Tops of the Year heading into the stretch run...

[KingCujoReturned]

Its been a while since I've posted. I've been enduring the rigors of college, writing, acting, and drinking. Basically I'e fallen off the planet, but I did manage to finish my first film script!

On to my topic though. I must be honest, Heading into the "stretch run" of the film year, I haven't seen much awards worthy material this year. With The Gift, Castaway, and a couple of other strong possibilities forthcoming this could change, but for now here are my thoughts on the top films of the year.

Gladiator: Still king all these months later. With an impressive dvd on its way in the next few days this feeling will only intensify. The Contender didn't garner the support dreamworks thought it would, so lets hope they kick up the campaign for this finely crafted film which I consider the best of the year so far. Im also rooting for it to get at least noms. for Director, Actor, Supporting Actor (Reed and Pheonix both), Cinematography (it really was another world Ridley gave us), along with the other technical awards. Also Im really rooting for this film to get a costuming award. Not all the armor and such was accurate but I don't think it was meant to be. I think the filmmakers were definitely was trying to send a message, especially with the Praetorian Guards Costumes, check those out again when you see the DVD.

American Psycho: This film has been holding my second spot all year long. THe film itself is a genius satire. Its a well crafted, thoughtful film, with an amazing performance by Christian Bale. Im definitely rooting for him to get the nom for best actor. Im also hoping director Mary Harron gets the nom. for best director. Excellent film, if you still haven't seen it watch the DVD you won't regret it.

Legend of Bagger Vance: I was heavily anticipating this movie, and it certainly delivered. I was originally afraid Redford would go hammy on us like The Natural (i liked it dont get me wrong). But he used just the right amount of everything to create a film that really engrossed me. Matt Damon was excellent, I really enjoyed his performance. Will Smith actually seemed to have a sense of craft, I enjoyed his performance as well. Two other suprises were the young boy and the actor who played Bobby Jones. Fine film all the way around, I hope it gets some recognition.

Chicken Run: Laugh, call me crazy, step on my head, but I thought this was one of the most well made films of the year. Its humor and style was superb. I was skeptical about the film, but I went to see it and certainly wasn't disapointed. I doubt the royal almighty academy would ever nominate a claymation film, but who knows crazier things have happened. This film was done by the Wallace and Grommit folks, and those shorts won Oscars, so perhaps the academy will remember that.

Those are my top four films of the year so far. YOu'll notice I left out Darren Arovnovsky's Reqiuem for a Dream. My reasoning is simple, it was a major, major disapointment. I didn't find myself invested in the characters at all, it didn't hurt me too much that they died or were hurt and thats not good. If you want to see a good film rent or buy his first, Pi. Its a masterpiece compared to this one. Oh well lets hope he does a great deal better with Batman Year One.

Thanks and I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts.

King Cujo

P.S. does CMJ still post here?

[CMJ]

Yes KingCujo...I'm here. I've kind of fallen off the face of the earth as well. I just finished the first version of my screenplay(now comes the all important rewrite!). When I have a finished version I'm somewhat happy with I'll trade ya so we can read each others work.

As for my films of the year...I'm somewaht behind(I have't seen anything in about a month)but here are my top 3 of 2000 so far.

1. GLADIATOR: Mich like KingCujo...I can't express my total appreciation for this movie into words. It was marvelous.

2. THE CONTENDER: I found this to be wonderfully acted and shot in a very claustrophobic way to increase the tension. I was shocked how much I liked it.

3. FANTASIA 2000: I was spellbound with this...almost as wonderful as the original IMO.

I'll come out with a final 2000 list here soon...once classes start dying down. I had a 12 hour shoot for my groups Final 16mm project last week. Once we get it back from the lab...I'll be in editing hell. But I should be free within a few(?) weeks.

[KingCujoReturned]

I have not had a chance to see either Contender or Fan. 2000, tho those are both ones I have wanted to see. I'm prolly going to get the Fantasia DVD boxed set, enjoy the original as well.

I saw Unbreakable the other night. Originally I thought maybe this would be one that might sneak into my top 5. Not a chance. Perhaps one of the most pretentious movies Ive seen in a good while, everyone whispering around the film waiting for a revelation. I liked Bruce Willis' quiet demeanor and everyman nature in the film. But for everyone to be just as muted and lifeless, with lack of character development, it was mind numbing to watch. Looks like M. Night took the old Subtlety sword and cut a forest down with it, overkill much? Really a disapointment, Im suprised Ebert gave it 3 stars.

Tis ok there are still a good slate or releases. Finding Forrester and All the Pretty Horses are tops on my too see list as far as releases go.

