2003: A year in cinema
2003 started with a lot of expectations. Two trilogies where about to come to a close, comic book movies where here in abundance and film budgets had never been higher. So what stood out? Did the big budget Hollywood money cows set the box office on fire? Lets find out with my top fifteen films of 2003…
15. X2: X-Men United
A
rarity, a sequel that is better than the original. The story of the mutant's
battle for acceptance continues and director Bryan Singer and his cast really
start to get into the X-Men universe to produce a comic book movie that truly
captures the source material. Mixing brilliant set sequences with a good story
and characters, the X-Men franchise looks like it could just keep going and
going.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
14. Roger Dodger
The master and apprentice character dynamic has never been so funny as Roger
tries to teach his nephew Nick in the ways of wooing a woman. This low budget
gem thrusts Campbell Scott back into limelight with a performance that captures
the pure essence of the Ladies Man but also exposes his true obsession, the
need to be loved.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
13. Auto Focus
A day without sex is a day wasted. The tagline to the life of TV actor Bob
Crane, sums up what this movie is all about, sex. Greg Kenner brilliantly
brings the man's obsession with the fairer sex to life, with great support
from Willem Defoe and some genuine, laugh-out-loud moments.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
12. 25th Hour
Spike Lee's character driven drama about coming to terms with the consequences
of your own action was one of the best Hollywood entries in the genre in 2003.
Shot against the backdrop of post 9/11 New York, this character driven piece
about a group of friends coming together and reassessing their lives, is moving,
powerful stuff. The cast is superb, with Edward Norton igniting the screen
with another exceptional performance.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
11. Peter Pan
The
first true live action adaptation of the classic J.M. Barrie play since the
silent era captures the magic of the story superbly. With great acting and
fantastic characters you'd believe that you'd been taken to Neverland and
were witnessing the adventure first hand. This is classic children's and adult
entertainment.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
10. Adaptation
From the crazed mind of one of the most original screenwriter working in Hollywood
today, Charlie Kaufman comes a surreal tale of his own experiences while adapting
a book to the screen. Working again with maverick director Spike Jonze, the
two combine to produce a crazy, madcap movie about confidence and self-doubt
consuming out lives.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
9.
The Rules of Attraction
The college movie is thrown totally on its head. From the twisted mind of
Bret Easton Ellis comes a cast of unlikely characters that you might never
want to meet but can't help been draw into their world. Sex, drugs, betrayal
and adventure combine to produce one of the most original looks at the American
college experience.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
8. Confessions of an Dangerous
Mind
George Clooney makes his directorial debut with the story of Chuck Barris,
successful game show producer and CIA hit man. Superbly acted and extremely
funny, this was a breakthrough role for up and coming star Sam Rockwell and
a joy to watch.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
7. City of God
As original ideas dry up in Hollywood you have to turn to world cinema pure
innovation and City of God is a prime example. Filmed on the streets of Rio
with kids from the local slums, this is a powerful, violent look at the gangs
that run the city. While they may have no acting experiences, these kids provide
some of the best and uncompromising performances you will ever see.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
6. Intolerable Cruelty
George Clooney and the Coen Brothers together again, need I say more. In probably
their most commercial vehicles, the Coen's inject their own unique, quirky
style into the romantic comedy genre and produce one of the most enjoyable
films of 2003. Outstanding comic performances and a very bearable Catherine
Zeta Jones, Intolerable Cruelty might not be your typical Coen Brothers movie
but it is still hysterically funny.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
5. Phone Booth
Its
not often that you'd look forward to a Joel Schumacher movie but when you
limit his budget and give him an original idea, he can come up trumps. Phone
Booth is one of the most tense movie experiences that you will ever experience,
as a sniper plays with a man's life on the streets of Manhattan. Colin Farrell
shines but it is the voice of the gunman that makes this movie so pulsating.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
4. The Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions
While
they were released as two movies, they are technically one big film charting
the final journey of The One as he takes on the Machines and Agent Smith to
save Zion. Met with mixed reactions and a lot of confusion, the Matrix is
still exceptional science fiction and great entertainment.
