Swimming in Broken Glass: Film ranking full of joyful troubles

In "Adaptation," screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Nicholas Cage) struggles to adapt the non-fiction book "The Orchid Thief." After much frustration the solution comes: write himself into the screenplay.

To a lesser degree that's me trying to piece together a Top 10 of 2002. It's time to flip customs inside out like a shirt worn too many days in a row. Time for reality: film critics and movie buffs alike are not all-knowing truth-speakers. The holy Top 10 list is hardly an act of complete confidence.

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" my critic within yells. Too bad Toto is too delighted to expose this internal weakness.

This year's Top 10 films:

1. The Pianist

2. Gangs of New York

3. Y Tu Mama Tambien

4. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

5. Far From Heaven

6. Bowling for Columbine

7. Minority Report

8. 24 Hour Party People

9. Punch Drunk Love

10. Auto Focus

This list-making is a bit like Calvin Ball, the game in Calvin and Hobbes - you make up the rules as you go along. It's a joy for a film enthusiast.

It's a statement about who I am as a person through the art I love. Note the keyword: art. While I appreciate movies as entertainment I'm more interested in them as art, hence my passion for foreign and independent films.

Having put together lists for my high school paper for two years I've come to learn a bit about the conflicting reactions films can produce. That's due to the fact that there isn't a workable definition of a great film.

Certainly popular opinion isn't a reliable vote, even among critics. Often the best films are panned only to gain acceptance years later. How well-made a film might be doesn't necessarily indicate its greatness either.

It comes down to what touches the individual. Quentin Tarantino once said "I hope when a million people see one of my movies they see a million different movies." That's really the key that so many people fail to grasp. A film can run the gamut from life-changing, entertaining, irritating to nauseating.

So the Top 10 list is quite the challenge. First off I need to balance my flat-out favorites with well-made films that I more respect as opposed to love.

Second, I need to form qualities for comparison. The one I think works best is to rely on how many times I saw a film in the theater and whether or not I'll eventually purchase it on DVD.

Third, I need to take into account that given a second viewing, a film can completely transform.

People need to realize that if they don't enjoy/understand/appreciate a film, often times the problem is with them, not the movie. A couple of films didn't really 'hit me' this year, namely "Adaptation," "Road to Perdition," and "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." I expect my appreciation will grow for them given time.

I hope others can accept this idea and open their minds to films they might have dismissed.

Visit the Daily News Web site, http://www.bsudailynews.com, to read a much-extended version of this piece with film information, criticism and placement commentary. This online exclusive also features a list of my favorite 35 films of 2002, other critics' lists, and Oscar thoughts.

Write to David at dmswindle@bsu.edu

Exclusive online 2002 film supplement

Just a note up front to clarify a bit. Since August 2001 I've worked at Castleton Arts, a 3-screen arthouse movie theatre on the North side of Indianapolis. As such I enjoy the ability to see films there and at the nearby mainstream cinema free of charge. It's a great perk, especially considering my relatively low pay. The other bit about that is that I'm predisposed to appreciate the arty, the daring and the bizarre. I try not to dismiss "normal" movies though. You'll note that of the films in my top 10, I saw half at the mainstream cinema.

Just a few of the criteria I use for ranking films:

A) How many times I see it in theatres.

B) Do I enter a state of "hypnosis" while viewing the film? Do I forget I'm sitting in a theatre watching a movie?

C) How often do I check my watch?

D) Whether or not I plan to purchase it on DVD.

a. Do I buy it the day it comes out at brand-new price?

b. Do I wait until Blockbuster is hawking used copies?

Oh and right up front, here are the films that would probably be somewhere up there on the list but aren't because either they didn't arrive in Indianapolis or I was unable to see them: Solaris, The Kid Stays in the Picture, Bloody Sunday, Nine Queens,

Songs from the Second Floor, Dogtown and Z-Boys, Barbershop, The 25th Hour, Antwone Fisher, 8 Women, Talk to Her, Personal Velocity, Real Women Have Curves, One Hour Photo, The Rules of Attraction, Russian Ark, The Fast Runner, Invincible, City of God, All or Nothing, The Quiet American, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Irreversible.

