tom cruise 90s movies

Every Tom Cruise Movie from the 1990s, Ranked

Some of Tom Cruise's best work as an actor was during the 1990s. Here are all his films from that decade, ranked.

Tom Cruise has been a movie star since the late '80s, but it was in the '90s when he played some of his more memorable roles, both as a box office star, but also as an actor who wasn’t afraid to play some unique, not always good characters. Here’s every Tom Cruise movie from the 1990s, ranked.

9 Far and Away (1992)

Far and Away tells the story of Irish immigrants who move to America for a better life. Joseph (Cruise) is poor, and Shannon (at the time, his real-life girlfriend, Nicole Kidman) is rich, and yet they fall in love while also being participants in the Cherokee Strip Land Run of 1893.

The film has some great shots, taking as much opportunity as possible to show the incredible hills and vistas around, and Ron Howard directed the film, but it still falls flat. The Irish accents of both leads don’t help their performances at all, in a movie that now is almost forgotten.

8 Days of Thunder (1990)

Days of Thunder was one of the first movies to explore the deadly sport of car racing and reunited Cruise with his Top Gun director, Tony Scott. The film isn’t great, other than giving some cheap thrills on the racing track, and two fun performances from Robert Duvall as Cruise’s mentor, and Nicole Kidman as his love interest.

7 Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles has one of the things Cruise hasn’t done enough, being the bad guy as Lestat. When he was cast in this Neil Jordan film, most people, including the writer of the novel, Anne Rice, thought it was a mistake, but Cruise won them over. His interpretation of Lestat as a sad, bored-to-death, lonely brat, who decides to create a buddy for himself in Louis (Brad Pitt), is a unique way to see the character.

Even then, it’s a young Kirsten Dunst who almost steals the show, as a girl who is transformed and stays physically as a kid while her psyche is getting older. The film also had Christian Slater and Antonio Banderas in its cast, making it one of the most interesting assembled back then.

6 The Firm (1993)

Back in the '90s, a John Grisham adaptation was as big office success as superheroes are now, that’s why it was big news when Cruise got cast as the lead in The Firm . The thriller tells the story of Mitch McDeere (Cruise), a tax lawyer who starts working for a firm in Memphis until he discovers they’re laundering money for one of the biggest crime families in the nation.

Cruise is great as the charismatic, idealist lead, and has fun cat-and-mouse-like chemistry with a villainous Gene Hackman. In the movie with an incredible cast, not only Cruise and Hackman appear, but also Jeanne Tripplehorn, Hal Holbrook, Ed Harris, Holly Hunter, David Strathairn, Gary Busey , and Wilford Brimley.

5 Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Eyes Wide Shut was the last film Stanley Kubrick ever directed and had, at its center, Tom Cruise and his then-real wife Nicole Kidman. Alice (Kidman) tells Dr. Bill (Cruise) that she fantasized about cheating on him with another man, and that’s enough for Bill to explore his darkest nature in the New York underground, which gives the film most of its plot. Kubrick died before he could finish editing the whole thing, and yet the many layers of the film about marriage, love, and desire are still visible.

Both actors give great performances, but it’s Cruise's humiliated husband who decides to challenge his whole life after his wife’s confession that’s fascinating, as this character was very different from his usual roles . This film is also the reason Cruise didn’t do more films in the '90s, as they spent three years shooting it with one of the most perfectionist directors ever.

Related: These Strange Romance Movies Redefine Loving Relationships, For Better or Worse

4 Jerry Maguire (1996)

Jerry Maguire was a surprising hit for Cruise, and everyone involved (it also had breakout roles from Renée Zellweger and Cuba Gooding Jr.,) playing a character that started pretty despicable and becomes a little bit better as the movie goes along. The film had a lasting legacy , as some of its best quotes are still used (and parodied) today. The movie used the underdog theme to tell a story about sports, family, working with the ones you love, and much more. Cruise’s Maguire shows a more human side of the actor, one where he’s always one step away from losing everything, and yet the most vulnerable he allows himself to be, the most things go well for him.

About how much Cruise wanted to do the film, director Cameron Crowe told Deadline : “My first conversation with Tom after he read the script, he said, I’ll fly out there. I’ll sit down. I’ll read for you. You tell me if you think I’m right for the part. He asked to audition. He came out, we sat and talked, and he said, well, let’s read this thing. He read the script out loud with Jim and me.”

3 Mission: Impossible (1996)

It’s crazy to think about it now, but the original Mission: Impossible was released 27 years ago, and it was the start of an incredible action franchise that, for some, has even replaced the James Bond movies as their action go-to. The saga has the best Cruise action movies by a mile, and all started with this one, and its memorable sequence where Cruise is trying to get information in a disc without touching the floor.

Brian De Palma delivered an action-packed, tense, thriller, with a couple of scenes that are still memorable (the one mentioned before, and the first scene in the film where most of Ethan’s team is killed, including Emilio Estevez in a cameo). All these years later, Cruise (and Ethan) are still working with their inseparable Ving Rhames (and Luther), who also had his first appearance here.

2 A Few Good Men (1992)

A Few Good Men was Aaron Sorkin’s first script ever shot, as it started as his play, and it showed, making every character interesting, and having some tense, court scenes. The play that became the movie was based on a true story . Cruise plays Lt. Daniel Kaffee, the cocky, smart military lawyer investigating a death at Guantánamo Bay.

The actor shows all the attitude and charisma that had made him a movie star, and the script has some incredible lines he gets to deliver perfectly. Cruise was so good in this film, that he was able to go toe-to-toe with non-other than Jack Nicholson in the court scene, where Nicholson has the famous “You can’t handle the truth!”

Related: These Are the Best Tom Cruise Movies, Ranked

1 Magnolia (1999)

Magnolia was Paul Thomas Anderson's third film, and for some, it’s still his best. Copying the structure of Robert Altman’s Short Cuts, the film tells many interconnected stories in Los Angeles, with an incredible cast, from Philip Seymour Hoffman to John C. Reilly, and has one of Julianne Moore’s best performances ever . Cruise plays Frank T.J. Mackey, a misogynistic guru who tells other men how to seduce women.

It has one of Tom Cruise’s most essential movie moments , but what makes this role so good is how broken the character is at the end when he sees his father one last time. Cruise has become a stuntman more than an actor in the last few years, and that’s a shame as in movies like this, he proves how much he could as an actor interested in character more than in action. Luckily enough, his films in the '90s were always about that first.

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7 best Tom Cruise 1990s movies, ranked

For 40 years, Tom Cruise has been one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars. From heartbreaking monologues to death-defying stunts, Cruise has been lighting up the big screen since he slid across the floor in Risky Business . At 61, Cruise has no plans of slowing down, with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two hitting theaters in 2025.

7. Days of Thunder (1990)

6. the firm (1993), 5. eyes wide shut (1999), 4. a few good men (1992), 3. magnolia (1999), 2. mission: impossible (1996), 1. jerry maguire (1996).

Cruise went from budding star to acting icon in the 1990s as he starred in nine films from 1990-1999. Several of Cruise’s films during the 1990s feature some of the actor’s finest work, and he even scored two Oscar nominations. From charming dramedies to action tentpoles, Cruise did it all in the 1990s. Below, we rank Cruise’s seven best films of the decade.

Cruise mastered playing the young, cocky hotshot in Top Gun . Cole Trickle falls under the same archetype in Days of Thunder . After dominating in open-wheel racing, Cole jumps to NASCAR, where he quickly forms a rivalry with veteran champion Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker). After a crash sidelines them with injuries, Cole and Rowdy put their differences aside and become friends. Cole also romances Dr. Claire Lewicki, played by Cruise’s future wife (now ex-wife) Nicole Kidman.

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Days of Thunder is not as good as Top Gun , but it’s still a fun sports movie with good racing sequences and a flashy Cruise performance. Fun fact: Days of Thunder is Cruise’s only writing credit. Cruise received a story credit along with Robert Towne, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter.

Stream Days of Thunder on Paramount+ .

Considering he’s played lawyers in multiple movies, I wonder if Cruise ever wanted to seek a career in law if acting didn’t work out. Luckily for Cruise, he chose the right profession. In The Firm , Cruise plays Mitch McDeere, a promising Harvard Law School graduate who takes a job with a prestigious firm in Memphis. The firm introduces Mitch to a life of wealth and power. However, the long hours strain his marriage with his wife, Abby (Jeanne Tripplehorn).

Mitch accidentally discovers the firm’s illegal activities, from money laundering to tax fraud and murder. Approached by the FBI to flip on his associates, Mitch knows he’s a dead man if he helps the authorities. Cruise’s fiery persona and star power are a winning combination in Sydney Pollack’s cat-and-mouse legal thriller. The Firm also inspired Cruise’s lifelong mission to become an elite runner .

Stream The Firm on Paramount+ .

Looking at how Cruise gravitated toward action in the 21st century, Eyes Wide Shut was one of the actor’s biggest risks. Stanley Kubrick’s final film stars Cruise as Bill Harford, a doctor who is stunned to learn that his wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman), has sexual fantasies about sleeping with other men. Jealous, Bill sets out to look for a sexual encounter.

Bill meets with his old friend, Nick Nightingale (Todd Field), and learns about a masked sex party hosted by a secret society. After attending one of the parties, Bill realizes he’s in danger, leading him to rethink his intentions. Unfortunately for Cruise and Kidman, their real-life marriage ended a few years after this film, and when you read about the difficult production , it’s easy to speculate that it may have played a part. However, Eyes Wide Shut remains one of Cruise’s most vulnerable performances.

Rent Eyes Wide Shut on Prime Video , YouTube , Apple , or Google .

Cruise starred as a JAG attorney in A Few Good Men. In the film directed by Rob Reiner and based on a script by Aaron Sorkin, Cruise plays Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, a lawyer tasked with defending two U.S. Marines accused of murdering another Marine on Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. Kaffee assembles a team, including Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore), to mount a defense and prove the Marines were carrying out an order from a superior officer.

Cruise’s courtroom scenes are some of his finest acting moments. He brings the proper amount of intensity and ferocity to the courtroom, leading to the film’s climatic scene between Kaffee and Col. Nathan R. Jessup, played by Jack Nicholson . Cruise versus Nicholson in a courtroom , what’s better than that?

Rent A Few Good Men on Prime Video , YouTube , Apple , or Google .

Magnolia has a lot of problems, but Cruise isn’t one of them. While Cruise was making Eyes Wide Shut , director Paul Thomas Anderson met with Cruise to discuss working together on a future film. That film became Magnolia , with Cruise starring as Frank T.J. Mackey, a conceited motivational speaker and dating expert who teaches people that life is about “what you take.”

While the misogynistic speeches show Cruise’s comedic chops, the single best scene of his career is when Frank breaks down and weeps in front of his dying father. How the Academy watched that scene and didn’t award Cruise Best Supporting Actor is beyond me.

Stream Magnolia on Prime Video .

The role that has come to define Cruise for the last three decades is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible . Ethan is an elite agent who works for the Impossible Mission Force (IMF), the secret government agency called upon for dangerous assignments. In Mission: Impossible , a failed mission that results in the death of several IMF agents forces Ethan to go on the run as the government deems him the prime suspect.

Forced to clear his name, Ethan assembles a new team to infiltrate the CIA building and steal an electronic list that could prove his innocence. By 1996, Cruise mostly did dramas with a few action films mixed in. However, the success of Mission: Impossible kicked off Cruise’s run as a global action star who is not afraid to push himself to the absolute limit, even if that means driving a motorcycle off a cliff.

Stream Mission: Impossible on Paramount+ or Prime Video .

Jerry Maguire is Cruise’s magnum opus. Everything we love about Cruise, from his natural charisma and infectious smile to his exuberant energy and undying passion, is channeled into the football dramedy Jerry Maguire . Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, Jerry Maguire stars Cruise as a sports agent who quits his high-profile agency to start his own management firm, so he can focus on stronger relationships with fewer clients.

Jerry’s only client is Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a wide receiver in the NFL who wants Jerry to “show him the money.” Jerry’s only employee is Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger), a single mother and eventual love interest. Cruise turns his movie star charm up to 10 in Jerry Maguire . And yes, Tom, you had us at hello, too.

Rent Jerry Maguire on Prime Video , YouTube , Apple , or Google .

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In 1996, Tom Cruise starred in two movies. One of those movies, Jerry Maguire, earned the actor his second Oscar nomination. The other film was Mission: Impossible, a film that drastically changed the course of his career. As Ethan Hunt, Mission: Impossible elevated Cruise into a bonafide action star, as he started his transition from dramatic and comedic movies to more action and sci-fi films.

Thirty years later, the Mission: Impossible franchise remains one of the most consistent series in Hollywood. Mission: Impossible continues to raise the stakes with each entry as Cruise risks his life with each death-defying stunt, all in the name of entertainment. Before Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, we have a task for you to complete. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to read the Mission: Impossible movie rankings below and discover which one is the best in the series. Cue the theme song.

The sci-fi genre owes much of its evolution to a myriad of television series that have shaped and redefined it over the years. These influential shows underscore the power of the small screen to captivate audiences, particularly through sci-fi's distinct combination of innovative storytelling and ambitious visuals. Whether viewers are fans of futuristic technology, extraterrestrial encounters, or dystopian futures, there's something for every kind of sci-fi lover among the genre's best entries.

