20. The Truman Show (1998)
Directed by Peter Weir
Starring Jim Carrey, Ed Harris, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, and Holland Taylor
Jay: Life as media entertainment? Life as social experiment? Life as . . . . controlled destiny? There's so much more going on in Peter Weir's The Truman Show than just a movie about a guy who's life is broadcast on television. Andrew Niccol's (Gattaca) smart and witty script follows the exploits of Turman Burbank (Jim Carrey in one of his better roles), a run-of-the-mill insurance salesman who begins to discover that his entire life is a fraud. He is actually the star of a massive 24-hour-a-day reality TV show watched by millions around the world. Confined to a small island town since he was born, and raised to have a pathological fear of the water, Truman begins to realize that everyone and everything in his life had been fabricated mostly by the producer of his show, Christof (Ed Harris). One cannot escape the "Christ" metaphor thrown in there. The Truman Show is mostly about the nature of free will as one man rebels against the design his "creator" has fashioned for him. It is one of the most clever comedies of the 90's.
Matt: Before reality TV truly, completely took over primetime television, there was this imaginary tale of "life as art" from writer Andrew Niccol (Gattaca, Lord of War, In Time). At the time, Niccol only had Gattaca under his belt, but he wrote one of the best social commentaries on the obsession of reality TV, churning out a story that touches on Christianity and existentialism. In the film, Truman has to overcome his fear of water/drowning just so he may find the love of his life and escape the false world that has been produced for others’ entertainment. With a “what-does-it-all-mean?”-type of feel, Truman (Jim Carrey) gets the chance to do what most others don’t get to do – he gets to confront his “creator,” Christof (Ed Harris); that’s right a play on the name “Christ” as well as the fact that Christof’s booming voice comes from the sun-lined clouds. Harris’ speech – set to a wonderful score by Philip Glass – of why Truman was “created” and how he has unknowingly touched the lives of so many others can be applied to any religion and directly to life itself. What exactly is Truman escaping to? Heaven? Suicide? Or is he just giving up the obsession that has sadly taken over this country -- reality TV? Ultimately, it’s up to the viewer to decide. That is part of the beauty of the ending. He can go wherever he wants.
19. Schindler's List (1993)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Starring Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, and Embeth Davidtz
Jay: No film, for me, captures the horror of the Holocaust like Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List. One of the aspects of the film that makes it so effective is that the audience witnesses the atrocity of it all through the eyes of a deeply flawed man who cannot turn away from what he sees. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson in his greatest performance) is a greedy man. At first he sees the Jews who work in his factory as simply a means to expand his wealth. He proudly wears a Nazi pin on his lapel and parties and cohorts with high-ranking officials in German military. Despite these behaviors, Schindler is ultimately a good man who sacrifices nearly everything to save the people who work for him and their families from the terrible atrocities that millions of others did not. Spielberg smartly filmed this picture in black and white, a decision which contributes to the stark subject matter. Ralph Fiennes is disturbingly evil as the Nazi commander of a work camp whom Schindler has to manipulate in order to free the Jews on his list. This is important filmmaking from one of the greatest popular directors of all time.
Matt: Anyone who knows me, knows I love Liam Neeson. He kicks ass -- figuratively and literally -- in pretty much every movie he's in. And Schindler's List is no different! Director Steven Spielberg's unshakeable, moving tribute to the victims of the Holocaust is a piece of cinema unmatched by any other. The black-and-white photography presents an intimate look into one of history's dark periods, with touches of color making the film a moving piece of art. Spielberg has always been a paramount director but this may well be one of the best, most important films he's ever made! Like with Saving Private Ryan, he pulls no punches with the imagery and story, making this a film that is both difficult to watch and essential to watch. This film also stands as proof that before Voldemort, Ralph Fiennes could easily stretch his "evil" any which way! I think Jay pointed out all of the highlights of the film, but I would be remiss if I did not mention my own statement that this film should be viewed by every U.S. citizen at least once in their lifetime.
