Al's Top Rated Films: 2003
My favorites of 2003. I'll add to the list as I see more.
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- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineDaryl HannahAfter awakening from a four-year coma, a former assassin wreaks vengeance on the team of assassins who betrayed her.Outstanding action-packed revenge thriller from Quentin Tarantino that follows a woman referred to as "The Bride" who is a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad led by her lover, Bill. When she becomes pregnant, she flees her life of crime to get married and start a quiet and honest life. However, Bill and the rest of his squad finally tracks her down in the wedding chapel and kills everyone in the church, with Bill shooting The Bride directly in the head. She miraculously survives the gunshot, and wakes up in a hospital 4 years later after snapping out of her coma. Being double-crossed and losing her baby sends her into a fit of raging vengeance as she tracks down Bill and kills every other squad member that deceived her one by one. Tarantino is superb at reinventing genres and recreating alternate history, and he does it again with this thrilling and unique crime thriller. The action is superb, the cinematography and dialogue was excellent, and it boasts one of the best and most unique soundtracks/scores to any Tarantino film. This film also leads perfectly into the even more superior sequel. Uma Thurman plays "The Bride" to perfection, and delivers her best lead performance to date. Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Shin'ichi Chiba, Daryl Hannah, Chiaki Kuriyama, David Carradine, Julie Dreyfus, Michael Madsen, are all great, among many other noteworthy performances.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsSean PennTim RobbinsKevin BaconThe tragic murder of a 19-year-old girl reunites three childhood friends still living in Boston--the victim's gangster father, a detective, and the disturbed man they both suspect of killing her.Fantastic and mysterious crime drama from Clint Eastwood about three childhood friends who's lives are forever plagued after one of them is abducted on the streets of their Boston neighborhood, leaving him scarred for life. 25 years later, the daughter of one man is brutally killed, leading to a sobering investigation which wraps up their victimized childhood friend in the girl's murder. Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon all deliver some of their best lead performances. Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, Tom Guiry, Emmy Rossum, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorTerry ZwigoffStarsBilly Bob ThorntonBernie MacLauren GrahamA miserable conman and his partner pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid.This is my second favorite Christmas movie of all time. I watch it at least twice every season. Great holiday flavored crime drama about a morose boozer, con-artist, and safe-cracker extraordinaire who poses as Santa and robs mall department stores on Christmas Eve with the help of his short-fused sidekick who plays the dwarf. But plans go haywire this year when he befriends a lonely and troubled kid, and has a change of heart about his way of life. Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Bernie Mac, and John Ritter are all superb. Nice work from the young Brett Kelly, and gorgeous Lauren Graham. Lauren Tom, Octavia Spencer, and Cloris Leachman also had great smaller roles.
- DirectorKevin CostnerStarsKevin CostnerRobert DuvallDiego LunaA former gunslinger is forced to take up arms again when he and his cattle crew are threatened by a corrupt lawman.Excellent traditional style western from Kevin Costner about a former gunslinger and his three cowhands/partners who live a peaceful life herding cattle. When their herd leads them to the small town of Harmonville, they're confronted by a deceitful sheriff and a powerful rancher who control the territory through fear and violence; which builds up to a deadly showdown as the cowhands defend themselves and their way of life. I'd have to say this is my favorite lead role from Robert Duvall yet. Kevin Costner also delivered one of his best lead performances. Annette Bening, Diego Luna, Michael Gambon, Michael Jeter, James Russo, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorAndrew StantonLee UnkrichStarsAlbert BrooksEllen DeGeneresAlexander GouldAfter his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.Fantastic comedy adventure from Disney/Pixar about a clown fish who gets separated from his father after exploring too far beyond their home in the Great Barrier Reef, gets captured by scuba diver, and is transported to a dentist's office in Australia, where he is put on display in an aquarium with other exotic fish. His father sets out on a quest to find his son with the help of a forgetful blue tang fish he meets on the way, along with many other fascinating characters. Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, and many others have great voice performances throughout.
