1999 has been a great year for filmmaking and movie audiences, but a terrible one for Oscars, it seems. Films this year have been daring, controversial, and even unnerving - just take a look at some of the best ones: The Matrix, Three Kings, Being John Malkovich, Boys Don't Cry, American Beauty and especially Fight Club - all of which has had the old-guard, conservative Academy scrambling to find nominations that would suit their style. So what do we get for contenders? More of the typical: The Green Mile, The Sixth Sense, The Cider House Rules, The Insider and, because it's just on the edge, American Beauty. Personally, I'd only consider the last two as true nominations, but then, what does an Oscar mean, anyway? My hopes are on The Insider, but my gut tells me American Beauty, hands down. Not that the other films nominated are bad films, they're just typical Hollywood productions; interesting, yes, ground-breaking or thought-provoking, no.