Darse's Favourite Movies of 2001
Darse's Favourite Movies of 2001After a very slow start, 2001 turned out to be a pretty good year for movies. It even has a high-quality blockbuster that could define the era, just as "Star Wars" did more than two decades ago.
1. (90) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2. (86) The Man Who Wasn't There
3. (83) Waking Life
4. (82) Amélie (aka "Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain")
5. (82) Mulholland Drive
6. (82) Life as a House
7. (81) Donnie Darko
8. (81) Y tu mamá también
9. (80) Shrek
10. (79) Monsters, Inc.
11. (79) Monster's Ball
12. (78) Memento
brief comments:
"Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring". Great adaptation of the epic JRR Tolkien novel. An amazing achievement, given the scope of the project and the incredibly high expectations of fans.
"The Man Who Wasn't There" continues the Coen brothers tradition of eclectic excellence. Essentially a 1940s film noir, it is slow and subtle, and definitely not for everyone. It is rich in texture and atmosphere, with some amazing black and white photography (I would like to have a collection of a dozen still frames from this film on my wall). Billy Bob Thornton was the best actor of the year, but didn't even get a nomination.
"Waking Life" is for people who like to think. It contains a series of long monologues by characters espousing their philosophies and views on life. Each view is expressed intelligently and eloquently, and it is interesting to see such radically different perspectives presented side-by-side, for comparison and critique. The animation technique is also novel (varying from cool to annoying).
"Amélie" is totally cute and totally charming -- both the character and the film. There is so much about this story that is positive and uplifting, I think it is right to say that the film makes the world a better place. And there is a piano piece on the soundtrack ("Comptine d'un autre été: L'après midi") that is beautiful beyond words.
"Mulholland Drive" is weird and wonderful, in classic Lynch style. However, unlike his previous puzzles, this one actually makes sense (although it took me three hours of thought to figure it out). The highly abstract style contributes to the mystery. And Naomi Watts produces a subtle performance worthy of a best actress nomination (but lacked the political connections to get one).
"Life as a House" could have been sappy, melodramatic, and cliché, but it avoided those pitfalls. Some have criticized the film for being emotionally manipulative, but I do not agree. The story is told in an honest and direct manner, and the characters are imperfect and genuine. The acting is excellent, especially from the two leads, Kevin Kline and Hayden Christensen.
"Donnie Darko" is dark and complex on the surface, but is rather warm and light underneath. It gets high marks for originality, interesting characters, and excellent use of 80s music. Jake Gyllenhaal is superb in the title role as a troubled teenager trying to make sense of an insane world.
"Y tu mamá también" is an original, uncontrived, well told story, that is often very funny. The film has quite a bit of explicit sexuality -- the good clean kind that makes the MPAA totally freak out, regardless of how much it adds to the story. If they rate it, they'll likely give it the dreaded NC-17 rating, or they might invent an NC-717 rating especially for this film. How dare anyone mix sex in with an intelligent film about life, adventure, personal growth, and friendship. Scandalous!
"Shrek" is *soooo* not Disney. That's a high complement in my book. Funny and charming, just when it looked like those things had become a lost art to Hollywood.
"Monsters, Inc." *is* Disney (Pixar), but it's good anyway (dammit!). Disney has emotional manipulation down to a science, and this movie demonstrates that they have also mastered the art of cute. Even the crustiest old curmudgeon (like me:) must be tickled by Boo.
"Monster's Ball" is a powerful human drama. Although slow and methodical, the masterful acting of Billy Bob Thorton and Hally Berry make this complex and painful story more than bearable. Hope out of desperation is a timeless theme, but this film is not for those who dislike substance.
"Memento" is a well-executed thinker, about a man with no long-term memory. The 'gimmick' of telling the story backwards, scene by scene, is perfect for identifying with the main character's condition, since the audience has no memory of past events either. Clever.
Honourable mention goes to "Vanilla Sky" "The Shipping News" "Ghost World" "Moulin Rouge!" "A Beautiful Mind" "Series 7: The Contenders" and "Ocean's Eleven" which were entertaining, at least.
overrated: "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" "The Royal Tenenbaums" "In The Bedroom"
[begin rant]
I hate the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). It is controlled by sanctimonious pinheaded puritans, who label anything dealing with reality as indecent and harmful. They treat normal human sexuality as a criminal offense, and they are incapable of distinguishing between needless violence and social commentary.
Quiz time: Which of these movie classifications doesn't belong?
Certification: Chile:14 / Finland:K-11 / France:U / Germany:6 / Netherlands:AL / Sweden:7 / Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) / Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) / UK:15 / Canada:PG / USA:R
What movie do you suppose would be acceptable for all audiences in France and The Netherlands, and 6-year-olds in Germany, but the MPAA slaps with: "Rated R for sexual content"?
"Amélie" deals with certain aspects of sexuality in a completely wholesome and honest way. There is a flash of nudity for less than a second. For this the MPAA gets its buns in a knot, and gives it a "restricted adult" rating, ensuring that millions of people (both teens and adults) won't watch it -- the very people who need this joyous film the most. Aughh, it's _disgusting_.
There are countless examples of their repression, oppression, and retardedness, but I will cite only one other.
MPAA: Rated R for disturbing and graphic depiction of violent anti-social behavior, sexuality and language.
"Fight Club" should definitely be rated "R", but for the crime of depicting anti-social behavior?? The movie's anti-consumerism theme must have offended the corporations that own the MPAA... GTHMPAA!
[end rant]