1. The Pianist

Director: Roman Polanski ("Macbeth," "Rosemary's Baby," "The Ninth Gate")

Stars: Adrien Brody ("Summer of Sam")

Genre: historical drama, survival

Plot: "The Pianist" presents the amazing tale of survival by Wladyslaw Szpilman (Brody), a Jewish Pole and respected pianist.

Thoughts: I used to be of the opinion that Holocaust films were off-limits. Spielberg had made the definitive one with "Schindler's List." "The Pianist" succeeds in that it has different goals than Spielberg's film. It focuses on one man and his unique experience of perpetual luck as he hides from the Nazis. It becomes a hypnotic thriller at parts, dishing out suspense like few films in recent memory. It's one of those rare films that just sucked me to the point I wasn't aware of the real world. Truly the mark of cinematic greatness.

Placement: I didn't expect "The Pianist" to overcome "Gangs of New York." I certainly didn't want. Walking out of "The Pianist" I had almost an annoyed attitude alongside my amazement. "The Pianist" would dethrone "Gangs." Sure I could try arguing it. But the list is never about arguing a case for movies. It's about going with the gut reaction and plugging them in.

Trivia: Brody lost 30 pounds for his role

2. Gangs of New York

Director: Martin Scorsese ("Goodfellas," "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull," "The Last Temptation of Christ," "Mean Streets")

Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis ("The Last of the Mohicans," "The Boxer,") Leonardo DiCaprio ("Titanic,") Cameron Diaz ("There's Something About Mary,") Jim Broadbent ("Iris," "Bridget Jones's Diary,)" Liam Neeson ("Star Wars: The Phantom Menace") John C. Reilly ("The Hours," "Chicago,") Henry Thomas (Elliott in "E.T.")

Genre: historical drama, epic, action, "urban western" (How Scorsese once described it)

Plot: Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio) returns to New York City in 1863 to avenge his father's (Neeson) death at the hands of Bill the Butcher (Day-Lewis).

Thoughts: This is one of those films I'd been dying to see forever. The film is a Scorsese fan's dream come true: a massive budget, top chop actors, the best screenwriters in the business-- Jay Cocks, Steve Zaillian (Oscar-winner for "Schindler's List"), Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count on Me) and a time/place never seen in film. Dealt this Royal flush of a hand Scorsese bet big and took the house, creating one of the most gripping, engaging films of his career. The other success story is of course Day-Lewis whose Bill the Butcher is hands-down the coolest character of the year. I saw it twice in theatres and fully expect it to ascend to my ranks of most-watched DVDs. I'm just salivating thinking about all the upcoming goodies and extras. Or, I can really dream, what if they released an extended cut like with "Lord of the Rings"? It was originally like, four hours long. Oh wouldn't that be heavenly.

Placement: Great, I've almost talked myself into switching "Gangs" with "The Pianist." But I won't do it. Got to go with the gut. Besides I can justify not going completely nuts over it to do the standard love story.

Trivia:

* Cocks was responsible for introducing Scorsese to Robert De Niro.

* When Scorsese originally planned to make the film in 1978 he wanted to cast the punk band the Clash. He gave them a part in "The King of Comedy."

* Had Scorsese made the film when originally planned De Niro would've had DiCaprio's role as Amsterdam.

3. Y Tu Mama Tambien

Director: Alfonso Cuaron (next project: "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban")

Stars: Maribel Verdu ("Goya,") Diego Luna ("Frida"), Gael Garcia Bernal ("Amores Perros")

Genre: drama, teen sex comedy, foreign language, romance

Plot: Two Mexican teenagers (Luna, Bernal) set off on a road trip with

Thoughts: For the bulk of 2002 "Y Tu Mama Tambien" was at the top of the list. However it still stands as the film I've seen the most times (four in theatre, three on DVD). And it holds the mark of greatness - to continually, grow, develop and unfold given each repeat viewing. There is so much to be appreciated in the film; all the cylinders are firing. Directing/cinematography is distinct and beautiful. Characters and plot are continually likable and engaging. Acting is top notch, here's a foreign film that doesn't seem at all hampered by the translation. And then there's the sexual element. Granted the film isn't explicit or pornographic, rather it photographs sex without shame or fear. It's one of the best films I've ever seen to depict sexuality in such a positive, real-world light.

