Well, another movie year has ended and now we are at that time where the Golden Globes have been handed out and the Oscar nominees have not been announced yet. Every movie critic and movie review site has given their Top 10 list for 2001. It took awhile for me to get around to seeing all the movies (and I really did see a lot of them!).
My top 10 list is based on entertainment value and critical value (i.e. acting, story etc). There were some very entertaining films in the last year that were not high on "critical value". Examples of such film would be The Fast and the Furious, Don't Say A Word, 15 Minutes, Hannibal, Hearts in Atlantis and A Knights Tale.
Now without further adieu, let me give you my Top 10 favorite movies of 2001. Keep in mind that there are a few critical favorites I have not seen, and those are Mulholland Drive, The Man Who Wasn't There, Gosford Park, Royal Tenenbaums, Iris, Amelie, Waking Life and Ghost World. Just click on the name of the movie if you want to read my full review.
10. Amores Perros. This movie is a must see and the sub titles are just fine (for those of us that don't understand espanol). This is an excellently written story and the characters are very well played. A very interesting story, my pick for Best Foreign film of 2001!
9. Bridget Jones's Diary . A great performance by Renee Zellweger and a very charming film that is hard not to like. It is definitely one of my faves.
8. The Others. One of the classiest spooky films ever made. Not real high on the action and special effects but scary in an original way. Nicole Kidman really pulls it off in this film as well.
7. Enemy At The Gates. Where is this movie at the Awards show??!! I mean, why isn't it up for awards? This is that last great film about World War II. I guess the critics could not get past Russians speaking with British accents!
6. Monster's Ball. This is an intense film filled with great performances and unlike the other hyped film of the year (In The Bedroom); this one actually delivers. I hope the Academy does not ignore Billy Bob, Halle Berry and Peter Boyle in this film!
5. I Am Sam. Introduces a great new child star in Dakota Fanning. The best performances from Sean Penn and Michele Pfeiffer in years. A great Hollywood film. Probably too cute for the critics and Academy.
4. Memento. This is one of the most intriguing movies of the year and very groundbreaking. I have not reviewed this site and sadly I did not see it until it came out on DVD. I have now seen it twice. The story, the story, the story! This has GOT to be nominated for a Screenwriting Oscar. One good sign regarding Oscar recognition for this film - Director and Writer Christopher Nolan received a Director's Guild nomination! This is a movie about a man who has not short-term memory and is in pursuit of the people who killed his wife and and caused his brain injury. We experience the movie as he does, through notes and repetitive experiences. So unique, you can't help like it!
3. Blackhawk Down. An achievement in filmmaking. My review says it all.
2. A Beautiful Mind. This movie has the perfect balance of everything, it is very well done and one of the movies that actually deserves all the acclaim it is getting.
1. Moulin Rouge. I cannot say enough about this film. Not only is it my favorite movie of 2001, it is one of my favorite movies of all time. This is my Wizard of Oz or Gone With the Wind. This is the grandiose epic drama/musical of my generation. The things that Baz Luhrman did with this film was truly groundbreaking and deserves all the praise it is receiving. The story may lack a little, but this movie makes up for it in heart and soul. However, this movie remains one that you either hate or love, so I can only speak for myself!
Runner Ups: K-Pax, My First Mister, Ocean's Eleven, Vanilla Sky, Harry Potter, and A.I.. Who said it was a bad year for movies!!??