#1 of 151 Best-rated film of 1996
1996 Drama Comedy 2h 16m English
92 Metascore $13.4M worldwide
Directed by Mike Leigh
Secrets & Lies earned $13.4M worldwide; the year's biggest hit, Independence Day, earned $817.4M.
About Secrets & Lies Best of 1996
Best Movies of 1996, Ranked
1,808 films on the site were released in 1996, and 151 have enough critic or audience ratings to be ranked. Secrets & Lies tops the list, ahead of When We Were Kings and Fargo. The biggest hit was Independence Day with $817.4M worldwide, and The English Patient won Best Picture at the 1997 Oscars.
- films released in 1996
- 1,808
- ranked by rating
- 151
- worldwide, top 10 hits
- $3.9B
- award wins
- 90
#1 of 1996
What Is the Best Movie of 1996?
Secrets & Lies is the best-rated film of 1996, with a rank value of 90/100 from critics and audiences, ahead of When We Were Kings (86/100). Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases).
#1 of 151 Ranked
Top 25 Movies of 1996, Ranked
When We Were Kings and Fargo follow Secrets & Lies. Drama is the most common genre in the top 25 (19 films). Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases).
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2. When We Were Kings 83 Metascore (Metascore 83 out of 100)1996 · History, Sport · 1h 29m
Dir. Leon Gast No Echo Score: ranked 86/100 on critics & audiences
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3. Fargo 88 Metascore (Metascore 88 out of 100 (26 critic reviews))1996 · Drama, Thriller · 1h 38m
Dir. Ethan Coen No Echo Score: ranked 85/100 on critics & audiences
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4. Microcosmos 87 Metascore (Metascore 87 out of 100 (26 critic reviews))1996 · Documentary · 1h 20m
Dir. Claude Nuridsany No Echo Score: ranked 83/100 on critics & audiences
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5. Trainspotting 83 Metascore (Metascore 83 out of 100)1996 · Drama, Crime · 1h 34m
Dir. Danny Boyle No Echo Score: ranked 82/100 on critics & audiences
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6. The English Patient 86 Metascore (Metascore 86 out of 100)1996 · Drama, Romance · 2h 42m
Dir. Anthony Minghella No Echo Score: ranked 82/100 on critics & audiences
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7. Sling Blade 85 Metascore (Metascore 85 out of 100)1996 · Drama · 2h 15m
No Echo Score: ranked 82/100 on critics & audiences
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8. Welcome to the Dollhouse 83 Metascore (Metascore 83 out of 100)1996 · Drama, Comedy · 1h 28m
Dir. Todd Solondz No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences
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9. Shine 87 Metascore (Metascore 87 out of 100)1996 · Biography, Drama · 1h 45m
Dir. Scott Hicks No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences
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10. Ridicule 80 Metascore (Metascore 80 out of 100)1996 · Drama, History · 1h 42m
Dir. Patrice Leconte No Echo Score: ranked 80/100 on critics & audiences
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11. Breaking the Waves 82 Metascore (Metascore 82 out of 100 (29 critic reviews))1996 · Drama, Romance · 2h 39m
Dir. Lars von Trier No Echo Score: ranked 80/100 on critics & audiences
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12. Cold Comfort Farm 82 Metascore (Metascore 82 out of 100 (16 critic reviews))1996 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 35m
Dir. John Schlesinger No Echo Score: ranked 80/100 on critics & audiences
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13. Ghost in the Shell 76 Metascore (Metascore 76 out of 100 (14 critic reviews))1996 · Action, Sci-Fi · 1h 23m
Dir. Mamoru Oshii No Echo Score: ranked 79/100 on critics & audiences
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14. Chungking Express 78 Metascore (Metascore 78 out of 100 (18 critic reviews))1996 · Drama, Mystery · 1h 42m
