American Beauty (1999): In retrospect, a plastic bag floating in the wind is not the most beautiful thing in the world, but actually kind of a pretentious metaphor. Still, director Sam Mendes and writer Alan Ball were onto something here, tapping into a sense of dissatisfaction and self-doubt within seemingly idyllic suburbia at the turn of the millennium. With its dreamy, often surreal imagery (the work of the late, great cinematographer Conrad ... more 

American Beauty (1999): In retrospect, a plastic bag floating in the wind is not the most beautiful thing in the world, but actually kind of a pretentious metaphor. Still, director Sam Mendes and writer Alan Ball were onto something here, tapping into a sense of dissatisfaction and self-doubt within seemingly idyllic suburbia at the turn of the millennium. With its dreamy, often surreal imagery (the work of the late, great cinematographer Conrad L. Hall), it's shot and edited gorgeously. But it's also laceratingly funny, with a career-defining performance from Kevin Spacey. And oh yeah, it won five Academy Awards, including best picture. less