Little Voice; Rachel Griffiths, Hilary and Jackie; Lynn Redgrave, Gods and Monsters

WINNER – BEST ORIGINAL SONG – The Prince of Egypt, The Prince of Egypt

1999

A scene depicting marital bliss in American Beauty (not)!

 

WINNER – BEST PICTURE – American Beauty

Nominees:  The Cider House Rules, The Green Mile, The Insider, The Sixth Sense

WINNER – BEST LEADING ACTOR – Kevin Spacey, American Beauty

Nominees: Russell Crowe, The Insider; Richard Farnsworth, The Straight Story; Sean Penn, Sweet and Lowdown, Denzel Washington, The Hurricane

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Michael Caine, The Cider House Rules

Nominees – Tom Cruise, Magnolia; Michael Clarke Duncan, The Green Mile; Jude Law, The Talented Mr. Ripley; Haley Joel Osment, The Sixth Sense

WINNER – BEST LEAD ACTRESS – Hillary Swank– Boys Don’t Cry

Nominees – Annette Bening, American Beauty; Janet McTeer, Tumbleweeds; Julianne Moore, The End of the Affair, Meryl Streep; Music of the Heart

WINNER – BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Angelina Jolie– Girl, Interrupted

Nominees – Toni Colette; The Sixth Sense; Catherine Keener, Being John Malkovich; Samantha Morton, Sweet and Lowdown; Chloe Sevigny, Boys Don’t Cry

WINNER – BEST ORIGINAL SONG – You’ll Be In My Heart – Tarzan