18. Fight Club (1999)
Directed by David Fincher
Starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter and Meat Loaf
Jay: David Fincher followed up his breakout success, Seven, with this pulse-pounding adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's cult novel, Fight Club. The story follows an unnamed office worker (Edward Norton) who suffers from insomnia who befriends a enigmatic soap maker named Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), and together they start an underground fight tournament. Average, everyday men, unhappy with their mundane existences can participate, beating each other to a bloody pulp, and tapping into something that's missing in their modern-day inane lives. To be sure, Fight Club, has a lot to say about the present day man and their disconnection with something primal that make them feel alive. By the end, though, it morphs into more a commentary of anarchy and for me, the ending falls into a stereotypical climactic battle for the damsel in distress. I think its a great film, but I would not have had it on this list. I think Fincher made several other movies which are better (Seven, The Social Network, and Zodiac), and though my opinion may be unpopular because I know a lot of guys who consider watching Fight Club a religious experience, I merely think it is a very good film with a few flaws that are tough to ignore.
Matt: The film that made novelist Chuck Palahniuk a household name was also one of director David Fincher's breakout films (although, there was the masterful Seven)! The film is an anarchistic-to-the-point-of-nihilistic story of an unnamed man (Norton) who lives a mundane life ... until he meets soap maker and salesman Tyler Durden (Pitt) on a flight home from a business trip. The story helps capture the existential dilemma of materialism and individualism as told through the man's journey of feeling alive only when he is literally being beaten up. I agree with Jay that this film is not the "religious experience" some make it out to be; but the cinematography, acting, and writing are all really well done.
17. True Romance (1993)
Directed by Tony Scott
Starring Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken, Michael Rapaport, Dennis Hopper, Bronson Pinchot, and Saul Rubinek
Jay: Directed by the late Tony Scott from a script by then virtually unknown Quentin Tarantino, True Romance may be the most violent love story ever captured on film. It's the dialogue that makes it so great, though. Littered with the typical Tarantino flair, True Romance is as much about the conversations that take place between characters as it is about the violent scenes that it has come to be known for. Christian Slater stars Clarence Worley, an impulsive clerk at a comic book store, who falls for a hooker named Alabama, played by Patricia Arquette. When her pimp (Gary Oldman) threatens to retaliate, Clarence kills him and steals his large stash of cocaine. Together they take off for Los Angeles to attempt to sell the drugs to a Hollywood producer, while the mob tries to hunt them down to reclaim the coke. There are tons of great cameo performances in this movie, including probably the most famous scene which involves Dennis Hopper, playing Clarence's father, who is being interrogated by a gangster played by Christopher Walken. Its an electric scene that is often referenced whenever this movie is brought up. True Romance is an electric fun ride. With a smart script, and a stellar cast, Tony Scott made probably his best movie.
Matt: Many may not know that this film was originally penned by famed director Quentin Tarantino, sold before he released Reservoir Dogs, when he was unknown in the business. But, after finding out this fact and re-watching the film, it's easy to see the film has his trademark stamp on it! As I stated earlier in this list, Terrence Malick's Badlands is one of my favorite movies of all time and it's easy to see that director Tony Scott had that film in mind when he shot this. Composer Hans Zimmer's score is somewhat of a duplicate of (or homage to) Badlands composer George Tipton's score. Also, the theme of a criminal couple has been around since Bonnie and Clyde, but was also the main plot of Badlands (the film based on the real-life murder spree of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate). True Romance is a romance movie as Tarantino could only do it -- mobsters, sleazy movie producers, lowlifes, stoners, and more characters that are unforgettable. Of course, in the original Tarantino script, the story ends completely different, and there are many fans and critics out there who each have their opinion as to which ending they like the best. But what is probably one of the best scenes in movie history has to be the legendary interrogation of Clarence's father (Hopper) by a mobster (Walken) searching for Clarence. With the exception of maybe one eye-roll worthy line (you'll know it when you see it) uttered by Patricia Arquette, the film is pretty much one of the coolest films out there!
16. Toy Story 2 (1999)
Directed by John Lasseter, Ash Brannon, and Lee Unkrich
Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, John Ratzenberger, Wayne Knight, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, and Annie Potts
Jay: The Toy Story trilogy will stand the test of time of probably the greatest animated series of all time. All three films are nearly flawless in their execution and filled with emotional gravity and brilliant humor. My personal favorite is Toy Story 2. When Woody (Tom Hanks) is kidnapped by a greedy toy store owner (Wayne Knight) to be sold to a foreign collector the gang must go on a quest to save him. While in captivity, Woody learns about where he came from and meets a group of toys from the same classic TV show of which he was once the star. One of these toys, Jessie (Joan Cusack), has a sad tale to tell about being abandoned by the little girl best friend who once owner her. Woody begins to realize that his time with Andy will one day be over and wrestles with tough decisions on whether to go back to the boy who may one day forget him, or join Jessie, his loyal horse Bullseye, and the Prospector (Kelsey Grammer) on their trip to the toy museum. It is one of the greatest animated pictures of all time -- a rare sequel that improves over the original, and arguably Pixar's greatest moment.
