1999 Best Picture:
American Beauty

Competition:
The Cider House Rules, The Green Mile, The Insider, The Sixth Sense

Other Winners:
Best Actor: Kevin Spacey, American Beauty 
Best Actress: Hilary Swank, Boys Don't Cry
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Caine, The Cider House Rules
Best Supporting Actress: Angelina Jolie, Girl Interupted
Best Director: Sam Mendes, American Beauty

Cast: Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning, Thora Birch, Wes Bently, Mena Suvari, Peter Gallagher, Allison Janney, Chris Cooper, Scott Bakula, Sam Robards 

Storyline: The disintegration of a family unit is explored in this dark comedy, about a man going through a mid-life crisis, his success-hungry wife, and their coming-of-age daughter.

Did it deserve to win:  Yes!  American Beauty was just what the doctor ordered!  A dark and honest look at American values, that was actually popular with the audience.

The Cider House Rules was writer, John Irving's quirky look at the controversial subject of abortion.  The Green Mile was writer, Stephen King's touching look at the controversial topic of the death penalty.  The Insider was director Michael Mann's gripping look at the controversial topic of cigarette smoking.  And The Sixth Sense was M. Night Shyamalan's not so controversial - but very thrilling, look at ghosts who seek out a small boy for help.

Critique:  American Beauty was a huge hit with both critics and audiences, and it deserved the recognition that it received.   Both Annette Benning and Kevin Spacey give the best performances of their careers, and will more than likely be remembered for this film, above any other (at least so far).  

The script is very smart, with clever dialogue and some interesting twists.  While the subject matter is dark, the moral of the story is a good one, and the characters, while often lacking ethics, get their just dessert in the end.  

American Beauty takes a shot at the American ideal, and the results aren't often pretty, but this film is truly an American classic!

Behind the Scenes: American Beauty was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won five of them.  

For Kevin Spacey, American Beauty earned him his second Oscar.  He concluded a long list of thank you's by mentioning his mother.  "And mother, I don't care what they say about bringing you to award shows - because I'm proud of you and I love you!"  Rumors abound in previous years about Spacey's sexuality because he brought his mother along as his date.  Spacey denies any charges of being gay.

Denzel Washington was nominated for Hurricane, his best performance in awhile.  He too, was a frontrunner, but his chances were said to be shot when word got around about inaccuracies in the script about the wrongly convicted boxer, Hurricane Carter.  And long shot for the Best Actor slot, 78 year old Richard Farnsworth, was excellent in The Straight Story, about a man who takes a motorized lawn mower across three states to visit his estranged brother.  Farnsworth didn't tell anyone that he was suffering from the latter stages of cancer.  He took his own life the next year.

Billy Crystal returned to hosting duties that year, and brought with him his usual shtick.  One highlight this year included a clip of him in the shower, where, in Psycho fashion, he is joined by Kevin Spacey playing Lester Burnham.

Hilary Swank earned her Oscar for playing a girl who believes that she is a boy.  The film was based on the true story of Teena Brandon, who dubbed herself Brandon Teena, and who was beaten to death in the small town in which she lived.  Swank made a point of thanking Brandon, referring to her character in the masculine, a fitting tribute to the real life person.

Among the competition for Best Actress was Meryl Streep.  She was nominated for Music of the Heart, a sappy 'movie of the week' film about a music teacher who inspires kids in the inner city.  Streep's performance was OK, but it was hardly worthy of a nod in what was a very competitive year for actresses.  The nomination did earn her a place in the record books, as she tied Katherine Hepburn with twelve nominations to her credit.

A lot of jokes were passed around that evening about Annette Benning, who was very pregnant, and word had it that she could go into labor at any time.  When her co-star Kevin Spacey presented the Adapted Screenplay award, he took a moment to thank recognize her, and express regret that she wasn't up there presenting with him.  "We didn't want her climbing stairs in her delicate condition," he explained.  "Of course, if she wins the Oscar, she will walk on all fours to get up here."

Angelina Jolie raised eyebrows when she brought as her date, her brother, and planted a big wet one on him when she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Jolie, donning an outfit and a look that would be fitting for Morticia Adams, starred with Wynona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted.

Michael Caine won his second Academy Award in the Best Supporting Actor category for playing a doctor who willingly gives abortions, in the touching, but quirky, Cider House Rules.  He used the majority of his acceptance speech to fully recognize his fellow nominees.

Phil Collins' "You'll Be in My Heart" was the obvious winner for the the Best Song category, however many were gunning for the potty-mouthed Blame Canada, from the controversial Southpark.  The song contained a few choice lyrics that made it an unlikely Oscar-contender, but Robin William's rendition, which included black tape over his mouth when the nastiest word should have been uttered, made it a highlight of the ceremony.

  

Thora Birch is daughter Jane, who is the object of affection from the quiet kid next door.

Also in 1999:

February 12:  The US senate votes to move forward with proceedings to impeach President Clinton.

April 12:  Two bitter students at Columbine High School in Colorado massacre fellow students, killing fifteen and injuring 23 others with automatic weapons.

July 16:  John F. Kennedy Jr.'s single engine plane goes missing in the Atlantic Ocean.  It would later be found, marking the untimely deaths of him, his wife and his sister-in-law.

December 31:  The world holds its breath as Y2K reaches a climax.  The computer generated end of the world is a blip on the radar screen, doing nothing more than ruining a few good parties.

Determined to make a statement, controversial Southpark creator, Trey Parker, nominated for Best Song with Blame Canada, wore a dress reminiscent of Jennifer Lopez' low cut dress from the American Music Awards.