I would like to hear a discussion of Bringing out the Dead so I have more of an excuse to revisit the film. I have only seen it once and probably didn't fully appreciate it.
Eric - 5 years ago
The Insider. It's my favorite movie of 99 and arguably my initial impetus in becoming a journalist as an adult. More relevantly, it's a movie I've heard almost nothing about in the history of the show. Casual mentions, but little else. Please no Malkovich or Three Kings. Not because I dislike those movies but because I feel like we know how (at least, in Adam's case) how they are received on the show. Regardless, good flicks to choose from, all.
When I heard that Filmspotting would be doing 9 for 99, I was giddy. I knew that I would get to hear reviews of some of my favorite films including Magnolia, Fight Club and Three Kings. Yet here we are with arguably the best contemporary war movie falling dead last (at the moment) in a poll to be included. This can't be. Let me make a case:
1) Three Kings could lead to a few great Top Fives, including Top Five Modern War Scenes and Top Five Clooney Performances.
2) Because of Spike Jonze, you can actually talk about both Three Kings and Being John Malkovich, just the sort of two for one cheat that Adam loves.
3) If Three Kings makes it, I'll start a petition among Filmspotting Nation to refer to Josh, Adam and Sam as the Three Kings from now on.
4) Three Kings is a really good movie with so many angles to discuss stemming from the the performances, editing, cinematography and genre disruption.
So come on, Three Kings. Make it happen.
Rachel Wiseman - 5 years ago
I voted for Election because I think that it is the most important film on this list. Not because it is necessarily the best or the heaviest, but because it invented the genre of the 'smart chick flick.' So many films such as Legally Blonde, Easy A, and Lady Bird draw from Election by creating central female characters that are witty, dynamic, not always likable, and have more intricate problems to overcome besides a male love interest. While Election may appear to be a typical teen flick, it is much more than that. So, I would love to hear you guys talk about it!!
Dylan Dam (pronounced Dahm) - Lincoln, NE - 5 years ago
I voted for Being John Malkovich, not only because it is a truly great and amazingly original film, but also because, I am ashamed to say, it is the only one of the 6 that I have seen. As a Nebraskan and someone interested in politics, I've been meaning to catch up with my fellow countryman Alexander Payne's "Election" for quite some time. And "The Insider" is one of my bigger blind spots as well. All of this is to say, I don't think we can go wrong with any of these choices.
Zac Chavez - 5 years ago
Shortly after the 2016 presidential election, I was browsing the movie options on a cross-country flight and settled on Election, thinking it would be a fun, easy plane watch. Oh god, I was wrong. I had last seen Alexander Payne's quirky story of the downfalls of a plucky high school student and her popular teacher over a decade prior. Upon rewatch, this gut-wrenching exploration of democracy, political nihilism, and men's fear of losing control of their worlds to women struck a very different chord. The movie is just as funny as when it was first released, but the recent turn in American politics revealed to me how essential its unflinching truths about gender politics are, though this may have been obvious to others at the time.
SPOILER: Although Jim's attempts to ruin Tracey's political career are thwarted, the movie's dark message is communicated in the epilogue, when the lesson Jim has learned is to be suspicious of any young girl with ambition and to deny her the same opportunities provided to her male peers. This movie definitely warrants a conversation 20 years later.
(I initially left this comment on the wrong poll thread.)
Out of everything here, Bringing Out the Dead seems to be the film that is least discussed. That's a shame, because it really deserves more attention. After that I'd say go with The Insider, and maybe get the #TwoFriends from Blank Check on as guests.
Neal C - 5 years ago
Echoing what Nathan said above. Being John Malkovich gets plenty of film geek attention because of Jonze and its bizarre script, but Ripley is the real outlier here, the kind of prestige thriller that was a rarity back in 1999 and is still rare today. Minghella is such a gifted writer, his adaptation of the abstract The English Patient is still the most impressive page-to-screen script I've ever read, and he does a superlative job here as well. Aside from the pedigree of the cast (Law, Paltrow, and Damon doing career-best work, and solid turns from Hoffman, Blanchett, Rebhorn, etc.), Walter Murch editing should be all one needs to hear to want to dive deeper into this--a certified genius. I've listened to the DVD commentary, watched the behind the scenes material, and there are so many thoughtful artists involved behind the scenes; I find it fascinating that Gabriel Yared's score and the source music are used as a point/counterpoint between Dickie and Tom's characters, the former preferring jazz and the latter classical, until Ripley finds himself improvising on numerous occasions to get out of the net closing in around him, which connects him back to the freedom of jazz. Beyond that, there's some truly jaw-dropping imagery not just in the beauty of the photography but in Minghella's arty compositions, particularly the overhead shot of the boat post-murder, the two nuns descending the Spanish Steps at dusk, and that final shot with the swaying mirror that is just stunning in what in manages to convey thematically.
Really hope you guys pull an audible here instead of letting democracy rule, or give us some kind of bonus segment on a film that really rewards repeat viewings and discussion.
