40 Years of Movies: 2002

 


2021 is the year I turn 40. As part of my celebration, I'm looking back at 40 years of movies, picking my favorite film from each year I've been around! To learn more about the criteria for this process, check this introduction. Each post will feature my pick, plus three runner's up. So check back over the next 40 weeks of this journey!

2002:

About Schmidt
About: There are movies that I fall in love with on a first viewing. About Schmidt was such a film. It was easily my favorite of the year, and one of my favorites of all time. The writing and pacing from Alexander Payne is beautiful, but it's the rich performances here. Kathy Bates is wonderful in a supporting role and Jack Nicholson is incredible in a different kind of role. The ending of this film is just beautiful to me.

Other Considerations:
Signs
About: M. Night Shymalan has made some very interesting films. Many are more high profile than Signs, but none are better. This is my favorite of his films, but for me it's not about the alien invasion. It's about a husband and father dealing with grief and, more importantly, grappling with his faith. Mel Gibson is quite good here and gives some beautiful and richly emotional moments.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
About: The Lord of the Rings films were a massive achievement. I enjoyed all of them, but this one was my favorite. The set piece at Helm's Deep is incredible, and this one has a number of rich, emotional moments. It's well worth checking out.

A Walk to Remember
About: This is a Nicholas Sparks story, so it's not hard to guess that there will be happiness mixed with sorrow here. This one has a nice story, though it diverges quite a bit from the setting for the novel, which I've read. I taught this book one summer to a group of kids learning English, so it's probably a sentimental choice for me in that way. This one also has a pretty great soundtrack.

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