Phantasmagoria: My Favorite Films From 1999

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A quarter of a century has already passed since the last millennium ended. I recall, I was a mere adolescent, naive and inexperienced, and was beginning to see the world in the eyes of an adult. This slow and gradual discovery of a previously unknown world was guided by the frequent trips to the cinema. To me, there was nothing more entertaining yet pseudo-experiential than watching a film within the the four corners of a movie house.

1999 was the very last of an entire millennium but it wasn't just the number that makes it special. Week after week, we saw fantastic movies that opened our eyes to the reality, giving us several epiphanies in engrossing, entertaining, and sometimes, astounding manner.

If there was something that makes me reminisce 1999 with a smile, it was certainly the phantasmagorical movies of that year. All stacked up, one after another, these masterpieces show that producers and directors were especially creative, inventive, and imaginative during those times. And so, to mark its silver anniversary, I decided to create a separate blog entry for all my favorite films from 1999...


Office Space (February 19)

The mundane life of an employee can be surprisingly funny too.
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
Imdb: 7.6 


The Matrix (March 24)

Engrossing all throughout. Best cinema experience ever.
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Imdb: 8.7


Election (April 23)

A rigid, super-serious over-achiever is unexpectedly hilarious.
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Imdb: 7.2


The Mummy (May 7)

History, action, and suspense all rolled into one. A rare find.
Rotten Tomatoes: 62%
Imdb: 7.1


Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (May 16)

While a disappointment to original fans, this film was fantastic to young children.
Rotten Tomatoes: 52%
Imdb: 6.5


Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (June 11)

A satisfyingly funny movie about time-traveling.
Rotten Tomatoes: 53%
Imdb: 6.7


Tarzan (June 12)

Most colourful, most suspenseful of all Disney Renaissance movies.
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Imdb: 7.3


American Pie (July 9)

An iconic teen movie that defined pop culture in the late '90s.
Rotten Tomatoes: 62%
Imdb: 7


My Neighbors, the Yamadas (July 17)

Funniest Studio Ghibli movie ever.
Rotten Tomatoes: 78%
Imdb: 7.1


The Iron Giant (July 31)

Just as when you thought the movie had ended, a delightful twist unexpectedly comes up.
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Imdb: 8.1


Dick (August 4)

Two young and innocent ladies had a huge crush on the American President.
Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
Imdb: 6.2


Being John Malkovich (September 2)

Lots of originality, lots of creativity. Incomparable to other movies.
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Imdb: 7.7


American Beauty (September 8)

Mid-life crisis presented in a masterpiece.
September 8
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Imdb: 8.3


Fight Club (September 10)

Nobody is allowed to talk about the movie's shocking twist towards the end.
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
Imdb: 8.8


The Green Mile (December 10)

Fantasy film set in a death row prison.
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Imdb: 8.7


Fantasia 2000 (December 17)

A spell-binding series of vignettes.
Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
Imdb: 7.1


Galaxy Quest (December 25)

Actors, not astronauts, forced by clueless aliens to man a space ship.
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Imdb: 7.4


There you go. As you can see, several superlatives were used in this article. No exaggerations, however. These movies were simply that amazing. Some even believe that 1999 is the best year for movies ever.

As for me and my honest opinion, I've already considered 1999 as a sort of trademark. Once I find out a movie was released that year, I would definitely check it out.


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