USCCB - (Film and Broadcasting) - Ten Best List for the Year 2000

Ten Best List for the Year 2000

Best in Show -- Droll canine comedy that follows a quirky group of dog lovers (including Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy and Michael McKean) who go to ridiculous lengths to compete and win at a major dog show. Writer-director Christopher Guest's ensemble satire draws consistent chuckles as it mocks this pastime-turned-obsession with an impressive improvisational style, well-drawn characters and zippy pace. Casual treatment of homosexual couples, some sexual references and fleeting crass language and profanity. A-IV-adults, with reservation (PG-13) 2000
Billy Elliot -- Stirring tale about a coal miner's young son (Jamie Bell) who rises above the tough macho culture that surrounds him to follow his dream of becoming a ballet dancer. Though debut director Stephen Daldry's coming-of-age story is by-the-numbers, effective character development, an engaging narrative and well-placed dance sequences create a pleasurable experience. Some homosexual innuendo and fleeting profanity with recurring rough language. A-III- adults (R) 2000
Butterfly -- Moving drama set in 1936 Spain just before the eruption of the Civil War about an extraordinary relationship between a shy, young boy (Manuel Lozano) and his compassionate and liberal school teacher (Fernando Fernan-Gomez). Director Jose Luis Cuerda's intelligent film aptly captures coming-of-age moments in a boy's life as the tension of pre-fascist Spain subtly fuels the film's momentum. One fairly vivid sexual encounter with rear nudity and fleeting crass language. A-III- adults (R) 2000
Cast Away -- Finely crafted drama in which a harried businessman (Tom Hanks) is transformed after surviving a plane crash that leaves him stranded on an uninhabited island for four years before he makes a daring escape in hopes of returning to the woman (Helen Hunt) he loves. With Hanks' superb performance at its center, director Robert Zemeckis movingly probes what matters most when someone is stripped of his everyday life and possessions. A violent accident and an instance of profanity. A-II- adults and adolescents (PG-13) 2000
Chicken Run -- Delightful clay animation feature about a plucky chicken (voice of Julia Sawalha) and her hen pals cooped up in a British egg farm who, with the help of a flying Yankee rooster (voice of Mel Gibson), must escape the cruel clutches of the egg farmer (voice of Miranda Richardson) before she turns them into chicken pies. Though the story line lags in parts and some jokes may go over children's heads, fantastic anthropomorphized features and the narrative's witty details make directors Peter Lord and Nick Park's first full-length feature both visually pleasing and cleverly amusing despite a few intense moments. A-I- general patronage (G) 2000
The Color of Paradise -- Affecting drama centers on a blind Iranian 8-year-old (Mohsen Ramezani), much loved by his rural grandmother and little sisters, but whose widowed father (Hossein Mahjub) callously leaves him to apprentice with a blind carpenter before fate intervenes. Writer-director Majid Majidi captures the deeply felt emotions of the vulnerable child, embittered father and tender grandmother, as well as the natural beauty of Iran's lush countryside, in an accomplished film with spiritual dimensions. Subtitles. A violent tragedy. A-II- adults and adolescents (PG) 2000
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon -- Thrilling drama, set in 19th century Qing Dynasty China, in which the precious sword of a famed warrior (Chow Yun-Fat), entrusted to a longtime friend (Michelle Yeoh), is stolen and must be recovered at all costs. Although melodramatic in part, director Ang Lee blends mesmerizing martial arts with stunning special effects into a script brimming with intrigue and suspense. Subtitles. Martial arts violence and an implied sexual encounter. A-III- adults (PG-13) 2000
East-West -- A physician (Oleg Menchikov) returns with his family to his Russian homeland just after World War II only to find brutal living conditions that drive his Parisian wife (Sandrine Bonnaire) to desperate action endangering several lives. Director Regis Wargnier keenly dramatizes a totalitarian society where husband and wife take different paths in hopes of regaining their freedom. Subtitles. Implied affairs and brief violence. A-III- adults (PG-13) 2000
Remember the Titans -- Uplifting drama set in 1971 about the desegregation of two powerhouse high school football teams that learn to overcome racism and go on to victory under the leadership of their African-American coach (Denzel Washington). Aside from occasionally faltering with emotional manipulation, director Boaz Yakin's heartwarming, fact-based saga shows the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, fear and societal prejudices. Racism theme and fleeting crass language. A-II-adults and adolescents (PG) 2000
Traffic -- Powerful thriller that intersects four stories concerning the international drug trade including that of a recently appointed anti-drug czar (Michael Douglas) dealing with his addicted teen-age daughter (Erika Christensen) and a Mexican border policeman (Benicio Del Toro) confronted with the temptations of money and power. Director Steven Soderbergh's stunning visual virtuosity and the stellar ensemble performances create a stark picture of greed, corruption and social decay where for every triumph, there is parallel setback and the battle begins again. Intermittent drug use, some violence, a few sexual encounters, brief nudity, some profanity and constant rough language. A-IV- adults with reservations (R) 2000