A Call to Order

Presenting 2002, the year in movies. Daunted? This year, in addition to the stories outlined below, we have attempted to organize our complete list of the year’s movies into a more manageable overview. Our usual mammoth chronological list was inevitably subject to studio rescheduling whims.

Within six categories--action, animation, comedy, drama, foreign, thrillers--we’ve arranged the list in a way we hope makes it a little easier to absorb.

The realm of High Anticipation may include films with a pedigree--director Sam Mendes’ first picture since “American Beauty,” for example--or some that Calendar editors and reporters believe will be worth investigating. Similarly but less certainly, films under Curiosity Factor piqued our interest in some way, whether it was the subject matter, star, director, writer or combination thereof.

An umbrella for titles from actors, directors and writers on whom studios--and fans--have come to rely for sure bets, the Familiar Zone is the home for some sequels and material about which we have a reasonably good idea of what to expect.

Fun to Contemplate includes, among other things, guilty pleasures or titles that for some reason made us giggle, gasp or groan.

Animated movies, you’ll notice, are not otherwise categorized because there are only 10.

You may disagree with some of our designations but we hope they will engage you. For better or worse, here are the films slated for release for the remainder of 2002.