In general, the vast majority of film and television productions have a main character leading the project and a group of secondary figures supporting the star. Sure, this model is centered around this lead role and by the end of the movie or show, the audience is perfectly familiar with every detail of this character. Yet there is a very different approach that is gaining popularity in the industry, which is ensemble cast films. These productions are based on the idea that all cast members are equally important to the story, allowing filmmakers to delve deeper into the background of each character.
Ensemble casts are quite common on TV shows, and in fact there are often episodes devoted to each of the characters that make up the group. Some popular examples of this type of cast are: friends, The office and Weird stuff, to name a few. You also see this pattern in the film industry, but not so often. However, when a movie features an ensemble cast, there’s a good chance it’s made up of major movie stars, which makes it even more appealing. Some examples of this are: Ocean’s Eleven, Pitch Perfect and Avengers: Infinity War as well as its sequel. Watch the best movies of the 90s with an ensemble cast.
9 Magnolia
Magnolia is a 1999 film by Paul Thomas Anderson that simultaneously tells the story of several characters in the San Fernando Valley who seem unrelated, yet strangely connected. Starring Tom Cruise, Jeremy Blackman, Philip Baker Hall, Melinda Dillon, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ricky Jay, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Alfred Molina, Michael Murphy, Melora Walters and Jason Robards in his final role. This ensemble cast was highly acclaimed, especially Cruise, including a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor.
8 Dazed and confused
Jason London, Ben Affleck, Milla Jovovich, Cole Hauser, Parker Posey, Adam Goldberg, Matthew McConaughey, Nicky Katt, Joey Lauren Adams and Rory Cochrane star in coming-of-age comedy film Dazed and confused. This 1993 production, directed by Richard Linklater, is set in 1976 and follows the adventures of several groups of Texas teens on their last day of school. While this film was not a big blockbuster, it was warmly embraced by critics, who praised the film’s cast and humor. Yet, as the years go by, Dazed and confused‘s popularity increased, and per rolling stoneit eventually became a cult classic.
7 Boogie nights
Another mention from Paul Thomas Anderson, but this time to talk about the film that first dedicated him: Boogie nights. Also set in the San Fernando Valley, this 1997 production focuses on Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg), a young man discovered by Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), who turns into a porn star. Boogie nights follows the career of this young man, now the famous Dirk Diggler, all the way to his demise. In addition to Wahlberg and Reynolds, the cast includes Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Heather Graham.
6 Reservoir Dogs
The 1992 movie Reservoir Dogs marked the lengthy directorial debut of Quentin Tarantino, in which he also served as a writer and cast member. He played alongside Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen and Edward Bunker. The film is about a gang of thieves who are hired to rob a jewelry store and rob some diamonds. But just as they are about to embark on their mission, the police intercept them, killing part of the gang. Those who manage to escape reunite to find out which member of the group betrayed them.
5 Saving Private Ryan
Steven Spielberg headed an all-star cast in the epic 1998 war film Saving Private Ryan. Starring Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Adam Goldberg and Jeremy Davies, this production chronicles Captain John H. Miller’s mission to find Private First Class James Francis Ryan, the sole survivor. of the four brothers who went missing in the middle of the Second World War. At the time of its premiere, Saving Private Ryan became an instant hit with critics and audiences alike, and to this day ranks among the most influential films of its decade.
4 Shakespeare in love
Shakespeare in love is a 1998 film directed by John Madden and starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, and Judi Dench. This production follows the love affair between William Shakespeare, a talented playwright going through a rough patch, and the young Viola de Lesseps, the muse who inspires one of his masterpieces: Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare in love was a huge success, earning several nominations and awards, with Paltrow, Rush and Dench being recognized for their performances.
3 Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park kicking off one of cinema’s most popular and beloved franchises. Based on the 1990 novel by Michael Crichton and starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough, this 1993 film introduces John Hammond, a millionaire businessman who fulfilled his lifelong dream of cloning dinosaurs and set up his own Jurassic Park. Before the opening, he calls on a group of scientists and a mathematician to obtain the necessary safety certification. Of course, an employee boycott, terrible weather conditions and a bunch of wild dinosaurs turn out to be the perfect recipe for disaster.
2 Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction is Quentin Tarantino’s second film and the film that cemented his reputation as a director. Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman, this 1994 film weaves together several stories involving members of Los Angeles organized crime, including Vincent Vega (Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Jackson), two criminals who, despite being opposites, must work together to achieve their goals. Pulp Fiction is considered one of Tarantino’s greatest masterpieces and both the film and the cast, especially those of Travolta, Thurman and Jackson, were highly acclaimed.
1 Goodfellas
Goodfellas is one of Martin Scorsese’s best films and a production that revolutionized the gangster genre. This cinematic adaptation of the book Wiseguy: living in a mafia family by Nicholas Pileggi with Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino, and talks about the life story of Henry Hillfrom his origins as an aspiring mobster to his eventual demise. Goodfellas is one of the best films of the 1990s and has won a slew of awards. Among the cast, Pesci, Bracco and De Niro were the most acclaimed.