9. The Good Girl- Screenwriter Mike White’s dark, tragic tale of a belated love paints a picture of Jennifer Aniston, John C. Reilly, and Jake Gyllenhaal that we’ve never seen from any of them. The film is deeply layered with heartache and turmoil, but it’s also very funny. White’s script is one of the best of the year, peaking with the fact that the movie’s love theme is never defined, and Miguel Arteta’s direction is much more subtle than most of the directors on this list. But it’s not less effective.
8. Gangs of New York- Martin Scorsese’s rendition of New York during the 1860s. Told through the eyes of Amsterdam, an Irish immigrant, we are transported to another time and another place that historical films have never gone to. Lacks the reverence of “The Pianist,” but holds claim to some of 2002’s most harrowing scenes.
7. Changing Lanes- Here was a surprise. Contrary to popular action flicks, “Changing Lanes” is smart and provocative – evoking a kind of thoughtfulness that is rarely seen anymore. The drama is hard-earned by exceptional performances by Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Affleck.
6. Road to Perdition- A heartbreaking tragedy set in the 1930s that follows the story of Mike Sullivan (Tom Hanks) and his son as they run from the very people they used to love. Told with the elegance of a violin, “Road to Perdition” stands out among the ceaseless mob film clichés that have accumulated since the 1970s.
5. Catch Me If You Can- Steven Spielberg’s fast, sharp, and funny drama telling the story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., who posed as a PanAm pilot, a lawyer, and a doctor all before his nineteenth birthday. Leonardo DiCaprio redeems himself from a weak “Gangs” performance with this one.
4. Punch-Drunk Love – Another home run for film whiz Paul Thomas Anderson, whose ferocity and kinetics on the page and behind the camera are conveyed on film unlike any other writer/director in probably ten years. His direction is solid, combining transcendent camera movement with sure performances. And speaking of – Adam Sandler has never, ever been better.
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers- Not quite as good as “Fellowship,” but still very, very good. “The Two Towers” considers the placement of its central characters very well, making sure we understand the geography of Middle-earth well enough to know where everyone is. Peter Jackson has a mind mirroring the scope of Tolkien himself, who might find himself wincing after seeing some of Legolas’ antics. Amazing battle sequences and a memorable, beautiful score by Howard Shore.
2. Signs- M. Night Shyamalan’s best film so far. He understands human contact and emotion to the point that it’s uncanny. His film, while creepy, is not necessarily scary, but that’s not the point anyway. The point is seen him unravel the third act as skillfully as Hitchcock would. Quite a masterful climax.
1. Minority Report- Steven Spielberg has two films on this list and their both massively fun to watch. “Minority Report”, however, requires us to rack our brains, intently listening for the next sentence to be said. This is the same thrilling Spielberg we fell in love with on “Jaws” and “Indiana Jones”. And this is sure to be one of the best films of the decade.