From the groundbreaking brilliance of Star Trek to the modern masterpiece Black Mirror, the greatest sci-fi TV shows of all time have expanded the genre's horizons and left an indelible mark on pop culture in the process. They promise worlds beyond anyone's wildest imagination, with the mind-bending journeys they depict ending up being some of the most unforgettable adventures ever seen on television. 10. Black Mirror (2011-present)

April was a bit of a low-key month for movies, but there was still plenty of pleasure to be had at the theater. Indies were well-represented with the surreal sci-fi movie The Beast while multiplexes enjoyed the social commentary and IMAX action set pieces of Alex Garland's appropriately divisive Civil War.

May, however, will be a different story, as the summer season is set to begin on May 3 with the premiere of The Fall Guy, an action comedy starring everyone's favorite actor of the moment, Ryan Gosling. May will also see apes conquesting another planet, a biopic about Amy Winehouse that's already enraged people on social media, a different take on the slasher movie genre, and one of the most highly anticipated prequels of the last decade. Oh, and Garfield's back. Again. Which of these are worth seeing? Find out by checking out our top three picks out of all the movies scheduled for release in May 2024. The Fall Guy (May 3)

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All Tom Cruise movies, in order

It’s difficult to pinpoint what Tom Cruise really means to the history of blockbuster cinema, not just for his astounding body of work, but also for the range he puts on display, whether it be historical epics, action blockbusters, or even sci-fi spectacles.

With four Academy Award nominations, a career spanning five decades, and movies grossing over $11.5 billion worldwide, Tom Cruise is a titan of Hollywood and all it stands for . In fact, one could go so far as to suggest that as far as movie stars go, they don’t make them like this anymore. Cruise has the charisma and looks that would make any actor a commercial darling, but his acting chops and infamously crazy stunts also make him stand out.

The legendary thespian can be an action hero in a Mission: Impossible movie and then follow it up with a heart-wrenching performance like Born on the Fourth of July . He can be the lovable Jerry Maguire and then be as chilling as Vincent is in 2004’s Collateral . You name the role, and the chameleon that he is, Tom Cruise will be there to give his 100% and make it work.

But how many movies has he been in, and how many of them have you seen? Let’s take a look at Tom Cruise’s filmography to get a better understanding of his enviable career.

All the movies Tom Cruise has starred in, broken up by decade

The beloved Hollywood icon began his work with Endless Love and Taps , both released in 1981, but his most significant role from that era undoubtedly goes to Maverick in Top Gun .

Endless Love (1981)
Taps (1981)
The Outsiders (1983)
Losin’ It (1983)
Risky Business (1983)
All the Right Moves (1983)
Legend (1985)
Top Gun (1986)
The Color of Money (1986)
Cocktail (1986)
Rain Man (1988)
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson in 'A Few Good Men'

Now a genuine movie star, Tom Cruise had his pick of projects, which led to possibly the best decade of his career and the main reason he is now a household name all over the world. Outstanding performances from A Few Good Men , Jerry Maguire , and Eyes Wide Shut alongside the start of his Mission: Impossible saga make the Tom Cruise movies from the 1990s the most enjoyable ones to watch.

Days of Thunder (1990)
Far and Away (1992)
A Few Good Men (1992)
The Firm (1993)
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Magnolia (1999)

Tom Cruise continued his 90s success into the 2000s with the critically acclaimed Vanilla Sky , the blockbuster sci-fi hit Minority Report, and the brilliant historical epic The Last Samurai .

Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Vanilla Sky (2001)
Minority Report (2002)
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
The Last Samurai (2003)
Collateral (2004)
War of the Worlds (2005)
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
Lions for Lambs (2007)
Tropic Thunder (2008)
Valkyrie (2008)

Tom Cruise and Vanessa Kirby in 'Mission: Impossible'

As Hollywood moved away from the idea of a global movie star and into the age of franchises like Marvel, actors like Tom Cruise became a rare commodity in the industry. Cruise still had the pull to rope in audiences, which he combined with his vast experience in producing, turning Mission: Impossible into a top-tier action franchise once again. He also starred in the now-cult classic Edge of Tomorrow . Duds like 2017’s The Mummy and two Jack Reacher movies were inevitable, of course, but he still ended the decade on a high note.

Knight and Day (2010)
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
Rock of Ages (2012)
Jack Reacher (2012)
Oblivion (2013)
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)
The Mummy (2017)
American Made (2017)
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Well into his fifth decade as a professional actor, Tom Cruise is still going strong. His one-man mission to make a Top Gun sequel was a massive success, grossing nearly $1.5 billion worldwide and garnering a host of new fans, not to mention thawing the industry out of a Covid-induced daze.

These are Tom Cruise’s movies in the ongoing decade so far, discernibly lacking variety as well as multitude:

Top Gun: Maverick (2021)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
Untitled eighth Mission: Impossible film (2025)

That’s going to be it for Tom Cruise’s filmography, but since the star is showing no sign of slowing down, this list is only bound to get longer.

Tom Cruise’s 10 Best Movies Ranked

The ‘ Tom Cruise movie’ might as well be its own genre. When you sit down to watch a Tom Cruise film, there are things you know you’ll see: Running, really fast? Check. A performance of magnetic intensity? Check. Feats of physical endurance and stunt-based spectacle? Mostly, check. Through the years, Cruise has proved that there are few vehicles or buildings he won’t cling to or jump from; no skill he can’t master to showcase on screen; no story he can’t hone into its most crowd-pleasing shape. There’s a reason he’s still one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and made Empire 's list of the 50 Greatest Actors of all time: the man makes amazing movies.

He’s also had a fascinating career – one that began with a series of roles that dialled into his charisma and confidence as an upstart, before moving into more nuanced character dramas, and then into blockbuster spectacle. And through all those career modes, there’s a sense of sincerity in the stories being told and the characters being brought to life – one that, today, finds him pushing the limits of on-screen action further than most thought possible. Empire ’s ranking of the 10 best Tom Cruise movies spans his entire career – early works, curiosities, all-time American classics, and pulse-pounding adventures – going (spoiler alert!) right up to the thrilling, nostalgic, and emotional Top Gun: Maverick . The highway to the danger zone begins here…

Tom Cruise's 10 Best Movies Ranked

10) Mission: Impossible

When Brian De Palma first brought '60s spy series Mission: Impossible to the big screen in the mid-'90s (with Cruise producing as well as starring), it wasn't yet an action juggernaut – the height of spectacle here is an exploding fish tank, or the helicopter-in-a-train-tunnel chase (which perhaps began Cruise's fondness for clinging to speeding vehicles). But the DNA of the ultimate Tom Cruise franchise all comes from this first entry. There's the twisty, double-triple-crossing plot which turned memories of the original show upside down. There are rubber mask rug-pulls. There's that iconic lit-fuse title sequence and theme tune. And at the centre of it all is Cruise's Ethan Hunt, perpetually on the backfoot, barely surviving near-impossible predicaments by the skin of his teeth. Even back in '96, the Mission movies were all about breathless setpieces – though at that point, they were more about beads of sweat pooling on Hunt's forehead while he dangles in a temperature-controlled computer vault, than strapping himself to an aeroplane while it takes off.

9) Minority Report

If you know someone's about to commit a crime, can you punish them before they do it? That's the knotty question at the heart of Minority Report , which saw Cruise team up with the one and only Steven Spielberg for a gritty, noirish thriller with a lot on its mind. Cruise is John Anderton, an officer in the Pre-Crime unit of 2054, which uses the visions of three psychic siblings (the 'precogs') to proudly reduce the murder rate in Washington DC to zero. But when his own face comes up as the unit's next criminal to catch, it throws the entire system – and Anderton's beliefs around it – into question. This meeting of legendary cinematic minds produced something darker and more dystopian than you might expect, but Cruise is on impeccable screen-swiping form as an action hero, a care-taker for precog Agatha ( Samantha Morton ), and a man whose entire world-view is shattering around him, desperate to clear his name. Plus, we get to see him have eyeball surgery. Feast your illegally transplanted retinas on that.

8) The Color Of Money

Released in the same year as the original Top Gun , this lesser-known Martin Scorsese banger is absolutely the former's equal in displaying the young Cruise's prodigious talent, captivating charisma, and cocksure confidence. His pool-hall wizard Vince (so self-adoring that he literally walks around in a t-shirt with his own name on it) simply cannot help showing off, broadcasting his considerable skills with a cue for all to see – even if it means imploding the hustling scheme he's cooked up with Paul Newman 's veteran Fast Eddie. (This is a legacy sequel before they were a thing, with Newman reprising his role from 1961's The Hustler .) The pool sequences are electrifying and all-out Scorsese cinematic – and an early example of Cruise dedicating himself to learning new skills for his art, clearly potting all the balls himself in extended takes – but the character drama is just as captivating, with Vince stepping into his power, Eddie facing his own decline, and the hustler becoming the hustled.

7) Collateral

Silver-haired, super-focused, and stalking through the shadows of an LA night, Cruise's Vincent (we never learn his last name) is one of the actor's great assholes – a tunnel-visioned assassin who drags Jamie Foxx 's reluctant and goodnatured cabbie, Max, into a night of murderous mayhem, Michael Mann -style. Sleek and cool but also sociopathic and callous, Cruise has rarely been more controlled as he rides around in the back of Max's taxi, dispensing hot takes and hotter lead to victims; but it's in the way he slowly, painstakingly depicts the way Vincent loses control as the night begins to run away from him that's so impressive. He really should play more grade-A shits.

6) Top Gun: Maverick

A sequel 36 years in the making, besieged by pandemic-induced release date delays, with a brand new writer and director on board, and the follow-up to one of the most beloved action movies of a generation? Top Gun: Maverick had a lot to prove. Incredibly, it soars higher, faster and even more full-throttle than anyone could have predicted. Returning to the cockpit with decades of experience in pushing the boundaries of action filmmaking, Cruise, Mission collaborator Christopher McQuarrie (on writing duties here) and director Joseph Kosinski deliver aerial acrobatics (yes, the actors are actually in those planes) that will leave you awe-struck, heart in your mouth, fist punching the air with glee. As with Tony Scott 's original, the character work is just as rich as the stunts – Cruise slips back into Maverick's roguish charm with the ease of putting on a familiar patch-covered aviator jacket, but also perfectly evokes the effect that years of tension with his superiors and grief over Goose have had on him – his ever-present over-confidence cracking, just a little. All these years later, it's clear Cruise really did feel the need to return to Top Gun – and on this evidence, it's easy to see why.

5) Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Frankly, multiple spots in a list of Tom Cruise's greatest movies could be filled by Mission: Impossible films. To do so (as we've chosen not to) would perhaps overwhelm the sheer variety of the rest of his career – but in a way, Mission is Cruise's career. With each passing entry, the saga became a stunt-filled action masterclass in which its leading man goes to greater and greater lengths to bring visceral thrills to the masses – and no Mission film exemplifies that better than Fallout . It's stacked with jaw-dropping setpieces that go out of their way to foreground the fact that its leading man really is doing a HALO jump in a single take, or flying a helicopter through a gorge, or leaping across the rooftops of London (and, yes, breaking his foot in the process). It makes for breathlessly exciting cinema, a kind of spectacle that subsequently feels lacking in almost every other show in town. The Cruise-Christopher McQuarrie partnership continues to be a perfect marriage – the writer-director helping marry action and story beats to the stunts with style and propulsive pace. This is peak Mission , and the peak of Cruise's own cinematic mission – one that you sense will never truly be over.

4) A Few Good Men

Among all the Tom Cruise legal thrillers of the '90s, A Few Good Men stands tallest. His Lt. Daniel Kaffee, a Naval lawyer more interested in baseball than his own cases, begins the film as a smarmy pencil-pusher – but that all changes when he's handed the case of a Marine killed in Guantanamo Bay, and discovers corruption in the armed forces that will all-too-easily be covered up. It's up to him and fellow lawyers JoAnne Galloway ( Demi Moore ) and Sam Weinberg ( Kevin Pollak ) to prove what really happened in a court of law, facing up to Jack Nicholson 's fearsome Colonel Jessop in the process. It's one hell of an ensemble cast, but Cruise drives it all, capturing Kaffee's increasing desperation and dedication to win the case – and prove that, yes, he can handle the truth – becoming a better person in the pursuit of justice. His intensity is a perfect match for Aaron Sorkin 's dense dialogue, all classily captured by Rob Reiner 's crisp direction.

3) Magnolia

As legend has it, Paul Thomas Anderson wrote the part of Frank TJ Mackie for Cruise after visiting him on Stanley Kubrick 's demanding Eyes Wide Shut set, and deciding that the actor needed to let loose. What fun Cruise would have as Mackie! This cocksure, cock-respecting self-help sex guru struts and shouts and thrusts – yes, there's all of that. But Magnolia is a heavy film, and Cruise, as Mackie comes undone and reunites with his estranged father Earl (Jason Robards), really falls apart, the slick showbiz veneer crumbling as years of emotion burst out. Sitting by his dying dad's bedside, Mackie – away from Cruise's signature grin, away from the big stunts – is unbridled humanity, shaking, weeping, quivering, his anger making way for love. It's a devastating physical catharsis for him, and for us.

