PLEA FOR MORE PATIENCE - Interesting posts from Joeyc and newcomer Meep Womp in the Feedback Forum. I'm inspired to comment on them except that... well, except that this week has left me utterly inspired. It seems that Sam and Eric are just as busy this week too. I need some more time to recharge and, perhaps, even rethink the purpose of this blog. CS will be back Monday morning, hopefully with a review of 'The Recruit' and at least one other movie. If you have any words of inspiration or suggestions for topics to discuss, please send them my way.

In the meantime, Eric's got a little something to chew on.

ODDS AND ENDS - Just thought Joey C's post about his new favorite movie in the Feedback Forum was appropriate, since I've also seen two movies recently that would have made my top 5 from last year, had I seen them then. One, Hell House is just gold. Top film of the year, hands down. The other, starting tonight at the Bijou in Iowa City, is Chain Camera, and is still quite good, top 5 good, just not as funny. It can get a little Degrassi Jr. High at times, but still excellent. And if you couldn't already tell, I'm a big documentary fan. Adam, Sam, any recommendations?

It's official, our readers like 'North by Northwest' as the best Hitchcock film of all time, in a poll containing 3 votes. I would have to agree with this declaration, and I think most others would too that have seen a fair deal of Hitchcock. Maybe a better question is his 2nd best film since he has such a vast body of work. There are certainly tons to choose from: Rope, Dial M for Murder, Rebecca, Strangers on a Train, Sabotage, Spellbound, Rear Window; the list boggles the mind. But my choice would have to be Notorious, a little Cary Grant/Ingrid Bergman ditty about the Nazis. Has that old-school Hollywood sheen most Hitchcock films don't reflect until the late 50s. Vote on the Feedback Forum.

One last item, which may become a permanent feature if I can find enough of them regularly: The Hollywood Gasbag. Actual quotes from actual movie critics about recent movies.

David Sheehan, CBS Los Angeles, 'Shanghai Knights' - "Hysterical! A comic kung fu colossus!" There you have it, complete with exclamation points.

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BACK, ALMOST - Obviously, I didn't get a chance to post before I left for Florida. Got back into Chicago late last night and have had no time to post yet. Look for something tomorrow. I'm sure my three loyal readers are patiently waiting. Thanks.

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MOVIE CLUB: (NO) CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND AND MORE (3)
From: Adam
To: Sam and Eric
Subject: Had enough of Hitler

Thanks guys for finding the time to post and get the discussion(s) going. In addition to my hellish excursion to the DMV trying to get Illinois license plates, I've been at home with a sick 10-month-old and busy getting ready for my weekend jaunt to Ft. Lauderdale to "work" at the NHL All-Star Game. No, I'm not prostituting myself. I put work in quotes because watching hockey and interviewing athletes isn't really work. I leave Friday morning and don't return until Monday night, so I don't expect to have a new post up until Tuesday.

I should probably start by following through on my promise to discuss 'Max' and 'The Pianist,' even though the two of you have yet to see either. There is, of course, an interesting connection between the two films in that 'The Pianist' is about the effect of Adolf Hitler's ambition and hatred, while 'Max' attempts to show us the cause -- or, at least, the beginnings -- of his ambition and hatred. The trait that makes 'The Pianist' such an amazing experience is precisely what makes 'Max' a mostly forgettable one; namely, Roman Polanski allows the harrowing subject matter -- the true story of famed Polish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman's (Adrien Brody) evasion of the Nazi's in the Warsaw ghetto -- to speak for itself, while 'Max' director Menno Meyjes can't avoid mucking things up with melodrama, essentially reducing the rise of Nazism and the Holocaust to a missed encounter between a bitter, struggling artist named Adolf Hitler (Noah Taylor) and his Jewish mentor/art dealer Max Rothman (John Cusack).

Premiere's Glenn Kenny articulates my point much better than I could in his take on 'The Pianist': "Reporting from Cannes last May, a misguided Hollywood Reporter correspondent complained of this film that it “recounts its tales of horror and triumph, but never makes the viewer experience them.” In a way, I must agree with Reporter's Kirk Honeycutt; the cinema is indeed an insufficient instrument for making one experience the humiliation, oppression, and terror of life in the Warsaw ghetto during World War II. I should expect that one might be grateful for that. I only cite this comment because it is the most boneheaded out of many boneheaded things that have been said about this masterful film-a more common (and really, when you get right down to it, more hateful) snipe is that this whole, you know, Holocaust theme has been cinematically done, you know, to death. Jeez, I can't figure out how some people think. But such displays of ignorance, aside from being frightening, underscore just how necessary this film's existence is."

I wasn't surprised to learn that Kirk Honeycutt reacted to the film in that way, feeling like it was lacking some kind of emotional resonance, because I, too, was struck by how Polanski never tries to up the emotional ante of the story. There are no scenes of Szpilman longing for his family members who were sent to the concentration camps, or any heart-warming reunions; no final scenes of closure such as we find in Spielberg's 'Schindler's List' between Liam Neeson and Ben Kingsley. Like Kenny, however, I think Honeycutt missed the point of the film completely. 'The Pianist' is about survival, and Polanski quite meticulously and gracefully shows how Szpilman miraculously manages to do just that. Maybe Honeycutt has been so brainwashed by Hollywood that he needs a heroic score and sentimental speeches to feel something, but simply watching a woman (unsuccessfully) trying to find water for her baby before being loaded onto the trains, or watching Nazi soldiers randomly pull a group of Jews out of a lineup and shoot them in the head, was enough for me to feel the horror. Adrien Brody is amazing as Szpilman, matching Polanski's subtlety note for note. It's also worth pointing out that Brody and Polanski believably pull off Szpilman's piano playing without a lot of editing or trick photography. It really looks like Brody is fingering every note, which adds another layer of authenticity to the story. (For the opposite effect, see Woody Allen's 'Sweet and Lowdown,' where Sean Penn's guitar playing is so obviously fake that it becomes an unbearable distraction.)

I had a number of problems with 'Max' and to speed up the proceedings a bit I'm afraid I'm just going to have to catalog the major flaws one by one. 1) John Cusack's accent, or lack thereof: why is it that every German in the film speaks English with a German-flavored accent, while Cusack talks like the Chicago-born guy that he is? Did the filmmakers somehow think that Cusack is such a wonderful, big-time actor that audiences would buy him -- nay, prefer him -- to speak in his normal tongue? Not me. 2) The ending: without giving away anything too specific, Meyjes wants us to believe -- and I'm speaking here of the movie world, not the real world -- that the young Hitler's political ascension began only after he missed his shot at art stardom. But even though Rothman finally does praise Hitler's work near the end, Meyjes makes it explicitly clear that Hitler really isn't that good. He's lazy, unemotional, and he more or less just mimics artists who have come before him. So even though he does finally get inspired by his desire to return Germany to its past glory, I was never convinced that his work would withstand more than one or two showings before being dismissed and forgotten. 3) Did I mention the ending?: Meyjes rips off Coppola's Baptism sequence in 'The Godfather' by intercutting a rousing anti-Semitic speech by Hitler with Rothman and his family worshipping at their synagogue. The juxtaposition of the soothing Jewish chants with Hitler's terrible wailing is effective. The problem is that Rothman's faith has never been a significant issue leading up to this point. He is a Jew, yes, but not a devout one, which makes the sequence feel forced. The conflict inherent in Hitler's hatred for the Jews, but apparent regard for Rothman, isn't sufficiently explored enough to give the juxtaposition at the end any real power.