- DirectorRichard KwietniowskiStarsPhilip Seymour HoffmanMinnie DriverJohn HurtA bank manager with: (a) a gambling problem and (b) access to a multimillion dollar account gets into a messy situation. Based on the story of the largest one-man bank fraud in Canadian history.Fantastic crime drama from Richard Kwietniowski set in 1980, and follows a thriving Toronto bank manager named Dan Mahowny who has been given the power to oversee one of the bank's biggest multi-million dollar accounts. He hides his severe gambling addiction that gets so out of control that he starts stealing millions of dollars with his power at the bank, spends his weeks gambling on sports, and spends his weekends gambling away every penny in an Atlantic City casino. Meanwhile, has a hopelessly loving and understanding girlfriend named Belinda who's watching his fall as his addiction becomes increasingly uncontrollable. This is the best film I've seen about gambling addiction, and Philip Seymour Hoffman played Mahowny perfectly. I'd have to say it's one of his best lead performances of his career. Minnie Driver, John Hurt, and Maury Chaykin also had great starring roles. Ian Tracey, K.C. Collins, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorAnthony MinghellaStarsJude LawNicole KidmanRenée ZellwegerIn the waning days of the American Civil War, a wounded soldier embarks on a perilous journey back home to Cold Mountain, North Carolina to reunite with his sweetheart.Excellent war drama/adventure from Anthony Minghella set in 1864 Cold Mountain, North Carolina, near the end of the American Civil War. The story follows a carpenter and Confederate soldier named Inman who falls in love with a preacher's daughter from South Carolina named Ada Monroe. Immediately after they fall in love, he is thrusted into the horrific war. After he's nearly killed and its clear the South is losing the war, he decides to desert the army and embark on a deadly journey back to Cold Mountain to reunite with Ada. Meanwhile, Ada is helped by a knowledgable drifter and farmer named Ruby to run her farm after her father dies. But deadly struggles are also waiting for them as Captain Teague of the local Home Guard start killing locals for housing deserting soldiers. Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renée Zellweger (Oscar-winner) all delivered some of their all-time best lead performances. Kathy Baker, Brendan Gleeson, Eileen Atkins, Jack White (of The White Stripes), Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Donald Sutherland, Ray Winstone, James Gammon, Ethan Suplee, Jena Malone, and many more delivered excellent and memorable supporting roles.
- DirectorPatty JenkinsStarsCharlize TheronChristina RicciBruce DernBased on the life of Aileen Wuornos, a Daytona Beach prostitute who became a serial killer.Unique and powerful biopic and crime drama on the life of the young Daytona Beach woman Aileen Wuorno (Charlize Theron), who meets and falls in love with a woman named Selby (Christina Ricci). As complications and money troubles arise, Aileen is failing to find work, and starts working as a prostitute off their local freeway, and one night ends up killing a violent client in self-defense. After that, she decides to pose as a hooker just to kill men and steal their money and cars, which complicates the relationship with Selby and her self-being even more, before she's finally caught and arrested. Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci both delivered excellent lead performances. Bruce Dern was also very good among the solid supporting cast.
- DirectorBill DukeStarsForest WhitakerChris BrittonJonathan SilvermanIn a Louisiana town in 1964, local African-Americans band together to protect themselves from violence - from the KKK as well as local police. Based on actual events.Extremely powerful historical drama set in 1964 Bogalusa, Louisiana; and mainly follows a father, husband, and paper mill laborer Marcus Clay, who's adhered to the ways of dealing with white people in the south his entire life. Always saying "yes, sir.", "no, sir." and always smiling and never looking them in the eye. That is until his daughter is viciously clubbed by a police offer during a protest to end segregation and boycott like-minded businesses, lead by a couple of white activists from the north. He ends up assaulting a police officer, and they nearly kill him for it. From then on, Marcus transforms into an activist, and forms a group called "Deacons for Defense and Justice", which is an organization that African-Americans created to defend themselves against the brutal hatred of the Ku Klux Klan, which is extremely powerful in the area. Extremely well done film, and unfortunately ignored. It's an important piece of history that should be seen by all. Forest Whitaker delivers one of all-time best lead performances. Jonathan Silverman, Ossie Davis, Chris Britton, Gene Mack, Tyrone Benskin, Paul Benjamin, Mpho Koaho, and several others had fantastic supporting roles.
