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FEATURE COLUMN

The Year 2003 - The Staff's Top 10

 

With all the top ten lists from the nation's film critics, online critics, and so forth, we thought why not chime in ourselves?! Without any ado, here are our top picks.

 


 

Dennis Landmann's Top 10 Films

 

1. Lost in Translation

2. Mystic River

3. Master and Commander

4. 21 Grams

5. In America

6. American Splendor

7. Matchstick Men

8. Finding Nemo

9. The Fog of War

10. City of God/Whale Rider/The Station Agent


 

Sara Michelle's Top 10

 

Best

1. Master and Commander

2. American Splendor

3. Mystic River

4. *tie* Finding Nemo & The Triplets of Belleville

5. Big Fish

6. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

7. City of God

8. Whale Rider

9. The House of Sand and Fog

10. In America

 

>>Read Sara's comprehensive "Films of 2003" recap!

 

Worst

1. Passionada

2. Elf

3. Jeepers Creepers 2

4. Grind

5. Daddy Day Care

6. Scary Movie 3

7. Kangaroo Jack

8. The Cat in the Hat

9. Final Destination 2

10. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life

 


 

Christopher Bryan's Top 10

 

Note: Films in top 10 are listed in alphabetical order.

 

28 Days Later - This movie scared the pants off of me. It was an imaginative horror film that used some of the standards of the genre yet seemed fresh and new.

 

Elf - This is a fantastic holiday movie that is perfect for the whole family. I was rolling through the whole film and had to go see it a second time to take my eight-year-old cousin. It was the surprise holiday hit that will make it into the ranks of holiday classics beating out the other contender "The Cat in the Hat".

 

Finding Nemo - Who says that animated films aren’t fun for adults? Pixar amazes me anew every time they put a movie out. "Nemo" had heart and a fun story to tell.

 

Lilya 4-Ever - This film was agonizing to watch and that’s exactly what made it so good. It haunted me for days after I saw it, and was the movie that I most recommended and talked about this year.

 

Seabiscuit - It came out of the gates at a time during the summer when I wasn’t very happy with anything that I saw. It was a nice relief from the Hollywood Blockbuster action films.

 

Spellbound - This movie had more feeling and got me more involved than many of the best scripted movies of the year. I laughed and cried and discovered the joy of documentary film for the first time.

 

The Station Agent - A quirky film that I truly enjoyed. The character of Joe made the movie for me; he added a whole new dimension to the film with his uncompromising friendship that he developed with Finbar.

 

X-Men 2 - Finally a summer film that had brains to back up the brawn. I only wish that it had come out later in the summer to break up the monotony. Instead it came out right away in May, and everything that came after was disappointing. It is one of the few sequels that actually improves upon the original.

 

Guilty Pleasure: Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle

"Full Throttle" was a cheap thrill in the middle of the summer. Lots of bodacious babes and silly action with some great cameos. I enjoyed it, and was surprised that more people didn’t.

 

Worst Movie: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

A pile of putrid crap. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Most of my respect for Sean Connery was lost. Staring at a blank wall would have been more worthwhile. Thinking about it now makes me angry all over again.

 

At the time of writing this I did not have the opportunity to see Cold Mountain, Mystic River, The Two Towers, and The Last Samurai.

 


 

Angelo's Top 10

 

1. Lost in Translation - Sofia Coppola's masterpiece about miscommunication, alienation, displacement and the joy of finding someone on the same wavelength. The film's quiet moments and lucidity elicits empathy and allows us to simply bask in its genuine warmth and humor. Bill Murray marvels, Scarlett Johansson scores, and "Lost" leads the pack as the best film of 2003.


2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - The crowning achievement to the greatest fantasy epic ever put on film. A truly glorious cinematic experience.  To call it exhilarating is a grave understatement.


3. The Man on the Train - Patrice Leconte's introspective tale about two men's examination of the direction their lives have taken. The way the story unfolds is engrossing and amazing.


4. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 - The ultimate killer of a movie. Tarantino's cinematic brilliance bursts through the seams in every single shot. Uma Thurman shines and is a sight to behold.


