30 Years Later — The Best Films of 1995

Hard to believe, but it’s already been three decades since David Fincher’s “Se7en” smacked neo‑noir into something darker—a crime classic that still hits hard today. Although reviews were mostly fine at the time, “Se7en” is now considered a landmark moment for modern thrillers.

Also thirty years ago, Jean Moreau presided over Cannes as jury president, and the Palme d’Or went to Emir Kusturica’s surreal “Underground.” French director Mathieu Kassovitz won Best Director for his blistering urban drama “La Haine,” capturing the tension in modern Parisian banlieues.

At the Oscars, no 1995 film fared better than Mel Gibson’s sweeping historical epic “Braveheart,” which seized Best Picture and Best Director. Meanwhile, on the acting side, Oscar gold went to Susan Sarandon for “Dead Man Walking,” while Nicholas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas”) won Best Actor for his career-best performance.

It was also the year we met a cowboy hero in “Toy Story”—Pixar’s first feature‑length CGI project, a monumental leap for animation and family films everywhere. Looking back, maybe not the best of the series, but certainly the most important.

Michael Mann returned with “Heat,” pairing Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in the most intense and influential heist film—the film’s artistry in staging and character set a high bar for urban crime dramas. Much like “Se7en,” reviews were good at the time, but little did critics know how important to cinema this one would be.

Speaking of underrated, has any film from 1995 aged better than Kathryn Bigelow’s “Strange Days”? Dismissed at the time, the film now feels eerily prescient—its vision of voyeuristic tech, societal unrest, and media manipulation hitting harder in 2025 than it ever could have in ’95.

Martin Scorsese’s “Casino” was also hit by mixed reviews, with many complaining it was just “Goodfellas” set in Vegas. Boy were they wrong. What looked like familiar territory on the surface was actually something colder, more operatic, and arguably more tragic. “Casino” wasn’t about the rise and fall of gangsters—it was about systems collapsing, empires rotting from the inside, and a world driven by greed. It’s De Niro at his most restrained, Sharon Stone at her most electric, and Scorsese at his most cynical. Time has been kind to it.

Jim Carrey’s impeccable 1994, where he had three hit films, took a back seat for Mel Gibson and Bruce Willis. Box‑office numbers were instead dominated by films like “Apollo 13,” “GoldenEye,” and “Crimson Tide” —solidifying a year of variety.

The 10 Best Films of 1995

1. Casino (Martin Scorsese)

2. Crumb (Terry Zwigoff)

3. Leaving Las Vegas (Mike Figgis)

4. Heat (Michael Mann)

5. Braveheart (Mel Gibson)

6. Strange Days (Kathryn Bigelow)

7. Babe (Chris Noonan)

8. Get Shorty (Barry Sonenfeld)

9. [Safe] (Todd Haynes)

10. Se7en (David Fincher)

We also can’t forget — Sense and Sensibility, Underground, Once Were Warriors, Exotica, The Usual Suspects, La Haine, La Ceremonie, To Die For, Dead Man Walking, Kids, Dead Man, Before Sunrise, Toy Story, Fallen Angels, The City of Lost Children, Ghost in the Shell, A Little Princess, Nixon, 12 Monkeys, The Bridges of Madison County, Shallow Grave, and Crimson Tide.

What are your favorite films of 1995? Post your list in the comments—whether it’s personal, chaotic, or carefully curated. I’ve added mine below to get things started.