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.
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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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