Placement: There's nothing wrong with "small" productions. I just feel a need to rank the achievement of "Gangs" and "The Pianist" a bit higher. As far as pure favorite-wise goes, "Y Tu Mama Tambien" is part of a triumvirate of 2002 that includes "Gangs" and "Far From Heaven."

Trivia:

* Broke Mexican Box office records on June 8th, 2001, grossing $2.2 million in its first week, the biggest opening ever for a Mexican film.

* Title translation: "And Your Mom Too"

4. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Director: Peter Jackson ("The Frighteners")

Stars: Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Orland Bloom, Ian McKellan, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchet, Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies

Genre: action, fantasy, epic

Plot: In the second part of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic Frodo and Sam continue their trek towards Mordor with the lowly Gollum as their guide. Merry and Pippin have been captured by orcs who mistook them for Frodo and Sam. Aragon, Legolas and Gimli are in hot pursuit.

Thoughts: It's hard to criticize "Two Towers." (Or last year's "Fellowship" for that matter.) It's just too good. Too engaging. Too exciting. Hence it's plowed it's way to the top of the heap. There simply aren't any kinks in the armor. Well done Mr. Jackson. You've got the world salivating for your conclusion.

Placement: I think it says something about this year's movies that:

A) "Two Towers" is number four on my list.

B) "Two Towers" is far better than last year's "Fellowship."

C) On my 2001 list "Fellowship" was number two. (For the curious my #1 was "Ghost World.")

Trivia:

* For the trailer, the filmmakers used the theme from "Requiem for a Dream," my all-time favorite movie.

* All three films in the trilogy were shot simultaneously

5. Far From Heaven

Director: Todd Haynes ("Safe," "Poison," "Velvet Goldmine")

Stars: Julianne Moore ("Boogie Nights," "The Big Lebowski,") Dennis Quaid ("The Rookie," "Traffic," "Frequency") Dennis Haysbert ("Love and Basketball,") Viola Davis ("Solaris")

Genre: drama, romance

Plot: A 1950s housewife's (Moore) perfect world begins to shatter when a secret of her husband's (Quaid) comes to light and she seeks consolation in the friendship of their kind African American gardener (Haysbert).

Thoughts: Oh wow is this film just a wonder to watch. Much like "The Pianist" it has the ability to just suck you in, to hypnotize you. Moore presents the most likable, beautiful character since Frances McDormand's Marge Gundersen in "Fargo." She crafts a character this is just so wonderful with which to spend a movie.

Placement: What slightly drags down "Far From Heaven," especially on the repeat viewings, is a serious logical flaw that the plot requires. The characters, living in the period they do would know not to do what the film depicts them doing. It takes a mild stretch of disbelief - not too much of one - but a mild one to ignore it.

Trivia:

* Moore was pregnant during filming.

* Haysbert was shuffling back and forth from the set of "Far From Heaven" and the TV show "24."

6. Bowling for Columbine

Director: Michael Moore

Stars: Charlton Heston ("The Ten Commandments," "Planet of the Apes,") Marilyn Manson, Matt Stone (co-creator of "South Park,") John Nichols (brother of Oklahoma City bomber Terry Nichols)

Genre: documentary, comedy

Plot: Michael Moore (author of Stupid White Men and director of "Roger & Me") sets out to explore America's culture of guns and violence. He grapples with the question as to why America's rate of gun homicide is staggeringly high in comparison to Canada which has approximately the same number of guns or more firearm-restrictive countries across the world.