- DirectorLars von TrierStarsNicole KidmanPaul BettanyLauren BacallA woman on the run from the mob is reluctantly accepted in a small Colorado community in exchange for labor, but when a search visits the town she finds out that their support has a price.One of the most uniquely shot crime dramas I've seen yet. The set feels like a play as the entire town is drawn out in chalk and building have no walls, among other unlikenesses. Grace Margaret Mulligan (Nicole Kidman) plays a wounded character who is only looking for happiness and acceptance in a small Colorado community, who hesitantly takes her in, in exchange for labor. Things take a dark and horrifying turn when men in the town mistreat her and force her to have sex with them, and eventually becomes a slave in the town, being mistreated and disrespected in many other ways. Doom faces her in every direction until a a group on mobsters show up—we find out her true identity—and results in a most epic revenge style ending. Nicole Kidman delivered one of her best lead performances. Paul Bettany, Patricia Clarkson, James Caan, Jeremy Davies, Philip Baker Hall, Lauren Bacall, John Hurt, and many others had nice supporting roles.
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsSean PennBenicio Del ToroNaomi WattsA freak accident brings together a critically ill mathematician, a grieving mother, and a born-again ex-con.Excellent and thrilling crime drama about a college math professor who's dying from heart failure (Paul), a former con-man turned born-again Christian (Jack), and a housewife and mother who's at the target of the film's tragedy (Cristina) after her husband and daughters are killed in a brutal car accident. The film runs the events out of order, but is easy to follow, and reveals an excellent story about how all 3 of these characters are affected by the events. Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, and Naomi Watts all deliver great lead performances. Melissa Leo was also very good among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsJack BlackMike WhiteJoan CusackAfter being kicked out of his rock band, Dewey Finn becomes a substitute teacher of an uptight elementary private school, only to try and turn his class into a rock band.Excellent music-inspired comedy from Richard Linklater that follows a hard-rocking guitarist and layabout named Dewey Finn, who gets kicked out of his own band, and pretends to be a substitute teacher at a private school full of wealthy and privileged kids when he pretends to be his substitute teacher roommate, who was really called on for the job. He has a big influence on the kids, and decides to teach them the only thing he knows—rock music. And eventually gets them into the "Battle of the Bands" competition at a chance to win $10,000. Jack Black delivered one of his best lead performances, and his interaction with all the kids was superb. The film has aged even better with time. Joan Cusack, Jordan-Claire Green, Miranda Cosgrove, Sarah Silverman, Mike White, and many others had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorF. Gary GrayStarsDonald SutherlandMark WahlbergEdward NortonAfter being betrayed and left for dead in Italy, Charlie Croker and his team plan an elaborate gold heist against their former ally.Excellent action-packed crime thriller from F. Gary Gray that follows a team of masterful thieves who successfully steal $35 million in gold bars from a safe held by Italian gangsters in Venice, only to be double-crossed a member of their team; leaving one of them dead, and the others barely surviving. One year later, the surviving members join up with the deceased member's daughter as they plan an elaborate heist to steal their gold back, and avenge the member of their team who was murdered. Great revenge flick lots of great action and a solid story to keep it moving swiftly. Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, and Edward Norton all delivered great lead performances. Jason Statham, Seth Green, Mos Def, Donald Sutherland, Boris Lee Krutonog, Franky G, Olek Krupa, and Gawtti all had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorTodd PhillipsStarsLuke WilsonVince VaughnWill FerrellThree friends attempt to recapture their glory days by opening up a fraternity near their alma mater.Hilarious college comedy about three friends who are down on their luck with their relationships and life, and decide to open their own fraternity since one of them now lives on a college campus. They end up recruiting a misfit bunch of college students, social rejects, and middle-aged and elderly men, as they try to relive their glory years. Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, and Vince Vaughn all deliver some of their best lead performances. Jeremy Piven, Ellen Pompeo, Elisha Cuthbert, Juliette Lewis, Leah Remini, Seann William Scott, Perrey Reeves, Craig Kilborn, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorRoger DonaldsonStarsAl PacinoColin FarrellBridget MoynahanA brilliant young CIA trainee is asked by his mentor to help find a mole in the Agency.Excellent crime drama/mystery from Roger Donaldson that follows a gifted computer wizard/hacker named James Clayton whose talents are noticed by a veteran CIA recruiter named Walter Burke, who wants him in the agency for his talents and for other mysterious reasons. James is reluctant to accept, but later decides its a great opportunity. The story then delves in the extremely secret and mysterious mays the CIA works, along with their deceitful and manipulative mays they train their agents with a series of "tests" that could be real or just training exercises. When James is tasked to help track down a secret double agent within the CIA who he trusts and has previously started a relationship with, it highly complicates and endangers the investigation. Solid story all around with a great cast. Al Pacino delivers a great starring role as he usually does, but it's really Colin Farrell who delivers the finest lead performance in the film. He was excellent and carried the film nicely. Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht, Kenneth Mitchell, Karl Pruner, and others also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorRichard CurtisStarsHugh GrantMartine McCutcheonLiam NeesonFollows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.Excellent holiday comedy drama from Richard Curtis set 5 weeks before Christmas Day in London, England. The story follows 10 different couples struggling to make their way through a difficult and emotional holiday season. The film cleverly tells stories of love and hope in a world which many people feel these essential values have slipped away. The whole cast delivers excellent performances, and Richard Curtis does an excellent job tying all the loose ends together and making it a singular story in the end. Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman, Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Martine McCutcheon, Kris Marshall, Heike Makatsch, Martin Freeman, Joanna Page, Gregor Fisher, and Keira Knightley all had excellent starring performances. Andrew Lincoln, Nina Sosanya, Sienna Guillory, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Abdul Salis, Rodrigo Santoro, Rowan Atkinson, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorCarl FranklinStarsDenzel WashingtonSanaa LathanEva MendesA Florida police chief must solve a vicious double homicide before he himself falls under suspicion.Excellent crime mystery/thriller from Carl Franklin that follows the chief or police in the small Florida town of Banyan Key. He's separated from his wife, who is also the police homicide detective in Miami. Meanwhile, he's having an affair with his high school sweetheart who has an abusive and controlling husband. One day they are found dead after their home erupted in flames, and he soon finds himself to be the suspect of a double homicide he must solve before the rest of the department catches on. There was nothing groundbreaking about this story, but it was well done all an d very entertaining all around. Denzel Washington, Eva Mendes, and Sanaa Lathan all delivered great lead performances. John Billingsley also really stood out as a great character among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorChristopher GuestStarsChristopher GuestEugene LevyMichael McKeanMockumentary captures the reunion of 1960s folk trio the Folksmen as they prepare for a show at The Town Hall to memorialize a recently deceased concert promoter.Hilarious music comedy and another great mockumentary from Christopher Guest. The story surrounds the reunion of 1960s folk trio "The Folksmen" as they assemble a show at New York City's Town Hall with Mitch and Mickey, and The New Main Street Singers, to pay homage to a recently deceased concert promoter. As usual, it's very cleverly written and acted throughout. Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Catherine O'Hara, Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, John Michael Higgins, Bob Balaban, Paul Dooley, Jim Ortlieb, and many others had nice performances throughout. I would like this movie more if I were more into folk music.
- DirectorTom ShadyacStarsJim CarreyJennifer AnistonMorgan FreemanA whiny news reporter is given the chance to step into God's shoes.Very funny fantasy-driven comedy about New York TV news reporter who's having the worst day of his life after losing the news anchorman position to his rival, and angrily blames god for his misfortunes. God magically appears in human form and passes his heavenly powers onto him, and challenges him to do a better job, as many humorous scenarios play out in the process. Jim Carrey delivered a great lead performance. Jennifer Aniston, Morgan Freeman, Steve Carell, Philip Baker Hall, Catherine Bell, and plenty others had nice supporting roles.
- DirectorClark JohnsonStarsSamuel L. JacksonColin FarrellMichelle RodriguezAn imprisoned drug kingpin offers a huge cash reward to anyone that can break him out of police custody, and only the L.A.P.D.'s Special Weapons and Tactics team can prevent it.Very nice crime thriller from Clark Johnson that follows a skilled and dedicated Los Angeles S.W.A.T. officer named Jim Street who comes under fire after he and his reckless partner make a mistake in their last assignment. His partner is fired, and Jim is demoted. After veteran S.W.A.T. officer Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson is tasked to join the operation, he takes a liking to Jim's skills and personality, and chooses him to join his elite 6-member S.W.A.T. team in his division. When a drug lord named Alexander Montel is arrested and advertises to the press that he will pay $100 million to anyone that rescues him from police custody, their job to protect and transport Montel becomes extremely dangerous and deadly. The story is fairly average overall, but makes up for it with excellent action and a great cast of actors. Colin Farrell and Samuel L. Jackson both deliver great lead performances. Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Jeremy Renner, and Olivier Martinez also had great starring roles. Brian Van Holt, Josh Charles, Reg E. Cathey, Larry Poindexter, and others also had nice supporting roles.
