10 Movies from the ’90s That Gene Siskel Surprisingly Loved

Gene Siskel was one of the most well-known film critics in America throughout his writing for the Chicago Tribune and his many shows with colleague Roger Ebert, as Siskel & Ebert, the most famous of them all. The critic loved artsy movies like Eric Rohmer’s Claire’s Knee and Costa-Gavras’ Z, while also being a fan of the new Hollywood and films like Mean Streets or The Conversation. Siskel was never swayed by public opinion, and he gave negative reviews to movies that both critics and audiences loved, like The Silence of the Lambs, The Terminator, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

With all that in mind, it’s still surprising some of the movies the critic fell in love with and championed. Films like The Long Goodbye, Oh, God!, and Risky Business. The ’90s proved an even richer and unique ground for Siskel’s tastes, as he loved and defended some unique movies critics usually wouldn’t be attracted by. Here are 10 movies from the 1990s that Gene Siskel surprisingly loved.

10 There’s Something About Mary (1998)

There’s Something About Mary made Cameron Diaz a star, proved Ben Stiller could lead movies, and showed why the Farrelly brothers deserve more credit. This is the story of Ted (Stiller), who reconnects with Mary (Diaz), a girl he had a crush on in high school. The problem is, that every other guy she meets is also infatuated with her. The R-rated comedy was a slow burn at the box office that worked thanks to word-of-mouth and ended up as the third-highest-grossing movie in America in 1998.

He Admired the Directors’ Fearlessness

Siskel was already a fan of the Farrelly Brothers and had loved Kingpin, so it makes sense that this movie would also hit his funny bone, as he listed in his top-10 of the year in the Chicago Tribune. On the Siskel & Ebert show, he said about the movie: “These guys (the Farrelly brothers) are absolutely fearless. They take a comic situation and push it farther than any other directors would. (…) These guys go for the extra shot (…) And I admire they had the guts to do it. They’re really special filmmakers.” Stream There’s Something About Mary on Starz Apple TV Channel.

9 Die Hard 2 (1990)

Die Hard 2 is the second adventure for John McClane (Bruce Wills), who, this time, is a man against a rogue army who are looking to control the Washington airport, while his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) is up in the air in one of the planes waiting to land at that airport.

Siskel Loved it More Than the Original Die Hard

The critic loved this movie over more famous ones like Dance With Wolves and The Godfather Part III, even if the original Die Hard didn’t make his best of the year list. About this sequel, Siskel compared it to the James Bond films and told Ebert in their show: “I think this movie is the best of the early summer season. (…) It’s a tremendous piece of commercial American movie making. (…) Doug Richardson and Steven E. de Souza have written a witty script too. I was mildly impressed by every aspect of this movie.” Stream Die Hard 2 on Starz AppleTV Channel.

8 The Full Monty (1997)

The Full Monty tells the story of six unemployed men in Sheffield who decide to do a male striptease, looking for a way to make some money. This movie was an absolutely surprising box office success when it was released, earning more than $250 million and getting four Oscar nominations. It also put actors Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, and Tom Wilkinson on the map.

The Critic Felt This Movie Was an Artful Film

Siskel always loved original comedies, so it makes sense that The Full Monty would work for him, putting it on his best-of-the-year list over Good Will Hunting and As Good as it Gets. On the Siskel & Ebert show, the critic said about the movie: “This is one of the most entertaining movies of the year. (…) When you have pressure and social upheaval you get good art, and that’s what this is. This is an artful film, not an inconsequential comedy.” Rent The Full Monty on Google Play Movies, Apple TV, and Prime Video.

7 Red Rock West (1994)

Red Rock West is a neo-noir film where Michael (Nicolas Cage) is a drifter in Red Rock West looking for a job, when a man thinks he’s a hired hitman, and offers him a job to kill his wife Suzanne (Lara Flynn Boyle). Michael accepts and warns Suzanne, but the real hitman, Lyle from Dallas (Dennis Hopper), is coming for them.

Siskel Loved the Script and the Performances

This film is one of Nicolas Cage’s darker films, and Siskel liked the story very much. “(The movie) has a sense of joy and discovery, and the intent of making every single scene count. I was delighted with every plot twist and turn. The performances are first-rate. You can see why these wonderful, corky actors jump at doing this wonderful, original script.” All those were reasons why he listed the movie in his Chicago Tribune’s best of the year. Red Rock West is not available for streaming.

6 Wayne’s World (1992)

Wayne’s World started as a sketch on Saturday Night Live with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey before it became this film about Wayne (Myers) and Garth (Carvey), two burnouts who have a public access television show named Wayne’s World. Everything changes when producer Benjamin Kane (Rob Lowe) wants to buy their show.

