Movies from 1999 [archive]

I was going through some files I had transferred from an old computer, and I thought this was interesting.  It's a list of all the movies I saw in 1999 with a brief review of each.  I wrote this at the end of 1999 and posted it on my website (called "Jeff's Lair") at the time.  I haven't re-watched many of these movies recently, so I can't say if my opinions hold up (I was probably a little harsh on The Hurricane), but these thoughts from a younger me may help set the stage for the retrospective of my creative projects I'm planning for this blog.  Take a look.

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1999 was a great year for movies, in fact the best I can remember. Here's a quick look at all the movies I saw during the year. They are not in an exact order from best to worst, but the better movies did tend to make their way to the top of the list.

Fight Club -- The most breath-taking, in-your-face film I've seen in a long time. More than just a movie, it is an experience that will take you to the edge and back. This brutal satire is one that will only get more popular in the years to come. In my opinion, it is the one movie that will define the 90s more than any other. Fight Club is my favorite movie of 1999 and one of my favorites of all time.

American Beauty -- How could anybody not love this movie? This is a wonderful way to spend a few hours. I was so deeply involved with this movie in the theater, I was almost unable to return to the real world when it was done. I loved the beautiful wide-screen cinematography, the score, the script, the acting... This movie rules.

Go -- An intense rush of a movie. It's all about being young and invincible. You can't go wrong with a concept like that, along with superb direction. This one will make you feel alive. Enough said.

The Sixth Sense -- Unfortunately I saw the ending coming from a mile away because it was lifted from an episode of Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark, but nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I was more frightened than I like to admit.

The Blair Witch Project -- The public may have backlashed against it now, but I'm still a big fan. When I saw it on opening night--after months of anticipation--the crowd was completely still and silent after we were struck with the final image at the film's end. When we reached the parking lot, my friends and I were yelling and screaming in delight. This movie is like a string that is pulled tighter and tighter until it snaps. What a build-up! What a pay-off!!

The Matrix -- Along with Terminator 2 and Dark City, this is one of the best science-fiction movies of the 90's. The plot sounds like one of the discussions we had in my Philosophy class, and the action is amazing. The scene near the climax with the helicopter is truly dazzling.

The Straight Story -- This G-rated movie is not supposed to appeal to a college-aged audience, but it captivated me well enough. However, my opinion may be slightly biased since this is the latest picture made by my favorite director, David Lynch. It's a simple story, the pace is slow and relaxed, but this only adds to how touching the movie really is. Although it's very restrained on sentiment, it really pulls you in by the time it concludes. I liked the cinematography and the music, as well as the accurate depiction of a small town. Also, many of the characters reminded me of my grandparents.

Being John Malkovich -- Great film. Mesmerizing and imaginative. While being one of the most bizarre comedies you can imagine, it also had a very sad tone to it brought on by the music and purposely drab set design. The result of this contrast is very unique. Sorry, I can't think of many other words to describe this film. You better just go watch it for yourself.

Magnolia -- I must say this one was very entertaining. I'm glad nobody had the chance to ruin the totally bizarre ending for me. Bizarre is actually a good word to describe the whole movie. Not too many directors (except maybe for Lynch in Fire Walk With Me) choose to play the music so loud in certain scenes that you can't hear the dialogue between characters. That was okay, however, since this movie has a great soundtrack. This movie may not be for everyone, but I recommend it to anybody who is open to fresh ideas and wants to enjoy a three-hour escape.

Three Kings -- People were comparing this to Saving Private Ryan. I definitely can't say it affected me as much as Ryan did, even if it does convey some of the same themes. Still, I give this movie credit for its very unique style and for some awesome action scenes.

The Green Mile -- Not as good as I expected. Not as good as The Shawshank Redemption. But still a terrific movie all around. I felt like I really got my money worth with this one. The movie's biggest flaw was with the bookends. They are just too over done in movies these days (Titanic, Pvt Ryan) and that old guy was just not very convincing as Tom Hanks. The movie would been better and shorter without them.

The Cider House Rules -- I didn't know what to expect going into this one, but I was pleasantly surprised with a beautifully shot coming-of-age story. The movie may not have much "edge," but it was a very well-done piece of old-fashioned filmmaking. Out of all the movies I saw from 1999, this came the closest to bringing me to tears.

