"2000: Needles in a Haystack" by Scott Mantz

Boy, time sure flies when you're having fun!

It feels like just the other day that I sat down, cracked my knuckles, and started typing away at the computer to list my favorite movies of 1999. It was an exciting experience--and it was simple too, considering that there were so many great movies to choose from.

Just to refresh your memory, rewind the calendar to August of last year, which saw the release of not one, but two excellent films--"The Sixth Sense" and "The Iron Giant." One month later, "American Beauty" came out, followed by "Three Kings," then "Fight Club," then "The Insider"--well, you get the idea.

It was a glorious time for movie buffs looking for quality pictures from the major Hollywood studios. Heck, even "Entertainment Weekly" was impressed, calling 1999 "the year that changed movies." Yep, there was no doubt about it. The future was looking pretty bright, thanks to what I like to call "The Promise of 1999."

Well, what a difference a year can make. For months we waited, and we watch ed, but with very few exceptions, "The Promise of 1999" gave way to "The Disappointment of 2000." The summer turned into to the fall, and expectations naturally ran high for the time of the year when the studios release the so-called Oscar contenders. Despite a lot of hype, even they pretty much failed to deliver the goods.

Box office records aside (and there were plenty of them!), the Millennium comes to a close not with a bang, but with a whimper. The general consensus is that 2000 will go on record as being one of the worst years for quality movies in recent memory. Finding a gem was like finding a needle in a haystack, but still, there were a few to be found. So without further adeu, here's my list of the top 10 best movies of 2000!

1) "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Ang Lee may have never directed a martial arts film before, but you would never know it judging by the results of this magical fairy tale. Actually, merely pegging the film as a martial arts flick doesn't do it justice. This isn't kung-fu--it's kung-fantasy. Between the romance, the humor, and the jaw-dropping stunts, the film transcends genres and defies gravity in a way not seen since the original "Star Wars" came out in 1977. The added bonus of stellar performances from Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, and Zhang Ziyi (who could show "Charlie's Angels" a thing or two) are like icing on an already delicious cake. One look at "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," and you'll forget all about "The Matrix." It's that good.

2) "Traffic." Where was this movie when the Reagans were preaching their "just say no" campaign during the 80's? Powerful, engrossing, and deeply disturbing, this is one movie that, like its subject matter, gets more addictive with each passing frame. Director Steven Soderbergh utilizes top-notch performances from, among others, Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, and Catherine Zeta-Jones to take an Altman-esque look at the war on drugs from the point of view of the Feds, the smugglers, the drug lords, and the users. Who wins? Nobody, except for Soderbergh, who proves that a director can balance mainstream success ("Erin Brockovich") with creative freedom without compromising his artistic integrity.

3) "Billy Elliot." Any father who's expecting his son to follow in his footsteps should be forced to watch this movie. Haley Joel Osment, last year's boy wonder, passes the "Best Kid in a Movie" baton to young Jamie Bell, who dances to the beat of a different drum in an effort to realize his dreams. The "little movie that could" did a whole lot, thanks to appealing characters, lots of charm, and a heart-tugging story. If the angelic and poetic final scene doesn't bring you to tears, then you better check your heart to see if it's still beating.

4) "Gladiator." Director Ridley Scott assumed his rightful place atop the throne of visionary directors by making what is easily his most visually stunning film since "Blade Runner." Russell Crowe became a household name with his stellar, strong, and superstar-making performance, while impressive supporting turns from the deliciously disturbing Joaquin Phoenix and the late Oliver Reed rounded out a stellar cast. Thanks to intense fight scenes and lavish production values, the Roman Empire epic was reinvented in such a way that people flocked to movie coliseums in droves. Let the copycats begin!

5) "Meet the Parents." Who would have thought that such a funny and commercial film could also turn out to be one of the year's best? Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller have incredible chemistry together and top their previous comic turns in "Analyze This" and "There's Something About Mary" respectively. De Niro goes for broke to deliver a funny, appealing, and surprisingly sensitive performance as the father who's daughter is too good for everybody. And the cat was pretty good too!

6) "Timecode." Whether this experiment in digital filmmaking was revolutionary or just plain pretentious is besides the point--you have to hand it to director Mike Figgis just for trying. The whole idea of watching four movies shot in real time simultaneously may sound like a headache waiting to happen, but Figgis draws your attention with volume control so you know which story to focus on. Still, that doesn't stop you from sneaking a peek at the other frames to see what everyone else is up to. You like to watch, don't you?

