My Top 10 Favorite Movies of 1999

 

  Let’s travel back Twenty-Five Years ago … the year was 1999, it was the end of a millennium, with the 2000’s on their way, and at this time, I was in my early stages of Elementary School, but I was also branching out, discovering new things, and as far as movies are concerned, I feel confident in saying that 1999 was the year I really discovered my love and appreciation toward film. 

While I was still a kid, this was the year I found myself dabbling in pictures outside of children’s animation, including comedies, Science Fiction, adventure, drama, and even little splashes of horror. With so many of my own personal favorite movies turning twenty-five this year, I wanted to celebrate and rank my own personal top 10 favorite movies of 1999. 

Disclaimer … this was not an easy list to assemble, as there’s so many big titles that came out from this year, including “Eyes Wide Shut”, “American Pie”, “The Blair Witch Project”, “Office Space”, and of course “American Beauty”, which won Best Picture that year. As such, this isn’t a list of the objective best or most significant movies to come out, just the ones the mean the most to me.

 

#10 “Star Wars 1: The Phantom Menace” 

Despite being a movie with mixed qualities … and an even bigger mixed reception … I just couldn’t imagine this list being complete without this childhood favorite. Whether you loved or hated “The Phantom Menace”, I’d argue it was the biggest, and most hyped event of that year. Also, for both better and worse, this was the movie that rescued “Star Wars” from nearly twenty years of hibernation and is arguably the reason the franchise still exists today. 

Even though this isn’t one of my absolute favorites of the series, it’s still one I take a good deal of comfort and enjoyment from, and I’d only be kidding myself if I didn’t call it one of my favorite movie-going experiences from back in 1999.

 

#9 “The Green Mile” 

Following after the acclaim of the 1994 picture “The Shawshank Redemption”, it only made sense to adapt another one of Steven Kings novels, which also doubles as a prison drama. This marked my second favorite movie of 1999 to be nominated for Best Picture (my favorite will be coming up in a moment), and while I prefer “The Shawshank Redemption” overall … “The Green Mile” brought something different to the table, which gave it unique strengths all its own. 

This time, it’s a hybrid approach, of an emotionally grounded prison drama, but also a fantasy, with supernatural elements. Thanks to the solid direction, and first-rate performances from the cast, the two styles complement each-other quiet well, and of course, the late Michael Clarke Duncan leaves an unforgettable impression in his Oscar nominated performance as the lead prisoner John Coffey.   

 

#8 “Sleepy Hollow” (1999) 

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” in general is one of the most classic ghost stories of all time, and has been retold in several new ways throughout the ages. The 1999 version directed by Tim Burton probably has the least to do with Washington Irving’s novel, but it’s the first one that comes to mind whenever I think of the Headless Horseman. This version plays like a supernatural detective case, and has the personality of an R-Rated Scooby-Doo mystery. For an extremely over-the-top and violent film, it sure has all the stuff I love in a good thriller. Every time I watch it, I’m blown away by its haunting atmosphere, and it’s visually a marvel to look at. 

Tim Burton’s direction gives it a creepy yet magical dreamlike quality. The cast fill their respected roles very well, and the Headless Horseman thrills when he’s on screen. While this obviously isn’t a movie for everyone, I personally think it’s one of Tim Burton’s best films, and it’s one I make a tradition of re-watching around Halloween.

 

#7 “Galaxy Quest” 

Both a clever satire of “Star Trek”, and a loving tribute to fan-culture, this was one of those rare decade events that managed to find a life outside of its target audience. The cast is wonderful, each perfectly capturing the charm of their respected archetypes, while also adding subtle layers, and the group has great chemistry. Everything else from the Sci-Fi adventure, action and comedy on display all hit the right notes without going too far. In short, what could have simply been a one-note spoof of a popular franchise went an extra step further in reminding viewers why we love our favorite genre’s or long running series, and to keep that love going. 

Many fans even place it among the best “Star Trek” movies, even though it isn’t officially part of the series … and that’s when you know a movie did something right.   

