Catch up with the idea behind this series here.
After being overlooked in 1995, Ron Howard finally got a pat on the back from Oscar in 2001 for “A Beautiful Mind,” which was Russell Crowe’s second Best Picture winner in a row. If that wasn’t bad enough, the inaugural Best Animated Feature award went to the unwatchable “Shrek,” making this one of the more dubious overall years in Oscar history.
In my opinion of course. “Chicago” isn’t much better but 2002 at least threw us a nice curveball when Adrien Brody became the youngest Best Actor winner in history and Roman Polanski became the oldest (and fugitiviest) Best Director for “The Pianist.”
At four hours and 23 minutes, the 2001 ceremony is the longest ever, made worse by the fact that Whoopi Goldberg was in charge of it. At least they got Woody Allen to show up for the first time ever for a post-9/11 tribute to New York. I’d suggest the entire ceremony be relocated to New York if it meant Woody would host.
Steve Martin came back in 2002 and trimmed things up by almost an hour. Way to go, Steve! He also delivered what might be my favorite Oscar joke ever- “In “About Schmidt,” Jack Nicholson plays a retired insurance executive who climbs into a hot tub with Kathy Bates. But hey, who hasn’t?”
Also, Eminem!
2001 – “Pootie Tang” (Louis C.K.)
Did I just lose some readers? Have those readers actually seen “Pootie Tang?” With a total box office gross of $3.3 million (the lowest of any MTV Films production), it’s quite possible that most readers haven’t. I happened to give it a chance on a lazy summer afternoon with my buddy Ray and we laughed the entire way through. At the time, I wasn’t film savvy enough to get all of the blaxploitation satire, but there was still plenty for me to enjoy. Louis C.K. directs like he’ll never get another chance to make a movie (he hasn’t), spoofing hip hop culture, capitalism, journalism, African American family dynamics and corporate greed among other targets.
The character originated as a sketch on “The Chris Rock Show” and Rock was instrumental in getting the project to the big screen as well. He also does acting duty as Pootie’s father, a member of his entourage and a number of other assorted characters, appearing as a stalk of corn at one point (pictured above), in one of the film’s more wonderful surreal moments. For anyone who has ever complained that Rock could never translate his amazing stand-up humor to his big screen material, “Pootie Tang” is the closest you are going to get.
Lance Crouther plays the title role with the proper amount of swagger, although his skinny frame and geeky face lend an interesting juxtaposition to the character. He speaks his own language and makes his own rules, and perhaps the failure of the movie to connect with audiences has to do with him being such a bizarre protagonist. The film basically relies on Crouther to simply keep a straight face while the world reacts around him and for that, he is perfectly cast.
Going back to the humor, I’m always partial to a bit of irreverence and Dadaism, which is not usually found in African American cinema. To that end, “Pootie Tang” remains a one-of-a-kind movie. Less concerned with homage than “Black Dynamite,” and infinitely sharper than “Undercover Brother,” it’s on par with the best “In Living Color” used to offer and a particular type of humor that is sorely underrepresented on the big screen. Perhaps it’s telling that C.K. and most of the cast (J.B. Smooth, Wanda Sykes, even Crouther as a writer) have found all their recent success on the small screen.
2002 – “Gerry” (Gus Van Sant)
Not exactly what fans of “Good Will Hunting” were expecting when they heard Damon, Affleck and Van Sant were back together again. And not just because they substituted Ben for Casey. “Gerry” is one of the more divisive films to come out in the last few years, with some members of the press that were present at its Sundance launch insisting that the entire thing was a prank on the audience. In case you don’t know, Affleck and Damon both play characters name Gerry, who go for a hike in the desert, get lost and wander around. Occasionally they use the word “gerry” to mean “mistake” or “screw-up.”
