So I’m done with 2003. That was easy. Wasn’t it? I’ve seen 89 films that were officially released [American] in 2003. Of course it's my luck that the year I see a bunch of films many of them were horrible, so in ascending order here is the lot.
F: #89-#76
What a year, fifteen films failed. Here they are.Kangaroo Jack, Scary Movie 3, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Boat Trip, Duplex, Haunted Mansion, Daredevil, What A Girl Wants, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Bad Boys 2, Stuck On You, Cradle to the Grave, Love Don’t Cost a Thing, Anger Management, Johnny English
Each left something a bad taste in my mouth and I don't care to see any again. They're in ascending order, but I found Anger Management especially horrible since Marisa Tomei tried so hard. But that film was just terrible.
D: #74-#70
Offensively bad, but it could have been worse
American Wedding, My Boss’ Daughter, Daddy Day Care, Honey
D+: #69-#59
They’re not very good, you probably should avoid them…but there are moments…
Gothika, Malibu’s Most Wanted, Girl With A Pearl Earring, Legally Blonde 2, How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Just Married, View From the Top, Uptown Girls, Agent Cody Banks, Biker Boyz
C-: #58-#51
Guilty, but not so pleasurable. They’re not all bad though.
Fighting Temptations, Underworld, Terminator 3, Holes, Hulk, Tears of the Sun, Matrix Revolutions, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
C: #50-#40
Hmmm. Passable. Old School, Charlie’s Angel: Full Throttle, I Capture the Castle, Whale Rider, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, Once Upon A Time in Mexico, Brother Bear, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life, Head of State, Cheaper By the Dozen, Intolerable Cruelty
C+: #39-#33
Guilty pleasures…or good in parts but sometimes disappointing
Bend It Like Beckham, Cat in the Hat, Under the Tuscan Sun, Freddy vs. Jason, Beyond Borders, The Italian Job, Bruce Almighty
B-: #32-#18
Some are good, some are fine, some are odd…but they’re all good. ish.
School of Rock, Monster, How to Deal, The Human Stain, X Men 2, Freaky Friday, Matrix Reloaded, Bringing Down the House, The Cooler, In America, Calendar Girls, Missing, Master & Commander, House of Sand & Fog, Pieces of April
B: #17-#12
They’re good. Really good.
Down With Love, Mona Lisa Smile, Kill Bill, Love Actually, Seabiscuit, 21 Grams
The Top Eleven
#11 – Lost in Translation [B+]
As I said, I don’t think I got it as much as the mass. Sure I liked it, and sure Scarlett and Bill were wonderful together. It was a nice little film, and in that realm it was successful. One of the best things about it was that it wasn’t self conscious. Coppola did well.
#10 – Le Divorce [B+]
I will never understand the hate for this. It currently holds 37% on Rotten Tomatoes which bewilders. It’s light but not a bauble and it features a great cast. Sure it’s not as socially aware as we would assume, but I think it knows that. It’s blessed comedy for Christ’s sake!
#9 – Something’s Gotta Give [B+]
Sometimes it gets a little too full of itself, but it’s Nancy Meyers. It’s more than Keaton’s great performance. It’s a nice film altogether.
#8 – Peter Pan [B+]
Underrated. I really can’t say much more than that. This one really makes me tear up, and I hate the Peter Pan story. One depressing thing.
#7 – Phone Booth [B+]
It turns into this very pervasive character study with a solid performance from Farrell. It’s a good film, and worthy of a look.
#6 – Finding Nemo [B+]
Didn’t love it like a diehard, but it’s my favourite Pixar by a mile. Ellen D. steals the show of course, but all things considered it’s great.
#5 – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl [B+]
As I said in my review, it’s a perfect crowd-pleaser. I hope that it’ll redeem itself with the next instalment, though I will miss Knightley and Bloom.
#4 – Cold Mountain [A-]
Unfairly maligned, in my opinion. It’s a beautiful piece from Minghella. Kidman, Law and Zellweger are the driving forces and they’re good…but it’s little performances from Kathy Bakers haunting portrayal to Donald Sutherland’s cameo of sorts along with Natalie Portman and Jenna Malone taking a few lines and making them resonate and of course Phillip Seymour Hoffman – the perfect ally. Add that to those technical achievements, and you’ve got a good film.
#3 – Mystic River [A]
Eastwood can’t get any better for me. It’s a solid ensemble and each performance is outstanding. The script is subtle and so is the direction [surprisingly]. It’s just good.
#2 – Big Fish [A]
I have to review this sooner or later. So I’ll save it all for then. I like it much. That’s obvious. #1 – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King [A+]
I’m a fanboy. I have the novels, I’ve got the DVD. I can quote the script. I’m not going to lie, maybe I’m prejudiced. But how could you not vote for this?
So. There you have it. What topped your list? Which of top 11 shocked you? Is Le Divorce crap? Do those 15 films deserve Fs? What do you think?
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