For what it's worth, I seem to be in the minority here. I suppose I am crazy for criticizing any film with this line of dialogue: "Hitler, come on, I'll buy you a lemonade." I'll have some comments on your posts and 'Confessions' before I take off tomorrow.

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MOVIE CLUB: (NO) CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND AND MORE (2)
From: Sam
To: Adam and Eric (and readers)
Subject: City of God, Oceans 11 and Adaptation re-examined

As an unredeemed movie geek who currently has Godard’s “Breathless” waiting at home in a Netflix envelope, I still have trouble going out of my way to see foreign films and documentaries in the theatre. Continued exposure to films like the recently released “City of God” should help cure me of that. If not the very best film I’ve seen in the (extended) 2002 movie season, it is certainly one of the most successfully ambitious. Ambitious in its huge, sprawling canvas; its huge cast; and its stylish visuals, the film succeeds on every level. And more importantly, it never lets details get lost under the sheer weight of the story (which covers 15+ years and introduces 30 or so characters). In a nut shell, the film tells the incredible true story of a boy coming of age in a Brazilian ghetto. Rife with violence, drugs and gang-warfare, the eponymous City of God is a South American urban nightmare. The directors take an unflinching portrait of the place, which makes for some exceedingly unpleasant scenes; but the film is also hugely entertaining. Apparently the cast is made up largely of non-actors, residents of the actual City of God, but for the most part you’d never know it. The lead actors who emerge in the latter parts of the film are wonderfully subtle and charismatic. If the film has any flaw, it’s that it is occasionally too flashy (the co-directors come from a music video/advertising background, and it shows), but this is far outweighed by the detail they bring to even the most secondary characters. See it if you can. Or write it down and rent it when it’s released on DVD.

On other notes: I’ve been bad. Still haven’t seen “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.” Adam’s thoughts mirror my expectations. We’ll see. I think I’m comfortably pessimistic, which could result in a pleasant surprise when I finally do see it (definitely this weekend). Something else that Adam raised: films that disappointed in the theater that, under re-examination, turned into favorites. Adam chose one of my best examples: “Oceans 11.” My expectations were through the roof when I saw it in the theatre, and I found it superficial and jokey. Eight months later I saw it on an airplane and found myself laughing out loud. The following week I bough it on DVD and I’ve seen it since (at least in parts) a couple more times. It gets better every time I see it. It’s loose and fun and has a great supporting cast. (I could definitely do without Brad Pitt, but he’s a minor distraction). I completely agree with Adam on this one. It’s hard to think of another film that fits this criteria—mostly because if I didn’t like it in the theater I’m not going to go out of my way to see it on DVD—but there are several films that I liked enough in the theatre to see again and, upon seeing them again (and in some cases, again and again and again) became even better (“Get Shorty” gets better every time I see it—you’ve got to see it again for Gene Hackman’s performance alone; and I didn’t love “Rushmore” until I saw it for the third time).

I finally saw “Unfaithful.” A strange, masochistic experience with a weak opening 20 minutes and a brilliant second act (OK, the second half of the second act is brilliant—assuming there are three acts). Diane Lane is good, but she couldn’t possibly live up to the expectations that had been set—critics have been calling her performance Oscar-worthy since July. Too much of her performance seems edited together into wrought-with-emotion montage scenes. Also: Adrian Lyne is one of the best DVD commentary directors out there. A stylish director who pays attention to the little things, he’s very good at describing why he made certain directorial and editing decisions.

One more thing for theatre-lovers. I saw “Moon Over Broadway” last night on DVD and it is essential viewing for anyone who has spent time working in the theatre. It’s a documentary (by documentarian extraordinaire D.A. Pennebaker) about the Broadway mounting of “Moon Over Buffalo” starring Carol Burnette (who hadn’t been on Broadway in 30 years) and Philip Bosco. The expert editing of last minute script changes, the play’s prick of a director, and a neurotic playwright keep this thing interesting every single minute of the way. As a bonus, the DVD offers a commentary track which essentially acts as a sequel to the film as participants look back on the documentary five or six years later. Lots of entertainingly uncomfortable moments.

So. Two of the most entertaining movies I have seen recently? A foreign film and a documentary. Lesson learned.

Oh, and one more thing: I saw “Adaptation” for the second time last week, and I loved it. The ending made sense to me. I don’t have the time or the brains to explain it; I just think the film needs to be seen twice to be appreciated. Once you know the ending, especially if it’s fresh in your head from your first viewing, you can see the logic to it. I’d love to have this discussion with someone. Because all I’ve been doing is getting into fights with people who have only seen it once. I feel like I just found God and all my companions are non-believers, using the same non-believer language I used myself before seeing the film again. Or something like that. I’m just glad that my decision to put the film in my number 2 slot for best of the year is justified. Adam? Eric? Any chance you’ll see it again?

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MOVIE CLUB - CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND (1)
From: Eric
To: Adam, Sam
Subject: I've been Clooneyed

Hey, gents. I don't think my contributions are the fix Nate and Island Girl were talking about in the Feedback Forum, but since I finally got around to seeing 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind,' I thought I'd help a brother out in a bind. For those of you unfamiliar with the premise, the movie is based on Chuck Barris' 'unauthorized autobiography' in which he claims, in addition to being a successful TV producer ('The Dating Game,' 'The Newlywed Game,' and 'The Gong Show'), that he was a CIA hitman who killed 33 people. The film is, well, decent for a directorial debut. I have to give Clooney this: he may not be the best actor in the world, but he always chooses interesting subject matter. It's a stylish piece, more about look and feel and lounge music than substance, but that is fine for a spy movie. There is an inordinate amount of swearing in the film. I don't have a problem with swearing, I do it quite liberally in my daily life, but often times in movies I feel like an overuse of 'fuck' is just a crutch for bad writing. A lot of the buildup for the film is based on the notion that these events may have happened. This notion is patently ridiculous, and if that's the catch Clooney was shooting for (as he claims in his myriad talk show appearances), he could have done a better job setting it up. The film maintains a frothy tone throughout until we reach the coda, which is so poorly written I think Donald Kaufman helped out on it. Supposedly there is a mole in the CIA that his superiors want him to track down, and while I don't think Clooney is pretending the film is suspenseful, it's painfully obvious who it is halfway through the film. Sam Rockwell plays Barris and he's pretty good, though I think it is Drew Barrymore's finest screen performance to date (but I didn't see 'Home Fries' or 'Ever After,' so I'm probably not a fair judge). Clooney is as stiff as his first roles on the big screen, prompting thoughts of 'Batman & Robin' to skewer my sugar-plum fairies last night. Dear Julia Roberts, so eager to expand her range after always playing the 'movie star' for years, needs more to work with better material, or just take more offbeat roles. Lord knows there's enough scenery-chewing in this film (the FCC censor) to accomodate at least one more. The shot composition is actually pretty good, so it is a good film to look at (even if I have to see Rockwell's ass more times than I've seen my own in the past month). I'll give Clooney credit for this, mainly because I've heard him talk about favorite old films of his, including 'Citizen Kane,' whence he filched several flourishes, thought it just as easily could have been cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel ('The Usual Suspects' and 'Three Kings'). It's funny, it'll bring a smile to your face, but ultimately it's no more than a series of disjointed acting exercises. Fellas, tear into me.

