8 Best Movies of 1990

By Vlad Zakh · June 28, 2026

1990 gave us a romcom smash, a home-alone icon and a gangster masterpiece. Pretty Woman has a wealthy businessman hiring an escort for a week, Home Alone has a boy defending his house from bumbling burglars, and Edward Scissorhands has a gentle artificial man in a quirky suburb. Miller’s Crossing, Misery, Awakenings, Dances with Wolves and GoodFellas round out the eight.

Pretty Woman (1990)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A businessman hires a sex worker as an escort for a week, and neither expects to actually fall for the other.

Directed by Garry Marshall · 2h 00m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Home Alone (1990)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 66% Metacritic 63

A Christmas staple that holds up purely on slapstick craft.

Directed by Chris Columbus · 1h 43m · Rated PG

Nominated for 2 Oscars13 wins & 8 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Miller's Crossing (1990)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 93% Metacritic 66

A political fixer's loyalty is tested as two rival gangs go to war over a bookie.

Directed by Joel Coen · 1h 55m · Rated R

4 wins & 16 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 92% Metacritic 74

A gentle artificial man with blades for hands tries to find a place in ordinary suburbia.

Directed by Tim Burton · 1h 45m · Rated PG-13

Nominated for 1 Oscar11 wins & 25 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus, Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV, FXNow · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Misery (1990)

TMDB ★ 7.8

Kathy Bates as the most terrifying 'number one fan' ever put on screen.

Directed by Rob Reiner · 1h 47m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, AMC, HBO Max · Rent: Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Awakenings (1990)

TMDB ★ 7.8

A doctor's experimental treatment temporarily revives patients who have been catatonic for decades.

Directed by Penny Marshall · 2h 00m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Dances with Wolves (1990)

TMDB ★ 7.8

A Civil War soldier at a remote frontier post forms a deep bond with a neighbouring Sioux tribe.

Directed by Kevin Costner · 3h 01m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+, YouTube TV, MGM Plus, BBC America · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

GoodFellas (1990)

IMDb ★ 8.7 RT 93% Metacritic 92

A young man's rise through the ranks of the mob gives way to paranoia, betrayal and violence.

Directed by Martin Scorsese · 2h 25m · Rated R

Won 1 Oscar44 wins & 38 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

8 Best Movies of 1990

Pretty Woman (1990)

Home Alone (1990)

Miller's Crossing (1990)

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Misery (1990)

Awakenings (1990)

Dances with Wolves (1990)

GoodFellas (1990)

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