Best Films Of 2000
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- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsGuy PearceCarrie-Anne MossJoe PantolianoA man with short-term memory loss attempts to track down his wife's murderer.In my view, by far Nolan's best film. 10/10
- DirectorCameron CroweStarsBilly CrudupPatrick FugitKate HudsonA high-school boy in the early 1970s is given the chance to write a story for Rolling Stone magazine about an up-and-coming rock band as he accompanies them on their concert tour.Cameron Crowe's laugh out loud mixture of fact and fantasy take us on a rock n' roll trip into the 1970's. In those days rock music, especially hard rock was hitting it's peak. Crowe gives us a real life-ish glimpse inside the real magic and the fake hype; And in many ways, here he captures this part of music history better than any other film out there. There are many great performances in this film, and Frances McDormand is to me at least, unforgettable! She's also in my 3rd favorite film of 2000, Wonder Boys. Crudup and Hudson are also outstanding.
There are now two versions of this film actually. I have been such a big fan of the original theatre release, that I have yet to watch Crowe's extended version. I will sometime soon, but I'm slightly hesitant because of how much I appreciate this cut, lol. 9.5/10 - DirectorCurtis HansonStarsMichael DouglasTobey MaguireFrances McDormandAn English Professor tries to deal with his wife leaving him, the arrival of his editor who has been waiting for his book for seven years, and the various problems that his friends and associates involve him in.To me this is such an overlooked gem. A brilliantly funny, quirky and warm film. The cast is fabulous, as is the writing. For some reason, I feel I can watch this film every few years and still laugh my butt off at it. Some may likely be offended by some aspects of it. Personally, I'm a pretty difficult person to offend. 9/10
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsCate BlanchettKatie HolmesKeanu ReevesA fortune teller with extrasensory perception is asked to help find a young woman who has mysteriously disappeared.Do you believe in the beyond? Apparently this story is based upon Billy Bob Thornton's real life mother. I happen to love this film. It's dark to say the least, so it's certainly only for those who can endure this sort of thriller. 9/10
- DirectorLasse HallströmStarsJuliette BinocheJohnny DeppJudi DenchA French woman and her young daughter open up a chocolate shop in a small remote village that shakes up the rigid morality of the community.Magical! 9/10
- DirectorMary HarronStarsChristian BaleJustin TherouxJosh LucasA wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.8.5/10
- DirectorRobert RedfordStarsWill SmithMatt DamonCharlize TheronA down-and-out golfer attempts to recover his game and his life with help from a mystical caddie.8.5/10
- DirectorFrank PiersonStarsJames WoodsAnn MarinCraig T. NelsonA Cincinnati museum director goes on trial in 1990 for exhibiting sadomasochistic photographs taken by Robert Mapplethorpe.This film was nominated for a number of awards and won the Golden Globe for Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television.
The right to personal freedom is something that many have given their lives for over the course of history. This film really helps people understand that our freedoms are constantly under attack, continuously in jeopardy. You don't have to agree with what your neighbor may enjoy, and they you. This is the necessary understanding it takes to defend and uphold personal freedom. In allowing your fellow citizens to be free in their choices within the law, you are also defending your own freedom. This understanding, this knowledge of respecting your fellow citizens right to chose, even if you do not like their choice is the very basis of the 1st Amendment of the Untied States. Freedom of speech and beliefs, and the right to free expression itself, is essentially protected under this very idea/amendment. Nonetheless, everyday, in one way or another it's very relevance, value and existence is challenged in society.
As it is said in the film, we lose our freedom only a little at a time. If people do not fight for it continuously. The closed minded, scared and the obsessive control freak type of people, will eventually little by little take away all the freedoms that so many have given their lives for. People have fought wars to maintain the freedom we have to do what we want within our own homes, and to say and believe what we want in a public space. Not only the fearful, but also the ruthlessly greedy are constantly on the march to rob human beings of these very important aspects of life. At this point, most of us take it for granted, and if too many of us do. We will inevitably become like many other countries around the world, where your right to what you do in private is not nearly so valued, nor your right to free public expression. Instead of being looked at as a human being of unknown potential. You could be looked at as a possible threat to societal order. Many countries function not a lot differently than prisons in truth. From courageous historical figures, to modern soldiers and the children of today and tomorrow. We all owe it to them, those who value our personal right to grow as we see fit within the normal confines of the law to appreciate what we have. To stand up for your fellow neighbors right to be who they are and do what they do, as long as it's within the law of course. Law itself in the countries that value freedom is truly built mostly upon an old sacred understanding. If a person is doing something that forcefully goes against another person's will, if it affects them beyond reason, then it is illegal. This is essentially the basis of law between human to human interactions in reasonably free countries. The importance of these things is brought to great light in this film about a true story in the American art world. If you can stand the 'dirty pictures', this is a very important film to see.
