While there may be the occasional fluke, like last year’s Barbenheimer phenomenon, the relevance of movies to the public has quickly declined over the past two decades as film fanfare lessens. It’s a different world than 25 years ago, in 1999, when the movie industry held pop culture in the palm of its hand.
With “Fight Club,” “The Sixth Sense” and “The Blair Witch Project”, 1999 was a year of iconic plot twists and turns. High school comedies like “American Pie,” “She’s All That” and “10 Things I Hate About You” entertained teens across the country and around the world. Box office giants like “The Mummy,” “The Matrix” and “Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace” grossed hundreds of millions of dollars and stayed in theaters for months on end.
Big directors and shining stars took bigger swings with “Magnolia,” “Eyes Wide Shut” and “Bringing Out the Dead,” and cult classics like “But I’m A Cheerleader,” “Cruel Intentions” and “Drop Dead Gorgeous” continue to live on among new generations. What’s really amazing is that — even after listing all of those iconic movies — there are still dozens of unique selections from 1999 left to watch — and here are some of my personal favorites.
“The Talented Mr. Ripley,” directed by Anthony Minghella
Based on a Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name, “The Talented Mr. Ripley” features one of the best — and most beautiful — casts of the ‘90s: Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett and Philip Seymour Hoffman, along with an impressive list of supporting players.
Set in sunny Southern Italy, and including impeccable costuming from Ann Roth as well as gorgeous cinematography by John Seale, the film is a sumptuous feast for the senses — but it’s not all style and no substance.
As the titular Mr. Ripley, Damon delivers a career-best performance: suave and cunning, yet desperate and insecure. He gets under your skin while simultaneously holding the viewer at an arm’s distance. Hoffman, although only present in about four scenes, is singular and unforgettable, per usual.
I’d recommend “The Talented Mr. Ripley” to anyone who felt let down by the “Saltburn” phenomenon and is still looking for the immaculate aesthetics, homoerotic obsessions and pathological lies that Emerald Fennell’s film did not deliver as promised.
“Election,” directed by Alexander Payne
Before Elle Woods, there was Tracy Flick — meaner and more conniving, but still hopelessly eager and played by a young Reese Witherspoon. Alexander Payne’s indie satire may not have been a financial success, but its dry, observational humor remains as sharp as ever in 2024.
There’s a similarly committed performance from Matthew Broderick as Jim McAllister. Ferris Bueller’s all grown up — and he’s now a depressed high school teacher in Omaha, Nebraska.
The screenplay, which follows Tracy’s desperate bid for election as high school class president and Mr. McAllister’s even more desperate attempt to prevent her from winning, skewers modern politics and the electoral process with ease and wit.
I’m not sure if this is the right recommendation for an election year, but if you’re feeling more than a tad cynical, it might be the perfect choice.
“The Virgin Suicides,” directed by Sofia Coppola
A quarter of a century after her debut feature, Sofia Coppola’s directorial style has become one of the signatures of its time. The limited dialogue, intricate production design, a focus on isolated female characters — all hallmarks that were first codified in “The Virgin Suicides.”
Coppola captures the plight of a lonely and confined girlhood with each meticulously crafted shot in a way that no other filmmaker has been able to accomplish.
The soundtrack is also one of the best of this year, including the best of ‘70s rock and folk, ranging from Heart’s “Crazy On You” to “Hello It’s Me” by Todd Rundgren. The score — from French electronic band Air — is a synthy, dream-pop masterpiece in its own right.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Lisbon sisters’ mysterious existences, Jeffrey Eugenides’ 1993 debut novel is similarly excellent.
“Notting Hill,” directed by Roger Michell
It feels only fitting to finish off this list of 1999 movies with an iconic hit, one that was number 6 at the worldwide box office at the end of the year, grossing over $360 million.
Starring arguably the biggest female star of the 1990s, Julia Roberts, and floppy-haired rom-com darling Hugh Grant, “Notting Hill” has become a classic of the genre.
In a decade that defined the romantic comedy with “Pretty Woman,” “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve Got Mail,” “Notting Hill” still remains my favorite of the ‘90s.
It’s almost impossible to go wrong with the combination of screenwriter Richard Curtis’ signature warm but droll British wit and some serious movie star power at its peak. Throw in the charmingly unrealistic setting of a travel bookshop, a socially-inept Scottish roommate named Spike and a lovably idiosyncratic supporting friend group, and you have all of the ingredients for the perfect rom-com.
Hey, I’m just a girl, sitting in front of a computer screen, telling you to watch “Notting Hill” as soon as possible…