P.S. I nearly crapped my pants when looking into Drew Barrymore's profile at IMDb.com and seeing that there is a movie version of 'A Confederacy of Dunces' slated for release in 2004. The few that know me on this site realize this is my favorite book of all-time, and I wouldn't wish the adaptation on anyone. A quick click provides that it is Soderbergh and one of his producer buddies, and I suppose I can't think of anyone better (though it would be interesting to see what the Farrelly Bros. would do with it). The only cast member listed is Barrymore, who is also producing, so I'll be surreptitiously following this for the next year.

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WEEK FROM HELL - Only two days in and I need this week to be over. Is there anything more demoralizing than a fruitless 90 minute trip to the DMV? Posts Wednesday from somebody, sometime. I promise.

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RANDOM MUSING - Something for Eric and Sam to perhaps consider before our next Movie Club... What movies did you not like much in the theater, but now find yourself liking a lot whenever you catch them on video/DVD or cable? Conversely, what movies did you really like in the theater and now find that you don't like much at all? I've mentioned before how I somehow liked 'As Good As It Gets' when I saw it originally, but now have realized it's almost as bad as it gets. I find it terribly smug and overbearing. What brought this on is HBO's near constant showing this month of 'Ocean's Eleven,' a film I was lukewarm on when I reviewed it upon its release. I guess I stand by my criticisms, especially Brad Pitt's annoying facial tick where he puts his lips together and opens them again quickly after every line he says; someone tell me you noticed this and were bothered by it too. But every time I start watching it, I can't help but get sucked into it. Dialogue that I never thought was nearly as clever as it wanted to be when I first saw it, now brings a smile to face, such as when Danny (George Clooney) asks his ex-wife, Tess (Julia Roberts), if her new lover (Andy Garcia) makes her laugh. "He doesn't make me cry," she replies. Other great, more humorous, lines:

Tess: You're a thief and a liar.
Danny: I only lied about being a thief, and I don't do that anymore.
Tess: Steal?
Danny: Lie.

Ruben: Look, we all go way back and uh, I owe you from the thing with the guy in the place and I'll never forget it.
Danny: That was our pleasure.
Rusty: I'd never been to Belize.

[While they are watching a dozen Chinese acrobats at a circus]
Danny: Which one is the amazing Yen?
Rusty: He's the little Chinese guy.

Rusty: What's with the orange?
Saul: My doctor says I need vitamins.
Rusty: So why don't you just take vitamins?

[Discussing possible candidates for their crew]
Danny: Phil Torenteen...
Rusty: Dead.
Danny: No kidding. On the job?
Rusty: Skin cancer.
Danny: Send flowers?
Rusty: Dated his wife for a while.

I know Sam is a big fan of Soderbergh's commentary on the DVD, if not a big fan of the movie. I should probably check it out considering I've owned it for about a year now.

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MY LARRY KING COLUMN - Item! Face time with Mr. CinemaScoped himself if you can name the film where Adam got the shark's constant movement reference.

Item! From China comes the one great movie, the one to defeat all the others. Such is the hype that surrounded me during my visit there, especially after a few of them found out I write about film. The movie is called Hero and it had just come out in December of last year, so there was a massive Western-style advertising blitz to accompany it. Miramax has bought the distribution rights and this has made some fans angry because they have already announced they may fiddle with the length and are unclear when they will release it. The movie features Asian stars Jet Li ('Fists of Legend,' 'The Black Mask'), Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Maggie Cheung of 'In the Mood for Love,' and Ziyi Zhang of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.' It is directed by the acclaimed Yimou Zhang ('Happy Times' and 'The Road Home') so it isn't short on name recognition, at least to the Chinese. My guide in Beijing said he had seen it seven times already in the first month it opened, and promised it was much better than 'Crouching Tiger,' which many Chinese are using as a benchmark since it was so popular worldwide. The interesting facet of all this bluster to me was that the Chinese I talked with all seemed to think 'Crouching Tiger' was a very mediocre movie, not representative of what Chinese cinema can accomplish. More of an attempt from an American ensconced in Hollywood to return to his roots in China than a typical Chinese production. A few of them described to me that for a film to be considered "great" in China it has to have a mix of critical success and box office success, but the latter is much more important. I'm guessing because of their history, they would view critics, who attempt to influence what "the masses" think, skeptically, but probably wouldn't go so far as to send me to a labor camp (though they still do have pictures of Mao everywhere). And the only American movies they officially import are the 10 highest grossing from Hollywood the previous year. Of course, you can get any movie you want if you look hard enough on the street. Hell, you can get anything you want if you look around on the street, but that's another subject. So look out for 'Hero,' the Chinese are waiting for your reaction.

Item! We already have the recipe for chop suey and the character of Charlie Chan, so why does America need to keep trading with China? We have this stuff down pat, can't we just send all the extra Orientals piling up over here back where they came from? Kidding, of course...

Item! I was surprised after reading Adam's review and subsequent honorable mention of 'Rabbit-Proof Fence' to see how poorly it did at the Australian box office. It wasn't even playing at any Australian cinema I could find with the Internet's limited ability to check such things, and I don't even think it made as much money there as it did in the U.S. The user review on Imdb.com right now suggests part of the reason why the film is not selling like hotcakes down under, mainly that the film itself isn't so remarkable to natives even though the subject matter may be a revelation to Americans. I was there a year ago, and it was still hot topic then, with museum exhibitions in Melbourne and Sydney on the Stolen Generation and its impact. Heady stuff, and the Imdb review suggests there are still huge problems with racism in parts of Australia. I guess I'm just surprised this isn't more popular there given its critical acclaim here, but then anyone who's ever seen me dress knows I don't exactly have my thumb on the pulse of contemporary tastes.

Item! It was nice that Daniel Day-Lewis, the one guy who was the "native," decided to put some effort into his role and adopt a vulgar Five Points patois, while immigrants DiCaprio and Diaz seemed content to ramble on in their broken English.

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MOVIE CLUB - BEST FILMS OF 2002 (12)
From: Adam Kempenaar
To: Sam Hallgren, Eric Baker
Subject: Eric, who the hell is Ndugu?

I mentioned earlier in the week that I wanted to discuss the issue of film critics and whether they really do, as David Edelstein argued in the Slate Movie Club, have wildly different tastes in movies. Edelstein was responding to Variety editor Peter Bart's inane charge that movie critics are a bunch of obscurantists. While I definitely agree that it is just as dangerous to lump film critics into a collective "we" as it is to lump moviegoers together -- as in, "that's not what 'the people' want to see," as if all audiences shared a brain -- I was nevertheless struck this year by how similar many critics' end-of-the-year lists were. Here in Chicago, for example, Tribune critics Michael Wilmington and Mark Caro shared, I think, six films and even had the same three films in order, except one had them at 6-8 while the other had them at 7-9. (Sorry, I can't be more specific because the article is at home and I can't access it online.) And did any film critic in the country not have 'The Pianist' or 'Talk to Her' on their lists? 'Far From Heaven' and 'Y tu mama tambien,' were also almost universal choices.