Election -- A small-scale satire that works marvelously. It has a very drab atmosphere that brought back feelings about my own high school, and each of the characters definitely reminded me of real people I have encountered. Chris Klein's jock character was absolutely hilarious. A couple of my friends have asked me what the point of this movie is. I don't know if it can be summed up in a few sentences, but here's my take on it: The movie is about finding happiness in one's life, and that happiness is not related to success. Matthew Broderick's character claims to be happy with what he is doing both at the beginning and end of the movie, but I think he is lying and is secretly jealous of the direction of success Reese Witherspoon's character is heading in. The only character who is truly happy is Chis Klein's jock who takes everything so lightly. Now I'm getting more in depth than I wanted...

Eyes Wide Shut -- No, I didn't go see this movie because of all the infamous sex scenes; I just wanted to see a Kubrick film in the theater and to see what all the fuss was about. It's a movie that everybody seems to either love or hate, but for some reason my opinion falls between the two. I loved the dreamy atmosphere but thought the script was lacking. I like it when movies are left open to interpretation; I was flabergasted when the entire mystery was explained to exact detail near the end. It reminded me of Pyscho when the psychologist comes out and analyzes Norman Bates' mind. Pyscho worked for the period in which it was made, but I expected more from Kubrick. Today's audiences want to continue thinking after they leave the theater... at least I do. That was the case with most of the other movies on this list.

Stir of Echoes -- This one would have been better if I hadn't seen The Sixth Sense first. It was along the same lines. There were some definite chilling moments -- the first half was especially good for them, but the second half became predictable and lost its momentum. Still, this would be a good movie to check out on Halloween or on some Friday the 13th. It's very refreshing from the slasher movie standard we see so much of these days.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace -- I'm sure you're all sick of hearing about this movie by now, so I won't write much. I thought it was good, but not great. The special effects and the fact that it is the opening to a great saga definitely make it worth watching. I got chills when the opening rolled, but other than that it wasn't anything special.

Arlington Road -- I wanted to see this one mainly because the score was done by Angelo Badalamenti. It turned out to be a intense movie with an unexpectedly depressing ending. I liked it. More movies should aspire to take the risks that this one did, particularly in its introduction and conclusion.

American Pie -- The best teen movie of 1999, unless you count Go or Election, which I consider on another level. Chris Klein, who plays basically the same character as he did in Election, is hilarious again. Other than that, there's not much to say about a movie like this.

10 Things I Hate About You -- This movie doesn't do much other than show how much Shakespeare's work can be related to life today. A lot of the humor relies on your knowledge of Shakespeare, particularly The Taming of the Shrew, to be fully appreciated. I would label this movie as mediocre.

Cruel Intentions -- Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar look great in this movie. Don't expect much more than a guilty pleasure from this one. It's kind of fun to watch spoiled rich teenagers ruin other peoples' lives just because they have nothing better to do.

8mm -- This movie could have been great -- it was written by the screen writer of Se7en for crying out loud -- but it lacked in direction. Joel Schumacher is no Fincher or Lynch. It would have been interesting to see what either one of those directors could have done with this material.

200 Cigarettes -- This one's got a great premise and some colorful characters, but it still doesn't quite do it for me. It was trying too hard for laughs or something. If you have to choose between this movie or watching Go for the 10th time, I recommend choosing Go.

Man on the Moon -- Jim Carrey did a superb job, but the movie was nothing outstanding. Maybe all the in-your-face movies on this list are making me spoiled for exciting flicks. This movie just didn't have much to offer. The facts presented were interesting. I have been intrigued by Andy Kaufman since a classmate gave a speech on him during my sophomore year, but this movie was nothing more than a timeline with some funny jokes thrown in. I do not recommend paying the $8 to see this in a theater. You could have the same viewing experience at home on a television set. For a much better Jim Carrey movie, see The Truman Show.

Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me -- It was fun to watch this at a sneak preview in the theater with a lively crowd. The other high point is Heather Graham, who looks truly amazing in this movie. There's not much more you can say about an Austin Powers movie.

The Hurricane -- This is an example of a movie that has way too much of a plot. It was too long, boring, and predictable. I'm not a fan of biopics. There was no style or atmosphere in this movie -- any no name director could have made this.