by Heath Lynch, Contributing Writer
Have you been caught up in the Inside Out 2 craze that’s sweeping the globe? ‘Cause, uh, it’s absolutely everywhere. In three weekends, it’s already the number one grossing movie of the year-to-date. One might go so far as to say it’ll likely be a lock for a Best Popular Film nomination when we get to our 2024 column… But before we get too excited about what’s coming down the road, let’s look back at another award season long gone. As a reminder, with our Oscars: What If… series, we look at categories the Academy Awards should be honoring, but, for one reason or another, they aren’t, and we imagine what could’ve been regarding past Oscar seasons. Hopefully someday the Academy will do right by these creative talents, but until then we must do the Academy’s job for them. Let’s look back at the year Wikipedia was created, the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage, Enron filed for bankruptcy, Apple launched the iPod, Microsoft entered the video game console wars with the XBox and Halo: Combat Evolved, and the world was forever changed because of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It is time to examine the films of 2001, celebrated at the Oscars in 2002. Let’s see what could have been!
Best Stunts and Choreography
Given to the best achievement in dance, stunts, related performances, and overall choreography
And the nominees are… Black Hawk Down, The Fast and the Furious, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Moulin Rouge!
And the winner is… Moulin Rouge!!
Because we can, can can! The sole musical offering in a lineup of action stunt-filled flicks, Moulin Rouge! was a revelation. In many ways, it singlehandedly revived a passion for big screen musicals in a way we hadn’t seen for decades. The jukebox style approach gave audiences a soundtrack to their lives, touching on music from the ‘60s through the ‘90s, and all the while giving us some of the best dance choreography we’d seen in years. Baz Luhrmann brought all the eccentric expression that he had cultivated with Strictly Ballroom to the forefront with aggressive tangos, silly contemporary, classical dance, and modern hip-hop stylings. The highlight of the film for many will undoubtedly by the large ensemble “El Tango de Roxanne,” but “Because We Can,” “Sparkling Diamonds,” and “Rhythm of the Night,” amongst others, will get you tapping your toes as your eyes are in awe of the flourish of synchronized and choreographed movement on screen. To me, this was a no brainer. As great as some of these stunt-heavy action films were, Moulin Rouge! has to take home the gold for Best Stunts and Choreography.
Best Performance by Voiceover or Motion Capture
Given to the best off screen voice performance, or on screen motion captured performance
And the nominees are… Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski in Monsters, Inc., Michael J. Fox as Milo James Thatch in Atlantis: The Lost Empire, John Goodman as James P. “Sully” Sullivan in Monsters, Inc., Mike Myers as Shrek in Shrek, Eddie Murphy as Donkey in Shrek
And the winner is… Mike Myers as Shrek in Shrek!
While Goodman and Crystal are certainly delivering more heart, and Murphy brings the laughs and some of the most quoted lines of the ‘aughts, Meyers has to win this. Sure, he is giving us the same exact voice that he already used for Fat Bastard in Austin Powers and for Stuart in So I Married an Axe Murderer, but Myers’s Scottish brogue is so fun that you’re still easily entertained even after already having seen it before. What’s most impressive, though, is how he was able to craft and build such an iconic, generation-defining character given how he entered the project. Famously, this was Chris Farley’s role. His movie. Coming out of the ‘90s, Farley was at the height of his powers, a comedic household name, and he had already recorded (reportedly) 85% of his dialogue for this film at the time of his tragic passing. You can even find some of Farley’s recordings online to hear what might’ve been. So credit to Myers for coming in at the last minute, in the wake of an awful situation, to channel a vocal performance that would live on for decades. Myers, you anchored the first ever film to win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, you’ve earned this gold.
Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast
Given to the best overall ensemble cast performance
And the nominees are… Gosford Park, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Moulin Rouge!, Ocean’s Eleven, The Royal Tenenbaums
And the winner is… The Royal Tenenbaums!