Matt: Jay says this is his favorite Toy Story in the series, and while it was definitely better than the first, I have to say the third was my favorite. Nevertheless, Toy Story 2 stands out in the '90s as one of the best animated films made during that era! Most may look upon these films and think they are merely some kids cartoon movie. But they would be drastically wrong! I like to view the films' plotlines as running parallel between Woody's story and Andy's story. In the first film, Andy is dealing with growing accustomed to having a little sister who may steal away his mother's affections from him, and Woody must deal with the threat of a new toy -- Buzz Lightyear (Allen) -- who might steal Andy's affections away from Woody; in this second film, Andy is getting ready to move to a new home and being somewhat displaced from his old life, and Woody must deal with possibly moving away from the family he has known all of his life; and in the third film, Andy is grown up and moving away to college, saying goodbye to his childhood, as Woody must grow up and realize he is no longer the friend of a child, thus saying goodbye to the only "childhood" he has known as well. I could go on about these instances, but I'll just say that the Toy Story films have more going on than a mere kids cartoon film. Plus, this film in particular teaches about the endearing bonds of friendship, loyalty, forgiveness, and, ultimately, love. Not bad for an animated film!
15. Election (1999)
Directed by Alexander Payne
Starring Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Broderick, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, and Molly Hagan
Starring Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Broderick, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, and Molly Hagan
Jay: Alexander Payne (About Schmidt, Sideways, Nebraska) broke through in 1999 with this dark social satire about a high school class president election gone wrong. Matthew Broderick starts as Jim McAllister, a high school teacher who becomes emotionally invested in spoiling the campaign for annoying, overachiever Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) when her secret affair with Jim's best friend and fellow teacher leads to the destruction of that friend's marriage and career. McAllister is a pathetic protagonist. We cringe at almost every poor decision he makes, but it's tough to not root for him when you witness Tracy's behavior and her self-centered determination to win the election. Chris Klein is also excellent as the popular and likable dim-witted jock, Paul Metzler; and Jessica Campbell is great as his lesbian sister, Tammy. Payne would go to direct some of independent films' most beloved comedies, but for me this was a high water mark for him.
Matt: Politics has never been so wonderfully captured as metaphor as with this film by Alexander Payne, based on the book by Tom Perrotta. Also, on a sidenote, anyone who watches the first pilot episode of FOX's Glee cannot help but scream "rip-off of Election" when viewing it; Glee's Rachel being very similar to Tracy Flick (Witherspoon) (they even wear the same style of clothes), and Finn Hudson resembling Paul Metzler (Klein) -- both jocks and not too bright. Anyways, the film's dark comedy delves into the private lives of Flick, Metzler, and their civics teacher, Mr. McAllister (Broderick as you've never seen him before)! The mudslinging comes to a climax when Flick needs to play dirty to get the win she wants, and Mr. McAllister's pathetic life starts falling apart due to the actions he'll take just to try and give Flick her "just desserts." I love Sideways and especially The Descendants (which I consider both more of a drama), but this is easily Payne's best comedy.
14. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, Chris Penn, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, and Lawrence Tierney
Jay: Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut is a sharply written take on the heist-gone-wrong theme. It didn't find mainstream success until after the runaway success of Pulp Fiction two years later when everyone rushed to catch his first movie on video. Taking place, for the most part, in an abandoned warehouse, Reservoir Dogs is the edgy and violent tale of a group of career criminals brought together to rob a diamond wholesaler without any knowledge of who each other really are. Instead, they are each given a color for a name. What's most clever about the movie is that we never get to see the actual heist go down. We only see its aftermath and flashbacks to before it happened. What the viewer does know is that someone in the group is probably secretly a cop. The fun of Reservoir Dogs is in the way Tarantino slowly gives you glimpses into each character's backstory and their motives. It introduced us to that snappy dialogue that the director/writer is so famous for. It was a true independent film success story that would pave the way for the renaissance of indie movies that exploded in the 90's.
