2002 was a year of despair and desperation at the movies. No, not because the films
were bad. Quite a few of them were excellent. But the stories were dark, bleak, and
troubling. Danger, oppression, and grief came from all directions. Sure, there were the
usual invaders from outer space. But this year, self-absorption, doubt, paralyzing grief,
and long-repressed anger proved much more difficult enemies.
In many movies, sudden and violent deaths deeply wounded those close to
the deceased. The parents and fiancé of a murdered woman fumbled for hope and healing in Moonlight Mile. In Signs,
a reverend turned against God after the death of his wife. In Love
Liza, a widower numbed himself to the pain of his wife's suicide. A girl named Morvern Callar coped with her boyfriend's suicide by
partying hard and taking expensive vacations. A gangster took his son out on a vengeful
crusade against the man who killed his family in Road to
Perdition.
Several characters suffered grief, loneliness, and fear as consequences
of their own behavior. One man (Time Out) seemed
unaware of his sin, and continued telling lies to friends and family, running into deeper
and deeper distress. Another (Minority Report) helped
design a presumptuous and chancy crime-fighting system, only to find himself trapped in
his own designs. Others (About a Boy, About Schmidt, Adaptation)
discovered they had wasted opportunities, and scrambled to assemble a meaningful life or
make some kind of connection before it was too late. In Songs
from the Second Floor, an entire city of vain, cruel, and self-destructive
people plunged themselves into suicidal despair, ignoring the image of Christ, which they
had turned into a commodity. Only a few characters (Catch Me If
You Can, Insomnia) found grace on the other end of living in denial.
Young men grappled with years of repressed anger, coming to strikingly
different conclusions. Antwone Fisher found healing
through the help of a counselor and a longsuffering girlfriend, eventually rising to
confront those who had wounded and angered him in the first place. Barry Egan (Punch-Drunk Love) was prone to violent outbursts because of
his seven punishing sisters; nevertheless, he learned to control his anger and restrain
himself when provoked. Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars, Episode Two:
Attack of the Clones) lashed out, thinking anger and force would solve
everything; thus he suffered pangs of conscience before his inevitable surrender to the
dark side. Two men exploded in anger on the highway in Changing
Lanes, setting in motion a series of violent and cruel acts. And in Narc, vengeful anger entangled two cops in a complex web of
lies and cover-ups.
Many heroes grappled with conscience at the edge of revenge or
violence. John Anderton (Minority Report) and Barry
Egan (Punch-Drunk Love) tried to muster the strength
for restraint while facing down their enemies. British journalist Thomas Fowler (The Quiet American) and Wil Dormer (Insomnia)
investigated the dirty dealings of bad men, only to arrive at apprehensions of their own
guilt. The heroes of Atanarjuat—The Fast Runner and
Gangs of New York returned from hiding to regain
control of tyrannized people, but one found room for mercy where another brought down
judgment without flinching.
Women seemed preoccupied with enduring or escaping the pressures of bad
marriages. They longed for release, for new passions, new beginnings. Diane Lane (Unfaithful) and Parker Posey (Personal
Velocity) played women falling into lust and infidelity in spite of happy
marriages. Julianne Moore played two troubled housewives—in Far
from Heaven and The Hours — struggling
to remain faithful while suffering either loss of passion or the realization of
infidelity. A shop clerk tried to be The Good Girl as
her husband struggled to become more responsible and caring. In Chicago,
Roxie did not give infidelity or murder a second thought, and the world rewarded her sins.
The mother of Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Catch Me If You Can)
was so desirous of the American dream that she willingly sacrificed the happiness of her
husband and her son.
Only a few of these films offered any substantial hope. Frightened,
persecuted heroes walled themselves in against their enemies (Panic
Room, Signs), but some found courage to "ride out" from behind the
walls to meet the enemy face to face (The Two Towers).
A handful of adventurers found support in their communities (Ice Age, The Rookie, About a Boy.) Others took refuge in the
safety and grace offered by others (Atanarjuat, The Pianist, The Two Towers).
You could count on one hand how many characters bothered to consider the help available
from heaven. Thus, many were moved by the calls to a Higher Power for rescue in The Two Towers and Signs.
Most stories ended in angst and the disintegration of families and dreams.
A year of severe wrestling with hard questions of
morality, conscience, and meaning.
Unfortunately, not a year of
masterpieces. I've seen about 20 films that had elements of greatness mixed with serious
flaws. If it hadn't qualified as a 2001 picture, Gosford Park, which
opened in 2002, would have easily topped this list. But it didn't, so it doesn't,
coming in only fourth on my list of last year's great films. This year, there's only two
films worthy of competing with those five...
Only two films
made me stand up and applaud at the end. And thus they are the first two films on my list
...
1.