2) Edge Of Tomorrow

One of the biggest blockbuster surprises of 2014, Edge Of Tomorrow (or, Live Die Repeat , as it was later marketed), gave us a different shade of Cruise as action star – his Lieutenant William Cage is a smarmy, cowardly PR guy when we meet him, only growing into an elite soldier through the repetitive, Groundhog Day -inspired, video game-esque nature of Doug Liman 's explosive sci-fi thriller. Teaming up with steely warrior Rita (an excellent Emily Blunt ), Cage must live through his final two days over and over, picking up skills and learning from his multiple deaths in order to stop the invasion of some big bad aliens. Cruise's chemistry with Blunt is endlessly compelling, the strength of her character and his star-power making them feel like equals on-screen. But it's the progression of his character that's most intensely satisfying, going from a man who's desperate to weasel his way out of doing anything selfless to the kind of all-out hero that Cruise was born to play. It makes for the kind of movie you'd happily be stuck watching in a time-loop over and over and over and ov- You get the picture.

1) Jerry Maguire

Like many Cruise films, Jerry Maguire has got so many memorable moments and one-liners that they've almost become more famous than the film itself. But the brouhaha over, "You complete me", or, "Show me the money!" masks one of Cruise's best – and most emotional – films. Meshing perfectly with writer-director Cameron Crowe (at his most Billy Wilderian), Jerry Maguire is an often heartwarming, often inspirational, often deeply romantic tale of a cynical sports agent (Cruise at his most winning) who has an epiphany, and begins to hunt around for something akin to a soul. It's cute and charming as hell, especially when Jerry is falling in love with his former secretary Dorothy (a star-making turn from Renée Zellweger ), but there's a bite here that's often overlooked, with a seemingly happy ending that may be nothing more than a sticking plaster over a fairly gaping wound. Still, Cruise and Cameron will have you at, "You had me at hello".

Tom Cruise movies in order

Image: ©Universal Pictures/20th Century

When it comes to the careers of Hollywood stars, they don’t come much bigger than Tom Cruise. The actor, who has appeared in a string of blockbuster movies, from sci-fi epics to explosive action films, is one of the most famous figures in the movie business and has fronted many high-profile, extremely profitable motion pictures.

But how many of Tom Cruise’s movies have you watched? A few? A lot? All of them?!

If you’re not quite sure what Tom Cruise movies you have viewed and what movies you still need to check out, then you will probably benefit from reading through this post.

Below you will find a list of all Tom Cruise’s movies, from his huge hits to his lesser-known films. The list also includes pictures in which Cruise has featured in a small role or even just a cameo.

Want to check out Tom Cruise’s movie portfolio? Then you had best keep on reading, as I go decade by decade through his back catalogue.

Tom Cruise began his movie career at the beginning of the 1980s with roles in the movies Endless Love and Taps , both released in 1981. He then appeared in a string of films in 1983, including well-known pictures, Risky Business and All the Right Moves .

It was at this point that Tom Cruise’s movie career really started to blossom, leading to roles in films such as Legend , Cocktail and Rain Man . One of his most notable and enduring roles was that of Maverick in the 1986 movie, Top Gun .

Here is a list of all Tom Cruise’s movies throughout the 1980s:

Endless Love (1981)
Taps (1981)
The Outsiders (1983)
Losin’ It (1983)
Risky Business (1983)
All the Right Moves (1983)
Legend (1985)
Top Gun (1986)
The Color of Money (1986)
Cocktail (1986)
Rain Man (1988)
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

Moving into the 1990s and Tom Cruise’s career continued to go from strength-to-strength, beginning with the release of Days of Thunder in 1990. Other high-profile movies followed, including Interview with the Vampire , Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia .

It was during this decade that Cruise appeared in three movies alongside his then wife, Nicole Kidman, including the aforementioned Days of Thunder , Far and Away , and Eyes Wide Shut . The ‘90s also provided Cruise with the first entry in the Mission: Impossible film series – a collection of films which would prove to be huge for the actor for the next few decades.

Tom Cruise’s ‘90s films include:

Days of Thunder (1990)
Far and Away (1992)
A Few Good Men (1992)
The Firm (1993)
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Magnolia (1999)

Into the 2000s, and Cruise continued to push forward with his career, appearing in critically acclaimed movies Vanilla Sky and Collateral , as well as the popular sci-fi action-blockbuster, War of the Worlds .

Two more entries in the Mission: Impossible followed in the ‘00s, as did a hilarious cameo in the comedy spoof, Austin Powers in Goldmember . The actor also appeared in the comedic Tropic Thunder , then rounded out the decade with the war drama, Valkyrie .

Tom Cruise’s ‘00s movies included:

Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Vanilla Sky (2001)
Minority Report (2002)
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
The Last Samurai (2003)
Collateral (2004)
War of the Worlds (2005)
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
Lions for Lambs (2007)
Tropic Thunder (2008)
Valkyrie (2008)

Although many actors would find their careers flagging this far on from their big break, Tom Cruise continued to remain popular with audiences as he moved into the 2010s. From action-adventures such as Knight and Day to the musical Rock of Ages , Cruise appeared in a run of pictures.

During this decade Cruise starred in three further Mission: Impossible movies, and took on the title role for two Jack Reacher films. Other films during this time included Edge of Tomorrow and American Made .

Tom Cruise’s 2010 movies include:

Knight and Day (2010)
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
Rock of Ages (2012)
Jack Reacher (2012)
Oblivion (2013)
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)
The Mummy (2017)
American Made (2017)
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

And finally, moving into the 2020s, Cruise reprises the role of Maverick for the appropriately titled Top Gun sequel, Top Gun: Maverick , before appearing in further Mission: Impossible movies.

Tom Cruise’s 2020s movies include:

Top Gun: Maverick (2021)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024)

Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about Tom Cruise’s movie portfolio. The actor has had an interesting career and has managed to work with countless high-profile directors, including Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, and Cameron Crowe (amongst others), resulting in a strong run of films!

For more posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.

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The 40+ Best Tom Cruise Movies, Ranked By Fans

Vote up the films starring Tom Cruise that complete you.

When it comes to Hollywood royalty, few can hold a candle to Tom Cruise. Over the years, this megastar has delivered one jaw-dropping performance after another, solidifying his place as a cinematic legend. It's a formidable task to narrow down the best Tom Cruise movies of all time, but hey, someone's got to do it. From high-octane action flicks to soul-stirring dramas, Cruise's filmography is as versatile as it is impressive.

Take, for instance, Top Gun , the adrenaline-pumping story of competitive fighter pilots that catapulted Cruise to international stardom. Or A Few Good Men , where he delivered one of his most powerful performances, proving that he could handle weighty dialogues with the same ease as he does action-packed sequences. These films are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to top Tom Cruise films that have left an indelible mark on cinema.

But how did we curate such a coveted list? Well, it started with movie experts who have an eye for performances that define careers, creating a shortlist of films that truly showcase Tom Cruise at his best. Then, we turned it over to the fans, whose votes have shaped this definitive ranking. Whether you're a die-hard Cruise fan or just a movie buff looking to revisit some cinematic gold, this list has got you covered.

As an adrenaline-pumping display of aerial combat and rivalry, this movie takes viewers into the world of elite fighter pilots, with the lead actor embodying the brash, fearless pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. The audience follows Maverick's journey through the prestigious Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School as he battles his own ego, engages in astonishing dogfights, and learns the true meaning of teamwork. The sizzling on-screen chemistry with Kelly McGillis, the thrilling action sequences, and the beloved rendition of " Take My Breath Away " make it an unforgettable 80s classic.

Dig Deeper... Ranker Rundown: Flying High With 'Top Gun: Maverick'
# 110 of 264 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
# 79 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

A Few Good Men

In this tense courtroom drama, audiences are captivated by the exceptional performance as a young military lawyer assigned to defend two Marines accused of killing a fellow comrade. Alongside powerful performances from Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore, the film flawlessly showcases the protagonist's gradual transformation from a cocky, fresh-faced attorney into a fierce, skilled advocate determined to uncover the truth. The iconic line "You can't handle the truth!" immortalizes the film's memorable climax and solidifies the protagonist's status as one of Hollywood's most dynamic actors.

# 25 of 50 on The Biggest Movies Of The '90s, Ranked
# 4 of 14 on The Best Movies and TV Shows Written By Aaron Sorkin
# 223 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Top Gun: Maverick

Returning to the iconic role of Pete "Maverick" Mitchell after decades, the anticipation for this sequel has been immense, and it promises to deliver the same captivating thrills and aerial combat sequences of the original. As a mentor to the next generation of fighter pilots, including the son of his late best friend Goose, the protagonist guides these young talents while still facing his own personal demons and unresolved past. The combination of a compelling storyline, breathtaking stunts, and a nostalgic return to the character that made him a household name ensures this will be another hit.

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# 19 of 164 on The Best Movie Sequels Ever Made
# 37 of 81 on The Most Rewatchable Action Movies

The lead character delivers a heart-wrenching performance as Charlie Babbitt, a hustler who discovers he has an autistic savant brother named Raymond after their father's death. Through their cross-country road trip, Charlie learns to appreciate the gentle genius of his older brother while he evolves from a selfish, money-driven man to a compassionate and loving brother. This emotional journey resulted in a Best Actor nomination, and the film itself won numerous awards, including Best Picture, highlighting the powerful and touching bond between the two main characters.

Dig Deeper... Movies That Won Best Picture at the Oscars and Golden Globes
# 251 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
# 18 of 96 on The Very Best Oscar-Winning Movies For Best Picture

Mission: Impossible

In the role of super-spy Ethan Hunt, the leading man had audiences on the edge of their seats with the thrilling action and elaborate plots of this espionage thriller series. As Hunt, he displays an unrivaled level of physicality and commitment to his craft, performing most of his own stunts, resulting in a rollercoaster ride of adventure and suspense for moviegoers. The franchise has become synonymous with jaw-dropping stunts, twisty plots, and an evolving ensemble cast that perfectly complements the main character's charisma and determination.

Dig Deeper... 23 Things You Didn't Know About The 'Mission: Impossible' Films
# 29 of 50 on The Biggest Movies Of The '90s, Ranked
# 104 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s

Jerry Maguire

In this romantic dramedy, the audience witnesses a sports agent's fall from grace and subsequent redemption through his relationship with his sole client and love interest. Audiences are charmed by the stunning performances, emotional vulnerability, and undeniable chemistry between the characters, as well as the classic line, "You complete me." The film earned the lead actor an Academy Award nomination and remains an enduring favorite for its heartwarming relationships, brilliant dialogue, and bittersweet exploration of ambition and love.

# 41 of 50 on The Biggest Movies Of The '90s, Ranked
# 563 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
# 468 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films

Edge of Tomorrow

Featuring a mix of action-packed sequences, science fiction elements, and dark humor, this film showcases the protagonist as a reluctant hero, forced to live the same day repeatedly while fighting alien invaders. The compelling story of survival and personal growth, alongside the intriguing concept of time loops, make this an unforgettable cinematic experience. Supported by a strong performance from Emily Blunt, this thrilling, fast-paced adventure cements its status as a modern sci-fi classic.

# 137 of 264 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
# 396 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
# 8 of 178 on The 150+ Best Movies With Aliens

Minority Report

Set in a dystopian future where crime is predicted and prevented by a specialized police force, this Steven Spielberg-directed sci-fi thriller sees the lead actor as a detective accused of a crime he has yet to commit. With its unique premise, thought-provoking themes, and stunning visuals, the film became an instant classic and served as a showcase for the protagonist's range and versatility as an actor. The combination of gripping storytelling, groundbreaking special effects, and a strong ensemble cast cement its status as one of the best sci-fi films of the 21st century.

# 30 of 162 on The 150+ Best Futuristic Dystopian Movies
# 21 of 23 on Oscar-Nominated Movies With Plot Holes You Can't Unsee
# 144 of 675 on The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars

The Last Samurai

Set in 19th-century Japan, this epic historical drama follows the journey of Capt. Nathan Algren, an American military officer who becomes deeply immersed in the samurai culture. The protagonist brilliantly portrays a tortured soul seeking redemption and finding it through his connection with the titular warriors, resulting in a soulful and emotional performance. Aesthetically stunning and emotionally engaging, this film is impressively crafted and features outstanding performances from Ken Watanabe and the rest of the cast.

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# 96 of 264 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
# 541 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Risky Business

As the high school senior who turns his family's home into a brothel after getting involved with a call girl, the lead actor delivers a charming and iconic performance that launched his career as a Hollywood heartthrob. The famous scene of the character dancing in his underwear to " Old Time Rock and Roll " has become a pop-culture staple, and the film itself remains a beloved 80s classic. With its unique blend of teen angst, dark comedy, and romance, this coming-of-age story showcases the beginnings of a truly remarkable talent.

# 35 of 112 on The 100+ Best Movies About High School
# 631 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
# 383 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films

In this gripping adaptation of John Grisham's best-selling novel, the protagonist plays an ambitious young lawyer who becomes entangled in a dangerous web of deceit and corruption at his prestigious law firm. The intense plot and stellar performances from the ensemble cast, including Gene Hackman, Holly Hunter, and David Strathairn, keep the audience absorbed and guessing until the very end. The smart script, thrilling twists, and central performance make it a must-watch for legal thriller enthusiasts and fans of the leading man alike.

