So this is my 500th post, and I figured I'd make it something I've meant to do for awhile, a "best movies of 2002" thing akin to what we did for music. I hate how many films I feel I still need to see, and can't see for financial reasons, but I feel that I've got a solid list anyway... but alas.

1. Adaptation
2. Punchdrunk Love
3. Road to Perdition
4. Far from Heaven
5. About Schmidt
6. Catch Me If You Can
7. Personal Velocity
8. Minority Report
9. Insomnia
10. Solaris

Honerable Mentions: Igby Goes Down, 8 Mile, Spirited Away, About a Boy, Signs, Full Frontal

Yet to see: 13 Conversations About One Thing, 25th Hour, Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Hours, Morvern Callar, The Pianist, Talk to Her, Y Tu Mama Tambien

Will

those are the only ones i saw aside from star trek nemesis(shut-up). i saw signs in an airplane and it managed to scare me on a gameboy sized screen. i wanted to see solaris. with my limited choices, i'll second adaptation. it was ridiculous, but really funny. i'll probably see it again. i went through the movie not knowing that he really did try to work on the orchid thief.

I'll have to think about this and get back to ya'll later.

Having seen a limited number of those released towards the end of the year in LA/NY, here's my partial list:

1. Adaptation -- as someone who writes, or who wrote scripts I should say, the film is an absolute joy.

2. Punchdrunk Love

3. About a Boy

4. Minority Report

5. Insomnia -- If you haven't see director Christopher Nolan's first film, Following, do yourself a favor and get it.


And really that's as far as I want to go because I have to see Far From Heaven, 25th Hour, The Hours, etc.

i saw it with my mom (who is a huge star trek fan) and i must say that i thought that the movie was one of the best of the series.....very thrilling.

(Edited by ray davies at 11:27 am on Jan. 17, 2003)

Because I am very poor, I rarely get out to the movies and when I do, I go see some odd things (The Trials of Henry Kissenger... sorry Digsy). But the movies I liked this year where:

About a Boy
The Good Girl
Storeytelling
Trouble Everyday
Autofocus
Austin Powers

Judging from my list I need to get out more

Wow, someone else saw Autofocus... I enjoyed it. Meanwhile, I just read an interview with Bob Crane's son who amounts the film to a load of shit. But it isn't what you think: he criticizes it as showing his father as someone who was corrupted by Hollywood. "My father was making pornography with women that weren't my mother at least ten years before Hogan's Heroes. Bob Crane was a sex-addict his whole life," says Crane's son.

I thought that was interesting.

Will

I have to say that AutoFocus was one of my favorite movies of the year. I really enjoyed it. So my list is, in no particular order...

Goldmember
AutoFocus
Signs
The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
Spider-Man

And I have to mention Episode II: Attack of the Clones since I am a die hard Star Wars fan. I enjoyed the movie but I still thought it could have been so much more. I didn't see many movies this year, and I usually don't see many movies at all so my list is very slim.

2003 looks to be good since Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is opening next friday, with Daredevil (mixed feelings about that) in February, X-Men 2 in May ( ) and the Hulk in June or July. And Return of the King capping off the year as well...good year for movies...

Not to mention Intolerable Cruelty (new Coen Brothers!), 2046 (new Wong Kar-Wai), and Kill Bill (new Tarantino) all set to debut at Cannes this year.

2003 is shaping up well indeed.

Will

Okay, like many of you, I still haven't seen a lot of movies that I think will be great (Adaptation, 25th Hour, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Autofocus, Solaris - just to name a few). Of what I did see, here is my top 10:

1. About Schmidt
2. The Two Towers
3. Punch-Drunk Love
4. Attack of the Clones
5. Gangs of New York
6. Minority Report
7. Road to Perdition
8. Signs
9. Catch Me if You Can
10. Spider-Man

(Edited by jamiecarroll at 11:25 pm on Jan. 17, 2003)

lack of funds has prevented me, too, from seeing all the movies i wanted this year. i saw "catch me if you can" a few days ago and liked it. i wasn't impressed with "insomnia." and i liked "signs" okay (but wasn't nearly as terrified by it as digsy was). i plan to see "about a boy" very soon, maybe tonight. i am dying to see "adaptation." is it playing in any local theaters now?

