Punditries

Best Films of 2000

Here are the Movie Pundit's picks for Best Films of 2000. Top Ten Movies? Couldn't quite narrow it down. :-) Note that these films were picked based on reflection, not on the immediate rating given to them. Some films didn't endure as well as others; some were better. Many have been seen more than once.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (See Review) Three convicts in the 1930's deep south (including George Clooney and John Turturo) break out to find a hidden treasure, but they must endure a journey of eccentric characters. Based on Homer's "The Odyssey" - the newest film by Joel and Ethan Coen is sometimes hilarious but a little dryer than their recent efforts. Yet it has many of their usual clever, bizarre touches. The collected charming, funny moments are hard to get your arms around as a cohesive film.
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Almost Famous Semi-autobiographical story of Director Cameron Crowe's teenage writing stint for Rolling Stone Magazine, which included touring with a rock band, meeting musicians and groupies. A terrific story that seems to capture the era and atmosphere of 70's rock perfectly. Great acting from Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
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State and Main From David Mamet: a movie crew invades a New England town; the crew and the townspeople have various encounters, plus the Hollywood people are basically a bunch of idiots. Nice low-key story with excellent performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman (again!), William H. Macy, and others. Not outstanding, just witty and intelligent.
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Croupier Dark story of a cynical wanna-be author, Jack (Clive Owen), who takes a job in a casino as a croupier - a card dealer, basically. His aim is to write a book about his experience in the gaming industry, but he meets some seedy characters along the way who might derail him. Very tight, well-constructed film.
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Traffic (See Review) A great film about the drug war - by Steven Soderbergh. Michael Douglas is a judge slated to be the new US Drug Czar, only he learns of a problem in his own family. Meanwhile, the real war goes on in Mexico and San Diego with rival cartels and drug trials. A tad long but compelling.
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Erin Brockovich (See Review) Julie Roberts plays a take-no-crap unemployed single mother who talks herself into a menial job at a lawfirm.
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Quills (See Review) The story of the last years of the French Marquis de Sade, starring Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, and Michael Caine.
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Meet the Parents Ben Stiller wants to propose to his girlfriend but first he must meet her father (Robert De Niro). Lots of TV sitcom situations but very, very funny, well acted by the cast of great actors.
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Best in Show The latest mockumentary from Christopher Guest ("Waiting for Guffman"; writer/star of "This is Spinal Tap"). This one concerns a bunch of nutty people obsessed with having their dogs win an upcoming dog show. Parker Posey, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean, Fred Willard, and Guest star, much in the same vein as "Guffman". As usual, Guest carves out a fun niche for himself as a fisherman from a North Carolina town with a great accent.
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American Psycho What to make of this film about an 80's Wall Street yuppie (Christian Bale) with serious violent tendencies? Definitely a creepy, sometimes suspenseful film that might have been a masterpiece but falls well short. Bale's performance seems like too much of a charicature of a psychopath, though maybe that's what the filmmakers wanted. Lots of blood - keep young kids far away!
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Scary Movie A spoof of the "Scream" movies, in the style of "Naked Gun" and "Airplane!" - silly, over-the-top gags, with lots of graphic sexual gags. Good for some cheap laughs. No, the best parts are *not* in the previews.
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Requiem For A Dream Intense, disturbing film about drug addiction. "If you play with drugs, you'll go to hell," is the message here. However, it's much more personal and involving than a drug propoganda film, plus it's filled with innovative techniques to suck you into the story and make you experience what the characters are seeing and feeling. Probably a few too many film school triks but still a very effective film that will at least upset you, at best make you think about drug use in a far different light.
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