Not much happens. The characters don’t speak much and when they do, it’s stunted phrases with strange fabricated compounds (“dirt-mattress”, “rock-marooned”, “scout-about” etc.). One famous shot tracks with the two from behind as they walk in the desert and the sun rises… for seven minutes. It’s devastatingly beautiful. In general, the camerawork conceived and executed by Van Sant and Harris Savides is a marvel, and thankfully so, because many times it’s the only thing to latch onto as a viewer. The movie runs 100 minutes long and features exactly 100 shots, which may or may not be by design but does give you a great sense of the pace that it runs at.
Is it antagonistic? Sure. But this is a film about being lost in the desert. It’s supposed to be boring. It’s supposed to be serene. It’s supposed to be contemplative. It’s okay to have your mind wander as a viewer because it’s still the images and the film that are serving as the springboard for that. You will reach a point where your mind wanders back to the “nothing” happening on screen and you’ll have engaged in some sort of call-and-response narrative to the film. You may find yourself wondering, “When will this end?” “What am I gonna make for dinner?” “What are those characters possibly thinking?” “Who financed this thing?” None of that takes away from the visceral sensation you’ll get watching the film. You will feel like you know what it’s like to be lost from civilization with nothing but your thoughts and the silence to distract you. You will be in there with those guys.
Van Sant’s rigid formalism could be seen as an apology for “Finding Forrester” or a well-documented tip of the hat to Béla Tarr, but in either case, you have to hand it to him for sheer commitment. He not only stood by his own terms on this film, but two more in his “Death Trilogy,” with less effective results. Perhaps because this film features one bona-fide A-list movie star and another up-and-coming talent that it feels so much more adventurous. In some ways, that invites the kind of criticism that asserts these rich assholes are fucking with us, but in other ways it’s an incongruity that challenges us to rethink what commercial cinema could and should be.
“Gerry” is a conceptual art piece as much as it is a movie, but anyone familiar with actual experimental cinema would argue that it’s as pop as “Transformers.” If it can serve as a gateway to me, and possibly others, into exploring both sides and their common ground, then it has to be worth something.
Those are my picks. What do you guys think?
[Photo: Sony Classics]
[Photo: New Yorker Films]
Comments
56 responses to “LIFE WITHOUT OSCAR: 2001 and 2002”
No. I have not seen “Pootie Tang”, but you get points for shock value!
Pootie Tang is one unique movie. Surreal is the word to define it.
And contains the film debut of Kirsten Bell in the credits. An automatic win in my book.
I like Gerry because I can leave in the middle of the movie without pausing, go to the dry-cleaners or the bank or wherever, then come back to the movie and literally not miss a thing! Don’t get me wrong, I like the movie. I appreciate the pace of it, which is weird I don’t usually respond to movies like Gerry.
Shrek unwatchable, really? I thought it was great.
I think “Morvern Callar” and “Punch-Drunk Love” are worth mentioning for 2002. Two excellent films.
Yeah, unwatchable is a little bit strong. It’s understandable that some people don’t like it, but Shrek is far from unwatchable.
Gerry! What a great film. Van Sant’s best.
Between liking Ron Howard and hating on Shrek, yeah, I’d say I’m glad this column will soon end. You tastes suck.
And, frankly, 2002 was the best movie year ever:
Minority Report
Two Towers (Best LOTR film)
The Signs
Spirited Away
Millenium Actress
Catch Me If You Can
The Pianist
The Hours
Adaptation
About Schmidt
City of God
And so many more. Can’t touch this year.
I hate Ron Howard
I agree. For me, 2002 was – far and away – the best year for film of the 2000’s.
2009 was my favorite year of the 2000’s, just my two cents.
And ‘fugitiviest’ is one of my new favorite words!
Both Pootie Tang and Freddy Got Fingered were brilliant and misunderstood.
What’s your beef with Whoopi? Have you yet to experience the brilliance of Jumpin’ Jack Flash?
