Best Movies of 2001

A personal cross-language ranking of films first publicly released in 2001, spanning dreamlike Hollywood, Japanese animation, Argentine social observation, Inuit storytelling and Hindi popular cinema. Festival screenings count: Dogtown and Z-Boys and Atanarjuat were public in 2001 before some catalogue commercial dates. Spirited Away is an inviting way into the year; the first Lord of the Rings offers sustained epic adventure. The Piano Teacher, Fat Girl and All About Lily Chou-Chou involve especially difficult sexual or violent material. The order judges complete films, while noting differences that help choose what to watch.