Important Movies

Okay, so Good Bad Ugly is in, as is Andrei Rublev. Battle of Algeirs and persona too I think.

Otherwise we've got Wolfe, Blowup Fantastic Voyage in the running for fifth spot.

Alright, fine.

Next year:1999

Magnolia
The Matrix
Fight Club
The Blair Witch Project
Eyes Wide Shut

Ugh, Magnolia, really?

Would Crash and Babel and a handful of other "hyperlink" movies have come out in the mid-2000s if not for Magnolia's revival of that format?  I think not.  

No one gives a shit about Babel. And if it hadn't won Best Picture, no one would talk about Crash - ever. Magnolia isn't really that popular anymore except for the occasional Tom Cruise spoof. Boogie Nights, and There a Will Be Blood to some extent, are the only PT Anderson movies that most people give a fuck about,

Movies more culturally relevant than Magnolia:

Office Space
Austin Powers 2 (Mini-Me, Fat Bastard)
American Pie
American Beauty
Toy Story 2

American Beauty.

Fair point. I'll drop The Sixth Sense for Phantom Menace.



Office Space is something of a cult classic and is a pretty good encapsulation of that type of job, but I don't think it's all that important in the grand scheme of things. Austin Powers 2 introduced some funny charicatures, but it's an imitation of the first film in every way and isn't as well regarded as other comedies of the decade. Also, in terms of youth comedies, I don't think we need American Pie when we already have Animal House and Superbad. Different eras, sure, but their tapping into the same thing. Also, the American Pie series quickly devolved into direct to video garbage. American Beauty isn't popular anymore either. The notion of Sam Mendes being some bold new filmmaker has mostly fizzled (even if I have liked his other films mostly) and things like the plastic bag have not aged well. Toy Story 2 is also unneeded. Toy Story 1 is a lock when we get to 95 and 3 is already in the list. The whole trilogy doesn't need to be represented.

As for Magnolia. As Drac pointed out, the film really revived the hyper-link format that was very prevalent in the ensuing decade. It's also an aggressively studied film with several essays being dedicated to unpacking it and understanding its themes. It's a film that inspires a passion in people that few can. From Roger Ebert's heaping praise in 2008, to others saying the film changed their life, to Ingmar Bergman praising the film for it's strength. Then there are scenes like the cast singing to Aimee Mann and the frog raining, both of which are totally unique and have been referenced and parodied since. The frog scene in particular is very famous. It's also a film that continues to influence young filmmakers who see the magnitude of Anderson's technical skills and the scope of his vision. Finally, not only is Magnolia an influential hyperlink film, but is in many ways the ultimate one. It really pushes the themes of connections, coincidences, and consequences, in a deeper and more profound way than any other film of the genre.

American Pie may have helped place the emphasis on teens, but the sex comedy was already on the rise thanks to There's Something About Mary, which is also listed. In any event, American Pie is a foot note in film history and the sequels will lead to it not being remembered fondly.



Pulp Fiction has a lot more "cool" elements which have allowed it to endure. Magnolia is a lot more depressing. To compare the two for popularity alone isn't fair. Beyond that, I think you're undervaluing how passionate people get about Magnolia. This is a film that inspires a die-hard response in the people who love it, and for that reason I think the film will endure past fifty years. Besides, you're telling me no one will care about Magnolia in 50 years but they will American Pie, Austin Powers, and Office Space? Beyond that, Drac and I have both cited elements from the film which have inspired other filmmakers. This isn't a case of valuing the film strictly for popularity.

Also, I should point out that in Empire Magazine's top 500 films of all-time, Magnolia is ranked the third highest of 1999 films (beneath Fight Club and The Matrix). This is significant given the list is composed by both critics and fans, so it isn't just a case of high-brow critics loving the movie.

I'll grant that Office Space will definitely have more staying power, but I still don't think it needs to be listed. I guess what it comes down to is the central importance of the film is it's depiction of men being disillusioned with their place in life, emphasized by a mind-numbing and unfulfilling jobs. The thing is, Fight Club and The Matrix depict this too. The work place itself isn't as prominently featured in those films, but it is there. Both of those films are more worthy for the list and cover the aforementioned topics adequately.