Whoopi Goldberg’s 10 Best Movies, According to Rotten Tomatoes

Very few actors have reached the level of success and fame that Whoopi Goldberg has. She is one of only 15 people ever who has an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) and is one of only three women who have won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album.

Whoopi Goldberg is a beloved figure in Hollywood, and in total, her films have grossed nearly $4 billion dollars worldwide. Now, using the review-aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, here are the ten most critically acclaimed films of Goldberg’s decade-spanning career.

10 Sister Act (1992) – 73%

When Reno lounge singer, Deloris, witnesses a mob hit, she’s forced into witness protection. Her “new life” is as a nun in a sleepy convent where both the nuns and the congregation have lost the joy and spirit of worship. It’s up to Deloris to reinvent the church to be more relevant in the rapidly changing 90s. While Sister Act was extremely popular, its sequel is what’s most remembered by fans – but despite its massive popularity, the sequel was actually critically panned, holding just a 7% rating on RT. It was also revealed that Sister Act 3 is being made for Disney+.

9 Ghost (1990) – 73%

Ghost is was earned Goldberg her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. In the film, she plays Oda May Brown, a con woman who claims she can talk to spirits. However, one day, she really can hear the voice of a dead man…and he tells her that she needs to warn his wife that she’s in danger. Ghost is best remembered for the famous pottery scene, and Whoopi Goldberg’s line, “Molly…You in danger, girl.”

8 Boys on the Side (1995) – 74%

Boys on the Side was a somewhat controversial film when it was released. Goldberg, along with Drew Barrymore and Mary-Louise Parker, plays a group of friends that come together by chance. The girls wind up on the run after the accidental manslaughter of an abusive boyfriend.

While traveling across the country, the girls form a tight friendship, and it’s revealed that one of them has HIV. For 1995, it was controversial and shocking to be using women to tell a story of HIV, a disease that society had believed was only for gay men.

7 The Lion King 1 1/2 (2004) – 78%

The Lion King 1 1/2 is a very interesting concept. The movie focused on Timon and Pumbaa and their adventures that took place before, during, and after the events of the original Lion King film. Not only was the plotline of the movie unique, but so was its release strategy.

The movie was straight-to-video, yet received a massive marketing push, with The Disney Channel pubbing it heavily, and even a marketing campaign with McDonald’s. Upon release, the move sold 1.5 million copies on the first day alone.

6 The Color Purple (1985) – 81%

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, Steven Spielberg’s film centered around a black woman named Celie in the first half of the 1900s. Celie faces societal racism as well as abuse from the men in her life. The movie focuses heavily on women who experience abuse and exposes the societal norms that allow the cycle to continue. At the 58th Academy Awards, The Color Purple was nominated for an astonishing 11 awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and two Best Supporting Actress nominations.

5 Cinderella (1997) – 86%

The 1997 remake of Cinderella, sometimes referred to as “the Brandy one”, was a massive hit upon release. It was set to relaunch The Wonderful World of Disney series on ABC and usher in a new era of family-friendly films. During its initial premiere, the movie received 60 million viewers, becoming one of the highest-rated programs of the 90s. It had a star-studded cast with Whitney Houston, Jason Alexander, and Bernadette Peters joining Brandy and Goldberg. The movie is considered groundbreaking not only for its high ratings but also its diverse cast.

4 The Long Walk Home (1990) – 87%

Based on the events of the 1950s Montgomery Bus Boycott, the movie centers around a black woman named Odessa (Goldberg) and the white woman, Miriam Thompson (Sissy Spacek), whom she works for. Miriam begins giving Odessa a ride to work due to the boycott, which causes a rift between Miriam and the rest of the white community. The move was praised for dealing with tough issues like racism, but also criticized for relying on a white person to save the day.

3 It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002) – 90%

When Kermit loses all hope of saving the endangered Muppet Theater, an angel (David Arquette) brings this issue up with his “boss” (Whoopi Goldberg). Kermit is then shown what life would be like if he never existed, paying obvious homage to the classic Christmas film, It’s a Wonderful Life.

As with all things Muppets, the movie featured a wide range of cameo roles, including Carson Daly, Snoop Dogg, Molly Shannon, Kelly Ripa, and more.

2 The Lion King (1994) – 93%

Who knew that a lion version of Hamlet was to become one of the most influential films of all time. From its $968 million dollar box office gross, to sequels, video games, books, toys, and even a reboot (that itself went on to make $1.6 billion dollars…), it’s truly one of the most impactful films ever, as well as one of the most lasting cultural phenomenons of all time. In the movie, Goldberg voices Shenzi, the head hyena who works as one of Scar’s minions.

1 Toy Story 3 (2010) – 98%

Released 11 years after Toy Story 2, many wondered if Disney would be able to capture the emotion and wonder of the original films in a world that had dramatically changed. The answer was yes. Toy Story 3 received universal acclaim and became a box office hit, earning over $1 billion at the box office. In the film, Goldberg voices Stretch, a stretchy octopus toy who lives at the daycare facility that all of Andy’s toys have just been donated to.

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Keith Langston
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Keith Langston is a writer for ScreenRant, as well as Travel Channel and Passport Magazine. He holds a deep passion for film, travel, and adventure. He fully believes that ‘The Faculty’ is the greatest movie ever made.

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