Nathan G. - Buena Vista, CO - 5 years ago
As soon as I heard there would be a poll for this I knew Being John Malkovich would top it. It's too on brand for FS Nation not to choose that. But we all know that this show is not actually a democracy - it's an oligarchy. So I plead that you - Josh, Adam, and Sam - ignore the results of this poll and go with my vote - The Talented Mr. Ripley. Most everyone agrees that Malkovich is an impressive film, but Ripley, I feel, has been unfairly overlooked in terms of the great films of this year. As an adaptation, it's efficient, but it spares no expense with the production quality or the time spent making those performances. Please consider going rogue.
Chris Massa - Pittsburgh, PA - 5 years ago
Of course Being John Malkovich is winning. It's a great movie, no doubt, but we all know how good it is. I'd rather hear a review about something that isn't quite so widely discussed, preferably either Bringing Out the Dead — an overlooked Scorsese masterpiece — or Three Kings.
Three Kings gets my vote. Not only is it the best war movie of the '90s — yes, I rank it higher than both Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line — but it's a brilliantly original film in its own right. From the distorted colors and whip-smart script to the careful balance between humor and sudden violence, there's nothing else quite like it. It would also give you the opportunity to talk about David O. Russell.
Brendan Fitzpatrick - 5 years ago
Voting for Ripley, because it's the one I most want to watch again for the Podcast, as a listener. I haven't watched it since the summer it came out, the summer before my first year of College. I feel like I would look at it completely differently 20 years later, and the idea of it excites me.
This is tougher than an Filmspotting Madness vote! They're all so good and worth discussing. Nonetheless, I'm voting for "Election," because like "Fight Club's" almost quaint views on late-90s, pre-online shopping consumerism, I'm curious about how Alexander Payne's small-town satire reflects on us in a post-social media world.
Eddie McKenzie - 5 years ago
So many great films but I'm afraid I have to go with The Insider. A flawless film from beginning to end that focuses its first half on a man who continues to stick his neck out, even as the blade of corporate interest beckons to behead him, while the second half explores what it takes to keep your word intact in a world where conviction is the first casualty in Michael Mann's masterful account of the modern age putting the loyalty of man through the ultimate test.
Zach in Chicago - 5 years ago
I've never seen Bringing Out the Dead and I know Roger Ebert gave it a 4-star rating and it would be the review I'd get the most out of. I also think it would be the most in the spirit of this examination of '99. Do we really need another review to tell us how good Being John Malkovich is?
Tom Morris - 5 years ago
Bringing Out the Dead is a dark masterpiece! Talent Mr Ripley SUCKS!!! Terrible performance by Damon and only Jude Law makes the movie watchable.
I would like to hear a discussion of Bringing out the Dead so I have more of an excuse to revisit the film. I have only seen it once and probably didn't fully appreciate it.
The Insider. It's my favorite movie of 99 and arguably my initial impetus in becoming a journalist as an adult. More relevantly, it's a movie I've heard almost nothing about in the history of the show. Casual mentions, but little else. Please no Malkovich or Three Kings. Not because I dislike those movies but because I feel like we know how (at least, in Adam's case) how they are received on the show. Regardless, good flicks to choose from, all.
When I heard that Filmspotting would be doing 9 for 99, I was giddy. I knew that I would get to hear reviews of some of my favorite films including Magnolia, Fight Club and Three Kings. Yet here we are with arguably the best contemporary war movie falling dead last (at the moment) in a poll to be included. This can't be. Let me make a case:
1) Three Kings could lead to a few great Top Fives, including Top Five Modern War Scenes and Top Five Clooney Performances.
2) Because of Spike Jonze, you can actually talk about both Three Kings and Being John Malkovich, just the sort of two for one cheat that Adam loves.
3) If Three Kings makes it, I'll start a petition among Filmspotting Nation to refer to Josh, Adam and Sam as the Three Kings from now on.
4) Three Kings is a really good movie with so many angles to discuss stemming from the the performances, editing, cinematography and genre disruption.
So come on, Three Kings. Make it happen.
I voted for Election because I think that it is the most important film on this list. Not because it is necessarily the best or the heaviest, but because it invented the genre of the 'smart chick flick.' So many films such as Legally Blonde, Easy A, and Lady Bird draw from Election by creating central female characters that are witty, dynamic, not always likable, and have more intricate problems to overcome besides a male love interest. While Election may appear to be a typical teen flick, it is much more than that. So, I would love to hear you guys talk about it!!
I voted for Being John Malkovich, not only because it is a truly great and amazingly original film, but also because, I am ashamed to say, it is the only one of the 6 that I have seen. As a Nebraskan and someone interested in politics, I've been meaning to catch up with my fellow countryman Alexander Payne's "Election" for quite some time. And "The Insider" is one of my bigger blind spots as well. All of this is to say, I don't think we can go wrong with any of these choices.
