Best Picture: 1999
I will never understand why so many people -- in and out of the Academy -- thought American Beauty was so profound. I hated it as much as I hated The Cider House Rules and The Green Mile. The Sixth Sense was easily the best in this category but MY GOD did they fuck up this year! Instead of all five of those films, the Best Picture slate could have included any combination of All About My Mother, Being John Malkovich, The Talented Mr Ripley (which should have netted Damon his first Best Actor Oscar), Toy Story 2, Boys Don't Cry, Princess Mononoke, The Straight Story, Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia...just to name some off the top of my head!
If I had known that Cider House has yet to receive a single vote, I would have voted for that because the first hour or so -- when Tobey is still at the orphanage -- contains some of the loveliest, most heartfelt and most lyrical moments of the decades. The second half of the film is much less engaging.
I voted for Sixth Sense, even though we now now how awful a person M. Night Shymalan is and how awful his last couple of moies have been. But not only is Sixth Sense ingenious, it's one of the most impressively melancholy films I've ever seen, and it's one of the few American films that really gets down class distinctions in this country.
The Insider is a very well made movie about nothing. Daniel beautifully summed up the obnoxious drivel that is American Beauty. And The Green Mile must be the stupidest movie ever nominated for Best Picture. The mind boggles over this nomination.
I voted for Sixth Sense, even though we now now how awful a person M. Night Shymalan is and how awful his last couple of moies have been. But not only is Sixth Sense ingenious, it's one of the most impressively melancholy films I've ever seen, and it's one of the few American films that really gets down class distinctions in this country.
The Insider is a very well made movie about nothing. Daniel beautifully summed up the obnoxious drivel that is American Beauty. And The Green Mile must be the stupidest movie ever nominated for Best Picture. The mind boggles over this nomination.
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
Bless you, my son.dws1982 wrote:American Beauty I thought was hot stuff at the time, but now I think it's probably done as much damage to popular culture as any other movie in the past decade. Not only has it lead to several imitators--almost all terrible--its success also was directly responsible for the unspeakable Six Feet Under, and can probably be linked to those other TV shows that think they're doing something daring by portraying suburbia as a hotbed of hypocrisy and lies. Most of the blame can be put squarely on Alan Ball--he has nothing but contempt for the characters, and Sam Mendes brings nothing to the table than overcomes such a loathsome worldview. A truly dreadful movie.
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
Miami Vice better than The Insider?
I thought Vice was serviceable as an action movie, but I'd even put Collateral above it in a list of Mann's best.
I thought Vice was serviceable as an action movie, but I'd even put Collateral above it in a list of Mann's best.
"Because here’s the thing about life: There’s no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days when you need a hand. There are other days when we’re called to lend a hand." -- President Joe Biden, 01/20/2021
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I haven´t read the book even though I disliked the movie.OscarGuy wrote:VanHelsing wrote:The Green Mile. Duncan should have won for supporting. I also like American Beauty.
Have you ever read the book? If you had, you'd realize what a terrible terrible adaptation this film is...completely miscast in many respects (especially Hanks who should have been replaced by someone less "stagy")
I voted for The Sixth Sense, which I gave my award to. I also nominated American Beauty and The Green Mile. Boys Don't Cry and The Talented Mr. Ripley rounded out my list.
I read the book of The Green Mile, which was released in separate mini-books the first time around. I think the movie was quite faithful to the book. The acting was wonderful and the casting was fine, I thought. Sure you could have found someone different to play the Hanks role, but he did a solid job. Sam Rockwell and Michael Jeter were excellent choices for their parts. And Michael Clarke Duncan was a compelling selection. He deserved his Oscar nomination.
The three hour running time was no problem for me. I've seen the movie three times already. It is one of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made.
Having said all that, the film that moved me and surprised me the most in 1999 was The Sixth Sense, which remains M. Night Shymalan's greatest acheivement. Bruce Willis gave one of his finest performances, and Toni Collette was terrific. Osment's incredible performance was the one that deserved the Best Supporting Actor award over Michael Caine.
I read the book of The Green Mile, which was released in separate mini-books the first time around. I think the movie was quite faithful to the book. The acting was wonderful and the casting was fine, I thought. Sure you could have found someone different to play the Hanks role, but he did a solid job. Sam Rockwell and Michael Jeter were excellent choices for their parts. And Michael Clarke Duncan was a compelling selection. He deserved his Oscar nomination.
The three hour running time was no problem for me. I've seen the movie three times already. It is one of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made.
Having said all that, the film that moved me and surprised me the most in 1999 was The Sixth Sense, which remains M. Night Shymalan's greatest acheivement. Bruce Willis gave one of his finest performances, and Toni Collette was terrific. Osment's incredible performance was the one that deserved the Best Supporting Actor award over Michael Caine.
"Because here’s the thing about life: There’s no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days when you need a hand. There are other days when we’re called to lend a hand." -- President Joe Biden, 01/20/2021
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Nope, missed the book. Therefore, I'm just judging the film on its own. Duncan's performance was very heartfelt imo.
With a Southern accent...
"Don't you dare lie to me!" and...
"You threaten my congeniality, you threaten me!"
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"You shouldn't be doing what you're doing. The truth is enough!"
"Are you and Perry?" ... "Please, Nelle."
"Don't you dare lie to me!" and...
"You threaten my congeniality, you threaten me!"
-------
"You shouldn't be doing what you're doing. The truth is enough!"
"Are you and Perry?" ... "Please, Nelle."
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Have you ever read the book? If you had, you'd realize what a terrible terrible adaptation this film is...completely miscast in many respects (especially Hanks who should have been replaced by someone less "stagy")VanHelsing wrote:The Green Mile. Duncan should have won for supporting. I also like American Beauty.
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The Green Mile. Duncan should have won for supporting. I also like American Beauty.
With a Southern accent...
"Don't you dare lie to me!" and...
"You threaten my congeniality, you threaten me!"
-------
"You shouldn't be doing what you're doing. The truth is enough!"
"Are you and Perry?" ... "Please, Nelle."
"Don't you dare lie to me!" and...
"You threaten my congeniality, you threaten me!"
-------
"You shouldn't be doing what you're doing. The truth is enough!"
"Are you and Perry?" ... "Please, Nelle."