The Ten Best of the Year 2001
Written by: Brian Orndorf

1) THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Disney)
      
       Wes Anderson’s third film proved beyond a shadow of a doubt just how amazing a filmmaker he is. Reteaming with most of the technical collaborators that made his two earlier films "Bottle Rocket" and "Rushmore" the stuff of legendary cinema, Anderson and his crew create another ode to dysfunctional characters that delight in their own shortcomings. Bright, elusive, daringly funny and a bit more dramatically ambitious than his previous efforts, "Tenenbaums" was one of the rare films this year that actually managed to meet all expectations set forth for it. And in getting an Oscar-worthy performance out of the normally bored Gene Hackman, "Tenenbaums" when beyond those expectations. This is a masterful creation, worthy of both our awe and rapture. I couldn’t find a better time at the movies this year.

2) JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK (Dimension)

      Kevin Smith’s love letter to his fanbase was easily the funniest, most audacious film of the year. Sly, vulgar, chocked full of cameos that both surprise and delight and written with both an eye for newcomers and those who have stuck by Smith’s side since the debut of "Clerks" back in 1994. "Strike Back" has only delight on its agenda, and the results are flawless. This will be the last live-action film featuring the lovable drug-dealing duo Jay, and his hetero-lifemate Silent Bob. Nevertheless, I couldn’t imagine a more appropriate valentine to the team than this uproarious film.

3) THE PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR (Sony Pictures Classics)

      Though known around the world as the director of the hyper "Run Lola Run," Tom Tykwer’s best movies have been the two smaller, gentler pictures ("Winter Sleepers" is the other) that haven’t attained the success that they deserve. "The Princess And The Warrior" is a sensational love story that demonstrates Tykwer’s masterful control over his own cinema. "Warrior" is passionate filmmaking, detailing the exploits of two lost souls who miraculously find each other. Methodical in its pace, yet rewarding every step of the way, it was tough to get "Warrior" out of my system after viewing it.

 4) KISS OF THE DRAGON (20th Century Fox)

      "Because the film is European financed and made by Parisians, "Kiss Of The Dragon" doesn’t have to abide by the set of hypocritical rules made by American studios. "Kiss" is free to roam wherever it wants, whether it be into comedy (a showstopping scene involves Li accidentally walking into a karate school, then having to fight them all off), or horrific scenes of brutality (Fonda’s character gets slapped around a little too much). There are no limits placed on the production, and the free-range imaginations of Besson and Li summon up some seriously unique touches. How else can you explain Li’s character being a master of acupuncture, which he uses to incapacitate his enemies with lightning-fast speed?"

"Kiss Of The Dragon" is reminiscent of Besson’s own "The Professional" in that the picture is able to balance comic book with John Woo and never breaks the pace. American productions can’t seem to handle this type of baggage without getting desperate in the end. Having never been a big fan of Li’s before, "Kiss" was a pleasure to watch. I finally see that glow in the actor that the rest of the world has been raving about for the last decade. "Kiss" is brisk, breezy, and uproarious fun, and a film that should not be missed."

5) SOUND AND FURY (Next Wave)

      This documentary on one deaf family and their opposition to the youngest daughter receiving a Cochlear implant that would enable the girl to hear was a powderkeg of feelings and revelations. Opening my eyes to the deaf world as a spirited, workable place of living was one thing. But to dig deep into an extremely touchy subject that has viable arguments for both sides is both brave and enthralling filmmaking. This movie opens minds and hearts.

6) TOGETHER (IFC Films)

     Lukas Moodysson’s richly rewarding saga of a mid-1970s Swedish commune provided the character interaction that I was craving for toward the end of this year. A nice slice of life from an untapped subject matter. Couple this with goalpost usage of ABBA’s "SOS" to set the mood, and little else could go wrong. Openly passionate, unwaveringly honest and a featuring a troupe of actors willing to go to the places Moodysson needs to tell his story, "Together" sated everything a good film needs to succeed.

7) POOTIE TANG (Paramount)

      Easily the most misunderstood film of the year, yet one of the most original. "Pootie Tang" is the type of carefree, wildly ambitious comedy that polarizes audiences into two factions: those who get it, and those who don’t. Well, being a fan of the HBO/Chris Rock Show appearances from this wild character, I was ready for his feature debut. I wasn’t disappointed. Hilarious, bizarre and blissfully interested only in laughs, "Pootie Tang" is as heavenly as an 80 minute, studio butchered, poorly released film can get. Credit this to Louis CK, the brilliant standup comedian who invented and directed this film, and to "Pootie Tang" himself, Lance Crouther. In a perfect world, Crouther would receive awards for this gloriously committed performance. As it stands, I think there are about three of us in the world who view this sure-to-be cult classic as a true comedic triumph. Sa Da Tay! Read the review

8) ENEMY AT THE GATES (Paramount/Mandalay/Lions Gate Films)

      Jean-Jacques Annaud’s taut WWII thriller boiled unlike any other suspense picture this year. Boosted by sharp lead performances by Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Joseph Fiennes and Ed Harris, the actors create a carefully strung together web of paranoia and hidden desires. Though not a respectable historical piece, "Enemy" should be looked at more as a splendidly made suspense thriller. The Battle Of Leningrad backdrop helps to lend some perspective to this horribly disfigured true story, but I felt then what I feel now, that "Enemy At The Gates" is a remarkably fun, tense and breathless film that showcases cinema in its most pure form of entertainment.

9) THE ROAD HOME (Sony Pictures Classics)

      While slowly built and performed, "The Road Home" is such a heartbreaking motion picture of unrequited love that I can’t help but place it amongst the best of the year. Directed by Zhang Yimou and starring the luminescent Zhang Ziyi, "Road Home" was founded and rendered completely on an emotional level. Neither concerned with story or pace, the film chose instead to lead with its heart. To find a way into the emotional core of the audience, without resorting to saccharine tricks or overtly easy-on-the-eyes talent. Often bittersweet, "Road Home" doesn’t need much more to seal the feeling of the piece than to focus on the face of Ms. Ziyi. Even more than the blockbuster "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," this is the young actress’s true breakthrough role. To carry a whole movie on her basic reactions to puppy love... well, that is daring for both the filmmakers and the actress. Yet they pull it off, and the results will make you cry, swoon and run home to hug your nearest loved one.

10) THE GIFT (Paramount Classics)

      "The Gift" would make a perfect book. It’s one of those kinds of stories that you pick up in a drug store on a whim and take it home to read under the covers during a thunderstorm. It’s southern gothic with the proper twists and turns to rival any whodunit in years. Directed by renown horror/comedy helmer Sam Raimi, "The Gift" is eerily similar to his 1998 masterpiece "A Simple Plan". Take a remote location, insert a murder, unleash an troupe of actors all itching to break out of their stereotypical roles, and take the time needed to slow roast the plot developments. Voila! You have another immaculate tale of betrayal, death, and deep seeded fears of the unknown."

Just missed the cut :   BLOW, MADE, FREDDY GOT FINGERED, BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY, SPY KIDS, MULHOLLAND DRIVE, VANILLA SKY, I AM SAM, THE WIDOW OF ST. PIERRE, PANIC, OCEAN'S 11, A BEAUTIFUL MIND, JURASSIC PARK 3, THE CLAIM, HEIST