American Beauty
Possibly my favorite movie of all time, if not that then definitely #2 (behind The Big Lebowski). I think it's Mendes' 2nd best film (Road to Perdition at #1), but this is still a fantastic film. The script is brilliant, the performances are very good (Chris Cooper especially, who is absolutely brilliant), and Mendes pulls it all together wonderfully. My favorite score of all time by Thomas Newman, and Conrad Hall's cinematography is understated, yet incredibly effective.
Great film. 2nd best of 1999.
This is like a poll question:
American Beauty is:
1) your favorite movie of all time
2) your 2nd favorite behind Big Lebowski
3) your 2nd favorite of 1999
4) your 2nd favorite Mendez behind Road to Perdition
hey Hal. Sorry don't mean to pick on you.
I'm with you - I love this film. That makes you and I among a small but vocal percentage here . I've had it in my top 10 since I first saw it back in the theater. So I'm with you on the praise, and Conrad Hall's cinematography. I think this film got a backlash from the spacyhate that bubbled to a boil after Life of David Gale. I'm still on board with him. I LOVE Benning's over the top performance. For me it's the best female performance of that decade.
Sadly Mendez has had deminishing returns ever since. Away We Go was nice and that. Rev Road was nearly unwatchable