2001: A Year of the Eccentric, the Fantastic, and the Intimate
Aug 30 '02 (Updated Sep 02 '02)
The Bottom Line From escapist fantasy to brutal realism to probing character studies, 2001 delivered a broad palette of films that made it a year not to be soon forgotten.
2001 was a disparate year for movies indeed. There were the summer blockbusters that did little more than -- at best -- induce boredom and -- at worst -- induce severe chronic nausea with massive loss of grey matter. There were the largely refreshing, more daring independent productions and the predominantly turgid, overdrawn hollywood blockbusters. There were the made-for-tv, tearjearker, feel-good movies and the gritty, uncompromising, true-to-life productions. Some of the films were downright appalling (e.g. Evolution, AntiTrust), and some were worthy of the best of years (see below). Ultimately, it proved to be an interesting year and not altogether unrewarding.
So, without further ado, let me get right down to business.
My Top Ten Films of 2001:
(in approximate order)
10. Memento (d: Christopher Nolan): Now here's one movie that really made it big, at least proportionally speaking. Being made with a meager budget of $5 million, its final tally turned out to be more than 500% of the cost of production. (It finished its domestic run in theaters with $25+ million.) And it did this for good reason: the film is simply compelling. The rich (and dark) atmosphere that permeates this film -- told half in reverse and half in forward motion -- sticks with you. The acting is suitably melancholic and the direction (not to mention screenplay and editing) is a marvel. A must-see for fans of neo-noir mystery/thrillers.
9. Bully (d: Larry Clark): Controversial is the middle name of this film. Revolving around a group of disgruntled and vengeful teens in a small suburban town in Florida (and based on a true life story to boot), Larry Clark crafts a film that is distinctly not for all tastes. If abundant (some might say exploitative) nudity and brutal violence are offensive to your tastes, then this film is most assuredly not for you. But if you're willing to take the time to see beyond the flesh and lascivious lifestyles of the young protagonists, what unfolds is genuinely moving -- not to mention chilling. The cast of young stars all give convincing performances, and none moreso than the gifted Nick Stahl (soon to star as the older John Connors in Terminator 3). And a word of advice: see the unrated version -- if you have the stomach.
8. Chopper (d: Andrew Dominik): Now first of all I should clarify that this is technically not a 2001 film. It was originally released in Australia in 2000. But since I'm going by the date it was released in America, I'm listing it as a 2001 film. (Yes, I know I'm odd.) As regards the movie itself, this is yet another production I would not recommend to the weak of heart, though not for sexual content (of which there's virtually none save one scene). Rather, this film really lets the blood flow. More than one scene had me squirming in my seat at the sight onscreen. But despite (or perhaps because of) the distastefulness of several scenes in Chopper, one can't accuse this film of insincerity or lack of heart. Eric Bana delivers a genuine tour-de-force, and the screenplay really leaves you wondering about this decidedly conflicted man. But easy answers aren't what this film is about.
7. Black Hawk Down (d: Ridley Scott): Wow, I really seem to be getting into a rut. Here be yet another film with violence aplenty. But this time the violence is used not to show the conflicted lives of Florida teens or to introspect an intimate portrait of an Australian celebrity-murderer. Rather, this time it is employed to bring to life a truly harrowing recounting of a botched U.S. military operation in Somalia in 1993. What unfolds is the story of how one misstep (literally) can lead to a hellish nightmare. Ridley Scott brings the battlefield to life with technical virtuosity and an eye for realism that few films dare to undertake. One of the most compelling war films since Saving Private Ryan or Platoon.
6. In the Bedroom (d: Todd Field): First-time director Todd Field really nails it with this fable of familial loss and subsequent emotional disintegration. The story revolves around a New England family who suffer through the loss of a close family member and are then forced to come to grips with how they must deal with the tragedy. None of the answers here are simple, and likewise none of the characters are plainly black or white. The shades of grey in In the Bedroom are thicker than a San Francisco fog. But the acting across the board is inspired, if understated, and brings the characters to life in subtle yet profound ways. Here is a movie where silence can speak louder than words.
5. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (d: Steven Spielberg): I'm sure there are many people out there who are now wondering, upon coming to this point in my top ten list, why on God's green earth I chose to list this of all films. And I understand the sentiment. This is not a film for all tastes. The last act of the film can be easily viewed as a sugar-coated cop-out by Spielberg to appease the masses. I however take a different view. But I'm not about to spoil the fun for those of you who have yet to see this highly under-rated parable of mankind's moral and ethical struggle with the connotations of technological evolution. At times disturbing, at times moving, at times visually stunning, A.I. offers something for almost everyone -- perhaps at the expense of satisfying no one. But what a journey of unsatisfaction it is.