# 39 of 50 on The Biggest Movies Of The '90s, Ranked
# 117 of 369 on The Best Movies Based On Books
# 46 of 81 on The 75+ Best Whodunit Murder Mystery Movies

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

The fourth installment in the adrenaline-fueled franchise sees the protagonist perform even more heart-stopping stunts, including scaling the world's tallest building, Dubai's Burj Khalifa, further solidifying his reputation as a fearless action star. With a fresh team of dynamic actors, including Simon Pegg and Paula Patton, this film raises the stakes and balances its thrilling action with lighter moments of humor. Picking up where its predecessors left off, the film delivers an exhilarating, globetrotting adventure that leaves audiences eager for more.

# 20 of 81 on The Most Rewatchable Action Movies
# 34 of 98 on The Best Movies Based On TV Shows
# 22 of 73 on The Greatest Movies About CIA Agents & Operatives

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

The fifth installment of the popular action franchise sees the protagonist reprise his role as Ethan Hunt, this time facing a powerful, clandestine organization known as the Syndicate. With incredible stunts, including a breathtaking underwater sequence and a thrilling motorcycle chase, the lead actor continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in action cinema. Alongside new additions to the cast such as Rebecca Ferguson and Sean Harris, this thrilling adventure offers non-stop excitement and intrigue that maintains the high standards of the series.

# 15 of 99 on The Best Movies Of 2015
# 49 of 98 on The Best Movies Based On TV Shows
# 38 of 72 on The Greatest Movies About CIA Agents & Operatives

Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Portraying the tormented vampire Lestat in this adaptation of Anne Rice's novel, the protagonist delivers a mesmerizing and seductive performance that captivated audiences worldwide. Sharing the screen with Brad Pitt and a young Kirsten Dunst, the actor's portrayal of an immortal craving companionship and grappling with the morality of his actions is both chilling and heartbreaking. Though controversial at the time for its dark themes and explicit content, the film has since become a cult classic, showcasing a different side of the leading man's abilities.

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# 202 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

In his sixth turn as super-spy Ethan Hunt, the main character's commitment to performing his own stunts reaches new heights with a harrowing high-altitude-low-opening (HALO) jump. Additionally, the film's electric helicopter chase and intense fight sequences showcase the actor's relentless dedication to delivering pulse-pounding action. With a gripping storyline that delves deeper into the personal life of Hunt and an exhilarating finale, this entry is widely regarded as one of the best in the long-running series.

# 41 of 73 on The Greatest Movies About CIA Agents & Operatives
# 7 of 13 on 13 Times Tom Cruise Came Close To Disaster Doing His Own Movie Stunts
# 10 of 13 on 13 Movie Heroes And Villains Who Are Two Sides Of The Same Coin

In a rare turn as the villain, the lead actor plays a cold and calculating contract killer in this crime thriller directed by Michael Mann. Sharing the screen with Jamie Foxx's unsuspecting taxi driver, the actor's menacing performance offers a fascinating look into the psyche of his character and contrasts sharply with the vulnerable, heroic roles that have defined his career. With its gritty atmosphere, taut pacing, and unforgettable performances, the film stands as a testament to the versatility and range of the protagonist.

# 31 of 99 on The Best Movies Of 2004, Ranked
# 45 of 51 on The Best Movies to Watch on a Home Theater
# 8 of 13 on 13 Times Tom Cruise Came Close To Disaster Doing His Own Movie Stunts

Days of Thunder

Reuniting with the Top Gun director, the protagonist stars as hotshot NASCAR driver Cole Trickle in this high-octane racing drama. With thrilling race sequences and an exploration of the competitive world of stock car racing, the movie allows the lead character to demonstrate his undeniable screen presence and physical prowess. The electrifying on-screen chemistry between the actor and his future wife, Nicole Kidman, adds to the allure of this compelling sports drama.

# 58 of 206 on The Best Sports Movies Ever Made
# 28 of 90 on The Best Movies of 1990
# 45 of 69 on The Greatest Sports Drama Movies of All Time

The Outsiders

Based on the classic novel by S.E. Hinton, this coming-of-age drama set in the 1960s features the lead actor as part of an ensemble cast that includes Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, and Rob Lowe, among others. As the youngest member of the "Greasers" gang and the brother of Ralph Macchio's Johnny, the actor delivers a tender performance that showcases his talent at an early age. The film has since become a cult classic, with its heartfelt portrayal of friendship, loyalty, and the trials of growing up.

# 306 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
# 74 of 279 on 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime
# 49 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked

The Color of Money

In this sequel to the 1961 classic The Hustler, the lead character plays pool protegé Vincent Lauria, who is mentored by Paul Newman's "Fast" Eddie Felson. A dynamic on-screen duo, they brilliantly convey the tension and rivalry between their characters, making for a compelling examination of ambition, redemption, and the cost of success. The film stands as a worthy follow-up to its predecessor, with a superb performance that further cemented the protagonist's status as a versatile leading man.

# 216 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
# 101 of 164 on The Best Movie Sequels Ever Made
# 77 of 206 on The Best Sports Movies Ever Made

Jack Reacher

Adapted from Lee Child's bestselling novels, the movie features the leading man as the tough-as-nails former Army investigator and drifter who finds himself entangled in a complex conspiracy. Showcasing his impressive range as an actor, the protagonist delivers a gritty and physical performance that captivates audiences and brings the beloved literary character to life. The film's thrilling action sequences, unexpected twists, and solid supporting cast make it a standout in the action-thriller genre.

Dig Deeper... All the Jack Reacher Books, Ranked Best to Worst
# 673 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
# 12 of 16 on Movies Meant To Be Trilogies That We'll Never Get To See Completed

In this 80s drama, the leading man portrays an ambitious bartender who dreams of success and navigates the trials and tribulations of love and friendship. The role allows the protagonist to showcase his charm, charisma, and signature smile, resulting in a captivating performance that further establishes him as a Hollywood heartthrob. With memorable scenes and quotable dialogue, the film has earned a special place in pop culture nostalgia.

# 62 of 99 on The Greatest Movie Soundtracks Of All Time
# 179 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
# 44 of 122 on The Best Movies Of 1988

Born on the Fourth of July

In a powerful and transformative performance, the lead actor takes on the real-life story of Ron Kovic, a disillusioned Vietnam War veteran who becomes an anti-war activist. Earning his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, the protagonist impeccably portrays the emotional turmoil, physical pain, and ultimate redemption of his character. The film's unflinching depiction of the war's aftermath and its impact on soldiers makes it a poignant and unforgettable viewing experience.

# 209 of 264 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
# 83 of 133 on The Most Utterly Depressing Movies Ever Made
# 76 of 99 on The Greatest Movie Soundtracks Of All Time

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

The upcoming seventh installment in the blockbuster franchise promises to deliver even more breathtaking stunts, explosive action, and intriguing espionage as the lead character reprises his iconic role of Ethan Hunt. As the first part of a two-part cinematic event, the film will undoubtedly raise the stakes and further solidify the protagonist's status as an unstoppable action hero. With returning and new cast members, fans are eagerly anticipating the next thrilling chapter in the ever-evolving series.

# 44 of 73 on The Greatest Movies About CIA Agents & Operatives
# 5 of 116 on Which 2023 Movies Absolutely Had To Be Seen In The Theater?
# 4 of 15 on 15 Of The Best Movie Riddles We Rediscovered In 2023

Mission: Impossible III

With J.J. Abrams at the helm, the third installment of the blockbuster franchise brings a personal and emotional depth to the series, as protagonist Ethan Hunt faces a ruthless villain with ties to his personal life. The leading man's captivating performance, along with an incredible supporting cast and intense action sequences, make this entry a standout in the spy thriller genre. Fans of the series appreciate the balance of character development, emotional stakes, and adrenaline-pumping action that this installment delivers.

# 25 of 101 on The Best Movies Of 2006
# 42 of 98 on The Best Movies Based On TV Shows
# 26 of 104 on The 100+ Best Third Movies In A Film Series

Tropic Thunder

In a surprising and hilarious turn, the protagonist takes on the role of an over-the-top Hollywood producer in this satirical war comedy. Sporting a bald cap and thick prosthetic makeup, he is nearly unrecognizable as he lampoons the movie industry with biting humor and infectious dance moves. His comedic prowess and willingness to poke fun at himself contribute to the film's status as a modern classic in the comedy genre.

# 232 of 264 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
# 98 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
# 44 of 78 on The Greatest Movies To Watch Outside

In this visually stunning sci-fi thriller, the protagonist plays a drone repairman tasked with maintaining Earth's defense system after an alien invasion. Unraveling a twisted web of secrets and lies surrounding his mission, the lead actor delivers a gripping and emotional performance that keeps audiences engaged from start to finish. With its breathtaking cinematography, thought-provoking themes, and memorable score, the film solidifies its place as a captivating entry in the science fiction genre.

# 64 of 178 on The 150+ Best Movies With Aliens
# 61 of 162 on The 150+ Best Futuristic Dystopian Movies
# 118 of 185 on The Greatest Comic Book Movies Of All Time

In this gripping historical thriller, the lead actor portrays German army officer Claus von Stauffenberg, who leads a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler during World War II. With a strong supporting cast and a suspenseful narrative, the protagonist delivers a compelling performance that highlights his versatility as an actor. The film is a riveting exploration of moral courage and determination in the face of insurmountable odds.

# 67 of 264 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
# 89 of 240 on The 200+ Best Movies Based On A True Story
# 269 of 308 on The 300+ Best Epic Movies Of All Time

War of the Worlds

In this modern adaptation of H.G. Wells' classic novel, the protagonist portrays a divorced father who must protect his children during a sudden alien invasion. Under the direction of Steven Spielberg, the lead actor excels in conveying the terror, desperation, and determination of his character while navigating a world on the brink of destruction. The film's riveting storyline, impressive special effects, and powerful performances create a thrilling and suspenseful ride for viewers.

# 32 of 178 on The 150+ Best Movies With Aliens
# 222 of 369 on The Best Movies Based On Books
# 52 of 114 on The Greatest Movie Remakes Of All Time

Far and Away

Starring alongside Nicole Kidman, the protagonist takes on the role of an Irish immigrant seeking his fortune in America in this sweeping romantic epic. The film's lush landscapes and stirring score provide an exquisite backdrop for the passionate love story between the main characters. Despite some mixed critical reception, the undeniable chemistry between the lead actors and the film's grand scope make it a memorable viewing experience.

# 33 of 80 on The Best Period Romance Movies
# 218 of 228 on The 200+ Best Film Scores Of All Time
# 45 of 98 on The Best Movies of 1992

American Made

Based on a true story, the protagonist plays a commercial airline pilot turned drug smuggler and CIA informant in this fast-paced crime drama. The lead actor's charismatic performance, combined with a fascinating real-life plot and a vibrant 80s aesthetic, makes for an entertaining and thrilling ride. The film showcases the protagonist's ability to tackle complex characters and deliver engaging performances in diverse roles.

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All about the life and career of the ageless actor Tom Cruise.

Best Tom Cruise movies: 20 Cruise classics revealed

The ultimate A-lister and his 40 years of box office dominance.

Tom Cruise has to sit near the top of any list of modern movie icons. Arguably the biggest box office star of the blockbuster era, at this best Tom Cruise movies list proves, Thomas Cruise Mapother IV is now in his fifth decade lighting up the big screen with his shiny hair, toothy grin and wondrous dimples.

Literally bringing a larger than life presence to every role, the diminutive star has provided some of the most memorable performances in screen history. Whether it’s the hotshot fighter pilot ‘Maverick’ in Top Gun, the reformed sports agent in Jerry Maguire, the fearless agent Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible, or the callous contract killer in Collateral, his roles have become more interesting and diverse down the years.

The best Mission: Impossible stunts , revealed

Cruise does tend to polarise opinion, though. He doesn’t have the love of the public like Tom Hanks, nor the Oscar collection and method acting chops of a Daniel Day Lewis. Neither does he possess that eternal cool factor of a Harrison Ford, However, in our opinion, he’s a massively underrated actor and his record remains up there with the best of 'em.

Narrowing down his best films was tricky (and we kind of cheat when it comes to M:I!) but these are the best Tom Cruise movies of all time. Vote away…

As NOW is the top place to find Cruise movies to stream, check out the other best NOW movies .

UPDATED: Tom Cruise is back with Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One and the movie is another super instalment of the spy franchise. This one has been a long time coming, due to Covid-related delays but it's out now and well worth checking out on the biggest screen possible.

Best Tom Cruise movies

1 . Top Gun (1986)

In this unashamedly macho/homoerotic 80s classic (that volleyball scene will take your breath away), Cruise plays Maverick, an elite navy fighter pilot battling other super jocks to be top of his class. Top Gun was not a critical hit when it was made, but it flew at the box office and for good reason: it's a fantastic, very 80s action flick.

2 . A Few Good Men (1992)

Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee wants the truth, but, purportedly, he can’t handle the truth. In this courtroom drama he plays a military lawyer, defending two marines accused of murdering a fellow solider. Suspicion points at commanding officer (Jack Nicholson). As the immense tagline teases: “One man will stop at nothing to keep his honor, and one will stop at nothing to find the truth.”

3 . Rain Man (1988)

Charlie Babbitt’s transformation from self-serving swindler to loving long-lost-brother is what we like to call a character arc. Dustin Hoffman’s Oscar-winning portrayal of autism may have shone light on the condition but also perpetrated a number of unhealthy stereotypes. He stole Tom Cruise’s statue. This is the movie hill we’re willing to die on.

