2000 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

The Top 10 of 2000

1. Gladiator - Ridley Scott + Best Adventure of the Year + Best American Movie of the Year + Best Big Hit of the Year + Best Comeback of the Year: Oliver Reed + Best Epic of the Year

2. Italian for Beginners/Italiensk for Begyndere - Lone Scherfig + Best Danish Movie of the Year + Best Low-budget Movie of the Year + Best Mega-hit Movie of the Year + Best $ Return of the Year: 16.3 Times the Cost + Best Romcom of the Year

3. In the Mood for Love/花樣年華/faa1joeng6 nin4waa4/huāyàng niánhuá - Wong Kar-Wai + Best Drama of the Year + Best Erotic Movie of the Year + Best Hong Kong Movie of the Year + Best Period Movie of the Year

4. Meet the Parents - Jay Roach + Best Comedy of the Year + Best Poster of the Year + Best Remake of the Year 

5. Erin Brockovich - Steven Soderbergh + Best Biopic of the Year + Best True-crime Movie of the Year

6. Ginger Snaps - John Fawcett + Best Box Office Disaster of the Year + Best Canadian Movie of the Year + Best Horror Comedy of the Year + Best Werewolf Movie of the Year + Worst $ Return of the Year: 0.12 Times the Cost

7. Malèna - Giuseppe Tornatore + Best Big Flop Movie of the Year + Best Coming-of-age Movie of the Year + Best Italian Movie of the Year 

8. Mission: Impossible 2 - John Woo + Best Action Movie of the Year + Best Sequel of the Year + Most Profitable Movie of the Year: 93.52 mil. $ range

9. The Beach - Danny Boyle + Best Adaptation of the Year

10. Thirteen Days - Roger Donaldson + Best Historical Drama of the Year + Best Huge Flop Movie of the Year 

Other great movie:

Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror, TV documentary - Leon Ferguson

Other good movies (in alphabetic order):

Battle Royale/バトル・ロワイアル (Batoru Rowaiaru) - Kinji Fukasaku

The Crimson Rivers/Les Rivières Pourpres - Mathieu Kassovitz

Charlie's Angels - McG

Dancer in the Dark - Lars Von Trier

A Fish Tale/Hjælp, Jeg Er en Fisk/Help! I'm a Fish - Stefan Fjeldmark, Greg Manwaring, Michael Donovan, Michael Hegner + Best Family Movie of the Year + Most Undeserved Flop of the Year

Nico and Dani/Krámpack - Cesc Gay + Best Barcelona Movie of the Year + Best Spanish Movie of the Year + Best Youth Movie of the Year

The Bottom 5 of 2000

1. Battlefield Earth - Roger Christian

2. Chocolat - Lasse Hallström + Most Overrated Movie of the Year

3. The Legend of Bagger Vance - Robert Redford + Most Deserved Flop of the Year + Most Expensive Flop of the Year: 64.24 mil. $ range

4. The King Is Alive - Kristian Levring

5. 2001: A Space Travesty, video - Allan A. Goldstein + Worst Poster of the Year

Other failed, poor and/or mediocre movies (in alphabetic order):

American Psycho - Mary Harron
Amores Perros - Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu + Best Mexican Movie of the Year + Best Mexico City Movie of the Year
Final Destination - James Wong
Frasier - season 8 - David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee
The Ladies Man - Reginald Hudlin
Memento - Christopher Nolan
Miss Congeniality - Donald Petrie

[29 titles in total]

Biggest flops of the year:

[The loss is based solely on the cost and box office earnings for the films. Marketing costs and additional revenue (home video, TV rights and other auxiliary profits) are not taken into account]  

1. The Legend of Bagger Vance - 64.24 mil. $ range
2. Battlefield Earth - 61.12 mil. $ range
3. Thirteen Days - 53.4 mil. $ range
4. The Ladies Man - 18.52 mil. $ range
5. A Fish Tale - 14.36 mil. $ range
6. Ginger Snaps - 4.27 mil. $ range
7. Malèna - 4.24 mil. $ range

Combined losses: 220.15 mil. $


Biggest hits of the year:

[The gain is based solely on the cost and box office earnings for the films. Marketing costs and additional revenue (home video, TV rights and other auxiliary profits) are not taken into account]

