American Beauty (1999) - 10/10

I've been appreciating Sam Mendes' new work lately so I decided to go back and watch American Beauty with his commentary with writer Alan Ball who contribute great details on the making of this fantastic movie. What really stands out and why I think this movie affected so many people including the Oscar voters is the way it asks each person watching it to "look closer" at the society we live in and examines what it takes to get out of this sedated funk that plagues so many people. The dialogue, music, camera work and fantastic acting in this movie creates something funny and disturbing all at the same time. Mendes wants to compare the voice over work to movies like Sunset Blvd. and I have to agree that this is the most important part of the way it works, putting us inside Kevin Spacey's head when he says he's going to die yet we still are in awe of how it happens. From framing the dinner scenes to show the separation of the characters, Mendes used his great stage work to give the actors juicy scenes to really emphasize the great lines Ball gives them. I appreciate this movie for it's impact on me and the subtle way it makes me want to look at the world in a different way. From finding art in the littlest of things like the floating bag or a funeral procession, American Beauty is so funny at times yet tragic for it's take on teenage superficiality and obsession with looks that it's a great representation of where we've evolved as a culture. The commentary was fantastic and I enjoy this movie more every time I see it.