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by Stephen Wong
If you were daring enough to venture out of the multiplexes and into the art houses this year, 2001 just might have been one of the most spectacular cinematic events recent memory. It was a rough storm, as anyone who endured the trough of painfully disappointing, mass-produced summer garbage can tell you, but perseverance paid off, giving rise to some of the most imaginative, inventive and original works seen in many a year.
It might be a little late to catch many of these films in theaters (aaah, the beauty of DVD), but with Awards season upon us, Entertainment Insiders has put together its list of the top 10 films you might have, should have, and will be happy to experience in theaters or on that soft little couch in your living room. We promise.
1. Memento
A good film has the ability to capture a moment and richly add layers to it, but a great film envelops
your sense of reality, transporting you to a world that is so full and invigorating, you're left glowing
in thought and adrenaline in its wake. Such is Christopher Nolan's
"Memento," a modern twist on the noir thriller,
whose investigator has only one problem in avenging his wife's killer: in the aftermath of the
perpetrator's attack, he's become incapable of making new memories. Unconventional in its delivery,
Nolan weaves this deceptively complex tale in reverse chronological order, peeling back the layers
to this fascinating and utterly devastating film. By the end, you'll be ready to doubt your own memory.
2. Amélie
By far the year's best comedy. Directed by visionary French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Jeunet (he helmed the visual feasts Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children), "Amélie" is as magical, mysterious and infectiously funny as any film I've seen in recent memory. The film revolves around adorable prankster Amélie Poulain (the wonderfully captivating Audrey Tautou), who manipulates the fates of her friends and neighbors for the better (and sometimes worse), in the name of goodwill, and at the unfortunate neglect of her own strangely troubled life. Jeunet seamlessly fuses in inventive and brilliant visual effects that not only spice up the film, but also add an extra dimension to the film's vast array of eccentric and quirky characters, something Jeunet cherishes with a fervor that is as endearing as the title character herself.
3. The Royal Tenenbaums
Anyone who remembers Wes Anderson's unjustly overlooked "Rushmore" -- the creative, funny and endearing take on unrequited love through the eyes of a "too clever for his own good" teenager pining for his teacher -- knows that his ability to show the humanity in us all, through the eccentricities of a few, is something both powerful and unique. Not only has he refined his technique in "The Royal Tenenbaums," a story about an eccentric family of geniuses who've hit hard times in adulthood, he's given us a hilarious modern day adult fairytale that resonates with an emotional presence and desperation unparalleled in a comic feature. Featuring one of the best performances of Gene Hackman's career as weasely head of house Royal Tenenbaum, as well as wonderful supporting performances by Luke Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Anjelica Huston, "The Royal Tenenbaums" is everything we love (and sometimes hate) about family life.
4. Ghost World
A richly detailed, stinging indictment of the decaying "strip mall" mentality of America, told through the eyes of an angst-ridden teenager (played by the brilliant Thora Birch), whose relationship with an eclectic music collector (Steve Buscemi) puts her on the cusp of the perilous cliffs of the real world. Director Terry Zwigoff, who also helmed the disturbingly captivating documentary "Crumb" (1994), pulls off this masterful underground comic book adaptation by painting a world so vivid and absorbing that it is one of the most unique films to come around in a long, long time.
5. Moulin Rouge
A spectacular and uniquely moving musical that is both effective and oddly personal. The Baz Luhrmann-helmed production borders on self-indulgence, but never crosses the line, with an opulent cornucopia of images and sounds that within ten minutes had my head spinning but in the end left my heart pounding. "Moulin Rouge" zips along with so much grace and exuberance, it poignantly reminds us that love really is all you need.
--Jonathan Hickman
6. The Lord of the Rings
Peter Jackson's sweeping epic, the first installment of the most expensive film project undertaking in history (the $270 million "Lord of the Rings" trilogy), may not be the best film of the year, but it is by far the most spectacular. Under Jackson's careful eye no detail is spared, and a masterful turn by Ian McKellan as the wizard Gandalf only makes the film that much more enjoyable. If, as rumor has it, this is the slowest of the three films, you'd better prepare yourself for what's to come…
7. Gosford Park
At 76 years of age and a full eight years removed from any film worthy of recognition, Robert Altman was all but dead to many critics, the so-called nail in the coffin being his 2000 dud "Dr. T and the Women." Well, if he ever left us, let's just say that he's back now, and in many ways refreshingly invigorating with his latest offering, the dazzling whodunit murder-mystery "Gosford Park." Armed with an ensemble cast that could put most films to shame, everyone's in on the fun, from Kristin Scott Thomas, Emily Watson, and Ryan Phillippe, to Helen Mirren, Clive Owens (both co-starred in the forgettable "Greenfingers") and Maggie Smith. The script is wickedly sharp, as is Altman's timing. Part of the fun (or should I say challenge?) is just trying to figure out which names go with which characters. But trust me, the work is worth the payoff.
8. Monsters, Inc.
Aside from "Amélie," "Monsters, Inc." was probably the most charming and delightful film of 2001. It's always a treat to see what the folks at Pixar are cooking up next (who else can sport a resume like theirs?), since their films have a level sophistication and creativity that appeals to kids, and surprisingly, also to the adults who bring them.
9. Waking Life
What a wonderful year it's been for Richard Linklater. After hitting the cinematic world by storm with this gorgeous piece of animated surrealism, he followed it up with the provocatively claustrophobic character drama "Tape." Pushing the visual envelope, Linklater shot and edited "Waking Life" on digital video, then used 30 painters to rotoscope every frame like a painted canvas, and the end result is the most visually stunning film I've seen since What Dreams May Come (aside from its visual aspects an otherwise forgettable film). Waking Life's free-flowing, immersive style feels like an impressionistic painting come to life, though its weighty, pedantic philosophical storyline may lose a few viewers. One of the most original films released this year, Linklater continues to be a powerful voice in the indie film scene.
10. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Though lacking the daring and sweeping elements so evident in Jackson's epic "The Lord of the Rings," Christopher Columbus's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" has done what so many film-adaptations tackling hugely popular novels have failed to do so often in the past, which is not screw it up. The richly detailed world of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" -- a fixture of our lives simply because of its unique ability to capture the magical essence of childhood imagination - wonderfully comes to life with an exhilaration unique to family films. All aboard the Hogwarts Express…
Honorable Mentions:
Other films of 2001 more than worthy of the price of admission.
Ali
Amores Perros
Happy Endings
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
In the Bedroom
Liam
Mulholland Drive
No Man's Land
The Pledge
Shrek
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Now that we've given you ours, give us your picks for Best (and Worst) of 2001 in the Einteractive Messageboard!
Stephen Wong
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