4. The Man Who Wasn't There (d: Joel and Ethan Coen): I'm ashamed to say that this is only the second film by the Coen brothers that I've ever seen. But after viewing this and their prior take on Homer's Odyssey (O Brother, Where Art Thou?), I'm convinced that I must endeavor to see more of their films. They have a decidely quirky sense of humor (a little dark perhaps for some tastes) and a flair for creating memorably idiosyncratic characters. Billy Bob Thornton, here as the sullen, melancholic barber Ed Crane, shows how it's done. His performance is hardly the conventional show-man's piece (a.k.a. raving lunatic or bumbling retard) but nevertheless oozes with subterranean depth. This is one character who can say volumes while saying nothing at all. And of course the cinematography is a marvel, with rich shades of black, white, and grey to rival virtually any color film. If quiet, off-kilter, character-driven comedy/dramas are your thing, then this might very well turn out to be a new favorite of yours.
3. Moulin Rouge! (d: Baz Luhrmann): From the quiet and introspective The Man Who Wasn't There, I now turn to a film that is anything but quiet and introspective. And that film just so happens to be the widely divisive, love-it-or-hate-it Moulin Rouge!. Baz Luhrmann has made a reputation for himself via his films Romeo + Juliet and Strictly Ballroom as one Aussie who isn't afraid of die-hard romanticism. And damn if he isn't good at it. I personally am not a huge fan of musicals. They generally strike me as stuffy and lacking in any originality or genuine emotion. But this film rebuffs that notion wholeheartedly. Ewan MacGregor and Nicole Kidman have chemistry out the wazoo and hold this production together like superglue. Who knew these two could sing better than half of the pop music industry combined? And don't get me started on the lavish costume and production design -- which is nothing short of simply mouth-watering. In short, Moulin Rouge! is a passionate production that wears its heart on its sleave and isn't afraid to sing the joys and ecstasies of "Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and above all things, Love."
2. Mulholland Drive (d: David Lynch): David Lynch is one man who isn't afraid of leaving an audience in the dark. And this production is a perfect example of that tendency. Unfolding like some sort of lucid dream of alternate realities couched within the context of a love story in the City of Celebrity, Mulholland Drive is one tough nut to crack. I'm still not sure if I totally "get it." But I do recognize genius when I see it, and this films drips with it in eccentric gallons. Naomi Watts delivers what easily qualifies in my book as the best female performance of 2001. It's a crime she wasn't at least nominated for an Academy Award. But, ah well, such is stardom -- as Mulholland Drive so poignantly illustrates. Don't go into this film expecting to figure it out. You won't. Just experience it for the dark, twisted, passionate dreamscape that it is.
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (d: Peter Jackson): And now comes the big kahuna -- the film that takes its place as my #1 film of 2001. I'm sure there are those who would dismiss this film as nothing more than a juvenile special effects extravaganza with about as much depth as a cardboard box. I'm not one of those people. Rarely has a film touched me so deeply on both the visceral, technical level and the emotional, human level. The characters in this film live and breathe their environs. They are the real fabric that weaves this into the masterpiece that it is. Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins dispels all thought of him as being another dime-a-dozen teen pretty boy with about as much talent as my left pinky. He delivers a soulful, touching performance as the young, naïve hobbit who accepts his family inheritance and, as the story progresses, slowly begins the road to the realization of what a ghastly inheritance it is. Ian McKellen as Gandalf is a revelation. His Oscar nomination was well-deserved. And let's not forget Ian Holm. His Bilbo Baggins is a kind-hearted, jovial spirit who desires only the best for those whom he loves, yet who also has a dark side that manifests itself all too clearly more than once. The rest of the cast manage their performances superbly (with perhaps one or two nominal exceptions) and bring to life the world of Middle-Earth with an earnestness and sincerity rarely seen in films that are concretely set in the "real" world. A must-see for all, so long as your heart is yet beating and your imagination an open door.
Honorable Mentions: The Others, Ghost World, Amélie, The Pledge, A Knight's Tale.
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Epinions.com ID:
marcusaurelius
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Member: Mark Miles
Location: Mebane, NC, USA
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me:
movie afficionado, history buff, music lover, connoisseur of all things eclectic and eccentric
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