 

#6 Disney’s “Tarzan” 

The 1990’s marked the age of the great, animated Disney renaissance, and the studios final offering of the time has always had a secure spot among my personal favorites of their collected animated works. For a generation of kids, this was our introduction to the character of Tarzan, whose been an established icon in both novels and movies beforehand. Disney’s take on the character is just as exciting as an animated jungle adventure can get, as it’s fast paced and full of riveting action sequences, but it’s not devoid of the heart and substance of other Disney offerings. 

This film also marks the next big step in Disney animation, with memorable tree surfing sequences, and larger digital terrain to cover. Throw in a memorable soundtrack by Phil Collins, and “Tarzan” remains a suitably nostalgic peace of late 90’s animation, and took it’s time-tested story to an exciting new level.

 

#5 “Run Lola Run” 

If you were to remake “Groundhog Day” as a pulpy crime thriller, you wouldn’t be too far off from describing the brilliance that is “Run Lola Run”. With events set to a rousing musical score, we explore the multiple “what if Scenario’s” of how our female lead Lola will respond to a situation in which her boyfriend is desperate for money, and willing to cross the line in committing a bank heist. 

It’s a simple premise that doesn’t overstay it’s welcome … clocking in at eighty minuets … yet, the execution is so tight and engaging to watch, that it feels kind of perfect in it’s own simple way. With brilliant editing, style, imagery and a relentlessly engaging music tempo at the helm … you can almost call this a feature length music video, but one that can still be counted as one of the great crime movie pictures of the decade. 

 

#4 “The Sixth Sense” 

My favorite movie of the year to be nominated for Best Picture, and still one of my favorite horror movies that came out of the decade.  It’s a very different kind of spooky feature, as it can scare you, while also pulling some emotional cords along the way. While there are ghosts present, they’re also presented as victims who need help to move on, and it’s through the selfless courage of one boy that it can be done. It’s a movie that covers issues of pain, remorse, sorrow, regret, loss, and things that are generally more grounded, which has always landed this film as a step above traditional spooky house pictures. 

“The Sixth Sense” has all the markings and tones of a dramatic picture, yet it’s packed with all the chills and atmosphere of a modern horror movie. With standout performances, and a tight screenplay, this was a ghost story for the ages, and one that’s every bit as haunting as it is poetic.  

 

#3 “The Mummy” 

While not a traditional Horror movie, this was nevertheless the childhood experience that got me interested in viewing classic scary films like “Poltergeist” and “Jaws”.  As corny as it is to say, I view the 1999 remake of “The Mummy” as my own personal horror fountain of youth ... as it's the one that started it all ... and all these years later, it's still just as enjoyable as when I was a kid. It embraces its own corny adventure elements without being either too silly or too serious, the characters are all memorable, the scary material is more fun than scarring, and there’s no shortage of general entertainment. 

Just like how the 90’s was a transition period, I always look at “The Mummy” as the big film that ended the 90’s, and began the 2000’s. Personally, I think this film as aged in just the right ways, as it’s dated in parts to be sure, but it still holds up as one of my all-around favorite entertainment movies. It’s modern, but also has this enchanting old-fashioned innocence that makes it perfect Saturday afternoon fodder.

 

#2 “Toy Story 2” 

If you were to go back in time and ask childhood me what my favorite movie was, I would have said “Toy Story 2” without hesitation. The first “Toy Story” was already a favorite of mine, and a big game changer in terms of animation, and is a timeless classic for both its story, and well-rounded characters … how could you possibly top that? Well, surprisingly, you get a sequel that’s not only as good, but in many ways improves on the first. It one-up’s the entertainment, with funnier jokes, dazzling animation, yet also adds new layers to the characters, along with some surprising emotional backstories, and you have a near perfect film. 

Still to this day, “Toy Story 2” remains not only my favorite movie on Pixar’s roaster, but also one of my top 20 ... oh heck ... top 10 favorite films in general. The original characters are better than before, and joining them is arguably my favorite roundup of new characters from any of these instalments. It’s a movie I adored as a kid, and it’s stuck with me well into my adult years.    