Thoughts: Michael Moore crafts a film that will likely join "Hoop Dreams" and "Crumb" in the pantheon of great documentaries. It truly proves that the path to greatness comes not in presenting the right answers but asking the right questions. He presents his findings and leaves the audience to contemplate. And of course the medicine comes with its sugar - Moore's sense of humor when encountering the absurd. Oh and the ending is something to behold. I was ready to get up and cheer.

Placement: If "Bowling" has a flaw it's that it wants to do too much. It wanders around a fair amount. A bit more focus might've helped.

Trivia: The first film to compete in the Cannes film festival in 46 years.

7. Minority Report

Director: Steven Spielberg ("A.I.," "E.T.," "Saving Private Ryan")

Stars: Tom Cruise ("Mission Impossible 2,") Max Von Sydow ("The Seventh Seal"), Collin Farrell ("The Recruit") Samantha Morton ("Jesus' Son," "Sweet and Lowdown,") Tim Blake Nelson ("O Brother Where art Thou?", Peter Stormare ("Fargo," "Windtalkers")

Genre: science fiction, action

Plot: The system for capturing killers before they commit their crime is seemingly perfect until it fingers John Anderton (Cruise) its chief officer.

Thoughts: I respect films that are smarter than me. When a film uses legitimate, intelligent plot twists, I'm a happy camper. Some critics thought this film had a "cop-out ending." Whatever the hell that means. I was fully satisfied. Between this and "Catch Me if You Can" Spielberg is back in my high opinion. (As though that were a sought after position.) And I love Samantha Morton. She's the surprise treat of the movie.

Placement: This one was immediately near the top. I think for a time it was second only to "Y Tu Mama Tambien." Then of course all the great movies we've had this Oscar season arrived. Nevertheless it still survives with a choice spot.

Trivia: a

* Cameos include Cameron Crowe (Cruise's director in "Jerry Maguire" and "Vanilla Sky,") Cameron Diaz (co-star of Cruise in "Vanilla Sky,") and P.T. Anderson (director of Cruise in "Magnolia.")

* There are numerous references to the films of Stanley Kubrick, particularly his cult classic vision of the future "A Clockwork Orange."

8. 24 Hour Party People

Director: Michael Winterbottom ("The Claim")

Stars: Steve Coogan, Shirley Henderson ("Trainspotting," "Bridget Jones's Diary,") Andy Serkis (Gollum in the "Lord of the Rings" films!)

Genre: comedy, drama

Plot: Tells the true rise and fall of Factory Records who signed such legendary bands as Joy Division (who later became New Order) and the Happy Mondays.

Thoughts: One can find this found at the top of a different list featured here: 2002's Coolest movies. It reigns supreme without a doubt. I just fell in love with the look and narrative style of the film. Coogan as Tony Wilson, the founder of Factory Records, talks directly into the camera much like John Cusack's character in "High Fidelity." "24 Hour Party People" takes it a step further though by having Coogan as not only a character in the film, but a kind of self-aware character who not only knows he's in the movie, but sort of guides the viewer along. As he introduces people he'll say what will happen to them. Visually, watching the film is often like being at a rave.

Placement: Here's the first real dividing line as far as quality goes. Seven and up were truly great films. From here on, we get to "really great" films. What causes this? I'd say the scope of the vision and the intensity of the film experience.

Trivia: The original Hacienda, the famous Studio 54-like club in Manchester during the period of Factory Records, was demolished in 2000 so they had to create a new based on people's memories in a warehouse.

9. Punch-Drunk Love

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson ("Boogie Nights," "Magnolia")

Stars: Adam Sandler, Emily Watson ("Gosford Park," "Red Dragon,") Luis Guzman ("Traffic," "The Count of Monte Cristo"), Phillip Seymour Hoffman ("The 25th Hour," "Red Dragon")

Genre: comedy, drama, romance

Plot: A small business owner (Sandler) lives a life subdued by his overwhelming seven sisters. He becomes stronger and more assertive as he's drawn to a mysterious woman (Watson.)

