> And yes, Adaptation's cult status will endure. But I disagree about Far From Heaven: beautiful it may be, but I don't see it being remembered in general.

Well, we'll see. I have a feeling the movie will end up being remembered as more people actually see the danged thing. Being remembered "in general" is an interesting thing to talk about and I'm not sure what it means. I would say there are any number of movies not remembered "in general" today that are still remembered very fondly by people who are serious about film. Most people probably have no clue what Keaton's "The General" is, but it's definitely still remembered. (Note that I'm not comparing FFH to "The General" as that would be blasphemy.)

> When people remember 2002 movies, they'll remember TTT, Minority Report, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and Road To Perdition.

Wait. "Road to Perdition?" People have *already* forgotten it. It barely made $100 million domestically, which is really low for a Hanks movie. I've never heard a single person I know citing it as one of their favorite movies of the year.

> (Also Harry Potter, Panic Room, The Sum of All Fears, Die Another Day, and Spiderman, but I'm trying to keep this to semi-plausible Oscar candidates.)

I'd say "Panic Room" and "Sum of All Fears" will be largely forgotten in five years. "Fears" will be remembered specifically for being a Jack Ryan movie, particularly if Ben Affleck makes more, but I'm not sure it will be remembered for much more than that. I'm not sure why you include "Panic Room" as it seemed to get kind of ignored when it was released.

> All of the above is debatable, though, I suppose, because it's easy for this sort of blanket survey of things to become victim of selective memory, but I don't think this is too far off.

Well, you're right about 1997. But I'd argue that 1997 simply had a disproportionate number of memorable movies that were also great. We could really argue how much of the general public has even seen "L.A. Confidential," let alone remembers it. And of course "Titanic" will be remembered, but it's also "Titanic" and grossed three times the GNP of Europe. I dunno, I think *most* movies get kind of forgotten.

To say that "Chicago" is less memorable than "The Full Monty" is probably stretching it.

What about 2001? "A Beautiful Mind" I think will languish as one of those movies we all kind of remember but aren't overly passionate about. "Moulin Rouge" obviously has a following as does "Fellowship." But "Gosford Park?" "In the Bedroom?"

2000 had "Gladiator" which is sadly the most likely to be remembered among some fairly memorable movies, chief among them being "Crouching Tiger." "Traffic" spoke to a certain group of people, I think. I don't know about "Erin Brockovich." And I had already forgotten that "Chocolat" was made, let alone nominated for an Oscar.

1999 was, in my opinion, a banner year for movies AND THE OSCARS DID NOT REFLECT THIS AT ALL. "American Beauty" and "Sixth Sense" are obviously going to be remembered for some time. But the other three...? "The Green Mile" and "The Cider House Rules" were sort of controversial choices for inclusion in the first place. And while I loved "The Insider" it's pretty obscure.

The movies from 1999 that people actually remember aren't there. "The Phantom Menace" (didn't say people liked it), "The Matrix," "Fight Club," "Magnolia," "The Mummy." Probably other stuff I'm forgetting (hah!).

Anyway, yeah, my point is just that it's not uncommon for there to be one or two sort of obscure movies nominated, and this year's are "The Hours" and "The Pianist." I'm relatively certain the other three will be remembered as well as most Best Picture nominees.

Stephen