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Dan Owen reviews
2 0 0 3 R e t r o s p e c t i v eP a r t F o u r
DAN’S TOP 1O OF 2003Here is my listing of what the most essential movies to watch were in 2003.They may not be the greatest, or the cleverest, or the most incisive worksto be found in the cinema… but you’d have to be a fuddy-duddy bore to haveignored most of these…
1. The Lord Of The Rings – The Return Of The King
I will have seen this by the time this issue of DMD is released, and I’msure it will be my Number 1. Peter Jackson will never escape LOTR afterthis, and that is as it should be. Jackson manages to blend popcorn moviesand art movies into one glorious beast. Critics adore it, cinephiles marvelat its technical brilliance, and the general public suddenly realize thatthe “geeks” were right. This should deserve to sweep the 2004 Academy Awardsfor the entire trilogy’s sake…
2. The Matrix Reloaded
Controversial, yes. But I love The Matrix. The sequels were generally adisappointment when compared to the adrenaline rush of The Matrix back in1999, but they did contain some of the year’s most startling effects and atleast attempted to pose philosophical questions about existence to themasses. Interestingly, it’s almost as if the sequels were for the fans only.Joe Public may scoff at the occasionally convoluted dialogue and meanderingplot, but those of us who played the video-game, watched The Animatrix andimmersed ourselves in online debate about The Architect’s speech know best.The Matrix sadly became a flawed trilogy unable to truly capture theoriginal’s spirit, but rarely has the world seen such grand and enjoyable”failures”.
3. Kill Bill Volume I
Tarantino really kicked into high-gear for Kill Bill. His trademark wittywordplay was mostly missing, but in its place were some astonishing fightsequences that shamed The Matrix at times. This is real filmmaking from amaster connoisseur of world cinema. A raucous assault on the senses thatleaves you deliriously happy and psyched to see Volume II.
4. The Matrix Revolutions
While Reloaded, in my opinion, is the better movie purely because it keptyou thinking and had the benefit of hype, Revolutions undoubtedly has thehigher emotional content and greatest expectancy. Sadly the ending delivered- while logical and understandable in one sense – is irritatingly unresolvedin many others. Still, you just had to see it, didn’t you. Be honest.
5. X-Men 2
Traditional superhero movie-making on a grand scale. Great effects and amore involving story meant Bryan Singer finally made the X-Men movie we allwanted to see the first time around. Can’t wait for X3…
6. Terminator 3
Mainly earning its place because it didn’t stink, I know, but I’ve been amassive fan of the Terminator franchise ever since the original stunned meas a kid and T2 became the talk of the playground. T3 isn’t high art asCameron would have made it, the story is generally quite feeble incomparison, and it was far too humorous for its own good at times, but itwas possibly the most entertaining sequel of the year.
7. Spirited Away
Fabulous. I know many of you shy away from “Japanimation”, with occasionalforays into the mysterious world of anime leaving you unconvinced. It’s allcyberpunk, sex and overly-large eyes, right? Well, not always. Spirited Awayis a fine kids film that is magical and entertaining in all the greatesttraditions. Disney haven’t made anything like this for years, and the depthof imagination and surreal imagery is just awesome. A fine movie.
8. Master & Commander – The Far Side Of The World
Rousing, impeccably acted and wonderful production values. An old-fashionedseafaring action-adventure that rarely puts a foot wrong. Russell Crowe issuitably macho and heroic, while Paul Bettany proves he’s one of Britain’sbest new actors. A fine tonic for those somewhat peeved by Pirates Of TheCaribbean’s supernatural angle…
9. Pirates Of The Caribbean
A wonder that this movie swam, when it had sink written all over it. Abig-budget Disney live-action movie produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, based onan outdated Disneyworld theme park ride? What were they thinking? Well,thank goodness they had the forethought to make sure the script worked. POTCbecame one of the year’s biggest surprise hits, and made Johnny Depp amainstream bankable star thanks to his hilariously camp turn as a slurringrogue pirate. Good, clean, family fun… with skeletons!
10. Finding Nemo
I don’t care what people say – Finding Nemo isn’t the best Animated Movieever made. It’s not even one of Pixar’s best, but it’s certainly worthy ofmention here. Excellent voice casting that didn’t detract from the animation(who knows who Albert Brooks is, really?) and some lush visuals ensured Nemocatered for everyone. As always, the secret to Pixar’s success is simple: anengaging story, interesting characters and a strong moral message that isn’trammed down your throat amongst irritating songs by Elton John or PhilCollins. Listen up, Disney!
AND SO TO THE FUTURE…
And what will 2004 bring us?
Spider-Man 2
This should clean up at the summer box-office and, if early word is anythingto go by, it should make the original look hideously flat and unexciting incomparison. They’re definitely onto a winner purely because they’reutilizing Spidey’s greatest villain – Doctor Octopus.
Van Helsing
Undoubtedly another big-hitter for a number of reasons – it stars HughJackman (X-Men), it features Dracula, The Wolf Man and Frankenstein’sMonster, plus it’s directed by Stephen Sommers, who has a knack for thiskind of thing after creating the first two Mummy movies. Possibly 2004’smost mindlessly fun movie.
The Incredibles
Pixar return (they’re really cranking them out now, aren’t they?) with thiscomedy superhero movie directed by Brad Bird – who helmed the wonderful IronGiant a few years back. Expect good things – the trailer is very funny,
Thunderbirds
It’s another big event – particularly for fans of Gerry Anderson’s famousfamily of heroes. The cast finally have their strings cut and becomelive-action characters under the direction of Star Trek’s own JonathanFrakes. Reasons to be cheerful include a sublimely cast Sophia Miles and RonCook as Lady Penelope and Parker, respectively, and some seeminglyimpressive special-effects. Reasons to be wary include Frakes’ track record- the rather good Star Trek First Contact, but the rather crap Star TrekInsurrection and Clockstoppers.
Garfield
The fat orange cat is finally brought to the big-screen (about 20 years toolate) in the vocal guise of Bill Murray with a little help from CGI. Couldbe wonderfully subversive, could be cringe-makingly awful… it does starJennifer Love Hewitt, you see…
Stuck On You
The Farrelly Brothers return with their latest gross-out comedy, this onestarring Greg Kinnear and Matt Damon as conjoined twins. The project hasbeen in development since before 1994’s Dumb & Dumber – so will it tap intotheir earlier successes (There’s Something About Mary) or their laterfailures (Me, Myself & Irene)?
Brothers Grimm
Also making a return after a failure (the aborted The Man Who Killed DonQuixote) is visionary director Terry Gilliam – in a movie again starringMatt Damon as one-half of the Brothers Grimm, in a fantasy movie where theinfamous fairy-tale writing siblings are recast as mediaeval conmen!
Kill Bill Volume II
Of course, Tarantino’s magnum opus kung fu movie has to end. After beingcontroversially cut in half at QT’s request, fans are now salivating overVolume II – which promises more wild visuals and fights, but with an addeddimension of character, plot and dialogue that the first half almostignored…
So it’s sure to be another bumper year of big-budget spectacle, sequels,remakes, CGI awe, and perhaps a few undiscovered gems currently under theradar.
Until next year, have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
2003 Retrospective – Part 3Page Content copyright © Dan Owen, 2003.
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Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.