4 . Edge of Tomorrow aka Live. Die. Repeat (2014)

Groundhog Day, only with aliens taking over the earth? What’s not to love? With humanity on the brink, Cruise plays Major William Cage, a combat-shy officer who, stuck in a time loop, dies brutally (and often hilariously) every single day. Ably assisted by the badass Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), he slowly and painfully learns how he can overcome the enemy.

5 . Minority Report (2002)

From the magnificent mind of Blade Runner author Philip K. Dick, Minority Report remains one of the 21st century’s standout sci-fi thrillers. Under Steven Spielberg’s direction, Cruise’s John Anderton is an officer in a “pre-crime” police unit able to predict future murders and apprehend would-be killers. When the soothsaying ‘Precogs’ pin a future murder on him, Anderton faces a race against time to prove his pre-innocence.

6 . Mission: Impossible (1997-?)

Cruise’s unending star power has turned this 1960s TV spin-off into a franchise juggernaut that looks set to continue into the actor's 60s. Given he still performs most of the death-defying stunts, often with very real consequences, the MI films deserve a place among his best. The most recent installment, Dead Reckoning is another surefore hit, so don’t expect this series to go away any time soon. That Limp Bizkit version of the theme for MI:2 still rules. Don’t @ us, bro.

7 . Jerry Maguire (1997)

If there’s a better sports-film-meets-rom-com, we’re yet to see it. Cruise, in the title role, plays the only sports agent in history with a conscience. It costs him his high-flying agency job, his girl and all of his clients… except for one – a paycheck player who wants to be shown the money. A proper tearjerker, it had us at “hello.”

8 . Collateral (2004)

Another performance that completely reset our expectations for a Tom Cruise role. He plays Vincent, a cold contract killer, who has ensnared an unwilling accomplice in Max (Jamie Foxx). A tense and clever thriller, as you’d expect under Michael Mann’s direction, but what truly shines through is the intense character work you see from Cruise and Jamie Foxx.

9 . Risky Business (1983)

How could we not include this film, given it contains one of the most iconic, most spoofed scenes in movie history? The world’s introduction to Cruise sees him play a Chicago teenager looking for a rapid way to earn some cash after taking his dad’s Porsche out for an ill-fated spin.

10 . Tropic Thunder (2008)

Amid all the Scientology stuff, Cruise’s management probably decided it was time to soften those edges a little bit. Enter merciless Hollywood mogul Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder. It’s a mere cameo, but undoubtedly Cruise’s funniest (at least intentionally funny) performance to date.

11 . Interview With The Vampire (1994)

The adaptation of Anne Rice’s beloved novel pairs Cruise with Brad Pitt for the first and only time (I mean, who can afford both?). Despite misgivings about his initial casting, his frilly and flamboyant take on the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt remains an absolute joy. A true 90s camp classic.

12 . Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

If Tom missing out on an Oscar for Rain Man was a travesty, his snub for BOT4J bordered on criminal. Legendary US critic Roger Ebert wrote: “Nothing Cruise has done will prepare you for what he does in Born on the Fourth of July….…his performance is so good that the movie lives through it. Oliver Stone is able to make his statement with Cruise's face and voice and doesn't need to put everything into the dialogue.” If it hadn’t been for that pesky Oscar-hog Daniel Day Lewis…

13 . Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

With Top Gun: Maverick delayed because of the pandemic, we weren't the only ones thinking that maybe the sequel wasn't quite up to scratch but, boy, we were wrong. Top Gun: Maverick is one of the best sequels ever made and right up there when it comes to the best Tom Cruise movies. For the first two acts it's a beat for beat rendition of the first movie but then things change and it absolutely soars. We're getting goosbumps just writing about it. Brilliant stuff.

14 . Magnolia (1999)

Cruise’s performative pick-up artist T.J. Mackay in Paul Thomas Anderson’s ensemble masterpiece was monstrous, and uncharted territory for the diminutive heartthrob. His stomach-churning turn is only softened by the façade falling away late in the film. In a flick filled with incredible performances, his is perhaps the most memorable.

15 . The Color Of Money (1986)

The list of director Tom Cruise has worked with is just unreal. Few actors can say they have acted in a Spielberg, Kubrick and Scorsese flick. Cruise can and Color of Money sees top-notch direction from Scorsese, an acting masterclass by Paul Newman - the movie is a sequel to The Hustler and he reprises his role - and sparks of what Tom Cruise will become.

16 . Vanilla Sky (2001)

It may have has so-so reviews on its release but there is a lot to like in Vanilla Sky, the future shock movie by Cameron Crowe. Tom Cruise is superb as a rich man who is disfigured in a car accident. It's packed with interesting concepts, superb visuals and a cracking soundtrack. If you like it, then you should check out the superior Open Your Eyes, the Spanish film on which this is based and which also stars Penelope Cruz.

17 . War of the Worlds (2005)

Filled with 9/11-inspired imagery and a sense of foreboding throughout, Steven Spielberg's remake of War of the Worlds is sci-fi gem. The tripods are genuinely terrifying and this was the start of Tom Cruise not playing a superhero but a real person, an estranged father, who is trying to save his two children.

18 . Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman are perfect as the cold couple on the verge of splitting up (which mirrored real life), who are torn apart because of an apparent affair. This sparks a downfall spiral from Cruise's doctor who find himself embroiled in a long night of sex, cults and potential murder. Stanley Kubrick's last movie is an uncompromising psycho-sexual thriller that demands a rewatch.

19 . Days of Thunder (1990)

Haven’t seen this widely-derided (haters, gotta hate) gem? Think "Talledega Nights made with a straight face". For a brief time in the early 1990, Cruise’s daredevil driver Cole Trickle made the redneck trash-fest that is NASCAR the coolest motorsport on Earth. Trickle’s steamy on-screen tryst with neurosurgeon Dr. Claire Lewicki would soon crossover into real life with Cruise and Nicole Kidman married later that year.

20 . Far And Away (1992)

Cruise and Kidman, still kinda liking each other at this point, team up once again in this beautifully-shot 19th century settlers’ story. A young Irish couple (with pretty decent accents, to be fair) emigrate to Oklahoma chasing promises of free land, but things don’t go to plan and they end up slumming it in Boston. The film falls a little short of epic, but offers a preview of the beautiful melodramatic classics we’d come to expect from director Ron Howard.

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The 16 Best Courtroom Movies of the 90s

These legal dramas have... sustained the test of time.

Ah, the 90s - hipster jeans, Discmans, scrunchies, and the heyday of courtroom drama movies. It really was a golden age, so it’s no wonder that 90s trends are having a revival. We hope blockbuster courtroom dramas with big stars, great storytelling, and suspenseful twists are on their way back too. Legal and courtroom films in the 90s got thrust into the spotlight through successful adaptations of John Grisham novels. Grisham has been a prolific author of legal thriller novels over the past four decades and was the original author of five of the films in this list - A Time to Kill , The Firm , The Pelican Brief , The Client , and The Rainmaker . Other filmmakers saw how much audiences enjoyed these films and followed suit in eking out tense dramas and thrillers from novels featuring a wide variety of legal and courtroom battles.

It’s fair to say that there’s still plenty of interest in legal dramas, but they just don’t make ‘em like they did back in the 90s. Take a trip down memory lane with us - here are 16 of our favorite courtroom movies from the 90s (in alphabetical order).

Related: 10 Underrated '90s Summer Blockbusters

A Few Good Men (1992)

Tom Cruise , Jack Nicholson , Demi Moore , Kevin Bacon , Cuba Gooding Jr. , Kiefer Sutherland - an all-star ensemble cast directed by Rob Reiner and based on a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin - what more could you want? Maybe you’re after an infamous line that is still used to this day… well - “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!” sure has that base covered.

A Few Good Men is a tense, suspenseful drama that keeps you on your toes until the final fiery exchange between young hotshot lawyer Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) and Colonel Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson) where all is revealed. The film deals with the sensitive topic of extrajudicial punishments in the US military (known as a ‘code red’) and how the ordering of a code red may have led to a marine’s untimely death. The plot may be a bit predictable by the end but the convincing performances by the film’s stars and the sharp, quick-talking dialogue we’ve come to expect of Sorkin are reason enough to give this one a watch.

A Time to Kill (1996)

The first of the John Grisham adaptations and a great one to start with is A Time to Kill . Some more big names like Matthew McConaughey , Sandra Bullock , Samuel L. Jackson , Kevin Spacey , Donald Sutherland , and Kiefer Sutherland lend their acting chops to a solid courtroom film that deals with the complex themes of racism and rape in a sensitive and nuanced way.

This film was the second Grisham adaptation to be directed by Joel Schumacher after he took the helm for The Client . It seems he developed a deft touch through that experience - A Time to Kill maintains a delicateness and sincerity to the story while also dealing with a harrowing topic. This contrast, along with the moving and empathetic performances by the cast, keeps the film interesting and absorbing.

Amistad (1997)

Amistad is an underrated addition to the 90s legal drama genre. Directed by Steven Spielberg , the film depicts the workings of the slave trade in a nuanced and careful way. This sensitive treatment is accentuated by the empathetic performances of yet another all-star cast including Djimon Hounsou , Matthew McConaughey, Anthony Hopkins , and Morgan Freeman . The film is loosely based on true events that occurred on a Spanish slave ship, La Amistad, in 1839. The story depicts the capture of abducted African men who were intended for slavery in America. The men were successful in taking over control of their abductors’ ship but were misdirected towards America and therefore recaptured by the American Navy.

The film looks at the international legal battle that followed their recapture and the harsh imbalance of power in the slave trade, particularly when legalities unfold in a foreign land and language for the defendants. The screenplay was written by David Franzoni based on a 1987 book by Howard Jones , Mutiny on the Amistad .

Disclosure (1994)

Disclosure is another 90s legal film based on a novel - but this time it’s the Michael Crichton novel of the same name. Directed by Barry Levinson and featuring Michael Douglas , Demi Moore, and Donald Sutherland, Disclosure takes on a case of sexual harassment in the workplace. The film follows Tom Sanders (Michael Douglas), a senior executive at a technology business that is planning on launching a new product as part of a recent merger.

Tom expects to be promoted to lead the new product division but gets pipped to the post by an ex-fling, Meredith Johnson (Demi Moore). Meredith and Tom have a consensual sexual tryst in her office but she subsequently sues Tom for sexual harassment. Tom soon finds his work life and personal life threatened by the claims. It’s a slightly sexier courtroom drama with a business tinge to it, along with some nice flashbacks to "modern" technology in the 90s - CD-ROMs, mass file deletion, and even VR glasses!

Related: 6 Creepiest Children's Show Episodes From The 90s

Double Jeopardy (1999)

Another classic legal thriller from the 90s is Double Jeopardy, starring Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones . It’s gotten mixed reviews since its release, but it’s an absolute classic story about an accused seeking out the truth and eventually getting revenge for a false accusation.

The film follows the story of Libby Parsons (Ashley Judd), who wakes up to find a bloody crime scene and her husband, Nick, gone. Libby gets convicted for his murder with a suspected motive of collecting the insurance money. After six years in prison, Libby gets paroled and commences a desperate journey to be reunited with her son Matty and to discover the truth about Nick, while her parole officer (Tommy Lee Jones) follows her tracks.

In the Name of the Father (1993)

From one classic to the next… In the Name of the Father is a harrowing and powerful tale based on a true story. Daniel Day-Lewis brings his trademark intensity to the film and gives an impressive performance as Gerry Conlon . Set in 1974 amidst the tensions between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and British Army, Gerry is a young Irish man wrongly sentenced to life in prison along with his father Patrick Conlon ( Pete Postlethwaite ) and three other innocent people (later known as The Guildford Four) after the police coerced a confession from him regarding an IRA bombing. The film follows Gerry’s next 15 years trying to prove their innocence.

The screenplay was co-written and adapted by Terry George and Jim Sheridan (who also directed) from Gerry Conlon’s 1990 autobiography. It was well received and was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Director, and Best Picture.

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

The one comedic addition to this list is My Cousin Vinny . The movie largely revolves around the comedy chops of Joe Pesci as Vinny Gambini, a novice lawyer who is tasked with a big case as his first-ever trial. He is enlisted by family members to defend his cousin Bill Gambini ( Ralph Macchio ) and Bill's friend, Stan Rothenstein ( Mitchell Whitfield ), in a big murder case in Alabama.

It’s largely a comedy, but it surprisingly also does the courtroom legal drama realistically - maybe with a slightly more lenient judge than in most cases - but the laughs come in a natural way that pulls you into the film and onto the side of Vinny and the defendants.

Philadelphia (1993)

For a more serious take on a courtroom drama, Philadelphia gives us some star performances and was one of the first mainstream movies to address HIV/AIDS and homophobia with nuance and sensitivity. The film was written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Jonathan Demme .

Tom Hanks stars as Andrew Beckett, a young corporate lawyer based in Philadelphia who is infected with AIDS but keeps his diagnosis and his homosexuality private from his employers. Andrew is suddenly dismissed from the firm after a small misstep that is attributed to his fault. He wants to sue for unfair dismissal but has trouble finding an attorney to represent him. He approaches personal injury lawyer Joe Miller ( Denzel Washington ) but Joe is concerned that he could contract AIDS from Andrew so he turns him down initially. Joe eventually realizes the discrimination that Andrew faces and takes his case on to form an indomitable duo.

