Best (and worst) Movies of 2000
Once again the MISFITS pundits have taken a poll to compile our list of top
films for 2000. Because we live in the frozen north, we had to wait a long
time to catch up on our 2000 films and that means you are seeing this list a
lot later than - say - Roger Ebert. Well, if you are reading this, you
probably got to see these movies as late as we did so you will forgive us.
The rules are (kind of) simple. Votes are weighted by their position in
someone's list. First place is worth ten points, second nine, etc. Top
five lists were prorated so a first place vote was worth ten, but second was
worth eight and so on. A few people submitted unrated lists or lists that
consisted of some number other than five or ten. In that case, each vote
was counted for five points. Votes for worst film were rated in a similar
fashion. First place was -10, second -8, etc. Obviously the voter could
choose only a bottom five. Arbitrary? You bet! But that's the way we did
it.
This year we had 42 films receive at least one vote for best film and 23 for
worst. Twelve people submitted lists.
Unlike last year, when The Sixth Sense and The Matrix were far away from
the pack in 1st and 2nd, this years pack is closer together. In fact, 2nd,
3rd and 4th are separated by only one vote! Two of five best picture
nominees made the list (only Gladiator and Chocolat are absent). Genre
films didn't fare as well this year because - well - there weren't that many
good ones (see the worst list for genre titles).
This year was tougher for most voters to score. The votes were spread out
far more and there is a general consensus that 2000 was not the great film
year that 1999 was. Still, there are some great films on this list and many
are well worth the time to watch if you missed them.
Anyway, here is the final list - enjoy!
| Rank | Title | Score | # 1 Votes | Votes |
| 1) | Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon | 66 | 3 | 8 |
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Emerged as a favorite with almost everyone who saw it. One of the few films
this year that most voters actually felt lived up to it's own hype. Had the
highest average score (8.25) of any film receiving more than one vote.
"This movie has something for everyone -- action, romance, and the best
fight
scenes I've ever seen." - Mike Lee
"...subtle, beautiful performance by Michelle Yeoh" - Windy Merrill
"If it has been a long time since you have seen something truly fresh and
new, you need to see this
movie" - Tim Wick
|
| 2) | Chicken Run | 50 | 1 | 7 |
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A less than stellar year for feature animation still produced this gem.
"Great movie for kids as well as adults" - Jeremy Stomberg
"It's funny and it's got cute chickens. Scottish ones, even" - Todd M.
"I have great fun playing 'Name the movie that scene references'" - Mary
Bertelson
|
| 3) | Traffic | 49 | 1 | 7 |
| |
This film was carried by it's magnificent cast and quite possibly by the
fact most of our voters agreed with it's political message.
"One of the truest movies of the last several years" - George Richard
"the characters were compelling and the situations didn't seem forced or
unnatural" - Pat Wick
"Probably the most important movie this year" - Windy Merrill
|
| 4) | Unbreakable | 48 | 2 | 6 |
| |
This film created the largest amount of dissent in our voting pool. In
addition to two first place votes, Unbreakable received one vote for worst
film of the year.
"Like The Sixth Sense, it should not be discussed in detail until it has
been watched" - Tim Wick
"I went in without knowing anything besides the title, director, and the two
major cast members" - Mike Lee
"We want movies like this to be kinetic and fast, not slow and methodical.
It is precisely this paradox that made this
movie such a powerful experience for me" - Tim Wick
|
| 5) | X-Men | 42 | 1 | 8 |
| |
Tied with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for most votes. Clearly a
favorite of genre fans hungry for a good comic book film.
"If you've ever felt like a misunderstood mutant, chances are you'll like
this movie" - Eric Heideman
"Hugh Jackman brings the excitement, Anna Paquin carries the emotional load"
- David Christianson
"Successfully melds superheroes into the real world" - Jeremy Stomberg
|
| 6) | O Brother Where art Thou? | 32 | 0 | 6 |
| |
A move that was certainly helped by being a lover of the Coen brothers
unique sense of humor. Probably would have been rated higher had more
voters seen the film.
"The humor is situational and timeless and the Coen brothers have shown real
versatility" - George Richard
"Funny and poignant" - Pat Wick
|
| 7) | Cast Away | 29 | 0 | 5 |
| |
The film made the list of almost everyone who saw it. Most felt that the
much maligned final third of the film was the emotional center of the film.
"The eventual resolution will break your heart even as it fills you with
joy" - Tim Wick
"I was moved by how simply and elegantly Tom Hanks moved through those final
scenes" - Windy Merrill
|
| 8) | Erin Brockovich | 27 | 0 | 6 |
| |
Interestingly, almost everyone who picked this film mentioned they are not a
big fan of Julia Roberts. All took the time to praise her performance.
