Vote for what you think...
This is it, my top 10 of 2002...10. Catch Me if You Can - The ultimate fun movie of the year. Steven Spielberg directs Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Christopher Walken in a simple, entertaining, and intelligent story of true life con-artist Frank Abagnale Jr. This may have been a pretentious ploy to prove that Spielberg can direct any type movie and still make it good and a $100 million dollar it, either way, it worked.
9. Igby Goes Down - Kieran Culkin plays 17 year-old Igby in a coming of age tale as a yuppy teenager with a drug addict mother and a father in a mental hospital. As the story goes on and Igby tries to overcome is outrageous problems with his outrageous life, you find he has a sad little life that many of us can relate to. Read below for other thoughts on Culkin.
8. Chicago - My cheeks hurt after watching Chicago because all I did was smile the entire time. From opening frame to closing, the music and the dialogue rarely stopped. Once it was over, I could've sworn it was only 30 minutes long it went by so fast. This marks probably the best movie-musical in a decade and it was directed by first-timer Rob Marshall. Forget your reservations about the movie, and go see it, you won't be upset.
7. Punch-Drunk Love - Can Adam Sandler be in an artsy romantic comedy and be recognized for his acting and even be nominated for some awards in some critics circles? If the movie was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, maybe. In this case, yes. This soft look at loser-love gives new depth to the moronic Adam Sandler and Paul Thomas Anderson, formely directing Boogie Nights and Magnolia. After realizing what exactly it is you are watching and what the movie was trying to say, you feel rejuvinated with the romance of classic movies that we haven't seen in a very long time.
6. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - I can't describe the intensity and epic scope of this movie in words. Although I have never been a fan of fantasy films, its impossible to neglect the sheer power and size of Peter Jackson's second entry in the Lord of the Rings series. It has battle sequences that are so spectacular, rivaling only Kurosawa's Ran from 1985. And that's a bold statement. We also saw the arrival of a new form of acting in Andy Serkis, I'm hoping for an honorable award for this little guy.
5. Gangs of New York - I know I will probably get loads of hate mail because I am recognizing Martin Scorsese's latest historical drama about the history of our favorite city. And I will tell them this...any movie that has the balls of Gangs of New York, the size, the acting, the effects, and above all, the importance that Martin Scorsese has brought to us, deserves to be recognized.
4. Bowling for Columbine - I had serious problems with even watching this movie. The plot is stated as an anti-gun documentary. I'm not a big fan of gun control but I watched it anyway. What I found startled me and made me think twice of what I know about our country. Even director Michael Moore realized half-way through his filming, that the problem with gun murders isn't the guns, but the feelings of our countrymen. See this movie. It'll make you think about everything you've ever learned about politics and the media...not to sound like a cliche.
3. Narc - Narc wins the award of just all round best, enjoyable movie. Without being too complex, Jason Patric and Ray Liotta star in this cop drama about revenge and tell a story where the plot methodically twists and turns without getting confusing at all. Its violent, its harsh, its gritty, but it seems awfully real and your blood will be pumping the entire movie.
2. Adaptation. - Charlie Kaufman wanted to adapt Susan Orlean's book, The Orchid Thief, into a movie. The problem...it had no plot. So instead, he wrote a movie about himself trying to adapt it into a movie. The problem...he couldn't do it without his brother Donald Kaufman. One more problem...there is no such thing as Donald Kaufman. It's a fictious movie written by Charlie Kaufman about Charlie Kaufman and Donalid Kaufman writing an adaption to a non-fiction story. Confused yet? If so, see the movie, because its complexity is presented so easily, and by the third act you are watching something that you thought movies could never do. Expect nominations for Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, and a win from Chris Cooper and writer Charlie Kaufman. Directed by the master of quirky complexity...Spike Jonze.
1. The Pianist - It's hard for me to explain why this movie is better than the previous 9. We all have seen Holocaust drama's before, but in this case, we focused on a single character the entire time. His life was torn from him and to see his ups and downs is seriously heartbreaking and uplifting. It softly tells us the importance of freedom and what happens when we try our best to fight for what's right. It breaks your heart several times and lifts you right back up at the necessary moments. Adrien Brody's acting doesn't come from his words but his composure as a jewish pianist at the time of the holocaust. I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it. The Best Picture of the year.
Honorable Mentions - I saw 85 mainstream movies this year and it was hard to only
pick 10, so I have a few more I'd like to just list.