Dir. Kar Wai Wong No Echo Score: ranked 79/100 on critics & audiences
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15. Fly Away Home 77 Metascore (Metascore 77 out of 100 (28 critic reviews))1996 · Adventure, Drama · 1h 47m
Dir. Carroll Ballard No Echo Score: ranked 78/100 on critics & audiences
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16. Whisper of the Heart 75 Metascore (Metascore 75 out of 100)1996 · Drama, Romance · 1h 51m
Dir. Yoshifumi Kondô No Echo Score: ranked 77/100 on critics & audiences
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17. Big Night 80 Metascore (Metascore 80 out of 100 (23 critic reviews))1996 · Drama · 1h 47m
No Echo Score: ranked 77/100 on critics & audiences
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18. Twelve Monkeys 75 Metascore (Metascore 75 out of 100)1996 · Sci-Fi, Mystery · 2h 9m
No Echo Score: ranked 77/100 on critics & audiences
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19. The People vs. Larry Flynt 79 Metascore (Metascore 79 out of 100)1996 · Biography, Drama · 2h 9m
Dir. Milos Forman No Echo Score: ranked 76/100 on critics & audiences
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20. The Hunchback of Notre Dame 74 Metascore (Metascore 74 out of 100)1996 · Drama, Romance · 1h 31m
Dir. Gary Trousdale No Echo Score: ranked 75/100 on critics & audiences
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21. Jerry Maguire 77 Metascore (Metascore 77 out of 100 (28 critic reviews))1996 · Drama, Sport · 2h 19m
No Echo Score: ranked 75/100 on critics & audiences
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21. Lone Star 79 Metascore (Metascore 79 out of 100 (23 critic reviews))1996 · Drama, Mystery · 2h 15m
Dir. John Sayles No Echo Score: ranked 75/100 on critics & audiences
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23. Star Trek: First Contact 70 Metascore (Metascore 70 out of 100)1996 · Action, Adventure · 1h 51m
Dir. Jonathan Frakes No Echo Score: ranked 75/100 on critics & audiences
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24. Get on the Bus 84 Metascore (Metascore 84 out of 100 (27 critic reviews))1996 · Drama, History · 2h
Dir. Spike Lee No Echo Score: ranked 74/100 on critics & audiences
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25. Cyclo 76 Metascore (Metascore 76 out of 100 (15 critic reviews))1996 · Drama, Crime · 2h 3m
Dir. Tran Anh Hung No Echo Score: ranked 74/100 on critics & audiences
Box office
What Were the Highest-Grossing Movies of 1996?
Independence Day earned $817.4M worldwide, ahead of Twister ($494.6M). The top 10 took $3.9B together; 283 films released in 1996 have a box office record here. Grosses that look like data errors are left out.
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#1 $817.4M worldwide Independence Day $306.2M domestic · Action -
#2 $494.6M worldwide Twister $241.8M domestic · Action -
#3 $457.7M worldwide Mission: Impossible $181M domestic · Action -
#4 $335.1M worldwide The Rock $134.1M domestic · Action - #5 $325.3M worldwide The Hunchback of Notre Dame $100.1M domestic · Drama
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#6 $320.7M worldwide 101 Dalmatians $136.2M domestic · Adventure -
#7 $309.5M worldwide Ransom $136.5M domestic · Action -
#8 $274M worldwide The Nutty Professor $128.8M domestic · Sci-Fi - #9 $273.6M worldwide Jerry Maguire $154M domestic · Drama
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#10 $242.3M worldwide Eraser $101.3M domestic · Action
Awards
Which 1996 Movies Won the Most Awards?
The English Patient leads with 20 wins from 39 nominations, then Fargo with 12 wins. The English Patient won Best Picture at the 1997 Oscars. In all, 63 films released in 1996 have award nominations on the site, with 90 wins between them.
