Review for

I've decided that rather than write lengthy commentaries on the trends in movies during the entire year, I would limit myself to my favorite performances of the year, and my top ten films, with brief commentary.

Best Actor -- Daniel Day-Lewis (Gangs of New York) -- My favorite performance of the year. With a vicious twang in his voice to match the brutality of his character's actions, Daniel Day-Lewis creates one of the most fearful, yet charismatic and darkly humorous characters of 2002. Plus, he had my favorite line from any movie of 2002, also: "I don't give a tuppeny f--- for your moral conundrum, you meat-headed s--- sack". His screen presence as Bill the Butcher would be enough in and of itself to create a decent performance, but Day-Lewis takes the performance to its highest possible level.

Honorable Mention: Adrian Brody in The Pianist; Javier Cámara in Talk to Her

Best Actress -- Nicole Kidman (The Hours) -- Even in a film filled with noteworthy performances, this one still made the movie. Nicole, is that you?! Along with the transforming prosthetic additions, Nicole's choice of gait, eye contact, facial expressions, movement, and voice inflection were all incredibly effective in communicating the tortured, yet steadfast presence of Virginia Woolf, a woman determined to live her life as she sees fit. Way back when, when I first saw Nicole Kidman, I did not like her, as I tend to be skeptical of performers who can get by very easily with their beauty. But as I saw her in more and more movies, I began to enjoy her more and more as a capable actress. Bravo!

Honorable Mention: Julianne Moore in Far From Heaven; Maggie Gyllenhaal in Secretary

Best Supporting Actor -- Dennis Haysbert (Far From Heaven) -- The most emotionally stirring performance of the year, in my opinion. Haysbert imbues Raymond, the friendly Negro gardener, with a quiet dignity and sense of reason, even in the face of the injustice around him. His conversations with Julianne Moore were the most romantic of any film I saw all year, which says something, considering Far From Heaven was not advertised as a romance. Brutally honest and consistently compassionate, Raymond represents the emotional honesty that no one else is willing to express, and Haysbert captures him perfectly.

Honorable Mention: Ed Harris in The Hours; Chris Cooper in Adaptation

Best Supporting Actress -- Kathy Bates (About Schmidt) -- From the most emotionally stirring to the most fun! Kathy Bates livened up the dull and repetitive second half of About Schmidt with her ever-present humor and charm. Playing the aging hippie mother that we all know and love (some of us, I guess), Bates was a joy to watch as she stole the movie completely from Jack Nicholson, and along the way, bared all for the camera to see. Addressing her nude scene, Bates said in an interview that she considers it a shame that her agreeing to do it should be considered "brave" in our society. I agree, but you must admit, Kathy, that in a society obsessed with Calista Flockhart-like physiques, it is admirable that you feel comfortable enough with your own body as it is.

Honorable Mention: Julianne Moore in The Hours; Maribel Verdú in Y Tu Mamá También

The Top Ten:

10. Panic Room -- Director David Fincher (Alien 3, Seven, Fight Club) continued his trend of highly-stylized suspense with this ingeniously crafted thriller. With solid performances by Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam, this was one of 2002's best thrill rides.

9. Insomnia -- I was one of the few people to find this film better than its Norwegian predecessor of same title (dir. Erik Skjoldbjærg). Improving upon the original, the third effort of director Chrisropher Nolan (Memento) allowed for more substantive character development and more interesting plot twists. It also featured a dynamite performance by Al Pacino and an image-altering view of Robin Williams in the shoes of a deranged killer. With creative directing and an emotionally haunting score, Insomnia stayed with me long after I left the theater.

8. The Pianist -- It is rare that a film so clearly presents a before-and-after picture of a Holocaust victim, and while that was not the greater theme of the film, it was one of the most enjoyable aspects for me. Along with Schindler's List, this is one of the most emotionally riveting Holocaust dramas I have ever seen, and featured beautiful directing (Roman Polanski) and cinematography. The best part of the film, however, was Adrien Brody's performance as Wladyslaw Szpilman. Few performances of 2002 required the kind of range that Szpilman's changes in the film demand, and Brody effortlessly transitions several times throughout the narrative.

7. Secretary -- S & M never seemed so romantic! This film featured one of the best scripts of the year (written by Erin Cressida Wilson, a professor at Duke, my alma mater). With emotionally honest, darkly humorous performances by Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader, Secretary gave those with open minds (and strong stomachs) something to spank about...and featured the most dramatic scene I've ever seen involving a paddle!

6. Minority Report -- A slickly designed mixture of film noir and sci-fi, this film took me (and practically everyone else) by surprise by being one of the most enjoyable, thought provoking releases of the summer. After seeing it for the first time, I had quibbles with the conclusion, but after viewing it a second time, they have all been resolved, and I now consider Minority Report as Spielberg's best film since Schindler's List.

5. Y tu mamá también -- More honest, engrossing, and fun to watch than any haphazard teen sex, coming-of-age drivel you will find in American cinema. This film (which should have been Mexico's selection for the Best Foreign Film Oscar) features top-notch acting, including one of the best performances of the year in Maribel Verdú. In addition, it provided a poignant, effective picture of how teen angst figures into the greater picture of life and the surrounding world.

4. Far From Heaven -- A visual and stylistic masterpiece, this film from Todd Haynes featured the most romantic encounter of the year (between two of the greatest performances of the year). Julianne Moore and Dennis Haysbert create a tender, warm bond between their characters, and make it difficult to watch as they struggle against prejudice and narrowmindedness. The vivid and elegant visuals only add to the film's multifaceted dramatic core.

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers -- Peter Jackson's vision of the second installment in the Tolkien trilogy satisfyingly matched the first in intensity, character development, and overall stylistic effectiveness. The mammoth battle sequence at Helms Deep represents one of the great achievements in digital filmmaking, because it did not go overboard and draw attention to itself. It has only been two months since the opening, but I am already in anxious anticipation of The Return of the King.

2. The Hours -- I wish there were an Oscar category for ensemble acting, because this film would easily run away with it. Effectively weaving together the lives of three women during three different generations, all struggling with the imprisonment of their lives, The Hours will speak loud and clear to anyone who has struggled with the notion of living life to its fullest. The three characters at the heart of the story are all delivered through outstanding performances, especially Nicole Kidman's, and the themes of the story are complex and diverse, but also timeless.

1. Bowling for Columbine -- No film in 2002 stirred my emotions more than Michael Moore's documentary masterpiece. It is extremely difficult to make a film funny, disturbing, thought-provoking, and still examine extremely salient and immediate issues in contemporary American society. Bowling for Columbine does all of this and more. It does not claim to have an answer to the widespread, cancerous problem of gun murders in our country. It merely examines several existing aspects of our history and culture and uses as its fulcrum the horror and brutality of American gun-craziness. Moore may be a self-righteous jerk in his antics, but he has a message, and it is one that we should heed, especially now.

copyright 2003 Richard A. Zwelling

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