 

Before I reveal my Number One favorite movie of the year, here are some quick Honorable Mentions that just couldn’t fit on the list …

“Fight Club”

“The World is Not Enough”

“Austun Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”

“The Iron Giant”

“Deep Blue Sea”

"Mystery Men" 

 

#1 “The Matrix” 

For some, this movie was a classic for its time, for others it’s a dated or even overrated product, but for me … “The Matrix” is one of my most important viewing experiences at a young age, as it propelled my overall love for movies, as well as the creativity and imagination that comes along with them. On the surface, it was a fun action movie with guns, cool black glasses, lots of combat, and awesome special effects. 

Beyond those tropes, if you like philosophy, superhero stories, Japanese Anime, Fantasy tails with a modern spin, martial arts cinema, or intriguing Sci-Fi, then this film might have something extra for you. I can’t pretend that "The Matrix" is a perfect film, or that the characters hold-up, but it is an experience that was more meaningful to me than most other movies I grew up with. To put it simply, “The Matrix” is a film that reminds me why I love movies, why I love to analyze and review them, and it’s inspired me to be imaginative. It’s still one of my favorite movies years later, and it’s personally my favorite movie of 1999.

Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!

The Great Escape (1963) (Movie Review)

 

  When it comes to recognizable genera’s, whether it be Westerns, Musicals, Horror, Romance and so forth, we typically have imagery, events and tones that we associate with these categories of films. Once in a while however is a genera film that fits in its respected category, yet has a look and feel that’s all its own. For today’s topic, 1963’s “The Great Escape” is a War movie, and hits many of the same familiar beats, but presents it in a way that’s a little different. There’s still group talks of strategy and battle plans, but no traditional battles on the fields. It’s a showcase for the trials of the human spirit against mounting odds, but conveyed in a unique tone, merging lighthearted optimism with dramatic loss and consequences. Needless to say, it’s one of the great War movie classics, and well worth looking back on.

  What we have is a story based on a novel, “The Great Escape” by Paul Brickhill, as well as inspiration from real events in the early 1940’s World War 2. The year is 1944, and German High Command has assembled the most talented British, Canadian and American escape artists, and placed them in what’s supposedly an escape proof POW camp. Shortly upon arrival, the prisoners refuse to break, and are determined to accomplish the unthinkable … using a series of underground tunnels, dig their way out of the German prison, and find sanctuary in Switzerland. It takes over a year, but eventually comes the night that 600 prisoners dare to launch their big breakout. Just over seventy men make it out of the compound, and the ladder half of the film follows their efforts to make their second escape out of the country.

  While this wasn’t the first POW, barbed-wire-tunnel-digging picture released, it was the one with the biggest budget, biggest cast of a-list performers, and the longest run-time, clocking in at one-hundred-seventy-three minuets. Yet, despite its formidable length, and slow-burning narrative, the film was one of the highest grossing, money makers of its time, and received all kinds of acclaim from both critics and audiences alike. It was also a pop-culture sensation, and it’s been referenced and spoofed in several other films over the years. Speaking for myself for a moment, I was in my carefree high school years when I first saw this movie, and I remember being intimidated by the films run-time, and slow-burning first half, but I was also won-over by the cast, and by the time we reached the middle of the feature, I was hooked, no different from any modern day action picture I saw.

  The cast features many greats of the time, including Richard Attenborough, James Garner, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Corburn, and of course it’s Steve McQueen who steals the show as rebel leader Virgil Hilts. 

He’s also referred to as The Cooler King, as he’s always captured and placed in the cooler, yet his spirit refuses to break, and he continues to find solace either from his fellow cellmates, or his signature baseball. With his laid-back charm, and one-man stunt performances, he was a big contribution to the films commercial appeal. Donal Pleasence plays Lieutenant Blythe, also known as The Forger, who creates the fake passports for all 600 prisoners, which costs him his sight, and to me, he’s one of the real heroes of the group. My personal favorite character is Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett, also known as Big X, who’s the ringleader of the group, and the one most determined to get everyone out. Before his Oscar winning role in “Gandi”, or his more recognizable contemporary roles in “Jurassic Park” and “Miricle on 34^th Street”, I find Richard Attenborough’s portrayal of Big X to be one of his most human and layered performances.

