ErikJ972's top ten films of 2003.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 11:02pm

Since it seems that everyone and their mother has a top ten list this time of year I thought I would add my own. The order of this list is subject to change depending on my mood.

1. Big Fish
2. Fog of War
3. Capturing the Friedmans
4. Finding Nemo
5. Kill Bill V. 1
6. Return of the King
7. Cold Mountain
8. Pirates of the Caribean
9. 28 Days Later
10. Elf

Feel free to comment, complain, ignore, or post your own list.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 11:09pm

The only movie I've seen on your list is Finding Nemo. I bought it on DVD recently, and I must say I absolutely love it! It's honestly one of the best and certainly most creative films I have ever seen. I love the fact that Dame Edna (his real name escapes me right now) does the voice of that big scary vegetarian shark. lol And Ellen Degeneres was a perfect fit for Dory. I highly reccomend this for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

I do want to see "Cold Mountain" and "Big Fish."

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 8:31am

I'd love to do my list but I'm in Ohio and a lot of these movies are still coming out around here. So I'll have my list in a week or two.

(But kudos for remembering 28 Days Later, what an excellent movie.)

And I see Big Fish tomorrow! Viva La Tim Burton!!

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 9:00am

I'm intrigued that you included "Big Fish." That's one movie I wanted to love ... yet I kept checking my watch. It just didn't hang together for me, magical moment to magical moment. Just when it would begin to intrigue and move me (like the giant sequence), it would veer off and flatten. The circus stuff with Devito didn't come to much. More critically, the son's POV was so one-note, I couldn't get inside his crisis. Still, it's stunning to look at (the Korean sequence--haunting), I loved Finney, and the ending certainly brought a tear.

I love your list. To me, the two best films of the year were "Nemo" and "Friedmans," two genres (cartoons and documentaries) I normally eschew.

I'm in the minority, but I'd add "House of Sand and Fog." It burrowed into my psyche and wouldn't let go. The sheer momentum of the escalating tragedy was harrowing and in 2003, unique (as I've posted here before, we don't really watch "tragedy" anymore, since it's synonymous with "downer.") And Kingsley, whom I normally find a bit arch and smug -- eyes always twinkling self-consciously -- was just masterful. I'd Oscar him over Penn.

Updated On: 1/8/04 at 09:00 AM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 10:33am

I agree with Auggie. Big Fish just didn't ignite. I don't know what people see in Billy Crudup. He must have missed a lot of acting classes when he went to NYU.

I thought Mystic River was a great film this year. Excellent performances by everyone.

Updated On: 1/8/04 at 10:33 AM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 1:08pm

Sueleen's vote for Best Picture of 2003...



CAPTURING NEMO

The true story of a teenage fish who is caught playing in the kiddie pool and sent to confinement in an aquarium filled with other outcasts for a number of years. His brother, the Clown Fish used to entertain at parties but spent years trying to free his little brother from the clutches of the evil authorities. In the end, Nemo is released, but forever changed.
(With the voices of Paul Reubens, Jeffery Jones and Pete Townsend!)

Can't wait for all the extras on the DVD!

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 1:12pm

Ok. I live in the UK, so some of my films of the year were films of last year for most of you, but here's what I thought of last year:

Top 10 Films Of 2003

1. Far From Heaven
2. Cold Mountain
3. Lost In Translation
4. Return Of The King
5. Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind
6. The Safety Of Objects
7. Mystic River
8. Laurel Canyon
9. The Hours
10. Intermission

Honourable mentions for: Irreversible (which is only not on this year's list as I saw a special preview screening of it last year), Wonderland, Shattered Glass, Secretary, Ripley's Game,Cypher, City Of God, Igby Goes Down, Bright Young Things, Party Monster and Finding Nemo.

Bottom 10 Films Of 2003

1. The House Of 1000 Corpses
2. Dreamcatcher
3. Gigli
4. The Sin Eater
5. Wrong Turn
6. Hulk
7. Bad Boys II
8. Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
9. Legally Blonde 2
10. Jeepers Creepers 2

Less than honourable mentions for: Love Actually, Timeline, 8 Mile, In The Cut, Gangs Of New York, Full Frontal, Tears Of The Sun, Cabin Fever, Frida, Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions, Elephant, S.W.A.T., Bulletproof Monk, Ghost Ship, Punch Drunk Love, Catch Me If You Can, A Man Apart, Identity, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Young Adam and Down With Love.

[tpdc]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 1:15pm

I agree with you Auggie on HOUSE OF SAND & FOG. I thought it was a great film. It was gripping from start to finish. Kingsley was excellent.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 1:20pm

Oh, popcultureboy, you lose point for even seeing some of those films on your list. Did you expect Jeepers Creepers 2 to be any good?

[tpdc]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 1:42pm

The first JEEPERS CREEPERS wasn't bad for a late night cable horror flick. But I don't think I would have paid to see either of them at the movie.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 2:49pm

popcultureboy, what was wrong with Love Actually? I liked it.

