FIFENA1. [Past] Narrative Feature Films: 1999

Submitted by dgeiser13 on Tue, 02/20/2001 - 09:20
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  1. Ranked and Rated
  2.  
  3. ========= 8 Stars ========
  4.  
  5. Fight Club (1999)
  6. The Matrix (1999)
  7. American Beauty (1999)
  8.  
  9. ========= 7 Stars ========
  10.  
  11. Todo sobre mi madre (1999) (aka All About My Mother)
  12. Being John Malkovich (1999)
  13. The Virgin Suicides (1999)
  14. The Straight Story (1999)
  15. Three Kings (1999)
  16. Toy Story 2 (1999)
  17. Election (1999)
  18. The Limey (1999)
  19. Go (1999)
  20. Magnolia (1999)
  21. The Cider House Rules (1999)
  22. The Sixth Sense (1999)
  23. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)
  24.  
  25. Man of the Century (1999) ~ Finally, this movie is released in some sort of video format. Actually 2 formats, VHS and DVD, to be exact, but I was beginning to think it was never going to be released in any format. I first heard about this film back in 1999 on Harry Knowles' Ain't It Cool News. Of course Harry raved, as he does with most everything he deigns to mention, but unlike other indie films I read about on there this one sounded truly original. A film with an anachronistic bent and one that you probably couldn't truly appreciate unless you're a movie buff. I could try and write a good plot summary, but in reality one's as good as any so I'll let you have the IMDb Plot Summary...
  26.  
  27. "Johnny Twennies, a newspaper columnist in present-day New York, is a jauntily cheerful, very friendly, totally honest and upstanding young man who happens to be completely oblivious to any technological or social changes in the past 70 years. He routinely uses telegrams, a manual typewriter, and a manual toaster, and to the pleasure and despair of his girlfriend conducts his personal life in correspondingly anachronistic style. One day he's threatened by criminals who want to plant a false news story. But they've never met anyone like him before..."
  28.  
  29. I hope you are as intrigued as I was. That this film easily met the high standard which my anticipation level had created is a testament to the originality of its idea and execution. For the opening frames, straight on through the credits, I can honestly say I had a grin plastered on my face. The dialogue sparkles. as does the music and dance. And there are so many small touches in this film, the 70-year-old pop culture references, the running gags (watch for Twennies' constant play on the name Tim), the way in which Twennies is lit differently from the characters around him.
  30.  
  31. This movie receives my highest recommendation. If I had any money to spare, I'd order the DVD right this instant. If you're reading this paragraph then do everything you can to get your hands on a copy of this film. It's really worth it. And if you take the time to watch it, please, give this film every ounce of your full concentration. Any less and you might miss alot.
  32.  
  33. ==========================
  34.  
  35. To See?
  36.  
  37. Definitely:
  38.  
  39. Probably: Les Amants Criminels (1999) (aka Criminal Lovers), Bangkok Dangerous (1999), The Boondock Saints (1999), Boys Don't Cry (1999), Cheong Feng (1999) (aka The Mission), Choi Kek Ji Wong (1999), Dead or Alive: Hanzaisha (1999), Dlug (1999), Est - Ouest (1999), For Love of the Game (1999), Genghis Blues (1999), Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), The Hurricane (1999), Jesus' Son (1999), Kikujiro no natsu (1999), Limbo (1999), Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski (1999), Mifunes Sidste Sang (1999) (aka Mifune), Il Mio viaggio in Italia (1999), The Ninth Gate (1999), October Sky (1999), Paragraph 175 (1999), Ratcatcher (1999), Ressources humaines (1999), Ring (1999), Sexo, pudor y lágrimas (1999), Simon Magus (1999), Solomon and Gaenor (1999), Strange Planet (1999), Tarzan (1999), Titus (1999), Todo el poder (1999), Tuvalu (1999), Vénus Beauté (Institut) (1999) (aka Venus Beauty Institute), A Walk on the Moon (1999), The Winslow Boy (1999), Wo de fu qin mu qin (1999), Xizao (1999) (aka Shower), Yi Ge Dou Bu Neng Shao (1999) (aka Not One Less)
  40.  
  41. Possibly: Adorenarin Doraibu (1999), Aimée & Jaguar (1999), The Astronaut's Wife (1999), The Auteur Theory (1999), Bad Ma Ra Khahad Bord (1999), Beau Travail (1999), Buena Vista Social Club (1999), Ça commence aujourd'hui (1999), Ha-Chaverim Shel Yana (1999), Cookie's Fortune (1999), Cradle Will Rock (1999), Cruel Intentions (1999), Les Enfants du Siècle (1999) (aka Children of the Century), Felicia's Journey (1999), Fever (1999), Les Filles ne Savent Pas Nager (1999), Fuori dal Mondo (1999) , The General's Daughter (1999), The Girl Next Door (1999), Gohatto (1999), Goodbye Lover (1999), Goya (1999), Himalaya - L'Enfance D'Un Chef (1999) (aka Himalaya), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Jing Ke Ci Qin Wang (1999), Joi gin a long (1999), Juyuso seubgyuksageun (1999), La Lengua de las mariposas (1999), Lit feng chin che 2 gik chuk chuen suet (1999), A Map of the World (1999), The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999), Mickey Blue Eyes (1999), Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. (1999), Muertos de risa (1999), Mystery, Alaska (1999), Nadie conoce a nadie (1999), Nashan naren nagou (1999), Never Been Kissed (1999), Orfeu (1999), Oxygen (1999), Peau d'homme coeur de bête (1999), Pola X (1999), Rang-e khoda (1999), Ravenous (1999), Runaway Bride (1999), Sex: The Annabel Chong Story (1999), Snow Falling on Cedars (1999), Solas (1999), Spring Forward (1999), Strange Planet (1999), Suicide Blonde (1999), Sunshine (1999), Superstar (1999), The Terrorist (1999), Three Seasons (1999), Tomie (1999), Trailer: The Movie (1999), Twin Falls Idaho (1999), Une Liaison Pornographique (1999), The War Zone (1999), Which Way Por Favor? (1999), Zhong hua ying xiong (1999)
  42.  
  43. Unlikely: Gojira ni-sen mireniamu (1999), The Item (1999), Jump (1999), The Underground Comedy Movie (1999), Varsity Blues (1999)
Author Comments: 