Related: Satisfy Your Nostalgia Craving with the 75 Best 90s Cartoon Theme Songs

Primal Fear (1996)

Yet another book adaptation on the list, Primal Fear is based on a novel by William Diehl of the same name. And as with most other movies on this list, it attracted some big names like Richard Gere , Laura Linney , John Mahoney , Alfre Woodard , Frances McDormand , and Edward Norton to the production.

Primal Fear introduces us to Martin Vail (Richard Gere), a defense attorney who defends a young, stuttering altar boy, Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), who is charged with the murder of a high-profile Catholic archbishop. The film has plenty of twists and courtroom maneuvers, and it boasts intense performances, notably by Edward Norton. He was subsequently nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Sleepers (1996)

In a similar vein, Sleepers also deals with the heavy theme of child sexual abuse and is based on a novel by Lorenzo Carcaterra . Barry Levinson wrote, produced, and directed the film. In doing so, he was tasked with managing an ensemble all-star cast, including Brad Pitt , Kevin Bacon, Jason Patric , Robert De Niro , Dustin Hoffman , and Minnie Driver .

Sleepers tells the story of four young men who are sent to a detention center after a prank goes horribly wrong. Whilst in the detention center, they are abused by the guards and suffer long-term issues from the abuse. The film revisits them when they are older and two of the men stand accused of the murder of one of the guards that abused them as children. The four men are brought back together, and they hatch a plan to bring the guards to justice for their crimes.

The Client (1994)

The second Grisham novel adaptation on the list, The Client follows the story of a young boy, Mark Sway ( Brad Renfro ), who witnesses a mob lawyer committing suicide. As the lawyer commits suicide, he tells Mark some important information about a politician’s recent disappearance that is suspected to be connected to the mafia.

Mark enlists the help of lawyer (and recovering alcoholic) Reggie Love ( Susan Sarandon ) to protect him from the mob who want to keep him quiet about what he knows, and also from the intense pressure being exerted on him by attorney Roy Foltrigg (Tommy Lee Jones). Roy has set his sights on this case to propel him into politics and is therefore aggressive in trying to get Mark to reveal what he knows about the politician’s disappearance. Not the best of the Grisham adaptations but still a solid watch with some good performances from young Renfro, Sarandon, and Jones.

The Devil’s Advocate (1997)

Now for a courtroom movie that gets a bit supernatural and really goes to town with the special effects - The Devil’s Advocate . This movie is also based on a book of the same name by Andrew Neiderman . The film tells the story of a hotshot Florida lawyer, Kevin Lomax ( Keanu Reeves ), who has never lost a case. He receives an offer to move to New York City to work with a prestigious law firm - one of the biggest opportunities of his career. Kevin moves to the city with his wife Mary Ann (played by Charlize Theron ) and gets treated like royalty.

However, what follows are a series of subtle temptations that sees Kevin spending less time with Mary Ann and more time at the firm with his charismatic and powerful boss, John Milton ( Al Pacino ). It gets a bit heavy on the special effects late on in the movie, but the performances by the main characters ensure that the moral of the story stays strong.

Related: The 14 Best Keanu Reeves Movies, Ranked from Excellent to Most Excellent

The Firm (1993)

With a similar moral to The Devil’s Advocate, The Firm is about a young lawyer getting tempted by the trappings of a prestigious corporate law firm. The Firm is based on the John Grisham novel of the same name and is directed by Sydney Pollack.

The story follows Mitch McDeere (Tom Cruise), a Harvard Law graduate who gets a generous offer from a boutique law firm in Memphis. They set him up with a house and a car, and pay off his student debts, but in return, Mitch commits more and more hours to the firm. As he becomes closer to his mentor at the firm, Avery Tolar ( Gene Hackman ), he starts to learn about some dodgy dealings by the firm and has to decide where his morals lie as a lawyer and a person.

The Firm was the highest-grossing film adapted from a Grisham novel and features stellar performances by Cruise, Hackman, Ed Harris, and Holly Hunter.

The Pelican Brief (1993)

The second last Grisham adaptation on this list is The Pelican Brief. The story follows a law student, Darby Shaw ( Julia Roberts ), who writes a brief about why she thinks an assassin killed two Supreme Court justices. She soon learns that her theory was correct and subsequently gets followed by thugs who want to keep the theory quiet. Darby gets in touch with a reporter, Gray Grantham (Denzel Washington), to uncover more about the story, and eventually, they get enmeshed in a dangerous situation due to greed and oil, i.e. the root of so many conflicts.

Adapted and directed by Alan J Pakula, The Pelican Brief is another solid Grisham adaptation with good performances by the leads and enough thrilling turns to keep viewers interested.

The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)

The People vs. Larry Flynt is a biographical drama based on the life of Larry Flynt (played in the film by Woody Harrelson ). Flynt was the founder of Hustler magazine (starting out as a newsletter for a go-go club in Cincinnati) and finds himself defending his business from religious groups with the goal to protect freedom of speech. The movie follows 35 years of his life, from his upbringing in Kentucky to a memorable court case being brought against him by Reverend Jerry Falwell.

The film didn’t generate great financial success, but it did find success in the form of Academy Award nominations for Best Actor (Harrelson) and Best Director ( Milos Forman ). The film also features Courtney Love and Edward Norton - both putting in impressive performances - and was written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski .

The Rainmaker (1997)

What better way to round out the list than with the final Grisham adaptation? Directed and adapted by Francis Ford Coppola , The Rainmaker features the story of Rudy (played by Matt Damon ), an inexperienced and down-and-out law school graduate who teams up with office paralegal Deck Shifflet ( Danny DeVito ) to start a small practice. They agree to take on a case for a boy with leukemia against his insurance companies as they won’t pay for a life-saving bone marrow transplant.

The film has a great cast in Damon, DeVito, Claire Danes, and Jon Voight, and has great direction from Coppola. The storyline also steps above a single legal case and takes a look at the legal landscape more broadly as Rudy and Deck deal with the moral ambiguities of running a law firm as a business. It’s been rated as arguably the best of the Grisham adaptations so an apt way to cap off this list!

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25 Movies From The '90s That Are So Good, If You Haven't Seen Them, Your Friends Should Shame You

If you still haven't seen these, you need to plan a movie night.

BuzzFeed Staff

Some (rather ill-informed) people like to say that the '90s were a “bad” time for movies. But there’s no need to worry: I am here to prove these people wrong, because the '90s were a decade chock-full of classics (and a few cheesy moments, too). From Goodfellas to Toy Story, from flashy action flicks to the entire genre of the modern rom-com , the '90s have cemented themselves as one of the best, most memorable decades in movie history, with no shortage of movies that’ll be watched many times through the coming generations. So, in no particular order, here are some of the best movies the '90s have to offer:

1. mrs. doubtfire (1993).

Group on a sunny day with actor in floral dress and white pearls, woman in patterned dress, boy in stripes, girl in plaid, and child in blue

This 1993 classic comedy is one of Robin Williams's most famous performances.

After losing custody of his children in a rough divorce, actor Daniel Hillard responds to an ad for a nanny from his ex-wife — and disguises himself as an elderly British woman, the lovable Mrs. Doubtfire. According to IMDb , Williams once tested the efficacy of his Mrs. Doubtfire disguise by perusing an adult bookstore and buying a book without being recognized. Amazing.

Where to watch it: Stream it on Disney+!

2. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Julia Stiles as Kat Stratford in a scene wearing a black outfit with a pendant necklace

Where did all the Shakespeare adaptations go?!

High school senior Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) is snarky and uptight, but ultimately, Cameron ( Joseph Gordon-Levitt ), a boy from their school, wants to go out with her younger sister, Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), who isn't allowed to date until Kat does. Their dad thinks this is a foolproof plan; Kat will never go out with anyone . That is, until Cameron enlists the help of Patrick (Heath Ledger), the school's bad boy, to win Kat over.

Where to watch it: Stream it on Hulu.

3. Titanic (1997)

Jack and Rose from Titanic, standing at ship's bow, Rose with arms outstretched, Jack behind her

The love story to end all love stories. You and I both know you've already seen this, and rewatched it at least 15 times.

Wealthy 17-year-old Rose (Kate Winslet) sails aboard the Titanic with her overbearing mother and extremely hateable fiancé, Cal (Billy Zane). Once on board, she falls desperately in love with Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio), an impoverished artist. Unfortunately, we all know what ship they're aboard...

Where to watch it: Stream it on Apple TV or Paramount+.

4. The Lion King (1994)

Animated characters Simba, Nala, and Zazu from "The Lion King" in a jungle scene

Disney in the '90s had no misses, but The Lion King was their shining star, their crown jewel, their absolute peak. There's no room for argument.

Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas/Matthew Broderick), the heir to the animal kingdom, is forced into exile when his evil uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons) usurps his father. But eventually, Simba must learn to face his past and retake his kingdom.

Where to watch it: Stream it on Disney+, of course.

5. Scream (1996)

Five individuals sitting on a ledge outdoors, relaxed postures, casual attire

As I've said before... If you like: having taste, self-aware horror comedies, rockin' leading ladies, plots that reallllly keep you guessing, or sequels where we are lost in New York, Scream is for you!

A year after her mother's murder, high schooler Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) wakes up to the news that a girl and her boyfriend in her hometown have been brutally killed. As more students get picked off, Sidney and her companions get more desperate to find out who the killer could be. If you haven't seen this movie, I promise it's more fun and less scary than you think! And it literally, famously re-invented the genre (thank you, Wes Craven) so it's very worth a watch.

Where to watch it: Stream Scream on Max.

6. Pretty Woman (1990)

Vivian Ward and Edward Lewis from Pretty Woman, she in a red off-shoulder gown, he in a black tuxedo

A big businessman on a big business trip (Richard Gere) picks up a beautiful prostitute (Julia Roberts) to escort him to social events while on his trip to LA. Most inconvenient: They fall in love. More inconvenient: Their backgrounds may be too different to be compatible. Or are they?

Where to watch it: Stream it on Hulu, or Peacock!

7. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Heath Ledger in armor as Sir William Thatcher shares a kiss with Shannyn Sossamon as Jocelyn in "A Knight's Tale."

Ah, the movie that has made so many high schoolers across America say, "Wait...does Shakespeare rock?" (And also the movie that has made many high schoolers across America say, "What the f—k is this?")

You know the synopsis: Two families hate each other, their kids fall in love, and it ends in tragedy. Only this time, we had Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, the story was set in gang-infested quasi-LA, and everybody had guns. Is there any movie more iconic that you watched in English class? I didn't think so.

Where to watch this amazing film: Stream it on Hulu.

8. Notting Hill (1999)

The first time I watched Notting Hill , I sat down the very next night and clicked play on the movie again. Notting Hill simply required a second viewing. This opinion could be wrong, but...this may be the best rom-com of all time.

Or maybe it's just what I needed in that moment. Maybe it's what you need, too. Give it a shot. It has Hugh Grant.

When dazzlingly famous American actress Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) wanders into the life of bookshop owner William Thacker (Hugh Grant), they unwittingly embark on a whirlwind romance. But their wildly different backgrounds pose a challenge.

Where to watch it: You can find this baby on Amazon Prime.

9. Jurassic Park (1993)

Three individuals, including characters Dr. Ellie Sattler and Dr. Alan Grant, attending to a sick Triceratops in a scene from Jurassic Park

Paleontologists Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and Alan Grant (Sam Neill) are invited to visit a remote island, which they discover upon arrival has been turned into a theme park populated by dinosaurs. At first, they're trepidatious, but a bit thrilled; but when the dinosaurs break free, Ellie and Alan find themselves protecting a couple of kids and outrunning predators that haven't roamed the earth for millions of years.

Where to watch it: Netflix.

10. The Matrix (1999)

Characters Trinity and Neo stand side-by-side in 'The Matrix', wearing signature black leather outfits

Neo (Keanu Reeves) is taken by Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) into The Matrix, an underworld where he meets a man named Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and discovers the truth about his reality: that it's been entirely constructed by evil, intelligent machines.

Where to watch it: Stream it on Max.

11. Home Alone (1990)

One of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, and you know it. Kevin was my hero as a child.

8-year-old Kevin McCallister, who feels bullied by both the kids and grown-ups in his family, wishes he would wake up without them. The next day, the family departs for their Christmas trip to Paris — and accidentally leaves Kevin behind. At first, Kevin is happy to be home alone; he goes to the store, makes mac 'n' cheese, and watches whatever movies he wants. But soon, Kevin realizes that his house is the target of two robbers, and the only one home to defend the house is himself.

Where to watch it: I know you'll probably wait until December, but you can stream it any time on Disney+.

12. Mission: Impossible (1996)

Ethan Hunt, a character from Mission: Impossible, is suspended mid-air during a heist scene

The movie that began one of the most iconic action franchises of all time. US operative Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is on a top-secret mission...that goes terribly wrong. When he is suspected of the murder of a fellow operative, he embarks on a rogue mission with the help of his friends to prove his innocence.

Where to watch it: You can stream it on Paramount+.

13. Forrest Gump (1994)

Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), a slow-witted Alabama man, thrives through some of the greatest moments in American history from the '50s to the '70s, all while yearning after his childhood love, Jenny (Robin Wright).