Shortly after the 2016 presidential election, I was browsing the movie options on a cross-country flight and settled on Election, thinking it would be a fun, easy plane watch. Oh god, I was wrong. I had last seen Alexander Payne's quirky story of the downfalls of a plucky high school student and her popular teacher over a decade prior. Upon rewatch, this gut-wrenching exploration of democracy, political nihilism, and men's fear of losing control of their worlds to women struck a very different chord. The movie is just as funny as when it was first released, but the recent turn in American politics revealed to me how essential its unflinching truths about gender politics are, though this may have been obvious to others at the time.
SPOILER: Although Jim's attempts to ruin Tracey's political career are thwarted, the movie's dark message is communicated in the epilogue, when the lesson Jim has learned is to be suspicious of any young girl with ambition and to deny her the same opportunities provided to her male peers. This movie definitely warrants a conversation 20 years later.
(I initially left this comment on the wrong poll thread.)
Out of everything here, Bringing Out the Dead seems to be the film that is least discussed. That's a shame, because it really deserves more attention. After that I'd say go with The Insider, and maybe get the #TwoFriends from Blank Check on as guests.
Echoing what Nathan said above. Being John Malkovich gets plenty of film geek attention because of Jonze and its bizarre script, but Ripley is the real outlier here, the kind of prestige thriller that was a rarity back in 1999 and is still rare today. Minghella is such a gifted writer, his adaptation of the abstract The English Patient is still the most impressive page-to-screen script I've ever read, and he does a superlative job here as well. Aside from the pedigree of the cast (Law, Paltrow, and Damon doing career-best work, and solid turns from Hoffman, Blanchett, Rebhorn, etc.), Walter Murch editing should be all one needs to hear to want to dive deeper into this--a certified genius. I've listened to the DVD commentary, watched the behind the scenes material, and there are so many thoughtful artists involved behind the scenes; I find it fascinating that Gabriel Yared's score and the source music are used as a point/counterpoint between Dickie and Tom's characters, the former preferring jazz and the latter classical, until Ripley finds himself improvising on numerous occasions to get out of the net closing in around him, which connects him back to the freedom of jazz. Beyond that, there's some truly jaw-dropping imagery not just in the beauty of the photography but in Minghella's arty compositions, particularly the overhead shot of the boat post-murder, the two nuns descending the Spanish Steps at dusk, and that final shot with the swaying mirror that is just stunning in what in manages to convey thematically.
Really hope you guys pull an audible here instead of letting democracy rule, or give us some kind of bonus segment on a film that really rewards repeat viewings and discussion.
As soon as I heard there would be a poll for this I knew Being John Malkovich would top it. It's too on brand for FS Nation not to choose that. But we all know that this show is not actually a democracy - it's an oligarchy. So I plead that you - Josh, Adam, and Sam - ignore the results of this poll and go with my vote - The Talented Mr. Ripley. Most everyone agrees that Malkovich is an impressive film, but Ripley, I feel, has been unfairly overlooked in terms of the great films of this year. As an adaptation, it's efficient, but it spares no expense with the production quality or the time spent making those performances. Please consider going rogue.
Of course Being John Malkovich is winning. It's a great movie, no doubt, but we all know how good it is. I'd rather hear a review about something that isn't quite so widely discussed, preferably either Bringing Out the Dead — an overlooked Scorsese masterpiece — or Three Kings.
Three Kings gets my vote. Not only is it the best war movie of the '90s — yes, I rank it higher than both Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line — but it's a brilliantly original film in its own right. From the distorted colors and whip-smart script to the careful balance between humor and sudden violence, there's nothing else quite like it. It would also give you the opportunity to talk about David O. Russell.
Voting for Ripley, because it's the one I most want to watch again for the Podcast, as a listener. I haven't watched it since the summer it came out, the summer before my first year of College. I feel like I would look at it completely differently 20 years later, and the idea of it excites me.
This is tougher than an Filmspotting Madness vote! They're all so good and worth discussing. Nonetheless, I'm voting for "Election," because like "Fight Club's" almost quaint views on late-90s, pre-online shopping consumerism, I'm curious about how Alexander Payne's small-town satire reflects on us in a post-social media world.
So many great films but I'm afraid I have to go with The Insider. A flawless film from beginning to end that focuses its first half on a man who continues to stick his neck out, even as the blade of corporate interest beckons to behead him, while the second half explores what it takes to keep your word intact in a world where conviction is the first casualty in Michael Mann's masterful account of the modern age putting the loyalty of man through the ultimate test.
I've never seen Bringing Out the Dead and I know Roger Ebert gave it a 4-star rating and it would be the review I'd get the most out of. I also think it would be the most in the spirit of this examination of '99. Do we really need another review to tell us how good Being John Malkovich is?
Bringing Out the Dead is a dark masterpiece! Talent Mr Ripley SUCKS!!! Terrible performance by Damon and only Jude Law makes the movie watchable.