And then there's Sam, Eric and myself, who all managed to rank 'Punch-Drunk Love' as the best film of the year. By my count, out of a possible thirty choices, only 16 movies were mentioned between our three lists, and only five or six were unique to one list. Even our worst-of lists are pretty much the same, as I too would rank 'Hollywood Ending,' 'XXX' and 'Lovely and Amazing' right up there. I would also like to add to this list: 'Attack of the Clones,' 'Orange County' (please tell me you are kidding, joeyc), 'Queen of the Damned,' 'John Q,' 'The Scorpion King,' and 'Mr. Deeds.

Believe me, I'm not really trying to argue that film critics are interchangeable. I mean, Sam, Eric and I have definitely had our disagreements over the past few months -- '8 Mile,' 'Solaris' among them -- as did A.O. Scott, Sarah Kerr, Edelstein and Roger Ebert over at Slate regarding 'Adaptation,' 'About Schmidt' and others. But this year I was able to see a little clearer why so many people regard film critics as one collective voice to consider -- or, more commonly (unfortunately), to dismiss completely.

I can't say much on the issue about Todd Solondz versus Alexander Payne because I haven't seen 'Citizen Ruth' or 'About Schmidt.' However, I'm not sure you framed the debate accurately, Eric. "But when Adam and other critics poo-poo Solondz for demeaning his audience, I just don't see why they have a different reaction to Payne ('Election' and 'Citizen Ruth' use the same techniques as 'About Schmidt.')" I don't think the primary criticism of Solondz is that he demeans his audience. As Salon's Charles Taylor argues in his dismissal of 'Storytelling,' Solondz is a filmmaker who can never resist getting laughs at the expense of those blue-collar people he's supposed to be so concerned about. The common sensibility of these filmmakers is that they invite the audience to share their feelings of superiority to the people they put on screen." Patronizing his audience, then, is essentially just a byproduct of his condescension toward his characters. As convincing as Taylor and other critics are, I have a hard time buying it simply because it strikes me as incredibly reductive to think that Solondz makes movies about freakshow characters because he needs to improve his self-esteem. Isn't a more plausible argument that he simply does relate to these types of characters? I'm with Sam, however, that 'Storytelling' just didn't work for me. The classroom scenes during the Fiction section are incredibly funny, especially if you have ever been part of any kind of writing workshop. It's deadly and hilariously accurate. But I just got bogged down during Non-Fiction, though I can't completely articulate why other than it lost its dark comic edge. I simply stopped laughing with the characters -- or, if you believe Charles Taylor, "at" them.

Monday I'll write about 'The Pianist' and 'Max.' This weekend I plan to see 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind,' and 'City of God.' Guys, up for a Movie Club next week about George Clooney's directorial debut?
-Adam

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DEAD SHARK - A Movie Club, I think, is like a shark. You know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies. And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark. And I'm solely to blame for it. I WILL post this afternoon to tie up our discussion of the best films of 2002.

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MOVIE CLUB: BEST FILMS OF 2002 (11)
From: Sam
To: Adam, Eric, (Readers)
Subject: Alexander Payne, Todd Solondz, more LISTS

I’ll take up Eric’s Alexander Payne/Todd Solondz challenge briefly. “Happiness” remains one of the most distinctive movies I have ever seen. It’s inappropriate to say that it’s one of my “favorite” movies, because I can’t imagine under what circumstances I would revisit the movie; but I was very impressed and even moved by it. I thought it was smart and funny and brave. (But only brave because of how smart and funny it was; if it was merely “shocking” I’m not sure I would have finished it). That said, “Storytelling” didn’t do anything for me. I’m not sure who it was on the Slate Movie Club who mentioned it, but he/she took note of the tired subject matter of the film. I agree. It’s not that the film wasn’t funny -- it was, occasionally -- it’s that it wasn’t relevant. Fiction versus fact. The whole thing struck me as unoriginal and too-broadly written. And then it struck me as misanthropic. But only after I had lost interest in the story. I don’t think Payne hates people -- like Solondz seems to at times; I think he finds people absurd. Their routines; their passions; their relationships with one another. This occasionally slips into mean-spiritedness, but less so, I think, than some people accuse him of. As I’ve said, “About Schmidt” isn’t a perfect movie, but I think it’s very keenly written.

Inspired by the obscure, international flavor of Eric’s top-ten list, I want to mention one film that would have been in my top-ten, but I removed it because I saw it at the Chicago International Film Festival and it won’t make it into theatres until February: “The Dancer Upstairs.” Directed by John Malkovich, the movie takes place in an unnamed South American country that is under siege by a Marxist guerrilla group. Heavy stuff. Malkovich adds some absurd touches (which largely work), and the movie is fascinating, and features one of the best performances I saw all year -- Javier Bardem, who plays the determined cop who goes after the group’s leader. I don’t think this movie was pre-released in New York and L.A. to make it eligible for Oscar time, but I don’t know why. It’s terrific.

My Cinemascoped Awards:

Movies that would have made my top-ten list if, God forbid, I hadn’t seen any of the movies that actually made my top-ten list (in order, from “really good” to “inoffensive fun”): Bowling for Columbine, Full Frontal, CQ, Minority Report, Changing Lanes, Monsoon Wedding, Human Nature, Panic Room, Spider Man, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Basically, the above are movies that I liked more than I disliked. Below is a list of prestige misses. Movies that I wanted to like or was told I would like and that I did not like. Or disappointed me. I’m listing them below as a way of saying “Yes, I saw them; they’re not in my top-ten list (or any other list) because I didn’t like them.” These also appear in order; from “disappointing; but decent” to “pretentious and boring as hell.”

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Secretary, The Good Girl, Solaris, Far From Heaven, Tully, 8 Mile, Insomnia, Road to Perdition.

Worst films of the year: 1) XXX. Truly, epically bad. Offensively bad. I was taken hostage by the promotional siege that preceded this film and when it was all over, I just felt dirty. And also bored. 2) The Adventures of Pluto Nash. No, I wasn’t even on an airplane when I saw this. In fact, up until last week, I had completely forgotten the experience. Just a waste of everyone’s time. Alec Baldwin’s un-credited cameo keeps this from being even worse than “XXX.” 3) Lovely and Amazing. We’ve talked this one to death. Incompetent filmmaking. 4) 13 Conversations About One Thing. Only good in comparison to “Lovely and Amazing.” Pretentious and lazy. Some decent acting. 5) Hollywood Ending. The worst Woody Allen movie I’ve ever seen. Not funny at all. Avoid at all costs. Everyone involved should be embarrassed. Especially the Wood-man. Tea Leoni is the exception only because she is one of the most attractive women currently living.

Best performances (female): Meryl Streep (Adaptation), Maribel Verdu (Y Tu Mama Tambien), Emily Watson (Punch Drunk Love), Renee Zelwegger (Chicago), Cate Blanchett (Heaven), Franka Potente (The Bourne Identity), Cameron Diaz (Gangs of New York), Toni Collette (About a Boy).

Best performances (male): Daniel Day-Lewis (Gangs of New York), Nicolas Cage (Adaptation), Campbell Scott (Roger Dodger), Javier Bardem (The Dancer Upstairs), Gael Garcia Bernal (Y Tu Mama Tambien), Samuel L. Jackson (Changing Lanes), Chris Cooper (Adaptation), Ryhs Ifans (Human Nature), Richard Gere (Chicago), Hugh Grant (About a Boy), Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy), Nicky Katt (Full Frontal).

