Some of the past year’s most powerful movies took on American gun culture, remembered the Motown hit factory, explored a whacked-out mind in love and made writer’s block seem interesting. A fantasy about Hobbits turned in another epic installment and our greatest living director showed us more about New York’s history than we ever imagined. These top vote-getters and more were chosen by our film gang for their year-end Top 10 lists, with room for two extras in categories of their own making. Of course, we never leap until we’ve looked — at tons of movies — to select the most exciting cinematic visions of the year.
Of course, we never leap until we’ve looked — at tons of movies — and selected the most exciting cinematic visions of the year. Our film gang offers up a batch of top-10 Lists, with room for two extras in categories of their own making.
James Keith La Croix
Adaptation — Spike Jonze Ararat — Atom Egoyan Die Another Day — Lee Tamahori 8 Women — François Ozon Gangs of New York — Martin Scorsese The Last Kiss — Gabriele Muccino The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers — Peter Jackson Punch-Drunk Love — Paul Thomas Anderson The Ring — Gore Verbinski The Royal Tenenbaums — Wes Anderson Best directorial debut: Antwone Fisher — Denzel Washington Most important documentary: Bowling for Columbine — Michael Moore
Erin Podolsky
Adaptation — Spike Jonze Chicago — Rob Marshall Das Experiment — Oliver Hirschbiegel Far From Heaven — Todd Haynes The Hours — Stephen Daldry Igby Goes Down — Burr Steers The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers — Peter Jackson The Pianist — Roman Polanski Punch-Drunk Love — Paul Thomas Anderson The Quiet American — Philip Noyce Best horror movie: Pinocchio — written, directed by and starring Roberto Benigni. Best performance by a Culkin: Kristin Stewart (obviously separated at birth from Kieran, Rory and Big Mac) in Panic Room.
Anita Schmaltz
About a Boy — Chris and Paul Weitz Bowling for Columbine — Michael Moore The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys — Peter Care Far From Heaven — Todd Haynes The Good Girl — Miguel Arteta The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers — Peter Jackson Punch-Drunk Love — Paul Thomas Anderson Sex and Lucia — Julio Medem Spirited Away — Hayao Miyazaki World Traveler — Bart Freundlich Best film as religious reform: El Crimen del padre Amaro — Carlos Carrera Best messing with time and mind music meta-documentary: 24 Hour Party People — Michael Winterbottom
George Tysh
Bowling for Columbine — Michael Moore Gangs of New York — Martin Scorsese Gosford Park — Robert Altman Heaven — Tom Tykwer Monster’s Ball — Marc Forster The Piano Teacher — Michael Haneke Punch-Drunk Love — Paul Thomas Anderson Time Out — Laurent Cantet What Time Is It There? — Tsai Ming-liang Y Tu Mamá También — Alfonso Cuarón Horror-metal jubilee: Resident Evil — Paul W.S. Anderson Pride to the people: Standing in the Shadows of Motown — Paul Justman
Richard C. Walls
Bowling for Columbine — Michael Moore Code Unknown — Michael Haneke Full Frontal — Steven Soderbergh Gangs of New York — Martin Scorsese Insomnia — Christopher Nolan Kandahar — Mohsen Makhmalbaf Minority Report — Steven Spielberg Punch-Drunk Love — Paul Thomas Anderson Secretary — Steven Shainberg What Time Is It There? — Tsai Ming-liang Honorable mention: About Schmidt — Alexander Payne Honorable mention: Adaptation — Spike Jonze
Consensus Top of the Crop (total votes in parentheses):
Punch-Drunk Love — Paul Thomas Anderson (5) Bowling for Columbine — Michael Moore (4) Adaptation — Spike Jonze (3) Gangs of New York — Martin Scorsese (3) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers — Peter Jackson (3) E-mail comments to George Tysh at [email protected]This article appears in Jan 1-7, 2003.
