2001 Leaman Awards

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*Last Updated: 12/19/2023

2001 Films Seen: 78
Number of Films with A or A+ Grade: 2
Key Films Still to See: n/a

Brief Summary: A sharp decline in overall quality, but this year is best known for launching the franchises that would come to define the 2000's commercially: Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Shrek, Ocean's, and the Fast and the Furious.

Not a "best of" list or a "favorite" list - but a list of the films and sequences (action, drama, comedy, & musical) that I think represent the best the year had to offer. So think of it as a strange mixture of favorite, best, and defining. Once you get to the top ten films, it definitely becomes more defined as a Top Ten list of the year. The number one film is my favorite of the year. 

Honorable Mentions: Enemy at the Gates (B-), Heist (B-), Joy Ride (B-) Moulin Rouge! (B-), Rush Hour 2 (B-)

25. The Man Who Wasn't There (B)
24. In the Mood for Love (B)
23. The Score (B)
22. Bandits (B)
21. Kiss of the Dragon (B) 
20. The Others (B)
19. Iris (B)
18. Tape (B+)
17. The Royal Tenenbaums (B+)
16. Sexy Beast (B+)
15. In the Bedroom (B+)
14. Ali (B+)
13. Training Day (B+)
12. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (B+) 
11. To End All Wars (B+)  

THE TOP TEN
10. Monsters, Inc. (B+)

9. Shaolin Soccer (B+)

8. Black Hawk Down (B+) 

7. Ocean's Eleven (B+)

6. Memento (A-)

5. Shrek (A-)

4. A Beautiful Mind (A-): In a triumphant moment near the end of his life, John Nash, played by Russell Crowe, shares, "It's only in the mysterious equation of love that any logical reasons can be found. I'm only here tonight because of you. You are the only reason I am... you are all my reasons." The line is a bit schmaltzy, but I find it to be a powerfully moving line that sums the journey of the film well. In A Beautiful Mind, one goes on a journey with John Nash; through his discoveries, his mathematical triumphs, and his dark valley’s. It’s a hard journey and one that he clearly could not have made without his wife, Alicia. In an odd kind of way, it reminds me of James Cagney at the end of Yankee Doodle Dandy delivering his famous line to President Roosevelt, "My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you." Unlike Cagney’s big and athletic performance as George Cohan, Crowe’s John Nash is a performance built on mannerisms, expressions, and incredible voice work. While others find it a bit over the top, I think this is one of Crowe’s career best performances and the one that should have won him an Oscar. Jennifer Connelly did manage to win an Oscar for her deserving supporting role as Alicia. Ron Howard and James Horner also deliver wonderful work here, as they successfully meld professional craftsmanship with just enough creativity to deliver a unique experience out of what could’ve been a traditional biopic.

3. Conspiracy (A-): This HBO film portrays the 1942 Wannsee Conference where senior Nazi officials met to discuss the “final solution” to the Jewish question. It’s a 'bottle episode' film (it all takes place in one simple setting) that portrays the different arguments and camps within the Nazi circles of power and how they proposed to deal with the Jewish problem. Repeated viewings reveal a smartly written screenplay that captures the cast of historical characters and the different shades their anti-Semitism take depending on their experiences and roles in the Reich. The cast is highlighted by a chilling Kenneth Branagh performance as the charismatic Reinhard Heydrich, architect of the final solution. Essentially, the meeting becomes Heydrich slowly and subtly bullying everyone on board with the final solution, through whatever rhetorical means necessary. It’s not necessarily accessible for those who don’t understand the history or structure of the Nazi high command, but for those who do, this is a fascinating recreation that’s well worth the effort to find and watch. Chilling and insightful.

2. Gosford Park (A)

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (A)


