Best Films of 2001

Though the typical Hollywood mega-productions and light dramas were much in evidence, an amazing resurgence of mature animated features marked the real standout of the year 2001. Films like Shrek, Final Fantasy, and Monsters, Inc., Waking Life and more point to a creative direction away from the standard Walt Disney genre. Another good trend partly brought about by last year's surprise hit Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the wider availability of foreign films on North American shores.

The following are my personal selections as the "best films of 2001":
  • Amélie
  • Amores Perros - the three interconnected stories, each revolving around Mexico City, dogs, and their owners, was an impressive, powerful directorial debut 
  • Atanarjuat, the Fast Runner - a slow-moving, but incredibly affecting mythical tale which captures the frozen vistas and warm tribal bonds of the Inuit life
  • Brotherhood of the Wolf - mixing multiple genres from horror, to period costume piece to Hong Kong-style action, it provided a vastly entertaining flick with a distinctively European flavor
  • Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within - an eye-popping display of computer animated wizardry with some classic anime ideas
  • Ghost World - an intimate, biting look at real teenage angst with two wonderful teen actresses
  • Hedwig and the Angry Inch - a lively take on the rock 'n roll musical, mixing parts Spinal Tap, parts Rocky Horror Picture Show with some effective existential messages
  • In the Bedroom
  • Kandahar - beautiful imagery, and a timely subject on women's lives under the Afghan Taliban, makes for a social allegory with a certain poetic quality
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - a fabulous, ambitious adaptation that captures the essence of Tolkien's work and is a thrilling, action-filled fantasy epic to boot
  • Memento - this tale of murder, revenge and memory was easily the most intricate, complex, original, and satisfying movie of the year
  • Millenium Actress - a mesmerizing narrative converging realities of a journalist interviewing a famous Japanese actress and her long film career
  • Moulin Rouge - a psychedelic, colorful, all dancing, all singing spectacular that brought the musical to the 21st century
  • Monsters, Inc. - a delightfully amusing, imaginative computer-animated family adventure
  • Son of the Bride - a sentimental, warm-hearted, and downright humorous look on relationships and life's important things
  • Spy Kids - light-hearted. sprightly and imaginative family entertainment with a bevy of gadgets that have to be seen to be believed
  • Waking Life - drawing over live actors and creating an animated dreamscape, this is experimental film-making at its best: original, creative, interesting, and thought-provoking

Note that this selection only comprises films that I have seen this year and that have been widely distributed in North American theatres. Obviously, I have not seen all the films that have come out in theatres (who has?), but some of them have had enough good word of mouth that I would be remiss in not pointing them out:

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