Frida
About Schmidt
8 Mile
The Good Girl
Signs
Minority Report
About a Boy
Road to Perdition
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Antwone Fisher
Unfaithful
& Insomnia
here are the ten best movies ever made, tell me what you think
1. resevoir dogs (1992) - Quentin Tarantino's first film is quick, violent, ambitious, and above all...new. For this reason, Resevoir Dogs definitely ranks up there with "Most Revolutionary" or "Coolest 90's Movie." As far best movie of all time, I don't think Mr. Tarantino has found the right story to qualify for that honor yet. After all, there has been 250,000 movies made.
2. godfather (1972) - This is definitely one of the ten best movies ever made. The American Film Institute ranks it number 3. I would say, there have been fewer than 5 films in the last 30 years that are better than The Godfather. One of those 5 is probably Godfather 2. This should be a choice for everyone's top 10 with thoughts of acting, directing, importance, and the test of time.
3. matrix (1999) - There are a few reasons why this movie can never make any top 10 list, in my opinion. One reason is Keanu Reeves. He works well in the kick ass style of the film and it fits the premise of the movie. The fact he is in the movie says something about the dialogue of the movie, for obviously it wasn't important to the Wachowski brothers enough to cast a better actor. See number 1.
4. memento (2001) - In 30 years this may just be a movie still on a lot of people's list. But as for now, its only been two years since its release and I can't decide whether or not it's going to make it. Christopher Nolan found a way to tell a story backwards and for it to be completely logical. He is a director that should be watched. I expect huge things in this man's future.
5. lord of the ring the two towers (2002) - No doubt the Lord of the Rings series will go down in history as the largest and most ambitious film journey in movie history. Again, top 10 is awfully bold, but I am not denying that these movies will be enjoyed by every generation to come and will never stop making money. The Hollywood draw and the length of the film both hurt the chances of pretentious list-makers in including it.
6. scarface (1983) - This is basically Brian De Palma's only good movie. It was Al Pacino's ballsiest movie and it is one helluva good ride. From chainsaws, to machine guns, to cocaine, to Tony Montana's 'little friend', this movie is on nearly all action lists. I would probably rank it up there as top 5 drug movies.
7. taxi driver (1976) - Taxi Driver is a disturbing film that merits a spot on the best-acted list. Robert De Niro, in his prime, lived as a Taxi Driver months before filming and stayed in character throughout the filming and made a movie that sticks in our heads long after we watch it. This is probably Martin Scorsese's best movie...next to Raging Bull.
8. shawshank (1994) - Shawshank Redemption does something that many films never have. It keeps Hollywood's charm while still creating an independent feeling and has an uplifting ending without being overly sentimental. I would probably rank this on my top 10.
9. wo hu cang long (2000) - (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) Wo Hu Cang Long opened up a genre to the united states that most people were unaware of. Of course, this ignores the stuish Anime that many of you people seem to love. But a live action martial-arts fantasy film was basically unheard of in modern, mainstream theaters. For this, it deserves something, but top 10, I don't know.
10. tombstone (1993) - Val Kilmer and Kurt Russell are definitely cool cats in director George P. Cosmatos western drama. Cosmatos was made popular for directing a few of Stallone's Rambo movies. In my opinion, this movie should not be on your list. For entertainments sake, the movie wasn't horrible, but you are talking top 10.
But remember, this is just my opinion, I don't really know anything.
Art for Artsake?
Salo. This is the first time I have ever wrote a review or my "thoughts" about a movie that I have never seen. Salo tells the story of a group of Italian rulers that abuse their power by gathering a group of 16 year old boys and girls and brutally assaulting them violently and sexually. The story is written by the incomperable Marquis de Sade and is supposed to be a commentary of the ultimate power of the Italian fascist state. The Marquis died 150 years before the movie was adapted and filmed in 1975, so I will not blame him for my comments to come. All the comments are directed towards Pier Paolo Passolini, the director. The concept of the movie is not bad, and usually would be a reason for me to see it. But its the way they go about telling the story that drives me away. Outlines of the movie say the film shows the children eating feces, being attacked by rats in an abberrant fashion, sodomy, urination, etc. The film was banned in nearly every country for 21 years. The actual images shown on screen are barely above R rating and would probably exhibit an NC-17 by today's standards. For this reason, MPAA can't label it with a XXX rating so the studio is forced to label it NR (non-rated). The DVD was released in a special Criterion edition about 3 or 4 years ago and now sells for over $300 a piece. I've read many reviews and thought long and hard about whether or not I should watch it. And because I've seen over 3000 movies, one would think that I should see it for "movie-watchers" sake only. But if I watch it, I'm ruining the point movies were made in the first place: to be entertained. Not every form of entertainment must be positive, and I understand that. For example, Schindler's List isn't necessarily enjoyable, but nonetheless important. Passolini had a habit of making films that were controversial and pushed the limits of free-speech. I'm inclined to believe that this was his motivation for his final film, Salo. The brutal fascism of WWII Italy may be an important story to tell, but do we need to see teenage bestiality and pedophoelia, I think not. The fact that this film was released and considered important gives me the image of Passolini in his yacht laughing about how the American-movie-watcher finds art in his deliberate trash of a movie. I do not want him to win this battle, for we can find the importance of Fascism by watching Brazil or Sunshine. So, in order to not fall prey to Mr. Passolini's solipsistic look on Fascism, I refuse to watch this movie. I welcome your thoughts if you have seen this movie or simply to tell me whether or not you plan to after reading my thoughts.