[dotmarie]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 3:15pm

I see like, no movies, but I love Finding Nemo! you guys made me ink!

[JakeB]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 3:54pm

I thought Finding Nemo was overhyped and was not as good as they made out, I fell asleep.

[dotmarie]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 4:04pm

JakeB, that's what my friend thought too.

I admit it was probably overhyped, therefore people expected more of it, but I have a thing for Pixar films. =)

[Benzy92]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 4:08pm

CAMP was amazing.. it SHOULD be up for best song-- Heres Where I Stand..

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 4:18pm

I have to admit...
I have a special place in my heart for the guilty pleasures of movies like Ghost Ship. But I admit that it's not great cinema.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 4:59pm

Haven't seen all the big films yet, but my favs so far:

Finding Nemo
Love Actually
Pirates of the Caribbean
Whale Rider
Swimming Pool

"I thought Finding Nemo was overhyped and was not as good as they made out, I fell asleep."

That's how I felt about all three Lord of the Rings films. I went just to see them, but had trouble keeping my eyes open. I thought the last one would NEVER END. It drove me insane!

I agree with Auggie on Big Fish. I was so excited to see the new Tim Burton film, but I found it quite dull. It was sweet and all, but just didn't grab me. It seemed to play like Burton trying to do Coen or something. It never seemed to find its voice. Just a bunch of kooky scenes strewn together with a feel-good message with no dynamics whatsoever.

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 7:40pm

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King was breathtaking. Now I've read the books and all so it was special for me to see it come to life on stage, so some of you who haven't read the books or seen the movies might disagree with me. This is definitely a wonderful end to an amazing trilogy.

The film has unbelievable sequences, such as all the battles where the theatre literally rumbles from all the action. But despite the action, its filled with triumph, loss, love, and everything that makes you feel all good inside after its over! I wish it would win an award. There hasn't been a movie or trilogy that kept me so involved and interested. I love it.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 8:08pm

Lord of the Rings are proof that Hollywood just takes unreadable books and turns them into unwatchable movies.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 9:06pm

I much respect anyone who appreciates the RINGS films; Jackson's a true artist, and his translation of such a beloved text is an achievement, formidable, to be sure. But I'm one of those people who experienced a disconnect from the first moment in the first film. Like Matt, I sat through all 3 unable to feel a single emotion as a result of what was transpiring. The closest I came was the Golem's torturous schizophrenia (fighting with himself) in TOWERS--which is a good thing, because there was a ton of it. Even then, I couldn't get past the fact of the CGI, and the chilliness of the whole milieu. I felt trapped with a cold blue image, in the company of characters who were heroic but whose heroism didn't touch my heart. I wouldn't begin to know how to debate the merits of such a work, or presume to say a negative word against it, since I was so ... locked out. Sometimes, that just happens.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 9:34pm

I wouldn't mind LOTR being the big pop culture thing du jour, heck, it's a lot more literary than 'Star Wars' could ever hope to be, I just get annoyed with everyone acting like the actual filmmaking is something breathtaking and new. It's competent filmmaking and I'm sure it was a pain in the neck to get done but Jackson really didn't do anything particularly clever or original in terms of direction. Yeah the effects are good but that's not directing. The shots are pretty standard and the pacing is all over the place. The acting, other than Ian McKellan who's too good to be bad in anything, is pretty standard too.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 9:34pm

Double post, sorry. Updated On: 1/8/04 at 09:34 PM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 1/8/04 at 9:35pm

"Lord of the Rings are proof that Hollywood just takes unreadable books and turns them into unwatchable movies."

I'm sorry but this is a ridiculous statement. The books are considered classics and the films are clearly watchable--the first two raised $1.8 billion. The third is on its way to making at least a billion on its own. Plus, the great praise and awards.

I guess what I'm trying to say is:

Fine if you don't like the films, but don't be so arrogant as to put out such a general bs comment.

love you mean it! =)

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 1/9/04 at 5:51am

OK. The first Jeepers Creepers terrified me to the point where about half way through I turned to my friend and said "I can't watch this anymore" and on top of that it's actually very well shot and edited, so yes, I kind of expected that, given it was the same writer/director, that part 2 would be good. And it was horrible.

And Love Actually is an appalling film. Way too many storylines fighting for space, bad performances (the only two good performances from Laura Linney and Andrew Lincoln were sidelined beyond belief), bad direction and it was headsmackingly simplistic and stupid and unrealistic and worst of all, unromantic. And if Martine McCutcheon ends up with a Hollywood career off the back of this movie, I will hunt her down and kill her.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 1/9/04 at 9:37am

"Lord of the Rings are proof that Hollywood just takes unreadable books and turns them into unwatchable movies."

is a paraphrasing from 'True Romance.'

You know, a GOOD movie.

And I've read the books and seen the movie. I stand by my assessment. I don't care if people 'like' them. They liked 'Star Wars' and 'The Matrix' too.