A Monolithic Year? (2001)

Member Name: MykReeve

Product:	2001
Date:	11/01/02 (114 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some great arthouse and foreign movies, A young wizard, and a hobbit

Disadvantages: Hollywood's efforts

As ever with these top ten film lists, they're made more difficult to compile if you haven't actually seen every film released, and hence you inevitably end up with a list which is biased according to your individual tastes and preferences. For example, there are some films, released in 2001, which really didn't appeal to me on the basis of their plots. Had I seen them, I might have found them to be the best thing ever, even better than jam, but I didn't.

My criterion for whether or not films are eligible for this category is their UK theatrical release date. If a film received its first theatrical screening in this country during the year 2001, then it qualifies for the list. By this criterion, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (2000) and 'Mononoke Hime' (1997) both qualify. 'Ali' (2001), however, would not.

Typically, I've just made it a lot more difficult for myself to compile this list, because by far the majority of films that I saw at the cinema during 2001 were foreign or arthouse films which were actually released over the last few years. In addition, I managed to miss several of the films which made it onto most people's top 10 lists of the year - 'Moulin Rouge', 'The Others', 'Bridget Jones's Diary', 'AI', 'Traffic' and 'Cast Away'. Similarly, I managed to avoid several of the year's worst films - 'Planet of the Apes', 'Evolution', 'Jeepers Creepers' and 'Pearl Harbor'.

However, that's not to say that my taste was impeccable this year - I wasted my time (and money) sitting through such dross as 'Along Came A Spider', 'Lara Croft: Tomb Raider', 'The Gift', 'Hannibal', 'The Mummy Returns', 'Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back', Disney's 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire' and 'Shrek'.

So, having bored you with that preamble, and hav
ing already mentioned twenty-one films, I suppose you're wondering if there are actually ten decent films left for me to write about! Well, let's get on with the list then:

10. HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE (2001)

My enjoyment of 'Harry Potter' was probably artificially increased by the fact that I really didn't expect it to be any good. I've not actually read any of J. K. Rowling's books, and my only pre-film experience of the story was a brief snatch of one of the audiobooks, overheard while working in the laboratory one day. My instant judgement on the story was that it sounded like remarkably generic fantasy - and indeed, to an extent it is. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) discovers that there is another world beyond the one we all live in - a world of magic, in which he is already known, where he goes to study wizardry at Hogwarts School.

However, the realisation of the film was actually surprisingly good, and although the story wasn't particularly inspiring or original, I found the film to be impressively immersive. Director Chris Columbus did an impressive job of converting Rowling's vision to the big screen, creating some impressive and memorable locations for the story's events. That's not to say the film was without flaws - the child actors and the special effects let it down to a certain extent, and pacing was patchy. But, overall, the film was a nicely diverting jaunt, which managed to fill two and a half hours without ever seeming excessively slow.

9. THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE (2000)

A new direction for Disney saw a new type of animated feature - a movie entirely driven by comedy. In a way, the film attempted to tap into the same vein as 'The Simpsons' and 'Futurama', incorporating both obvious slapstick humour and more intelligent, subtle references. This is a buddy movie, in the very traditional sense - two unlikely travelling companions
(Emperor Kuzco (David Spade), turned into a llama by his jealous ex-administrator, and simple farmer Pacha (John Goodman)) have to travel across country to the emperor's palace.

The trademark attention to detail in the quality of the animation, and the strength of the story made for a brilliantly diverting and entertaining feature. Although there was a song, it was a relatively brief but largely amusing one, at the beginning of the movie, and the film made great use of its cast of excellent voice actors. This was a surprisingly enjoyable movie, which has probably been overlooked by all too many people as "just another Disney movie", due to the inept publicity campaign it received. The only flaw, as I see it, is that the film is a scant 78 minutes long.

Certainly, 'The Emperor's New Groove' is a good deal better than Disney's other 2001 animated feature - the unevenly paced and uninspired 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire' - another experimental feature for Disney, a more serious animation aimed at an older audience.

