The Most Underrated Movies of 2002

[dave durbin]

1. 13 Conversations About One Thing

-not a superb film by a long shot but Alan Arkin's performance deserves to be seen more than Nicholson's work in About Schmidt.


2. Femme Fatale

-a dream of a beginning sequence; a great example of turning your mind off and just going with it.


3. Frailty

-Film Comment just blasted this as one of the worst of the year but this Stephen King-with-a-soul contains some good acting and disturbing moments.


4. Session 9

-not a great film but it does have one of the most creepy someone's-not-alone-in-the-dark moments. (PS- if this didn't come out in 2002 please forgive the error.)


5. Sex & Lucia

-Y Tu Mama Tambien got all the hype but the real eroticsm was to be found in this dreamy hot flick that makes covering your body with sea mud look like the best thing to do for yourself.


6. About a Boy


-no matter what anyone says, the film is still a bit too precious for my taste but Hugh Grant displays the kind of charm and appeal similiar to Micheal Caine in Alfie or Tom Courtney in Billy Liar.


7. Secretary

-welcome back James Spader (whom I've loved since Tuff Turf) and Maggie G- however the hell you spell her name is fabulous.


8. Nine Queens

-my good friend thought this was a movie about English homosexuals (no lie); once the Argentinian accents hit our ears and the cards were laid on the table, we were both pleasantly surprised.


9. 8 Women

-any colorful French film murder mystery musical with Catherine Denuve and Isabelle Hupert can't be all bad.


10. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

- I went kicking and screaming but I'm now a slight fan. (PS- no I have not read the damn books.)

[pmw]

The one I would most agree with you on is Femme Fatale. I loved it, you loved, the general public didn't and Im not sure why. Too many plot twists? There was certainly enough sex to keep everyone excited. Some others:

The Son - Jean Luc and Pierre Dardenne
Biggie and Tupac - a documentary by Nick Broomfield
Spirited Away - finally getting some attention.
And how about a controversial one, Jackass!
I thought it was brilliant in a certain way.

P

[dave durbin]

I haven't seen Spirited Away or Biggie & Tupac (they played only briefly in my city) yet but thank you for the recommendations.

[Johann]

Indeed Femme Fatale was underrated. But the most underrated film on your list was 8 Women. Where is the recognition?

This film was textbook filmmaking. Everything in it/about it was awe-inspiring to me. I don't know, it was almost an epiphanal (is that a word?)viewing. I felt like I was watching a lost french film from the fifties that was just unveiled for the world to see- restored and with stereophonic sound!

i could not stop laughing during Firmine Richard's number "Pour ne vivre seul"- the context was absolutely outrageous. Yes, I was feeling no pain that night, but still, I saw it sober as well and it is CLASSIC.

[Perfume V]

I specifically avoided Femme Fatale because it looked set to continue the once-talented de Palma's slow descent into becoming Jess Franco with a budget. His last good film for me was Carlito's Way, and his last truly great one was Carrie.

On a sunnier note, Sex and Lucia is indeed fantastic. I'm a great fan of the Latin New Wave, but I found Y Tu Mama Tambien sophomoric and obvious, whereas Sex and Lucia has great mystery, lyricism, eroticism and all those other things that are nigh-on impossible to fake. It seemed to play a bit better in the UK than in the US, but Tambien still trounced it both critically and commercially. Which is a shame, and can only be attrbutable to the obsession with adolescent, immature views of sexuality our culture seems in thrall of, rather than a genuinely mature film about sex, which is what Lucia represented.

[dave durbin]

I agree with you 100 % on 'Y Tu' and 'Sex' and thank you for saying it. I liked 'Mama' but I didn't get swept up in its craze; I much preferred the quiet, richly mature erotic intensity that Lucia has.

Check out Femme though. The first 15 minutes are truly incredible and DePalma's wit has never been sharper. I recommend it.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Perfume V I found Y Tu Mama Tambien sophomoric and obvious, whereas Sex and Lucia has great mystery, lyricism, eroticism and all those other things that are nigh-on impossible to fake. It seemed to play a bit better in the UK than in the US, but Tambien still trounced it both critically and commercially. [/B]
I am in no way writing to criticize any film directed by Mr. Medem, director of Vacas, Lovers of the Artic Circle and other films brimming with mystery and great visuals. Just to reiterate the majority opinion regarding Y tu Mama Tambien, a sex farce/road movie with three dimensional characters and a subtle analysis of the socio-economic divisions within Mexico. And yes, the "most-fun" sex scenes since "Sex and Zen". Maybe some of the subtext got lost in the translation, but I don't think so, given the accolades from the english language press.