Sean Connery really pissed me off when he got my queen Kathy Bates’ hopes up for a 2nd Oscar when he announces Zeta-Jones by simply saying Cathy. WTF man – Does he know how cruel and confusing that can be?
Anyone seen Max from 2002 with John Cusack? A mostly undiscovered gem of a film about the rise and development of Adolf Hitler as he pits his artistic career against that of a political career.
For 2001, I am going to throw out Frank Darabont’s The Majestic. I loved it- from Jim Carrey to Martin Landau. The story might have veered a bit off track towards the end, but it was one of the best films of 2001.
Pete,
Agree with you that 2002 was a great year for movies. You’re right, the list is endless.
Here’s two that you missed:
Gangs of New York
Road to Perdition (which, IMO, was the year’s best film)
2007 and 2008 were also good years for film.
My picks:
2001: Life as a House
2002: My Wife is An Actress
Though, Gerry is my #1 pick for 2003.
I’ll throw out another two films from 2002 that haven’t been mentioned:
Insomnia
Moonlight Mile
And, of course, Unfaithful and Far From Heaven.
2001 seems to have been a weak year for non-nominees, so I guess I’ll go with “Ocean’s Eleven” — it didn’t overwhelm me upon first viewing, but it’s gradually become one of my favorite disposable pleasures.
For 2002, my clear pick is “Kissing Jessica Stein”, my second-favorite romantic comedy of the decade (behind “High Fidelity”).
2001: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (John Cameron Mitchell)
2002: Enigma (Michael Apted)
(2002 was a frustrating year, because two of my all-time favourite films were honoured but under-represented: “About Schmidt” and “Adaptation.”)
I’ll add that “Enigma” is particularly memorable for me because it offers one of Kate Winslet’s best and most against-type performances, along with excellent art direction and costume design and a phenomenal ensemble.
These were some of the best:
2001: Memento, Waking Life, Ghost World, Amelie
2002: Far From Heaven, Unfaithful, The Pianist, Adaptation, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Punch Drunk Love, Russian Ark, Deserted Station
’02 does seem to be the better year.
Again, this is for films with NO OSCAR NOMINATIONS:
2001:
(tie) Hedwig & the Angry Inch, In the Mood for Love
Runners-Up (alphabetical):
Bully, Ocean’s Eleven, Tape, Waking Life
2002:
Punch-Drunk Love
Runners-Up (alphabetical):
Solaris, Stevie, The 25th Hour
By the nose….
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned “Donnie Darko” from 2001. 2001, actually, being my favourite year of the decade because it gave me my #1 and #2 films of the decade – “Mulholland Drive” and “Moulin Rouge!”
I remember seeing “Gerry”‘s very first Melbourne public screening at the last true arthouse cinema in the city (now closed, called the Lumiere) with a crowd of 8 others. I laughed for several minutes at Affleck’s “Wheel of Fortune” gag and some fuddy duddy man at the back asked me to be quiet. He eventually became one of two people to actually walk out before the end. I prefer “Elephant” though (which, in a perfect example of the strange land of international distribution, was released before “Gerry” here).
Anyway, my choice for 2001 would be, without a doubt, “Lantana” (and I know Guy is with me on this). Whatta masterpiece! I’d also say “Hedwig”, “In the Mood for Love” and – in Chad shock fashion – “Dancing at the Blue Iguana”.
2002? I’d go with “Femme Fatale”, “Beneath Clouds”, “Panic Room”, “Rabbit-Proof Fence”, “The Tracker” or “Notorious C.H.O.”
The first Shrek is unwatchable? You’re kidding, right?
My say:
2001: Donnie Darko
2002: One Hour Photo
Oh crap. I forgot 25th Hour technically came out in 2002. That’s the one that needs to be mentioned.
Shrek IS unwatchable. And Donnie Darko is horrible.
FACTS:
Ron Howard makes films that are technically “perfect” and completely soulless. It pains me to no end that he is heading “The Dark Tower” adaptation….. If someone had said, who is the one person you would NOT want to handle material you hold near and dear…. my answer would always be Howard.