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MOVIE CLUB - BEST FILMS OF 2002 (10)
From: Eric Baker
To: Adam Kempenaar, Sam Hallgren
Subject: The Rest of the List

4. Gangs of New York (Martin Scorsese) - Had I seen the movie before I started my list, this movie would probably be tenth and not fourth, but I have to include it somewhere in here just because of how great it looks. Set design and costumes are rarely enough to make me recommend a picture, and in all honesty, it's probably Daniel Day-Lewis's performance that towers above all others, but what a great picture to look at. If Day-Lewis doesn't at least get nominated for an Oscar I'll be shocked.

3. Adaptation (Spike Jonze) - I think Charlie Kaufman might be the most talented screenwriter working today, even though, as David Edelstein points out, he failed to adapt the material. I still don't know how I feel about the movie, but I plan to see 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.' And you can say this about Jonze: at a time when studios are scrambling to scoop up directors of successful MTV videos, partially based on the trail blazed by Jonze, he has never stooped to the quick-cut style editing that is used so often by these auteurs in lieu of actual picture composition.

2. About a Boy (Chris and Paul Weitz) - Excellent all around, the role Hugh Grant was born to play, and Toni Collette is magnifique. I echo everything you guys said, but I was most surprised by the steady directing job of the Weitz brothers, whose previous experience to that point was the first 'American Pie' movie, which, while funny, is completely different material than Hornby. [Editor's note: Let's not forget the horrific 'Down to Earth.'] They've now catapulted to 'Meet the Fokkers,' due out this year, so maybe they're the next big thing.

1. Punch-Drunk Love (P.T. Anderson) - How boring is this? All of us sitting in front of our computers for days and can't find a different movie to praise. I could have, of course, being last guy on the totem pole, but I really thought it was the best movie I saw this year. What surprised me was Adam's listing of 'Punch-Drunk' this high, since he thought 'Boogie Nights' and possibly 'Magnolia' were superior films. He even included 'Boogie Nights' on his list of top 10 movies from the last quarter century, which set off quite a lot of internal arguing when we were trying to put our master list together. Nevertheless, it is a superior movie, probably the best performance Adam Sandler will ever give, and brilliant use of music by Anderson.

I don't think anything really surprised me in your lists, guys, except maybe that both of you included 'The Bourne Identity.' I knew Adam liked it, but I didn't know how much, and I guess I don't really chat much with Sam. I didn't buy Matt Damon as an action hero, partially because of the sped-up fight sequences that I thought made the movie seem cartoonish-goofy, sort of like a 'Under Siege 2' but with a better script. I realize that is my problem, not the movie's, I just hope Damon is not planning a future as an action star, and with a quick click to Imdb.com I see his next big project is a Farrelly Brothers movie, so I have nothing to worry about.

On a humorous note, I received several reactions after the 'Daily Iowan' finally published my review of 'The Two Towers.' Granted, it's not great, but all the email I got was negative: one guy sent me a virus, and another gave me the basic "You're an idiot! Did you even read the book?" treatment. The moral of the story, as Adam has often pointed out, it's good to know people are reading your stuff, no matter how repulsed their reaction.

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RAIN DELAY - No posts will be up until later this afternoon. Hopefully Eric will finish his top ten list -- as promised yesterday! (he should have learned from my past transgressions) -- and Sam might chime in with some comments about our lists. I'll be at another special screening tonight of the film 'Max,' with Noah Taylor ('Shine') as an aspiring art student named Adolf Hitler and John Cusack as his mentor. I'd love to hear from some readers with their top ten movies of the year. I'll post responses here. Send them to the email below.

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MOVIE CLUB - BEST FILMS OF 2002 (9)
From: Eric Baker
To: Sam Hallgren, Adam Kempenaar
Subject: Is a Solondz a Payne by any other name?

Sam, Adam, and even Ndugu, riddle me this: How is Alexander Payne's accurately hewn depiction of Midwestern life any less condescending than Todd Solondz's vision of suburbia? Is it because he uses lilting chamber music to anesthetize his audience and humorous voice-overs? Payne's new film, 'About Schmidt,' which made Sam's top 10 list along with several critics, is a fine film with the great Jack Nicholson and a legitimately superb supporting role by Kathy Bates. But at the same time, Solondz's 'Storytelling,' which made A.O. Scott's top 10 list but no other critic's that I know of, got short shrift both in the Movie Club on Slate and here on CinemaScoped. I don't have a huge problem with this -- it's not his best movie, plus there are plenty of other great movies this year to choose from. But when Adam and other critics poo-poo Solondz for demeaning his audience, I just don't see why they have a different reaction to Payne ('Election' and 'Citizen Ruth' use the same techniques as 'About Schmidt.') Solondz deals with a lot more taboo subjects than Payne (pre-teen rape), but his willingness to delve into uncomfortable subjects makes him immeasurably funnier in my book. Especially when over-earnest directors like Payne go on record in interviews saying things like ,"I hope we can all learn something important from this film. That's why I made it." (paraphrasing, of course, but what a douche bag.) Rant over.

I was hoping there would be some difference to our lists, because I still haven't seen some of the movies on your lists, but our readers may be disappointed.

7. Karmen Gei (Joseph Gai Ramaka) - If 'The New York Times,' that gray old rag, can do it, so can I. This movie officially came out in 2001, but I'm guessing most people still haven't seen it and it's a fluke it came to Iowa City anyway (thanks to the Bijou) so I'm ranking it in the year I viewed it. Based extremely loosely on the musical 'Carmen,' this Senegalese drama is more about color, dancing, and desire. Djeinaba Diop Gai is incendiary as Karmen Gei, and it's impossible for the story to lag when it's only 86 minutes. Look for it at a specialty video store near you.

6. Bowling for Columbine (Michael Moore) - I loved this film even though it is a tad preachy. I think we've gone over this one ad nauseum in this forum, but just like the final half-hour of 'The Natural' (which was on Bravo again last night), I got choked up when they played the 911 calls over the security camera footage from the attacks. Powerful, thought-provoking film even if it doesn't provide any "big answers."

5. Y Tu Mama Tambien (Alfonso Cuaron) - Some of the comments by Sarah Kerr in Slate's Movie Club made me think twice about the realism of the plot in this one, but I remember when I saw it in the theater, all those concerns melted away. I liked it for too many reasons to enumerate, but as Adam has mentioned, the somber voiceover provides the perfect counter-balance to the playfulness of the film. Maybe the best use of one since 'Double Indemnity.'

Final Four later in the day, I promise. Plus, Eric gets dressed down by his readers.

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MOVIE CLUB - BEST FILMS OF 2002 (8)
From: Adam Kempenaar
To: Sam Hallgren, Eric Baker
Subject: Adam and Sam's taste test

There's so much I wanted to discuss today -- the Golden Globes, my reaction to Roman Polanski's 'The Pianist,' which I finally saw last night and walked out devastated in the best way possible, and David Edelstein's suggestion during the Slate Movie Club that film critics have wildly divergent tastes. Unfortunately, time isn't on my side and I need to end the drama surrounding my top ten films of the year, in addition to handing out some awards. My reasons for wanting to comment on the issue of film critics and taste should be obvious to anyone who compares my best-of list to your's, Sam.

