Filethirteen's Best Of 2000

Yes, there were many films released in 2000 that I did not get to see. Still, I think I saw a wide variety of stuff and tried to watch as many of the films getting critical praise as possible. At the end of the year, Oscar time, a few of the films still have not played in Austin. Two glaring omissions from consideration here are Steven Soderbergh's "Traffic" and the Coen Brothers "O Brother, Where Art Thou." If I truly believed that either of these films could top my list over films like "Urbania" or "Cast Away" then I might wait to put out my list. Conversely, if the directors or the distributors wanted to be considered for the list - they would have made sure that I saw the film in 2000 - and not had to wait until 2001 for it's release. This is truly one of the most ridiculous and irritating things for film fans who live anywhere besides New York or L.A., yet I see why the film companies stagger releases of artsy Academy Award type films. First and foremost, the megaplexes across America are booked solid with "Grinch" and "What Women Want" over the month of December. A film like "Brother" would get squashed in such heavy traffic. Secondly, the hype and buzz of Oscar noms may entice many a discriminating bucolic filmgoer into the theater for a more discerning film and that buzz doesn't truly get intense until January and February. So, until I move to NY or LA - or until the movie companies start jetting me out to the premieres (or sending me more screeners), official 2000 releases that don't see the light of the projector in Austin until January will just be out of the running.

Why is "Urbania" listed as "Best Film" but not as "Best Gay Film?" Well, there are two reasons. First, "Urbania" is more than just a "gay film." It's appeal should be truly universal. There are several themes going on in the film related to loss and grief and despair, urban life and modern culture that take it far beyond the realm of simply a "gay film." It is a masterpiece of modern cinema and now sits on my "Top Ten Films of All Time" list - which one day I will put up on the site. "Urbania" comes closer to examining that part of sexuality that confuses lust and sexuality with violence and pain than any film ever before. Certainly it does this with much more grace and much more exhilarating insight that "Quills."

Meanwhile, "Eban and Charley" may not have been my favorite gay movie this year, in fact I gave it only a B+ in it's initial Report Card, but something about this quiet romantic drama has grown on me. Of all the gay films I saw this year, it is the only one (besides "Urbania") that I am truly interested in seeing again. Part of it's appeal for me may have been meeting and talking to director Jimmy Bolton but even when I put this aside, I find myself longing to return to "Eban and Charley," to experience the simple grace of their relationship and to explore a difficult subject matter in a film that is neither perfect nor condescending. "Eban and Charley" never makes easy choices and never spoonfeeds the viewer. It's simple love story will be misunderstood for many years. I myself was unable to accept the purity of it upon my initial viewing. And I am curious to see how it makes me feel when I view it again. That is truly a mark of a great film.

Why Lauren Ambrose in "Swimming" for Best Actress? This is one of the few categories in the Academy Award race that can go to truly unexpected places. While the roles for women in film become more and more interesting and challenging each year, there is still a wide spectrum of room for improvement. Ambrose seems on a course to become a huge talent in film. Her work her is much more raw yet subtle than many of her contemporaries. And finally, Ambrose proves in this wonderful and understated film that she is a thespian of great talent, her gender secondary. Can the same be said of Julia Roberts in "Erin Brockovich" or Laura Linney in "You Can Count on Me?"

Why Robert Zemeckis for "Best Director?" Which implies of course, why not Jon Shear, who directed "Urbania?" Well, the same sort of thing happened in 1995 when I chose Gregg Araki's "The Doom Generation" as Best Film (it also sits on my Top 10 of All Time list) yet pegged David Fincher as Best Director for "se7en." I suppose in some way I am simply trying to call attention to two films that I liked immensely. Perhaps the same reason applies to why I give Cameron Crowe kudos for scripting while choosing "Urbania" as a better film. Shear does awesome work as director and scripter with "Urbania" but it is the cohesive whole of his film, held steadfast by Shear's visual style, the wonderful acting and the film's sense of emotional urgency that make it so spectacular. Shear, when given complete budgetary latitude with a film will most assuredly be able to birth something as worthy as "Urbania" yet as mainstream as "Cast Away." What Zemeckis does here is awesome. He allows for so much. And he wrangles as many obstacles as the low budget director does to make a masterpiece. The scope of "Cast Away" is immensely large requiring not only a "celebrity" in the lead role, but one who spends an hour without talking much. His film also incorporates gigantic special effects on a scale with "Titanic" and "The Truman Show," beautiful cinematography and unique vision. The mention of Zemeckis isn't meant to belittle Shear as much as to elevate him to the level of Zemeckis. Each man, in their unique and singular ways, has crafted a film to be proud of, a film that speaks volumes about life on the planet, opens doors to new thoughts and hidden feelings. These men both deserve kudos and their films both deserve wide audiences. It isn't just the direction that makes "Cast Away" a great film and similarly, it isn't just his great film that makes Jon Shear a brilliant director.

This was an exciting year for me. It was my first full calendar year in Austin and I have had an opportunity to see so many diverse and unique films. I attended Slamdance in Park City and the related festivals while also taking in the Austin Film Festival, SXSW and Agliff here in town. I got to see advance screenings of "Shadow of the Vampire" and "State and Main," to name a few, because of these local festivals.

As for local fare, Kat Candler's "cicades," shot on DV was the highlight of the Austin Film Festival for me. Feeling the unique pride that comes from new filmmakers achieving success is powerful stuff. Candler's film is a beautiful thing and it helps solidify the independent DV scene going on in town. "Once Upon a Condom," meanwhile, is a short that I viewed when screening films for AFF. I loved it yet I couldn't quite convince anyone else of it's power. I'm still hoping to contact the filmmaker (who is from somewhere near Austin) and find out what, if anything, is going on with his film.

2001 looks even more bright. So many films coming out, so many filmmakers yet to emerge, so much going on in Austin to excite fanatics and glorify the "scene" of the city. I stand at the precipice of this new year, eyes wide, looking into the whirlwind that is film tomorrow, and am ready to jump without hesitation.

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