8. BEST IN SHOW (2001)

After the superb 'This Is Spinal Tap', it seemed unlikely that Christopher Guest would ever manage to produce another such supremely entertaining mockumentary. Certainly, his 1996 film 'Waiting For Guffman' examining an amateur theatre production in small town America falls disappointingly short of the earlier film's brilliance. Nonetheless, 'Best In Show', following five dogs, and their owners, as they go to attend a major dog show is an extremely amusing and enjoyable movie.

The majority of the dialogue in 'Best In Show' is improvised, and the movie has been cut from many hours of recorded footage, to incorporate the most entertaining lines. The result is a series of hilarious vignettes, as we follow the five sets of unlikely characters. Christopher Guest himself is absolutely superb as bloodhound-owning Harlan Pepper,
and Eugene Levy shines as terrier-owning Gerald Fleck. However, probably the film's most entertaining moments are provided by the dog show announcer Buck Laughlin, played by Fred Williard.

It's refreshing to see a film that is capable of comedy without resorting to puerile crudity, as so many comedies seem to nowadays. This was probably the most amusing film at the cinema in 2001, for my money.

7. SAFAR E GHANDEHAR [KANDAHAR] (2001)

There can be no doubting that the Western release of the Iranian film 'Kandahar' came at probably the most germane moment. Released shortly after the attacks on the United States in September, 'Kandahar' considers the state of Afghanistan under Taliban rule from the point of view of an outsider. In the film, we follow Nafas (Niloufar Pazira), an Afghan refugee who has been living as a reporter in Canada, as she battles to get back to the city of Kandahar in a race against time to prevent her sister committing suicide during the 1999 eclipse.

In many ways, the film is flawed - the pacing is uneven, and the acting is variable. However, the film has three major strengths - the cinematography, the documentary aspect, and its topicality. Director Mohsen Makhmalbaf's presentation is absolutely superb. I freely admit that I'm a sucker for sweeping shots of deserts, but 'Kandahar' presents some truly beautiful images - the scenes of the Red Cross parachute drops of artificial limbs on remote aid posts, for example, are stunning. The documentary aspect of the movie is also excellent - giving a real insight into what life was like in Afghanistan under the Taliban and the plight of refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries.

So, although 'Kandahar' is in many ways not a great film, there is certainly enough that is memorable and compelling about it to qualify it for a position in my top ten of 2001. It's definitely a film that people should see, if onl
y to confirm why it was so important that the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan be overthrown.

6. BATTLE ROYALE (2000)

A highly controversial movie from Japan, 'Battle Royale' is part black comedy, part horror movie, and part social satire. Set in the near future, the film follows a group of schoolchildren as they take part in that year's Battle Royale programme - a system designed to reduce civil disobedience and disrespect among the young people of Japan. The schoolchildren are transported to a remote island, and are pitted against each other for three days - either only one of them survives to win the programme, or they all die.

It?s fascinating to watch, as we follow the relationships between the classmates - firm friends initially work together to survive, knowing full well that the game's rules will eventually force them to turn on each other. There are some terrific performances here from the young actors, and Takeshi Kitano is particularly good, as one of the class's old teachers, who explains the rules of the "game" to them, and monitors their progress.

The film has its flaws, not least of which being that it is difficult to see how the Battle Royale programme actually serves to improve behaviour of the nation's students, but at the same time, it's a remarkably compelling film - at times claustrophobic, at times exhilarating, hilarious and tragic. The amount of violence in the film will mean that it's not likely to appeal to all, but it's certainly a film that merits watching.

5. MONONOKE HIME [Princess Mononoke] (1997)

Some four years after its release in Japan, and two years after its U.S. release, 'Princess Mononoke' finally received a spectacularly limited release in the United Kingdom, playing at just a handful of cinemas before receiving a quiet DVD release and disappearing. It's pretty typical of the UK reaction to Studio Ghibli animations - th
anks to Manga Entertainment's releases over the last few years, the public perception is that all Japanese animation is super-violent porn.