4. Roger Dodger (Dylan Kidd) - In the current issue of Film Comment there's a feature called "When Interns Attack" where the high-brow mag's unpaid interns get to rip on their least favorite movies of the year. About 'Roger Dodger,' they quip: "Mr. DP, is that an earthquake in your pocket or are you just really excited to see me?" I love this line because it's funny, but also because I, too, was initially turned off by Kidd's blatant indie-ness -- shaky, hand-held camera with countless closeups, opening lunch scene with neurotic New Yorkers spouting pseudo-intellectual babble. By the end of this opening scene, however, I was laughing hysterically at the title character's bluntness, his ability to talk without censoring himself in any way. The dialogue throughout is some of the sharpest and funniest of the year, but what elevates the movie is the complexity of Campbell Scott's character and performance. Roger is absolutely enigmatic, a selfish, immature, confident womanizer who also reveals himself to be a thoughtful, intelligent, insecure romantic.

3. 25th Hour (Spike Lee) - If you thought the Philip Glass score in 'The Hours' was annoying, Terence Blanchard's is at least... well, 25 times worse in '25th Hour.' The first 90 minutes are nearly wall-to-wall music, which is typical for Lee but really annoyed me here because the cast and script -- David Benioff's screenplay (based on his novel) is probably the best Lee has had to work with since his own 'Do The Right Thing' -- are so terrific. There are few things I'd rather watch more than Philip Seymour Hoffman and Barry Pepper talk about anything. And yet, there's Blanchard hammering every crescendo in the conversation as the two discuss the pending imprisonment of their friend Monty (Ed Norton) with the remains of the World Trade Center in the background. OK, so that's what I didn't like. Fortunately, the music stops just in time for one of the best scenes in the film -- a verbal showdown between Pepper and Rosario Dawson, who plays Monty's girlfriend and possible betrayer. Pepper stands out among all of the talented performers. Like Lee's best films, '25th Hour' is essentially an art film, with (mostly) unsympathetic characters and plot machinations that don't resolve, made to look like a Hollywood movie. The ending is a magnificently ambiguous, bravura piece of filmmaking.

2. Catch Me If You Can (Steven Spielberg) - Forget 'Adaptation,' the year's real post-modern triumph is ironically (wink, wink) the most conventional. Frank Abagnale (Leo DiCaprio) is a con man who owes his charmed life as an airline pilot, lawyer, and doctor, to the power of the image. If you can look and act the part -- as seen on television and the movies -- people will accept you as the real thing. Although I've never been a huge Spielberg fan, 'Catch' is a near flawless piece of entertainment. My only quibble would be a scene between DiCaprio and 'Alias' star Jennifer Garner as a high-priced prostitute that is so overplayed it almost grinds the movie to a halt. DiCaprio is better here (read "more believable") than he is in 'Gangs of New York,' displaying a natural charm and confidence that belies an innocent naivete. As we've come to expect, Spielberg spins Abagnale's tale into the search for a father figure in the form of Tom Hanks' by-the-books FBI agent who is always just a step behind. And this time, I fell for it completely. It's one of the most intriguing on-screen relationships since Tilda Swinton and her blackmailer in 'The Deep End.'

1. Punch-Drunk Love (P.T. Anderson) - I'm with you completely, Sam. I'm not sure I can explain exactly why this movie was my favorite film of the year, except that it is the movie I most want to see again. Just as David Lynch does, Anderson has created a film world that always seems skewed, artificial. But then he inhabits this world with characters who display all of the feelings of insecurity and rage and loneliness that we find in everyday life. Watching the two collide is a beautiful trainwreck.

Movies that would be in my top ten had I seen them earlier: Y Tu Mama Tambien, The Pianist

Honorable mention: Signs, Antwone Fisher, Minority Report, The Hours, 13 Conversations About One Thing, All Or Nothing, Chicago, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Spider-Man, Tadpole

Movies I expected to be better: Bowling for Columbine, Lovely & Amazing, The Sunshine State, Adaptation, Storytelling, Igby Goes Down

Could have been worse: Frailty, The Rookie, Changing Lanes, Hart's War

Best ending that never was: Ben Affleck's last line of dialogue in 'Changing Lanes'

Best performances of the year: Daniel Day-Lewis ('Gangs of New York), Barry Pepper ('25th Hour'), Natasha McElhone ('Solaris'), Richard Gere ('Chicago'), Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid ('Far From Heaven'), Campbell Scott ('Roger Dodger'), Hugh Grant ('About a Boy'), Christopher Walken ('Catch Me If You Can'), Adrien Brody ('The Pianist')

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MOVIE CLUB: BEST FILMS OF 2002 (7)
From: Sam Hallgren
To: Adam Kempenaar, Eric Baker
Subject: The final countdown

4. Gangs of New York (Martin Scorsese) - I saw this film on the heels of my heretic comments about Scorsese in this forum a week ago. The first 40 minutes of the film confirmed my opinion of Scorsese as someone who has been too hastily canonized. Then the film completely won me over with its epic theatricality and the huge scope of the storytelling. The film is a mess of over-plotting and misplaced ambition, but what an experience. It is an understatement to say that Daniel Day-Lewis gives the performance of the year. It is one of the most awe-inspiring performances I have ever seen in my life. If you’re going to see it, see it on the big screen. And try not to go in expecting a masterpiece. It’s an event.

3. Roger Dodger (Dylan Kidd) - This film doesn’t even get into theatres without Campbell Scott’s performance as the eponymous lead character. It’s not a bad script; but without the depth and intelligence that Scott brings to the role, the character comes off as inexcusably vile and misogynistic. As it is, it’s one of the best “talking” movies since “Glengarry Glen Ross.” The plot is pretty flimsy, but acts as a great device to get Roger talking; and that’s what makes this movie so great. It’s a film-length character study, and Kidd puts Roger in every conceivable scenario to show off the character’s various dimensions (or lack there of). This movie makes it into my top ten -- and so far into my top ten -- because Scott delivers the most sustained, honest performance I’ve seen all year. Just a pleasure to watch.

2. Adaptation (Spike Jonze) - Adaptation may be self-indulgent and unsatisfying, but it’s not cynical. The movie is searching for something: truth, happiness, normality (to be honest, I don’t know). It manages to take itself very seriously and all the while sustain a great sense of humor about itself. I found it completely original and creative and fun -- and, at the same time, I found it moving and serious and thought-provoking. And it has the best ensemble cast of any movie this year. Jonze and Kaufman have set a standard of creative originality that is unmatched by anyone else working today. I’ll take all this film’s faults for the sheer audacity and good humor of the attempt.

1. Punch-Drunk Love (Paul Thomas Anderson) - To be honest, I’m not sure how this film ended up as my best film of the year. I suppose, like Adaptation, I was won over by its creativity and its commitment to its own eccentricity. I loved being able to abandon any sense of the “real world” (as I know and understand it) and instead accept the reality of Anderson’s film. I wish more films would use this kind of carefree (but disciplined) logic. The movie left me feeling giddy and fulfilled -- like I had eaten some delicious exotic fruit. I know I had some problems with this movie when I saw it, but for the life of me I can’t remember a single one. I can’t wait to see it again.

