In 1999, viewers were introduced to movies like, The Matrix, Deep Blue Sea, Fight Club, American Beauty, Toy Story II, The Sixth Sense, and The Green Mile. Some became hits, and some did not. Among the winning hits on my favorites list are:
- THE MATRIX (1999) starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and more.
Thomas Anderson (Reeves) apparently lead a double life. He works as a computer programmer for a major software corporation. But in privacy, he is actually, Neo, the hacker. While trying to find meaning to his meaningless life, Neo is contacted by a mysterious computer presence only known as Morpheus (Fishburne). A printout appears on his monitor screen which reads, “Wake up Neo. The Matrix has you. Follow the white rabbit.”
Morpheus is the captain of a small spaceship and believes that Neo is the chosen one. The two finally meet and Morpheus explains to Neo that all is not as it seems. He tells Neo that his world is a fabrication of a sinister race of intelligent machines that use human beings as power supplies to be discarded at will. Of course, Neo is not buying into this, so Morpheus decides Neo needs a little more convincing.
Neo soon learns how to manipulate the Matrix, but danger is ahead for Morpheus and his followers. The machines are out to eliminate free humans and their most powerful weapons. A group of “Men in Black” like characters, called Sentient Agents, are closing in on the Matrix. The leader is Agent Smith (Hugo Weaver). The machines want to capture Morpheus to pry secrets from his brain. The rest becomes amazing Matrix special effects and adventure.
- DEEP BLUE SEA (1999) I like the way Deep Blue Sea is constructed. It begins slow and takes off into non-stop action.
A small group of Marine Biologists and other scientists are on the Aquatica, a deep sea research laboratory. They are experimenting on three genetically altered Mako sharks that are bigger than the typical shark, obviously smarter, faster, and deadlier. Dr. Susan McAlester (Saffron Burrows) and Jim Whitlock (Stellan Starsgard), is out to prove that a protein found in the shark’s brains can cure Alzheimer’s Disease.
Enters Russell Franklin (Samuel L. Jackson), who is willing to fund the project, if the scientists can prove their theory. Once aboard the Aquatica, everything that could possibly go wrong does. After a victorious breakthrough, proving that the protein can cure Alzheimer’s, the scientists are in awe and excited at their newfound discovery, when suddenly, a shark launches out of the water and bites an arm off Whitlock. While all of this is going on, Dudley (LL Cool J), a preacher/cook, is beginning to feel that something is not right. The sharks suddenly turn against the very humans who created them.
Now the Scientists, McAlester, Franklin, Carter Blake (shark handler), played by Thomas Jane, engineer Tom Scoggins, scientist Janet Winters, and Dudley, are trapped below the surface fighting these man-made, man-eating sharks, while struggling against rising water levels.
- THE CIDER HOUSE RULES (1999) It is the mid 1940s. Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire) cannot join the military because of a bad heart condition. Wells, under the care of Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine), has spent all of his life at an orphanage in St. Clouds, Maine. Dr. Larch has also imparted a lot of valuable medical knowledge to Wells, so by the time he reached adulthood, Wells is as good, if not a better doctor than Larch. Only thing is he does not have a degree to prove it. However, while Larch will illegally perform abortions, Wells will not.
Life soon changes for Wells when Wally Worthington (Paul Rudd) an Air force officer, and his girlfriend Candy Kendall (Charlize Theron) enters town. Kendall checks into the orphanage to have an abortion, afterwards Worthington and Kendall are ready to leave the town of St. Clouds, Maine, and they aren’t the only ones wanting to leave, Wells is also looking for a way out, and by chance, he hitches a ride with the couple out of St. Clouds. It soon becomes pretty obvious that Kendall and Wells are falling in love with each other, while Worthington is away on a mission against Japan. This movie is solid and very pleasurable to watch, and there are no regrets afterwards.
- MAGNOLIA (1999) This movie focuses on the twisted lives of a group of oddball characters. In order to better understand this lengthy movie, one must identify with the characters of the movie. Once you understand who they are, and their purpose in the movie, you understand the movie.
Earl Partridge (Jason Robards), is stricken with terminal cancer. He is the television producer of the popular “What Do Kids Know?” long running TV show. Earl is, in a sense, not only afflicted physically with cancer, but spiritually as well.
Linda Partridge (Julianne Moore) is like a walking, suicidal time bomb, she is so not ready to deal with her impending loss, the approaching death of her husband Earl.
Frank Mackey (Tom Cruise) wants nothing to do with his father, Earl. Frank seems to hide behind a mask of his own skeletal image, with no love to give to no one, including himself.
Phil Parma (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is Earl’s nurse. He will do everything within his power to reunite Earl and Frank.
Jimmy Gator (Philip Baker Hall) also has terminal cancer, and he is the host of Earl’s popular TV show, “What Do Kids Know?” He is trying desperately to reconcile with his daughter Claudia (Melora Walters).
Jim Kurring (John C. Reilly) a police officer, becomes the love interest of Claudia, and later tries to explain to his wife, Rose (Melinda Dillon), why Claudia hates him so much.
Stanley Spector (Jeremy Blackman) is a child genius and has been booked on Jimmy’s show. He feels that if he wins enough money, he can also win his father’s attention.
Donnie Smith (William H. Macy), is a former quiz show star who feels that with every right answer Stanley gives, his quiz show stardom life is over.
Together, the compilation of these characters make the movie more interesting. The movie is also set across three different time periods. There is the hanging of three criminals in 1911. In 1958, a man tries to commit suicide, and then there is the death of a man in a fire fighting operation in 1980. In order to appreciate the ending of this movie, one must appreciate the movie.
- THE WAR ZONE (1999) A shocking, very graphic depiction of incest. It is paralyzing to the average viewer. You want to get up and run away from it all, but there is a numbing paralysis to remain seated throughout the entire movie.
A family of four has just moved from London to a rural countryside in Devon. Tom (Freddie Cunliffe) is not happy at all with the move. Jessie (Lara Belmont), Tom’s sister, is thrilled to be living in the countryside, as is his parents (played by Tilda Swanton and Ray Winstone). His mother is about to give birth to her third child. Soon after the birth of the baby, Tom sees his father and sister in a sexual situation. He confronts his sister, she denies the whole thing, but that doesn’t stop Tom. Now more curious than ever, he sets out to uncover the truth.
Roth leaves much to the imagination of the viewer. You know that the father is guilty of his sins with his daughter, but you ponder the question, “Does the mother know, and if so, how much does she know?” Viewers watch as Tom’s horror and anger increases as he discovers the truth surrounding his sister and father’s relationship. This movie depicts the horrors of incest and is very difficult to view.