Kite (1998) ****

Along with ''Mezzo Forte'' (also directed by Yasuomi Umetsu), ''Kite'' (1998) is probably the best Japanese hentai animé action movie ever made. It's so good, in fact, that there are two versions of it, the R-rated version that eliminates all the explicit scenes, and the Unrated Director's Cut. But both versions feature some of the best action sequences ever seen in a Japanese animation film.

The Red Violin (1998) ****

Historia kina w Popielawach (1998) ****

Happiness (1998) ****

Shakespeare In Love (1998) ****

Elizabeth (1998) ****

Out Of Sight (1998) ****

George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez have great chemistry together in this very funny gangster comedy. Truly memorable characters and great dialogue.

L'Ennui (1998) ****

Dance Me To My Song (1998) ****

The Celebration (1998) ****

Caricies (1998) ****

The Big Lebowski (1998) ****

Lola Rennt (1998) ****

Lola has 20 minutes to find 100,000 deutchmarks and save her boyfriend's ass.

Hurlyburly (1998) ****

Cynical, superbly written film about a bunch of misogynist, coke-snorting Hollywood executives. The most inhuman, disturbing (but yes, riotously funny) scene involves a teenage drifter (played by Anna Paquin), who finds herself as a kind of sexual hot potato to be screwed, abused and tossed at random from one guy to another.

The Truman Show (1998) ****

Truman Burbanks (Jim Carrey) is the star of a 24-hour TV show that records his life. Problem is, he doesn't know it. A brechtian comedy about manipulation, paranoia and deceit. And an allegory about Communism.

The Opposite Of Sex (1998) ****

Screamingly funny black comedy about an evil 16-year-old girl (Christina Ricci) ruining the life of her saintly (and gay) half-brother (Martin Donovan). Lisa Kudrow steals the movie with her exceptional supporting performance as a cynical spinster.

The Longest Nite (1998) ****

A masterfully directed, hard-hitting existential drama about a mysterious stranger (Lau Ching-Wan) framed by a police detective (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai), who in turn becomes the victim of an even more elaborate set-up. This is Hong Kong cinema at its finest - incredibly stylish, shockingly violent and absolutely riveting.

Life Is Beautiful (1998) ****

In Mussolini's Italy, a young Jewish waiter (Benigni) marries a Gentile woman (Braschi). Five years later, the Nazis send them to a death camp, along with their young son. The father has to find a way to shelter his family from the horrors that surround them. This is one of the most touching and deeply moving films ever made, evoking pathos and compassion in a way that puts a human face on the tragedy of the Holocaust without ever diminishing its horror.

The Hole (1998) ****

A young woman gets to know her upstairs neighbor when a hole appears on her ceiling. A superb comedy from Taiwan.

Black Cat White Cat (1998) ****

Directed by Emir Kusturica. With Branka Katic, Florijan Ajdini and Adnan Bekir. A surrealistic, flamboyant black comedy about crazy Serb Gypsies living on the Danube river. It's a full-blown attack on all accepted norms of propriety and decorum, frenetically paced, absolutely hilarious, wildly sensuous and totally wacky. It offers wild goose chases, shotgun weddings, runaway brides, double-crossing gangsters and non-stop Gypsy music. Kusturica has an uncanny ability to expose the most repulsive, vulgar and disgusting side of humanity, and then...transform it into the most sublime poetry.

The Players Club (1998) ****

The Idiots (1998) ****

The Last Days Of Disco (1998) ****

A Bug's Life (1998) ****

It could be described as a computer-animated remake of Akira Kurosawa's "The Seven Samurai", except that here, the brave defenders of the poor peasants happen to be flea circus clowns. Compared with "Antz", this Disney/Pixar co-production is more action-packed, has better animation and more advanced digital effects, but it's certainly not as clever or witty (except for truly hilarious fake bloopers during the closing credits).

Dangerous Beauty (1998) ****

"Dangerous Beauty" is one of the most fascinating historical dramas to come out of Hollywood in recent years. Directed by Marshall Herskovitz ("thirtysomething"), it tells the life story of Veronica Franco, the famous 17th century Venetian courtesan, poet and proto-feminist. Whether making love, reciting poetry, standing up to an Inquisition tribunal or analyzing the strategic importance of Cyprus in the war against the Turks, Veronica (magnificently played by Catherine McCormack) mesmerizes Venetian nobles (and the film's viewers) with her wit, intelligence and beauty. The film is a celebration of her erudition and cleverness.