Also: Titanic = crap. Well made crap, but still crap. I didn’t believe the main romance at all (even though I do like Kate Winslet a lot) and the movie seriously needed an editor. The character actors are amongst my favorites (David Warner, Victor Garber and – yay! – Bernard Fox), but they were weighed down by the central unconvincing storyline.

I think The Ice Storm should’ve been on the list. I’m not much of one for suburban ennui, but it was devastatingly well-made. Wag the Dog was also great, but I’m a sucker for excellent political satire. Bob Roberts (from 1992) remains one of my favorite movies.

While Contact was also amazing and Grosse Point Blank was a ton of fun, I’m not sure they belong on the list. I’ll have to think about it.

Doug, Mrs. Brown definitely should’ve been nominated. It was fantastic and Billy Connelly was a revelation in it. So many people have forgotten it, but it was ten times better than Titanic.

1. LA Confidential
2. The Fifth Element
3. Jackie Brown
4. 4 Little Girls (Stunningly brilliant Spike Lee documentary)
5. Donnie Brasco (far from slight, close to brilliant)
6. Boogie Nights
7. My Best Friend’s Wedding (okay, some of you are laughing, but this is/was an incredibly successful film that featured memorable scenes, Julia Roberts at her romantic comedy best, and a scene stealing performance from Rupert Everett.)
8. Abre Los Ojos (maybe if this had been nominated, we would have been spared the travesty that is Vanilla Sky)
9. The Apostle (I still remember seeing this movie at the Tara theatre, and thinking “Why isn’t this up for Best Picture?)
10. Eve’s Bayou (I’m so glad to see that other people have actually seen this movie.)

Honorable mention for Austin Powers, The Sweet Hereafter, and Gattaca.

I think the 10 nominee system will definitely lead to the inclusion of more comedies, foreign films, and possibly even documentaries and animated films that often don’t make the cut because they have separate categories.

As Good As It Gets-loved it then, loved it now, don’t care how mean spirited it is, don’t care that I loathe Jack Nicholson AND Helen Hunt, I still love this film. Helen Hunt justified her entire existence just by giving me a lifetime of imitating her “WHY CAN’T I JUST HAVE A NORMAL BOYFRIEND WHO DOESN’T GO NUTS ON ME?!!” line. And her mom’s reply: “Everyone wants that, dear…it doesn’t exist.”

Eve’s Bayou would definitely be added. Love that movie-and Lynn Whitfield and Samuel L Jackson were excellent, but the real revelation was Debbi Morgan, who proved (some) soap opera people can act. I’ve often thought of having a movie party just to show off this movie to people who’ve never heard of it.

I guess for clarity, I should have said that I grew up with all of that music and all of those groups, and they inspired me to become a folk singer in my late teens and adulthood.

@Madge — How awesome that you were part of the 1960s folk scene. Tell me more! Did you know Bonnie Delaney? I love her!

And I take your point that if you’re “in the life,” “A Mighty Wind” is funny. I’ve always tried to argue that “Waiting for Guffman” is hilarious for everyone, even if they don’t hang around theaters all day, but I secretly wonder if the movie holds up as well for people who haven’t met its characters in the casts of their own crappy shows.

@Joe — Yes! That’s Kasi Lemmons. So cool, right? And in 2007 she directed “Talk To Me” with Don Cheadle as the fiery 1970s radio host.

The Sweet Hereafter
Boogie Nights
Eve’s Bayou
In the Company of Men
Grosse Point Blank

Quite frankly, I loved a ton of non-nominated 1997 films: The Apostle, The Wings of the Dove,
Donnie Brasco, Chasing Amy, Washington Square, Wag the Dog, Jackie Brown, Mrs. Brown, The Boxer, The Ice Storm, Ma Vie en Rose, Face/Off, Taste of Cherry. For such a good year, I always thought the Oscar 5 was a big let-down.