Prior to last weekend, I hadn't been to a movie since December 2001.

I got to see "NARC" Saturday and it knocked me on my ass. If gritty '70s cop movies are your thing, this movie's for you.

Having seen less than 10 movies in the theaters this year, I think I'll just limit my list.

-Catch Me If You Can
-The Ring
-Bowling For Columbine
-The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys

In my opinion, Signs was neither scary nor very good. Has anyone ever seen the Changeling? I thought THAT was really frightening, but then again I saw it when I was 14 with the lights off.

Ah! I forgot about the Ring. That was a truly creepy movie (not as scary as Signs, in my opinion) and very good. I add that to my very small list.

I also want to see Gangs of New York since my History teacher (Dr. Haas) keeps raving about it.

being a huge horror fan... the ring tops my list.... i felt like a 5yr old again after seeing it.

Well, I saw Adaptation tonight, and I must say that I found it quite underwhelming. Yes, visually it was amazing, and it was an interesting idea for a movie. But I felt that it got really off track about 2/3 of the way through, and never recovered. It wasn't a bad movie, but it could have been MUCH better, especially the ending. I suppose it falls somewhere in the bottom half of my top 10 for the year.

I forgot about this one... it is definately one of my favorites. For all interested it is playing on MTSU's campus in a few weeks and it's only $2.00.

I must say that I saw a FANTASTIC movie last night-- Blue Crush. Not only were the chicks REALLY hot, but the cinematography was top-notch and all the action sequences were very exciting. Definitely a fun movie to watch with a big bunch of people (especially a bunch of horny dudes like myself).

Fun fact: the name Haas means "running bunny rabbit"...

I thought it really started getting good about 2/3 of the way through. Other favorites:

GREAT:
Punch Drunk Love
Two Towers
Bowling for Columbine
Lovely and Amazing

Good:
About a Boy
Gangs of NY

Do Not see unless you hate art & beauty:

A Guy Thing
Kangaroo Jack

I think there were some good movies earlier this year that I've forgotten...

For what it's worth, my thoughts on some I saw:

"Signs"-Made me wet myself, but painfully cheesy "Full House" wholesomeness.
"The Ring"-Scary and well-written, although not as scary as Signs.
"Catch Me if You Can"-Excellent interpretation. Even Leo DiCrapio couldn't screw this one up.
"Insomnia"-Made me sleep DURING the movie. Go figure...
"2 Towers"-Great film, but LONG! Bring a sack lunch.
"Road to Perdition"-Very good. Tom Hanks does a great job showing that he, too, can play a "questionable" role.
"Clones"-Good. Best part was little role of Jar-Jar Binks this time. He's so annoying...
"Spider Man"-Cool flick. Only dislike was Kirsten Dunst's character. She came off as trailer-trashy and not worthy of Spidey's time/affection.
"Goldmember"-By far the worst of the Austin Powers films. Beyonce Knowles seemed like she could've played a MUCH larger role instead of just having the same line throughout the film. And Goldmember himself was just a horrible character with no place in the storyline.

Wanted to see:
"Bowling for Columbine," "The Good Girl," "Punchdrunk Love," and "About Schmidt."

Whew...sorry for the extra-long post.
~Wash

My Favorites:

"Bowling for Columbine"
"About a Boy"
"Donnie Darko" (it came out other places in 2001, but I saw it at Belcourt in January I think...I can't remember?)
"Punchdrunk Love"
"About Schmidt"
"Lovely and Amazing"
"Moonlight Mile"

(Edited by featuresgirl at 7:38 pm on Jan. 20, 2003)

Now I have to add Chicago to my good list- and nominate sinasugarsick to play Velma Kelly in the upcoming Features message board production.

blue crush was honestly one of the worst movies i have ever seen in my entire life. the chicks were cute though.

