By MICHAEL BOYLAN
Weekend Editor

This year has been a good one for films.

There was not one overwhelming blockbuster overshadowing everything else, though The Phantom Menace tried very hard. Instead, 1999 was also the year that the smaller, independent-like film made the kind of noise that industry insiders had been hoping for for years.

Films like “Being John Malkovich,” “Election,” “Dogma” and, of course, “The Blair Witch Project” made a big noise both at the box office and critically.

The following top 10 list is thorough and accurate, though it was made without seeing every movie that came out in 1999.

1. “American Beauty” (R) — The story of a man's mid-life crisis/spiritual reawakening, set in suburban America. Kevin Spacey plays the discontented father beautifully, showing the youthful spirit that was lost in his race for success and material wealth. The rest of the cast is equally adept. “American Beauty” has the ability to hit audiences very hard. The same type of drama could be occurring in your own neighborhood, if not in your own home.

2. “South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut” (R) – This will not be the only list you see this film on. Though animated very cheaply, South Park is filled with the type of daring, biting humor that too many films shy away from. Featuring the cast of the hit television series, as well as several new friends and some celebrities, “South Park” tackles the top topics of the day to make the most relevant film of the year. Your jaw will be open for most of the film anyway, so why not laugh and enjoy yourself.

3. “The Matrix” (R) - Surprisingly, this was the best science fiction film of the year. At the beginning of 1999, it would have taken a photon disruptor to convince sci-fi fans that anything would be better than “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.” Visually, stunning, “The Matrix” was the story of a young man who has been chosen to free the human race from being enslaved by artificial intelligence. The action was top notch and Keanu Reeves' performance as Neo was most likely the best of his career.

4. “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” (PG) - Some would say that this film did not live up to their expectations... not this critic. Wonderfully cast and painstakingly directed, “The Phantom Menace” was like a good magician's performance. There are a few problems with the movie but with all of the special effects, imagination and action, you never really see them. The biggest thing going against the film was its own hype. Once in the theater, the audience was transported to the day they saw their first “Star Wars” film. If you let it, “Star Wars” will leave you wide-eyed and cheering.

5. “Man on the Moon” (R) - Though this film will not win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, Jim Carrey should be a shoo in for Best Actor. Telling the story of Andy Kaufman's comedic career, “Man on the Moon” is entertaining and eye-opening. The performances around Carrey are strong, but they get swallowed up by his amazing transformation into the eccentric comic. With exactly one minute shaved off of the ending of this film, it could have been a contender.

6. “The Blair Witch Project” (R) - By now, we have all heard of the amazing story of this film. Shot on a shoestring budget in a very short period of time, “Blair Witch” stormed the theaters and made a huge profit. It was also one of the scarier films to come out this decade. People actually started to believe the tale of the lost film crew, and the tourist industry in Burkittsville, Md. (where the film is set) boomed. The story is not real, but it certainly looks that way in the film.

7. “Election” (R) - Another of the small films of 1999, that is garnering attention during awards season. The film, a scathing look at politics in a student council election, stars Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick. Never choosing sides, much less a hero or a villain, director Alexander Payne allows the audience to form their own opinions of the characters and the story. Election is excellent on many levels and is worth all of the recognition it gets.

8. “Dogma” (R) - This film did not last very long around here, but it had possibly the hottest cast assembled in 1999 (Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek) and a brilliant, thought-provoking script. The film centered on a woman's spiritual crisis and pilgrimage to New Jersey to save the world. “Dogma” dealt with some very sensitive religious issues in a fairly reverent manner, while still being funny.

9. “The Sixth Sense” (PG-13)- This film was the sleeper hit of the year, so much so that it is still in theaters in its original run. “The Sixth Sense” deals with a troubled child who has a special gift and Bruce Willis as the child therapist who helps him. The plot twist is what started to draw the crowds in, but the impeccable performances, direction and story kept sending people back.

10. “The Iron Giant” - An animated film that was overlooked in the theaters, but has found new life on video. Animated in the old style of Warner Brothers cartoons, “The Iron Giant” deals with a young boy who befriends an enormous robot who has come to Earth. The film has fun dealing with the cold war, government agents and beatniks, while remaining an entertaining film for children.

What movies will make 2000's list? Let's hope for a scary movie based on a Stephen King book, a movie that the Farrelly Brothers direct and not produce, “Mission Impossible 2” (It's being directed by John Woo, and Tom Cruise and Anthony Hopkins are in it) and “The Grinch” movie starring Jim Carrey (if he gets nominated three years in a row, can you really hate him?). Of course, there will be many surprises between now and then and ultimately, that is what we live for.

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