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After seeing well over a hundred 2003 movies, here is my current
Top Ten of 2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Mystic River
The Last Samurai
The Italian Job
Finding Nemo
Lost in Translation
Open Range
Kill Bill Vol. 1
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Big Fish
A few still on my to watch list:
The Fog of War
The Corporation
Dogville
Capturing the Friedmans
Touching the Void
The Station Agent
The Barbarian Invasions
Good Bye, Lenin!
Zatoichi
Love Actually
Thus far... and including things seen on DVD, since I see more films that way anyway...
The 25th Hour -- 2.5 out of 4
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind -- 2.5
The Way Things Go (1987) -- 1.5
Seconds (1966) -- 4
CQ (2002) -- 3
Donnie Darko (2001) -- 4
Igby Goes Down (2002) -- 2.5
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets -- 2.5
Russian Ark (2002) -- 3
Lost in La Mancha (2002) -- 3
X2 -- 3
The Matrix Reloaded -- 3
These are the remarkable 2003 films I have seen so far. A few were seen at festivals and have not been picked for distribution in N.America(*), as far as I know.
RUSSIAN ARK (Russia)
THE SON (Belgium)
***************************
THE MAGDALENE SISTERS (Ireland)
HERO* (China)
MONDAYS IN THE SUN (Spain)
SPIDER (Canada/UK)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
10 (Iran)
11'09"01 SEPTEMBER 11 (Fra/UK/Iran/Japan/US,etc)
ALL THE REAL GIRLS(USA)
AMERICAN SPLENDOR (USA)
ARO TOLBUKHIN:In the Mind of a Killer*(Mex/Spa/Hung)
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS (Canada)
BLISSFULLY YOURS* (Thailand)
BUS 174 (Brasil)
CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS (USA)
COLD MOUNTAIN (USA)
DECASIA (USA)
DIVINE INTERVENTION (Palestine/Fra)
THE FOG OF WAR (USA)
FINDING NEMO (USA)
IRREVERSIBLE (France)
JAPON (Mexico)
LOST IN TRANSLATION (USA)
MILLENIUM ACTRESS (Japan)
THE SHAPE OF THINGS (USA)
UNKNOWN PLEASURES (China)
*****************************
21 GRAMS (USA)
LOONEY TOONS: BACK IN ACTION (USA)
MAROONED IN IRAQ (Iran)
STEVIE (USA)
WINGED MIGRATION (Fra)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
BALSEROS (Spain)
BUFFALO SOLDIERS (UK/Ger)
CHIHWASEON aka PAINTED FIRE (So. Korea)
CITY OF GOD (Brasil)
DOWN WITH LOVE (USA)
ELEPHANT (US)
The GIRL FROM PARIS (Fra)
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING (uk)
IN AMERICA (Ireland/UK)
LAVOURA ARCAICA aka To the Left of the Father* (Brasil)
LES DIABLES* (France)
The MAN WITHOUT A PAST (Finland)
MASKED AND ANONYMOUS (USA)
MONSTER (USA)
RAISING VICTOR VARGAS (USA)
THE SCHOOL OF ROCK (USA)
The VIRGIN OF LUST* (Mexico)
WARMING BY THE DEVIL'S FIRE (USA)
Other films that deserve attention:Ali Zaoua:Prince of the Streets(Morocco),The Housekeeper(Fra),The Cuckoo(Russia), Movern Callar (UK),Whale Rider(N.Zea),Pieces of April,I Capture the Castle(UK),Respiro(Ita), The Station Agent,28 Days Later(UK),Nowhere in Africa(Ger), Amen(Fra/Ger/US), Fairy Tales to Put Crocodiles to Sleep(Mex), Eden(Poland), On the Ocassion of Remembering the Turning Gate(So. Korea),Laurel Canyon,House of Sand and Fog,My Architect(US),90 Miles(US), Fausto 5.0(Spain),Swimming Pool(Fra/uk),Man on the Train(Fra),Kill Bill(US),Sweet 16,Dirty Pretty Things(UK), A Lucky Day(Argentina),Northfork(US),Thirteen(US),Lawless Heart(UK) and Pirates of the Caribbean.
PERFORMANCES:Charlize Theron(Monster),Romola Garai(I Capture),Miranda Richardson(Spider),Holly Hunter(13),Emma Bolger(In America), Shoreh Aghdashloo(House of Sand),Geraldine McEwan(Magdalene).
Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro(21),Jack Black(School of Rock), Chiwetel Ejiofor(DPThings), Bill Murray(Lost),Johnny Depp(Pirates)
Hmm. So far there's been some good films:
Anger Management- I actually wish this was more over the top than it was. It would have been more funny. (and it seemed to lack a really good ending)
Lost in La Mancha- heartbreaking film that reminded me why I will never be in the movie-making business-fear of this shit happening! Just as good as Eleanor Coppola's "Hearts of Darkness".
Irreversible- if you make it to the end you will have some emotional response. For me, I was indeed moved.
