Best Movie of 1999

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 1999)

I've been thinking about the best-of-1999 list, and now the Oscars, and I have to say that I just can't avoid the conclusion that the best film of 1999 was
South Park.

It's every bit as original and surreal as Being John Malkovich, while managing to do what it wants to more successfully. It is simply a brilliant parody of the classical musical, with examples of songs ranging from the typical Disney animated spectacle to musicals such as Oklahoma.
It also precedes Malkovich in its self-inversion - the response to the movie-within-a-movie documents the filmmaker's prediction of the public response to South Park. Of course, it was simply perfect that the MPAA gave the film an NC17 rating (later changed to an R). What more could Trey Parker, the director, have asked for?
I loved the Matrix, but while that film was the most visually exciting of the year, its plot borrowed from about ten different science fiction authors - it's a very good movie, but perhaps not the most original.
Run Lola Run deserves a mention, but is smaller in its program.
American Beauty has been done; The Insider is well made, but not great; Three KIngs is original and interesting and well-made... okay, it should be in the top five. Haven't seen Toy Story 2 yet, or the Ripley film...
Anyway, back to South Park... The Bitch song, and video, deserves to go down in history as one of the best movie musical songs ever.
And Skeet Ullrich's picture above Satan's bed by itself deserves an Oscar for best Production Design.