2002

The Best Films of The Year:

1. The Pianist
2. Rabbit Proof Fence
3. Broken Wings (Knafayim Shvurot)
4. Nowhere in Africa
5. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
6. About A Boy
7. One Hour Photo
8. Mostly Martha
9. Love Liza
10. Das Experiment


Some solid movies this year. It was tough to rank them. "Rabbit Proof Fence" was a more emotional story but I had to give the top spot to "The Pianist" because it really did absolutely everything the right way, from acting to score to production value. I edited this list as of 2005 to include "Broken Wings". It is a heart-wrenching tale of a single mother and her children in Israel that has stunning performances, beautiful cinematography and should not be missed. If you only see two movies this year, make it "Rabbit Proof Fence" and "Broken Wings".

"Das Experiment" is a tense thriller from Germany that not too many people saw since it was on the arthouse circuit, but if you took any psychology courses, this film is for you. "Love Liza" finally gives Philip Seymour Hoffman a starring role, and since I love self-destructive films, this resonated well with me. And "One Hour Photo" has some of the best cinematography and color design I've seen.

The Worst Films of the Year:

1. Far From Heaven
2. Gangs Of New York
3. Scooby Doo
4. The Truth About Charlie
5. Changing Lanes
6. The Adventures of Pluto Nash
7. Sim0ne
8. Slackers
9. Rollerball
10. Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever
11. Crossroads

Normally I'd only list the top 5 worst, but this year had a ton of crap. Think about the fact that "Crossroads" was only the 11th worst film. And I placed "Far From Heaven" and "Gangs Of New York" up at the top because they were such huge disappointments. Martin Scorsese keeps using Leonardo DiCraprio and putting out epic borefests, it's like after 1990's "Good Fellas", he was replaced with a less talented android. And I had to walk out of "Far From Heaven", it's about the most pretentious film I have ever seen. The idea of making a 50s melodrama, while injecting present-day morality, is so stupid I don't know where to begin. I don't want to talk about it anymore.

Sidenote: The number of films on this list you own should be the number of bullets lodged in your inferior brain.

The Most Horrible Films That Are Fun To Watch:

1. Extreme Ops
2. Femme Fatale
3. Jason X
4. Swimfan
5. Reign of Fire

All of these provide enjoyment on different levels. Whether it's
Matthew McConaughey leaping towards a dragon armed only with an axe or Jason slamming 2 people into a tree while they're wrapped in sleeping bags, there's something for everyone. And don't miss the amazing special effects of "Extreme Ops". I haven't seen blue screen that bad since the original "Superman". You'd think that in the past 20 years, everyone could find a way to afford decent effects. Thanks for scrimping, "Extreme Ops"!

The Most Underrated/Overlooked Films of the Year:

Ali G Indahouse
The Good Girl

If you don't like Ali G, then obviously this film is not for you. But if you do, don't miss this little nugget. Martin Freeman also provides some nice comic support. While everyone in the UK knows who he is, America has yet to fully realize his genius.

"The Good Girl" has the finest performance Jennifer Aniston will probably ever do, a wonderful tale of a broken marraige and what one woman does to go on with her life. Excellent supporting work by Zooey Deschanel, John C. Reilly, Tim Blake Nelson and Jake Gyllenhaal.