5. All the Real Girls - The most overlooked film of the year. With its authentic romanticism and quiet timelessness, it's a classic piece of work. It's one of those films I never wanted to end.


6. City of God - Terribly overlooked by the Academy last year, this Brazilian film tells the story of several struggling youths surrounded by a world of crime and drugs. A powerful and beautiful film.

7. American Splendor - Harvey Pekar doesn't need to fly or have mutant powers to be a comic book hero. His oddly fascinating life is simply enough. The film is original, strange yet uplifting.

8. Finding Nemo - The funniest film of the year, and that's just for starters. A constant source of adventure and laughter, it is one of Disney's most accomplished works.


9. Nowhere in Africa - A fascinating journey about a German family transplanted to the African heartland. It has the visual sweeps and gripping saga of a great epic.


10. Raising Victor Vargas - Transcending the typical ghetto film formula, "Raising Victor Vargas" is one of the best coming of age films. It's genuine in performances and rich in emotion.

 


 

Jon Bjorling's Top 10

 

1. City of God - Quite possibly the most disturbing film I have ever seen. I have no problem with violence and depravity in film, some of my favorite films include these two things in bulk. But this film is a little different. Not only is this a true story, but children are the ones committing these acts. It's a remarkable film shot almost in a documentary style, which adds to the realism. This is a shoe-in for best foreign film.


2. Finding Nemo - Pixar has yet another hit. Aside from having exceptionally beautiful animation, "Nemo" is a well crafted and very funny story. While Pixar seems to continually one-up themselves with each and every film, this may be them at their peak (but I hope not.)

3. Mystic River - You can't take your eyes off this film. From the very first frames this film sucks you in. Films with moral ambiguity are always fun to watch because it is a closer mirror to reality than many other films. You have to wonder sometimes, how far is one willing to go in order to achieve a goal?


4. Love Actually - I have admit something: I really didn't want to see this film. It looked like nothing more than a typical "chick flick." Those kinds of films don't interest me in the same way most action films don't because I've seen them all before. However, "Love" is something different. Five or six romantic storylines are interwoven to create a tapestry of love and loss that is both uproariously hilarious and bittersweet at the same time.

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - PIRATES!! ZOMBIES (sort of)!! IN THE SAME FILM!! This is a combination that can't be beat. I believe this was the most fun I've had in a few years. It hit all the right notes and boasted some pretty cool special effects.

7. Kill Bill Vol. 1 - This film is just so cool. Quentin Tarantino takes all the best things from some of the best 70's Samurai flicks and adds his own little flair, as well as a few contemporary film references, such as "Ichi the Killer". I can't wait to see how he wraps things up in Volume 2.


8.
*tie* Last Samurai/Master and Commander: Far Side of the World - Here are two historical epics. "Samurai", although featuring a terrible ending that completely phases out the film's theme, is a very compelling film. While Cruise is pretty good, his supporting cast shines brighter. "Master" on the other hand is a great character-driven film. While a bit overlong, it has some great action sequences and features very good performances from the entire cast.

9. Millennium Actress - Wow. The man who directed "Perfect Blue", one of the most intriguing anime films I have ever seen, has created a very sweet-natured film about unrequited love. It's definitely worth the watch despite being a little on the short side.


10. Bend it Like Beckham - This film is fun. Not "Pirates" fun, but still a good time.


Other great films of this year: "LOTR: Return of the King", "Better Luck Tomorrow", "The Eye", "28 Days Later", "Dirty Pretty Things", "The Rundown", "Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven's Door".

 


 

Greg Malmborg's Top 10

 

1. Mystic River - Everything I have to say about this film is beyond positive. I only have glowing praise for every inch of this film. This is what films are all about, true emotion and feeling coming through in all of these exceptional performances. Sean Penn turns in one of the greatest performances of the past ten years. The Oscar has his name on it. Tim Robbins also turns in his best performance to date, which is saying quite a lot. If not for Penn’s performance, I would say Robbins was the front-runner for the Oscar. The rest of the cast is also outstanding and all award-worthy. Eastwood obviously has a way with actors and he brings the perfect pitch and tone to the direction. The story is devastating and brilliant; the dialogue is true and real. Best picture of the year, by far.


2. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King -
This is a profoundly moving, deeply satisfying, and thrilling conclusion to one of the most spectacular and unforgettable cinematic achievements of all time. Every inch of this film is meticulously detailed, beautifully shot, and extraordinarily acted. Any doubts on this being a let-down or disappointment of any kind are immediately squelched. This is the best fantasy film I have ever seen and the trilogy will go down as a classic. But I should say that if you did not like the first two you still probably won’t come away thinking this is the best you’ve ever seen, but you will come away with a profound respect for the director, Peter Jackson. Jackson deserves all the credit for this amazing trilogy, and being that this was far and away the best of the three sections. It is his attention to detail, his brilliant use of locations and effects, his masterful work with the actors, and his unadulterated passion for "The Lord of the Rings" books that makes this the best trilogy of our time.


3. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World -
Successful adventure films depend on how well the audience gets sucked up into the world that is created for them. They need to buy into this new reality and feel that shared sense of adventure. The best adventure films took this concept to whole new levels, and Master and Commander is no exception. Peter Weir is a genius at creating new and exciting worlds and realities and fully immersing his audience into them. And Master and Commander is his biggest success. After seeing this the first time, you will feel that shared sense of adventure and truly come out of it with a sense of what life was like for these brave and loyal sailors. The charming and brilliant work of Russell Crowe anchors this movie. The film hinges on the loyalty and respect shown to him by his crew, and Crowe makes you believe that these men would follow him to the depths of hell if necessary. He is simply magnificent, as is this grand adventure set on the high seas.


4. Seabiscuit -
This should be one of the Best Picture nominees come year-end, and a possible winner (we’ll have to see how the rest of the year shakes out). This has an old-time feel to it, and I mean that in the absolute best way. This film is what the movies are all about; it will move you regardless of your attitude. You will actually feel like getting up and cheering. The performances are all amazing and award worthy. Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and William H. Macy could all be up for Oscars, they are all that good. This will go down as a classic.

 

5. Open Range - One of the best westerns I’ve seen in the past twenty years, definitely up there with "Unforgiven" and "Tombstone". It has a beautifully slow, old-fashioned feel to it and slowly builds up the central theme and tension. If you are a big fan of the western genre you will absolutely fall in love with this film. Robert Duvall turns in perhaps his best performance to date and should be a lock for a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Kevin Costner and Annette Benning are also good, but Duvall steals the film. Filmgoers who are not fans of westerns may not enjoy the film as much do to the slow pacing and slight plot. But this is what contributes to the greatness of the western genre and "Open Range" hits the mark.
 

6. Finding Nemo - I think this movie is absolutely impossible not to like. I would love to hear from anyone out there who didn’t completely enjoy every second of this extremely clever, continuously funny, and heartwarming animated film. The animation is not just flawless, it is utterly spectacular. The characters just jump off the screen. It seems like each and every scene was so perfectly written, animated, and cast. They should just give it the Best Animated Film Oscar right now because nothing will even come close. This film is terrific the whole way through.

 

7. Whale Rider - Deeply felt, extremely well acted drama on finding your place in the world even when you’re not wanted. I couldn’t recommend this film enough. Even though it is a bit too slow in some spots, the weight of the story and the amazing lead performance by one gifted young actress pulls the film above the crowd. You can’t help but be moved by this story. Seek this film out.

 

8. 21 Grams - Deeply felt, powerful drama with three amazing, Oscar-worthy performances, 21 Grams is a brilliant meditation on loss, grief, guilt, and redemption. It’s phenomenal independent filmmaking. Sean Penn turns in another outstanding, powerful performance and Benicio Del Toro is just riveting in the best role of his stellar career. Naomi Watts steals the film with her searing, soul-stirring turn as a woman overcome with grief and sorrow. This is her star-making, breakout performance that will be rewarded come award season. Her desperation and sadness are simply wrenching, and is almost too hard to watch at times. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, highlighting the overall themes, masterfully puts the film together.
 