- The English Patient 20 / 391996 · Drama, Romance · 20 wins from 39 nominations
- Fargo 12 / 301996 · Drama, Thriller · 12 wins from 30 nominations
- Shine 8 / 281996 · Biography, Drama · 8 wins from 28 nominations
- Jerry Maguire 6 / 151996 · Drama, Sport · 6 wins from 15 nominations
- Secrets & Lies 5 / 171996 · Drama, Comedy · 5 wins from 17 nominations
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Evita 4 / 181996 · Biography, Drama · 4 wins from 18 nominations -
Romeo + Juliet 4 / 81996 · Drama, Romance · 4 wins from 8 nominations - The Nutty Professor 3 / 51996 · Sci-Fi, Comedy · 3 wins from 5 nominations
By genre
What Is the Best 1996 Movie in Each Genre?
The highest-ranked 1996 film of 12 genres, from Drama (Secrets & Lies) to Music (Whisper of the Heart). Each film appears once, under its first genre that is still free.
- Secrets & Lies 92 Metascore
- When We Were Kings 83 Metascore
- Fargo 88 Metascore
- Microcosmos 87 Metascore
- Trainspotting 83 Metascore
- The English Patient 86 Metascore
- Welcome to the Dollhouse 83 Metascore
- Shine 87 Metascore
- Ghost in the Shell 76 Metascore
- Chungking Express 78 Metascore
- Fly Away Home 77 Metascore
- Whisper of the Heart 75 Metascore
Release months
When Were 1996's Movies Released?
October was the busiest month of 1996 with 181 releases; its best-rated film is When We Were Kings. January shows 332 because films whose exact release day is unknown are stored on January 1.
- January Best: Twelve Monkeys332
- February Best: Beautiful Girls125
- March Best: Fargo141
- April Best: James and the Giant Peach130
- May Best: Cold Comfort Farm119
- June Best: The Hunchback of Notre Dame117
- July Best: Trainspotting88
- August Best: Cyclo126
- September Best: Secrets & Lies152
- October Best: When We Were Kings181
- November Best: The English Patient157
- December Best: Whisper of the Heart140
- January (Best: Twelve Monkeys): 332
- February (Best: Beautiful Girls): 125
- March (Best: Fargo): 141
- April (Best: James and the Giant Peach): 130
- May (Best: Cold Comfort Farm): 119
- June (Best: The Hunchback of Notre Dame): 117
- July (Best: Trainspotting): 88
- August (Best: Cyclo): 126
- September (Best: Secrets & Lies): 152
- October (Best: When We Were Kings): 181
- November (Best: The English Patient): 157
- December (Best: Whisper of the Heart): 140
Languages
Which Languages Were 1996's Movies In?
58% of 1996's films with a known language are in English (1,037). Japanese comes next with 120 films, out of 49 languages in all.
English 
Japanese 
French 
Spanish 
Cantonese 
Italian 
German 
Hindi 
Swedish 
Portuguese 
Tagalog 
Arabic Every year
Best Movies by Year
A best-of page for each of 55 years, from 1900 to 2026 (so far). Before 1980 there is one page per decade, for its first year (1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970); from 1980 every year has its own.
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
FAQ
Best Movies of 1996: Questions & Answers
Quick answers about 1996's best-rated films, biggest hits and awards, from the lists above.
What is the best movie of 1996?
Secrets & Lies is the best-rated film of 1996 on What's After the Movie, with a rank value of 90/100 from critics and audiences. When We Were Kings is second and Fargo third. Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases).
About Secrets & Lies What was the highest-grossing movie of 1996?
Independence Day earned $817.4M worldwide, the most of any 1996 release on the site. Twister follows with $494.6M.
1996 box office Which 1996 movie won the Oscar for Best Picture?
The English Patient (1996) won Best Picture at the 1997 Academy Awards.
The English Patient Which 1996 film won the most awards?
The English Patient has the best award record of the 1996 releases on the site: 20 wins from 39 nominations.
1997 awards season How many movies were released in 1996?
The site lists 1,808 films released in 1996. 151 of them are ranked, and October had the most releases with a known day (181).
How are the best movies of 1996 ranked?
Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases). Only feature films count (60 minutes or longer, no concert recordings), and a film needs enough ratings, box office or award attention to be ranked.