The Pianist
The Pianist tells a familiar story but with flawless artistry, never
falling into sentimentalism. Schindler's List was like watching a documentary. It
bombarded us with information and as many angles on the tragedy as we could stand; then it
wrapped up with a breakdown and floods of tears. A major work, but perhaps a little too
ambitious. The Pianist, on the other hand, anchors us in the perspective of
one man, with all of his questions, fears, and unknowns. It is as though we have been
assigned to journey alongside a Jewish man picked at random from the many in Warsaw.
The Nazis disrupt and destroy the lives of this Warsaw community through a series of
worsening humiliations. First, the banishment from community gathering places. Then the
required armbands. Then a mandatory forced exodus to another place: a ghetto. Rumors
precede each excruciating stage of the crisis, and the characters go from scoffing at the
news to hovering beside the radio, trembling in fear of whatever nightmare will emerge
next. What seems unbelievable becomes vividly and violently real. And we understand that
this was not a time of heroes, but of survival.
Through all of this, Wladyslaw Szpilman,
a quiet, introspective, even self-absorbed musician, watches his family sucked into the
black hole of the Nazi agenda, and goes on the run. Adrien Brody's performance is
masterful. Some have criticized him for being to dull, but I think that is one of the more
effective aspects of the film: We are not given a charming, suave, clever hero, but a
flawed and fumbling human being who never once comes up with a great escape or an
inspiring speech. He survives, his love of music providing a way to dream. We are given
vital evidence of the power of art as a language that communicates higher realities, and
thus hope, to the lost and the suffering.
Polanski offers us no evidence that he knows why art is so sustaining, or from whence such
grace comes. But you get the feeling that he is telling us his work as a filmmaker is the
same thing as Szpilman's work as a pianist. It is the way he wrestles with the darkness of
his past and finds glimmers of meaning, the will to go on.
2.
Punch-drunk Love
Punch-drunk Love told a story that was
unpredictable from one moment to the next, confusing and bewildering many critics. Many
walked way, uncomfortable with the experience of all these new ideas. But I was
enthralled, because each time I saw the film (I've seen it four times so far) I found that
everything in it ties together, creating a deeply meaningful whole. The harmonium, the
pudding, the big red truck, the 99-cent store, and the mysterious appearance of
Lena: these are symbols of indescribable grace. And by grace, Barry learns to release,
control, and master his anger.
Punch-drunk Love tells an unpopular and bold message to tell moviegoers:
that revenge and anger are the actions of weaklings and immature men. It portrays true
courage as learning to release our feelings into art, music, and love instead of violence.
And somehow it makes Healthy Choice pudding a vehicle for grace. Thus... more than just
coupons are, in the end, redeemed.
I'm convinced that Paul Thomas Anderson is
the most inventive and exciting filmmaker getting wide distribution today.
3.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
This is no sequel. It's just the second part of an 11-hour film.
So much here is done with brilliant craftsmanship and breathtaking vision that Towers stands
next to Fellowship of the Ring as one of the greatest fantasy films of all time.
These films are so rich, so impressively acted, so complex and rewarding, they make the Star
Wars prequels seem like the work of amateurs in every way but special effects.
The story continues to be one of hope in hard times, although this episode comes closer to
the edge of despair. Gollum takes center stage as the greatest animated character ever to
be incorporated with living actors. He may not be 100% convincing in his appearance, but
his personality makes you forget about that. We come to care for this tormented monster.
I do have gripes... enough of them to say it was a disappointment... but you can find
those listed in my lengthy review. If Jackson is as faithful to The Return of the King
as he was to Fellowship of the Ring, it will truly be a landmark event. If
he continues to change the way Tolkien's characters behave and think, as he does in this
episode, I worry that the project film will fall short of the promise that Fellowship revealed.
4.
Spirited Away
Hayao Miyazaki's latest is another phenomenal fantasy epic. Echoing Alice in Wonderland and a hundred other favorite fairy tales
from around the world, Spirited Away is a landmark
of dazzling handcrafted animation and fast-paced adventure. The ending stumbles a
bit—the spunky central character prevails based on a lucky guess, not on anything
intuitive or earned. But along the way she becomes an admirable heroine, exhibiting
patience, kindness, and grace to friends and enemies alike.
Miyazaki's characters are complex and surprising, not the kind of thing you'll
find in Disney films (even though Disney helped distribute this.) And as a parable of the
fears children face as they grow and undergo changes, the story is quite profound. There
are a thousand visual wonders along the way, and a spirit of discovery, humor, and
playfulness that makes this a more joyful experience than any of the other fantasies
released this year.
5.
The Rookie
I thought I would hate this film. It's a sports
movie, so it's predictable. It's a Disney sports movie for the family! So it's
going to be predictable and sentimental! It's about a guy following a dream, so it will
use all kinds of shortcuts to try and make me cry.