9. The Missing - This is an engrossing and emotionally resonant Western with two outstanding performances and strong, masterful direction from Ron Howard. The Missing has a very dark and dramatic tone to go along with the dark and dramatic script, also with areas of mysticism, religion, and riveting action. Howard does a terrific job at capturing this tone and maintaining a tight pacing, interspersing the film with potent family drama, exciting action scenes, and frightening scenes with the kidnapper and his victims. Cate Blanchett is amazing and award-worthy (you will see her up there as a nominee) and Tommy Lee Jones gives another terrific performance. Jones plays the same type of character he always plays, but it works so well in this setting, it feels like his best work. If you enjoy darker, dramatic stories and happen to be a fan of the Western genre, you will absolutely love this film. Even if this isn’t your cup of tea, see it for the great performances from two of the best out there.


10. Lost in Translation -
A understated, sophisticated and utterly hilarious look at a man in the midst of a middle age crisis and a younger woman feeling lost in her surroundings and looking for company. Bill Murray gives an absolutely flat-out hilarious performance as an over the hill actor selling out and doing liquor commercials in Japan. His reactions to his surreal surroundings and his interactions with the Japanese people are gut-bustingly funny. And he also manages to bring some poignancy and emotion into what would otherwise be a straight comedy role. That is what makes his performance award-worthy and astounding. Scarlett Johansson gives the performance of her young but brilliant career. She is the true heart of this story, her yearning for companionship is what drives the story. The film is directed wonderfully by Sofia Coppola. She manages to keep the right tone and atmosphere to help the film rise above what would otherwise be just another Bill Murray comedy into an intelligent and insightful look into the lives of these two lost souls in a strange and different place.

 


 

Rachel Sexton's Top 10

 

I went through a lot of debate to settle on these 10 films, but here is my list. I attempted to include a variety of genres and styles of films. These are in random order.

 

28 Days Later—Danny Boyle’s scary and fresh entry in the horror genre updates the zombie movie: instead of the living dead, we get live people infected with rage. The opening scene is truly frightening and the rest of the film is chilling as well. The new actors impress and the romance subplot is for once successful in a horror film. It is also effective that the normal people aren’t all good either. This is the best horror film of the year, perhaps the last few years.

 

Love Actually—Richard Curtis and the team at Working Title can always be counted on for a top-notch romantic comedy and they didn’t disappoint this year. An examination of love in all its forms, this film also brings something new to the genre: an ensemble cast and multiple storylines. British vets like excellent Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman mix with younger performers like Keira Knightley and Andrew Lincoln in affecting plots that will all bring a smile to the face. Hugh Grant as the Prime Minister is also a joy. The best romantic comedy of the year.

 

Seabiscuit— The best sports film of the year is this truly inspiring and rousing tribute to a forgotten horse that is truly an American story. Despite being much smaller and having a detrimental upbringing, the title animal bested the legendary War Admiral. I challenge everyone to not cheer when Seabiscuit crosses the finish line in that scene. The story is also just as much about the horse’s owner, trainer, and jockey as it is about the horse and in the hands of Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and Tobey Maguire, these men are extraordinary.

 

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World—A duo from down under unite to bring an atmospheric and captivating seafaring epic based on the popular novel series to the big screen. Director Peter Weir and star Russell Crowe are reliable talents and the addition of Paul Bettany just increases the impressiveness of the tale set during the Napoleonic Wars on a British ship. The setting is evoked excellently and the action is always exciting. Good supporting performances also abound. Definitely one of the year’s best.

 

Finding Nemo—The best animated film of the year is the story of a dad clownfish searching for his son in the big Pacific Ocean. Hilarious and heartwarming, the film will enchant all family members. The three-dimensional animation is also a wonder, accurately and strikingly recreating an underwater world that may at times elicit a breath of amazement. The voice talents, including Albert Brooks and Ellen Degeneres, are also outstanding.

