Best movies of the '90s #6 (Part two)

Now is the second half of the best movies of 1999. First, a few movies that were worthy and bold, but just didn’t quite have that certain something to make the top ten (though I’d still recommend them): THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, ELECTION, EYES WIDE SHUT, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH

Next, if you’re the type who likes foreign films and isn’t squeamish, a couple of gems (I’ll get reviews out later this spring): LOVERS OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE, SHOW ME LOVE,

Penultimately, the following movies were among my favorites from the year. They may not make any top ten list, but I still enjoyed them to pieces: SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER AND UNCUT, VARSITY BLUES, OFFICE SPACE, CRUEL INTENTIONS, LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, TARZAN, AMERICAN PIE, THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR

And now, the Top Five Movies of 1999

#5 THE SIXTH SENSE – Such a simple but effective story. By now most know the “gimmick,” but if for some reason you haven’t seen the film and don’t know, do everything in your power not to find out. Repeated viewings hold up even when you do know, and when you see how blatant it all was, you realize how effectively the story was told to pull you in. I remember when Bear came to me and said simply, “You must come with me and watch this movie right now, or I will no longer be your friend.” I’ve only forced him to do that twice (Crouching Tiger and Moulin Rouge), and this is the only time he did it to me, and a good choice he made.

#4 AMERICAN BEAUTY – ‘98-’02 is marked by unworthy Best Picture winners. American Beauty is the only exception and a fine choice for the award. Gorgeously filmed and tapping into something out there that exists just below the surface, American Beauty is not only beautiful, but sad, weird, funny, tragic and always compelling. At the end of ’99 I thought AMERICAN BEAUTY the best movie of the year. Since then I’ve come to place three films higher, if only for the historical longevity, but I still am very high on this fabulous film.

#3 THE MATRIX – Some have called it this Generation’s Star Wars, which doesn’t quite hold up, but there are some great comparisons. Revolutionary (for its time) special effects that set the new standard and revolutionized the industry, a complex and new mythos of humanity, complete with a kind of Gnostic knowledge that borders on Eastern religion (which actually were borrowed from everything under the sun, as all great works are), an incredibly worthy bad guy, a older wiser mentor who takes the new apprentice on his voyage of discovery…actually, most of these aspect are common to all great epics, but still great company to be in. I can’t imagine people not having seen this, but it still deserves to be on the list just in case.

#2 FIGHT CLUB – I saw this movie on opening day at noon, and by night had found all my friends and drug them back to see it again. At the later showing about 1/4^th of the audience walked out. Of those left, another 1/4^th hated it passionately, while 1/3^rd wanted to start their own chapter of Fight Club. This is a polarizing movie, but damn effective. Some have complained about the “twist,” which I saw coming all the time, although I think this is because of my personal attunement (but who knows?). Does the film espouse a nihilism and refuse to acknowledge the real world? Maybe. Maybe you need to watch something like that. Be warned: due to the hyper-violent nature, there are many who simply will not be able to watch FIGHT CLUB. Resist the urge to sever all contact with them. They aren’t bad people, they simply don’t understand.

And the Number 1 film of 1999......

#1 PRINCESS MONONOKE – Possibly the greatest animated movie ever made. Describing Mononoke defies my ability to use words. At first the film seems like a simple “Man Bad Nature Good” parable, but then it gets so much deeper. Not all the humans are good, and not everyone in nature…then several more sides get involved, and then there’s a giant deer (not to be confused with the giant boar-god). See what I mean? Most of you are already confused, and wondering what on earth the big deal is. But it is. Made by Miyazaki, the greatest animator to ever live. I really need to do an entire column on this genius and his work. [Note: Miyazaki made HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE, my pick for third best film in 2005, so there will be a big article on him soon] Make sure you watch the English language version. The translation is faithful, and you do not want to miss the explosion of tiny detail so essential to Miyazaki’s works. Besides which, Billy Crudup gives one of the three or four best voice performances in history. I don’t have great descriptive words here other than to say that I recommend Princess Mononoke to anyone and everyone.