2002 was the best year in film for the decade.
Pootie Tang is awful.. an no, you don’t have to watch it to know that… ;-)
2001 was a great year. I’d have to echo the shout out to In the Mood for Love. Hypnotic, lush, achingly sad. Maggie Cheung deserved major awards kudos that year.
There’s loads to pick from 2002. Secretary, Morvern Callar, The Piano Teacher…I’d pick Monsoon Wedding though. Gorgeous film, great soundtrack. Shefali Shetty and Naseeruddin Shah kill me in the film.
“Sean Connery really pissed me off when he got my queen Kathy Bates’ hopes up for a 2nd Oscar when he announces Zeta-Jones by simply saying Cathy. WTF man – Does he know how cruel and confusing that can be?”
Dude, that’s simply not true. He said “Catherine.” Check it out on youtube if you don’t believe me.
Please, people…stop stating your OPINIONS as fact.
I thought “Shrek” was unwatchable too until I saw “Shrek 2” and looked REALLY unwatchable horror in the face. It tooks “Shrek 2” to make me appreciate “Shrek” as just an overrated movie that I couldn’t stand. I’ve said the sequel was one of the absolute worst films of the decade and I stand by that.
People, this series has been going on for many, many months. WHY are there still mentions of Oscar-nominated films?
“Life Without Oscar” means listing favorite films of ours that were not Oscar-nominated.
Correct? Every week (or two) when I read these I feel like I’ve lost my mind i.e., heading off to imdb.com to realize — yep — this person just mentioned a movie that was nominated for 4 damn Oscars. haha
For me: 2001 – Life as a House. I bawl everytime.
“Ron Howard makes films that are technically “perfect” and completely soulless. It pains me to no end that he is heading “The Dark Tower” adaptation….. If someone had said, who is the one person you would NOT want to handle material you hold near and dear…. my answer would always be Howard.
2002 was the best year in film for the decade.”
I completely agree with everything you said, Gareth, except for Howard’s films being technically perfect. They do feel very sterile, if that’s what you mean, but his ineptness at being artistic makes its way into how the films are made. Exampel include everything from Splash to Willow to Grinch to this year’s horrid Dillema trailers.
I can only imagine what further levels of hackdom will be scaled and conquered with Dark Tower.
Uwe Boll is still by far the worlds’s worst director though. Howard is superior in every concivable way.
And Glen, I really liked Shrek the first I saw it and now have grown to near love it. I loved Shrek 2 the first time I saw it. This is as good an animated franchise as any out there.
“Please, people…stop stating your OPINIONS as fact.”
Well yeah you know that’s just like your opinion, man.
It also worth adressing two of the most overrated films of the decade that came out in 2002:
Unfaithful and Solaris.
One is a simplistic, moralistic, deterministic carp, overpraised and almost offensive in its onesided view of infedelity. Also weepy and dumb with an overrated work from Diane Lane.
The other is a collosal misfire from Soderbegh, that offers nothing over the previous (already flawed) USSR production and whose shorter running time buys it no more satisfaction.
A movie where nothing clicks or works till the very end – and then it just coasts on the sheer visceral strength of source material, a screenplay that’s been dumbed down to such an extent that Lem, who famously called Tarkovsky and i0Iiot would have to write another science fiction novel here had he seen it.
All underlying an out-of-depth perfomance by Clooney.
And then there’s the shallow but openly hateful 25th hour. A movie that vents through itself and its actors and filmmakers. There is compelling staff here but I’m turned off.
Hmmm, I’m not any sort of huge Howard fan, I think he’s a fine director who’s made several good movies, but I’ve never thought of him as a divisive filmmaker.
And “Chicago” winning over far more deserving titles like “The Hours” and especially “The Pianist” is still to me, the greatest crime in Oscar history.