Thanks
KingCujo

[ReaperFett]

Mine so far

4. GLADIATOR
3. THREE KINGS
2. WAY OF THE GUN
1. SNATCH

[Dutchy]

1. Frequency
2. What Lies Beneath
3. Dinosaur
4. The Cell
5. Beautiful People
6. Hollow Man
7. Erin Brockovich
8. Mifune's Last Song
9. Chicken Run
10. Dancer in the Dark

[JonathanLB]

Oh boy...What Lies Beneath was crap, Dinosaur was really crap, the only thing it had going for it was the visuals, Hollow Man was more like Hollow Movie, but I gave it 3 stars because it was fun, just totally flawed. The Cell was one of the year's worst movies, no question about it, they went for an artistic movie and ended up making a convoluted piece of sh*t.

Oh boy, lol.

Unbreakable was much better than you are saying, perhaps you had unfairly high expectations. I know that I had really high expectations and I admit that it fell a bit below my expectations, primarily because I felt it ended way too abruptly. HOWEVER, if there are two sequels, as Willis has hinted at, then I will grant reprieve for the movie, since it can only fairly be judged with its two future sequels. I loved everything else about the movie, I just wanted more of a resolution, and if they are planning on giving that in 2 more films, then I would be fine with it.

Unbreakable was masterfully written and directed, offered great acting by Willis and Jackson, some intruiging plot twists, an overall great concept, and strong execution. There is nothing NOT to like, the film rules.

Here is my top 10 (and I've seen about 55 movies in theaters this year, so this is a selective list):

1) Gladiator (I think this is the clear choice, hehe)
2) Remember the Titans (any top 10 must include this, come on!)
3) The Patriot
4) X-Men
5) Mission: Impossible 2 (this is a virtual tie with #4)
6) The Legend of Bagger Vance
7) Almost Famous
(Note: every choice above received four stars)
:cool: Men of Honor
9) Unbreakable
10) Charlie's Angels

Some other 3.5 star movies that are very close:
The Contender, The 6th Day, The Art of War, U-571, The Perfect Storm, Romeo Must Die, and Meet the Parents.

There are also some future prospects that will almost surely make the top 10.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon stands a great chance at being the 2nd or 3rd best movie of the year on my list, and there is almost no question that it will break the top 10. It probably will be one of the greatest Hong Kong action movies of all-time, if not the greatest...

Also, Proof of Life, Vertical Limit, Cast Away, and Dungeons and Dragons all have *remote* chances of making the top 10.

Finding Forrester, the movie about the famous writer helping the black kid, could be a 4 star movie and has a very good chance at breaking into at least the lower part of the top 10 and kicking Charlie's Angels out.

I expected that Unbreakable would be one of the top 3 of the year, but it did fall a bit below my expectations. Still, it was a VERY good movie and this year has been very competitive.

This has been an especially great year for action movies! I think 2000 is one of the best years for movies ever, no question about it. 1999 sucked hard, but this year is making up for it entirely.

[Dutchy]

the only thing it had going for it was the visuals

Same can be said about:



5) Mission: Impossible 2

But its visuals weren't even all that. M:I2 basically sucked.


I think 2000 is one of the best years for movies ever, no question about it. 1999 sucked hard, but this year is making up for it entirely.

LOL

[foxdvd]

KingCujoReturned, so have you or have you not seen The Contender..in your first post you say how much you loved the movie, your second, you say you have not seen it yet..?

[BristerM]

I was gonna rent GLADIATOR today but the damn video rental place hasn't called yet! I wanted to see it again to make sure it was as good as I remembered it, lol.

[Bromine]

I first saw Gladiator in a cheap theatre with very poor sound, and I was very disappointed. By chance I saw it again on video and absolutely loved it! I still think it's over-hyped by a lot of people, but it regardless it was a very strong film. I must admit it wasn't until the end that I realised how much the movie had moved me. Of course, it also met one of the most important criteria for me: It told a complete story, but still left me wanting more.

[foxdvd]

so far I know of 4 people who have watched Gladiator again, and went from thinking it was average at best, to liking it..

[KingCujoReturned]

The only mention I made of contender was during my spiel on Gladiator. I basically said COntender didnt garner the Oscar support dreamworks suspected, so lets hope that dreamworks kicks up support for gladiator. My reference of a finely crafted film in the next sentence was to Gladiator NOT Contender. I havent seen Contender, tho I guess I can see how you mistunderstood my post.

Thanks
KingCujo

P.S. MI: 2 was perhaps one of the most hollow films of the last two years. I didnt have any big expectations about Unbreakable and still found it average at best, and 1999 was a better year for movies.