7) "Unbreakable." Easily the most misunderstood film of the year (like "Eyes Wide Shut" from '99). Maybe the tremendous success of "The Sixth Sense" was more like a curse instead of a gift for writer/director M. Night Shyamalan. Had that film never come out, he never would have had to worry about the inevitable comparisons that were sure to follow. OK, so "Unbreakable" is no "Sixth Sense," but it's still rife with plenty of impressive filmmaking, Hitchcockian suspense, and a killer "Twilight Zone"-inspired ending. Shot in the style of a moody graphic novel, this modern-day superhero story ends up being the best comic book movie of the year--even better than "X-Men." Can't wait for the next issue!

8) "What Lies Beneath." Critics trashed this summer blockbuster for being a blatant ripoff of Alfred Hitchcock's best movies, but that was the whole point. This love letter to "The Master of Suspense" combines "Rear Window" with "Psycho" to deliver plenty of edge-of-your-seat thrills and a riveting climax that features Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, and a bathtub (just see the movie!). The real horror is that despite what just may be Pfeiffer's strongest performance to date, she'll never get the Oscar nomination that she deserves. What's really incredible is that director Robert Zemeckis shot this movie while on a production break from...

9) "Cast Away." ...which reteamed Zemeckis with his "Forrest Gump" partner-in-crime, Tom Hanks. Just when you thought you'd seen Hanks do it all, he does it again. I mean, how many actors can spend more than an hour of screen time alone (with no musical score to manipulate your emotions), develop a convincing relationship with an inanimate object, and keep us engaged every step of the way? Hanks undergoes a remarkable "Raging-Bull"-in-reverse-like transformation to give him the appearance of the ultimate survivor, and the result is bound to be Oscar nomination #5. Call your bookies, and place your bets!

10) "Nurse Betty." Who would have thought that Neil LaBute, the director of the brutally funny "Your Friends and Neighbors" and "In the Company of Men," could spin this irresistible (and sometimes disturbing) little charmer? When somebody told soap opera fanatic Renee Zellweger to "get a life," she took it literally, driving halfway across the country and taking moviegoers along for a ride that ran every emotion in the book. If she doesn't get nominated for this, I'm canceling my subscription to "Variety."

While they didn't make my top 10, I also really enjoyed "American Psycho," "High Fidelity," "Best in Show," "Chicken Run," "Erin Brockovich," "My Dog Skip," "X-Men," "Bounce," "State and Main," "M:I-2," "The Opportunists," "Sunshine," "You Can Count on Me," and "The Emperor's New Groove."

You're probably thinking, "all these movies and no mention of 'Almost Famous?'" The fact is, I love Cameron Crowe's films. He has an uncanny knack for making every scene count to the point where they feel like mini movies unto themselves. That said, while I liked many elements of "Almost Famous," I was not blown away to the point where I could sing its praises. In short, "almost" wasn't quite enough for me.

And so, fellow movielovers, another year of celluloid, popcorn, and ignorant yakkers has come and gone. So what does the new year hold? Well, I'm glad you asked.

As most of you probably know by now, Hollywood has been scrambling to prepare for the impending actors and writers strike, which threatens to cripple the entertainment business. In an effort to stockpile films so they have something to show if the strike goes on for too long, the studios have been working double-time, even green-lighting projects that might not have seen the light of day under normal circumstances. Considering how slim-pickins this past year was, and that's when Hollywood works at regular speed, can you imagine how these new movies will look like under the rushed conditions? It scares me to think about it.

What I would like to think about is that maybe--just maybe--"The Promise of 1999" may have just skipped a year, and 2001 will finally pick up the ball. I'm certainly looking forward to "Snatch," Guy Ritchie's follow-up to "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrells," Tim Burton's so-called remake of "Planet of the Apes," and the Tom Cruise-Penelope Cruz starrer "Vanilla Sky," directed by Cameron Crowe. And of course, the re-issue of "2001: A Space Odyssey" (now, there's something to tell your kids!).

And that's how I see it! If the time flies as fast as it did over the past year, then I'll see you in a few days with "The Best Movies of 2001!" Stay tuned...

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