For 2002 I started with a list of 175 movies… and 2002 was actually a really good year for film. It took me quite some time to whittle the list down to the 25 best.
In alphabetical order (also, if you are reading via RSS feeds, I have the trailers embedded in the original post):
About Schmidt is a 2002 American drama film directed by Alexander Payne, starring Jack Nicholson as Warren Schmidt and Hope Davis as his daughter Jeannie. It is loosely based on the 1996 novel of the same title by Louis Begley. Many of the scenes were filmed on location, especially in Omaha, Nebraska and Denver, Colorado. According to the special features on the DVD, a number of non-professional local residents appeared in the film, portraying their real-life professions. The actual Woodmen of the World headquarters building in Omaha was used in the film, and Jack Nicholson was made an honorary member of the company during filming.
Adaptation is a 2002 American comedy-drama film directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman. The film is based on Susan Orlean's non-fiction book The Orchid Thief through self-referential events. The film stars Nicolas Cage as Charlie and Donald Kaufman, Meryl Streep as Susan, with Chris Cooper, Cara Seymour, Brian Cox, Tilda Swinton, Ron Livingston and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The film tells the story of Charlie Kaufman's difficult struggle to adapt The Orchid Thief into a film. In addition, Orlean romances with John Laroche while Charlie enlists the help of his twin brother Donald.
Film Note: Much like my opinion of James Franko and ‘127 Hours’, I’ve never been much of a Nicolas Cage fan… but his performance in ‘Adaptation’ is amazing.
Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 comedy-drama film starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Myers and Archie Panjabi first released in the United Kingdom. The film was directed by Gurinder Chadha. Its title comes from the football player David Beckham and his skill at scoring from free kicks by "bending" (curving) the ball past a wall of defenders.
Big Trouble is an American comedic film based on the novel Big Trouble by Dave Barry. It was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and featured a large cast including Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Dennis Farina, Zooey Deschanel and Jason Lee. Like much of Barry's fiction, it follows a diverse group of people through a series of extremely strange and humorous situations against the backdrop of Miami.
Film Note: I don’t know too many people who have seen this movie. It’s pretty darn funny and shares a lot of the same heart and wit found in movies like ‘Get Shorty’. The movie was originally slated for a Fall 2001 release, but due to some sensitive airplane content it was pushed back and opened in 2002 with little fanfare.
Birthday Girl is a 2002 American-British FilmFour-backed film featuring Nicole Kidman as a Russian mail-order bride. It is directed by Jez Butterworth and stars Ben Chaplin and Vincent Cassel.
Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 American biographical comedy-drama film based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr., who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars by posing as a Pan American World Airways pilot, a Georgia doctor and Louisiana attorney and parish prosecutor. His primary crime was check fraud; he became so skillful that the FBI eventually turned to him for help in catching other check forgers. Steven Spielberg directed the film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale and Tom Hanks as Hanratty as well as Christopher Walken, Amy Adams, Martin Sheen, and Nathalie Baye.
Chicago is a 2002 musical film adapted from the satirical stage musical of the same name, exploring the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Jazz age Chicago. Directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall, and adapted for film by screenwriter Bill Condon, Chicago won six Academy Awards in 2003, including Best Picture. The film was the first musical to win Best Picture since Oliver! in 1969.
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is a 2002 American biographical spy film depicting the life of popular game show host and producer Chuck Barris, who claimed to have also been an assassin for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Sam Rockwell portrays Barris under the direction of actor George Clooney. Supporting roles are provided by Drew Barrymore, Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Rutger Hauer.
Dirty Pretty Things is a 2002 film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Steven Knight, a drama about two illegal immigrants in London. It was produced by the Celador Films production company.
The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and won a British Independent Film Award for "Best Independent British Film" in 2003.
Dragonfly is a 2002 film directed by Tom Shadyac. The story is about a grieving doctor being contacted by his late wife through his patients' near-death experience.
Film Note: I’m pretty sure this will be my ‘Huh, What?’ pick for 2002. I know a lot of people who make fun of this movie… but I really like it. And don’t let the trailer fool you… it’s not really the kind of ‘supernatural thriller’ it’s trying to make you think it is… it’s something completely different. In a lot of ways, it’s a very beautiful film.
Dummy is a 2002 comedy-drama film written and directed by Greg Pritikin. It stars Adrien Brody, Milla Jovovich, Illeana Douglas, Vera Farmiga and Jared Harris. The original music score is composed by Mike Ruekberg. The film is marketed with the tagline The story of a dummy and his man.