I had to bring up this topic again because I just saw "Human Nature" and it may well be the best movie of 2002. Written by Charlie Kaufman (need I say more?), superbly directed by some frenchman I've never heard of, starring Tim Robbins & Patty Arquette. It even has shades of Wes Anderson in its serious/absurd tone & attention to detail. Go rent it! Now!

Jaime, please dear god I'm skipping your post and forgetting you wrote that about Adaptation!! Why don't people understand the final 1/3, the last act, is clearly written by Donald? Everything in the film leads up to its crazy finale.

I finally saw About Schmidt and loved it. A much quieter, sader movie than I expected. I hadn't read much about it but I did see Nicholson's acceptance speech for Golden Globes and he talked about being depressed over his "dramatic" nomination because "I thought we were making a comedy." So having seen Election again recently for probably the 10th time and hearing this, I was expecting a little more of a lighthearted film. Thankfully it didn't spoil the experience for me.

Holy Crap! I just found out that Charlie Kaufman also wrote my favorite TV series of all time: Get A Life!!! I loved Being John Malkovich, but I had no idea of the connection. I guess I really need to see his more recent suff. Thanks for the tip, Lauren!

(Edited by carligula at 9:56 am on Jan. 31, 2003)

Kaufman's next film is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind starring Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey. This is the synopsis:

"It's about this guy who finds out that his girlfriend of two years has had this surgical procedure which has erased him from her memory. So he's freaked out and trying to live with it and he can't, so he decides to have the same procedure. Most of the movie takes place in his brain as she's being erased, and you see their whole relationship, moment-by-moment, backwards from this sort of bad end to the better beginning. Halfway through, as the memories start getting better, he decides he doesn't want the procedure."

After reading your post, I recall seeing Tim Robbins on some talk show (probably Letterman) & they showed a clip of that movie. I'll have to remember your recommendation next time me & exliontamer are in Blockbuster--we hardly ever agree on movies, unless it's something older from the 60s or 70s.

What are everyone's thoughts on "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind?" I didn't really like it. I'm no film critic, so I refuse to elaborate any further.

Smee,

You break my heart!!! I thought Confessions was freaking brilliant. I had read the book so I was privy to some stuff that is glanced over, but the look of the film was fabulous and Sam Rock well absolutely nailed Barris. I loved the way they intercut interviews with actual people. All and all a great effort from George Clooney. I guess hanging out with Soderburgh rubs off. I'm generally anti actors "who want to direct".

I could go onto a tangent that would have no end but I'll spare you. Just put it this way, I successfully boycotted Mel Gibson for almost 10 years after his obvious sham Oscar for Braveheart. I didn't even see the film, but you cannot tell me that Mel Gibson directed something of such epic proportions his first film outta the gate. Sure he yelled "Action!" and "cut!" but I guarantee you he had no clue what was going on otherwise. I ended the boycott to see "Signs" which was one of the biggest mistakes of my life (and I'm not being dramatic) The boycott has promptly been put back in place.

So besides the fact that I did go on a tangent, I would recommend "Confessions" I hate to jump on the Kauffman bandwagon here, but we are witnessing a monumental shift in filmmaking. Mark my words. As Tarrantino made the underground ultra violent edgey film hip and cool, Charlie Kauffman is shifting perspectives to what is deemed "art house" fair into mainstream hits. As Lauren said, "Human Nature" is definetely one of the top 10 films of the year. It just came out in a bad release slot. If it was released in December, we'd be seeing an almpst all Kauffman Academy Awards.

Now back to some more stuff! (clap)

I'm no film critic, but I am opinionated so here ya go smee:

I enjoyed watching Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, but it was somewhat disappointing. Definitely the weakest Kaufman product I've seen. Sam Rockwell was awesome- I always love him. But Drew B., cute as she is, sucked as usual & the whole thing was basically shallow. I think George Clooney went too far in trying to be super-stylized. Everything looked really slick & he used a lot of crazy colors for a lot of scenes a la Soderbergh (sp?). But there was no break of reality- nothing that looked like you were actually watching real life- and that annoyed me. Plus I hate Julia Roberts. So, it wasn't terrible or a waste of money, but definitely a let down.

