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For Film, 2001 Was One Year to Rule Them AllOct 01 '08 (Updated Aug 28 '09) Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line 2001 was a terrific year for movies, especially for fans of fantasy. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. That would be a fair way to describe the fall of 2001. The worst was certainly in the forefront, with the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11th altering our perception of the world. Culturally, however, it was a time of great excitement, particularly for ardent fans of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. I don't think I've ever been as excited about a movie as I was about that first installment of Peter Jackson's trilogy, and perhaps the epic story was all the more potent in light of September 11th. So here's my list of my ten favorite movies of 2001, with Tolkien first; the rest are in alphabetical order. Fellowship of the Ring - I first heard about this adaptation shortly before I graduated from high school in 1999, so it was highly anticipated. I followed the film's progress over the next two years, but not too closely; I wanted to be in for a surprise. What Fellowship delivered was an exquisitely rendered version of Middle-earth; in terms of recreating Tolkien's landscape, Jackson's efforts were painstaking. In pure visual terms, it was everything I wanted it to be. Granted, Jackson deviated from the story and the characters at times, and I didn't always agree with his decisions, but I was very impressed with the actors chosen to portray these iconic characters. Criticism came later; when I left the theater, I was awed, and I'm still flabbergasted by what he accomplished. A. I. Artificial Intelligence - Haley Joel Osment became an actor for me to watch back in 1999 when I saw him in The Sixth Sense, so he was the one who drew me into this futuristic story about a robotic boy longing for a human mother's love. His mostly emotionless performance is eerie, while Jude Law provides much-needed comic relief in the role that introduced me to him. I found this movie creepy and depressing, so "favorite" might not be such a great term for it, but it certainly made an impression. A Beautiful Mind - This one beat Fellowship for Best Picture, which irked me a bit, but I can't deny it's a fascinating movie, and Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly act their hearts out in it. I also loved Paul Bettany, who made it easier for me to latch onto Crowe's deeply disturbed character. Ron Howard took me for a twisty, turny ride, so that even though I thought I knew what was coming, I was still thrown for a loop. Incidentally, this is one of only two movies, I think, that I've seen with my grandma in the theater. I liked the other - Forrest Gump - better, but this one is quite good. I Am Sam - Speaking of Forrest, Sean Penn's protagonist reminded me a lot of that chocolate-loving Southern gentleman. Sam functions at a lower level than Forrest, basically incapable of operating on his own; he needs help from others, which ultimately seems to be the main point of the movie. He is an incredibly devoted dad to his young daughter, played by the precocious Dakota Fanning, but raising her is a big job; that doesn't mean, however, that he should be denied the duty. This touching film about family and community is made even better by a soundtrack consisting entirely of outstanding covers of Beatles songs. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - What a year for fantasy! Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, released within a month of each other. As with Fellowship, this movie held all the excitement of a beloved story being brought to life on the big screen. We got to meet the unknown young actors so carefully selected to play our heroes and admired the Who's Who of British Cinema adult cast. While the pace seemed a bit rushed, the magic remained, from John Williams' sweeping score to the mysterious interiors of Hogwarts. What a feast for the imagination! Monsters, Inc. - Pixar has shown itself to be dedicated to the production of family films of the highest quality, and this is one of their best efforts. I can never seem to decide on a favorite Pixar film, but this is always in the running. It's so creative, with monsters of every shape and size wandering around in a world custom-made for them. They're not any more inherently frightening than Grover and Elmo, but their city runs on the power generated from human screams. While the visuals are stunning and the plot ingenious, it's the interplay among wise-cracking Mike, softie Sully and their unintended charge "Boo" that ultimately makes the movie so irresistible. Moulin Rouge - An unconventional musical showcasing the hitherto untapped singing talents of Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. Young, idealistic love clashes with cruel reality in this tragi-comedy; things don't all work out just the way you'd like, but it's worth the ride. I had to watch it twice before I could really get into it; the opening scenes are especially perplexing to the uninitiated. But terrific musical performances, creative reuse of pop songs, vibrant visuals and a top-notch cast make the movie worth the extra time investment. The Others - Slow and quiet, a thriller in many ways like The Sixth Sense, particularly in the use of music to build up suspense when there's not really all that much need for it. Both were movies I was dragged to see; both turned out to not really be horror movies after all, though by the time I figured that out they were almost over. Kidman is affecting in a strong performance very different from Moulin Rouge, while the supporting cast, particularly Fionnula Flanagan, strike the perfect balance of creepy-but-not-too-creepy. The Princess Diaries - Maybe it was my mindset when I first watched this, but I found it to be absolutely joyous. I loved Anne Hathaway playing the teen transitioning from social outcast to sudden princess, the classy pairing of Julie Andrews and Hector Elizondo, the cynical best friend with an incredibly sweet brother who prompted the young royal to sigh, "You saw me when I was invisible!" Yes, there were some silly high school shenanigans, but for the most part, it felt like a throwback to the days of classic Disney, and I was happy. Shrek - This wacky but ultimately charming send-up of dozens of classic fairy tales features a most unusual hero. A green, uncouth ogre with a Scottish brogue, Shrek is surly but lovable, and Eddie Murphy's fast-talking donkey makes a hilarious sidekick. The plot probably borrows most from Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast, and ultimately it challenges viewers to reassess their notions of beauty. Along the way, there's some crude humor to put up with, and the constant belittling of Lord Farquaad because of his size seems to undercut the message, but the film's climax remains a striking cinematic moment. So there you have it. By no means definitive; there are many 2001 movies I still want to see, and some that I have seen - like the totally ludicrous but nonetheless gut-busting Zoolander - might have made the cut on another day. Suffice it to say, it was a bad year in some respects, but it was a good year for movies. Other 2001 Movies I've Reviewed: Edges of the Lord Best of Lists: 1999 * 2000 * 2001 * 2002 * 2003 * 2004 * 2005 * 2006 * 2007 * 2008  |
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