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Ten Best List for the Year 1999
- Anna and the King -- Lavish historical drama set in 1862 Siam where the absolute monarch (Chow Yun-Fat) and the widowed English schoolteacher (Jodie Foster) he hired to teach his 58 children about the West learn much from each other even as a duplicitous general plots to kill the king and all his heirs. After a sluggish start director Andy Tennant goes beyond sumptuous visuals in exploring contrasting East-West cultures and beliefs while maintaining suspense about the assassination plot. Sporadic violence and references to polygamy and concubines. A-II-adults and adolescents (PG-13) 1999
- Children of Heaven -- Charming story set in Tehran where a 9-year-old Iranian boy loses his little sister’s only shoes, forcing the two to share wearing his sneakers to school until he hears of a footrace in which the third prize is a pair of new shoes. Director Majid Majidi spins a slender but sweetly evocative tale of genuine childhood stress made bareable by bonds of love and their generosity to an even less fortunate child. Subtitles. Depictions of poverty and brief menace. A-II-adults and adolescents (PG) 1999
- End of the Affair, The -- London based, World War II-era romantic triangle involves an unfaithful wife (Julianne Moore), her dullard husband (Stephen Rea) and the adoring lover (Ralph Fiennes) she leaves without explanation as part of her vow to God when his life is spared after an apparently fatal bombing injury. Adapted from the 1951 Graham Greene novel, and written and directed by Neil Jordan, the very adult drama is a thoughtful character study about sexual jealousy, spirituality, forgiveness and redemption. Several extra-marital encounters with extended nudity. A-IV- adults with reservations (R) 1999
- Green Mile, The -- Prison drama set in 1935 Louisana where a death-row head guard (Tom Hanks) comes to believe in the innocence of a huge, gentle black man (Michael Clarke Duncan) whose miraculous healing powers affect those around him in startling ways. As adapted by director Frank Darabont from the serialized 1996 Stephen King novel, the movie is unduly long but presents affecting character studies of good and evil men with spiritual undertones and a sobering depiction of capital punishment. Some violence including an horrific electrocution, occasional profanity and intermittent rough language. A-III- adults (R) 1999
- Insider, The -- Fact-based, largely riveting account of how a CBS news producer (Al Pacino) is prevented from airing a "60 Minutes" interview with a tobacco company whistleblower (Russell Crowe) because the CBS corporate parent feared a costly lawsuit. As directed by Michael Mann, the lengthy, superbly acted, documentary-like drama explores corporate manipulation of journalism as well as the human cost to those involved in complex ethical issues. Frequent rough language and mature subject matter. A-III- adults (R) 1999
- Liberty Heights -- Winning comedy-drama set in 1954 Baltimore as two Jewish brothers (Adrien Brody and Ben Foster) seek romance with non-Jewish girls and their decent father (Joe Mantegna) struggles to save his failing burlesque business with a smalltime numbers racket. Writer-director Barry Levinson uses gentle but telling humor to examine religious and racial prejudices in a warm-hearted portrait of a family and a class-conscious community. Sexual situations, fleeting rear nudity, occasional profanity and an instance of rough language. A-III-adults (R) 1999
- Music of the Heart -- Inspiring true story of an abandoned wife and mother (Meryl Streep) who turns her life around by moving to Harlem and instilling self-esteem in underprivileged schoolchildren by teaching them the disciplined art of playing the violin. Anchored by Streep’s finely-tuned performance, director Wes Craven’s biographical movie realistically captures a devastated woman’s personal growth and the value of the arts in the educational cirriculum. An implied affair and an instance of rude language. A-III- adults (PG) 1999
- Straight Story -- When an ailing 73_year_old Iowan (Richard Farnsworth) learns his estranged brother (Harry Dean Stanton) in Wisconsin has had a serious stroke, he set off driving a lawnmower along the highway to make peace with him before it's too late. Directed by David Lynch, the result is a compelling character study of an elderly man whom Farnsworth's convincing performance makes as real as the photography of a part of the country where neighborliness is considered a virtue. A-I- general patronage (G) 1999
- Toy Story 2 -- The animated adventures of toys that come to life when humans aren’t looking continues as cowboy Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) is stolen by a greedy toy collector (voice of Wayne Knight), sending Woody’s toy buddies, led by Buzz Lightyear (voice of Tim Allen), to a breathless rescue. Briskly directed by John Lasseter with even better animation, the lively cartoon sequel is a little less original but zippy action scenes and gentle humor should amuse small fry. A-I- general patronage (G) 1999
- Winslow Boy, The -- Eloquent adaptation of Terence Rattigan’s stage play in which a father (Nigel Hawthorne) in 1910 London believes the naval academy has wrongly expelled his 14-year-old son for stealing a five-shilling postal order and at great cost, especially to his daughter (Rebecca Pidgeon), engages a prominent lawyer (Jeremy Northam) to prove the lad’s innocence. Writer-director David Mamet unfolds the story through elegant dialogue and a marvelous cast of characters, honing and sharpening but not changing Rattigan’s period piece about British justice upholding the rights of a citizen against the power of the state. Heavy sledding for pre-schoolers. A-I- general patronage (G) 1999
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