When I went through a list of what had been released last year, I was surprised to find more good movies than I had expected to find and not all that many really bad movies. Here are my favorites, in order of preference:

The Top Ten Movies of 2000:

1. The Perfect Storm – they told a fascinating story and told it so well that I read the book right after seeing the movie.

2. Cast Away – this film struck a chord in me that is hard to explain but has to do with having one’s assumptions about life changed radically and seeing things from a different perspective for just a brief period can change you for the rest of your life.

3. State and Main – the best comedy since American Beauty, this spoof of the US film industry should win David Mamet a best original screenplay Oscar and maybe one for best director (I hope).

4. High Fidelity – John Cusack and Jack Black play a couple of jaded hipsters working in an alternative record store. The humor isn’t for everybody, but if you are into non-mainstream music, there are lines in this movie that will tear into you.

5. Traffic – When Steven Soderbergh really gets it right, the result is a great film that entertains and makes you think as well.

6. You Can Count on Me – a great little independent film – there haven’t been too many of those recently. If Laura Linney gets a well-deserved Oscar nomination for best actress, maybe a few more people will see this gem.

7. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

8. Requiem for a Dream – a great film but depressing and not for everyone.

9. Gladiator

10. Center Stage – another underrated independent film that deserved to be seen by many more.

Honorable Mention (in no particular order):

Thirteen Days

Unbreakable

Girlfight

O Brother, Where Art Thou

Proof of Life – Russell Crowe was great in Gladiator but even better in this story about a kidnapping set in South America.

The Worst Movies (that I saw) of 2000:

It is so much fun to slam bad art that I am surprised that I was able to come up with such a short list of notably bad movies. Mind you, I probably missed the worst of the worst (e.g. Little Nicky and Blair Witch 2.) So here are the worst that I actually saw in 2000, worst first:

1. Dancer in the Dark – when a pretentious art film goes bad there is absolutely nothing worse. If there is a God and if you are sinner, expect to see this kind of hand-held-camera torture in the third circle of hell. It completely baffles me that otherwise intelligent people actually put this in a top-ten list.

2. Battlefield Earth – Scientology meets Hollywood and the result is not pretty. This piece of crap will take its toll on John Travlota’s career for years to come.

3. The Beach – a movie with an environmental theme in which a beautiful unspoiled island-park in Thailand is bulldozed and otherwise butchered for what – Leo at his hammiest.

4. Autumn in New York – when Richard Gere tries, for whatever reason, to make an adult, serious movie, the result is always really, really bad.

5. Charlie’s Angels – Drew Barrymore (who produced and acted in this remake of the, at best, forgettable TV series) is in danger of becoming the female Adam Sandler. A few more pantloads like this and …

Special Award for the Worst Film of 2000 by a Highly Talented Director: Erin Brockovich by Steven Soderbergh