Best Films of 2002

Spielberg's most underrated film is actually my second favourite of all his works. It's got everything - mystery, science fiction, suspense, drama, and superb action. Special effects and music are terrific too. It all boils down to a movie where time travel actually is done realistically and few plot holes abound. Plus, it's got a great Tom Cruise performance. Yes, those exist.

Everyone's got those particular elements of movies that just tickle them pink. You know - you see a movie then something happens and you're like "Yes, I love it when they do that". I know my girlfriend feels that way anytime stars are used in movies, or ponies :P For me, something I love is when two antagonists - hero/villian, villian/villian, or even hero/hero - meet and put their fight aside for only the briefest of moments, in order to share a civilized conversation. Pacino and De Niro did it in Heat, Foxx and Cruise did it the whole movie of Collateral. It happens here too, in what is one of my most favourite, and definately one of the most underrated, films. People don't like it because 1) it takes it's time developing it's characters (imagine that), and 2) it's characters are assholes. No one is painted nicely here - every character, main and supporting, are flawed individuals that do terrible things. That's what the whole movie's about - normal, average, every day people being pushed to their breaking points. In fact, watching it again, I was reminded of Lord of the Flies, in that the most ordinary and even "good" of people can do terrible things when shit on by life. Luckily the movie ends on an optimistic note, or this movie would cause suicides. But it's a brilliant, brilliant film. I've loved it ever since I first saw it, and seen it probably over a dozen times. It's the small details that make it so special - a girl swallowing her spit after her speech, a lip quivering when one's crying, the bartender putting a slice of lemon on an alcoholic's glass. It's perfectly written, perfectly performed, and wonderfully directed. Great film.

Better than I expected. American Beauty? Nowhere near. But it certainly did the best it could with the available material, and I thought the acting and cinematography was exceptional all around.