As a film, it's not perfect. It feels somewhat like a film in parts, because there are a few fairly typical clichés/scenes, and it is somewhat predictable a person could even say. Nonetheless, the story itself is so important and in my view very well told, in that it hits almost every important point about it's main topic. In this way, the film is great. I always base the vast majority of my film ratings upon the stories first and foremost. I don't need to see a perfectly lit and shot film in order for me to highly rate it. The film overall just needs to be effective in what it's setting out to say or do. Some films defy standard formulas entirely, and even reason itself, but nonetheless story for me is the main and most important ingredient in the vast majority of films. Here, we have mostly a very strong story that needs to be seen and talked about by mature adults. Chaplin is actually a great example. He was a very standard film director, almost everything was just point and shoot. But one of the things that made him special, is that he was an extremely talented and effective storyteller. The way his films look matters little, because the stories themselves are often so brilliant, relevant and/or important.
One last point, James Woods gives a great performance here. 8.5/10 - DirectorRoger DonaldsonStarsKevin CostnerBruce GreenwoodShawn DriscollIn October 1962, the Kennedy administration struggles to contain the Cuban Missile Crisis.When true stories that you already know how they eventually end can still somehow capture a decent amount of tension; You know you've found a well crafted film. To me at least, this is one of those types of films. They are rare, and when we do see them; We often realize the power of a great story when it's well executed. The direction here is solid, the acting is very strong, and it's just a very well written true life story. Roger Donaldson has directed a few very effective films, none better than this one. Even though you many already sort of know the thrill going into this one, it's still a very strong political thriller. 8.5/10
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsEmilio EchevarríaGael García BernalGoya ToledoAn amateur dog fighter, a supermodel, and a derelict assassin, all separately struggling to find love, find their lives transformed by a devastating car wreck in Mexico City.8/10
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsMarie-Josée CrozeJean-Nicolas VerreaultStephanie MorgensternAfter plunging her car into a river, a woman encounters a man who helps her come to terms with her life.8/10
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsMichael DouglasBenicio Del ToroCatherine Zeta-JonesA conservative judge is appointed by the President to spearhead America's escalating war against drugs, only to discover that his teenage daughter is a crack addict. Two DEA agents protect an informant. A jailed drug baron's wife attempts to carry on the family business.8/10
- DirectorJulien TempleStarsPaul CookSteve JonesJohn LydonA film about the career of the notorious punk rock band, the Sex Pistols."We kicked him out of the band because he was always washing his f'n feet." 8/10
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsJulia RobertsAlbert FinneyDavid BrisbinAn unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply.This is a film that's written to be a real crowd pleaser. Many films of this sort end up being good, but quite forgettable shortly afterward. Not so much this one. While this film boasts a few very strong performances, this is a career best performance from Julia Roberts. She really hits this out of the park. Julia is probably somewhat underrated for her acting abilities generally. It's hard to underestimate her for a good while after watching this however. 8/10
- DirectorDon LettsStarsTerry ChimesTerence DackombeTopper HeadonA career retrospective of British punk band The Clash, featuring exclusive interviews with the entire band.8/10
- DirectorJames GrayStarsMark WahlbergJoaquin PhoenixCharlize TheronEx-con Leo tries to go straight, but his plans are derailed after reuniting with his old crew and a well-connected railway contractor.8/10
- DirectorGuy RitchieStarsJason StathamBrad PittStephen GrahamUnscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers and supposedly Jewish jewelers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond.8/10
- DirectorRob SchmidtStarsMonica KeenaEllen BarkinMichael IronsideA darkly romantic story of murder and redemption, set against an eerily familiar American landscape.8/10
- DirectorBetty ThomasStarsSandra BullockViggo MortensenDominic WestA big-city newspaper columnist is forced to enter a drug and alcohol rehab center after ruining her sister's wedding and crashing a stolen limousine.8/10
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsTim RobbinsGary SiniseDon CheadleWhen the first manned mission to Mars meets with a catastrophic and mysterious disaster after reporting an unidentified structure, a rescue mission is launched to investigate the tragedy and bring back any survivors.7.5/10
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsEllen BurstynJared LetoJennifer ConnellyThe drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep..7.5/10
- DirectorGregory HoblitStarsDennis QuaidJim CaviezelShawn DoyleAn accidental cross-time radio link connects father and son across 30 years. The son tries to save his father's life, but then must fix the consequences.7.5/10
- DirectorAntony HoffmanStarsVal KilmerCarrie-Anne MossTom SizemoreAstronauts, and their robotic dog AMEE (Autonomous Mapping Evaluation and Evasion), search for solutions to save a dying Earth by searching on Mars, only to have the mission go terribly awry.7/10
- DirectorE. Elias MerhigeStarsJohn MalkovichWillem DafoeUdo KierThe filming of Nosferatu (1922) is hampered by the fact that its star Max Schreck is taking the role of a vampire far more seriously than seems humanly possible.7/10
- DirectorDanny BoyleStarsLeonardo DiCaprioTilda SwintonDaniel YorkOn vacation in Thailand, Richard sets out for an island rumored to be a solitary beach paradise.7/10