Film Schooled

Image credit: Missy Elliott: Richard Skidmore / RetnaUK

Best Female Video
Madonna, ''Don't Tell Me''
Janet Jackson, ''All for You''
Missy ''Misdemeanor'' Elliott, ''Get Ur Freak On''
Dido, ''Thank You''
Jennifer Lopez, ''Love Don't Cost a Thing''
Eve with Gwen Stefani, ''Let Me Blow Ya Mind''

Janet Jackson and her brother, what's-his-name, pretty much created the prototype for most of the videos being made, especially those that include lines of dancers doing identically choreographed moves, as the Janet, Missy, and Jennifer videos here do. Dido's tale of eviction, Madonna's dancing cowboys, and Eve and Gwen's hostile take-over of a nightclub aren't breaking any ground either. Among these familiar entries, Missy's clip -- which includes a postapocalyptic setting, digitally enhanced spit, and a healthy dose of freakish humor -- easily tops the heap.

Best Rock Video
Aerosmith, ''Jaded''
Limp Bizkit, ''Rollin''
Weezer, ''H*** Pipe''
Linkin Park, ''Crawling''
Staind, ''It's Been a While''

Like their music of late, Aerosmith's clip is overproduced and dull. Limp Bizkit's spot features female Fred Durst clones aping hip-hop moves, with disastrous results. Linkin Park openly and patheticallly steals from Korn's genuinely innovative videos. And it's been a while since Staind's subdued acoustic clip looked fresh. I've got a weak spot for sumo wrestlers, so Weezer might've taken this one even if it weren't up against such lame competition.

Best Pop Video
'N SYNC, ''Pop''
Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink, With Missy ''Misdemeanor'' Elliott, ''Lady Marmalade''
Britney Spears, ''Stronger''
Backstreet Boys, ''The Call''
Destiny's Child, ''Survivor''

Pop videos tend to reflect the generic, flashy music they accompany. None of the videos in this category really escape that generalization, but the Marmaladies cram so much glitz, schmaltz, and fishnet stockings into their three-minute clip that they manage to best Destiny's Child's water-logged fantasy, 'N SYNC's jittery collage, the Backstreet Boys' action clip, and Britney's lap dance with the world's luckiest chair.