1. Mission: Impossible 2 - 93.52 mil. $ range
2. Gladiator - 81.2 mil. $ range
3. Meet the Parents - 77.16 mil. $ range
4. Erin Brockovich - 50.48 mil. $ range
5. Miss Congeniality - 40.08 mil. $ range
6. Chocolat - 36.04 mil. $ range
7. Final Destination - 22.12 mil. $ range
8. Italian for Beginners - 16.3 mil. $ range
9. Charlie's Angels - 12.64 mil. $ range
10. The Beach - 11.6 mil. $ range

= Combined profits: 441.14 mil. $

Notes:

The first edition of the lists for the year 2000 are based on regrettably few titles, (later editions will boom the title count), but the Top 10 does have 3 of the year's greatest masterpieces at its very top:
Ridley Scott's grand, thrilling adventure epic Gladiator reigns, with Lone Scherfig's bubbling, hilarious, romantic Dogme comedy Italian for Beginners taking silver and Wong Kar-Wai's sensual, erotic period romance In the Mood for Love bronze.
The Top 10 goes on with Jay Roach's gut-busting comedy remake Meet the Parents, Steven Soderbergh's true-crime biopic Erin Brockovich, John Fawcett's sexuality-probing werewolf horror Ginger Snaps, Giuseppe Tornatore's picturesque, erotic coming-of-age drama Malèna, John Woo's fiery action spectacle Mission: Impossible 2, Danny Boyle's dramatic utopia adaptation The Beach and finally Roger Donaldson's flawed but thrilling historical drama Thirteen Days.
Among the year's other noteworthy films is Cesc Gay's tender, humorous coming-out drama Nico and Dani.
In the Bottom list of the year, which yet only comprises 5 worthy titles, Roger Christian's wildly panned sci-fi disaster Battlefield Earth takes gold, Lasse Hallström's gooey, anti-Christian confection romance Chocolat silver, and Robert Redford's race-ignoring period golf drama The Legend of Bagger Vance bronze. The remaining two titles are Kristian Levring's depressing Dogme desert drama The King Is Alive and Allan A. Goldstein's spoof comedy trainwreck 2001: A Space Travesty.
Besides the big-scale, hugely expensive flops for stars John Travolta (Battlefield Earth), Will Smith, Matt Damon and Robert Redford (The Legend of Bagger Vance), other noteworthy events of the year includes the first not-stellar Frasier season (season 8 is only mediocre) and the breakthroughs of two major filmmakers (Alejandro González Iñárritu's Amores Perros and Christopher Nolan's Memento).

2000 films currently on the watch-list:

The Journey of Jared Price, Our Lady of the Assassins, Stygian, Come Undone, Burnt Money, The Yards, The Independent, Barking Dogs Never Bite

Previous annual lists:
    
2019 in films - according to Film Excess 
2018 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2018 in films - according to Film Excess  
2017 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2017 in films - according to Film Excess
2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 
2016 in films - according to Film Excess
2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 
2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess  
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2014 in films - according to Film Excess
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 
2013 in films - according to Film Excess    
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V] 
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2012 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2012 in films - according to Film Excess
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2011 in films - according to Film Excess
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess  
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess   
2008 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2008 in films - according to Film Excess
2007 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2007 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2007 in films - according to Film Excess
2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess   
2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess  
2004 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 
2002 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 
2001 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 
 
What do you think of the 2000 lists?
Which 2000 titles are at the top and bottom of your lists?
Which worthwhile 2000 titles are missing on the watch-list?

Sunshine (2007) - Boyle's great-looking, suspenseful sci-fi

♥♥♥♥

+ Best Huge Flop Movie of the Year + Best Science Fiction Movie of the Year

Critical hype that's barely readable features on this visually promising poster for Danny Boyle's Sunshine

The sun is dying, and consequently, so is mankind. A second manned space mission is launched in 2050 to reignite the sun with a nuclear bomb. But the Icarus II mission encounters many problems along the way...

Sunshine is written by Alex Garland (28 Days Later... (2002)) and directed by great English filmmaker Danny Boyle (Shallow Grave (1994)). It is arguably one of Boyle's best films and could even be called the most exciting space movie since Alien (1979).
Sunshine has beautiful images (terrific, ambitious cinematography by Alwin H. Küchler (Morvern Callar (2002))), impressive visual effects, a handsome, talented ensemble cast, and good suspense.
What isn't wholly great is the film's ending, which is strange, as a mysterious, deformed person from the first Icarus mission is roaming onboard. SPOILER It all ends in a psychedelic conclusion, where Boyle sticks closely to the film's unexceptional score (by John Murphy (The Man (2005))).