Film Note: Oddly enough, ‘Dummy’ came of the same year as ‘The Pianist’, the movie that won Adrien Brody an Oscar and made him a household name. That’s the great thing about my crazy method of picking my favorite 25 movies. ‘The Pianist’, although a great movie… not one I would want to watch as much as ‘Dummy’.
Gerry is a 2002 film directed by Gus Van Sant, starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, who also co-wrote the film with Van Sant. It is the first film of Van Sant's "Death Trilogy", three films based on deaths that occurred in real life, and is succeeded by Elephant and Last Days.
Film Note: I have to admit something. I HATED this movie when I first saw it. But that’s not saying a whole lot, I didn’t like ‘The Royal Tennenbaums’ or ‘The Big Lebowski’ when I first saw them… but now their two of my all time favorites… in short… I tend to give movies a second chance… and ‘Gerry’ is one of them. The films cinematography and score are amazing, but I didn’t really ‘get’ the story until I found out it was based on a true events… and then I ‘got’ it. That said… I am still surprised ‘Gerry’ made it all way to the top 25… but hey… I made the rules and ‘Gerry’ prevailed so it deserves to be here.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a 2002 fantasy-adventure film directed by Chris Columbus and based on the novel of the same nameby J. K. Rowling. It is the second instalment in the Harry Potter film series, and is written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman. The film starsDaniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, alongside Rupert Grint andEmma Watson as Harry's best friends Ron Weasley andHermione Granger. The supporting cast features Richard Harris, Kenneth Branagh, Jason Isaacs, Christian Coulson andRobbie Coltrane.
Hero is a 2002 Chinese-Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. Starring Jet Li as the nameless protagonist, the film is based on the story of Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin in 227 BC.
Hero was first released in China on October 24, 2002. At that time, it was the most expensive project and the highest-grossing motion picture in Chinese film history. Miramax Films owned the American market distribution rights, but delayed the release of the film for nearly two years. It was finally presented by Quentin Tarantino to American theaters on August 27, 2004.
Film Note: We could totally learn a thing or two about making action movies from the Chinese. The fight scenes in ‘Hero’ are more like watching a painting than it is a movie. It’s so fluid and rich.
Insomnia is a 2002 American thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank. It is a remake of the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name. The film was released on 24 May 2002.
Panic Room is a 2002 American thriller film directed by David Fincher and written by David Koepp. The film stars Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, Dwight Yoakam, Kristen Stewart, and Patrick Bauchau. The story concerns a mother and daughter taking refuge in a safe room during a break-in of their home by three armed robbers who are after millions of dollars stored in a safe.
Punch-Drunk Love is an American romantic comedy written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Luis Guzmán also appear.
Film Notes: I just love this film. Don’t ask me why… I just do.
Road to Perdition is a 2002 American period drama film directed by Sam Mendes. The screenplay was adapted by David Self, from the graphic novel of the same name by Max Allan Collins. The film stars Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, and Daniel Craig. The plot, taking place during the Great Depression, follows a mob enforcer and his son as they seek vengeance against a mobster who murdered the rest of their family.
Performance Spotlight: Jude Law. For the second list in a row, Jude gets a tip of the hat for another stellar performance.
Secretary is a 2002dominant/submissive-themed romantic comedy-drama film directed by Steven Shainberg. It stars Maggie Gyllenhaal as Lee Holloway and James Spader as E. Edward Grey. The film is based on a short story from Bad Behavior by Mary Gaitskill.
Signs is a 2002 American science fiction thriller film directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It was adapted from a screenplay also written by Shyamalan. Executive producers for the film comprised, Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, and Sam Mercer. The story focuses on a former priest named Grahan Hess, who discovers a series of crop circles in his cornfield. Hess slowly becomes convinced that the phenomena is a result of extraterrestrial life. Veteran actors Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, and Abigail Breslin star in principal roles. Signs explores faith, kinship and extraterrestrial life.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 fantasy-adventure film directed by Peter Jackson based on the second volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It is the second film in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy that was preceded by The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and concluded with The Return of the King(2003).
The Rookie is a 2002 drama sports film directed by John Lee Hancock. It is based on the true story of Jim Morris, who had a brief but famous Major League Baseball career. The film stars Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez, and Brian Cox.
Welcome to Collinwood is a 2002 American crime comedy film about five small-time criminals, from the Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland, who try to organize one last big job. The story is a remake of the 1958 Italian film I soliti ignoti by Mario Monicelli.
Whale Rider is a 2002 New Zealand drama film directed by Niki Caro, based on the novel of the same name by Witi Ihimaera. The film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a 12-year-old girl struggling to become the chief of the tribe. Her grandfather Koro believes that this is a role reserved for males only.