- DirectorJohn WhitesellStarsJamie KennedyRyan O'NealBlair UnderwoodA senator arranges for his son, a rich white kid who fancies himself black, to be kidnapped by a couple of black actors pretending to be murderers to try and shock him out of his plans to become a rapper.Hilarious crime comedy about the son of a rich white senator named Brad "B-Rad" Gluckman, who strives to record music and live the life of rappers that he idolizes. His Dad gets fed up with it, and recruits two black actors to kidnap him to scare him out of his plans to pursue his life plans to a rapper. Jamie Kennedy gave a hilarious lead performance. Taye Diggs, Anthony Anderson, Regina Hall, Ryan O'Neal, Kal Penn, Nick Swardson, Blair Underwood, Damien Dante Wayans, Bo Derek, and plenty others had nice supporting roles.
- DirectorMichael BayStarsWill SmithMartin LawrenceGabrielle UnionTwo loose-cannon narcotics cops investigate the flow of Ecstasy into Florida from a Cuban drug cartel.Solid action-packed crime comedy and sequel to the first film. This time we follow narcotics detectives Marcus and Mike as they investigate the rampant flow of Ecstasy from Cuban drug cartel leader, Johnny Tapia. Not quite as good as the first film, but Martin Lawrence and Will Smith both deliver very nice lead performances. Jordi Mollà, Gabrielle Union, Joe Pantoliano, and many others had nice roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorJesse DylanStarsJason BiggsAlyson HanniganSeann William ScottIt's the wedding of Jim and Michelle and the gathering of their families and friends, including Jim's old friends from high school and Michelle's little sister.Very nice sequel in this coming-of-age series of films. I'd have to say this is the best of the 3 films. Nice reunion of characters which follows Jim and Michelle getting married, Stifler's secret bachelor party plans, and other comical situations. Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan both delivered very nice lead performances. Eugene Levy, Seann William Scott, Fred Willard, Deborah Rush, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Thomas Ian Nicholas, January Jones, Molly Cheek, and many others had nice supporting roles.
- DirectorJonathan MostowStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerNick StahlKristanna LokenA machine from a post-apocalyptic future travels back in time to protect a man and a woman from an advanced robotic assassin to ensure they both survive a nuclear attack.Solid sequel, but ultimately a disappointment when compared to "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1991), which is one of the greatest sci-fi action flicks of all time. This film takes place 10 years after the events of it's predecessor, and follows an outdated CSM-101 Terminator that travels from the future to protect John Connor and his future wife from the new highly advanced T-X. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes, Kristanna Loken, David Andrews, Earl Boen, and others had nice performances.
- DirectorDavid R. EllisStarsA.J. CookAli LarterTony ToddDeath is stalking Kimberly Corman and multiple survivors of a deadly highway accident.Solid sequel to the thrilling and horrifying first film. This time, Kimberly's visions take to a busy freeway, where she has the premonition about a huge car accident, which they quickly connect to the airplane disaster from the first film, and they must find a way to cheat death again. Visually stunning thriller like the first. A.J. Cook, Ali Larter, Michael Landes, David Paetkau, James Kirk, Lynda Boyd, Keegan Connor Tracy, Jonathan Cherry, Terrence 'T.C.' Carson, and others had nice performances.
- DirectorJon FavreauStarsWill FerrellJames CaanBob NewhartRaised as an oversized elf, Buddy travels from the North Pole to New York City to meet his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who doesn't know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas spirit.Solid family Christmas comedy adventure about an orphaned boy who was raised as an elf when he's mysteriously found in Santa's sack in the North Pole. Now that's he's all grown up, he decides to travel to New York City to find his father, and finds his cruel outlook on life needs some serious Christmas spirit, as he comically experiences the joy of NYC. I know some folks this is one of the best Christmas films ever made, but it just isn't one of my favorite Will Ferrell roles, even though he obviously gave a performance many love. James Caan, Bob Newhart, and Edward Asner also had nice roles among a solid supporting cast.