FAVORITE ACTION SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
The Very Good:
  • "Assault on Carentan" -Band of Brothers (Commentary)
  • "Escape from the Hotel: Down the Laundry Chute & Out the Laundry Room" -Kiss of the Dragon (Commentary)
  • "Police Station Finale: Lobby, Dojo, & Twins Single Handedly" -Kiss of the Dragon (Commentary)
  • "Finale: Orcs Attack the Fellowship at the Falls of Rauros" -Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Commentary)
  • "London Chase: Mummy Guards vs. Double Decker Bus" -The Mummy Returns (Commentary)
The Great:
  • "Easy Company Assaults a German Battery at Brecourt Manor" -Band of Brothers (Commentary)
  • "Serbian SAMs Take Out an F-18 on Routine Recon" -Behind Enemy Lines
  • "Mayhem in the Mines of Moria" -Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Commentary)
  • "Pearl Harbor Attack and Counterattack" -Pearl Harbor (Commentary)
The Best: "Keeping the Towel On...From Turkish Baths to the Markets" -The Accidental Spy
Commentary: Jackie Chan has publicly made known how his action comedy has been influenced by the silent comedian greats like Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin. I believe that this sequence is his greatest gift to the genre of comedy action and that it’s likely better than anything his influences could have ever imagined (that's right, fight me!). When I created a previous Jackie Chan fight list I didn’t give this an A+, but over time I think the sequence has continued to stand out as a unique masterpiece. Chan plays the titular accidental spy in the film and while relaxing at a Turkish bath he is chased and cornered by bad guys. The simple gimmick behind this chase is that Jackie has to not only get away from the bad guys, but try to keep his towel on or his private parts covered. The chase begins in a Turkish bath (with the slippery floor, water pans, and soaps bringing lots of gags), leads to the rooptops, the street below (in a great stunt with Chan floating down using a set of umbrellas), and most memorably in a densely populated market. It’s the marketplace that Chan loses his towel and must go to very creative lengths to keep himself covered, using a bevy of props that includes spices, baskets, brooms, hats, plates, blankets, serving trays, a newspaper, and tambourines. It could've been a scene of one thing covering him after another, but Chan isn’t satisfied with that, he actually decides to try and use these props to fight against his attackers as well. This mixture all comes together in a sequence that would not just make those silent comedians immensely proud, but I think jealous. I think there’s a touch of Looney Tunes humor here that would also make Chuck Jones proud. This is an all-time great comedic action sequence that could have only come from the genius of Jackie Chan. If you'd like more commentary on Jackie Chan's greatest action sequences, click HERE.


FAVORITE DRAMATIC SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
The Very Good:
  • "A Clever Final Score is Revealed" -Bandits
  • "Lecture About Law Reveals a Deep Hatred" -Conspiracy
  • "Going Over the Number Benefits in Gassing" -Conspiracy
  • "Five Men with Five Shots: Hiding with the Comrade Comissar" -Enemy at the Gates
  • "You’re the Reason" -In the Bedroom
  • "The Son is Murdered" –In the Bedroom
  • "Rehearsing the Moment She Asks her Husband of his Infidelity" –In the Mood for Love
  • "Natalie’s Double Take Bait" -Memento
  • "Pushing His Son a Little Too Far: Taking his Own Life" –Monster's Ball
  • "Swat Team Exits – the Team Enjoys the Bellagio" -Ocean’s Eleven
  • "Hospital Takes the Casualties of the Attack on Pearl Harbor" –Pearl Harbor
  • "Learning Tradecraft in Berlin" -Spy Game 
  • "Trying to Understand the Truth: Was it Rape?" –Tape
  • "Hoyt Sits Down for a Hand of Cards and Finds Himself at the End of a Shotgun" –Training Day 
The Great:
  • “Bar Insight: Nash Discovers His Governing Dynamics Theory” –A Beautiful Mind
  • “The House Soaks in a Hollywood Star’s Songs” -Gosford Park
  • “The Sisters Console Each Other in the End” -Gosford Park
  • “The Fall of Boromir” –The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • “The Fall of Gandalf” –The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • “Finale: Frodo Decides to Leave the Fellowship” –The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Best: “Gandalf Consults Frodo in the Mines of Moria” –The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Commentary: n/a


FAVORITE COMEDIC SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
Not a category I kept good track of - One of the toughest TBH
The Very Good:
  • "Orange Mocha Frappuccino's" -Zoolander 
The Great:
  • n/a
The Best: n/a 


FAVORITE MUSICAL SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
*Coming Soon
The Very Good:
  • n/a
The Great:
  • n/a 
The Best: n/a

BEST DIRECTOR
Nominees: 
  • Robert Altman Gosford Park
  • Ron Howard A Beautiful Mind
  • Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Christopher Nolan Memento
  • Steven Soderbergh Ocean's Eleven
Commentary: n/a


FAVORITE FILM ENSEMBLE
Nominees: 
  • A Beautiful Mind
  • Conspiracy
  • Gosford Park
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Ocean's Eleven
  • Sexy Beast
Commentary: n/a


