OK, so to tantalize you further, I’ve decided to break these two fights out into individual fights so you can see how they got here and a short argument for each…

So here is the 1999 Tournament Final Four: Fight #2: Fight Club v The Matrix

Fight Club
Route to the Final Four
Fight Club has been the favorite to win this tournament from the very beginning. Starting as the #1 seed, it was entered into a group with Varsity Blues, Payback, The General’s Daughter, Notting Hill. It started early as the very first fight was against Notting Hill, which Fight Club won 10-1. The second fight of the group stage was Fight Club crushing General’s Daughter 8-0. Then Fight Club continued to win, narrowly beating Varsity Blues 3-2.
So, on to the knockout stage. Entering the tournament, Fight Club continued to be the North Carolina of this tournament… It wasn’t an easy route as the #32 seed was Ghost Dog. It was a good fight, but ended with a Fight Club win 6-2.
The second round, the sweet sixteen, went much easier, with Detroit Rock City being pushed around to the tune of 9-1.
So, last round, in the Elite 8, a real competitor came to the table, but they weren’t able to hold a candle. The Sixth Sense wasn’t able to do better than a 6-2 loss. And then, it was on to this great final four matchup!

Argument for Fight Club over The Matrix
Fight Club belongs in this position and the argument is clear. It is the most innovative, interesting, mind-bending movie of the year. And you might be saying to yourself, “wait, I could likely say the same for The Matrix. Those arguments aren’t going to work here” ok, so in that case I give you David Fincher, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton against Keanu Reeves? Case and Point! One more though. This movie defines a generation. Chuck P’s opus is a book that hits the perfect chord with so many people that it will never be forgot or seem out of date, unlike other movies in this fight.

The Matrix
Route to the Final Four
The Matrix, though one of the favorites to make it to this point, had a rough route. In the group stage, it had to deal with such movies as American Pie, Tarzan, Blue Streak and Double Jeopardy. In it’s very first fight, The Matrix likely saw it’s greatest competition in American Pie, but was narrowly able to snatch a victory, 6-3. Thanks to that win, it only took one more win to secure a place at the top of the group, defeating Blue Streak 10-0.
In the Knockout Tournament, The Matrix defeated October Sky in the very first round 6-1. Easy fight, but things would get tough soon enough.
Sweet Sixteen was next, in which Man on the Moon, a seemingly strong opponent, was crushed 10-1!
And in the most recent fight, the Elite 8 brought Dogma to play against The Matrix. However, another clear victory was in hand, with a 6-2 win.

Argument for The Matrix over Fight Club
Lets be honest about what it means to be the best movie of a year. Having great actors means nothing. Having an interesting story only gets you so far. What makes you the best movie of a year, when you are looking back ten years later, is how much this great movie effected Cinema and Pop Culture. The question should be which is the better movie to describe 1999. There is no better movie for that than The Matrix. It changed cinema, it changed special effects, it changed philosophy, it did so much more than gave men an opportunity to growl at one another. As I always say, vote according to the discussion we are having.

The Results are In:
Fight Club – 8
The Matrix – 4