Nope. This is, to my utter astonishment, as down-to-earth, authentic, affecting, and
convincing as Chariots of Fire. Instead of glamorizing a hero who cares only
about proving something to the world, it stands as a story about a community working
together to help someone pursue their passion. And it is honest about the cost.
Dennis Quaid steps up to deliver the best performance of his career.
6.
Italian for Beginners
Italian for Beginners is the latest film produced as part of a series called
Dogme. The films use handheld cameras, natural lighting, and restrict the use of makeup or
effects that are beyond what would naturally occur. They challenge filmmakers to use great
imagination and inventiveness while forbidding Hollywood's typical tools. My favorite
Dogme work, The Celebration, is a profound and
impressive work (for discerning grownups); it's a ghost story and a morality play of
frightening intensity. Italian for Beginners is
a lighter, funnier, more romantic affair, but it stays just as vivid in my memory many
months after seeing it.
The film could be viewed as a comedy which stumbles into drama, or the other way around.
As in a Shakespeare comedy, we're given a group of men and women facing various
relationship challenges. These particular singles live very separate lives in Copenhagen,
with only one thing in common: they have all signed up for an Italian class. When
the teacher makes an early exit, an unlikely substitute takes up the job. As they continue
to learn the famously romantic language, dreaming of a visit to Italy, flirtations begin
and sparks start to fly.
The theme of loneliness and emotional damage manifests itself in many ways. To make
matters more complicated, one of them is a priest arguing issues of faith with his
predecessor. And there are even heavier dilemmas: some are in the midst of relationship
trouble with parents. One has just lost his wife. One lives a life scarred by fetal
alcohol syndrome. Not typical material for a comedy! There aren't any big twists or
shocking revelations or audacious stylistic endeavors. But the film is a rare delight
anyway: a joyous comedy that is at the same time grounded in real life with characters
whose company is a pleasure.
7.
Catch Me If You Can
Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can is a
whimsical adaptation of the autobiography of Frank Abagnale, Jr., who, for a time, was the
United States’ most notorious con-artist. At the same time, the movie is –
intentionally or otherwise – a remarkable parable about denying reality until reality
catches up to you.
From a light-footed screenplay by Jeff Nathanson, Spielberg has crafted what would seem
his most frivolous and fun film. It represents an interesting step for him as a
storyteller. This time, impulsive, spontaneous, self-centered behavior is not the stuff of
heroes but of cowards. Take that, Indiana Jones. Real heroes turn and take responsibility
for their actions. Frank is not a hero for his recklessness; but we like him because in
him we see ourselves... foolish, living in denial of our sins, running from judgment,
longing for grace.
8.
Atanarjuat - The Fast Runner
It's a miracle the film was made at all. Here is a memorable,
truthful myth set among the ancient Inuit people in the snowblasted landscapes north of
the Arctic Circle. See this movie on a big screen, and you will never forget its imagery
or its story, which is as essential, meaningful, and ambitious as an Old Testament epic.
Once again we have a film that did not score at the box office, partly because it suggests
that violent revenge is not the most heroic act of a man who has been wronged.
9.
The Quiet American
Michael Caine gives his best performance in this film... and that's saying a lot. Even
more impressive is that Brendan Fraser keeps pace with him. It's a bold and beautiful
story about a British journalist named Fowler living in Vietnam in the early 1950s. Caine
plays Fowler as cocky and cool, the kind of man who would leave his wife in London so he
could cavort in an exotic foreign land with a young beauty who loves him primarily for his
money. When the American shows up, claiming to be there for the good of the people, Fowler
knows that the man is up to know good. And just as nations go to war over a country that
they want to control, claiming they have only the best intentions, so will men behave over
a woman.
Thus, Graham Greene's profound story about Fowler and the American plays out a
parable that prophesies what would follow soon after its publication... the Vietnam war.
10.
The Hours
  
A gorgeous, heartbreaking film about the hopeless search for
lasting happiness. And it is indeed a hopeless search for characters like these, who
remain self-centered, even when serving others. But there are glimmers of truth in this
confused tangle of stories, and the film boasts the most impressive combination of
performances since Magnolia.
I walked away pondering a lot of tough
questions. I'm bothered by the film's subtle suggestion that homosexual
relationships are
more rewarding than heterosexual marriage. That smacks of reverse discrimination. but it
is not the central point of the film.
The thing that sticks with me is the film's
lesson about nostalgia and idolatry. We tend to fixate on particular individuals, hoping
to become them or fall in love with them, basing our happiness on how close we get to
that. Or, sometimes, we focus on a particular memory, a happy period of our life,
and try to regain that happiness. (Frank Abagnale, Jr. is compelled by that very fixation
in Catch Me If You Can; he wants the happy family of his childhood back.) To make
other people, other places, and other times the object of our desire and the foundation of
our happiness is a recipe for misery. These characters talk a lot about love, but they
seem misguided, viewing love as something to get rather than give. Joy, which is
more lasting and sustaining than happiness, is not based on temporal circumstances, or on
what others do for us. It comes from a knowledge that we are made, loved, and valued
unconditionally by God. And if we share that kind of love with others, we will
cultivate
even deeper and richer joy, no matter what mix of lesser happiness and dissatisfaction we
experience.