Matt: This was the breakout hit that thrust writer/director Quentin Tarantino into superstardom! In his debut film, the story centers around the aftermath of a bank-heist-gone-wrong, showing through flashbacks the assembly and preparation of the rag-tag group of thieves -- all of their names concealed and given colors for names (i.e., Mr. White, Mr. Orange, Mr. Pink, etc.). With the heist turned bad, the surviving robbers must figure out which one of them is an undercover cop. There is not that much action (save a rather lively torture scene and a separate shoot-out scene), but don't count this film out as some boring prattle. The tension and dialogue are razor-sharp, leaving the viewer glued to the screen, waiting to see how it all unfolds. Like other filmmakers of the 1990s (Spike Lee, Kevin Smith, Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez, and Steven Soderbergh), Tarantino's film would come to represent an entire generation of new filmmakers and a new film movement. Besides the riveting acting, there is also a great soundtrack of 1970s forgotten classic songs, with the soundtrack marking one of the first in a trend of including movie dialogue from the film on the soundtrack -- much like a homemade mix tape.
13. Groundhog Day (1993)
Directed by Harold Ramis
Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Brian Doyle-Murray
Jay: The late, great Harold Ramis delivered his best, most accomplished movie in 1993 with Groundhog Day. One of the greatest comedies of all time, Bill Murray stars as Phil Connors, a big city weatherman who is sent to report on the annual Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney, PA. Phil is a narcissistic man, to say the least, treating everyone around him with disdain and rudeness. When he wakes up the next morning to find himself living the exact same day over again, confusion sets in. When that same day turns into ten, twenty and even into the hundreds, Phil reacts in many ways to his predicament. Some of these reactions lead to very funny moments and then some take us down a more serious and even darker roads. The cocky, self-absorbed weatherman is forced to examine his life and how he has lived it through the lens of a single day. Its a very effective way to view how each day, no matter how mundane, is important and how we treat people matters. The scenes I remember the most in the film involve Phil's attempt to save the life of a homeless man, who, no matter what Phil does, always dies every time he relives the day. He feeds him, takes him to the hospital, and tries other methods to turn the elderly man's health around, but the inevitability of death cannot be averted. It serves as a humbling lesson to a man who has always felt he is in control.
Matt: Who knew one of the most smallest box-office sales comedies would become such a major cultural hit!? When Harold Ramis' film hit theaters in 1993, it didn't perform too well at the box office; however, it came to gather a loyal following of fans and good reviews upon its home video release. The film takes a look into one day in the life of an arrogant, selfish TV news weatherman, Phil Connors (Murray), and his trip to the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, for February 2 -- Groundhog Day! What starts off as a simple assignment of covering the local celebration soon turns into an inescapable day for Connors as he lives the same day over and over again. The film had a simple premise but its spin on the It's a Wonderful Life plot device, mixed with the philosophical aspects of death, immortality, regret and consequences, made it a standout comedy film. Plus, the fact that many stories have taken the "repeat the day" plot device and reused it over and over (more recently with the movie adaptation of All You Need is Kill called Edge of Tomorrow) proves that the concept has proven its worth. But what ultimately makes this film so great is the performance by Bill Murray, who is a wonderful actor -- not just for comedy, but all around. He can take moments in film that call for subtle serious drama and inflection and make them shine. The film will also go down as one of the great legacies of comedic actor/director Harold Ramis. As Jay pointed out in his description, the lessons learned by Connors about life and death make this film more than just some screwball comedy -- it's a story about appreciating life and making the most of the moments we have.