In alphabetical order (also, if you are reading via RSS feeds, I have the trailers embedded in the original post):
About Schmidt is a 2002 American drama film directed by Alexander Payne, starring Jack Nicholson as Warren Schmidt and Hope Davis as his daughter Jeannie. It is loosely based on the 1996 novel of the same title by Louis Begley. Many of the scenes were filmed on location, especially in Omaha, Nebraska and Denver, Colorado. According to the special features on the DVD, a number of non-professional local residents appeared in the film, portraying their real-life professions. The actual Woodmen of the World headquarters building in Omaha was used in the film, and Jack Nicholson was made an honorary member of the company during filming.
**********
Adaptation is a 2002 American comedy-drama film directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman. The film is based on Susan Orlean's non-fiction book The Orchid Thief through self-referential events. The film stars Nicolas Cage as Charlie and Donald Kaufman, Meryl Streep as Susan, with Chris Cooper, Cara Seymour, Brian Cox, Tilda Swinton, Ron Livingston and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The film tells the story of Charlie Kaufman's difficult struggle to adapt The Orchid Thief into a film. In addition, Orlean romances with John Laroche while Charlie enlists the help of his twin brother Donald.
Film Note: Much like my opinion of James Franko and ‘127 Hours’, I’ve never been much of a Nicolas Cage fan… but his performance in ‘Adaptation’ is amazing.
**********
Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 comedy-drama film starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Myers and Archie Panjabi first released in the United Kingdom. The film was directed by Gurinder Chadha. Its title comes from the football player David Beckham and his skill at scoring from free kicks by "bending" (curving) the ball past a wall of defenders.
**********
Big Trouble is an American comedic film based on the novel Big Trouble by Dave Barry. It was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and featured a large cast including Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Dennis Farina, Zooey Deschanel and Jason Lee. Like much of Barry's fiction, it follows a diverse group of people through a series of extremely strange and humorous situations against the backdrop of Miami.
Film Note: I don’t know too many people who have seen this movie. It’s pretty darn funny and shares a lot of the same heart and wit found in movies like ‘Get Shorty’. The movie was originally slated for a Fall 2001 release, but due to some sensitive airplane content it was pushed back and opened in 2002 with little fanfare.
**********
Birthday Girl is a 2002 American-British FilmFour-backed film featuring Nicole Kidman as a Russian mail-order bride. It is directed by Jez Butterworth and stars Ben Chaplin and Vincent Cassel.
**********
Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 American biographical comedy-drama film based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr., who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars by posing as a Pan American World Airways pilot, a Georgia doctor and Louisiana attorney and parish prosecutor. His primary crime was check fraud; he became so skillful that the FBI eventually turned to him for help in catching other check forgers. Steven Spielberg directed the film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale and Tom Hanks as Hanratty as well as Christopher Walken, Amy Adams, Martin Sheen, and Nathalie Baye.
**********
Chicago is a 2002 musical film adapted from the satirical stage musical of the same name, exploring the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Jazz age Chicago. Directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall, and adapted for film by screenwriter Bill Condon, Chicago won six Academy Awards in 2003, including Best Picture. The film was the first musical to win Best Picture since Oliver! in 1969.
**********
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is a 2002 American biographical spy film depicting the life of popular game show host and producer Chuck Barris, who claimed to have also been an assassin for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Sam Rockwell portrays Barris under the direction of actor George Clooney. Supporting roles are provided by Drew Barrymore, Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Rutger Hauer.
**********
Death to Smoochy is a 2002 American dark comedy film directed by and starring Danny DeVito. It also stars Robin Williams, Edward Norton, Catherine Keener, and Jon Stewart.**********
Dirty Pretty Things is a 2002 film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Steven Knight, a drama about two illegal immigrants in London. It was produced by the Celador Films production company.
The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and won a British Independent Film Award for "Best Independent British Film" in 2003.
**********
Dragonfly is a 2002 film directed by Tom Shadyac. The story is about a grieving doctor being contacted by his late wife through his patients' near-death experience.
Film Note: I’m pretty sure this will be my ‘Huh, What?’ pick for 2002. I know a lot of people who make fun of this movie… but I really like it. And don’t let the trailer fool you… it’s not really the kind of ‘supernatural thriller’ it’s trying to make you think it is… it’s something completely different. In a lot of ways, it’s a very beautiful film.
**********
Dummy is a 2002 comedy-drama film written and directed by Greg Pritikin. It stars Adrien Brody, Milla Jovovich, Illeana Douglas, Vera Farmiga and Jared Harris. The original music score is composed by Mike Ruekberg. The film is marketed with the tagline The story of a dummy and his man.