This is far from the truth - in Japan, two out of every five books published is a comic book (manga), and the diversity of genres covered in these comic books is as broad as that of books printed over here. There's no stigma attached to manga there, as there is to comic books here, and an adult reading a comic book on the Tokyo subway won't attract the dismissive glances that one would on the London Underground. Animation in Japan has similarly wide appeal, and animations are watched by all demographics - not just families.

'Princess Mononoke' has a typically mature theme. Set in Japan's Muromachi era, Prince Ashitaka is cursed by a Boar God, who has been corrupted into a "Cursing God" or Tatari-Gami by his hatred of humans. Ashitaka travels west to find the Deer God who might be able to rid him of the curse, finding himself mixed up in a conflict between a village of iron smelters and the wolves of the neighbouring forest.

It's a strong story, which is well told, whether you watch with the original Japanese dialogue or the English translation (produced by acclaimed Western comic book writer and author, Neil Gaiman). There is a strong ecological message, as there is in many of Studio Ghibli's titles. The animation is truly outstanding, far beyond the standards of much of Disney's recent work, making it easy to forget that you're watching an animation.

While the story contains a fair degree of violence, certainly more than other Studio Ghibli releases, it is far from gratuitous. The movie is certainly not appropriate for very young children, but will be enjoyed by older children and adults alike.

4. WO HU CANG LONG [Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon] (2000)

Ang Lee's first Chinese language movie since the Oscar-nominated '
;Eat Drink Man Woman' is a radically different affair - a wistful Chinese folk tale, punctuated by balletic, beautifully choreographed sword fights. The film follows Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat), a warrior who feels he has reached a wall in his search for enlightenment at the Wudan temple, and gives up his sword, the Green Destiny. He asks Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) to convey the weapon to Sir Te in Beijing. The sword's arrival at Te's house coincides with a visit by his neighbour, Governer Yu and his daughter, Jen (Ziyi Zhang). When a mysterious figure breaks into Te's house that evening and steals the Green Destiny, it's believed to be the work of Jade Fox... though it seems that Jade Fox is hiding out in Governer Yu's house...

The real strengths of the movie are the stunning fight choreography, overseen by Hong Kong legend Yuen Woo Ping, and the beautiful cinematography. The fights are pure acrobatic fantasy, with characters literally climbing walls in a single bound, before flying across rooftops. Peter Pau, another Hong Kong movie veteran, is responsible for the film's stunning cinematography - as the camera glides beautifully through the Chinese cities and countryside. Words of praise are particularly offered for the bamboo-based fight sequence, and the opening scenes of 19th century Beijing. Tan Dun's music is also beautifully evocative, combining well with Yo-Yo Ma's moving cello solos.

'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' is a superb martial arts film - the fight sequences are as beautifully presented as an audience could hope for, and while the story is slight compared to many Western movies, it is easily enough to keep the film moving. Beautiful.

3. GHOST WORLD (2001)

Released the same day as 'Harry Potter', 'Ghost World' was destined for poor box office takings. Based on the comic book by Daniel Clowes, 'Ghost World' is a paean for the alienated and the disaffec
ted. In the film, we follow the lives of two friends; Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) as they graduate from high school, and try to decide what to do with the rest of their lives. Enid befriends Seymour (Steve Buscemi), a lonely guy with an obsessive interest in blues music, and begins to drift away from her friend.

For me, 'Ghost World' was particularly enjoyable viewing because I could relate to the film's main characters - to Enid's smug sense of superiority, to Rebecca's lack of direction, and Seymour's obsessiveness. In a sense, this comprehension and understanding of the film's characters was quite unsettling, but it just goes to show how brilliantly observed and well portrayed the characters were.

