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virelai's top 10 of 1999Jan 25 '00 Write an essay on this topic.My best movies of 1999. 1. The Sixth Sense It's rare that a film sends chills down my spine on repeated viewings, but the twist in "The Sixth Sense" still affects me to this day. That aside, it remains a wonderfully crafted movie, with a breakout performance by Haley Joel Osment (what a step up from "The Jeff Foxworthy Show"!). Wonderfully atmospheric and genuinely chilling. 2. The Emperor and the Assassin Chen Kaige seems to prove (as in "Farewell My Concubine" and "Temptress Moon") that he is firmly set against happiness and joy for his characters. Nonetheless, this epic tale of war and political intrigue surrounding the first emperor of a unified China is utterly engrossing, and as always for Chen, beautifully shot and directed. 3. Being John Malkovich Truly one of the most original premises I've ever encountered in the cinema, this movie manages to maintain its darkly comic and bizarrely inventive tone throughout its length. Don't get me wrong though, it's also extremely funny -- I laughed as much as I have for any film this side of "Galaxy Quest." 4. Go Certainly not as brilliant as "Pulp Fiction," the movie it so clearly models itself after, it is more coherent, more accessible and more tightly paced. It's a wonderful synthesis of art and commercialism; its cast is as talented as it is appealing, and the writing and direction deftly done. 5. Run Lola Run 90 minutes of pure energy, "Lola" is a kinetic feast for the senses. Certainly with the two pictures above (and a few that didn't make this list), it's been a good year for highly individual works of great quirkiness, but this is probably the best in terms of mixing sight and sound into a coherent whole. 6. An Ideal Husband One can't help but feel that the "scandals" in this movie seem rather tame by today's standards, but the idea of political and social scandal itself is certainly as pertinent as ever. Wilde's play still manages to amuse and entertain, and here we have the perfect cast to pull it off, led by Rupert Everett and a deliciously evil Julianne Moore. 7. The Insider Powerful performances by Pacino, Plummer and Crowe in a film so measured in pace that it almost managed to cancel them out. Still, it all comes together in the end. 8. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut Tasteless and irreverent to be sure, this film attains a sublime kind of genius in its outrageousness. And it's a musical! Sure to be a guilty pleasure of the highest order for years to come. 9. Toy Story 2 While Pixar's follow-up to 1995's "Toy Story" lacks the freshness and jaw-dropping impressiveness that the original possessed in its time, it's gained new sophistication and a more adult perspective in its new incarnation. It's good to see that Pixar can still make films that appeal to adults, after the disappointing "A Bug's Life." 10. The Talented Mr. Ripley As brilliant as it is troubled, this beautifully shot and wonderfully acted film fails to live up to its 1960 predecessor, "Purple Noon." The last hour of the film is a confused series of endless plot turns; one thinks that Minghella has perhaps invented a character too many. Still, flawed as it is, this film is a sight to behold. Honorable mentions: Dogma, Princess Mononoke, Galaxy Quest, Notting Hill, The Red Violin. Still haven't seen: American Beauty, Three Kings, Magnolia, The Green Mile.  |
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