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"WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2001 - 9 Picking the best from a dreadful year in cinema LB BN BN BN BN BN BN BN BN BN BN SCREENING ROOM By John Foote In a year such as this, fraught with political and world turmoil, it seems insignificant to be selecting the best films of the year. . Cinema however has always offered audiences a refuge and temporary escape from the problems of the world and the many social events that shape our society. Escaping from the headlines, this year, seems more important than ever. 'What a shame that 2001 is among the worst years in recent movie history. Films were bad, bad, bad this year, with just a dozen or so worthy of being named in the same breath as the best. Usually when I sit down to compile my yearly 10 best list, my short list numbers 30 to 35 films. This year I started with 15 and whit- tled it down to five. My worst list, which appears next week, was much easier because I had such a bounty of bad films to choose from. On the following list you will find the very best of a bad year, but I must admit, the best represent some of the finest cinematic works 1 have ever seen. Peter Jackson's stunning The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring towers over all other releases this year and is my choice as the best film'of the year. In fact, I am going to step out on a limb and state that this, the first of three films based on 'Tolkien's famous trilogy, is among the greatest films ever made. Following are my selections for the best films of the year: The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring; Ali; A.L.: Artificial Intelligence; "In The Bedroom; The Shipping News; The Royal Tanenbaums; Vanilla Sky; A Beautiful Mind; Shrek; The Man Who Wasn't There. 1. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING... is a bold, magnificent adventure based on the first book of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy about Middle Earth and the war that ensues over a ring containing magical powers that, if in the wrong hands, allows its bearer to conquer the world. Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) becomes the caretaker of the ring, thus a target faced with enduring the wrath of the evil sorcerer who seeks the prize. In his stun- ning film, director Peter Jackson creates a magical world of elves, hobbits, and gol- lums with great heroes and the darkest of villains. A fairy tale for adults, the film is both a startling epic adventure and intimate study of good versus evil. What astounded me about the film is the creation, the absolute creation of the world envisioned by Tolkien all those years ago. Superb performances from Elijah Wood, lan McKellan, Cate Blanchett and Viggo Mortenson domi- nate the film. A remarkable work of art. 2. ALL.. dominated by Will Smith's superb performance as the one-time heavyweight champion of the world, Ali is a strong biography because it looks at the subject warts and all. The glaring weakness of a biography such as Gandhi (1982) is that the filmmaker refused to explore Gandhi's flaws, thus we have a subject who virtually walks on water. Honest biographies came into being with Oliver Stone's Nixon (1995) and Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992), both powerful films to which Ali owes a debt. Focusing on Ali's life spanning the years 1964 to 1974, the film looks at his conversion to Muslim, his being stripped of his title and finally the rumble in the jungle in which he won back his crown. Will Smith gives the year's best performance as Ali, slipping underneath the skin of the char- acter, completing inhabiting the role. Beautifully directed by Michael Mann, this is a fascinating character study. 3. Al: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE... of all the films I have seen this year, this is the one I have never been able to get out my head. Brilliant but confounding, dark yet full of hope, A.l. is the most con- tradictive film I have ever seen. Originally a Stanley Kubrick property, Spielberg agreed to direct the film before Kubrick's death in 1999 and then decided to shepherd the film into exis- tence. The film takes the Pinocchio story to heart, creating an adult version of the tale with strong futuristic overtones. Haley Joel Osment is a miracle in the "role of David, a robot boy created to feel pure love for his owners. The film is often frightening, yet at its core is possessive of a pure heart. It seems to be the work of two directors who both clash and com- pliment one another over the course of the work. The film provokes debate and discussion and, despite the lukewarm reception it received when released last June, I think it is among the best work of Spielberg's career. In years to come the film may be heralded as a masterpiece. 4. IN THE BEDROOM... this disturb- ing film opened in Canada at the Toronto International Film Festival and is the first feature film directed by Todd Field, who displays an uncanny gift for directing actors. Sissy Spacek gives the best perfor- mance by an actress this year as a griev- ing mother who cannot come to terms with the shocking murder of her son. Spacek's grief spills off the screen and grabs the audience by its soul, shaking it to attention. Oscar awaits her. She is equalled in the film, by of all people, Marisa Tomei as the grief stricken girlfriend of the mur- dered lad and Todd Wilkinson as the father who shuts off his emotions. The film is spare, very intimate and the type of picture that gets under your skin and deeply impacts on the viewer. One of the crown jewels of the independent film scene this year. 5. THE SHIPPING NEWS... based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, this fas- cinating character study is the work of director Lasse Hellstrom (The Cider House Rules;1999). Beautifully acted by Kevin Spacey, who portrays a writer try- ing to find himself in Newfoundland, the film never goes where one thinks it should or necessarily will. Spacey is an unusually confident actor with the uncan- ny ability to disappear under the skin of the character he is portraying. RUNNERS-UP include Monsters Ball, Monsters Inc., Training Day, and The Majestic. Oriental : Pak: E | 99 907 g A Vi 2b Bs Zi BONUS! FREE PLUM SAUCE with the purhase of each Oriental Party Pak (250ml/8.8floz- $1.69 retail value) Port Perry Store N 1874 Scugog St., Port Perry » 985-1202 EVERY TUESDAY IS.. 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