Toy Story, USA, 1995, 80 min. Starring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Annie Potts. Directed by John Lasseter. The debut feature from Pixar Animation studio is a sweet story of a group of toys who come to life when no one else is around, most especially a cowboy doll who fears he may be replaced as the favorite toy by a new spaceman doll. Amazingly three-dimensional animation – in what was then the new computer-generated style – combines with a nice, never saccharine tale of whimsy, nostalgia, and good old-fashioned adventure.

The Usual Suspects, USA, 1995, 105 min. Starring Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey, Benicio Del Toro, Chazz Palmentieri. Directed by Bryan Singer. Gripping crime film recounting a botched heist that went to hell – maybe literally – when a purportedly mythical underworld figure showed up to wreak havoc. Great performances abound though Spacey is truly unforgettable as the oddball felon who recounts in flashbacks the events that lead up to the bloodbath. This jigsaw puzzle of a film will keep your mind in twists, even through the repeated viewings it certainly warrants.

Shine, Australia, 1996, 105 min. Starring Geoffrey Rush, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Noah Taylor, Lynn Redgrave, John Gielgud. Directed by Scott Hicks. Inspiring based-on-a-true story of troubled pianist David Helfgott, who, torn between his own talent and the pressure placed on him by his overbearing father, plunged into madness only to eventually be saved by a woman's love. The film presents a fascinating look at the powerfully emotional aspect of music, the kind of manic obsession such emotion can inspire and the barely-there boundary between artistic genius and complete insanity.

Shall We Dance, Japan, 1996, 136 min. Starring Koji Yakusho, Tamiyo Kusakari, Naoto Takenaka. Directed by Masayuki Suo. A withdrawn businessman finds release from the mundane formalism of his life when he signs up for ballroom dancing lessons with a former professional dancer (played by the director's wife) whose career once suffered an unfortunate setback. Can he break out of his shell enough to enter a competition? Very appealing film uses the dancing not only to tell a story but also to tweak the quirks of Japanese societal standards.

American Beauty, USA, 1999, 121 min. Starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Chris Cooper. Directed by Sam Mendes. Spacey stars as a thoroughly disenchanted suburbanite who has decided he can no longer go on pretending that the life he has made for himself is what he wants. His regression into adolescent behavior horrifies his career-minded wife and awkward teenage daughter, especially when he begins fixating on one of the local cheerleaders. Darkly funny look at the decay of the American Dream makes familiar thematic territory seem fresh by mixing harsh realities with biting wit and fantasy sequences dreamily photographed by the late Conrad L. Hall.