Movie Picks of 2003

grahams - - 3 mins read
  • Most surprising film of the year: Rivers and Tides
  • I really expected this one to be a complete snoozer, but it was so beautiful I watched most of it with my jaw dropped.
  • Most disappointing film: Spider
  • I was disillusioned with Cronenberg after eXistenZ, but this film was just ho-hum.
  • Saddest film: Lost in La Mancha
  • I love Terry Gilliam and it is so sad to see his creation squashed by various forces. This documentary does a great job of putting you in Gilliam’s head.
  • Most surprising B-movie (non-horror): Poolhall Junkies
  • Sure, it’s a cheesy mix of Rounders and The Color of Money, but a campy Christopher Walken performance makes the film a must-rent
  • Most surprising B-movie (horror): House of 1000 Corpses
  • Hey, I have to admit that I didn’t give Rob Zombie a fair shake. I expected him to pooch it and he completely delivered.
  • Best Christopher Guest Movies: A Mighty Wind and Spellbound
  • Sure, Spellbound might not have ACTUALLY been directed by Christopher Guest, and it’s not a mockumentary, but that doesn’t change the fact that it very well COULD be.
  • Best coming-of-age film: Whale Rider
  • You just gotta love those Maori!
  • Best Use of Digital Video: 28 Days Later
  • DV gave this film the immediacy of a nightly news report, and contributed to the overall spooky nature of this film.
  • Best Use of Johnny Depp: Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Come on, he rocked.
  • Film which made me feel guilty for not surfing: Step Into Liquid
  • I never got into Endless Summer, but Step Into Liquid is a masterpiece and makes a part of me wish I grew up in California.
  • Best Horror Film: Freddy vs. Jason
  • This is definitely a biased category for me, but fuck it.
  • Best use of Bill Murray in ages: Lost in Translation
  • I didn’t see Charlie’s Angels 2 because Bill Murray wasn’t in it.
  • Best Kids Movie That Adults Should See: School of Rock
  • The people behind School of Rock took a formula that has been done over and over and over again and turned it into something fresh.
  • Best referential homage-fest: Kill Bill Vol. 1
  • Quentin Tarantino did an amazing job of distilling his thousands of sources and inspiration down into a hip, fun, exciting movie. I can’t wait to see the second half.
  • Best Reissue: Alien: Director’s Cut
  • It was tough picking between Alien and Scarface, but really, Alien is the scariest movie ever made, and doesn’t feel dated one bit. Scarface is just as amazing, but I am simply more attached to Alien.
  • Best completion of a Trilogy: Return of the King
  • Peter Jackson has made some of my favorite films (Bad Taste, Dead Alive, Meet the Feebles…). When I heard he was going to be tackling LotR, I really didn’t think he was up to the task. He showed me.
  • Worst completition of a Trilogy: Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions
  • I liked the second film, and enjoyed the third film, but Corinna summed it up perfectly when she said that if they felt the need to make a sequel they should have combined these two films into one. I love the first film, but the two sequels released this year were a disappointment (if not still enjoyable).
  • Worst film of the year: Gerry and Friday Night (tie)
  • I just can’t pick. Both of these films are complete wastes of time.