According to IMDb , Tom Hanks agreed to take the role only as long as the movie remained historically accurate. Even his accent was patterned after that of Michael Conner Humphreys, who plays young Forrest and hails from Independence, Mississippi.

Where to watch it: You can find it streaming on Paramount+.

14. Toy Story (1995)

Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story stand in a cartoon room with toys. Buzz is wearing a space suit; Woody is in a cowboy outfit

Pixar's first feature film — and the first computer-animated film, ever — Toy Story remains one of Pixar's most beloved movies.

When 6-year-old Andy gets a new toy, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), for his birthday, cowboy toy Woody (Tom Hanks) feels threatened by the new arrival. Woody and Buzz vie for the top spot in the toy hierarchy; but soon, they find they have to put their differences aside to protect the toys.

Where to watch it: Stream it on Disney+.

15. The Truman Show (1998)

Jim Carrey as character Truman Burbank smiling, wearing a suit and patterned tie, beside a "Kaiser Chicken" poster

Truman, an insurance salesman, thinks he lives a normal life; but in reality, his entire life is lived on a television set, where everything he does is recorded and broadcast on air. But eventually, Truman begins to unravel the truth, and he must decide how to act.

Where to watch it: You can stream it for free on Pluto TV.

16. Goodfellas (1990)

One of the most iconic gangster movies of all time, arguably second only to The Godfather , the Oscar-winning Goodfellas is one of the shining stars of director Martin Scorsese's career.

Henry Hill, in the character's own words, "always wanted to be a gangster." Goodfellas is the story of his life in the mafia, from his start at age 13 to his hard-earned, horrific climb to his rollercoaster of a marriage and the unraveling of his (not-so) carefully built-up life at the top.

According to IMDb, Scorsese had allegedly "sworn off" making another mafia movie; but after reading Wiseguy, a book about the real Henry Hill, he "cold-called the writer and told him, 'I've been waiting for this book my entire life.'"

Where to watch it: Goodfellas is available to stream on Hulu.

17. Fight Club (1999)

Okay, this wasn't an instant hit, but I'm still including it because it was such a hit on home video.

An insomniac (Edward Norton) finds himself living in squalor with soap maker Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). The two men decide to form an underground fight club.

Despite flopping with just $37 million at the box office and being dubbed one of the "most controversial films of the 1990s," Fight Club bounced back and found cult success with its home video release. Ten years after its theatrical debut, the New York Times called it the "defining cult movie of our time."

Where to watch it: Stream it on Apple TV, or dig the VHS tape out of your dad's old stuff.

18. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction, seated in a diner booth, with a pen in hand and a bob haircut

Two hitmen, Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent Vega (John Travolta), aim to retrieve a briefcase for their boss. Their lives become intertwined with that of Mia (Uma Thurman), their gangster boss's wife, and a pair of bandits.

With over $200 million at the box office on a budget of less than $9 million, Pulp Fiction was an absolute success for Tarantino, who had already achieved recognition two years earlier for his film Reservoir Dogs.

19. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Animated character Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" holding a dandelion in a field

The first animated feature to be nominated for Best Picture, Beauty and the Beast remains one of Disney's most-rewatched, beloved movies.

In provincial France, a young woman struggles to find meaning in her small town. When her father goes missing, she leaves home to find him and discovers he has been imprisoned in a castle. His captor, a creature who once was a man, has been cursed to live a lonely life as a hideous beast; his only hope for salvation is to learn to love another and be loved in return.

Where to watch it: Stream it on Disney+, of course. It's just as good as you remember it.

20. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Screenshot from "The Silence of the Lambs"

In which Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins steal the show. This movie swept the Oscars, and for good reason. If you like psychological thrillers, strong female protagonists, and performances that will stick in your head forever, then watch this movie!

A serial killer is stumping the FBI, and a young recruit, Clarice Starling, is sent to get help from one of the leading experts in the field: famed and convicted murderer Hannibal Lecter.

Where to watch it: Stream it on MGM+ or YouTube Premium.

21. Fargo (1996)

Frances McDormand as Marge Gunderson in a scene from "Fargo," on a phone, wearing a police uniform

In this black comedy, a down-on-his-luck, small-town Minnesota car salesman attempts to get himself out of debt by kidnapping his own wife. Unfortunately for him, he and his cronies are no match for the detective work of police chief Marge Gunderson. This movie has the unusual attribute of being both absolutely hilarious and critically acclaimed (by very artsy people — it was nominated for the Palme d'Or, fer cryin' oot lood).

Where to watch it: You can stream it on Max!

22. Dazed and Confused (1993)

One of the most iconic high school movies of all time (perhaps behind such films as Ferris Bueller's Day Off ), Dazed and Confused follows a day in the lives of high schoolers in Austin, Texas, on the last day of high school. Incoming freshmen are hazed, outgoing seniors party, and a whole lot happens in between.

Where to watch it: Rent it for $3.99 on YouTube, Google Play, or Apple TV.

23. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

Screenshot from "The Talented Mr. Ripley"

In this psychological thriller, rich playboy Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) enjoys the lazy azure waters, sunny beaches, and gorgeous landscapes of1950s Italy with his girlfriend, Marge Sherwood (Gwyneth Paltrow). But back in the states, his father grows anxious to have him back home; he employs young Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) to travel to Italy and bring Dickie home. When Tom gets to Italy, things initially go swimmingly; but soon, his plot to get close to Dickie grows dangerous.

Where to watch it: Stream it on Showtime, or rent it for $3.99.

24. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Two women in Victorian-style dresses look surprised in a scene from a film

A true adaptation of the novel, this is the movie to watch if you want a truly dark, rich vampire movie. Plus, it's directed by Francis Ford Coppola, so you should watch it even if you're not in the mood for that.

English lawyer Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania to meet a new client, to whom he hopes to sell a piece of English real estate. Unfortunately for him, that client turns out to be none other than Count Dracula, who is, of course, a vampire. The count travels to England in pursuit of Jonathan's wife, Mina, who he believes is the reincarnation of his deceased wife. And then, of course, everyone has to come together to take Dracula down.

Where to watch it: You'll have to rent this one for $3.59 on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV.

25. Clueless (1995)

Two characters, Dionne and Cher, from the movie Clueless standing back-to-back, wearing trendy plaid outfits

And finally, one of the most iconic, timeless, and (dare I say) necessary films about being a teenager ever made. Cher is everything a teenage girl ought to be: fashionable, fun-loving, and unable to drive.

An adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma , Clueless follows wealthy and shallow Beverly Hills teenager Cher as she plays the role of matchmaker in her friends' and parents' lives. But as Cher's shallowness catches up with her, she learns to be a little more humble — and that somebody else had been right all along.

Where to watch it: Stream it on Paramount+.

Special mention: If you like Clueless , you should check out 2020's Emma, starring Anya Taylor-Joy and streaming on Amazon Prime.

Are there any favorites that were left out? If so, let me know down in the comments!

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Tom Cruise Almost Played Iconic Superhero in Zack Snyder Film: Who Is Rorschach?

Zack Snyder had another superhero in mind for the movie star.

By Ashley Turner - April 18, 2024 07:23 pm EDT

Zack Snyder reveals that Tom Cruise was passed over for an unexpected role. Snyder recently cleared up some old Watchmen casting rumors during an appearance on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast .

Horowitz mentioned several names that were rumored for the 2009 film, such as Keanu Reeves playing Dr. Manhattan and Tom Cruise for Ozymandias. However, Cruise had another character in mind. "I wanted Cruise for Ozymandias; he wanted to play Rorschach," said Snyder.

For the uninitiated, Rorschach is considered by many to be the protagonist of Watchmen's ensemble cast. Unlike the other former superheroes now working for the government undercover, he is introduced as the only masked vigilante who acts on his own initiative and terms.

A ruthless crime fighter, Rorschach is committed to punishing evil at all costs under a moral absolutism that views good and evil as pure ends. His mask, which uses his namesake inkblot test as a model, features a continuously morphing black-and-white inkblot representing his sense of morality. As well as being borderline insane at times, Rorschach is also highly violent with his extreme methods of killing criminals, as in one scene in which he angrily slaughtered a child abductor and his dogs.

While Cruise has turned in some unconventional performances—his roles in Tropic Thunder and Collateral come to mind—it's hard to imagine the movie star fully embodying the disturbed vigilante antihero as fully as Jackie Earle Healy did in his acclaimed performance in the film. Cruise's couch-jumping reputation was also teetering at an all-time low as a result of his relationship with Katie Holmes and Matt Lauer's interview with him criticizing Brooke Shields for using medication to treat postpartum depression.

As the film's director acknowledged, Cruise "obviously could've done" the role, but Jackie Earle Haley, arguably the film's best performance, was already in the role. "I certainly would've considered Tom, in retrospect, if I hadn't had Jackie."

Despite this, in 2009, Snyder told the L.A. Times that Cruise wasn't the right actor for the role due to his fame and familiarity with audiences. "I think if you have a Tom Cruise, someone of that stature of fame, it makes it harder to present this other world and keep the viewer right there in it," the director said at the time.

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'Top Gun 3' in the Works, Tom Cruise and 2 More 'Maverick' Stars Set to Return
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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Eighties Hollywood legend, 68, unrecognisable 44 years after hit movie

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Eighties movie legend, 68, unrecognisable 44 years after massive hit movie

Eighties Hollywood legend Debra Winger looks completely unrecognisable 44 years after starring in the hit movie Urban Cowboy.

The actress, now 68, rose to fame in such Hollywood hits as An Officer and a Gentleman and Terms of Endearment.

She was perhaps most well-known for her 1980 romantic drama Urban Cowboy, in which she played the spunky love interest to John Travolta .

Debra was nominated for a number of awards for her performance in the film, including a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and a Bafta for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles.

However, the star stepped out of the spotlight in the mid-nineties – not appearing on the big screen again for six years after the release of 1995’s Forget Paris.

Debra, now 68, stepped out recently to appear at the Drive Away Dolls premiere in New York .

Debra Winger and son Gideon Babe Ruth Howard

Wearing her curly hair its now-natural silver, the actress wore a dark blazer with a blue blouse, loose-fitting dark trousers, and chunky black boots.

She accessorised with a multicoloured check scarf, while a pair of dark-rimmed glasses showed off her sparkling blue eyes.

Debra was accompanied by her son, Gideon Babe Ruth Howard, 26, who posed with his mum for a series of snaps on the red carpet.

Although she looks unrecognisable from her movie heyday, she retains a similar sense of fashion – including her thick, once-brunette curls, and minimal make-up.

Debra Winger and John Travolta in Urban Cowboy

During her time away from Hollywood, the actress worked as a lecturer at Harvard University and even wrote a book on her ‘retirement’ from acting.

In the memoir, she describes how she chose to step away from the silver screen to forge a life beyond acting.

‘I love the work,’ she wrote. ‘And don’t much care for the business.’

In addition to her nominations for Urban Cowboy, the actress won a National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 1984 and scored Best Actress Oscar nominations for An Officer and a Gentleman, Terms of Endearment and Shadowlands.

In 1996, Debra married writer/director Arliss Howard, whom she met on the set of the film Wilder Napalm. They have three children together – one each from a previous marriage, plus a son Gideon, born in 1997.

Prior to meeting Arliss, Debra was married to actor Timothy Hutton, with whom she had her first son, Noah Hutton.

Winger’s profile has risen again in recent years, with the actress starring as Maggie Bennett in the hit Netflix soap opera The Ranch.

Since her return to filmmaking, she has also appeared in episodes of Law & Order, Mr. Corman and In Treatment.

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In 2014, she won the TIFF Award for Lifetime Achievement.

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Sort by Popularity - Most Popular Movies and TV Shows With Tom Cruise

Movies or TV
IMDb Rating
In Theaters
Release Year

1. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Drama

After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN's elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.

Director: Joseph Kosinski | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jennifer Connelly , Miles Teller , Val Kilmer

Votes: 695,043 | Gross: $718.73M

2. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

PG-13 | 163 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie | Stars: Tom Cruise , Hayley Atwell , Ving Rhames , Simon Pegg

Votes: 246,100 | Gross: $172.14M

3. Top Gun (1986)

PG | 109 min | Action, Drama

As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.

Director: Tony Scott | Stars: Tom Cruise , Tim Robbins , Kelly McGillis , Val Kilmer

Votes: 502,172 | Gross: $179.80M

4. The Outsiders (1983)

PG | 91 min | Crime, Drama

In a small Oklahoma town in 1964, the rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and the rich Socs, heats up when one gang member accidentally kills a member of the other.

Director: Francis Ford Coppola | Stars: C. Thomas Howell , Matt Dillon , Ralph Macchio , Patrick Swayze

Votes: 97,409 | Gross: $25.60M

5. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

R | 159 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller

A Manhattan doctor embarks on a bizarre, night-long odyssey after his wife's admission of unfulfilled longing.

Director: Stanley Kubrick | Stars: Tom Cruise , Nicole Kidman , Todd Field , Sydney Pollack

Votes: 374,781 | Gross: $55.69M

6. The Last Samurai (2003)

R | 154 min | Action, Drama

Nathan Algren, a US army veteran, is hired by the Japanese emperor to train his army in the modern warfare techniques. Nathan finds himself trapped in a struggle between two eras and two worlds.