"[Julia Roberts] does well as the not perfect crusader, trying to get
justice while looking out for her own interests" - Mary Bertelson
"Albert Finny was wonderful in this movie" - Pat Wick
|
| 9) | Snatch | 19 | 0 | 4 |
| |
Guy Ritche strikes again. He gets married to Madonna and he cracks the
MISFITS top ten. We wonder which he will value more?
"Wraparound plot, blindingly cool visual style, punchy dialogue, and proof
that, given the right script and director, Brad Pitt can shine." - Jeremy
Stomberg
"It's a thrill ride that I thoroughly enjoyed" - Windy Merrill
|
| 10) | Return to Me | 18 | 0 |
3 |
| |
Just about everyone who saw this little movie had kind words for it.
"Charming is an awful word to use when describing a movie, but it really
fits this one" - Tim Wick
"This is the only movie I saw twice in the theaters" - Pat Wick
|
| 11) | High Fidelity | 14 | 0 | 3 |
| |
Created some division, but still made the list.
"I could relate, well-made, well-written" - Todd M.
|
| 12) | American Psycho | 16 | 1 | 2 |
| |
Made the list because of a first place vote. Could well have fared better
had more of our voters seen it.
"The best (most vicious, that is) satire of modern elitism I've seen" -
David Christianson
|
| 13) | Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker (uncut) | 15 | 0 | 3 |
| |
Technically a straight to video release, but you can't see the version these
people voted for.
"The best movie not released in 2000" - Windy Merrill
| | 14) | Frequency | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| |
Also received several honorable mention nods.
"...a must for the Sci-fi geek, great paradox, excellent story" - George
Richard
| | 15) | Thirteen Days | 13 | 1 | 2 |
|
|
Again made the list because of a first place vote. Also may have been
higher had more voters seen the film.
"This is proof that making peace can be as riveting as making war" - Mary
Bertelson
|
Honorable mentions:
As usual, a few films deserve mention because they missed the list, but have
something that makes them worthy of mention.
Charlie's Angels
Received more votes than movies ranked 10 - 15 (four), but had lower average
placement and no first place votes to drive it into the final fifteen.
"Not a great film, but a great MOVIE" - Tim Wick
Dancer in the Dark
Notable as it is the only film with a first place vote to miss the list.
Probably because the person who voted for it was the only voter to have seen
it. "a story of unfulfilled dreams and the giving of oneself for another" -
Jeremy Stomberg
The Emperor's New Groove
Low total score, but received three votes and an honorable mention from the
four people who actually saw the film.
"If you rate a movie by quotability - this was a winner!" - Windy Merrill
Vote!
Worst of 2000
Mission to Mars
No-one who saw this stink bomb escaped unscathed. It received a spectacular
7 votes in this category, 4 first place. Total score was a whopping -53!!
"I could fill a page with a list of plot holes, but I've invested too much
time in this movie already" - Tim Wick
"A better title for this pooplog would have been '2001 For Dummies'" -
Jeremy Stomberg
"It was the most ludicrously bad thing I've seen since...well, Godzilla" -
Windy Merrill
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Narrowly edged by Mission to Mars. Perhaps because many people were
warned off the film by those who had already suffered through it. A great
deal more moral indignation was aimed at this movie.
"To take a charming tale of the true spirit of Christmas and turn it into
this piece of excrement is the greatest travesty that I can imagine" - Tim
Wick
"Overblown, overacted, and containing plot twists that ruined the message of
the original [story]" - Mary Bertelson
"It managed to take a simple parable about the meaning of Christmas and
COMPLETELY MISS THE POINT" - Windy Merrill
Dungeons and Dragons
Again may have missed out on some votes because many of us were warned away
from the film.
"A friend I went with called it 'Competently shot, badly scripted, and
drunkenly edited'" - Jeremy Stomberg
"I had forgotten there were movies that were this bad" - Todd M.
Battlefield Earth
John Travolta once again tries to sabotage his career.
"This shameless ripoff of John Christopher's Tripods trilogy was nice and
loud, at least" - Jeremy Stomberg
"totally uneducated wild men become good fighter pilots of 1000 year old
unserviced Harrier Jets (with a few hours of training in a working
simulator)" - Pat Wick
Scary Movie
Most of us avoided this in the theatre. Then we made the mistake of renting
it....
"The humor cannot even be ranked as juvenile because I know juveniles who
could have written better humor" - Tim Wick
Vote!
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