Film Note: Oddly enough, ‘Dummy’ came of the same year as ‘The Pianist’, the movie that won Adrien Brody an Oscar and made him a household name. That’s the great thing about my crazy method of picking my favorite 25 movies. ‘The Pianist’, although a great movie… not one I would want to watch as much as ‘Dummy’.
**********
Gerry is a 2002 film directed by Gus Van Sant, starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, who also co-wrote the film with Van Sant. It is the first film of Van Sant's "Death Trilogy", three films based on deaths that occurred in real life, and is succeeded by Elephant and Last Days.
Film Note: I have to admit something. I HATED this movie when I first saw it. But that’s not saying a whole lot, I didn’t like ‘The Royal Tennenbaums’ or ‘The Big Lebowski’ when I first saw them… but now their two of my all time favorites… in short… I tend to give movies a second chance… and ‘Gerry’ is one of them. The films cinematography and score are amazing, but I didn’t really ‘get’ the story until I found out it was based on a true events… and then I ‘got’ it. That said… I am still surprised ‘Gerry’ made it all way to the top 25… but hey… I made the rules and ‘Gerry’ prevailed so it deserves to be here.
**********
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a 2002 fantasy-adventure film directed by Chris Columbus and based on the novel of the same nameby J. K. Rowling. It is the second instalment in the Harry Potter film series, and is written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman. The film starsDaniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, alongside Rupert Grint andEmma Watson as Harry's best friends Ron Weasley andHermione Granger. The supporting cast features Richard Harris, Kenneth Branagh, Jason Isaacs, Christian Coulson andRobbie Coltrane.
**********
Hero is a 2002 Chinese-Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. Starring Jet Li as the nameless protagonist, the film is based on the story of Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin in 227 BC.
Hero was first released in China on October 24, 2002. At that time, it was the most expensive project and the highest-grossing motion picture in Chinese film history. Miramax Films owned the American market distribution rights, but delayed the release of the film for nearly two years. It was finally presented by Quentin Tarantino to American theaters on August 27, 2004.
Film Note: We could totally learn a thing or two about making action movies from the Chinese. The fight scenes in ‘Hero’ are more like watching a painting than it is a movie. It’s so fluid and rich.
**********
Insomnia is a 2002 American thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank. It is a remake of the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name. The film was released on 24 May 2002.
**********
Panic Room is a 2002 American thriller film directed by David Fincher and written by David Koepp. The film stars Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, Dwight Yoakam, Kristen Stewart, and Patrick Bauchau. The story concerns a mother and daughter taking refuge in a safe room during a break-in of their home by three armed robbers who are after millions of dollars stored in a safe.
**********
Punch-Drunk Love is an American romantic comedy written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Luis Guzmán also appear.
Film Notes: I just love this film. Don’t ask me why… I just do.
**********
Road to Perdition is a 2002 American period drama film directed by Sam Mendes. The screenplay was adapted by David Self, from the graphic novel of the same name by Max Allan Collins. The film stars Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, and Daniel Craig. The plot, taking place during the Great Depression, follows a mob enforcer and his son as they seek vengeance against a mobster who murdered the rest of their family.
Performance Spotlight: Jude Law. For the second list in a row, Jude gets a tip of the hat for another stellar performance.
**********
Secretary is a 2002dominant/submissive-themed romantic comedy-drama film directed by Steven Shainberg. It stars Maggie Gyllenhaal as Lee Holloway and James Spader as E. Edward Grey. The film is based on a short story from Bad Behavior by Mary Gaitskill.
**********
Signs is a 2002 American science fiction thriller film directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It was adapted from a screenplay also written by Shyamalan. Executive producers for the film comprised, Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, and Sam Mercer. The story focuses on a former priest named Grahan Hess, who discovers a series of crop circles in his cornfield. Hess slowly becomes convinced that the phenomena is a result of extraterrestrial life. Veteran actors Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, and Abigail Breslin star in principal roles. Signs explores faith, kinship and extraterrestrial life.
**********
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 fantasy-adventure film directed by Peter Jackson based on the second volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It is the second film in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy that was preceded by The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and concluded with The Return of the King(2003).
**********
The Rookie is a 2002 drama sports film directed by John Lee Hancock. It is based on the true story of Jim Morris, who had a brief but famous Major League Baseball career. The film stars Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez, and Brian Cox.
**********
Welcome to Collinwood is a 2002 American crime comedy film about five small-time criminals, from the Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland, who try to organize one last big job. The story is a remake of the 1958 Italian film I soliti ignoti by Mario Monicelli.
**********
Whale Rider is a 2002 New Zealand drama film directed by Niki Caro, based on the novel of the same name by Witi Ihimaera. The film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a 12-year-old girl struggling to become the chief of the tribe. Her grandfather Koro believes that this is a role reserved for males only.
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