I usually don't like to challenge opinions, because, well I have some pretty whacked onesmyself, but let me offer this. Part of the stylization of the film I think, is that its told in retrospect by Barris. It starts out with his voice over, and ends with him back in cinematic present day. The book is labeled "The Unauthorized Autobiography" of Barris. So essentially we are seeing the thoughts of either a delusional paranoid or a creative genius. It's up to the viewer to decide. I agree Drew was a bit weak. Her character in the book is much more rounded and gives more counter-weight to Barris.

While its not as "Kauffman-esque" as his previous stuff, it is in the fact if you start to look at it it becomes one of those implausible Escher drawings. If I were to make a ten best list, I'd put it on it.

I agree that the style conveyed Barris's bizarre state of mind. So maybe the truth is that Barris annoys me & the moviemakers did a good job in conveying his personality & shallowness?

Dammit! I thought I had coined an original term when I came up with that a few years ago. That's one of my favorite little wod jokes.

IWantElvis, Ray Davies, Sexy Sadie and I went and saw it opening night and I really enjoyed it. Mainly because I love the Gong Show and Newlywed Game, but also because it was thorougly entertaining (which is all I look for in a movie). To sound like a five year old, I really thought that the colors and all were quite interesting...very flashy and I liked it. I also thought that Sam Rockwell was spot on as Chuck Barris...although there was too much man-ass. I would definitely recommend this movie to one and all.

I meant to start a thread about this last Friday after I saw it, but I never got around to it...

I love this film talk!

This is sort of off the point, but talking about Kaufman... In the original script for Being John Malcovich, the film was suppose to end with this incredible dueling 60-foot tall marionette contest between Derek Mantini and Craig Schwarz and it was to be judged by Charles Nelson Rally who hovers nearby in a hotair balloon. Kaufman is a genius and it's amazing that his scripts ever get translated to film at all. He's really the first writer you can call an auteur (a title usually reserved for directors).

that's what i didn't like. it has absolutely nothing to do with anything technical. it's just that i'm a gong show fan and i expected barris to be a more fun loving guy. when i found out he was just some uncontent horn-dog it pissed me off. i realise that everyone has aspirations of doing something important in life, but how much does a person need to be content? god, now i'm going to have a hard time watching the gong show. i thought it was all in good fun.

My knowledge of Kaufman is very limited since...well...I've only seen "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" but if he thought of using Charles Nelson Reilly, one of the top five coolest people to have ever lived in a movie and put him in a hot air balloon, then he definitely deserves my attention. Must see Being John Malkovich and Adaptation...

I too love this film talk. It makes me smile inside.

I agree, he definitely aasserts his personal style in a way that defines auteur. That's actually pretty remarkable.

Will

Yeah I can see your point there. Of course there is the possibility that it was all a lie and he actually was a happy dude...who knows? If it was all true, then I don't know why creating game show classics like The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game didn't fulfill him. What did he expect to do, become an Oscar winning director or something?

These attributes are definitely more due to the use of Newton Thomas Sigel as the director of photography (also the DP on Three Kings) than any Soderbergh influence. Personally, I love Sigel's work, and I emulate it in my own cinematography. He's one of the few DPs out there that understands that it's not always best to shoot a film at 24 frames per second using balanced light, a 180 degree shutter, and normal film stock with normal processing. He does bold things, and in my opinion gets bold results.

Will

Dunno... the fact that he's a fictional character certainly must cloud some people's observations on the matter...

Will

You know what, BrianW, I did not catch that (I'm slow). But now that you mention it, and I think about it, it makes perfect sense. That's pretty genius, actually. Now I want to see it again.

Michel Gondry? He's not only directing the next Kaufman screenplay, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but he's directed simply all of Bjork's greatest videos (Its Oh So Quiet excluded). See Bachelorette, Human Behavior, Army of Me... videos to change your life.

