Best Picture Nominees:
American Beauty *
The Cider House Rules
The Green Mile
The Insider
The Sixth Sense
***
American Beauty - An interesting, if wide ranging story about dissatisfaction with middle-class life... but another excellent performance from Kevin Spacey, who did win the Best Actor Oscar.
The Cider House Rules - A very mainstream adaptation of a John Irving novel (because they can often be odd). Michael Caine is a stand-out here and the story more inspirational than bizarro.
The Green Mile - An excellent adaptation of a Stephen King serial novella written by the same screenwriter as The Shawshank Redemption. Lots of great acting performances, especially by Michael Clark Duncan.
The Insider - This is based upon the takedown of Big Tobacco (that they knew they were killing people but still "recruiting them" to buy cigarettes). A good story, especially when I have seen the transition of smoking being socially acceptable to frowned upon.
The Sixth Sense - M. Night Shymalan's 'twist'ed mystery about a young boy who "sees dead people." This was a movie that could take multiple viewings to understand exactly what was going on.
***
My rankings of the Best Picture Nominees:
1. The Green Mile
2. The Sixth Sense
3. American Beauty
4. The Insider
5. The Cider House Rules