Chalk this up as another “ask me on a different day and you get a different answer” kind of winner. Hell, even with the nominations, I had to leave off great group performances like In the Bedroom, Black Hawk Down, and Wet Hot American Summer (stupid, zany, absurdist comedy or not, those are great performances). So while I’d love to tout these other casts, Ocean’s Eleven and Fellowship of the Ring in particular, this is going to The Royal Tenenbaums. One of Wes Anderson’s many masterpieces, this story of a bizarre and troubled family is expertly performed by a large ensemble and packed full of dry wit and sarcastic cunning. Everyone fully understands their role, and the dynamics between the characters are even more impressive. Regardless of how eccentric any one of these people appear on paper, you believe them wholeheartedly when you see them in this film because of the commitment from these actors. This is best exemplified when the whole cast comes together, especially for the wedding, and you get to see all their chemistry. Terrific stuff, and more than worthy of this award.
Best Directorial Debut
Given to the best achievement in direction by a debut directing talent
And the nominees are… Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson for Shrek, Pete Docter for Monsters, Inc., Todd Field for In the Bedroom, Richard Kelly for Donnie Darko, John Cameron Mitchell for Hedwig and the Angry Itch
And the winner is… Todd Field for In the Bedroom!
I suspect a lot of people would opt to award Richard Kelly, Pete Docter, or John Cameron Mitchell here, but I have to give it to Todd Field. It’s not just that In the Bedroom is a powerful and challenging feature, but it’s Field’s restraint and patience that he displays that makes the film so impressive. It’d be really easy for a first-time director to lose their grip on a story such as this, having it turn into a melodramatic slog. But Field never loses sight of nuance, always manages to frame, pace, and edit the film with such love and care, and gets absolute powerhouse performances from his ensemble cast that demand your respect and attention. Field is showing more here than most veteran directors can display, and he rightfully earns this award for Best Directorial Debut because of it.
Best Popular Film
Given to the best audience supported motion picture that earned a spot as one of the top 25 box office films of the year.
And the nominees are… Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Monsters, Inc., Ocean’s Eleven, Shrek
And the winner is… The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring!
Let the domination of Middle-earth begin!
I’m just going to be transparent and upfront here — expect to see The Lord of the Rings pop up a lot from this point on over the next couple columns. Once we get to the Battle of Helm’s Deep, and Andy Serkis getting a more prominent role? Well, this franchise is set to lord over the realm. It is the one ring to rule them all.
Because, this movie was both a massive commercial and critical success. The Fellowship of the Ring brought in $313.3 million domestically and $883.7 million worldwide. In 2001? Mercy… This was good for the number-two spot on both lists, only being topped by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. That’s right, this high fantasy epic, the first in a planned trilogy, made more money than animated classics like Shrek and Monsters, Inc., the remake of a classic con movie in Ocean’s Eleven, sequels to blockbuster successes with Rush Hour 2 and The Mummy Returns, and the Michael Bay explosion-fest, Pearl Harbor (we didn’t know it sucked when we all went to the theaters, so the movie still made hundreds of millions. We’re sorry.). Little Harry P. didn’t even beat out adventures of the Fellowship by all that much, only making $4.2 million more domestically. To say that audiences loved Fellowship is a massive understatement.
But The Fellowship of the Ring also cleaned house with critics and at the awards ceremonies too. It holds a 91% certified fresh critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, and garnered 13 (that’s right, 13!) Oscar nominations that year. More than any other movie by a count of five. It also ended up tied for the most Oscar wins that year with A Beautiful Mind (the Best Picture winner of the year), both bringing home four statues. Fellowship also took home four BAFTAs, including Best Film and Direction, two Critics’ Choice Awards, and was nominated for a ton of other accolades as well. This is where our group of lovable fantasy friends pull ahead of the competition. Because even Harry P., for all the box office gold he brought home, didn’t bring home the awards gold — scoring zero wins on just three Oscar nominations. No BAFTA wins, and only one Critics’ Choice Award for Best Family Film. Just doesn’t cut the mustard.
Critics, audiences, it didn’t matter, everyone was enamored by The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Because of this, it’s our obvious winner for Best Popular Film this year.
Thanks for joining me on another trip down memory lane to see what could’ve been! We got to reminisce about two of the greatest and most famous fantasy franchises in film history getting their major big screen debuts, a jukebox musical that reminded audiences of their love for song and dance, and the first film to ever win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars that went on to spawn a multi-billion dollar franchise. Be sure to come back next month when we look at films like Chicago, Catch Me if You Can, and Gangs of New York. Next time we’ll return for the Oscars of 2003, celebrating the films of 2002!
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