Forrest Gump (1994) - 5 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: The unlikely adventures of a simple minded, but extraordinary man.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright Penn, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field, Haley Joel Osment, Siobhan Fallon

Best of: A quirky and extremely unique story. Hilarious when it needs to be, heartbreaking when it wants to be. I can't imagine it would be nearly what it is without Hanks. Forrest's run across America is one of my favorite cinematic representations of grief.

Worst of: I never really liked Jenny...is it just me?

Notable: A lot of snooty reviewers list this among the most over-rated films ever. But that's cause they are snooty and reviewers.

Also nominated: The Shawshank Redemption (an even better film) and Pulp Fiction (which actually is one of the most over-rated films ever).

Schindler's List (1993) - 5 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: A WWII-era German business owner who has profitted extensively from the War, has the chance to save more than 1,000 Jewish lives.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Embeth Davidtz, Jonathan Sagall

Best of: The documentary-style approach taken by Spielberg makes the whole thing hauntingly realistic. Raplh Fiennes is brutally evil.

Worst of: It's a hard movie to watch...I generally like to forget that mankind is capable of such acts.

Notable: Spielberg refused to accept payment for the film.

Also nominated: The Fugitive

Unforgiven (1992) - 3 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: An aging former outlaw in the Old West reluctantly accepts one last hit job.

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek, Frances Fisher, Anna Levine

Best of: Strinkingly beautiful at times. Rather than glorifying volience, it struggles with the morality of it.

Worst of: He's proved to be a fantastic director, but I'm not entirely convinced Clint Eastwood is much of an actor.

Notable: One of three Westerns to win Best Picture.

Also nominated: A Few Good Men

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - 4 stars

One sentence plot summary: A creepy serial killer helps a rookie FBI agent catch an even creepier serial killer.

Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Brooke Smith, Anthony Heald, Kasi Lemmons, Diane Baker, Frankie Faison

Best of: Gripping story, perfect acting, truly creepy. Excepting the Shawshank Redemption, the best prison escape scene ever.

Worst of: Hard to sleep afterwards.

Notable: The third of three films to win all 5 of the "Big 5" Oscars.

Also nominated: JFK, Beauty and the Beast.

Dances with Wolves (1990) - 5 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: A Cival War veteran requests a post on the frontier and befriends a tribe of Souix Indians.

Starring: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney A. Grant, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, Tantoo Cardinal, Jimmy Herman, Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, Michael Spears, Robert Pastorelli, Larry Joshua, Maury Chaykin, Charles Rocket, Wes Studi.

Best of: Beautiful cinemantography. Perfectly woven story. Wonderful score.

Worst of: Knowing what Kevin Costner would do next with the cinematic license that this film gave him. So long Field of Dreams and Bull Duhram, hello Waterworld and The Postman.

Notable: My Dad's favorite movie.

Also nominated: Ghost, Goodfellas.

Driving Miss Daisy (1989) - 3 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: An elderly Jewish woman struggles at first to accept her black chauffeur before forming a strong bond with him.

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy, Dan Aykroyd, Esther Rolle, Patti Lupone.

Best of: Strong acting from both Tandy and Freeman. Good score.

Worst of: Taking place over several decades, the story is very episodic - often skipping years at a time, which can keep interactions somewhat surface.

Notable: The last PG film to win Best Picture.

Also nominated: Born on the Fourth of July, Dead Poets Society, Field of Dreams, My Left Foot.

Rain Man (1988) - 4 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: A self-centered yuppy embarks on a cross-country road trip with his newly-discovered brother who is autistic.

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino, Gerald R. Molen, Jack Murdock, Michael D. Roberts, Lucinda Jenney, Bonnie Hunt, Beth Grant

Best of: Dustin Hoffman as Raymond.

Wost of: Tom Cruise as Charlie. While not a poor performance, the character could have been much more nuanced. I don't blame Cruise as much as I blame the script.

Notable: The movie was largely filmed in Cincinnati, the world's greatest city.

The Last Emperor (1987) - 4 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: The fascinating story of Pu Yi, China's last Emperor, who only reigned until he was six years old.

Starring: John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ying Ruocheng, Victor Wong, Dennis Dun, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Maggie Han

Best of: Truth is stranger than fiction.

Worst of: Takes awhile to get going.

Notable: The film was given greater access and coroperation by the Chinese government than any Western film previous. It was the first to gain access to film in Beijing's Forbidden City.

Platoon (1986) - 2 stars

One sentence plot summary: The Vietnam War was not as fun as "Good Morning Vietnam" portrays it to be.

Starring: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Forest Whitaker, Francesco Quinn, John C. McGinley, Richard Edson, Kevin Dillon, Keith David, Johnny Depp, Mark Moses, Captain Dale Dye.

Best of: An intense scene where American soldiers take their anger out on some local villagers.

Worst of: Both Charlie Sheen and Tom Berenger are wildly miscast.

Notable: Sheen and Berenger would reunite, this time appropriately cast, 3 years later for the much superior "Major League."

Out of Africa (1985) - 3 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: The true story of a Danish woman's attempts to run a business and find love in early 20th century Kenya.

Starring: Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Michael Kitchen, Michael Gough, Suzanna Hamilton, Rachel Kempson, Graham Crowden, Benny Young, Iman

Best of: Beautifully shot. Streep is great.

Worst of: Overly sappy at times.

Notable: The director originally wanted a sexier lead, Streep convinced him she was right for the part with a low cut blouse and push-up bra.

Also nominated: The Color Purple, Witness.