2001:AI. without question an amazing film that will be remembered more fondly
2002: Catch Me if you can and Minority Report were sadly overlooked.
Spielberg had a great decade despite what people may think
Wow.
Can’t say I was surprised by Pootie Tang, as you have praised it previously. I never knew Louis C.K. directed it, though. I just saw him live last week, and it was glorious.
Werckmeister Harmonies and Fat Girl would be my choices for 2001, with Tenenbaums and its Oscar right behind it. In 2002 it would be Punch-Drunk Love and 25th Hour.
Rashad, I may just frame what you wrote there and put it on my wall, with full credit to you. Reading those lines makes me very happy as it only matches my sentiment (these things happen) but is something that isn’t said enough or said in that particular way.
Spielberg is still extremely popular, of course, but this last decade, which is well summarized by 2001 and 2002, had seen him at absolute heights of his diregard for what his enormous viewerbase might think. It’s not that he’s gone berserk or anything but the man mostly stopped the narrow range of some of his fans from .
A.I. is a masterpiece. Everything Kubrick wanted from Spielberg (and yes, he wanted exactly this – the ending defines the film) and somehow more. It is a movie of such profound sadness and heartbreak that it makes The Fountain seem cheery by comparison. Few get it though (it has, somehow, proven a harder nut to crack then the Fountain or even the aforemtnioned Van Sant trilogy, that’s another reason I decided to concentrate on this film).
And it doesn’t pander to anyone at all. There is nothing cutesy about it, not even for a moment. Somehow that, too, was seen as a flaw, which astounds me. Do people really not get what the Teddy Bear actually represents?
There is sci-fi and then there’s science fiction. True science fiction shutters boundaries and seeks emoitional connection. A.I. isn’t just emotional, it is nearly draining to me. And the end, the very end of the film grows quite naturally from it’s beginning.
And, unlike the void and ultimately pointless Slumdgod Millionaire which works like an escalating series of blows, the ending actually means something. And there is no dumb dancing to pretend that everything is ok.
Oscarless it is indeed, A.I. is my film of the decade.
That and Spielberg’s subsequent films have all been not just dark but rather pissed off actually.
That’s not to say that I don’t think he will not or cannot make an optiistic film. I think when that project comes along he’ll make the most out of it. May be, Tintin would be just it.
Pootie Tang? Just stick to Box Office, Chad.
Cha know, I really don’t get the hate for Whoopi as host. I think her humor speaks to the average American yet for some reason oscar pundits prefer the dry and bland humor of someone like Steve Martin who always comes off like he’s perpetually smelling something foul. Oh well, you can’t please everyone but I would take Whoopi over Martin or Jon Stewart any day.
with·out
–preposition
1.
with the absence, omission, or avoidance of; not with; with no or none of; lacking: without help; without shoes; without her helping me; without him to help.
2.
free from; excluding: a world without hunger.
3.
not accompanied by: Don’t go without me.
4.
at, on, or to the outside of; outside of: both within and without the house or the city.
5.
beyond the compass, limits, range, or scope of (now used chiefly in opposition to within ): whether within or without the law.
Maxim, remember when you cursed me out over calling AI a bad movie?
Well I thought I’d be an adult and just ignore it but now I have one word for you – Cunt.
Remember? You are not that memorable. Clearly you cared more about what I said then I will about you. Thanks for making me glad that I did. Amateur neurotic b*itch.
Here’s to five more years of neurosis for ya.
A.I. was nominated for Score and Visual Effects. And it’s my #9 of the decade.
Gerry? I liked the rest of the “Death Triology”, in fact I loved Elephant, but I hated Gerry. For 2002 I’d probably go with Talk to Her (though at the time I’d have gone with Far From Heaven).
I. LOVE. POOTIE TANG.
Brilliant choice.
Pootie Tang FTW!!!!
Wow, until this moment I’d never imagined I’d watch Pootie Tang.