Best 5 Movies of 2002

I said last time I did this list that 2001 wasn't a great year for movies.  Little did I know what awaited me in 2002.  I could say that 2002 was an awful year for movies (in general it was), but it produced two of the most amazing films I'd ever hope to see in this lifetime.  This leaves me in a bit of a quandary to fill out spots #3-#5, especially since they don't belong anywhere near the same tier as the top two.  But I'll figure it out anyway...

#1
13 Conversations About One Thing ~ where exactly on my top ten movies of all time this film will land is still unclear, but it certainly jarred my easy-to-remember-&-recite top ten list the moment I walked out of the theater.  This movie does what "Magnolia" (#10 all-time going into 2002) tries to do about a thousand times better, & you'll note that I thought "Magnolia" did it pretty well.  The character development is flawless, the plotlines are captivating, the mood of the movie is chillingly wonderful, & there is simply not enough good that I can say about this movie.  Except that it beat out the #2 pick of the year, which deserved to win this year, but this movie was just too good.
#2
Bowling for Columbine ~ I told Brandzel that this movie was like watching myself rant for two hours & then realizing that someone else had done it.  The best political movie since "Gandhi" (#2 all-time) & probably the best documentary in history.  An absolute must-see for every American citizen.  The above film is a must-see for every human, but this shows our messed-up society exactly how & why it's the way it (sadly) is.  Wow.
#3
Moonlight Mile ~ following the above two movies is a tough burden, & this film doesn't deserve comparison to them.  Nevertheless, it captures #3 honors by being very very real.  Almost as real as a documentary.  It has some of the same feel of July, July (#1 book I read this year) in its swirling reality & honest but wholly flawed characters.  & it's darned moving.
#4
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ no, I haven't read the books.  I could read ten books a year, or I could read one & a half Harry Potter books a year... yes, I'm that slow a reader.  But I really enjoy the movies.  The 3 kids are the kind of kids that myself & everyone I've liked were in school.  They fight the same enemies we fought.  The big difference is they have magic & somewhat more dangerous adventures.  There's actually some depth here too, an updated Narnia like everyone says.  Good times.
#5
Barbershop ~ a movie that tells a familiar type of story in a very original way.  It's real like pick #3 & updated like pick #4, well-acted like all these picks, & has a wide range of characters to believe in or not to one's own taste.  It also has more straight-up comedy than I tend to like in movies, but it pulls it off cleverly.


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2004 Best Books Read in 2004 Best Movies of 2004
2003 Best Books Read in 2003 Best Movies of 2003
2002 Best Books Read in 2002 Best Movies of 2002
2001 Best Books Read in 2001 Best Movies of 2001
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