  Director John Sturges was also at a high point in his career, after his success directing Westerns like “Bad Day at Black Rock” and “The Magnificent Seven”. He had also directed many films that overlap with comedy, and while “The Great Escape” marked his first time directing a War picture, and he brought some of that lighthearted personality of his other pictures with him. As stated in the opening, the film has a unique tone, focusing on a grim and oppressive situation, but it’s also fairly upbeat, and colorful in its presentation. Even the music score by the great Elmer Bernstein is enticingly cheerful, and adds to the film's optimistic mood. Had this movie come out today, it would be very muddy, rainy, and hammering in how bleak everything is. However, the positive nature of the first half works as a counter point to the drama ahead, putting you in a mind-set that most everyone will make it out … only for the exact opposite to happen. For as deceptively cheerful as the film opens, the film still highlights just how challenging things are for our heroic prisoners, and it allows us to better connect with them.     

  Once the movie takes on its second life as a cross-country adventure, things sky-rocket into greatness. From the suspense of simply boarding a train full of Germans, to flying a jet low on fuel, to unexpected aid from the French Resistance at a local café, this third act makes the lengthy opening worthwhile, and is still riveting today. 

Of course, Steve McQueen’s daring motorbike chase is often cited as one of the decades best action scenes, both for its thrilling stunts, with motorbikes jumping fences, and for our investment in the character, and how much we want to see him make it out of the countryside. A behind the scenes feature on Turnner Classic Movies revealed that the terrain was so hard to cover, and challenging for the extra’s that McQueen actually had to double for many of his German pursuers. Tragically, fifty of the prisoners who attempted to escape were gunned down, while many others were taken back to camp. This was taken from real events, as the movie is dedicated in memory to the fifty who died. Despite the dramatic finale, the film still closes on an optimistic note, that the human spirit continues to thrive against all odds and refuses to be beaten.

  While the film has been preserved as a classic, and was a big hit in the 60’s, I was surprised it didn’t get much attention at the Academy Awards, with only a single nomination for Best Film Editing. Regardless, while I wouldn’t place “The Great Escape” among my absolute favorite movies, I do still look back on it fondly as one of the great War movie classics. I’d also give it a stamp of recommendation for anyone to see at least once. While the length is imposing, and the pacing a little off in the first act, I still say it’s worthwhile. If anything, it’s a War movie that can stand shoulder to shoulder with its fellow classics, yet also stand apart with its own distinct voice and appeal.

Thanks for reading my review of the 1963 War movie classic “The Great Escape” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!  

 

Star Wars: The Acolyte (2024) (Series Review)

  I’ve been a long time “Star Wars” fan my whole life and its universe setting is one of my most favorite to be submersed in. By extent, I love all the familiar characters that inhabit this setting and am always open to seeing a familiar face or two. That being said, with so many movies and spinoffs, I was ready for something different, something new, something that broke away from the familiar characters and narratives that I’m familiar with. 

The 2024 series “Star Wars: The Acolyte” initially seemed like just the thing this franchise needed, as its set 100 years before the events of the movies, has a clean slate of new characters, untapped potential for new stories and was set in the High Republic era when the Heroic Jedi order was at their peak. Lastly, this series also took inspiration from Marial Art and Samurai films like 1950’s “Rashomon” and 1966’s “Come Drink with Me”, which is great because the original “Star Wars” took inspiration from classic Samurai films. Seemed like everything was set for a great series, but like so many projects, a potentially great setup and intent don’t always result in a great show … in the end, it all comes down to the execution of its ideas and that’s where I feel this show sadly didn’t meet its potential.

  I won’t dance around the point any longer … I was disappointed with this series … as were many fans … but rather than spend all day criticizing the obvious, I simply want to focus on the opportunity that was missed, and how a Show Runners vision had the wrong backdrop. Following a mysterious string of murdered Jedi masters, former Jedi Padawan Osha is summoned by her old Jedi master Sol to determine the identity of this elusive killer and to determine who’s next on the hit list. It’s soon revealed that Osha’s twin sister Mae is the assassin, who’s serving an evil master. Initially, the plan is to bring the darker sister back to the light, but in a twist, our lead Osha finds the dark side just as enticing, and along with the wicked master, they join forces to take out the Jedi … who they view as the real villains. Show Runner Leslye Headland intended on making a series shown from the villain’s perspective and expose the faults of the heroes … and that’s where my reservations come to the surface.