Director: Edward Zwick | Stars: Tom Cruise , Ken Watanabe , Billy Connolly , William Atherton

Votes: 470,698 | Gross: $111.11M

7. Tropic Thunder (2008)

R | 107 min | Action, Comedy, War

Through a series of freak occurrences, a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.

Director: Ben Stiller | Stars: Ben Stiller , Jack Black , Robert Downey Jr. , Jeff Kahn

Votes: 447,686 | Gross: $110.52M

8. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

PG-13 | 113 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

A soldier fighting aliens gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies.

Director: Doug Liman | Stars: Tom Cruise , Emily Blunt , Bill Paxton , Brendan Gleeson

Votes: 736,172 | Gross: $100.21M

9. Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

PG-13 | 147 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie | Stars: Tom Cruise , Henry Cavill , Ving Rhames , Simon Pegg

Votes: 377,870 | Gross: $220.16M

10. Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

R | 123 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror

A vampire tells his epic life story: love, betrayal, loneliness, and hunger.

Director: Neil Jordan | Stars: Brad Pitt , Tom Cruise , Antonio Banderas , Kirsten Dunst

Votes: 347,165 | Gross: $105.26M

11. Magnolia (1999)

R | 188 min | Drama

An epic mosaic of interrelated characters in search of love, forgiveness and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jason Robards , Julianne Moore , Philip Seymour Hoffman

Votes: 328,290 | Gross: $22.46M

12. Oblivion (I) (2013)

PG-13 | 124 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

A veteran assigned to extract Earth's remaining resources begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself.

Director: Joseph Kosinski | Stars: Tom Cruise , Morgan Freeman , Andrea Riseborough , Olga Kurylenko

Votes: 552,858 | Gross: $89.02M

13. A Few Good Men (1992)

R | 138 min | Drama, Thriller

Military lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee defends Marines accused of murder. They contend they were acting under orders.

Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jack Nicholson , Demi Moore , Kevin Bacon

Votes: 287,105 | Gross: $141.34M

14. Minority Report (2002)

PG-13 | 145 min | Action, Crime, Mystery

John works with the PreCrime police which stop crimes before they take place, with the help of three 'PreCogs' who can foresee crimes. Events ensue when John finds himself framed for a future murder.

Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Tom Cruise , Colin Farrell , Samantha Morton , Max von Sydow

Votes: 583,982 | Gross: $132.07M

15. Rain Man (1988)

R | 133 min | Drama

After a selfish L.A. yuppie learns his estranged father left a fortune to an autistic-savant brother in Ohio that he didn't know existed, he absconds with his brother and sets out across the country, hoping to gain a larger inheritance.

Director: Barry Levinson | Stars: Dustin Hoffman , Tom Cruise , Valeria Golino , Gerald R. Molen

Votes: 546,273 | Gross: $178.80M

16. Collateral (2004)

R | 120 min | Action, Crime, Drama

A cab driver finds himself the hostage of an engaging contract killer as he makes his rounds from hit to hit during one night in Los Angeles.

Director: Michael Mann | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jamie Foxx , Jada Pinkett Smith , Mark Ruffalo

Votes: 432,822 | Gross: $101.01M

17. Jack Reacher (2012)

PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Mystery, Thriller

A homicide investigator digs deeper into a case involving a trained military sniper responsible for a mass shooting.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie | Stars: Tom Cruise , Rosamund Pike , Richard Jenkins , Werner Herzog

Votes: 364,853 | Gross: $80.07M

18. Mission: Impossible (1996)

PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.

Director: Brian De Palma | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jon Voight , Emmanuelle Béart , Henry Czerny

Votes: 470,005 | Gross: $180.98M

19. War of the Worlds (2005)

PG-13 | 116 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

An alien invasion threatens the future of humanity. The catastrophic nightmare is depicted through the eyes of one American family fighting for survival.

Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Tom Cruise , Dakota Fanning , Tim Robbins , Miranda Otto

Votes: 474,895 | Gross: $234.28M

20. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)

PG-13 | 131 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

Ethan and his team take on their most impossible mission yet when they have to eradicate an international rogue organization as highly skilled as they are and committed to destroying the IMF.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie | Stars: Tom Cruise , Rebecca Ferguson , Jeremy Renner , Simon Pegg

Votes: 410,684 | Gross: $195.04M

21. Legend (1985)

PG | 94 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Romance

A young man must stop the Lord of Darkness from destroying daylight and marrying the woman he loves.

Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Tom Cruise , Mia Sara , Tim Curry , David Bennent

Votes: 72,407 | Gross: $15.50M

22. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two (2025)

Action, Adventure, Thriller | Post-production

The 8th entry in the long running Mission Impossible franchise.

Director: Christopher McQuarrie | Stars: Tom Cruise , Vanessa Kirby , Hannah Waddingham , Hayley Atwell

23. The Others (2001)

PG-13 | 104 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller

In 1945, immediately following the end of Second World War, a woman who lives with her two photosensitive children on her darkened old family estate in the Channel Islands becomes convinced that the home is haunted.

Director: Alejandro Amenábar | Stars: Nicole Kidman , Christopher Eccleston , Fionnula Flanagan , Alakina Mann

Votes: 393,004 | Gross: $96.52M

24. Top Gear (2002–2022)

TV-PG | 60 min | Adventure, Sport, Talk-Show

The hosts talk about everything car-related. From new cars to how they're fueled, this show has it all.

Stars: Jeremy Clarkson , Richard Hammond , James May , The Stig

Votes: 126,611

25. Jerry Maguire (1996)

R | 139 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

When a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent agent with the only athlete who stays with him and his former colleague.

Director: Cameron Crowe | Stars: Tom Cruise , Cuba Gooding Jr. , Renée Zellweger , Kelly Preston

Votes: 286,843 | Gross: $153.95M

26. The Mummy (2017)

PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy

An ancient Egyptian princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.

Director: Alex Kurtzman | Stars: Tom Cruise , Sofia Boutella , Annabelle Wallis , Russell Crowe

Votes: 206,054 | Gross: $80.10M

27. American Made (2017)

R | 115 min | Action, Comedy, Crime

The story of Barry Seal, an American pilot who became a drug-runner for the CIA in the 1980s in a clandestine operation that would be exposed as the Iran-Contra Affair.

Director: Doug Liman | Stars: Tom Cruise , Domhnall Gleeson , Sarah Wright , Jesse Plemons

Votes: 207,974 | Gross: $51.34M

28. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.

Director: Brad Bird | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jeremy Renner , Simon Pegg , Paula Patton

Votes: 528,187 | Gross: $209.40M

29. Vanilla Sky (2001)

R | 136 min | Fantasy, Mystery, Romance

A self-indulgent and vain publishing magnate finds his privileged life upended after a vehicular accident with a resentful lover.

Director: Cameron Crowe | Stars: Tom Cruise , Penélope Cruz , Cameron Diaz , Kurt Russell

Votes: 285,557 | Gross: $100.61M

30. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

R | 145 min | Biography, Drama, War

The biography of Ron Kovic . Paralyzed in the Vietnam war, he becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country for which he fought.

Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Tom Cruise , Bryan Larkin , Raymond J. Barry , Caroline Kava

Votes: 115,847 | Gross: $70.00M

31. Mission: Impossible III (2006)

PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

IMF agent Ethan Hunt comes into conflict with a dangerous and sadistic arms dealer who threatens his life and his fiancée in response.

Director: J.J. Abrams | Stars: Tom Cruise , Michelle Monaghan , Ving Rhames , Philip Seymour Hoffman

Votes: 390,521 | Gross: $134.03M

32. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

IMF agent Ethan Hunt is sent to Sydney to find and destroy a genetically modified disease called "Chimera".

Director: John Woo | Stars: Tom Cruise , Dougray Scott , Thandiwe Newton , Ving Rhames

Votes: 377,476 | Gross: $215.41M

33. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

PG-13 | 94 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

Upon learning that his father has been kidnapped, Austin Powers must travel to 1975 and defeat the aptly named villain Goldmember, who is working with Dr. Evil.

Director: Jay Roach | Stars: Mike Myers , Beyoncé , Seth Green , Michael York

Votes: 222,769 | Gross: $213.31M

34. The Firm (1993)

R | 154 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller

A young lawyer joins a prestigious law firm only to discover that it has a sinister dark side.

Director: Sydney Pollack | Stars: Tom Cruise , Jeanne Tripplehorn , Gene Hackman , Hal Holbrook

Votes: 147,596 | Gross: $158.35M

35. Formula 1: Drive to Survive (2019– )

TV-MA | 40 min | Documentary, Sport

Docuseries following the FIA Formula One World Championship across multiple seasons.

Stars: Will Buxton , Jack Nicholls , Daniel Ricciardo , Lewis Hamilton

Votes: 50,828

36. Endless Love (1981)

R | 116 min | Drama, Romance

Parental disapproval of a passionate romance between two teenagers leads to arguments, circumstance, insanity and tragedy.

Director: Franco Zeffirelli | Stars: Brooke Shields , Martin Hewitt , Shirley Knight , Don Murray

Votes: 9,566 | Gross: $31.18M

37. Risky Business (1983)

R | 99 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama

A Chicago teenager is looking for fun at home while his parents are away, but the situation quickly gets out of hand.

Director: Paul Brickman | Stars: Tom Cruise , Rebecca De Mornay , Joe Pantoliano , Richard Masur

Votes: 99,742 | Gross: $63.50M

38. Young Guns (1988)

R | 107 min | Action, Drama, Western

A group of young gunmen, led by Billy the Kid, become deputies to avenge the murder of the rancher who became their benefactor. But when Billy takes their authority too far, they become the hunted.

Director: Christopher Cain | Stars: Emilio Estevez , Kiefer Sutherland , Lou Diamond Phillips , Charlie Sheen

Votes: 67,988 | Gross: $45.66M

39. Cocktail (1988)

R | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

A talented New York City bartender takes a job at a bar in Jamaica and falls in love.

Director: Roger Donaldson | Stars: Tom Cruise , Bryan Brown , Elisabeth Shue , Lisa Banes

Votes: 91,781 | Gross: $78.22M

40. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)

PG-13 | 118 min | Action, Crime, Drama

Jack Reacher must uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy in order to clear his name while on the run as a fugitive from the law.

Director: Edward Zwick | Stars: Tom Cruise , Cobie Smulders , Aldis Hodge , Robert Knepper

Votes: 175,162 | Gross: $58.70M

41. Valkyrie (2008)

PG-13 | 121 min | Drama, History, Thriller

A dramatization of the July 20, 1944 assassination and political coup plot by desperate renegade German Army officers against Adolf Hitler during World War II.

Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: Tom Cruise , Bill Nighy , Carice van Houten , Kenneth Branagh

Votes: 259,097 | Gross: $83.08M

42. Days of Thunder (1990)

PG-13 | 107 min | Action, Drama, Sport

A young hot-shot stock car driver gets his chance to compete at the top level.

Director: Tony Scott | Stars: Tom Cruise , Nicole Kidman , Robert Duvall , Randy Quaid

Votes: 96,330 | Gross: $82.67M

43. Dateline NBC (1992– )

TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary, News

Long-running news-magazine/investigation series.

Stars: Lester Holt , Keith Morrison , Andrea Canning , Josh Mankiewicz

Votes: 3,412

44. Knight and Day (2010)

PG-13 | 109 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

A young woman gets mixed up with a disgraced spy who is trying to clear his name.

Director: James Mangold | Stars: Tom Cruise , Cameron Diaz , Peter Sarsgaard , Jordi Mollà

Votes: 210,250 | Gross: $76.42M

45. Rock of Ages (2012)

PG-13 | 123 min | Comedy, Drama, Musical

A small-town girl and a city boy meet on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams.

Director: Adam Shankman | Stars: Julianne Hough , Diego Boneta , Tom Cruise , Alec Baldwin

Votes: 81,635 | Gross: $38.52M

46. The View (1997– )

TV-PG | 60 min | Talk-Show

Five women with very different outlooks on politics, Hollywood and it's stars, and current events discuss these and other divisive topics of the day. Originated by Barbara Walters and currently (2021) led by longtime host, Whoopi Goldberg.

Stars: Whoopi Goldberg , Joy Behar , Virginia Hamilton , Sunny Hostin

Votes: 9,433

47. The Color of Money (1986)

R | 119 min | Drama, Sport

Fast Eddie Felson teaches a cocky but immensely talented protégé the ropes of pool hustling, which in turn inspires him to make an unlikely comeback.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Paul Newman , Tom Cruise , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , Helen Shaver

Votes: 93,214 | Gross: $52.29M

48. Far and Away (1992)

PG-13 | 140 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance

A young Irish couple flee to the States, but subsequently struggle to obtain land and prosper freely.

Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Tom Cruise , Nicole Kidman , Thomas Gibson , Robert Prosky

Votes: 68,288 | Gross: $58.88M

49. Top Gun 3

Action | Announced

Plot kept under wraps.

Stars: Tom Cruise , Glen Powell , Miles Teller

50. The Daily Show (1996– )

TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, News, Talk-Show

A comedy news show featuring humorous takes on top stories.

Stars: Jon Stewart , Trevor Noah , Stephen Colbert , Roy Wood Jr.

Votes: 48,175