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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Incredibly hard to put down, quite a snapshot of a year where creativity and commerce seemed to strike an odd (maybe illusionary) harmonious chord.
(Popsugar Challenge 2021: A book from your TBR that you meant to read last year, but didn't)
A really good read, though probably more exciting for surface dwellers — the ones who aren’t obsessed… OBSESSED… with the year that was 1999. I could take one whole book for each movie covered in Best Movie Year Ever. I feel like there were stories omitted and edited about great flicks I love. While I did find it exciting to get chapters dedicated to movies like Go, Run Lola Run, and The Wood, they still felt incomplete. But I have always been the person who just wants to know every last detail about all of my obsessions. This is a great summary — and reminder — of just how good of a year 1999 truly was for movies.
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
I graduated from high school this year and I watched a lot of movies that year. It was nice to reflect on. I’m also gonna be hitting up the library for copies of these films discussed and rewatch them.
A well-researched exploration of the big hits and misses from 1999 - I was impressed by the writer's cultural engagement, even if I questioned his viewing choices.
Brian Raftery makes a compelling case for 1999 as one of the best movie years. You truly forget how many original, underrated movies (as well as some huge blockbusters came out that year, and how influential many of those movies have been over the course of the next two decades. A lot of great directors got their big breaks that year. Any movie fan will appreciate this book.
I do have my fair share of issues with the style and tone of the book, however, as Raftery starts by making these lofty claims about why 1999 is so influential and important but never really backs up those claims directly. He lets the stories of each movie in each chapter stand mostly on their own. It's especially frustrating since a lot of the same actors and directors/writers/producers come up in future chapters and he seldom tries to tie it all together, only tying together certain movies in a chapter thematically or because it makes for a good transition or segue way.
I also didn't like how Raftery's conclusion was that 1999 was the apex of film and how movies supposedly suck now. He spends the entire book building up these young filmmakers on their way to do magical things and concludes that it was all for naught because studios are obsessed with blockbusters and sequels, ignoring not only how many of the filmmakers he talks about get to make great, original movies but also that many of them have indeed done their fair share of blockbusters, and that blockbusters can be good. There's also bizarre ignorance of the TV industry until literally the last few pages of the book, where Raftery correctly points out that the 2000s and especially the 2010s saw a huge migration towards the small screen. I understand this is a book about movies but you could have maybe devoted at least a chapter to how 1999 brought up the first season of The Sopranos, The West Wing, Futurama, Family Guy, Spongebob, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, SVU, and so much more. If this is a book about how the media of 1999 parallels some forthcoming cultural shifts thanks to the dawn of a new century, the Bush presidency, Y2K, 9/11, etc, then ignoring until the episode how 1999 also brought on the dawn of prestige TV seems rather odd.
I enjoyed Best Movie Year Ever and you better believe I'm going to reference it in a lot of casual conversation this year, it just feels more like a disparate collection of movie essays about a particular year rather than a book with an actual point, which is frustrating because the points are all right there.
I do have my fair share of issues with the style and tone of the book, however, as Raftery starts by making these lofty claims about why 1999 is so influential and important but never really backs up those claims directly. He lets the stories of each movie in each chapter stand mostly on their own. It's especially frustrating since a lot of the same actors and directors/writers/producers come up in future chapters and he seldom tries to tie it all together, only tying together certain movies in a chapter thematically or because it makes for a good transition or segue way.
I also didn't like how Raftery's conclusion was that 1999 was the apex of film and how movies supposedly suck now. He spends the entire book building up these young filmmakers on their way to do magical things and concludes that it was all for naught because studios are obsessed with blockbusters and sequels, ignoring not only how many of the filmmakers he talks about get to make great, original movies but also that many of them have indeed done their fair share of blockbusters, and that blockbusters can be good. There's also bizarre ignorance of the TV industry until literally the last few pages of the book, where Raftery correctly points out that the 2000s and especially the 2010s saw a huge migration towards the small screen. I understand this is a book about movies but you could have maybe devoted at least a chapter to how 1999 brought up the first season of The Sopranos, The West Wing, Futurama, Family Guy, Spongebob, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, SVU, and so much more. If this is a book about how the media of 1999 parallels some forthcoming cultural shifts thanks to the dawn of a new century, the Bush presidency, Y2K, 9/11, etc, then ignoring until the episode how 1999 also brought on the dawn of prestige TV seems rather odd.
I enjoyed Best Movie Year Ever and you better believe I'm going to reference it in a lot of casual conversation this year, it just feels more like a disparate collection of movie essays about a particular year rather than a book with an actual point, which is frustrating because the points are all right there.
informative
fast-paced
I had no idea of all the great movies that came out that year. What was even more fascinating was the story behind the movie. This book really opened my eyes to each behind the scenes story that made the movie interesting and famous. Raftery does a great job at make the book incredibly readable instead of droning on and on over little details. When each chapter began I was instantly hooked and had to finish learning about the featured attraction. As a side note, I had never seen Election before but this book changed that - great movie! I would highly recommend this book for any cinephile, history fan, or just someone who is looking for an interesting, yet different, kind of book. Good stuff found here.
Exhaustive and thorough survey of the films, directors, actors, and culture (both Hollywood and beyond) of a surprisingly influential year of cinematic art. Great book for film buffs; fun read for any who enjoyed the embarrassment of riches that was 1999 in film.
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced