It's understandable why many people have mistaken 2003 for a bad year in film, when in reality it had a surprising number of good films to offer. If anything, I propose that 2003 was more disappointing than it was poor in quality, because so few of the year's good films can be classified as great films, and in the end it's the movies we feel passionate about that determine how we remember the year. For me, there were at least twenty films that I would call better than average, but only two that I would call great. Naturally, these two films are at the top of my list of the ten best films of 2003...

1. CITY OF GOD - I first saw CITY OF GOD over thirteen months ago, and there are moments in this film that are still fresh in my mind. When I wrote my enthusiastic review last January, I called it "a younger, more violent, less predictable, and extremely chaotic version of The Godfather II." What's most impressive is how it manages to combine a documentary-like approach with plenty of directorial style and flair, not to mention beautiful cinematography and some of the best editing of all time. CITY OF GOD stands out in my mind as a truly great achievement because as it unfolds there's no denying its sheer energy and spontaneity, but it also never loses sight of the tragic story it tells and ultimately comes together like a Spielberg film. Amidst all the violence -- and believe me, there's plenty -- it even manages to be uplifting by depicting the personal growth of one individual under such horrific conditions.


2. MYSTIC RIVER - This film is without a doubt some of the finest work Eastwood has ever turned in as a director, and serves as a nice contemporary follow-up to some of the themes he explored in UNFORGIVEN. What I enjoyed most is how it never compromised itself or went Hollywood on us, when there were more than a few opportunities to do so. The film is quite ruthless all the way to the bitter end, showing us how violence and traumatic events from the past can resurface years later in unexpected ways, permanently scarring those involved. Don't let the murder investigation fool you, MYSTIC RIVER is solid proof that the best movies are still primarily about character, not trying to dazzle audiences into submission.

3. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - Even though I just praised MYSTIC RIVER for its classic approach, I'm not going to apologize for placing a Disney & Jerry Bruckheimer production so high on my list. Sure, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN may be based on a theme-park ride and also has one of those annoying sub-titles (THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL), but in a summer that was plagued by bad sequels and almost nothing else to choose from, this flick delivered the goods and took me completely by surprise. Generally speaking, my cinematic tastes favor realism and more often than not I despise the over-use of special effects; however, I refuse to let my vanity as a holier-than-thou film critic overshadow how much I enjoyed this film. As well directed and written as PIRATES may be, I think I have Johnny Depp to thank more than anyone else, as his performance clearly made this blockbuster worthwhile. Perhaps this will start a trend of character actors appearing in more big movies, which could be a good or bad thing.

4. MATCHSTICK MEN - Easily the most under-appreciated film of the year, Ridley Scott's MATCHSTICK MEN is not only an exciting con-man movie with snappy dialogue, slick cinematography, and a clever screenplay, it's also a touching father-daughter drama, albeit with a huge twist. As good as the film looks and as entertaining as the story is, Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, and the amazing Alison Lohman are the reason it works.


5. BIG FISH - After crashing and burning with THE PLANET OF THE APES, Tim Burton returned to form with one of his most emotional and inspiring films to date. I admire BIG FISH for merging the real with the surreal and somehow making it all come together without losing control of the film's overall sense of tone and feel. Although I'm not about to give Ewan McGregor an award for his performance as the younger Edward Bloom (as he appears in a series of crazy, supposedly true tall tales), his upbeat and quirky approach to the role was absolutely perfect and really made the movie work. It may not hit every note it reaches for, but it gets most of them.

6. LOST IN TRANSLATION - Not a whole lot actually happens during LOST IN TRANSLATION, and I can appreciate why some people have problems with the film, but if you can connect with it emotionally then chances are you'll find yourself being pulled in. You have to hand it to director Sofia Coppola for taking a hands-off approach and allowing Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson to be subtle in expressing their malaise, although the story does wander a bit at times. LOST IN TRANSLATION isn't so much about the dialogue as it is the expressions on the characters' faces and the things left unsaid.

7. SEABISCUIT - Gary Ross' SEABISCUIT is one of those movies that's easy to criticize in hindsight, as it's filled with a lot of pandering moments and sentimental hooey. But there's no denying that the film can be quite engaging if you leave behind some of the cynicism and don't let a few flaws get in the way of your enjoyment. The races alone make SEABISCUIT worth watching, and even if it drives the whole "gotta have heart" theme into the ground, it moved me both times I saw it.


8. OWNING MAHOWNY - This film was barely released in theaters and vanished after a matter of weeks, but after catching it on DVD I still can't understand why it hasn't received more acclaim. Philip Seymour Hoffman is excellent as real-life gambling addict Dan Mohowny, who took advantage of his position at a Canadian bank to feed his endless habit. You always hear about compulsive gamblers and think you understand what makes them tick, but seeing what one man actually did in the early 80's and the kind of risks he took along the way was truly fascinating to watch.

9. MAN ON THE TRAIN - The second foreign film on my list, this little French production wasn't seen by many on this side of the Atlantic, but those who took the time to seek it out were pleasantly surprised. The story follows two aging men, one a bank robber and the other a professor, who strike up an unlikely friendship and come to discover that each envies the other's life.

10. BAD SANTA - I'll admit that from an artistic standpoint BAD SANTA isn't as good as some of the movies I give an honorable mention in the next paragraph, but without question it provided the biggest laughs of the year. Billy Bob Thornton is superbly despicable as a nihilistic, alcoholic, shopping mall Santa Claus who robs the places he works in each year. What made it so enjoyable was how director Terry Zwigoff didn't worry about making the audience like his main character, instead focusing on the story's great mix of witty humor and good old fashioned vulgarity. It's a good thing the people who were offended by Janet Jackson's breast at the Super Bowl didn't see BAD SANTA, because I'm sure they'd be outraged. This film earns the final spot on my list for political incorrectness alone.


Honorable Mention...

Two films that were difficult to not include in my top ten were WHALE RIDER and SWIMMING POOL -- both foreign films that had all the gloss of a Hollywood production with none of the commercial BS. The former was a unique drama featuring a surprising performance from newcomer Keisha Castle-Hughes, while the latter was an interesting character study that Hitchcock would have admired. FINDING NEMO was one of the most beautiful-looking films of the year, COLD MOUNTAIN was one of the most unfairly disliked (with some great moments), and X2 was a lot better than most people give it credit for. I loved Kevin Costner's western OPEN RANGE, but felt the contrived final ten minutes ruined the experience. AMERICAN SPLENDOR was smart and enjoyable but not quite worthy of the heaps of praise it received, while BETTER LUCK TOMORROW provided an honest and interesting look at the genuine dangers of boredom amongst American high school students. Finally, I still haven't come to a conclusion regarding KILL BILL -- I honestly don't feel I can judge the film without seeing Volume 2, although there are definitely things I admire about its blatant style.

Posted February 10, 2004 | link