Brian Raftery
Brian Raftery is a former senior writer at Wired magazine and the author of two books. His feature stories and profiles have appeared in such publications as The New York Times, The Ringer, Men’s Health, New York, Esquire, and GQ.
"Persuasive and entertaining...dares to think bigger than the big screen" - The New York Times Book Review
“Best. Movie. Year. Ever. is a terrifically fun snapshot of American film culture on the brink of the Millennium. Brian Raftery is the ultimate pop-culture savant. From indies to blockbusters, auteurs to amateurs, he covers it all, as both a keen-eyed journalist and a true movie fan, delivering inside information and no small amount of laughs. I loved this book—even though it made me want to call in sick for a week, and go back and watch (or re-watch) the movies from this great year in film. An absolute must for any movie-lover or pop-culture nut!” —Gillian Flynn
"Even while it was happening, 1999 felt like an unusually interesting year for film. But what Brian Raftery illustrates in this deeply researched book is that classifying 1999 as interesting doesn't go far enough. It was a hinge moment for cinematic entertainment that still reverberates today, in ways I had either forgotten or never knew originally. This is the complete portrait of what it was like to spend a year inside a movie theater at the best possible moment in time." —Chuck Klosterman
"Brian Raftery expertly wields a journalist’s exhaustiveness and a novelist’s prose in Best. Movie. Year. Ever. His exclusive reporting and inside-out examination of 1999’s groundbreaking movies explain why the year remains the best movie year recorded and one who’s impact and reach will be felt in cinema for years to come." —Jonathan Abrams, New York Times bestselling author of All the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire
“Raftery vividly evokes the boozy, semimelodic pathos that makes karaoke a profound group-bonding rite, while acknowledging—nay, toasting—its tackiness. The result is an entertaining, exuberant homage that’s anything but off-key.”
- Publishers Weekly
“In this waggish memoir, Raftery chronicles his journey (heh) across the world, rocking karaoke joints.”
- Entertainment Weekly
“A delightful and ultimately moving read.”
- Spin
