1) Scream (1996)
So, Wes Craven’s Scream is the best horror movie to come out of the ’90s? You’re damn right. This landmark horror flick singlehandedly catapulted the ailing slasher genre back into the public eye with aplomb. Pop culture and horror movie references abound, fourth-wall breaking self-aware gags come thick and fast, while the constant whodunit murder mystery zips along at a breakneck pace keeping every horror aficionado guessing as to who the murderer’s true identity really is.
The cast and performances are also excellent; David Arquette’s bumbling but loveable cop Dewey Riley is an undisputed highlight, Courtney Cox’s unlikeable, conniving news reporter Gale Weathers is a love-to-hate kind of character but in the best way possible, and Neve Campbell’s understated, amiable turn as central protagonist Sidney Prescott is also top-notch. That’s without even mentioning an ensemble cast that all slot into their respective roles perfectly.
The great thing about Scream is that it understands the ins and outs of horror films, and it plays with these assumptions constantly, while subverting genre expectations on the fly. The stellar writing and smartly executed script, from the mind of the supremely talented Kevin Williamson, builds to a blood-splatteringly memorable crescendo that’ll stick with you long after the credits have rolled.
Plus, we can’t close this list out without mentioning Ghostface, a slasher villain who would go on to become one of the most iconic faces (read: masks) of ’90s horror. Scream is not only one of the finest, smartest and most subversive horror flicks from the ’90s, but also one of the best horror movies to ever come out of Hollywood.