Thoughts: This film accomplishes a very important task: it proves to the world that Adam Sandler does in fact have talent. He's just been too heavily encouraged in his past films not to show it. Now though, he has no excuse for not taking bolder, more challenging roles. Hopefully he won't return to his same-old same-old.

Placement: I could see this film possibly surpassing "24 Hour Party People" given a repeat viewing.

Trivia: The film was inspired by an article in Time about David Phillips, a University of California civil engineer who stumbled upon a lucrative frequent-flyer promotion. By purchasing 12,150 cups of Healthy Choice pudding for just $3,000, he accumulated 1.25 million air-miles.

10. Auto Focus

Director: Paul Schrader (writer of "Taxi Driver," next film: "Exorcist: The Beginning")

Stars: Greg Kinear ("We Were Soldiers,") Willem Dafoe ("Spiderman")

Genre: drama, biopic

Plot: "Auto Focus" is the true story of the rise to fame of Bob Crane, Hogan of "Hogan's Heroes" and his downfall due to sexual addiction.

Thoughts: Superior performances from Kinear and Dafoe make for a solid, fascinating look at a bizarre character. I take a strange pleasure in learning about the human failings of apparently wholesome people. This film does the job. I've never really watched "Hogan's Heroes" but I don't think I'd be able to now having seen "Auto Focus."

Placement: "Auto Focus" is interesting in that of all the films thus far it was the first to really grow on me and rise in opinion. When I finished watching it, I was unconvinced of its greatness. Now for some reason I'm drawn back to it, wanting to see it again.

Trivia: a

11. Catch Me If You Can

Director: Steven Spielberg

Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken.

Thoughts: Plenty of ultra-cool moments abound in another true-life story. DiCaprio again proves his ability. Great seeing Hanks taking his second role against type this year. Love the opening title sequence.

Placement: A very satisfying film, if a bit long at parts.

12. Chicago

Director: Rob Marshall

Stars: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, John C. Reilly, Queen Latifah, Taye Diggs

Thoughts: Thoroughly entertaining throughout. The stars are getting all the praise while Latifah and Reilly are standouts. Their songs are some of the most memorable.

Placement: Every year has to have a great film that gets blown out of proportion and overrated as hell. Thirteen Oscar nominations? Please.

13. The Piano Teacher

Director: Michael Haneke

Stars: Isabelle Huppert, Benoit Magimel

Thoughts: To fully appreciate this film, don't even bother with the Blockbuster version, it's just a bit too gutted. The acting is phenomenal. Haneke is a director to watch. His "Funny Games" is something else.

Placement: This is the kind of film that will wiggle around. It's difficult to nail it down in one spot.

14. The Hours

Director: Stephen Daldry

Stars: Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Toni Collette, Ed Harris

Thoughts: I love having separate storylines that weave together. They do it particularly well here. For me at least, it became a tad predictable near the end but that's OK. It's a great ending despite that.

Placement: While I generally don't appreciate this sort of film - the type that seems to be begging for awards - in this case I'd be willing to give it another watch.

15. About Schmidt

Director: Alexander Payne

Stars: Jack Nicholson, Kathy Bates

Thoughts: As is to be expected from the director of "Election," intelligent humor and dialogue abounds. Nicholson is perfect. What else would you expect?

Placement: This is the type of film that I watch, it doesn't hit me, eventually I'll return and all the subtleties with make their impact. That's a major part of this film - the miniscule little details. One could argue that that is the film.

16. Kissing Jessica Stein

Director: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld

Stars: Jennifer Westfeldt, Heather Juergensen

Thoughts: If Woody Allen made a bisexual romantic comedy it would be "Kissing Jessica Stein." No, let me rephrase, if he made one twenty years ago when he was making great, intelligent films instead of the generic crap he's done in the past couple years, then this would be it. Be sure not to make the mistake of labeling this a "lesbian movie." When lesbian couples would come and see it I was curious how they'd react to it because neither of the main characters are lesbians. They're very clearly bisexuals.

Placement: This was another early release that was originally near the top. I think at one point it was even number 1.

