A look at The Matrix and other Hollywood flicks that have reached the two-decade milestone
Loyalists have a chance to enter the Matrix universe again. The fourth edition of the sci-fi action film was recently announced with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss returning to topline it. Incidentally, 2019 also marks 20 years since The Matrix released. The series continued with two sequels — The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (both 2003), all written and directed by the Lana and Lilly Wachowski. Apart from the cult cyberpunk blockbuster, it’s a landmark year for these Hollywood projects, too.
1. American Beauty
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The drama starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Benning will complete two decades on September 15. The movie dealt with a sexually-frustrated suburban father (played by Kevin) who faces a midlife crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter’s best friend played by Mena Suvari. American Beauty went on to win the Oscar for best picture, best director and best actor and did business worth $350 million worldwide. The bold story tackled a range of anathemas such as loneliness, beauty, conformity, sexual repression and the American dream.
2. Fight Club
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The film is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk, starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in lead roles.
Edward was the unnamed narrator, who is discontented with his white-collar job. He forms a ‘fight club’ with a soap salesman Tyler (Brad), and becomes embroiled in a relationship with him and a destitute woman played by Marla (Helena Bonham Carter). The movie is hailed for its taut narrative, warped premise and stellar performances. It became one of the cult films of all time and will complete 20 years on November 9.
3. Pulp Fiction
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Quentin Tarantino is rated as one of the most articulate and mercurial filmmakers of his generation and rightly so! The director’s Pulp Fiction told the story of criminal Los Angeles and featured John Travolta, Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis and Uma Thurman in lead roles. It is still regarded as Quentin’s masterpiece and gave a new direction to independent cinema. The movie completes 25 years on October 14.
4. The Green Mile
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This American fantasy drama starred Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan in lead roles. The Green Mile was adapted from Stephen King’s 1996 novel of the same name. It did business worth $290.7 million at the box office and was also critically acclaimed. The film will celebrate its 20th anniversary on December 10.
5. The Shawshank Redemption
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One of the classic films of the 1990s, The Shawshank Redemption is reaching a landmark as it will complete 25 years on September 23. This drama featured Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins and tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne (Tim), who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and also received two Golden Globes nominations.
6. Dumb and Dumber
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The franchise starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels will complete 25 years in December with the last one (Dumb and Dumber Two) hitting the screens in 2014. The comedy series has become a cult of sorts in Hollywood and across the world. Who can forget the shenanigans of Lloyd Christmas (Jim) and Harry Dunne (Jeff), two dumb friends who travel across the country to return a briefcase full of money to its owner. They think it was abandoned by mistake but it was actually left as ransom money!