The Hours shows us a woman whose
misery leads her to a severe choice, one that carries many consequences. It is hard to
tell if the film is saying she is a hero, a monster, or just another lost and sad woman
making mistakes in the midst of anxiety. Exploring this question and the others in this
film will inspire many heated discussions. That is evidence enough for me that the film is
worthwhile and one of the year's best.
11,
12.
(tie)
Songs from the Second Floor
Time Out
Two tales that show us the emptiness of life without God, without love,
and without responsibility.
13.
Monsoon Wedding
The colors in this film seem to be, to borrow a phrase from This is
Spinal Tap!, "turned up to '11'. It makes us well acquainted with a
large number of characters in a short time, and we care about all of
them in the end, even if some of them seemed annoying at first. What
seems initially to be a formulaic story about how marriage can frustrate
true love becomes instead a far more mature, complex, and moving web of
stories. Mira Nair is a gifted storyteller.
14.
Adaptation
Writer Charlie Kaufman is clever, indeed,
and this film is relentlessly surprising. Most of the
surprises are unpleasant, and most of his characters are annoyingly
self-absorbed and ruining their lives. Kaufman's characters seem to come
in two varieties: intelligent lost souls who hate themselves and are
increasingly miserable, and simple-minded bufoons who occasionally act
out of a naive brand of kindness. Having griped about that, I must say
that the wonderful performances by Cage, Streep, and Cooper elevate this
film to something well-worth seeing. Furthermore, I'm intrigued by the
way the film illustrates the emptiness of an evolutionary worldview--the
characters who do whatever they can to succeed end up becoming amoral
and exploitative, whereas the central character learns that the life of
integrity comes at great cost to his pride and his pretentions.
15.
City of God
Fernando Mereilles' debut immediately
places him among the front ranks of filmmakers. City of God is an
astonishing work of energy, creativity, and conscience, characterized by
the intensity and courage of Martin Scorsese and a documentary-realism
that would be a joy to behold if the real-world situations he was
portraying were not so deeply troubling.
16.
Signs
Signs has been
criticized for being derivative, contrived, and even preachy. It is
derivative, in that it borrows elements from Steven Spielberg and
The X-Files (who borrowed them from The Twilight Zone,
Hollywood B-movies, and radio serials.) It is contrived; every
detail in the film seems deliberately placed so the film can turn out
just so. And preachy? A little. It sets up a situation that “proves” God
to its characters in ways that have some viewers rolling their eyes.
But in spite of these strikes against it, M. Night Shyamalan’s film
works on an emotional and psychological level to make us confront
uncomfortable issues. Do you believe in God? If not, where do you turn
when human resources fail? Is everything a matter of luck? Or do
seemingly random details of everyday life play a part in a large design?
17.
Personal Velocity
  
What a harsh, troubling, beautiful film.
Writer/director Rebecca Miller, daughter of Arthur Miller and wife of
Daniel Day-Lewis, assembles a great cast and gets three incredible
performances by Kyra Sedgwick, Parker Posey (perhaps her best
performance), and one of my favorites: Fairuza Balk. All three central
characters are in the midst of turmoil in their personal relationships,
and all are carrying serious emotional baggage. But the three respond to
their situations very differently, and it makes for one of the best
character compare/contrast-dynamics I've seen in a while.
If I could, I'd give Best Supporting Actress to the three of these
leads. I can't imagine any of them doing finer work, or any actresses
better suited to the characters.
It's not at all preachy, and yet I think it has a lot to say. Miller
deliberately gives us something like the beginnings of a jigsaw puzzle
about love... and she puts together just enough of the pieces for us to
guess the outline of the picture. A lot of sequences are broken up into
a series of stills, suggesting this is an illustrated version of
Miller's manuscript as much as it is a movie. It makes me want to find
the book, which apparently has several other stories as well.
18, 19.
(tie)
Insomnia / 25th Hour
With Insomnia, Christopher Nolan proves
he’s a formidable talent. He takes a solid foreign thriller and does
something almost unheard of in the embarrassing tradition of American
re-makes—he actually improves upon the original.
And in fact, he pulls off a feat that many directors have failed to
accomplish... he restrains Robin Williams’ familiar, wacky personality
and gives us the actor’s strongest, most disciplined and finely crafted
performance since Awakenings.