 

A Mighty Wind—The mockumentaries of Christopher Guest are always a source of great comedy during the year and this send-up of the folk music industry didn’t disappoint. Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Fred Willard, Parker Posey, Eugene Levy, and Catherine O’Hara astound with their comedic skills. This may be the most accessible of Guest’s films and may be the best comedy of the year.

 

Shattered Glass—Morality has become a timely characteristic when applied to journalism, as factual events have made clear. This film is based on one of those true events: young hotshot Stephen Glass’ fabrication of many stories for New Republic magazine. As Glass, Star Wars hunk Hayden Christiansen turns in a startlingly good performance and he’s matched by excellent Peter Sarsgaard as the editor who uncovers Glass’ deception. This morality tale also works as a detective story on par with All the President’s Men.

 

Mystic River—Sin and redemption, crime and retribution are the resonating themes of this powerful narrative of four working class friends in Boston who’s childhood experiences echo in the present after the murder of the daughter of one of them, played with usual force by Sean Penn. Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon round out the trio of friends, one who is suspected of the crime and one who is investigating it. The women’s roles, played by Laura Linney and Marcia Gay Harden, are exceptional as well.

 

Cold Mountain—Charles Frazier’s popular novel comes to the screen courtesy of director and adaptor Anthony Minghella and stars Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger. An exceptional adaptation that remains faithful to the novel while fleshing out the early part of the story well and good editing helps keep the flashbacks and changes of location straight. Most importantly, the potent love story resonates fervently thanks to effective performances from Law and Kidman. The supporting roles are taken up by some amazing actors as well, Zellweger being the one with the most screen time. A standout film.

 

And the best film of the year…

 

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King—Finally, director Peter Jackson’s adaptation of Tolkien’s trilogy reaches its conclusion, turning in the most enthralling film of the year and the best installment of the series. Flawless special effects, a dramatic and heroic story, and outstanding performers just can’t be beat. Sam battling with gigantic she-spider Shelob, Legolas taking down an entire elephant-full of opponents, the Army of the Dead Aragorn rounds up, Gollum falling into the hellfire with a smile in his face: memorable moments all in a film that will prove (hopefully once and for all to every critic) that big-budget moviemaking can equal cinematic masterpieces.

 


 

Matt Sienkiewicz's Top 10

 

1.  Lilya 4-ever
2.  City of God
3.  Pirates of the Caribbean
4.  Elephant
5.  Mystic River
6.  Finding Nemo
7.  Nowhere in Africa
8.  The Return of the King
9.  Master and Commander
10.  Open Hearts/Freddy Vs. Jason

 


 

Gregory Amato's Top 10

 

1. A Mighty Wind - Christopher Guest strikes again. Low-key, hilarious - there are so many funny lines in this film that you might miss. I would rank it nearly as high as "Spinal Tap".

2. 28 Days Later - Finally a zombie film where the zombies actually seem dangerous (imagine that!), characters to care about, dialogue to think about, a story where you have wonder who exactly the bad guys really are, and visuals that actually serve the film instead of trying to be its main draw. All these things make this one of the best films in recent memory. The ending seems a little convenient, but the rest of the film is so good it can be forgiven.

3. The Secret Lives of Dentists - The horrors of upper-middle class America! Okay, that sounds a little silly, but this film is actually scary unto itself because it's not just possibly real, it IS real. Few people will be unable to relate David Hurst's angst. This may be the most thoughtful and realistic take on infidelity in film.


4. Kill Bill: Volume 1 - Say what you will about Tarantino copycatting other kung fu flicks. I don't know other kung fu flicks, but I liked this one a lot. Very simple, and yet a feast for the eyes, unlike the majority of stupid action films. Vivica Fox tries to shoot Uma Thurman through a box of Kaboom! cereal. How can anyone not like this movie?

5. The Matrix Reloaded - Despite the bad taste left in my mouth after "Revolutions", "Reloaded" was still a great experience. It left a lot of fans thoughtful about its implications for the final part and upped the ante on what "The Matrix" had to say to us instead of just showing off more bullet time and special effects.