 Ever since the “Star Wars Prequel” trilogy, as well as the following animated “The Clone Wars” series, and even the recent “Star Wars Sequel” movies, we’ve had more than our fill of franchise content that’s explored the grey and faulty sides of the Jedi order.  

More to the point, this show is set in the High Republic Era, the great Golden Age of the Jedi order as the heroes of the Galaxy ... this was not the time and place to be exposing faults and corruption within their order. What’s worse, rather than exploring the grey … this show straight up vilifies them, and in doing so, smashes down the pillars which this franchise stands on. In comparison, the 2005 movie “Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Sith” presented Anakin’s turn to the dark side and following transformation into Darth Vader as tragic and grim … as it should be. This show, in a rather sickening presentation, highlights characters turning to the dark side as something liberating and positive, and that our heroes more than deserve to be vilified. To be clear, I don’t mind seeing things and by extent characters from a different perspective … but for me, this just felt like it was in bad taste.

Maybe if the characters were stronger, this approach could have worked, but despite the talent in front of the camera, these characters leave much to be desired.

 

The Twin Sisters: Osha and Mae (Played by Amandla Stenberg) 

In general, I’m fond of the concept of the main leads being twin siblings, with dual personalities, but somewhere between the writing and the performance, I feel something was missing. For my two cents, I didn’t get behind either of their motivations, which were frequently changing over the show, to the point where I just didn’t care where either character ended up. Also, I didn’t feel much of a difference between the two sister performances … I knew which was which, but there wasn’t a juicy personality juxtaposition between the two when they acted off each other. One would act a little positive, while the other conveyed a little menace, and with a lack of interesting goals between the two, neither character really engaged me.

 

Jedi Master Sol (Played by Lee Jung-Jae) 

Easily the best performance goes to Lee Jung-Jae of “Squid Game’s” fame, and arguably the best of the characters. On paper, it’s another stoic Jedi character conveying words of wisdom, but haunted by past faults he feels need to be atoned for and is emotionally lost in how to face them. He makes for an engaging screen presence and manages to give the show some semblance of a soul, which I felt was lacking in the main twin characters. Unfortunately, like most of the characters in this series, he’s at the mercy of a weak script, which forces him to act incompetently during crucial events in order for the plot to move forward.   

 

The Stanger/ “Qimir” (Played by Manny Jacinto) 

Our main antagonist of the series is a mysterious dark side wielder, who also takes on the appearance of a clumsy smuggler, and in both cases is sowing the seeds of discourse between the twins and the Jedi order. It’s unclear what his driving goal in the series is, other than prove he can corrupt others to cross over to the dark side. It doesn’t make for an intriguing character on paper, and his evil Sith design is laughably silly … but the performance from Manny Jacinto is solid all around. He effectively runs the gambit of different personalities, is a reasonably engaging screen presence, and even his seduction methods don’t feel repetitive of the Emperor from the classic movies … in fact, he occasionally hints at some interesting viewpoints. While not a perfectly rounded villain, he certainly could have been had the show continued with another season to flesh out his backstory more.      

 

Other Supporting Characters …

I don’t have too much to say about the supporting players, but I will say that I loved the character Jecki played by Dafne Keen. She’s Sol’s young apprentice, and her personality is laced with more “sass” than the other Jedi characters, who are rather one-note by comparison. The actress, Dafne Keen is also a welcome presence. I loved her as Wolverines surrogate daughter Laura, the X23, from the 2017 movie “Logan”, and it was just a cool treat to see her as a Jedi … too bad her character didn’t last long. I suppose Carrie-Ann Moss of “The Matrix” fame was also a welcome presence, but I don’t really have anything to say about her Jedi character. There’s some quick fan serves from characters like Yoda and Darth Plagueis from the expanded EU material, which is cool in the moment, but they add nothing significant to the show.  

The series was cancelled after only one season and had a total of eight Episodes. Traditionally, when I review shows, I rank my top favorite episodes, but between the lack of quality and hand full of episodes, I’ll just highlight my Top 3 favorite episodes.