City of God- easily one of the best films I've ever seen. City of God is pure GOLD.
and there are films I want to see badly- Russian Ark (12 days and counting!), The 25th Hour-why hasn't this played here yet? I'm angry-, Nowhere in Africa, A Mighty Wind, Pirates of the Carribean, and Amandla.
1. Holes (9 out of 10) - This is the best movie of the year so far with its fascinating present/past images technique, with great storytelling, interesting plot, adventure, humor, and a compelling romance-drama - "Stand By Me" - triumph.
2. Identity (8 out of 10) - a fascinating psycho-thriller of the best kind, with a realistic, eerie fear factor of the classic movies. A brilliant cautionary tale to any therapist.
2. Bringing Down The House (8 out of 10) - of the most funniest movies in a long time with a good performance from Steve Martin plus it's comedy containing some serious dramatic, intelligent moments.
3. The Hunted (8 out of 10) - An amazing special ops thriller and an intelligent alternative to the less technically minded. While missing out of the character drama, the action thrills are compelling and played straight instead of theatrically phony.
4. The Lizzie McGuire Movie (8 out of 10) - A delicious adaptation to the big screen with delightful animated interludes and a great, charming movie for kids. A solid and thoughtful movie.
5. How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days (8 out of 10) - There are scenes in this movie that defy quality, professional honesty that work like gems though the ending wasn't as sharp as it could have been.
6. What a Girl Wants (8 out of 10) - An above average comedy about growing up improves on its predecessor pushing the envelop between comedy and drama, smoothly combining both elements making this movie a much more intelligent, mature, and delightfully entertaining movie.
7. Anger Management (7 out of 10) - An uneven but enjoyable ride.
8. A View From The Top (7 out of 10) - A Different, Dorky, But Solid Comedy.
9. X-2 (7 out of 10) - A Techno-Thriller, but With Really Irritating Plot Flaws.
10. Bullet Proof Monk (7 out of 10) - Notch above the average martial arts movie. It brings a refreshing new breeze of comedy along with dramatic harder elements.
11. The Recruit (7 out of 10) - Predictable, Weak, But Completely Entertaining.
12. Shanghai Knights (7 out of 10) - A Fun, Mindless Movie.
13. Tears of the Sun (6 out of 10) - A Decent but Not Outstanding Movie.
The best film I've seen so far this year is ALL THE REAL GIRLS, David Gordon Green's follow-up to GEORGE WASHINGTON (2000)..Sony threw this away too early in the year and shame on them. This movie is a masterpiece.
WHAT A GIRL WANTS was just as bad as the original, THE RELUCTANT DEBUTANTE (1957)..it was less a comedy of manners than a ripoff of an even worse film THE PRINCESS DIARIES (2001).
A Mighty Wind 7/10
Enjoyable but heavily flawed. Three masterpieces in a row would have been asking too much. Why so little screen time for Parker?!?
Xmen2-Too dumb to give a rating other then whatever.
My personal favorite of the year so far is Daredevil. Much to the dismay of my adulescent companions, I proudly say I like it better than Spider-Man. I'm really falling for this comics movies drive, what being such a fanboy and all. Daredevil proved that comics are not just men in tights and cackling villians with nuclear bombs. This made it so realistic that it could be believable. Thoughts?
According to my records I've seen 69 movies in regular theatrical release in 2003 so far, of which most were made in 2002 and many were released in 2002. I don't want to get pinned down so soon, and the best is yet to come in US releases I'm sure, but so far my picks of 2003 releases might be, alphabetically:
- Better Luck Tomorrow
- Charlotte Sometimes
- City of God (Didade de Deus)
- Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
- Gerry
- Raising Victor Vargas
- Shape of Things, The
- Son, The (Le Fils)
- Spun
This excludes various great ones I saw this year that were actually released in 2002. Obviously it's a list that favors the arty and focuses on the adult and the serious, but not on the obscure: these were all readily available in Bay Area movie houses this year.
I'm surprised at how many of other thread listings I haven't seen that I wish I had, even the mainstream ones I could have caught. I'm looking for a great mainstream or blockbuster movie, but I haven't found one yet. Italian Job might come close. I haven't seen X-2. Matrix? I couldn't stay awake long enough to say -- dozed during the freeway car chase which my co-watcher said was excellent.
Gosh I really want to see City of God. I've heard so much about it and can't wait.
I think you can rent it now--if not now, soon.
City of God is still earning a healthy 3k per screen per weekend. It has not been scheduled for release yet. Maybe late august but more likely a September release.
What the tables say is that City of God is grossing $1,897 per theater, not $3,000. The Brazilian movie is still making US box office money, showing in 16 theaters now in its 21st week, down from 108 at week 13.
Where are those 16 theaters, though, in case HorseradishTree wants to travel to see it? In NYC, Chicago, and Miami, apparently, but not Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Phoenix, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia or Houston-- I'm curious just what in the world those 13 other theater locations are.
I'm pretty sure it's playing in Albuquerque where I am at our Madstone Theater. God, Madstone rules!!! Or maybe they stopped it...oh well my paternal units recently viewed Nowhere in Africa and strongly recommend it, although they say don't bring your kids because even though it's PG, it's a German film and I suppose they're a lot more open about things like mature themes.