I have seen only about 20-25 films this year but of those my top 10 in descending order:
Triplets of Belleville
Master and Commander
Finding Nemo
Winged Migration
Return of the King
Russian Ark
Whale Rider
Millenium Actress
American Splendor
Pirates of the Carribean
Films I haven’t seen yet which could make my top ten: Mystic River, In America
Biggest disappointment: The Hulk. It was OK but I thought Ang Lee would be able to do more with it.
Most overrated film: Lost in Translation. Again OK but I didn’t find it the masterpiece that some people did.
LOTR: ROTK
X Men 2
Pirates of the Carribean
Finding Nemo
I haven’t been able to get to the movies enough to go further than the top four this year. (One year old daughter at home, son in first grade and wife that works weekends makes it difficult.)
I saw quite a few movies this year. My favorite is the one that, more than any other, took me away from all the war stories, high-profile trials, disease outbreaks, and general media noise for 90 minutes: Winged Migration
Seeing that movie reminded me that good and beautiful things still exist in the world; apart from, (and despite) mankind.
What, three posts and no mention of “Kill Bill”? Admittedly, the second part won’t be coming out until February. But I’ll add “Kill Bill Volume 1” at any rate.
Lost in Translation
Whale Rider
Kill Bill Volume 1
Big Fish
Seabiscuit
Return of the King
Master and Commander
Peter Pan
Mystic River
American Splendor
honorable mention:
Pirates of the Carribean
Matchstick Men
Osama
Nathalie
Gerry
The Last Samurai
I’m sure some were forgotten, and I’ll regret it later. Cold Mountain wasn’t as enjoyable as I’d hoped it would be so it wasn’t forgotten.
Movies that could possible be on the list had I been fortunate enough to see them: In America, House of Sand and Fog (seeing it this week I hope).
I never could understand why so many people enjoyed Pirates of the Carribean. Its a mindless big-budget genre-exploitation flick with some pretty bad CG. I’m guessing its because of Depp and probably Bloom cause it sure isnt the story
For me, the reasons I enjoyed the movie are Geoffrey Rush and Johnny Depp. For me, it isn’t on the same level as my top ten list. There was enough enjoyment for me to at least give it a mention however.
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
The Station Agent
Lost in Translation
Pieces of April
21 Grams
Seabiscuit
Intolerable Cruelty
Elf
Duplex
Kill Bill, Vol. 1
Lost In Translation
LOTR: ROTK
Intolerable Cruelty
Kill Bill, Vol. 1
Winged Migration
Pirates Of The Caribbean
American Splendor
Mystic River
X2
28 Days Later
In no particular order. They might not be the best. They’re just the ones that came to me.
LOTR: ROTK
Intolerable Cruelty
Kill Bill, Vol. 1
Pirates Of The Caribbean
Mystic River
28 Days Later
Seabiscuit
Whale Rider
Master and Commander
Russian Ark
Swimming Upstream
Japanese Story
Holes
Gettin’ Square
By the lists above there are plenty yet to be released here.
I think part of the reason Pirates is well liked is because it was unexpectedly good. It was a movie based on an amusement park ride. Very few people really expected it to be any good. While it’s not a masterpiece, it’s fun and Johnny Depp does a great job as Captain Jack.
I think if you go into a movie expecting it to be mediocre and it turns out to be good, your assesment rises even more.
Same thing as if you expect it to be good and it’s only mediocre.
Kill Bill Vol. 1
Finding Nemo
Pirates of the Caribbean
X-Men 2
Happiness of the Katakuris
8 Mile
2 Fast 2 Furious (I know, I know. But I like it a lot more than the original)
I don’t think I saw ten new releases this year. I’ll just list five, in no order at all.
LOTR: ROTK
Kill Bill Vol. 1
28 Days Later (not sure it came out this year, but it’s on someone else’s list)
Finding Nemo
and… er…
Can I count The Pianist, even though it came out last year? It didn’t come up this way until after the Oscars. Barring that, I’ll have to say Pirates of the Caribbean.
L’Homme du Train
Secretary (a 2003 release here in the UK)
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (ditto)
Master and Commander
Catch Me If You Can
Mostly Martha
Intolerable Cruelty
Waking Life
Welcome to Collingwood
The Quiet American
Most overrated (NB not the worst- these films are OK, but not worthy of the praise received)
The most memorable films of 2003 for me (in no particular order):
Memories of Murder (S. Korea)
Save the Green Planet (S. Korea)
Old Boy (S. Korea)
The Classic (S. Korea)
A Little Monk (S. Korea)
Infernal Affairs II (Hong Kong)
The Eye (Hong Kong)
PTU (Hong Kong)
Together (China)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (USA)
The Last Samurai (USA)
Kill Bill, Vol. I (USA)
City of God (Brazil)
28 Days Later (UK)