6. Bad Santa - The best in sick humor since "South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut".

7. Runaway Jury - The Hackman/Hoffmann roles alone are worth seeing. A very powerful film despite a bit of a sappy and simplistic ending.

8. Matchstick Men - A con movie with something to say about the people involved rather than to simply dazzle the viewer with plot twists.

9. Confidence - Another con film, and worth seeing, but it loses a little for outsmarting itself (the characters at some points know more than should be possible).

10. The Good Thief - Smart, stylish, and subtle, but it probably would have gone nowhere without Nick Nolte in the lead.

As you might be able to see I don't feel particularly strongly about picks 7-10.

 

Here are some films that I think might have changed the rankings:


House of Sand and Fog, Elephant, Bruce Almighty, 21 Grams, Dirty Pretty Things, In America, The Station Agent, American Splendor, Love Actually, Seabiscuit, Buffalo Soldiers, Cabin Fever, Phone Booth

 


 

Keith Helinski's Top 10

1. Seabiscuit/The Missing/Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World/Mystic River – Not too early to be thinking about the Oscars! Despite the year of disappointing sequels, and the majority of it was a disappointing ride, there were some high class films among them, like the four above.

 

2. The Matrix sequels - Wait a minute Keith, are you on crack? Hear me out! I recall "Men in Black 2" last year had the biggest campaign run ever and it bombed like a mofo! Why am I talking about "MIB 2"? I figured it’s a good comparison to the overly hyped turned into a dud "Matrix"! Although it’s far from the best, one can’t think of 2K3 without the depressing "Matrix" on the mind!

 

3. Phone Booth – I recall when I first saw this, wondered if Alfred Hitchcock was alive today, would he had shot this film the way it was shot? Even the master of suspense had interest in doing a film like this. Brilliant, amazingly brilliant.

 

4. Freddy vs. Jason – The 80’s came back this year. Not talking about the two versions of I Love the 80’s on VH1. I am talking about the nostalgic "Freddy vs. Jason". Not the greatest nor what I would have done but satisfying neither less and I would expect more cross over slashers in the near future!


5. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines – Disappointing. Depressing. Torturous. Parody. Spin off. How ever you want to classify it, the crane shot is the only greatest aspect to "T3" and the only reason why it gets the best mark is who knew four months after this film gets released, we would be hearing about Arnie’s campaign (which was worse than watching "T3" ten times over for the people that don’t even live in California!!) And the commentary track of the DVD is the best comical piece since the "Mallrats" commentary track (but is that really saying much?)

 

6. Final Destination 2 – Another great sequel! I was a bit surprise especially for how much the special effects improved from part one and two. The first 20 minutes with the pile up is the best crap I ever seen of special effects.

 

7. Texas Chainsaw Massacre – Not that great but not that horrible either. This got mix reviews critically but all and all, makes us ponder that not all remakes are horrible to consider.

 

8) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – While this is the year of horrible part threes and colons: what a great way to end the year. And when they say it has been a journey, damn right. And next Christmas is going to feel a little awkward since we all know there won't be another "Lord of the Rings" on the big screen.  But hey - we got the extended DVD of "Return of the King" to look forward to comes Christmas!

 

9. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – Disney failed on their new campaign of bringing their full-of-life attractions on the big screen except this one. Just an all-round fun-filled adventure.

 

10. X2 – There are moments when sequels are questionable and this film proves to all that sequels do kick the living crap out of originals! For a b-movie, "X2" had enough to rank up there.

 


 

John Teves' Top 10 DVDs of 2003

 

1.  Alien Quadrilogy
2.  Lord of the Rings: Platinum Series Extended Edition
3.  Scarface: Anniversary Edition
4.  The Adventures of Indiana Jones Collection
5.  Pirates of the Caribbean
6.  X2: X-Men United
7.  Casablanca: Special Edition
8.  The Lion King: Platinum Edition
9.  Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Vista Series
10. Terminator 2: Extreme Edition

 


 

Article Posted: 01.02.04

Article Revised: 03.17.05

 

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