12. Rushmore (1998)
Directed by Wes Anderson
Starring Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, Seymour Cassel, Brian Cox, Connie Nielsen, and Luke Wilson
Jay: If you know me, or have been reading me for any length of time, you would know that Wes Anderson is one of my favorite working directors. No other filmmaker today blends such a stylistic flourish combined with smart nuanced storytelling. His second movie, Rushmore, is my personal favorite and the first that really solidified Anderson's running themes that would dominate most of pictures. The search for community or family is one of these and Rushmore illustrates that with perfect clarity. Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) is one of cinema's great characters. A motherless boy, who hides his barber father (Seymour Cassel) from his friends and classmates, Max has made his life at Rushmore Academy the center of all his priorities. He leads or is a member of dozens of clubs and yet he is failing many of his classes. When he falls for one of the teachers at the school, Ms. Cross (Olivia Williams), a widow who takes a liking to Max, he makes it his life's purpose to make her love him as well, even if as it gets him expelled. Rushmore exploded with a style and pulse that was unique and dynamic. It combined many elements of the French New Wave cinema of the 1960's that Anderson is known to cite as major influences on his work. The soundtrack is phenomenal, using classic British rock tunes to great effect. Also, there is Bill Murray's supporting performance as Herman Blume, a lonely and depressed millionaire who Max befriends. Their battle for the heart of Ms. Cross is just one of the hilarious moments in a masterpiece of modern comedy.
Matt: Even though writer/director Wes Anderson had an underrated hit on his hands (with Bottle Rocket) before this film's release, Rushmore is the film that put him on the map! Re-teaming up with his Bottle Rocket co-writer actor Owen Wilson, Anderson focuses his story on Max Fischer (Schwartzman), an overachieving underachiever, who is the member of every extracurricular club at his academy, but is one of the worst students there. Anderson would cement his cinematography style with this film, making each scene play out like a piece of art, and the comedic timing of Schwartzman -- with a major assist from Murray -- makes this films easily one of the best comedies of the decade! It is when Max and his once-friend Herman Blume (Murray) both fall in love with the same woman, Rosemary Cross (Williams), that the comedy really starts to come out. The ways in which they "wage war" on each other is both hilarious and seriously messed up! Also, the addition of classic British rock songs -- a symbol of rebellion in the decades in which they were written and performed -- to the soundtrack cannot escape the allusion to Max's own rebellion of the system (Rushmore Academy) which he both loves and questions. Some people may not understand Anderson's humor, but you'll be missing out if you skip this film.
11. Leon: The Professional (1994)
Directed by Luc Besson
Starring Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, and Danny Aiello
Jay: A very different kind of love story, Leon (as it was originally called in France, but American distributors thought it needed a more catchy title), is a simple yet effective story of a lonely hitman (Jean Reno) who takes in an orphaned young girl named Matilda (Natalie Portman in her first role), when her family is gunned down by corrupt D.E.A. agents. Having lived a life of mostly solitude, free of connections, Leon is at first reluctant to welcome the precocious Matilda into his home. But he soon learns to care for her and despite his initial misgivings begins to train her how to kill. Her aim is to get revenge against the bad cops and their leader Norman Stansfield (Gary Oldman in his most villainous role). Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element) made this his first attempt at an English-language film and he nailed it on many levels. Leon effectively plays upon our emotions as it deviates from the typical action movie and becomes a movie about the need for love and "roots" in our lives. It was a surprisingly sweet tale that was also punctuated by scenes of gripping violence. The ending still never fails to move me. On a side note, I encourage everyone to see the uncut European version of Leon. It has an additional twenty minutes of footage that expands on the relationship between Leon and Matilda and also on the young girl's training. Again, the studio stepped in and felt the scenes would not be well-accepted by American audiences, but after seeing it, I do not see the reasons why and feel they add a lot to the movie.
Matt: This film just barely missed the Top 10 of the list, and it was really tough because I love this movie so much! French filmmaker Luc Besson -- who should be applauded for a strong female action hero in his Nikita character (coming along before Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer) in La Femme Nikita -- steps out of his French language films to deliver one of the best revenge action films out there! Introducing the world to actress Natalie Portman who plays Matilda, a girl looking for revenge against the corrupt D.E.A. agents who murdered her family. She finds shelter with a professional hitman, Leon (Reno), who takes care of her, reluctantly trains her in assassination techniques and inadvertently agrees to exact vengeance on the cops. The leader of the corrupt unit is Norman Stansfield (played with vicious delight by Gary Oldman) -- one of the greatest cinematic villains ever! There is plenty of action but what makes this film so memorable is the humanity and love with which Matilda introduces to Leon. It is an element which gives this action movie heart and leaves an indelible mark on 1990s cinema. Plus, I couldn't agree more with Jay, make sure you watch the "European cut" of the film, as it has more exposition involving Matilda's and Leon's relationship, adding to the emotional weight of the story.
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