Insomnia's lesson is tha t the most dangerous man is the one who kills his
conscience. It's not unusual to see a heartless villain, but what about
a hero whose heart is growing cold? Most
big screen heroes work in varying methods of vigilante justice. Many
commit small crimes in order to stop those who commit big ones. And
audiences cheer. But who’s to say that the criminals themselves weren’t
trying to accomplish what they saw was good through unclean methods?
Insomnia is a tragedy, but it tells the truth about the wages of
sin. It’s one of the best American thrillers I’ve ever seen.
25th Hour also focuses on issues of inner corruption. Edward Norton
plays a drug dealer on his way to prison, saying farewell to his
friends, his lover, and his father. The more time we spend with these
people, themore we see that each of them have failed in some way, and
each is building a prison for themselves with their decisions. They
depend upon each other's friendship for hope, sustenance, and grace. And
they live in post-9/11 New York, a powerful metaphor for a nation that
seems in decline, where hatred is rampant inside the borders, where
hatred is moving in from all sides beyond the borders. As these
sorrowful souls examine their lives and their own errors, the film
becomes a lament for lost innocence, a reminder of the ideals we once
held dear, and as an exhortation to clean up the damage and strengthen
the things that remain.
20.
Sunshine State
 
This is a story
bold enough to explore issues of racism, the Disney-ification of
American history, the way religious zeal can become poisonous pride, and
the need for commitment and integrity in romantic relationships.
Sunshine State may be Sayles' most heavy-handed work in a decade or
more.But his writing is so good, and so convincing, he makes the
experience more like reading a complex and well-researched novel than
watching a movie. He gives his actors such complex, compelling
characters that their enthusiasm keeps us hooked throughout. In my
opinion, Angela Bassett and Edie Falco give better performances here
than any of the Oscar-nominated actresses this year.
21.
The Bourne Identity
One of the most polished, exciting
action films to come along in years, Bourne kicks off what we can
only hope will become a franchise. Matt Damon doesn't just show up... he
develops a unique, compelling character caught in a riveting moral
dilemma. At his side, Franka Potente nearly steals the show with her
tough, gutsy performance.
22.
The Lady and the Duke
Like a painting from the Louvre come to life, Eric Rohmer's story of a
brave Christian woman in 18th Century Paris is the most unique exhibit
of special effects this year. He brings to life the memoirs of Grace
Elliot, recounting her efforts during the French revolution to hide a
hunted man, jeopardizing her connections with the powerful Duke of
Orleans and placing her life and the lives of her servants on the line.
It's slow-moving and overly talky, but it does build to a suspenseful
and moving conclusion.
23, 24, 25.
(tie)
Gangs of New York
Star
Wars, Episode 2: Attack of the Clones
Minority
Report
Three films so amazing on
so many levels, they all could have been the best film of the year. They
each offer visions that I will never forget. Scorsese, Lucas, and
Spielberg have crafted some of the most thrilling sequences ever filmed.
But each one of these films stumbles in painful and unfortunate ways. I
walk away thinking of what they could have been.
Gangs of New York
features one of the two most impressive performances of the year. Like
Adrien Brody's Pianist, Daniel Day-Lewis's work as Bill the
Butcher shows what a dedicated actor can accomplish. It's another of
Day-Lewis's superhuman feats. The rest of the cast is impressive as
well. But the actors are almost overpowered by the context of the story
itself; Scorsese has conjured an enthralling re-creation of 1860's-era
New York.
If only Gangs of New York had been more historically accurate
about the riots. If only it had a hero I really cared about, and a love
story that seemed to exist for more than just to draw women to the
theatre. If only the film hadn't been badly edited, so pieces were not
so obviously missing.
Star Wars, Episode Two
is the greatest special-effects fest of the whole saga, and it includes
action scenes of awe-inspiring proportions. I'm also excited about the
way Lucas is drawing many disparate threads together for what promises
to be a brilliant finale.
If only Attack of the Clones had a director who let actors
act, and who left the screenwriting to a real screenwriter.
Minority Report
was a visually enthralling thriller, one of the best visions of the
future ever filmed. It has suspenseful and inventive action scenes, and
a strong cast. And it proves Spielberg can still deliver adrenalin-rush
adventure.
If only he had not tried to cram a tear-jerker story about a broken
family into the mix -- it just didn't work. And if only he had
seen how staggeringly implausible the last 30 minutes of the film really
are. [SPOILERS AHEAD] A cop on the run who still has
security clearance? A wife who can break into a maximum security prison
and use a gun to easily free her husband? And then that husband,
suddenly wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, five minutes later slips
unnoticed into a high-security tuxedo party ... where he confronts
the guest of honor for ten or fifteen minutes without anybody else
joining them? Come on.
26.
Far from Heaven
27.
