1999best

Fight Club
Another critically mixed film that grows in relevance with age. Brad Pitt and
Edward Norton star as societal outcasts who initially meet to punch out their
aggression but eventually turn to more violent means of release. In an era
when the world state is as unstable as it's been in quite some time, the film
speaks to the lurid commercialization and cultural monotony that threatens
Americans from the fringes of our own society. David Fincher succeeds again.

Run Lola Run
German director Tom Tykwer offers a thrilling twist, both visually and
cinematically, on our preconceived notions of time and consequence. In
parallel tales, Lola (the fiery Franka Potente) gets three chances to find enough
cash to save her boyfriend from murder. Blending animation, mind-numbing
musical sequences, and "what might happen" fantasies that speed years
forward in a matter of seconds, the film never fails to fascinate.

Election
Taut political satire enters the hallways of an ordinary high school in this
near-perfect comedy. Both Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick give
career-defining perfomances as a student and teacher at odds during student
council elections. Alexander Payne directs the movie with such a deliberately
biting style that inherent humor leaks from every unsympathetically selfish
character.

Boys Don't Cry
There is an air of impending tragedy that looms throughout Kimberly
Peirce's stunning character piece. Hilary Swank, deserving her Best
Actress Oscar, portrays Brandon Teena, a midwestern girl who really
wanted to be a boy. She is almost outdone by the breathtakingly powerful
Chloe Sevigny (of "Kids" fame) as Brandon's girlfriend. Sevigny is able to
simultaneously exude both small-town torment and a hopeful earnestness
with quiet emotion. As a result the film is stunning.

The Insider
There are at least two things perfectly right with Michael Mann's suspenseful
tobacco industry drama. The first is his assured direction and pacing, guiding
the audience through a web of intriguing cover-ups. The second, the flat-out
excellent performances. From conflicted whisteblower Russell Crowe to stoic
CBS exec Al Pacino to determined anchorman Christopher Plummer to everyone
else (Lindsay Crouse, Philip Baker Hall) in between, the film thrills for real.

The Straight Story
Who would've thought that the twisted mind behind "Blue Velvet" and
"Mulholland Drive" could create the most heartwarming film of the past
decade? In a G-rated movie that everyone should enjoy beside a grandparent,
the late great Richard Farnsworth embodies real-life Alvin Straight as a
small-town senior who takes a cross-country trip on a tractor to see his dying
brother. Embody, however, doesn't come close to describing the deep
sincerity and humanity Farnsworth brings to the tailor-made role.

American Beauty
There was a lot of hype around it when it first came out. The script was
satiric and tragic. The performances were precise and humorous. The
cinematography was bright and picturesque. The direction was controlled
and assured. All of those things still ring true in this tale of suburban angst
that was able to bring many elements often unique to independent cinema to
a wider audience without losing its wit.

Magnolia
The best-acted film of 1999. Tom Cruise is a near-revelation, Philip Seymour
Hoffman presents a rarely-seen sympathy, Philip Baker Hall is as sturdy as ever,
and Julianne Moore highlights a year that included pivtoal roles in five (!) major
motion pictures. (Her drugstore breakdown will prove to be a career-defining
scene.) And writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson improves upon his "Boogie
Nights" promise with an ever-fascinating tale of interwoven pain.

Being John Malkovich
So much happens in the first 15 minutes of "Being John
Malkovich" that it would take pages and pages to describe every
implication. Supreme bitch Catherine Keener convinces pushover
John Cusack to allow tourists to enter the mind of actor John
Malkovich through a mysterious porthole found on their
comapany's 7 1/2 floor (while an unrecognizable Cameron Diaz
messes it all up). It will someday be regarded as the best film of
the '90s, with enough dark humor to lend a hundred lesser films.

					The 10 Best Films of 1999 by Q



	10
						*Eyes Wide Shut* It's easy to see why many critics didn't click with Stanley Kubrick's last film upon its initial release. It's somber, slow, and requires time before it sinks in. But then again, aren't all of his films that way? Nicole Kidman's emotional performance predates her eventual acclaim for last year's "Moulin Rouge!" and "The Others", plus Tom Cruise turns out an appropriately subdued characterization in contrast to his more condescending work in "Magnolia". Kubrick's swan song is an impressive career closer.



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