My ratings system is explained here. Recent additions to this list are highlighted in yellow.

sebreg09/13/2000

I agree with many of the choices. I have to disagree on several though. Personally, I hated 3 Kings. I can't understand why everyone likes it. Didn't love Stars Wars either. I don't think the Virgin Suicides should be so high, and Magnolia should be a little higher. Nice list

dgeiser1309/14/2000

Hi, sebreg!

Thanks for the comments.


I liked Three Kings because (not necessarily in this order):

1. It had interesting cinematography.

2. It was funny.

3. It was serious.

4. It portrayed both good and bad Middle Easterners instead of the stereotypes that Hollywood typically uses.



Obviously there's no right answer. But the majority of the reviewers liked it according to Rotten Tomatoes.

As far as Virgin Suicides and Magnolia go I might end up revaluating them when I re-watch in the future. But typically I vote on the movie right after I get home from the theater and Virgin Suicides blew me away and Magnolia left me a little empty so those score are my first impressions basically.

AAA09/30/2001

In my personal opinion, your #9's are all too high. American Beauty and Fight Club are 7's, Matrix is an 8. Being John Malkovich and Notting Hill should each move one number up. The Sixth Sense is a 7, Cider House Rules is a 5, and Green Mile is a 7.
On the more positive side, I think you have Election, All About My Mother, and The Straight Story just right.
By the way, have you seen Topsy-Turvy, Run Lola Run, and The Insider? If not, I highly recommend them, you won't be sorry.

jim10/24/2001

Just wanted to say that I'm really enjoying your "My Ratings" series. I especially like how stingy you are with 9 and 10 ratings. Is the "My Ratings" series different somehow from your "My Best Of" series?

dgeiser1310/24/2001

Hey, Jim! Well it's like this. I've come to the conclusion that I've been way too generous with some of my ratings in the past. So I am revamping each of my year's best lists using a new rating system which I've been working on and I'm rating all of the movies that I saw from that particular year.

Basically I realized my bell curve was sort of top heavy and after seeing a film like The Seven Samurai I realized that no film has any business being a 10 unless it's of that high quality. I think I've finally made a breakthrough into being stingy with 9s and 10s but also more true to myself when it comes to rating just so-so movies as what they are.