Changing Lanes
Samuel Jackson and
Ben Affleck turn in remarkable performances as angry, road-raging men
whose fender-bender on a busy city street leads to a duel of tempers. I
found it hard to stop thinking about Changing Lanes after
leaving the theatre. I see myself mirrored in these anxious, hurried
individuals. Their need for speed makes them impatient. One of Doyle's
counselors (William Hurt) sums up the problem as an "addiction to
chaos." By asking audiences to consider the alternative of patience,
compassion, and Christ-like love, Michell and company have made this an
important and timely movie. In spite of its weaknesses, Changing
Lanes will remain a lasting and nourishing piece of filmmaking.
28.
Rabbit-Proof Fence
29.
Hell House
Hell
House speaks the truth about its subject--a
Pentecostal-extremist community trying to scare the Jesus into people.
And director George Ratcliff treats the material with fairness and
compassion. But the well-intentioned churchgoers in the spotlight shout
only semi-truths in a presumptuous, tactless fashion that remains
frighteningly un-Christlike. It is troubling, because there is a lot of
truth in what they are saying, but they seem to have forgotten the
way in which Christ shared the truth with others.
There is much to think about in this thorough,
challenging documentary. I encourage Christians to seek it out and watch
it with fellow Christians, discussing the tactics of Trinity Church and
the things that Jesus told us about ministering to the lost and feeding
His sheep. I encourage everyone else to watch it as well, and discuss
the difference between Christ's ministry and the "ministry" of these
high-pressure gospel salesmen.
30.
Roger Dodger
Other films that impressed
me:
Lilo and Stitch
Ice Age
The Believer
The Son's Room
Derrida
Worth
mentioning:
Bowling for Columbine
Frida
The Good Girl
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing
Max
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Road to Perdition
Panic Room
The Cat's Meow
The King is Alive
Near misses:
Solaris
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
Moonlight Mile
Spider-man
Stuart Little 2
The Count of Monte Cristo
K-19: The Widowmaker
City by the Sea
Forgettable:
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron
Late Marriage
Read My Lips
Die Another Day
Reign of Fire
We Were Soldiers
The Sum of All Fears
8 Mile
Little Secrets
Unfaithful
Suffered through:
Red Dragon
Men in Black 2
The Emperor's Club
Treasure Planet
favorite line:
"I
didn't ask for a shrink - that must've been somebody else. Also, that
pudding isn't mine. Also, I'm wearing this suit today because I had a very
important meeting this morning and I don't have a crying problem."
- Barry Egan in Punch-drunk Love
Moments of Grace in the Movies of 2002
I find that the moments that stick with me from
films are those in which I catch a glimpse of the way God works in the world. The moment
might play as a metaphor or a reflection of God's character or involvement in our lives.
Perhaps it is a moment of love or grace between characters, a mirroring of Christ, or
perhaps just a moment of great visual beauty.
Here are a
few of the moments in this year’s films that struck me as insightful. This is hardly
comprehensive... in fact, I hope to continue adding to this list as time allows. Some
titles, like Catch Me If You Can and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing,
are just jam-packed with profound and revealing moments and I have not yet included them.
Consider this a first round....
Feel
free to share the moments that moved your head and your heart.
In Sunshine
State, Angela Bassett’s faithful boyfriend struggles with insecurity
after learning her ex-boyfriend is a famous football star. But he remains with her,
patient throughout as she works out deep-rooted problems with her mother. He is a rich
man, a successful man, in nice clothes and fancy car here in the poor neighborhood. But
Sayles avoids the cliché… Reggie (James McDaniel) is a picture of patience and
grace, even befriending a sort of “foster son” who comes into their lives in
search of guidance. While his story is one of many that is quite unfinished at the end of
the film, his character speaks volumes; we are not worried about what will become of him.
In Atanarjuat
- The Fast Runner, Atanarjuat comes face to face with his brother who has
betrayed him. But living in the frozen, harsh conditions of their Arctic home, he knows
the value of an able, strong man in the clan. And he also loves his brother deeply. While
he has every right to be angry and to ask for some kind of judgment, he forgives his
brother. Moments later, he is separated from his brother forever. While the film does not
dwell on this, what a marvelous thing, to have made peace with his brother before the end!
Later,
Atanarjuat’s cleverness and endurance brings his enemy into his reach. He has a clear
advantage. He has even prepared for it… the revenge he has dreamt of. But Atanarjuat
has a heart bigger than almost any American hero I can remember. And forgiveness triumphs.
While the villain is forced to suffer a far more lenient consequence for his crime, he is
sent away to start his life anew, hopefully learning from his mistakes. Atanarjuat is,
perhaps, informed by his own sins, his own betrayals, about how hard it is to live well.
Perhaps that motivates his act of mercy. Whatever the case, Atanarjuat is a grand tale of
courage and survivor… and the greatest act of courage is that of forgiveness.
