Films of the 1990s Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Usual Suspects

"The Usual Suspects", released in 1995 and directed by Bryan Singer, would soon earn the reputation as one of the slipperiest crime films of the 90s. Much of the story unfolds through the interrogation of Roger "Verbal" Kint, played by Kevin Spacey, a small-time con artist with a talent for storytelling and at the very least, a selective memory. Dominating the narrative is the almost mythical figure of Keyser Söze, a criminal mastermind whose very existence is treated as the whispered name of a boogeyman among hardened criminals.

Answer: Jerry Maguire

Who knew you could make a film about football contracts and still make audiences all misty-eyed? Cameron Crowe, that's who. He wrote and directed "Jerry Maguire" released in 1996, which blended sports, romance, and character growth into one quite quotable package. Tom Cruise stars as the title character, a high-powered sports agent who experiences a moral epiphany and promptly loses almost everything that made his career successful. What remains is one loyal client, wide receiver Rod Tidwell, played memorably by Cuba Gooding Jr., and a growing relationship with single mother Dorothy Boyd, played by Renee Zellweger.

Answer: The Shawshank Redemption

Frank Darabont wrote and directed "The Shawshank Redemption", which was released in 1994. It's adapted from Stephen King's novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption", which was published in the "Different Seasons" collection. Tim Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a banker sentenced to life for the murders of his wife and her lover, while Morgan Freeman narrates as Ellis "Red" Redding.

The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, and it went on to become one of the most beloved modern American films, despite a slow start at the box office.

Answer: Men in Black

Men in Black was released in 1997 and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, adapting a lesser-known comic book by Lowell Cunningham into a fun summer blockbuster. Will Smith plays James Edwards, a sharp New York City cop recruited into a top-secret agency that monitors alien life quietly living amongst us hapless humans. Newly christened Agent J, Edwards's partner is Agent K, portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones, a deadpan aging veteran whose stone-faced delivery provides the perfect balance to Smith's more... excitable character.

Answer: The Silence of the Lambs

"The Silence of the Lambs" was released in 1991 and follows Clarice Starling, an ambitious FBI trainee portrayed by Jodie Foster. Starling is assigned to interview the brilliant... uh, gourmand Dr. Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins. Her goal is to gain insight into the mind of a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill, whose crimes baffle investigators and grow more urgent by the day.

The conversations between Clarice and Lecter feel less like interrogations and more like psychological duels, with each character probing the other for weaknesses. The movie struck a nifty balance between horror, suspense, and character-driven drama, earning Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay.

Answer: The Big Lebowski

1998's "The Big Lebowski" was written and directed by the Coen Brothers and stars Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey Lebowski, better known as The Dude, His Dudeness, Duder, or El Duderino ("if you're not into the whole brevity thing"). He's a laid-back Los Angeles slacker whose life revolves around bowling, White Russians, and his rug that really ties the room together.

When he is mistaken for a wealthy man with the same name, The Dude is dragged into a strange scenario involving a missing trophy wife, dubious ransom money, and an increasingly bizarre cast of characters. John Goodman shines as Walter Sobchak, who can definitely get you a toe.

Answer: The Sixth Sense

"The Sixth Sense" came out in 1999 and was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, which established Shyamalan as a mainstream filmmaker. The story centers on Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist played by Bruce Willis, who is trying to help a troubled young boy named Cole Sear, portrayed by Haley Joel Osment. Cole confides that he can see and communicate with dead people, a reveal that profoundly shapes both his life and Malcolm's understanding of his own. (Yeah, I know you know the ending, but I promised no spoilers!)

Answer: The Hunt for Red October

"The Hunt for Red October" was the first Tom Clancy novel to be adapted into a feature film. The story surrounds Captain Marko Ramius, a highly respected Soviet submariner in command of the Red October, a new Typhoon class submarine equipped with an experimental silent propulsion system known as the caterpillar drive, which sounds like a strange term to use in aquatic propulsion.

When Ramius heads into the Atlantic, both NATO and the Soviet Navy scramble to figure out whether he is planning an attack or something far more embarrassing for the USSR. Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin is CIA analyst Jack Ryan in his first and only outing in the role.

Answer: Clerks

"Clerks" was written and directed by Kevin Smith, who famously financed the film by maxing out credit cards and selling parts of his comic book collection. Shot in black and white at the convenience store where Smith actually worked, the movie follows Dante Hicks and his best friend Randal Graves as they drift through a day of customers, arguments, and profoundly unnecessary debates.

The plot is deliberately thin, focusing instead on conversations about relationships, pop culture, and the general unfairness of being stuck at work when you are not even supposed to be there that day.

Answer: The Wedding Singer

"The Wedding Singer" pairs Adam Sandler with Drew Barrymore for the first time. Sandler plays Robbie Hart, a wedding singer whose cheerful personality falls apart after he is left at the altar. Still stuck performing at other people's happiest moments, Robbie struggles through heartbreak with mixed results as he slowly forms a friendship with Julia, a waitress who is now also preparing for a wedding that may not be right for her. Wonder what's gonna happen?

The film is deliberately set against a nostalgic 1980s backdrop and leans hard into period music, fashion, and pop culture for both humor and warmth. The movie has become one of Sandler's most beloved films