I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Whale Rider was my favorite movie of 2003. I wish every movie featured whales, smart girls, fat uncles, wool sweaters and used the phrase "it’s gonna be stink."
Now, you may start to detect a pattern when I also declare my admiration for In America. More smart girls, tragedy and triumph. Families keeping it together. Am I becoming a total sap?
The School of Rock rocked. Keep the happy endings a flowing. (Although I must say I recently revisted this for a third viewing, and it already felt dated and stale, but the first two in-theater viewings were so triumphant that I’m still giving it a high score.)
28 Days Later was my favorite movie of
the year until I got all grandmotherly.
Although, now that I think a little more, it’s
the central core of a cobbled together family that made me love it so much.
That, and that car alarm made me jump thirteen feet. I’ve never been so scared
watching a movie.
Which leads me to City of God. Ugh. Not since the Godfather have I felt so battered post-viewing. Amazingly shot, achingly human, but soooooo harrowing. This is a once in a lifetime film for me.
I’d refer you to my blog for my discussion of Capturing the Friedmans, but it’s gone, so I’ll just say it’s a good debate igniter.
Triplets of Belleville made me smile and tap my toes.
Spellbound made me bite my nails and cheer.
Lost In Translation made me cry in a fit of nostalgia and smile at Murray’s hangdog expression.
Kill Bill: Vol 1 made me laugh and marvel at Tarantino’s oh so skewed vision.
Amandla! Revolution in 4-part Harmony made me sing into a tape recorder.
21 Grams had some of the finest acting I’ve seen in some time, and the most beautiful grainy verite shooting style, but the story was rehashed and the editing was distracting.
Pirates of the Caribbean was fun while it lasted. Yar.
American Splendor had great potential, but in the end seemed hollow. Like Pekar himself I guess.
Lost in La Mancha needed more Johnny.
X2: X-Men United - Patrick and Ian, perfect together.
Matchstick Men – I really enjoyed this flick. But they could have done a little more with the OCD.
Matrix Reloaded – I think all I need to say here is "ditto" in reference to every other scathing review from the Balgavy peanut gallery.
Bend it Like Beckham – If Dan enjoyed this cliched and pointless piece of crap, he better go out and rent Billy Elliott right now, because he will be blown away. (Billy Elliott dealt with many of the same issues, but in a completely unexpected fashion in the context of the mining strikes during the Thatcher years. No character is a stereotype.) What do we learn from BILB? We learn that a girl who constantly disobeys her parents and sneaks around will be rewarded handsomely for being a snotnosed brat? We learn that tradition is to be rejected without question. If there had been one or two points in the movie where she tried to interact with her parents on a human level, I might have given this movie more credit. The only thing I enjoyed about this movie was the blond chick’s abs. Superhot.
Hulk – The pre-explosion scenes in the desert when the Hulk was a kid were so beautiful. I think this would have been great if the whole movie was set in the pre-Hulk era, and ended with the giant leaping green teddy bear. But it didn’t.
Hollywood Homicide – I watched this on New Year’s Eve with my brother, his girlfriend and her brother. We talked through the whole thing, pausing momentarily after refilling our glasses to try to figure out what was happening. There were about twelve subplots: the yoga, the rappa, the real estata, the murda. Huh?
Old School – I don’t find frat boys funny. I especially don’t find men who wish they were still frat boys funny. And I find the women who love them utterly detestable. Misogynistic and boring piece of crap.
Bringing Down the House – A family rental: we turned it off after ten minutes. The most offensive and racist Hollywood product I’ve seen in ages. How do such obviously intelligent people like Queen Latifah and Steve Martin get themselves roped into these debacles?
From Justin to Kelly – Simon Cowell is a genius. An entire movie based on cell phone txting mishaps. With the worst singing and dancing since, well since American Idol.
Bruce Almighty – Horrible Horrible. I saw this for free with a friend and we were to make it our mission to ensure that no one spent money to see this and perpetuate moralistic and simplistic Christian drivel in the name of comedy. I don’t think enough people listened.
Mystic River – An affront. The worst kind.
2003
LISTS
dan
sujan
sarah f.
mitch
marc
jeremy
jim
amy r.
matt b.
shawn
