2002

Talk to Her (Pedro Almodóvar)
Nominees: The Man Without a Past, Lilya 4-Ever, The Quiet American, Hero, City of God, Chicago, Spider-Man, About Schmidt, Dirty Pretty Things, Russian Ark, Twilight Samurai, Infernal Affairs

Oscars pick: Chicago
Nominees: Gangs of New York, The Hours, LOTR: Two Towers, The Pianist

I thought Chicago was fine entertainment, and for me, it was the best of the Oscar noms. It has great music, great performances, and a lively spirit that won me over. I do agree with the criticism that the direction had its problems. The MTV-style edits undercut the dance sequences (modern directors need to watch old Fred Astaire movies and learn how to film a dancer, by letting the dancer do most of the work, not the cameraman and editor)

While I don’t hate it, the love the Pianist receives eludes me, because nothing happens in it. I didn't get a great feeling of drama nor was I interested in this guy. He mostly just hides from the Nazis and that's it. I've seen this subject covered extensively and with so much more life and intensity. It's from Roman Polanski so the direction and camera work is assured – nevertheless, I was underwhelmed by the story, and found the telling rather dispassionate.

So I agree with Oscar (at least within the scope of their nominees) that Chicago was the best picture, but for director, I would have gone with Pedro Almodóvar (who received his first and only Best Director nod).

As for the rest of Oscar's brood? I wasn’t hot for the highly touted The Hours, LOTR: Two Towers or Scorsese's broad and cartoonish Gangs of New York. 

I prefer others, such as City of God – Which is a gripping look at a crime-riddled slum in Rio de Janeiro through the eyes of an aspiring young photographer. The piece bristles with the uneasy prospect of violence waiting in every frame. The characters are plentiful and brought to life vividly. 

Zhang Yimou's beautiful-looking Hero, is distinguished by its bittersweet romance and acts of heroism in which vengeance is swayed through words and self-sacrifice, rather than by the sword.

Beyond those (and my other nominees), there were three that I couldn't get out of my head:

The Man Without a Past is an odd, funnily deadpan and sweet Finnish film from director Aki Kaurismaki. It's about a man who loses his memory after he is robbed and beaten. He later befriends some poor folks and falls for a gal who works for the Salvation Army. MWAP is one of the quirkiest romantic comedies I've ever seen. For one, hardly anyone smiles in it -it’s like a cast full of Buster Keaton's- and that makes the dialog all the more hilarious. The bits where the protagonist introduces the Salvation Army Band to rock and roll (and gets them gigs to play for the poor and homeless) is a charming hoot and is one of several memorable sequences. It's an eccentric flick, minimalist in style, but full of wise observations about the nature of man. It might not be to everyone's taste, but it is consummate filmmaking.

The Quiet American - Director Philip Noyce's powerful adaptation of Graham Greene's complex novel, is a love triangle set in the tumultuous backdrop of 50s Vietnam. Michael Caine earned a well-deserved Oscar nomination playing the jaded British reporter, Thomas Fowler. His performance is abounding with nuance and the eloquent dialog he's given captures Greene at his finest. Brendan Fraser is solid as the idealist Alden Pyle. Pyle is a more fully rounded character here than he was in the novel (where he was simply a paper caricature representing America's arrogance). The piece is poignant without stumbling into sappy melodrama, intense without sacrificing its heart. Beautifully photographed and framed - The political mystery, murder, and romance is woven together in a seamless, spellbinding way, and it carries a genuine emotional impact

Talk To Her - As with most films by Pedro Almodóvar, "Talk" is a frank, funny and at times, uncomfortable look at relationships. In it, two men who pine for women in comas, meet in a hospital – they become friends and share stories of their beloveds, though, for each, that love is unrequited. As expected Almodóvar presents some disturbing angles, but he also draws up fascinating personalities and a thought-provoking story.

Three years after the Oscar win for All About My Mother comes yet another powerhouse - the director was really at his peak, putting on display everything that defines his work: The absurdity and breaking of taboos, the colorful set design, the soapy romantic entanglements, and the fully formed characters. It's quintessential and essential Almodóvar.

Though it's tough to have multiple equal favorites, I elected to go with Talk as my best picture.

Other movies I enjoyed on the year include: The Ring, Heaven, Lovely and Amazing, Bloody Sunday, Blade II, The Bourne Identity, Stuart Little 2, Whale Rider, Bend it Like Beckham, Raising Victor Vargas, Oasis, The Good Girl, Auto Focus, Far From Heaven, The Son (Le fils), He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, and 24 Hour Party People.

Best Actor: Michael Caine, The Quiet American
Honorable Mentions: 

Jack Nicholson, About Schmidt * Adrien Brody, The Pianist * Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Infernal Affairs * Nicolas Cage, Adaptation * Mads Mikkelsen, Open Hearts * Ralph Fiennes, Spider * Robin Williams, One-Hour Photo * Ray Liotta, Narc * Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dirty Pretty Things * Hiroyuki Sanada, The Twilight Samurai

Best Actress: Oksana Akinshina, Lilya 4-Ever
Honorable Mentions: 

Salma Hayek, Frida * Naomi Watts, The Ring * Kati Outinen, The Man Without a Past * Catherine Keener, Lovely & Amazing * Samantha Morton, Morvern Callar * Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven * Renée Zellweger, Chicago * Jennifer Aniston, The Good Girl * Audrey Tautou, Dirty Pretty Things

Supporting Actor: Paul Newman, Road to Perdition

Supporting Actress: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago


Note: My Hon Mentions for the actresses was overflowing and I was running out of room, but I also liked the cast of The Hours (Kidman, Moore, Streep, Janney, Richardson, Collette, etc)


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