Unfortunately, some of the films I might have put in my top 10 (such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” ” and “Traffic”) were screened too late to make the list. Three of my top 10 movies (“Dancer in the Dark,” ” Almost Famous,” and “The Filth and the Fury”) are about music, and two fine runners-up (Billy Elliot and ” Hi Fidelity”) also used music as important plot elements. Also the wonderful “A Hard Day’s Night was re-released, so the year 2000 was one of the best ever for pop music films.
1.)Dancer in the Dark-Terrific anti-musical combines dark comedy, tragedy, satire, and ironic musical numbers into an artful experimental cinematic stew. Icelandic pop singer, Bjork, is completely natural as the child-like Selma who imagines that the whole world is a Hollywood musical. The most original, visionary, and controversial film of the year.
2.)Croupier-Mike Hodge’s riveting film noir is about a writer working as croupier (or gambling director) to get ideas for a novel. He is torn between three fascinating love interests and is tempted to aid in a crime. The protagonist’s clever, insightful narration helps to take us into another world.
3.)Almost Famous-Beautiful, moving film about a high school kid who wants to be a rock critic and learns about life and love as he tours with a mediocre band. Great script by Cameron Crowe and fresh performances elevate this tearjerker above all of the rest of this year’s American films.
4.)The Filth and The Fury-Julian Temple’s documentary on the notorious punk band, the Sex Pistols gives the band’s side of the story. Filled with great social commentary, interesting interviews, and classic, revolutionary music.
5.)Dr. T and the Women-Richard Gere gives a fine performance as a gynecologist who struggles to understand women after his wife has a mental breakdown. Director Robert Altman populates his sideshow -like Texas with an army of quirky, likable female characters, and the imaginative ending is unforgettable.
6.)Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai-Jim Jarmusch’s sequel to “Dead Man” concerns a delusional modern day African-American hitman who thinks he’s a samurai. This masterful action film/comedy/art film shows a collision of Italian-American, hip-hop and Japanese cultures.
7.)Girlfight-Mesmerizing feminist sports film about an alienated Latina teen that dreams of being a boxer and encounters lots of obstacles from her family. This great exploration of gender issues is the flip side of the terrific “Billy Elliot.”
8.)Erin Brockovitch-Julia Roberts plays a crude, but determined lower class woman who begins to investigate a corporate pollution case. Roberts is terrific in her only socially conscious film, and director Steve Soderbergh is on a hot streak.
9.)Girl on the Bridge-Gorgeous, surreal love story about the bizarre relationship between a knife thrower and his beautiful assistant is like a modern-day Fellini film. In French with English sub-titles.
10.)The Wonder Boys-Curtis Hanson’s follow-up to “LA Confidential” about a washed up writer/college professor has fine acting and characterization, Mike Douglas’s best, most memorable performance with great support by Tobey Maguire, Frances McDormand, and Robert Downey Jr.
Best Actor-Ralph Fiennes showed the full range of his impressive talents playing three different Hungarian Jews in the early part of the 20th century the underrated historical epic “Sunshine”.
Best Actress-Michelle Rodriquez’s only film role (in “Girlfight”) was much more exciting, natural and charismatic than any of the performances given by big female stars. She truly is like a female Brando..
