The Fifth Element (1997)

Directed by Luc Besson
Written by Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen
Starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich, Chris Tucker, Ian Holm

My Advice: Matinee.

A lot of people were thrown for a loop by this movie.  It simply wasn't what they expected.  I am of the opinion that these people had never seen a euro-sci/fi film before, because let's face it--this flick is a hoot.  We must be honest, though--this is a story that you've seen before.  Why is it worth seeing then?  More than anything else, the movie looks gorgeous.  Not just the amazing costumes (and Milla's white-nothing-there outfit--whew) by Gaultier and production design by Moebius, and not just the futuristic city and space liner, but also the details--for instance: note how Korben's (Willis) cigarettes are 3/4 filter or spend a moment contemplating Korben's living quarters.  It's not just pretty, though:  Willis is in fine form as cabbie/black ops guy Korben, Tucker had me on the floor with his role as the manic DJ Phallic Hair, and Oldman deserves some kind of award for the gun demo alone.  (If you've seen it, you know what I mean.)  The real flaws in the story come in with a tacked-in question of whether or not mankind is worth saving and a pseudo-cheesy ending that makes you want to sing "Kum Ba Yah".  But for the most part, it's a nice goofy E-Ticket ride.