[DvdJervs]

Here's mine in no particular order:

Frequency
The Virgin Suicides
The Dish
High Fidelity
Snatch
Gladiator
X-Men
Billy Elliot

That's all I can think of for the moment because:

1. Films like 'Chicken Run', 'Remember the Titans' etc haven't even opened yet in Australia.
2. Despite being my biggest year for seeing films at the theatre (I've seen more films at the theatre this year than I have seen at the theatre over the past 5 years) I still have only seen a handful of them.
3. My local theatre usually only gets the very big Hollywood releases (I live in the country which is approx 10 years behind the cities in Australia) which on the whole have been disappointing. Only the occasional small films aka. The Virgin Suicides slip through and get screened.

[Darth23]

Hollow Man was more like Hollow Movie,

Hey Jon!

Didn't I use that first? Even before the reviews?

I think I'll sue. ;)


--------


Gladiator
X-men
Chicken Run

At least I saw more movies this year, rather than the same few over and over. I also saw Mission to Mars and Titan AE, but they don't make it into the top 5 of the 5 movies I've seen this year.

The only one I missed that I wanted to see was Space Cowboys.

I do plan on seeing Dungeons and Dragons and maybe the new Russel Crowe movie.

[Darth23]

I forgot Almost Famous. :) :)

Number 2 behind Gladiator.

[Darth Turbogeek]

Unbreakable was a damn good moive. Maybe because I had NO expectations (As I have not seen Sixth Sense) it was a huge WTF?!?! ending for me and I saw it with clear eyes. I was sucked in and really, it made me think like no other movie had for a long time. And until I watched Gladiator on video, this was my top pic for this year.

Now, if I truly was impressed by Unbreakable, then for Gladiator to top it..... well, it did and then some. I dont really see anything that was better this year and with the crap coimng out now before Christmas, I doubt I will. It's rare I see two movies that actually were so well crafted, scripted, directed and yes, acted.

Chicken Run is No. 3. on my list. A great spoof of Escape movies, intelligent humour and great claymination. Worth the wait as would you believe it's only just onpened Down Under?!?!?

Scary Movie was okay. MI2 BLEW - HATED IT!!!!

Oh... maybe Crouching Tiger will make the grade - the reviews sound promising, but it wont be out for a while longer in australia.

[KingCujoReturned]

Steven Soderberghs Traffic comes out in the US soon, that is a movie Im eagerly anticipating. Soderbergh has done some quality work. Sex Lies and Videotape, Out of Sight, and Erin Brockovich (havent seen that one). This film also has a quality cast, Micheal Douglas, Catherine Zeta-iamhot-Douglas, DOn Cheadle, Benicio Del Tora, and Dennis Quaid, etc.

Im also looking forward to Ang Lees Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Reviews give it high marks and all the public buzz has been great.

Finding Forrester is also being released this year, but only for those in NY and LA, the rest of us will have to wait until January 12th it seems.

Just a few more thoughts...
KingCujo

[CMJ]

There are several flicks coming down the pike that look promising. I'm also wanting to see CROUCHING TIGER, FINDING FORESTER and TRAFFIC. Add to that list QUILLS(National Board of Review #1 movie of the year) and CASTAWAY(Hanks won Best Actor from the NY film critics)

[I J S]

That's better.Please feel free to remove the unnecessary duplicate thread that I've created (What a total nonce!)

1. Magnolia
2. American Beauty
3. Gladiator
4. The Insider
5. Memento
6. The Virgin Suicides
7. Three Kings
8. Toy Story 2
9. American Psycho
10.Road Trip

[CMJ]

Five of your films were released in 1999. At least they were in the US which means they can't be on my list, though AMERICAN BEAUTY & THE INSIDER were both on my list last year.

[ReaperFett]

Hye, us non-Americans will keep putting them films in our lists until the perfect day when the world cries out 'ONE WORLE- ONE RELEASE!!!!!' :)

[I J S]

Yes I thought a few of these were late 1999 releases in the States.Unfortunately living on that tiny island on the east side of the Atlantic means we get most movies several months later.
I can't wait for UNBREAKABLE to hit the UK despite the mixed reviews.

[Darth Hez]

Hmm let me think.
1) Gladiator
2) X-men
3) Snatch
4) MI2
5) Hollow Man

Thats all I can think of thats worth putting on the list. Maybe Pitch Black and Art of War, but they weren't spectacular. I just didn't see many movies.

[buff jedi 2]

I didnt see many this year so my list is short.

1) let mew say first ,some where on in this forum I bashed Gladiator.I rewatched it (really watched it) and it was great I paid attention to it and I cant stress enough IT WAS GREAT.

2) X-MEN

3)MI2..was not as bad as I thought it would be.Could have been better,But good enough.




buffjedi/wookieboy