-Sam

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MOVIE CLUB - BEST FILMS OF 2002 (6)
From: Adam Kempenaar
To: Sam Hallgren, Eric Baker
Subject: List hell

I'm only three movies in -- 7 through 5 are below -- and I already hate my top ten list. Did I really like '8 Mile' better than 'Gangs of New York' and 'Far From Heaven'? If I was standing in front of the DVD rack right now and could only buy one disc, couldn't I just as easily walk out with 'Heaven' or 'Gangs' before '8 Mile'? It's keeping me up at night. On top of that, when I made my list I still had an hour left of 'Y Tu Mama Tambien,' which I was enjoying immensely. Without seeing the whole thing, however, I couldn't rank it. Well, I finally finished it last night and loved it, so much so that it easily deserves a spot in the top ten. I guess it will have to be my honorable mention. Sam, your praise of the cast is well-deserved. As I discussed in my remarks on 'Rabbit-Proof Fence,' maybe it's because it is a foreign film, but the actors seem so incredibly natural. Watching the two leads I felt almost like I was watching a documentary, as if Julio and Tenoch were actual friends, which is I suppose why the ending left me so stunned. I don't want to give anything away to our readers, although nothing is particularly surprising about the conclusion. In fact, I'm sure you two have had enough experiences with great friends you had as teenagers to know that the ending was probably inevitable. But the movie stands as a brilliant record of the last gasp before the sterileness of adulthood. The use of narration is magnificent because it does exaxctly what a voice-over should do, which is to illuminate, to add something to the film rather than merely fill in information that should be shown to us in the first place.

As you know, Eric, I too have a fondness for the comedic stylings of Will Ferrell -- at least when he was leading the 'Saturday Night Live' cast. My first reaction to the 'Old School' trailer was what you'd expect from a movie snob, something like, "What in the hell are Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn thinking making trash like this?" And then I saw a longer preview before 'Catch Me If You Can,' and I'll admit it -- at least three or four jokes had me giggling with embarrassment. Although completely the antithesis of Owen Wilson, who is far more subtle a comedian, Ferrell is like Wilson in that they are able to make an unfunny line funny just in the way they deliver it. Come to think of it, Vaughn is exactly the same way. It would truly pain me to pay money for this movie, but I may have to do it. Prediction: the guilty pleasure of the year.

Eric's question about John C. Reilly, Catherine Keener and Jake Gyllenhaal -- "Are these guys getting pigeonholed by agents or directors, or are they merely one-trick ponies finally exposed for what they really are? -- is a good one. I don't really know the answer, though I guess I believe all three are talented enough to tackle other types of characters. Certainly Reilly has proven himself over the years in a variety of roles, and it was nice to see him playing something other than the dimwitted husband in 'Gangs of New York.' Keener and Gyllenhaal, on the other hand, need to branch out. 'Lovely & Amazing' soured me on them both for awhile.

Now back to the list...

7. About a Boy (Chris and Paul Weitz) - I said pretty much everything I wanted to say about this movie in my review, so I'll be brief. I was skeptical about this film because the previews made it seem so sappy, and granted it is pretty sentimental at times. But this is more than made up for by Hugh Grant's quick-witted cynicism. He finally drops his usual bag of tricks -- namely, blinking and stuttering -- and just enjoys playing a cad who cares for himself above everyone else. Like you Sam, I enjoyed Toni Collette as well -- or as I like to call her, the 'female Billy Bob Thornton.' A good book and a good film.

6. Solaris (Steven Soderbergh) - As anyone who remembers our discussion from Dec. 2 knows, I was the only one who really loved this film. Soderbergh's now signature technique of overlapping dialogue with images from past, present and future moments has never been more effective, save for maybe the love scene from 'Out of Sight.' But even then, as in 'The Limey,' it seemed a bit gimmicky rather than in full service of the story. Here the cinematography and editing matches the eerie, perpetually dream-like quality of Chris Kelvin's (George Clooney) predicament.

5. The Bourne Identity (Doug Liman) - Unlike you Sam, who seems to feel a bit guilty about enjoying this summer thriller, I am unashamed about ranking it among my top five. A spy movie that focuses on character over explosions and special effects -- what a concept. Liman's technique is stylish without seeming grandiose, and the penultimate finale -- Bourne's (Matt Damon) hushed, tense confrontation in a field with a spy (the great Clive Owen) who has been assigned to kill him -- is spectacular. I also loved Franke Potente as Bourne's love interest, precisely because she adds a dimension of reality and honesty, as you so nicely put it, Sam -- a dimension usually absent from movies in this genre.

- Adam

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MOVIE CLUB: BEST FILMS OF 2002 (5)
From: Sam Hallgren
To: Adam Kempenaar, Eric Baker
Subject: The countdown continues...

I know that we spent some time several months ago talking about the various methods we used to determine our top ten lists. As Adam writes, the process is arbitrary -- not to mention, like any movie-related experience, completely subjective -- and a little silly; but it does give you a chance to really think about what you like and why. As I compiled my list -- particularly as I got closer to the top of my list -- I started to notice a kind of trend. More often than not, it was a performance, or a set of performances -- and not the movie itself (or the script or the cinematography or the soundtrack) -- that set a movie apart for me. And a great performance combined with a unique directorial vision is more than enough to win me over (as you will see shortly in my top five movies). And speaking of great performances, Eric asks how much a good screenplay has to do with the performance. He could be asking the same thing about a good director or a good editor. I’m sure that some great performances have been created in the editing room. I don’t claim to be an expert on the process of movie-making, or what it takes to bring a screenplay to the screen. I can only judge what I see, and unfairly or not, I lay the burden of the performance -- good or bad -- with the actor.

7. About a Boy (Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz) - I saw this movie last March, and for a while, it was the only 2002 film I had any affection for at all. It’s difficult to recall my exact impression, but I remember really loving the kid (Nicholas Hoult) they got to play Hugh Grant’s “ward.” I don’t know where they found this kid, but he is perfect for the part. Not a Hollywood “weird kid.” An honest-to-god weirdo. The movie succeeds largely due to the fun dynamic between Grant and Hoult. Also good is Toni Collette -- who, to be honest, is incapable of turning in a bad performance. You could pretty much put Toni Collette and Cate Blanchett in every movie and it would be watchable because of them. Anyway. About a Boy. Good times. Funny. Well-written and directed. A little forced at the beginning as I recall.

6. The Bourne Identity (Doug Liman) - Maybe I just didn’t expect anything from this movie, but I loved it. We’ll see how it holds up under re-examination. The movie is helped tremendously by Franke Potente in the love-interest/sidekick role. Her presence adds a dimension of reality and honesty to the film that is impossible to overstate. Matt Damon acquits himself nicely as Bourne. When I saw it this summer, I was so pleasantly surprised at its lack of jokiness, its grainy realism, and its uncluttered plotting. At the end of the day, it’s just a simple summer action movie. But while I was watching it, I managed to forget that.

5. Heaven (Tom Tykwer) - It was 10 pm on a Monday evening in November. I was at an art house theatre in downtown Chicago. I had already sat through a movie (Tully) that had left me unfulfilled and sleepy. I had work the next day, but I decided to sneak into Tom Tykwer's’s “Heaven” with the faint hope that it would revitalize me. It did. After sitting through Tully’s lackadaisical plotting and uninspired direction, Heaven was a powerful antidote. Based on the late (some would say great) Krzysztof Kieslowski’s un-produced script, Tom Tykwer's uses brilliant and beautiful cinematography and applies a technician’s discipline to bring Kieslowski’s heavily philosophical story to life. If the story becomes occasionally burdened with the moral dilemma that lies at the heart of the film, the performances by Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi more than make up for it. I’m not sure this film should be so high on my list, but it’s effect on me -- with its potent visuals and committed performances -- has lingered with me longer than many other 2002 movies.

