While guys like Steven Spielberg and David Fincher directed some of the most memorable motion picture experiences of the 1990s, the decade was equally illustrious for its impressive array of scripts. Some writers would go on to direct their movies, as Orson Welles and Billy Wilder did several decades prior. Others, however, stuck to screenwriting alone.

Whether they co-wrote the script with fellow writers, directed the scripts they wrote, or simply penned the script by themselves, the 1990s were formative years for screenwriting. While some screenwriters unfortunately missed out due to their lack of balance with quality and quantity, these are the nine best screenwriters of the 1990s and the film they’re best known for.

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9 Michael Mann – Heat (1995)

     Warner Bros

Among the more revered heist films ever, Heat (1995) by Michael Mann co-starred Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. The diner scene between the two acting powerhouses is looked back on as a masterclass of dialogue, and perfectly showcases Mann’s aptitude for screenwriting.

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He co-wrote two other scripts throughout the 90s, though — The Last of the Mohicans in 1992, and The Insider in 1999. And, for what it’s worth, he directed all three of these films in brilliant fashion.

8 Kevin Smith – Clerks (1994)

     Miramax Films

Through writing and directing Clerks (1994), Kevin Smith released one of the most influential directorial debuts ever. It showed that anyone with a camera and an idea can film a movie, even if it’s in black and white.

Clerks was vastly important, but Smith’s View Askewniverse offered much more than that in the ‘90s. Mallrats (1995) received mixed reviews upon release, but has since gained a cult following. Chasing Amy (1997) was a hit both with critics and audiences, and Dogma(1999) might just be Smith’s best work. And all of those positive qualities can be attributed to the scripts.

7 Richard Linklater – Dazed and Confused (1993)

     Gramercy Pictures

Linklater’s sophomore film Slacker (1990) was an influential cog in the independent film machine of 1990s Hollywood. The film received great praise from critics, and has since been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry. For an indie film, that’s a big deal.

His preeminent title of the decade came in 1993 with Dazed and Confused. It defined the comedic values of a generation, and is still quoted today. Afterwards, Richard Linklater released the most critically acclaimed film of his career: Before Sunrise (1995). It holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has inspired two direct sequels. Quite a finale for the ‘90s.

6 Andrew Stanton – Toy Story (1995)

     Walt Disney Pictures

There may not be anyone who has contributed as much to Pixar as Andrew Stanton. He’s directed a few films, co-written several scripts, and even provided voice roles here and there. With regard to the 1990s: Stanton helped write all three of Pixar’s animated films.

First, and most importantly, Toy Story(1995) was nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay. It was undoubtedly the seminal title of Stanton’s career. The other two are of course A Bug’s Life (1998) and Toy Story 2 (1999), which are just as well-written as Toy Story. And, fun fact: he voiced Emperor Zurg in the sequel.

5 Steven Zaillian – Schindler’s List (1993)

     Universal Pictures

With five screenwriting nominations — one Best Original Screenplay and four Best Adapted — Steven Zaillian is among the most decorated recipients in Oscars history. Two of his Best Adapted nominations came in the 1990s: Awakenings (1990) and, most famously, Schindler’s List (1993). The latter was also the only win of his career, and the peak thereof.

But Zaillian was active regardless of accolades. He wrote Searching for Bobby Fischer and Jack the Bear, both in 1993, then co-wrote two action films: Clear and Present Danger (1994) and Mission: Impossible (1996). He then finished the decade with A Civil Action (1998). That’s a lot of scripts.

4 Paul Thomas Anderson – Boogie Nights (1997)

     New Line Cinema

Much like Michael Mann — and the remaining directors on the list, really — Paul Thomas Anderson directs everything he writes. In the late ‘90s, he received two nominations for Best Original Screenplay: the first for Boogie Nights (1997), the second for Magnolia (1999).

An auteur, Anderson jumped onto the scene in 1996 with Hard Eight, which is among the more underrated of the decade and definitely of Anderson’s career. Anderson’s penchant for dialogue and character development seeps through the pages of his scripts, specifically in Boogie Nights, and he’ll be remembered forever for his writing.

3 Spike Lee – Malcolm X (1992)

One of the more recognizable names of the list, Spike Lee released seven feature films in the ‘90s — he penned two of the scripts himself, and co-wrote the other five with various contemporaries. The most popular Lee film of this decade, perhaps ever, was Malcolm X (1992), which he co-wrote with Arnold Perl.

Among other scripts include Jungle Fever (1991), Crooklyn (1994), Clockers (1995), and Summer of Sam (1999). However, he took the reins with Mo Better Blues (1990), and he did so again with He Got Game (1998). Both films featured Denzel Washington, which helped shape Lee’s reputation as an auteur.

2 Joel and Ethan Coen – Fargo (1996)

Joel and Ethan are two of the industry’s all-time greats, and that’s in large part due to their breakthrough film, Fargo (1996). It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and has subsequently been studied ad nauseam by film students, amateur filmmakers, and touted directors alike.

That wasn’t all they put out in the ‘90s, though. One of their more underrated films came in 1990 with Miller’s Crossing, and again with Barton Fink (1992). The Hudsucker Proxy (1995) left little to write home about, but then came The Big Lebowski (1998). It’s easily their second-most popular work from this decade, and helped Fargo propel them this far.

1 Quentin Tarantino – Pulp Fiction (1994)

For Pulp Fiction in 1994, Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. It was the zenith of Tarantino’s career, but he was hardly a one-hit wonder. Before Pulp Fiction, he wrote and directed Reservoir Dogs (1992). It’s among his more celebrated films, along with Jackie Brown (1997) — the only screenplay of his career based on other material.

However, while he directed all three of those films, there were three others that he sold the scripts for: True Romance (1993) by Tony Scott, Natural Born Killers (1994) by Oliver Stone, and From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) by Robert Rodriguez. And for the most part, all of those films are fantastic.