Honorable MentionsBeautiful Girls- A movie about a piano player who returns home and ends up musing about life and love. Some great monologues and great performances but very dialogue driven. Oh, and once again, Natalie Portman appears in a great role as a young girl mature beyond her years.
Princess Mononoke- Hayao Miyazaki's animated masterpiece is an epic adventure set in Japan and it combines a man versus nature plot with beautiful art and a wonderful soundtrack. I was lucky enough to see this on big screen and that experience was simply amazing. If you've seen it, the little tree people are called "kodamas."
Go- another movie directed by Doug Liman (Swingers) comes close to the top of the list. This is about a drug deal gone wrong but it is told from three different viewpoints. The movie is a great ride through rave and drug culture.
Searching for Bobby Fischer- I'm just personally inspired by this chess movie. Watching it gives me a great urge to play. Luckily, the movie taken by itself is quite good.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai- I've only seen this once and although it is very slow and almost artsy, watching the balance between the different themes of the movie is beautiful. Here's a great review of this movie.
Memento- I just saw this one recently and thought it was a brilliant concept. I woulda been so proud to have written or directed this movie because it's the most original and engrossing film i've seen in awhile. Of course, i've heard of some people who didn't like it but i don't understand those people.
Best Fifteen Minutes of a Movie
Last of the Mohicans- The very end part, right when the guy is about to be burned at the stake and on. No dialogue, just the soundtrack pumping Daniel Day-Lewis along. I could watch this ending again and again. For some reason it just resonates with me.
Stupid Movie Award
Canadian Bacon- I'm not a big fan of "stupid" movies and usually John Candy equals stupid movie in my book. But this one is written and directed by Michael Moore and it is hilariously funny because it satirizes the American government and the political system. Most people will dismiss this as idiotic but i think the little moments in this film are hilarious.