Siskel Felt it Was Original and Funny

This film was a box office success, becoming the eight-highest-grossing film of 1992, and everyone involved has kept working steadily. About the movie, Siskel loved that it was very original and funny, and as he said about it in the show, “I think it’s a lot smarter and a lot funnier than the Bill and Ted movie. I like this picture a real lot. I think the humor is aimed at varying age groups, people with different amounts of sophistication. (…) It is an original kind of thing.” Rent Wayne’s World on Apple TV, Amazon Video, and Google Play Movies.

5 Babe: Pig in the City (1998)

Babe: Pig in the City is the sequel to Babe and is surprisingly co-written and directed by George Miller of Mad Max (and all its sequels) fame. This movie is all about the adventure the famed pig has in the big city with new friends like chimpanzees, a dog, and Babe’s best friend, Ferdinand the Duck. The sequel earned much less at the box office than the first film, yet Siskel loved this one much more.

He Loved Everything About This Sequel

This might be one of the most surprising films loved by Siskel. So much so, that he selected it as the best film of the year over movies like Saving Private Ryan, The Truman Show, and The Thin Red Line. Why did he love it so much? On his show, the critic said about the movie:

“This is a magnificent, towering achievement we’re dazzled by. You take any five, ten-minute section of this picture, and you think all the work that went into the construction, the physical construction, the wit of the writing, and the charm of Babe.”

Stream Babe: Pig in the City on Starz AppleTV Channel.

4 Lone Star (1996)

Lone Star is a Neo-Western about Sam (Chris Cooper), the sheriff in the small town of Frontera, near the border with Mexico, who lives in the shadow of his much more beloved father, the ex-sheriff Buddy Deeds (Matthew McConaughey in one of his first movies after being discovered in Dazed and Confused). When he finds a decades-old body of a sheriff who disappeared, the town’s (and Sam’s family) secrets start to get uncovered.

Siskel Loved John Sayles’ Script

This film helped John Sayles become a big name on the indie circuit, and the critic put it at number five on his Chicago Tribune’s best films of the year list, especially for its writing. About the Western, Siskel said on the Siskel & Ebert show:

“I think it’s a terrific piece of work. I want to praise John Sayles as a writer. (…) It’s one of the most unusual ones (the script) that I’ve seen. (…) It’s a portrait of America but through a mystery plot, and it’s just beautiful. This is a fine piece of writing.”

Stream Lone Star on The Roku Channel

3 Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Beauty and the Beast is a Disney animated film that tells the story of a man with a curse that has transformed him into a Beast (Robby Benson) and a young woman, Belle (Paige O’Hara), who might break it if she falls in love with him. The movie was a resounding success, even if some of its ideas haven’t aged well.

The Critic Compared it to a Broadway Musical

Siskel felt this movie was incredible both in its songs and animation, and his enthusiasm for it shined through in his raving review. He even predicted it would be the first animated film ever to be nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award (it lost to Silence of the Lambs).

About the movie, he said: “It’s an instant classic with songs worthy of a Broadway musical and animation worthy of the Disney name. (…) The banquet scene is the best-drawn sequence, which ranks with the best in Disney’s history.” Stream Beauty and the Beast on Disney Plus.

2 King of the Hill (1993)

Based on a memoir by A.E. Hotchner, King of the Hill is a Steven Soderbergh movie about a 12-year-old boy, Aaron (Jesse Bradford), trying to survive in St. Louis during the Depression era while his whole family had their own big problems. Soderbergh has made many great movies, and this was the story he wanted to tell in his second film ever, after winning the Palme D’Or at Cannes for his Sex, Lies, and Videotape.

The Critic Loved the Movie’s Freshness

This movie was a weird one as the second film by a director in Hollywood, proving Soderbergh was not a conventional filmmaker, and wanted to tell unique stories that allowed him some experimentation. Siskel loved the film and put it at number nine on his best movies of the year list.

On why he liked it so much, the critic said on his show: “This is a terrific film, every scene looks and feels fresh. I think the key to the success is that Soderbergh doesn’t treat this little boy as a kid. The pressures in his life are varied, and he copes in such inventive ways.” King of the Hill is not available for streaming.

1 Crumb (1995)

Crumb is a documentary about the underground cartoonist Robert Crumb, directed by Terry Zwigoff, who later adapted one of Crumb’s comics, Ghost World. The film took nine years to make, and it shows Crumb and his two brothers at their best and their worst, analyzing the cartoonist’s career and how he needs to draw to be happy.

Siskel Named the Film the Best of the Year

Both Siskel and Ebert loved the movie, and Ebert was even part of the film’s audio commentary, but it’s Siskel who felt it was such a great movie that he put it as his number one movie on the Chicago Tribune’s films of the year, above films like Toy Story, Leaving Las Vegas, and Apollo 13.

About the documentary, the critic said on the Siskel & Ebert show:

“This is why I go to the movies: to be taken into a human life (…) Have you seen a picture that shows you more about sibling relationships? About parents raising children and the influence they have. This is a great family drama.”

Rent Crumb on Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Vudu.