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Macresarf didn't get in trouble for it, will I?May 12 '02 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line I wanted to post a top ten film list for 2001, but couldn't find a place to do so. Like Macresarf, I will post it here.
Here is my top ten list for 2001: 10. Moulin Rouge. An exciting feast for the eyes and ears, while still able to be entertaining on a story level. If only every film could say as much. A funny, touching and most of all, surprising film from a visionary director. This film can be enjoyed over and over. 9. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. Like Moulin Rouge, this is a beautiful film. It is a beautiful mix between Spielberg's and Kubrick's filmmaking styles. Much has been made of A.I. asking questions that cannot be answered. However, look at the questions it does ask: What is love? Can it be manufactured? What is alive? Can life be manufactured? What is happiness? Can happiness be manufactured? Why can't humans love a machine? Should humans love a machine? No one cannot adequately answer these questions, therefore, the filmmakers should not be required to supply artificial answers. An amazing outing. 8. Spy Game. This film is a pure adrenaline rush for the eyes, ears and mind. Although not realistic beyond its own world, "Spy Game" succeeds in setting up a world in which it can play around in. The flashbacks slowly allow us to see why Redford's at-first-mysterious character is doing what he is doing. The present tense action allows us to see what he is doing. The best action film of the year. 7. In the Bedroom. The loss of a child allows us to see "In the Bedroom". Field changed the title from "Killings" to "In the Bedroom" appropriately, and subsequently made this film his. Many critics comment that Field's directing style is "hands-off." While not intentional, I think this to be decidedly insulting. Like a great director, he did this because it was appropriate for the mood of the film. And directing the camera is not the only job of a director. Was I the only one who saw Wilkinson's and Spacey's amazing performances? This film is not about "Killings." It is, appropriately, about what happens "In the Bedroom." 6. A Beautiful Mind. This is an inspiring story. Right away, that scares most critics. As Ebert reminded a curios reader in "The Movie Answer Man," a powerful film is still a powerful film, even if it is not true. And it is a dramatists right to not include information for whatever reason. A film is not a representation of a man, and hopefully never will be. A film can only capture a certain sense about something, not the whole thing. I'm sure if I were to know the real Nash, I would be inspired ten times as much. Nonetheless, this is an engaging, powerful and awe inspiring story. 5. Ali. With a mediocre response from critics and audiences alike, this film quickly fell out of the running for the Oscar race. That is unfortunate, since Will Smith and Michael Mann alike deserve the Oscars this year. I think too many critics wanted a "Raging Bull." Because I had not seen that film at the time, I appreciated this film for what it was. It was not a glimpse into the psyche of Ali, rather a glimpse into the political figure Ali represented. He was smart, funny and above all, a political figure of the sixties. He learned how to "sing like a butterfly; sting like a bee" out of the ring just as well as in the ring. Mann shows how Ali transcended the ring and became a much needed political icon, taking the place of Malcolm X and MLK. 4. The Lord of the Rings. So many good films this year. Now, we get into films that I will forever remember. If this is a bad year for films, than I'm in heaven. Berardinelli said it best when he said that he was "there" for the whole three hours. That is exactly what happened to me, both times! Incredibly engaging and awesome, this may not be a great conversation piece, but it sure is amazing entertainment. 3. Waking Life. I struggled with the top three. They were all so amazing. I dreamed about this film for days after seeing it. It has never left me. It was so powerful because many of the ideas presented in the film I have pondered myself. It is visionary and ecstatically eccentric, making it unforgettable. It awakened the life inside my mind, and the whole while, wrapped me up in the at-first subtle plot. The fluid colors and canvas and ideas presented in Waking Life continue to haunt and inspire me. 2. Bully. Underrated, this film is much better than Larry Clark's first outing, "Kids." This film too, fills my sleep, however it does so in my nightmares. It is about the demoralized state of suburban teens and how they care about nothing more than drugs and sex. Money doesn't even concern them, beyond getting drugs. Sex is not a beautiful thing in the world of "Bully" (which is hauntingly real), but a toy, given out often, to many. These kids that I know all too well, care so little about anything, that killing someone becomes an obsession, not because they want to kill the bully of the group (that's just an added bonus), but because they have nothing better to do. "The hit man needs a ride." A haunting tale of boredom. 1. Ghost World. This was at first my number three film, after seeing Waking Life. But, while Waking Life never left my mind, it did fade quicker than this film, which is nothing short of a masterpiece of not only dark humor, but searing social commentary. Commenting on the Ghosts of suburban America, two girls search for something "real" in their world of strip malls and chain stores. Not even school or art class offer refuge from the fading ghosts of a past that had identity. Very Honorable Mention: (In order of my admiration) "Memento", an amazing web that unfortunately lost its masterpiece status at the end, when it refused to play by the rules it set up. Nonetheless, a riveting, suspenseful dramatic thriller. "Monster's Ball", a coincidental character piece that shows the necessity of compromise in times of pain and suffering; "The Pledge", a near masterpiece of a man driven to madness; "Gosford Park", a comic ensemble of an outrageous weekend shows what a veteran director is capable of; "Under the Sand", a pensive drama about denial and self worth in a time of terrible tragedy; "Black Hawk Down", the film that almost didn't make my list until my second viewing, a war yarn that is hard to follow, but nonetheless an outstanding account of what went wrong. I hope Epinions will soon offer a consistent venue for top ten lists in all categories.  |
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