I find it funny that there's this endless chain of connections that involves Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, Charlie Kaufman, Bjork, Daft Punk, Clooney, and Newton Thomas Sigel... they should all collaborate on some uber project that would end the world with its magnitude and greatness...

Will

I dunno how "innovative" undercranking a camera at 90 degree shutter and using a skip bleach bath exactly is, but he does get different looks. I'm always amazed how if a film student used tungsten film in daylight they were "stupid" but when a semi famous DP does it they are "genius". What the F*** ever... Personally I think people should learn how to shoot straight, then screw with it once they know what they are doing. And this is no affront you Wiyum, I'm sick of working with all these Watkins (biting lips) that junk up there film and whatever and call it "art" when all it is that they have no freaking idea how they got it to look like that in the first place... rant over

i remember playing this sega genesis game called "starflight". you had to go to all of these planets and mine minerals, tungsten being among them. i looked it up and found out that it's used to make filaments in light bulbs. i just said that for no apparent reason whatsoever.

Tungsten is one of my more favorite elements from the periodic table... maybe we should have a new forum dedicated to fav elements.

No, Peacefrog, I'm with you, I think. Art isn't made simply by skipping bleach, not correcting for color, shooting a reversal stock, or anything else. Art is, however, made by using these and all other tools where and when they benefit the narrative. I feel that in Three Kings, Sigel did just that. I feel that in Minority Report, Janusz did just that (though I swear, he adjusted the shutter to 45 and must have accidentally left it there for half the shoot....). What I'm ranting against is the assumption that if something isn't 5248 (7248 in 16) shot at 24 with a 180 shutter, balanced perfectly to the tungsten stock, with a 3:1 (1 1/2 stop) key to fill ratio it looks BAD and shouldn't be done. Movies have looked that way at all times for long enough... I feel quite ready to see other things when they suit the narrative in some way.

Peacefrog, you think we can alienate any *more* messageboarders?
In all honesty, I won't continue this thread in this way outside of PM or email.

Will
Just off of an 18 hour day of 1st ADing.... how I miss camera dept.

(Edited by Wiyum at 1:04 am on Feb. 2, 2003)

I dunno, we can start a thread about C vs PL mounted primes... that may put them into a coma...

Or the endless debate over cameras.

1st AD huh? Ouch. I tried to stay away from that one as much as I could. You're the bad guy no matter what, unless your director is mondo easy going.

In all honesty, don't take half of what I say personally... I've just been beaten and kicked around the biz enough to be jaded and a bit cynical.

Hey you two, get a room!

I think Will and I sort of attempted a non-linear editing discussion some time back. I don't think anyone's interested but a few of us. Actually though I must admit that you guys lose me with the film stock color talk and all that. I haven't been around film production much (luckily though I now have experience in post-production of film!).

Anyway, um, get a room!

Agreed. Funny how even if I don't understand 90% of a post, I still feel compelled to add my 2 cents. But I really did like the look of 3 Kings. I just found the constant artsiness in Confessions a little exhausting.

Yeah, I knew this sort of "talking shop on the Features messageboard" thing had happened before, but I couldn't remember the specifics. We were trashing Avid if I'm not mistaken...

And Peacefrog, there is no debate... PL hands down. Though most of my experience is with bayonets...

We should all get together and make a ridiculously cool Features music video on Super16. That's be joyful.

Will

And perhaps justifiably so, especially if you liked 3 Kings. I still need to see Dangerous Mind before I'm equipped to comment. I was just attempting to give credit for the visual style to Sigel rather than a Soderbergh influence, because lets face it, Soderbergh isn't the greatest DP in the world (though I love most of what he's shot).

Will

I would never trash Avid! I love Media Composer to death and while I wish XPress DV had some of the features of its overpriced brother, it sure beats Adobe Premiere. FCP has a few flaws I've noticed since using it heavily in the last six months, but it sure is nice for the price.

... resisting... Brian's... bait... must... not... sound... like... evangelical... Apple... convert