What makes a
relationship meaningful? In The Bourne Identity, Jason Bourne has
lost his memory. He's a clean slate. He cannot separate his friends from his enemies. He
meets a girl who is anxious for money. He bribes her into driving him to Paris. She
agrees, for the money. She gets something out of it. There is no real relationship. Then,
she decides to stay with him out of fear for her own safety. Still not a meaningful
relationship. But as he tells her about himself, shares his deep fears and reveals his
scars, she comes to care about him. She pities him, and yet she admires him for his
courage. She then begins to make decisions not just for her own good, but for his own good
as well. And in the end, she is willing to risk her life to stay with him, even though he
rejects this. He rejects this for her own good. Now there is a relationship. Now
there is meaning and the beginnings of love.
Jason Bourne
is a clean slate. He can make decisions. He refuses to be pushed around. He is free. But
before he lost his memory, he was sent to assassinate a political leader. As he pressed
the gun to the man's head, he saw a little girl clutching the man's chest. The girl's
wide-eyed gaze stops him. It awakens something deep inside him... his conscience. He
withdraws the gun. Refraining from accomplishing his evil mission, he throws himself into
the sea, only to be shot and nearly killed. But he lives. Jason Bourne's act of conscience
may have endangered his life, but it saved his soul, and his "second chance" is
a gift of grace, even though the film raises no suggestion of that. When Bourne turns
against his corrupt CIA supervisors, he says, "I'm on my own side now." Well,
perhaps. But if he is acting in love for his girlfriend Maria, and if he is acting on
conscience, he is not on his own side, but on the side of a higher cause.
In Star
Wars, Episode Two: Attack of the Clones, Anakin Skywalker is so distressed at
the deterioration of the Republic that he argues for the establishment of a dictator... a
good dictator, someone who will force people to do the right thing. And yet, he is
unwilling to subject himself to the guidance of wise and good men like Obi-Wan. He is a
living example of the human problem: wanting to impose what we view as right upon others,
and yet demanding freedom from guidance and any kind of law. It will be many years, after
he has become a monster, when he will face his son Luke. Luke does not submit to a
dictator, but he does not act merely as an individual. Luke acts out of love. Love is the
only higher authority that can heal what is broken.
Anakin's
grief at his slaughter of the Tusken Raiders is evidence of what remains of his
conscience. Even though these monsters enslaved and tortured his mother, Anakin is
devastated at his own murderous behavior. He can see that resorting to violence is turning
him into a monster as well. Later, Yoda and the Jedi will learn a similar lesson, charging
in to rescue their friends. By seizing weapons that can help them win, they amplify the
violence, and give another power access to powerful artillery. This new power is deeply
flawed, and will eventually use it for evil. Where is real love in this story? Only in
Obi-wan's dedication to finding out the truth.
The Jedi
represent the danger of becoming spiritually lazy. Confident in their strength and their
skills, they have let wolves past the fence. Unaware of the wolves' presence, their
arrogance leads them to play a part in the manipulation and plotting of the evil one.
Like Eric
Liddell's insistence on running for God's Pleasure, the aging father and husband in The
Rookie follows his dream of baseball, even when the odds are against him. Because
he is sensitive to his family's needs and is willing to give up his dream for their good
will, he thus has their support when he finally achieves the dream, heightening the joy.
Otherwise, it might have been a hollow victory indeed.
Y Tu
Mama Tambien: Sometimes God teaches us a lesson by giving us what we want. Two
reckless sex-obsessed teenage boys lustfully pursue a married woman. She, for reasons of
her own, gives them what they want. This leads to jealousy that permanently damages the
friendship, and it leads to embarrassment and greater loneliness because this intimacy has
not given them a deeper relationship with her at all. It has diminished them and made them
lose respect and trust. Now they must live with the knowledge that the pursuit of their
self-indulgent dreams has cost them something valuable.
Time
Out: We would like to be free of the curse of sin... the frustrating, tedious, and
seemingly endless work to be done in the world. When Vincent decides to live
"work-free", he realizes that he is not acting responsibly. So, to maintain his
pride and the respect of his family, he tells a lie. The lie grows and grows. Until
eventually the lie swallows him up. He is humiliated. He loses the trust of those he cares
about most. And after all, living work-free left him isolated, alone in his lie,
increasingly hollow. Work is hard, but it
gives our life meaning and it increases our relationship with others.
In About
a Boy, Marcus sacrifices his already-sunk reputation to sing “Killing Me
Softly” a capella in front of the student body. He’s learning that it is better
to strive to make others happy since we can’t make always make ourselves happy. That goes beyond happiness to cultivate something
deeper… joy.