I'm Glad I Was Wrong
The Pianist. Roman Polanksi's latest Holocaust drama was on my Oscar-to-see list but I had my doubts about it. In the last couple years, we have been flooded with these types of movies: Schindler's List, Life is Beautiful, Jacob the Liar, Angela's Ashes, etc. I went into the theatre thinking we were going to watch the same basic movie melodramatizing the war, but I was pleasantly proven wrong. Instead of telling the story of the war, it told the story of a musician during the war. This true story told the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a real life pianist in the 30's and 40's and how the Holocaust effected him. Adrien Brody gives the performance of his career and Roman Polanski proves to have perfected his craft. This is the best of his career. Being a survivor of the holocaust himself, Polanski tells the story through the eyes of the pianist by not being overly dramatic or sappy but by showing the realism of the war in all of its forms. It will make you ever so happy that you live in America and make you wonder why we complain so much about our own government. Check it out, I'd like to know what you think.
Rivals to Watch
Kieran Culkin vs Macauley Culkin. I would say Macauley's younger brother showed himself as one of the top ten actors of 2002, but unfortunately, this isn't quite good enough for a 2003 nomination. His rebellious turn in Igby Goes Down was both dark and light, both twisted and downright normal. It's apparent that his first lead role in a film proved him to be a better actor than his older brother ever was. Kieran has so far been nominated for Golden Globe: Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical. However, Macauley was nominated for this exact same award back in 1990, when he was only 10. The difference? One was for Home Alone and one was for Igby Goes Down. Two very different movies, characters, and actors. Is it safe to say that Kieran is a better actor than Macaulay? I think yes. I'm sure you are all wondering where Macaulay Culkin is and when will he be back. Well, he has two movies coming out this year. Both of them are dramatic turns where he plans to be recognized as a grown actor, see Party Monster. Kieran is a little less enthusiastic about his own situation. He doesn't plan to make a movie any time soon. I think this is a good idea. He should sit back and see how his older brothers movies do before jumping back into the rivalry, because that's all its looking to be. I welcome your thoughts.
Greatest Living Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis. This is the only actor I've seen that has been flawless in every movie he has ever made. From the crippled Irishman in My Left Foot to the gang leader Bill "The Butcher" Cutting in Gangs Of New York, he has proven himself in every genre of film. Making only about 10 movies where his name is in contention, he has been nominated twice with one win and a surefire nomination for Gangs of New York approaching. Rumors say he is retiring from acting for his method approaches wears him out to literal exhaustion. He lives as the character he plays during production, even off the set. I welcome your opinions.
Director to Watch
Quentin Tarantino. I know I know, you all know all about him, and perhaps he is a name from the past. But the trailer to Kill Bill looks like he may just revive himself as the smartest and freshest young filmmaker around. In 1992, he made his first film Resevoir Dogs and was immediately put on the map with a nomination for Best Picture at Sundance. Two years later, he followed up with Pulp Fiction which is heralded as one of the finest films of all time. It later grossed over 100 million dollars and was nominated for 7 Academy Award including a director nomination and screenplay win for him. The next year he wrote and directed a small part in Four Rooms along with Robert Rodriquez, Alison Anders, and Alexandre Rockwell. This was considered a financial failure and caused Madonna to be nominated for a Razzie. Two years later, in 1997, Tarantino wrote and Directed his 3¼ film: Jackie Brown. Although gaining critical acclaim and minimal box office success, no awards or nomination went out to Quentin Tarantino. The only Academy Award nomination went to the supporting actor: Robert Forster. Does this make a two hit wonder in Quentin Tarantino or is he a truly fine director? The judgment lies in Kill Bill, due out in 2003. Please tell me what you think.