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MOVIE CLUB - BEST FILMS OF 2002 (4)
From: Eric Baker
To: Sam Hallgren, Adam Kempenaar
Subject: A Tribute, and a few fine films of 2002

I just watched a masterpiece. After finally reading "In Cold Blood" over the holidays, Truman Capote's 1965 masterwork recounting the brutal murder of a Kansas farm family and subsequent tracking, trial, and execution of the killers, I had to see the film version which was done two years later by Richard Brooks in the very same Holcomb, Kansas where the crime occurred. Ultimately intended as a statement against the death penalty (maybe Illinois Gov. Ryan read it over the holidays, too) because six people died in cold blood, not just the family farm of four murdered on that cool November night in 1959, Capote's work stands as the standard-bearer for a genre. It established true crime drama as we know it and its popularity legitimized the currency of the literary journalism movement taking shape in the 1960s. Anyone preparing to become a journalist needs to read it, even though Tru (I'm one of his friends, he let me call him that) played fast and loose with the facts on occasion. Ebert gives a much better review of the film than I ever could, and puts a few somewhat current events concerning Robert Blake, the lead actor, in context. So why does any of this matter? Because this film marked a watershed period for a cinematographer in 1967, a guy named Conrad Hall who died on Jan. 4 of this year. I'm surprised Adam didn't comment on this, but the more I see of Hall's films, he strikes me as a guy with a vision. His camerawork and lighting have a trademark almost. 'In Cold Blood' was the third Oscar of many nominations for Hall, and Jeffrey Wells over at Movie Poop Shoot is convinced he will win posthumously this year for 'Road to Perdition.' For all the shortcomings I found in that film, I have to admit the shots were pretty magnificent. His resume is vast and varied, but just his films that received Academy nominations include: Saboteur: Code Name Morituri (1965), The Professionals (1966), In Cold Blood (1967), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969, for which he won the Oscar), The Day of the Locust (1975), Tequila Sunrise (1988), Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993), and American Beauty (2000, for which he won another Oscar).

Like Adam, a lot of these films will probably be kicked off my list once likely Oscar nominees like 'The Pianist' and 'The Quiet American' are given wider release, but duty demands a list:

10. Catch Me If You Can (Steven Spielberg) - I've pretty much said it all already. It could have been 'Chicago,' but I didn't like that one as much as 'Moulin Rouge,' or maybe more to the point, 'Dancer in the Dark.' Some critics have complained that it is overly long, but compared with 'A.I.' and 'Minority Report,' they should be happy that Stevie limited himself.

9. The Good Girl (Miguel Arteta) - I think I actually saw this one with both Sam and Adam in the same theater, something of a rarity for our so-called 'club.' The writing (Mike White, of 'Chuck and Buck' fame) was uproarious, and although the ending was unfulfilling, the acting of Jennifer Aniston and Zooey Deschanel is of a high caliber. It's pretty much a movie about people getting shat upon, but with some tender moments, and of course John C. Reilly and Jake Gyllenhall reprising the same roles I complained about in my last post.

8. Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (Shohei Imamura) - A laugh-out-loud adventure film from master Japanese director Imamura wherein a sad-sack and sacked Tokyo businessman travels to a small town looking for a valuable statue he heard about from a street bum and discovers a woman with gushing orgasms instead. How's that for a one sentence run-on exegesis? Just watch it, trust me.

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MOVIE CLUB - BEST FILMS OF 2002 (3)
From: Adam Kempenaar
To: Sam Hallgren, Eric Baker
Subject: A great year?

According to every critic I've read so far, 2002 was a very good year for movies. Considering that I have a solid list of 11 movies ranked among the elite of the year, followed by 10 more that just missed the cut, I'm inclinded to agree. Even the bad movies, or at least films I was ultimately critical of, were better than in years past -- films such as 'The Good Girl,' and 'Igby Goes Down, which I will discuss in more detail later. Of course, trying to rank movies in order of greatness is an arbitary and excruciating waste of time, but I find that often it does help me pinpoint exactly what I did or didn't like about a movie. My system, as mentioned in previous CS Movie Clubs, is fairly simple. I ask myself which film I am most anxious to see again/own on DVD, assuming all discs are created equal.

Now for the disclaimer. There are a handful of films I have yet to see that adorn a number of critics' ten-best lists and very well could end up sneaking onto mine at a later date. Recent films include: 'The Pianist', 'About Schmidt', 'Talk To Her.' Older films I wish I had seen: 'Bloody Sunday,' 'Auto Focus,' 'Red Dragon,' 'Full Frontal.' And for all of you Tolkien geeks out there: 'The Two Towers.' I want to see it, I really do. I just didn't expect it to make my top ten list, so it wasn't a priority. I'm ashamed to be comprising a list that doesn't at least consider the first three films I mentioned; I have no remorse about missing 'The Two Towers.' Sorry.

10. Far From Heaven(Todd Haynes) - Some complained that Haynes' lavish recreation of a Douglas Sirk '50s melodrama was like looking at a museum exhibit. But Haynes thwarts this criticism by making the social commentary as relevant now as it was then -- carefully exploring issues of race, gender, and sexual identity. Julianne Moore delivers arguably her best performance as the model housewife and mother whose seemingly perfect world is turned upside down. Her Cathy Whitaker is never a caricature, the woman who is concerned with social status above all else, while Dennis Quaid also turns in a career-defining performance as Cathy's closeted husband. I feared Quaid would seem too virile and macho for the role, but these traits just serve to make his downfall all the more tragic. Both deserve Oscar nominations, as does Edward Lachmann for cinematography and Peter Rogness for art direction.

9. Gangs of New York (Martin Scorsese) - Besides all of the usual Scorsese charms, including plenty of graphic violence, 'Gangs' is a must-see for Daniel Day-Lewis' performance as Bill the Butcher. Yes, he's slightly cartoonish with his exaggerated posture and accent, but he's absolutely terrifying as the 'godfather' of New York's Five Points. And like all good villains, he's multi-dimensional -- a character who is capable of feeling love, respect and friendship like everyone else, while also being able to rip out a man's heart without blinking. Even at 168 minutes the film could have used another half-hour -- I never quite believed Vallon's (Leonardo DiCaprio) quick ascension as the leader of the Irish immigrants -- and the voice-over should have been excised completely, but Scorsese's attention to detail and operatic style is irresistible.

8. 8 Mile (Curtis Hanson) - 'L.A. Confidential,' 'Wonder Boys,' and now this. Who knew the director of 'The Hand That Rocks The Cradle' could be so good? Hanson never lets '8 Mile's inspirational story of a talented young rapper trying to survive in a rough section of Detroit get preachy, and Eminem proves he's got legitimate acting chops to go along with his rhymimg skillzzzz. The "battle" scenes between the hip-hop wannabes are electric. It's a movie that's concerned just as much with personal responsibility and integrity as it is music.

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