BEST MOVIES OF A YEAR

    Back in the early ‘70s, Peter Bogdanovich wrote an article on the best movies of the year. The year in question was 1939. It was Bogdanovich’s feeling that a movie couldn’t truly be judged till 20 or 30 years had passed. It took that long, he thought, for the measured judgments of time to form a worthwhile opinion. In general I agree with the man. Too many movies are under- or over-valued at first blush. But… I also think that the reactions to the film when it’s new is worth consideration. I mean, it may not be a movie for the ages, but if it satisfies the audience for which it was made, at the time it was made, that’s not a small thing.

    Anyway, in the Bogdanovich line, I’ve decided here at the end of 2023, to zip back 25 years and offer up my choices for the Best Movies of The Year. The Best Movies of the Year 1998, that is.

    This will not be a full Oscar-style slate of awards, just a list of the best pictures and maybe a few acting nods. This is based entirely on movies released in the U.S. in 1998. So if I overlook your choice-- that masterpiece on the romance between two Bulgarian sewer workers--well, maybe next year.

THE BEST PICTURES OF 1998 (in no special order)

THE BIG LEBOWSKI

A BUG’S LIFE

THE CELEBRATION

ELIZABETH

GODS AND MONSTERS

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

LIVE FLESH

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

SONATINE

THE TRUMAN SHOW

I know, I know, that’s an unwieldy 11. I should make it just the 10 Best. But I don’t want to. And it’s my list, so there…

Honorable Mention

DARK CITY

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

FIREWORKS

A TASTE OF CHERRY

WAKING NED DEVINE

Performances of note

Jeff Bridges, John Goodman   THE BIG LEBOWSKI

Jim Carrey, Ed Harris    THE TRUMAN SHOW

Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser     GODS AND MONSTERS

Nick Nolte     AFFLICTION

Bill Nighy      STILL CRAZY

Gwyneth Paltrow, Judi Dench, Geoffrey Rush    SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

Cate Blanchett       ELIZABETH

Angela Molina     LIVE FLESH