CLICK
HERE to read the Reloaded review
CLICK
HERE to read the Revolutions review
3. Finding Nemo
In
the animation world, Pixar is king. Finding Nemo continues their growing legacy
of classics, not just in animation but also in film itself. With lovable characters
that you can easily connect with, a simple but exciting story and computer
animation that has to be seen to be believed, this movie is THE family film
of the year and an all time classic.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
2. Kill Bill Vol.1
Whenever
Quentin Tarantino releases a movie the cinematic world stands up and takes
notice, Kill Bill was no exception. After making the controversial decision
to split the film in half, we were taken into the world of The Bride and her
revenge against the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. Throwing everything
he loved about martial arts movies into the pot and adding a pinch of his
own unique style, Tarantino has created something really special, even with
all the violence and gore.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
1.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Astonishing cinema. This is what going to the movies is all about, pure escapism.
Director Peter Jackson and his cast and crew transport you into Middle Earth
and after two movies you really care what happens to these characters and
how the story is going to unfold. These movies have set the bar for
big budget, special effects driven spectacles and I don't think anything is
going to come close for a very long time. I would even dare to say that these
three movies are the best trilogy of films ever made, and that is taking into
account the original, unaltered Star Wars trilogy.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
So there you have it, with only five of the fifteen been big budget extravaganzas, 2003 was the year of the smaller budget, character driven movie. In my opinion this was a great year for the indie film, with even more of the years best just outside the top fifteen also been lower budget cinema, like Whale Rider, Igby Goes Down, Tadpole, Touching the Void and In America standing out.
The Hollywood big hitters haven't been bad, like Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Hulk, Daredevil and Pirates of the Caribbean but nothing that will stick in the mind for years to come. Lets hope they get it right in 2004.
As we finish the countdown of the best of 2003, I've saved some space for the worst (why I don't know). Anyway, so without further ado, here are the worst three movies of 2003.
3. Daddy Day Care
Eddie Murphy's career continues to spiral down the toilet with this truly
awful cinematic experience. What I can't believe is that this movie did well
and they are making a sequel! What are you thinking people!!!
CLICK
HERE to read the review
2. Dreamcatcher
A great cast, a successful book and good director do not a great movie make.
What the hell was Lawrence Kasden doing with this god awful, Stephen King
written travesty. At least we got to laugh at Morgan Freeman's comedy eyebrows.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
1. National Secruity
Martin Lawrence is crap and the sooner Hollywood realises that the better.
With his "is it because I'm black" comedy routine, the man is stuck in the
1980s and is doing nothing to oppress stereotypes and promote racial integration
in cinema. National Secruity is the worst kind of cinema.
CLICK
HERE to read the review
You might ask where is Gigli but I actually didn't go and see it, I just couldn't suffer the self-punishment.
So as we say goodbye to 2003, what do we have to look forward to in 2004. Here are a few standouts…
Van Helsing
Hugh Jackman stars as the legendary Monster hunter Abraham Van Helsing. Written
and directed by Stephen Sommers (Deep Raising and The Mummy series), he brings
three of Horror greatest monsters to the big screen in one movie, The Wolfman,
Frankenstein's Monster and Count Dracula.
CLICK HERE to read more
Harry Potter and the Prisoner
of Azkaban
Harry, Ron and Hermione return for their third year at Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry. With a new director, Alfonso Cuaron (The Little Princess
and cult Mexican film Y Tu Mama Tambien) and a darker tone, expect this new
adventure to be slightly different to the previous two. With new cast members
Emma Thomson, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis, Julie Christie, Pam Ferris, Dawn
French and Gary Oldman as the prisoner in question, Sirius Black, it looks
like the top notch British cast just keeps getting bigger and better.
CLICK HERE to read more
Spider-Man 2
Spidey is back and he faces his biggest challenges ever, does he tell Mary
Jane that he loves her and how does he stop Doctor Octopus? If the teaser
trailer is anything to go by, this is going to be as good if not better than
the original. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst return as Peter and MJ, along
with James Franco as Harry Osborn, J K Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson and Rosemary
Harris as Aunt May. British actor Alfred Molina has signed to play Doctor
Otto Octavius or Doc Ock, the mad scientist with four mechanical arms grafted
to his back after a freak accident.
CLICK HERE to read more
Others worth getting excited about include… Thunderbirds, The Chronicles of Riddick, I' Robot, M. Night Shyamalan's The Village, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Troy, The Day After Tomorrow, Shrek 2, Around the World in 80 Days, Terminal, The Polar Express, Pixar's The Incredibles and Kill Bill Vol.2
Might not be a bad year after all.
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