 

#3 “Choice” (Ep.7) 

Okay, the only reason I’m showing this episode any favorable recognition is because it features a grown Wookie Jedi master with a lightsaber, fighting characters in battle. True, he’s under mind control, but still, a grown live-action Jedi Wookie isn’t something to dismiss. Back to the episode, it’s the second to be shown entirely in flashback, and highlights how this show took inspiration from the 1950’s Samuri movie “Rashomon”, which showed flashbacks from two different perspectives. However, this show didn’t really show a different perspective on its flashback and mainly filled in the blanks which the audience didn’t see the first time … and there is a difference. 

For a better example of seeing events from a different viewpoint, watch the ending of the 2013 movie “Man of Steel”, and the opening of the 2016 movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”. In both cases, it’s the exact same event, but we can see how the battle feels different from the viewpoint of two different characters. “The Acolyte” by comparison gave us a two-part flashback without much difference, which made for a boring narrative … but that Wookie with the lightsaber was certainly worth highlighting.    

 

#2 “Lost/ Found” (Ep.1) 

For all the issues that came about with this show, it really didn’t start that way. Truthfully, this first episode got me hooked, and had me thinking this would be a decent show. We get an exciting opening action scene with our assassin battling a Jedi master, and it puts an intriguing enface on martial art combat, over traditional sword fighting, which is a welcome change-up. The mystery is properly established, and many of the characters show potential. 

While trying to prove her innocence, Osha is given cryptic Force visions from her sister as a child, which makes for an atmospheric highlight, and it peaks intrigue to what her backstory is. There’s also a number of fun details, like autopilot robots that fold into chairs and a number of aliens in the background … which had oddly been lacking in a lot of recent “Star Wars” media. There are also dumb details … like fire in space … but for whatever it’s worth, this wasn’t a bad first episode.   

 

I suppose before I reveal my favorite episode of this show, my honorable mentions would be …

“Day” (Ep.4)

“The Acolyte” (Ep.8)

 

#1 “Night” (Ep.5) 

After a lengthy investigation, Jedi Master Sol and a fully armed team of Jedi Knights are ambushed by the Stranger, who makes his Dark Side abilities known, and proceeds to massacre everyone in one big, all-night battle. It’s kind of sad when my favorite episode of a show has nothing to do with either “character” or “story” … and simply archives its honors for the spectacle on display. With that said, a good deal of “Star Wars” is built on spectacle, and amidst a mostly boring series, this episode delivered some solid lightsaber action. 

The choreography and staging was fierce and exciting, the tension was high, and there was proper variety to the combat on display, so it never felt repetitive. Also, I loved seeing yellow lightsabers … in general, I adore seeing more colors other than the standard Blue, Red and Green. While I really don’t care to re-watch this series as a whole, I’ve re-watched this episode more than once, as it delivered some solid lightsaber action, which most of the recent live action “Star Wars” material hasn’t really impressed me with.   

 It took a while to finally get a live-action series set years before the events of the movies ... with new characters and possibilities to explore ... but unfortunately, "The Acolyte" didn't fully live up to its potential and just felt like something disposable and inconsequential. While there was certainly surface-level enjoyment, with decent lightsaber action and so-forth, the writing, narrative focus and even character motivations were a complete mess. However, my big sticking point with this series again was the unapologetic sin of glorifying its murderous villains and also vilifying the heroic Jedi ... not good.

 Again, I don’t mind the ambition of a narrative which sees things from a different perspective, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of what I feel this franchise was built on. The Jedi are the good guys we cheer for, and the High Republic is their golden age when they weren’t corrupt. Honestly, it’s kind of sad when a Pre-School centered show like “Young Jedi Adventures” had a better understanding of how to portray these characters during this timeline. Believe me, I wanted to love “Star Wars: The Acolyte”, I wanted a good “Star Wars” series with a big separation from the continuity of the films, but the best I can say about this series is … it can be used as a blueprint on how “Star Wars” shouldn’t be done.

Thanks for reading my review of the 2024 mini-series “Star Wars: The Acolyte” … and continue to enjoy the shows you Love!