In Minority
Report, John Anderton (Tom Cruise) embraces the psychic Agatha as he prepares to
meet his destiny. Their faces are juxtaposed, his stern and looking down, afraid, angry,
determined to do things himself. Hers faces upward, like the face of Joan of Arc in The
Passion of Joan of Arc, filled with light and rapt attention to the mystery. She is helping him without resistance, even though
she is weak, even though she has been treated as a slave. Even though she has been abused
and sapped of her happiness and peace. She gives herself him, persevering to show him a
better way. In the end, Anderton may succeed, but it is Agatha whose lasting scars haunt
us and move us.
Anderton and
his wife are divided by the fact that they do not share their grief. Anderton loses
himself in work and drugs. When they finally break down together and weep, they arrive at
a place where healing and hope are possible.
Anderton
gives up his eyes, and when he is given new eyes he is a new person. He sees things
differently, and maybe by thinking about somebody else he is given a hesitation to take
the law into his own hands.
When Anderton
takes drugs and turns on the videos of his favorite memories, we see him reaching out and
trying to interact with them, longing to be there. Nostalgia is death, says Bob Dylan, and
here is Anderton, paralyzed by memories, unable to move on. As he faces his wife, the
camera spins around and passes through her, emphasizing the emptiness of memories, the
need for immediate human contact.
By calling
the pre-cog chamber “the temple” the Pre-Crime unit betray a basic human need
for connection with the divine, an instinctual reverence to those who see into mystery.
But they have also enslaved the very people they revere. We are so inclined to box in,
define, and use those who are given to us as gifts, guides, and saviors.
Lilo and
Stitch: Stitch is a trained weapon, dangerous, bent on destruction. Lilo accepts him.
Loves him. Makes him part of the family. Shows patience with him. And he warms to her. He
finds that around her he has a place to belong.
Lilo is the
one who sees that in spite of their broken family, love can make it good. She’s also
the one who goes down on the beach wit her camera and marvels at the beauty of oversized
people, finding beauty where others do not.
Lena Leonard
embraces Barry Egan as he confesses to destructive behavior in Punch-drunk Love.
Barry has
long repressed the anger that swelled up in him during his younger years. Now, the volcano
is ready to burst. But through the grace of Lena's love for him, and the arrival of a
broken harmonium that he strives to repair, he learns more compassion, more patience, and
self-control. Thus when the final confrontation between Barry and his worst enemy arrives,
as the audience leans forward for a violent clash, Barry's triumph is that he exercises
self control and seeks a peaceful resolution. He is not entirely successful, but it is a
giant step in his personal growth, and a rare and wonderful climax for a movie.
The Two
Towers: “The Secret Fire” bestows upon Gandalf an exalted resurrection
body, returning him to Middle Earth. If only the Balrog had seen Star Wars:
“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly
imagine.”
Gandalf
brings the truth to Theoden, driving out lies and illusion, summoning up courage in the
heart of a king.
The elves
have mercy on men, stand with them in battle.
Aragorn,
offered an easy romance, remains faithful to the woman who loves him.
Samwise bears
with Frodo through thick and thin, even though Frodo’s weakness nearly consumes him.
Sam even holds his ground when the Ring turns Frodo against him.
Frodo argues
against Sam, pushing for pity for Gollum. When we admit our own weaknesses, it helps us
have mercy on others in their weakness. The pity of Frodo for Gollum will, in the end,
make a difference in the fate of all Middle-Earth.
The Ents: Why
do we ignore the second part of God’s command to “subdue AND replenish the
earth”? When we show respect to God’s creation, creation supports and enriches
our experience. When we abuse nature the way the Orcs abuse the trees, nature turns
against us and seeks to strike us down, the way the Ents march on Isengard.
Antwone Fisher: Dr. Davenport wisely waits for Atwone to take
steps for his own rehabilitation, instead of lecturing him and forcing him up the steep
hill of healing.
Antwone
faces his enemies and lets the truth do the fighting for him in the climactic
confrontation.
Cheryl cares
for Antwone even when he confesses his faults and struggles, stands by him, faithful and
supportive.
Moments of Grace
Observed by Readers
Andrew:
The one that comes back to me most is Changing Lanes
-- while it's definitely a flawed film (and went on 10 minutes too long, in my opinion),
the repentance and forgiveness demonstrated by the two main characters moved me quite
strongly. Perhaps it's because I've been studying the process of forgiveness from a
biblical and psychological standpoint, maybe it's because Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal of
a struggling alcoholic rang true to me (in my profession, I see these situations quite
frequently), perhaps because this film's resolution went against Hollywood's typical
vengeful outcomes -- for whatever reason, I was moved by it. To me, the director's
repeated use of cross imagery and the tale's occurrence on Good Friday hinted at a
spiritual underpinning to the film's events, which only made the film better in my eyes.
Nathan :
-
The final scene of "The Rookie"
-
The scene in "Minority Report" when Agatha is telling John and his wife about
their son's life
-
Mel Gibson's character's return to faith at the end of "Signs"
-
When Chihiro helps Haku after he has been wounded in "Spirited Away"
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