17. 8 Mile

Director: Curtis Hanson

Stars: Eminem, Kim Basinger, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy

Thoughts: Is it any surprise that Em can act? Considering that his life has been a stage and he's been a host of characters it doesn't shock me. The next step will be to see if he can play a character that isn't based on himself.

Placement: I was initially very satisfied. Lately though it's weakened for me. When I came out of the theatre I was pretty definite about wanting to pick it up on DVD. Now I'm not so sure.

18. Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams

Director: Robert Rodriguez

Stars: Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Steve Buscemi, Mike Judge, Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin, Ricardo Montalban, Christopher McDonald

Thoughts: I don't care what kind of movie he's making whether it be action ("Desperado") horror ("From Dusk Till Dawn," "The Faculty") or children's fair with this and the first "Spy Kids" he's a great storyteller and a talented director.

Placement: I think I took the kids to see this multiple times. That says something about a children's movie - if it's good enough that an adult can tolerate a second viewing.

19. Frailty

Director: Bill Paxton

Stars: Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey

Thoughts: "Frailty" is the most effective horror film of the year. (Not as though it was a particularly good year for the genre, but that's still a nice thing to say about a movie.) Nice debut by Paxton too.

Placement: Another one initially at the top. I recall that Peter Travers, the critic for Rolling Stone did kind of a summer "If-the-Oscars-were-now" type column and he had "Frailty" and "Y Tu Mama Tambien" at the top.

20. Secretary

Director: Steven Shainberg

Stars: James Spader, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Thoughts: The great miracle of this movie is that it takes something pretty alien to most people - sadomasochism and puts it in a context in which it and its participants can be understood fairly. It even proves to be one of the best love stories of the year.

Placement: A repeat viewing would do wonders for this film. I bet it would climb a fair amount.

21. About a Boy

22. Road to Perdition

23. Adaptation

24. Signs

25. Spirited Away

26. Monsoon Wedding

27. Undercover Brother

28. Panic Room

29. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

30. The Son's Room

31. Frida

32. Lilo and Stitch

33. 13 Conversations about One Thing

34 Insomnia

35 Changing Lanes

Additional Lists

Top 10 Coolest movies

1. 24 Hour Party People

2. Gangs of New York

3. Punch Drunk Love

4. Y Tu Mama Tambien

5. Bowling for Columbine

6. Undercover Brother

7. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

8. Catch Me if you Can

9. Adaptation

10. Kissing Jessica Stein

"Best" movies of the year - In which I try to remove my favoritism and order them entirely based on their "quality."

1. The Pianist

2. Gangs of New York

3. Chicago

4. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

5. Far From Heaven

6. The Hours

7. Spirited Away

8. Adaptation

9. About Schmidt

10. Minority Report

Top 10 lists from other critics

The main differences between these critics and my picks:

* Most of them loved "Adaptation." It didn't really hit me on my first viewing of it. I'll give it another chance at some point.

* I didn't get a chance to see Pedro Almodovar's "Talk to Her."

* Many of them threw in films even more obscure than some of my picks.

Joel Siegel of "Good Morning America"

1. (Tie) Chicago and The Hours

2. Adaptation

3. Catch Me if You Can

4. Antwone Fisher

5. Far From Heaven

6. Narc

7. 25th Hour

8. The Quiet American

9. About a Boy

10. Road to Perdition

My Comments:

Joel Siegel is well known for being particularly mainstream. The high presence of "Catch me if you Can" and "Antwone Fisher" would indicate that. I don't think anyone else of these critics had "Antwone Fisher." "Narc" is an interesting choice too. Not sure how much I respect the whole tied-for-first he does with "Chicago" and "The Hours."

Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly

1. Far From Heaven

2. About Schmidt

3. Bowling for Columbine

4. Personal Velocity

5. 8 Mile

6. Auto Focus

7. The Last Kiss

8. Unfaithful

9. The Kid Stays in the Picture

10. Nine Queens

My Comments:

The last five are all fairly 'wild card' picks. A fairly unusual list, indeed. "Bowling for Columbine" and "Personal Velocity" that high. Interesting.

Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly

1. About Schmidt

2. Talk to Her

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

4. Adaptation

5. Spirited Away

6. Y Tu Mama Tambien

7. Far From Heaven

8. The Fast Runner

9. Time Out

10. Late Marriage

My Comments:

Schwarzbaum is similar to her colleague Gleiberman in her placement of a few unusual independents in her last few spots.

Tom Schickel of Time

1. Talk to Her

2. About Schmidt

3. Far From Heaven

4. Road To Perdition

5. Monsoon Wedding

6. About a Boy

7. Italian for Beginners

8. The Pianist

9. 8 Mile

10. Safe Conduct

My Comments:

Nice to see "Monsoon Wedding" up there.

Richard Corliss of Time

1. Talk to Her

2. Gangs of New York

3. Russian Ark

4. Devdas

5. Minority Report

6. Time Out

7. Bowling for Columbine

8. Spirited Away

9. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

10. The Quiet American

My Comments:

I wonder why they both picked "Talk to Her." Interesting placing "Two Towers" on there in such a low position. Good to see "Russian Ark" up there. I've heard it's spectacular.

David Ansen of Newsweek

1. Y Tu Mama Tambien

2. About Schmidt

3. Spirited Away

4. Talk to Her

5. The Pianist

6. Monsoon Wedding

7. Adaptation

8. About a Boy

9. Far From Heaven

10. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

11. The Hours

12. Late Marriage

13. Chicago

14. Lovely and Amazing

15. Minority Report

My Comments:

I really like his list, I can relate to it. He's got "The Hours" and "Chicago" relegated to the teens. "Y Tu Mama Tambien" at number one yet "The Pianist" is still in the top five. "Lovely and Amazing" - that's a surprise. Didn't care for that one too much.

Roger Ebert of "Ebert and Roeper" and the Chicago Tribune

1. Minority Report

2. City of God

3. Adaptation

4. Far from Heaven

5. 13 Conversations about One Thing

6. Y Tu Mama Tambien

7. Invincible

8. Spirited Away

9. All or Nothing

10. The Quiet American

My Comments:

I'm dying to see "City of God." A co-worker who knows my taste said it'd be one I'd particularly like, what with my preference toward the realistic and the disturbing.

Richard Roeper of "Ebert and Roeper"

1. Gangs of New York

2. 25th Hour

3. Minority Report

4. Y Tu Mama Tambien

5. Adaptation

6. Signs

7. Rabbit-Proof Fence

8. About Schmidt

9. One Hour Photo

10. About a Boy

My Comments:

I really loathed Roeper's list last year. The man had "Shallow Hal" on it for Pete's sake! This list though I'm happy to see. His top 5 is pretty good. Not so sure about "Signs" at number six though.

Harry Knowles of www.aintitcool.com

1. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

2. The Pianist

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

4. 800 Bullets

5. Adaptation

6. Solaris

7. Punch Drunk Love

8. Chicago

9. Irreversible

10. May

My Comments:

Can always expect Harry to have an eccentric list. Plenty of obscure foreign ones on there. Still I'm glad at least someone else shares my feelings about "The Pianist." Also glad that "Irreversible" is getting some attention. (I'm a big fan of the previous film by that director. His name's Gaspar Noe, he's French, his last film was the ultra-disturbing "I Stand Alone.")

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone

1. Gangs of New York

2. Far From Heaven

3. Adaptation

4. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

5. Y Tu Mama Tambien

6. Chicago

7. Talk to Her

8. Road to Perdition

9. About a Boy

10. 8-Mile

My Comments:

And lastly we end up with Peter Travers, the critic I find myself most often agreeing with. When I see the triumvirate of "Gangs," "Heaven" and "Y Tu Mama" I'm pleased.

Conclusion

Well if you've made it this far I'd like to thank you. I also want to encourage you to e-mail me with your own best of 2002 lists or other movie advice. I'm very enthusiastic about thoughtful dialogue with other film buffs.