In addition to the superb characterisation and dialogue, the film takes savage satirical swipes at modern culture - "Give everybody a Big Mac and a pair of Nikes and they're happy," mutters Seymour derisively. The film's visual style is also superb, strongly reminiscent, in many scenes, of 'American Beauty'. If this weren't enough, there are so many neat little touches and quirks to the 'Ghost World' - from the nunchaku-weilding patron of the convenience store, to the morbid staff of the comic book store, via Norman, who waits for the bus that will never come...

2. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001)

We've probably all seen it by now. It was inevitable that a film adaptation of Tolkien's classic fantasy work was going to divide its critics - every reader will have formed their own impressions of the book's locations and characters, which may not agree with director Peter Jackson's vision. For me, however, this was a stunning realisation of a beautiful, deeply immersive fantasy world.

If there is a problem with the film, it lies with the pacing - there's a lot of plot covered in the movie's thr
ee hours, inevitably meaning that the story moves at an extremely fast pace. Essentially, there's no break in the action for the full length of the movie, so make sure you've gone to the toilet before you go in - if you have to go during the movie, you'll probably miss an important plot point.

But, this minor criticism aside, I was left with glowing praise for the film - from the sumptuous locations and the stunning presentation of the gorgeous New Zealand countryside, through the superb acting, to the (generally) good special effects. 'The Fellowship of the Ring' was an outstandingly good movie upon which to end the year - as Jonathan Ross didn't put it - "a wight-wollocking woller-coaster wide of a movie."

1. LE FABULEUX DESTIN D'AMÉLIE POULAIN [Amelie] (2001)

And, my top movie for 2001 is the latest from French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet ('The City of Lost Children', 'Delicatessen' and ahem... 'Alien Resurrection'); the magical, touching, beautiful, moving 'Amélie'. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, negative to say about 'Amélie'. It's just a lovely, feelgood, charming film. Hmm... maybe I'd better describe it, rather than just list adjectives...

Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou) has an unconventional upbringing in a small village in France. Her parents have little physical contact with her, so when her father (a doctor) gives her a medical examination, the flurry this causes in her heart causes him to diagnose a weak heart. So, young Amélie is deprived of any real adventure, forcing her to create a fantasy world in her head.

When Amélie grows up, she leaves home to become a waitress in the Montmartre region of Paris, attempting to seek out love and the meaning of life. As she hears of the news of Princess Diana's death, Amélie drops a bottle top, which rolls along the ground dislodging a tile on the skirting board. When she rem
oves the tile, she discovers a box filled with childhood treasures, and becomes determined to return it to its original owner.

So begins Amélie's quest to bring joy to those around her. It's a beautifully shot film, with truly outstanding cinematography throughout. The acting is absolutely first-rate, with the impish Audrey Tautou producing a heart-meltingly wonderful performance as Amélie herself. The story twists and turns through all manner of touching, humorous scenes. Paris has never looked so beautiful... or so appealing. It's funny, it?s charming, it's... oh, look, just go see it, can't you? You'll notice I've not written an opinion on the film on dooyoo - I just don't think I can do it justice.

CONCLUSIONS

So there we have it... Probably some of my choices are surprising, some are probably not. I expect to take all sorts of abuse for not including the Coen brothers' 'The Man Who Wasn't There' - which, while boasting what was probably 2001's best cinematography (in an admittedly good year for artistic composition in film), managed to disappoint me with a bland plot and a lacklustre conclusion... particularly by the Coen brothers' high standards.

In general, I felt 2001 was a pretty good year for film... though that's mainly non-mainstream film, you understand. Apart from an upturn toward the end of the year with the two strong fantasy book adaptations, Hollywood managed to produce yet another year coloured by spectacularly uninspiring mediocrity.

Still, with the two fantasy film series set to continue into 2002, at least I'll have two films from Hollywood to look forward to. Somehow I suspect 'Austin Powers: Goldmember' isn't going to inspire me... and 'Star Wars: Episode II - Send In The Ten Foot Mutant Killer Tomato Clones' looks more 'Phantom Menace' than 'New Hope'.

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