Related posts:

Danny Boyle: 127 Hours (2010) - Boyle and Franco get stuck with an inconsequential true story
2007 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
28 Days Later (2002) or, Fast Zombies in England 
The Beach (2000) or, Paradise Never Lasts

Watch a trailer for the film here 

Cost: 40 mil. $
Box office: 32 mil. $
= Huge flop (returned 0.8 times its cost)
[Sunshine premiered 23 March (Bochum Fantasy Filmfest Nights, Germany) and runs 107 minutes. Shooting took place in London, England, Sydney, Australia and in Stockholm, Sweden for 3 months, starting in August 2005. The film opened #25 to a 242k $ first weekend in 10 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #13 and in 461 theaters, grossing 3.6 mil. $ (11.3 % of the total gross). The film's biggest market was main production country the UK with 6.4 mil. $ (20 %). North America was the 2nd biggest, and 3rd biggest was France with 3.1 mil. $ (9.7 %). The film won 1/2 British Independent Film awards. Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. It was criticized by scientists for scientific inaccuracies; for instance reportedly billions of the nuclear bomb targeted at the sun in the film would actually be needed to cause a reignition. Boyle said that he would not return to the sci-fi genre after the lengthy production process with Sunshine. The film made in excess of 15.83 mil. $ on North American home video sales; if added into the calculation, it would change the film's status to that of big flop instead. Boyle returned with Alien Love Triangle (2008, short) and theatrically with Slumdog Millionaire (2008). Cillian Murphy (Cold Mountain (2003)) returned in Watching the Detectives (2007). Sunshine is certified fresh at 76 % with a 6.84/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Sunshine?

127 Hours (2010) - Boyle and Franco get stuck with an inconsequential true story

♥♥

The pretty poster for Danny Boyle's 127 Hours shows us a daredevil fumbling around in a dangerous crevice

In 127 Hours we follow adrenaline junkie Aron Ralston, who goes on a canyoning adventure in Southeast Utah by himself, filled with the zest of immortality, until he trips down a deep crevice, where he gets stuck.

If you already know the outcome of Ralston's story, - the film is based on his novel of the ordeal, Between a Rock and a Hard Place (2004), - the film is pretty boring, because Oscar-nominated James Franco (King Cobra (2016)), who plays Ralston, just sits there in the crevice for almost the whole film. The inherently uncinematic story opens up an over-indulgent interest in watching Franco there as well as dream and hallucination scenes that aren't anywhere near as exciting as some folks claim them to be.
127 Hours is the 9th theatrical feature from great English co-writer-director-producer Danny Boyle (Trainspotting (1996)), and it might well be his worst. It does succeed with its fast-edited montages and its theme of masses as contrast to the individual. But it isn't enough to make it a good film.
127 Hours is co-written with Oscar-nominated Simon Beaufoy (Blow Dry (2001)).

Related reviews:

Danny Boyle: 28 Days Later (2002) or, Fast Zombies in England 
The Beach (2000) or, Paradise Never Lasts

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 18 mil. $
Box office: 60.7 mil. $
= Box office success
[127 Hours premiered September 4 (Telluride Film Festival) and runs 93 minutes. Boyle was interested in making a film of the story for 4 years, and after Slumdog Millionaire (2008) he wanted to make a smaller film in the vein of The Wrestler. Cillian Murphy was in talks to head the film, but Franco got the part. Boyle used two cinematographers on the film so as to be able to work longer days. Filming took place from March - June 2010 in Utah. Franco has testified to the toughness of playing the part. The film is reportedly a fairly accurate account of the true story. It opened wide (916 theaters) #14 to a 2.1 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 18.3 mil. $ (30.1 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets for the film were Boyle's native UK with 12.5 mil. $ (20.6 %) and Australia with 3.5 mil. $ (5.8 %). Amazingly, the film was nominated for no less than 6 Oscars: For Best Picture, Actor (Franco), - both of which it lost to The King's Speech, - Adapted Screenplay (Beaufoy and Boyle), - lost to The Social Network, - Cinematography (Anthony Dod Mantle and Enrique Chediak), - lost to Inception, - Editing, Score (A. R. Rahman) - both lost to Social Network, - and Song (If I Rise), - lost to Toy Story 3. It won none. It was also nominated for 3 Golden Globes and 9 (!) BAFTAs. 127 Hours is certified fresh at 93 % with an 8.3 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of 127 Hours?
What critical and commercial hit film/s do you dislike?