Film Festivals 1999
1999's festivals were categorised by a stand-out crop of documentaries, 'Ghengis Blues', Werner Herzog's 'Little Dieter Needs to Fly', Ken Burns' 'Frank Lloyd Wright', Cuban music legends 'Buena Vista Social Club' and the hilariously insightful 'American Movie'. And along with these some highly imaginative and challenging features such as Lars von Trier's 'Idiots', Darren Aronofsky's 'Pi', Todd Solondz's 'Happiness', Tom Tykwer's 'Run, Lola, Run' and low-budget sci-fi hit, 'Cube' (pictured).
Koyaanisqatsi ( Blu-ray ) (1982)
8.3/10
Director: Godfrey Reggio
The title is a Hopi Indian word meaning "life out of balance", an apt summation of this mesmerizing collection of wonders both natural and man-made. S... Read more
Limbo (1999)
7.1/10
Director: John Sayles
Starring: Vanessa Martinez, Astra, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, David Strathairn
Set in the rugged Alaskan wilderness, this intricate drama stars Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as a singer living with her daughter, who starts a relati... Read more
Little Dieter Needs To Fly (1998)
8.1/10
Director: Werner Herzog
Starring: Werner Herzog, Dieter Dengler
A fascinating documentary about Dieter Dengler, born in the Black Forest of Germany. As a child, he watched his village destroyed by American warplane... Read more
Live Flesh (1997)
7.4/10
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Starring: Angela Molina, Francesca Neri, Javier Bardem, Liberto Rabal, Penelope Cruz
During a fight with his junkie girlfriend, police intervene and an officer is shot. Six years later the wrongly convicted Victor is shocked to learn h... Read more
Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
7.8/10
Director: Julio Medem
Starring: Najwa Nimri, Fele Martinez, Sara Valiente, Victor Hugo Oliviera
This startling, quirky and deeply romantic drama focuses on two lovers who first cross at the age of eight when each is running for different reasons.... Read more
Men With Guns (1998)
7.6/10
Director: John Sayles
Starring: Federico Luppi, Damian Alcazar, Tania Cruz
From writer/director John Sayles comes this sobering and politically awakening film about a recently widowed doctor who returns to an unnamed Latin Am... Read more
My Name Is Joe (1998)
7.5/10
Director: Ken Loach
Starring: Peter Mullan, Louise Goodall, David McKay
Joe, a reformed alcoholic trying to maintain hope in grim, impoverished Glasgow, tentatively begins a romantic relationship with a sympathetic social... Read more
My Son The Fanatic (1997)
7/10
Director: Udayan Prasad
Starring: Om Puri, Rachel Griffiths, Stellan Skarsgard
This insightful, multi-layered, heartwarming film examines a Pakistani coming to terms with his life in England. Parvez (Om Puri), a good natured taxi... Read more
Pi - Faith in Chaos (1998)
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis
This original work focuses on an obsessed math prodigy. A strange numeric pattern thrown up by the fluctuations of the stock market, which only he can... Read more
Praise (1998)
6.9/10
Director: John Curran
Starring: Sacha Horler, Peter Fenton, Marta Dusseldorp, Joel Edgerton
This Australian gem focuses on an unfocused, heavy drinking, under-achiever (Peter Fenton) and his energetic and demanding lover (Sacha Horler) who ex... Read more