Nobody 2 (2025)

 

Not as fun as Nobody 1. 

Rating: C

Go (1999)

 

One of those movies where everyone makes bad decisions and reaps the consequences. Except for maybe Katie Holmes. Her job was just to look cute and stay out of trouble. 

Rating: C+

Caught Stealing (2025)

 

Darren Aronofsky directing was enough to get me out to the theater again, however, Caught Stealing didn’t possess anything resembling his previous works that I enjoyed. The story was predictable and dark. Far too few comical moments. No one to root for. A series of bad decisions that eventually came to an unrealistic end. 

Rating: C-

The Green Mile (1999)

 

I struggle to give high ratings to sad movies. The Green Mile is a very good, but quite depressing film. Performances are excellent, especially from Michael Clarke Duncan, who should have at least received an Academy Award nomination. Criminal. 

Rating: B

Ghost Killer (2024)

 

A hitman’s ghost is bound to a teenage girl after she stumbles across the casing of the bullet that killed him. He’s able to possess her body as they team up to seek revenge on his old gang. Yes, this Japanese actioner sounds cheesy, but it was still fun. The fighting sequences are good too. I'd watch a US remake.

Rating: C+

The Bone Collector (1999)

 

Credit to Denzel for a stellar performance using only his face and finger. His protégé Angelina Jolie plays his avatar at crime scenes as they attempt to catch a serial killer. Watching in 2025, the film seems quite dated. Not sure I buy the weird romance that felt shoehorned in at the end. 

Rating: C+

She Rides Shotgun (2025)

 

A breakout performance by Ana Sophia Heger as a little girl caught up in a very adult mess. The tone is tense and sad. Stories like this don’t have “happy” endings. 

Rating: C+

The Matrix (1999)

 

What I’ve discovered as I rewatch these films that I loved from 25+ years ago is that there’s an added level of enjoyment that comes from seeing something new; from not knowing what happens next. 

The first time experience cannot be replicated. This is reflected in my reviews awarded in subsequent viewings. The magic and excitement of seeing The Matrix for the first time in a theater is quite different from rewatching it on a smaller screen in my townhome; already knowing what’s to come, more or less. 

So while I can now observe the innovation that went into making this film back then, I don’t appreciate it like I did back then. I no longer think it’s incredible–just good. 

Rating: B

Fight Club (1999)

 

I was reminded of The Sixth Sense, which also came out in 1999. Where after a second viewing, the twist/reveal seems so obvious. It’s a dark, mind-bending, testosterone-filled, violent punch to the head. 25 years ago, it spoke to me a little more than it does now. 

Rating: B

Never Been Kissed (1999)

 

A big theme of this movie is older folks perving out on underage high school kids, and everyone is cool with it. Feels a bit more cringe 25 years later, but still quite funny in parts. 

Rating: C+

Galaxy Quest (1999)

 

A fun distraction that surely inspired the Black Mirror USS Callister episodes. Sci-fi silliness with plenty of laughs. 

Rating: B-

Magnolia (1999)

 

Paul Thomas Anderson was a superstar back then. Seems like half of Hollywood stars in this film. The fast pacing and shifting storylines keep the audience engaged from beginning to end. 

However, watching it now, I’m reminded how sad and tragic everyone is. It’s a pretty depressing 3 hours. Heavy stuff. Tom Cruise’s Academy Award nomination was well deserved. It was a standout performance in a sea of great performances.  

Rating: B

The Limey (1999)

 

A stoic Terrance Stamp seeks vengeance in L.A. for his daughter’s murder. There’s a certain charm to it. Baddies get their comeuppance. 

Rating: C+

Office Space (1999)

 

The first 5-10 minutes of this movie remind me why I’ll never go back to working in an office. What a nightmare. Office Space encapsulates the drudgery and duldrum of white collar work in America. Iconic characters. Jennifer Aniston is adorable. Stephen Root is unrecognizable. Plenty of laughs. 

Rating: B-