FAVORITE MALE PERFORMANCES
Nominees: 
  • Sean Bean The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Kenneth Branagh Conspiracy
  • Jim Broadbent Moulin Rouge!
  • Ben Kingsley Sexy Beast
  • Jude Law A.I. Artificial Intelligence
  • Ian McKellan The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Jim Broadbent Iris
  • Russell Crowe A Beautiful Mind
  • Will Smith Ali
  • Denzel Washington Training Day
  • Tom Wilkinson In the Bedroom 
Commentary: n/a


FAVORITE FEMALE PERFORMANCES
Nominees: 
  • Halle Berry Monster's Ball
  • Cate Blanchett Bandits
  • Maggie Cheung In the Mood for Love
  • Jennifer Connelly A Beautiful Mind
  • Judi Dench Iris
  • Helen Mirren Gosford Park
  • Sissy Spacek In the Bedroom
  • Marisa Tomei In the Bedroom
  • Naomi Watts Mulholland Dr.
  • Kate Winslet Iris
Commentary: n/a


FAVORITE SCREENPLAY
(original or adapted)
Nominees: 
  • A.I. Artificial Intelligence
  • A Beautiful Mind
  • Bandits
  • Conspiracy
  • Iris
  • Gosford Park
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Memento
  • Monster's, Inc.
  • Ocean's Eleven
  • Shaolin Soccer
Commentary: n/a


BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
*No eligible documentaries
Nominees:
  • n/a
Commentary: n/a


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Nominees: 
  • Atlantis: The Lost Empire
  • Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
  • Monsters, Inc.
  • Osmosis Jones
  • Shrek
Commentary: n/a

BEST FILM EDITING
Nominees: 
  • Amelie
  • Black Hawk Down
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Memento
  • Ocean's Eleven
Commentary: n/a


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Nominees: 
  • Ali
  • Black Hawk Down
  • In the Mood for Love
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • The Man Who Wasn't There
Commentary: n/a


BEST ART DIRECTION
Nominees: 
  • A.I. Artificial Intelligence
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • Gosford Park
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Moulin Rouge!
Commentary: n/a


BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Nominees: 
  • A.I. Artificial Intelligence
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • Jurassic Park III
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Pearl Harbor
Commentary: n/a


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Nominees: 
  • A Beautiful Mind
  • Gosford Park
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Pearl Harbor
Commentary: n/a


BEST SOUND DESIGN
Nominees: 
  • A.I. Artificial Intelligence
  • Black Hawk Down
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • The Mummy Returns
  • Pearl Harbor
Commentary: n/a


BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Nominees: 
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • Gosford Park
  • In the Mood for Love
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Moulin Rouge!
Commentary: n/a


BEST MAKE-UP & HAIR DESIGN
Nominees: 
  • A.I. Artificial Intelligence
  • Gosford Park
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Moulin Rouge!
Commentary: n/a
BIGGEST GUILTY PLEASURE
Nominees: 
  • Joy Ride
  • The Mummy Returns
  • The One
Commentary: n/a


MOST SURPRISING FILM
Nominees: 
  • Gosford Park
  • Kiss of the Dragon
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Commentary: n/a


MOST DISAPPOINTING FILM
Nominees: 
  • Hannibal
  • K-Pax
  • Pearl Harbor
Commentary: n/a


MOST UNDERRATED FILM
Nominees: 
  • A.I. Artificial Intelligence
  • Conspiracy
  • Kiss of the Dragon
  • The Score
Commentary: n/a


MOST OVERRATED FILM
Nominees: 
  • Amelie
  • Mulholland Dr.
  • Wet Hot American Summer
Commentary: n/a


WORST FILM
Nominees: 
  • Bully
  • Freddy Got Fingered
  • Hannibal
  • Mulholland Dr.
  • Scary Movie 2
Commentary: n/a


BEST COMPILATION OF WORK
Nominees:
  • Jim Broadbent (Iris & Moulin Rouge!)
Commentary: n/a


ERIC BANA AWARD
*Given for the best performance in a bad film (See 2004's Troy)
Nominees:
  • Naomi Watts Mulholland Drive
Commentary: n/a

THE END!

Iris Murdoch: Education doesn't make you happy. And what is freedom? We don't become happy just because we are free, if we are. Or because we have been educated, if we have. But because education may be the means by which we realize we are happy. It opens our eyes, our ears. Tells use where delights are lurking. Convinces us that there is only one freedom of any importance whatsoever: that of the mind. And give us the assurance, the confidence, to walk the path our mind, our educated mind, offers.


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