Movies 2001
Ocean's Eleven. (12/27/01). Just as good second time.
A Beautiful Mind. (12/26/01). Very well acted by Russell Crowe, this is a grim story, not uplifting. Despite its quality, not recommended to everyday viewer.
Ocean's Eleven. (12/20/01). Great entertainment. Cheered me up. Recommended.
42 Up. (12/01 on DVD). Continuation of chronicle/documentary of English schoolchildren filmed and questioned at ages 7, 14, 21, 28,35, and now 42. As wonderful as it predecessors. Highest possible recommendation.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. (12/5/01). Saw it the second time in a Imax theater. Still flat in parts. Done.
Life as a House. (12/4/01). Second time through (see below), most of the flaws disappeared and I liked the film even more. Will purchase on DVD when available.
Spy Game. (11/24/01). Unlike Heist (below), the suspense in this movie worked. It is also, inadvertently, a classic example of the pre-9/11 American world view.
Bread and Tulips (subtitled from Italian). 11/23/01). Loved this movie.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. (11/21/01). As someone who has read all four HP books, I approved of the faithful adherence to the story. The first half was significantly better than the last, which flagged. Highly recommended for HP fans. Others would enjoy it too.
Heist. (11/19/01). Never drew me in. Flat. Not recommended.
Shallow Hal. (11/16/01). Certain to take the prize as the worst movie I did not walk out of in 2001. Awful.
Life as a House. (11/11/01). Awful cinematography, uneven script. However, having just finished 7 months of voluntary manual labor, the gist of this movie resonated strongly. Recommended.
K-PAX. (11/1/01). Slow moving mellow movie that works.
Bandits. (10/22/01). I bought it. Amusing from beginning to end. Recommended.
Training Day. (10/17/01). Well acted, decent script, but downer movie. Does not leave you with a good feeling after.
Serendipity. (10/15/01). Very pleasant John Cusack vehicle. Last ten minutes are weak but the rest was on the right track. Recommended.
The Closet (Le Placard). (10/10/01). Very pleasant comedy set in France. Recommended.
Princess and the Warrior. (9/25/01). Visually lovely, good cast, awful plot. I walked out shortly after the male lead went over to a red hot woodstove and put his face to the top plate. A German "Magnolia"? I'll never know.
American Pie 2. (9/17/01). The current generation's "Porky's"; funny enough for me.
The Deep End. (9/16/01). A small film, well done, but better seen on DVD. Look for Tilda Swinton to be nominated for an Oscar. Cross between "Croupier" and "A Simple Plan."
America's Sweethearts. (9/5/01). Saw this for free after walking out of below. Better than my expectations which says more about my expectations. Less than the sum of its parts.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. (9/5/01). Too gross for me. Walked out.
Rush Hour 2. (8/25/01). Flat. Disappointing. Jackie Chan does not play an underdog in this movie. Too bad.
Legally Blonde. (8/16/01). Funny enough to recommend but . . . .
The Fast and the Furious. (7/24/01). Liked it a bunch. This movie is everything it sets out to be. Not mainstream.
The Score. (7/18/01). A good, competent heist movie. Not up to the standards of a classic like "The Sting" but good entertainment.
Artificial Intelligence. (7/17/01). Bummer movie.
Shrek. (6/20/01). Really funny.
A Knight's Tale. (6/4/01). A jousting season coated in modern sap. I hope this is not the start of a trend. Not recommended.
Memento. (5/31/01). Cast great. Action good. Plot wonderful. Lot a it liked I.
Pearl Harbor. (5/30/01). My brain needed a good scrubbing and this did it. Better than getting drunk. Not an awful movie but not recommended.
Blow. (5/24/01). Combination true life drug kingpin story and Johnny Depp vehicle. Watchable. P.S. Crime doesn't pay.
Bridget Jones's Diary. (4/24/01). Funny enough.
Someone Like You. (4/23/01). Too long, flat in parts, inadequate chemistry in main love story. Still, enjoyable.
The Tailor of Panama. (4/10/01). Different. Slender, dubious plot. Good cast. Does not quite click but good enough to recommend.
The Mexican. (4/9/01). All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't force me to watch this movie again.
Heartbreakers. (4/3/01). Basic funny movie. Very basic.
State and Main. (4/2/01). I like movies about making movies and this is much better than most. Wonderful cast.
Enemy at the Gates. (3/27/01). Well acted, grisly, implausible (Krushchev?) tale during Seige of Stalingrad. Better be a military history buff.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Wu hu zang long). (3/24/01). Picked up a bit more on second viewing. Nothing to add to original review. See 12/26/00 below.
Traffic. (3/20/01). Just as good on the second viewing. See below (1/10/01). Still my pick for Oscar for Best Picture of 2000.
Pollock. (3/19/01). Good film, not great. Solid performances from Harris, Harden in two lead roles. (Rob, you are wrong).
You Can Count on Me. (3/15/01). Really liked this picture. Delightful, wise despite New England setting.
Down to Earth. (3/11/01). A Black version of the 1978 film "Heaven Can Wait," itself a remake. A legitimate take on the theme but boring. Not recommended.
Snatch. (2/25/01). Unlike Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, never reaches critical mass. Also too much violence. Not recommended.
What Women Want. (2/18/01). Repeat (see 12/21/00 below). Liked it just as much the second time.
The
Sopranos, The Complete First Season. (2/13/01). The 13 episodes in this
terrific 4 disc DVD set provide great entertainment. "Traffic" is the only recent
movie that exceeds this series in "reach out and grab you" appeal. I savored
these episodes, limiting my viewing to one per night.
Finding Forrester. (1/12/01).
A "Good Will Hunting" wannabe flawed by hero's lack of any discernable
flaws. Phony. Not recommended.
Traffic. (1/10/01). Best first run film I have seen in a theatre since "The Godfather." Should win Oscar for Best Picture of 2000.
All the Pretty Horses. (1/9/01). Liked this film a lot. Scenery as good as "The River Runs Through It."
Chocolat. (1/9/01). Luscious cast raises this to good. Recommended.
Miss Congeniality. (1/7/01). Better than expected but was not expecting much. Parts were below grade, parts very funny. Barely recommended.
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