As promised, here is the continuation of my list of the ten best films of 1999.
6. The Hurricane
Norman Jewison commented at the 1998 Academy Awards when receiving the Irving G. Thalberg award that new filmmakers should simply concentrate on finding good stories to tell, and he found a true story that was powerful and emotional already on its own, its drama simply meant for a big screen treatment.
Jewison gives us even more drama than the story already had, and by casting Denzel Washington, brings a performance of fiery intensity and passion to the screen. Washington gives one of his greatest performances as Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a middleweight boxer, who was wrongly framed by a racist cop for murders he did not commit.
Two all-white juries convicted him of the crime during the late 60's, when race relations were so troublesome in America. Initially, the film rushes through several details of Carter's early life and his ultimate conviction and imprisonment.
Finally, the real heart of the story emerges when a young black man in Canada picks up Carter's autobiography and becomes determined to meet Carter, and with the help of his Canadian friends, they successfully find new evidence and eventually win Carter's freedom.
Once the film slows down, it becomes a very uplifting story, all due to Washington's performance. He brings us so deeply into Carter's psyche, making us experience the ups and downs of having hope amidst all the years in prison, while experiencing despair as appeal after appeal is lost. He makes us feel what it must have been like to be in Rubin Carter's mind as it was the only thing free for so many years.
Sure, it's a typical Hollywood rousing epic, but thanks to the work of Jewison and Washington, they make it something truly memorable.
7. Dogma
Even before it was released, as is typical of films that try to tackle the contradictory issues of religion, various groups, and mostly the Catholic League, began attacking this film because they heard it was a satire of the Catholic religion.
And well it is indeed a biting satire of the Catholic Church, it does raise issues that are problems in the Catholic faith, but what these people don't realize is that Kevin Smith's bold film actually affirms the existence of God, which is what all religions should be happy with anyway.
6. The Hurricane
Norman Jewison commented at the 1998 Academy Awards when receiving the Irving G. Thalberg award that new filmmakers should simply concentrate on finding good stories to tell, and he found a true story that was powerful and emotional already on its own, its drama simply meant for a big screen treatment.
Jewison gives us even more drama than the story already had, and by casting Denzel Washington, brings a performance of fiery intensity and passion to the screen. Washington gives one of his greatest performances as Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a middleweight boxer, who was wrongly framed by a racist cop for murders he did not commit.
Two all-white juries convicted him of the crime during the late 60's, when race relations were so troublesome in America. Initially, the film rushes through several details of Carter's early life and his ultimate conviction and imprisonment.
Finally, the real heart of the story emerges when a young black man in Canada picks up Carter's autobiography and becomes determined to meet Carter, and with the help of his Canadian friends, they successfully find new evidence and eventually win Carter's freedom.
Once the film slows down, it becomes a very uplifting story, all due to Washington's performance. He brings us so deeply into Carter's psyche, making us experience the ups and downs of having hope amidst all the years in prison, while experiencing despair as appeal after appeal is lost. He makes us feel what it must have been like to be in Rubin Carter's mind as it was the only thing free for so many years.
Sure, it's a typical Hollywood rousing epic, but thanks to the work of Jewison and Washington, they make it something truly memorable.
7. Dogma
Even before it was released, as is typical of films that try to tackle the contradictory issues of religion, various groups, and mostly the Catholic League, began attacking this film because they heard it was a satire of the Catholic religion.
And well it is indeed a biting satire of the Catholic Church, it does raise issues that are problems in the Catholic faith, but what these people don't realize is that Kevin Smith's bold film actually affirms the existence of God, which is what all religions should be happy with anyway.
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