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2001, we hardly knew ye.
I can't believe the year is almost over. It seems like just yesterday that I was ringing in the New Year huddled in my bed with a viral infection, but no... it's been a long road since then. The world has been changed, not just by the events of 9/11, but by the solidarity of the nation in the months afterward. It truly is a great time to be hanging around this old country of ours and I for one look forward to what '02 has in store. In particular, I'm looking forward to the SPIDERMAN movie. Which brings me to that grand old critic-tradition of making the year end lists. The best? The worst? What rose to the occasion and what fell to the ground in defeat? Here in, a chronicle of my favorite things in the entertainment world... enjoy and Happy Damn New Year!!!!
1. HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH: This movie absolutly blew me away. In a year full of big movies, big stars and big ideas, a simple drag musical rose above them all. It's the story of a young man who, after a botched sex-change, becomes Hedwig, glam-rock God/Godess. He tours the country, rocking and rolling, in search of his lover who stole all of his songs and became famous. HATAI is touching, rocking, hilarious and poingiant, all without compromising story or script. And to boot, John Cameron Mitchell as Hedwig gives the best performance of the year as Hedwig. Truly and without a doubt, the movie of the year. 2. MOULIN ROUGE: I guess I really dig musicals. Rare is it that two even come out in the same year, but to have not just that happen, but both of them be beyond excellent... well, that just don't happen. Ewen Mcgregor and Nichole Kidman give a pair of amazing performances in this romantic tragedy that tops all others in style and scope. As grande as the real Moulin Rouge, it practically drips off the screen into your lap. Cinema the way it ought to be... moving, exciting and with lots of toe-tapping muscial numbers. 3. MEMENTO: I have absolutly no idea how writer/director Chris Nolan was able to keep everything in this movie straight. But thank the movie gods he did. The most stunning peice of film noir to come along in years, MEMENTO goes beyond the usual genre constraints by telling the movie backwards, leaving us as confused and hungry for answers as our memory-deficieant protaginist. It's movies like this that give you hope for modern cinema.
The copyright of the article 2001: The movies of the year in Underappreciated Movies is owned by Clinton Davis. Permission to republish 2001: The movies of the year in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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