[Johann]

"Lovers of the Arctic Circle" was a viewing I'd re-live over and over.

God I love that film. It personifies "Unknown", so get your little butt to a video store. It being Valentine's Day, you couldn't pick a better flick to see with your valentine...

[oscar jubis]

We do seem to like the same movies. You seem willing to delve into the unfamiliar with open heart and sharp senses. I like your anecdotes and observations about your favorite personalities like Kubrick, Cagney,etc. Igby and Amadeus are only the last two of several films I've enjoyed (and reexamined) because of your recommendation. I also notice how you appreciate cinema beyond its ability to tell a story and entertain. It'd be fun to disagree with you more often though.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Perfume V

On a sunnier note, Sex and Lucia is indeed fantastic. I'm a great fan of the Latin New Wave
Where did you here this term? What do you mean? If by "Latin" you mean spanish language, there's nothing new about them, except possibly your exposure to them and/or their distribution in your country or region.

[tabuno]

It's great to see somebody post About a Boy and Secretary as underrated movies. Both did receive some recognition by some of the Award festivals. Both these movies are little gems and push the envelope, making them more than just the usual movie stuff. Both extend their performers into new territory. Secretary was probably too eccentric to many audiences and About a Boy just didn't catch on fire, the "basic" notion having been done before and so the initial response was overwhelming which led to its faltering box office reception. But Hugh Grant brought his typical British humor to this above average, more mature comedy.

[tabuno]

Just out of curiosity, looked at the IMDb user ratings for "About A Boy" and was I surprised, 7.7 and the demographic breakdown was about the same across the board of age and gender - really a good rating considering. If you haven't seen this movie, go rent it. You will be entertained and rewarded for your efforts.

[Perfume V]

Originally posted by oscar jubis

Where did you here this term? What do you mean? If by "Latin" you mean spanish language, there's nothing new about them, except possibly your exposure to them and/or their distribution in your country or region.

The Latin New Wave is a term being commonly used in British and American magazines for recent acclaimed films from South America, Mexico, Spain, etc. like Y Tu Mama Tambien, City of God, The Trespasser, Nine Queens, Amores Perros, Japon, Perfume de Violetas and The Crime of Father Amaro. Of course, the term doesn't mean to imply that there were no Spanish-language films before this any more than critics talking about the French New Wave mean to imply A Bout de Souffle was the first film ever made in France. What it does refer to is a new energy, confidence and willingness to tackle social issues in the cinema of these nations that has emerged within the last few years.

I believe Latin nations have a phrase for it too, which translates as 'Good Wave', but I've only heard that used once.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Perfume V


The Latin New Wave is a term being commonly used in British and American magazines. What it does refer to is a new energy, confidence and willingness to tackle social issues in the cinema of these nations that has emerged within the last few years.
It's all about creating a cute term to explicate and excuse ignoring and neglecting to review/cover/distribute/exhibit cinema from spanish-speaking nations. Latin films with "energy, confidence and willingness to tackle issues" have always been plentiful. Francisco Lombardi, Juanma Bajo Ulloa, Arturo Ripstein, Adolfo Aristarain, Victor Gaviria, Eliseo Subiela, Almodovar and Saura of course, and so many others have had long, brilliant, prolific careers. There are times when the film output of a specific nation dries up for political or economic reasons, but another country steps up. Problem is you have no access to these films in english-speaking nations unless you attend certain film festivals primarily taking place in Miami, L.A., NYC, San Diego and Chicago.
Ain't that a bitch?!

[Perfume V]

I can't say I'm wholly surprised. I mean, Alex Cox has been working in Mexico since the early 90s. Still, it doesn't change how I feel about the films, and that's the important thing.

[oscar jubis]

It's also important that others like you get access to the films you mention and all the spanish language films you'll never hear about. For instance, Trespasser (O invasor) won the Latin Cinema award at the 2002 Sundance and was not picked up for distribution in the US, Japon will open exclusively in NYC next month, and Arturo Ripstein (in collaboration with his screenwriter wife) will continue to release his masterpieces in Mexico and Spain exclusively. So many worthy films don't have the luxury of being considered underrated or overrated simply because they are subtitled.

[Perfume V]

The situation's slightly better in the UK. The Trespasser had a reasonable art-house run late last year, and should be out on video within the next few months. Japon came out on Friday. I still can't help but think there's a lot more out there that I'm missing out on, but it's a start.