2003 Movies
In America. (12/18/03). Stunning movie. Isolated people connect unexpectedly in very dramatic fashion. The children make it more powerful and more human. Not as transfixing as "Mystic River" but maybe more memorable. This film has two commanding scenes, one with the men and one with the older daughter. Highly recommended.
Something's Gotta Give. (12/17/03). The only thing wrong with this movie is the title. Startling older couple romantic comedy. Diane Keaton overpowers Jack Nicholson but the real star is the concept followed by the script and Keaton in that order. Strong recommendation.
The Cooler. (12/11/03). Well done hard-boiled movie. Good cast. Alec Baldwin nails role. Some gratuitous violence and a few too many plot twists. Recommended to those with strong stomach.
Mona Lisa Smile. (12/10/03). Free sneak preview in small Seattle theatre. Julia Roberts is getting prettier as she ages. More than a star vehicle, it makes an honest attempt to capture the culture of an elite all women's college in the mid-50s. Plot has Hollywood twists but comes out okay. Good effort. Recommended.
The Last Samurai. (11/30/03). See in a big theatre. Startling violence. What was there was good but easily could have been better. Recommended.
Mystic River. (11/26/03). Best movie I have seen in years. Highly recommended.
Love Actually. (11/22/03). A little smaltzy at the end but overall it worked for me. Recommended.
Master and Commander. (11/20/03). Very good plain old adventure movie. Worth a big screen. Recommended.
The Matrix Revolutions. (11/08/03). Worked for me but not for others in my party. Better be a Matrix fan. Probably best to be a guy, too.
Runaway Jury. (10/18/03). Had no expectations but this was a whole lot better than expected. Good movie. Recommended.
Intolerable Cruelty. (10/11/03). Some funny moments but overall a disapointment. The previews promised more than the movie delivers. Not recommended unless you have no expectations and no alternatives.
School of Rock. (10/8/03). A Jack Black vehicle funny enough to recommend. Left me hungry for a real movie.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico. (10/6/03). This one is out there pretty far but Johnny Depp's humor and the flashy style of the action tip the balance to a recommendation.
Step Into Liquid. (9/03). This is more than just a Warren Miller movie for surfers. But not a lot more. Very enjoyable.
Respiro. (9/20/03). Small slice of life movie set on Italian island. If this was American, I would not recommend it. But the Italian flavor tips the balance in favor.
Lost in Translation. (9/17/03). Sweet movie. Stars Tokyo as much as Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. I'll see it again for Tokyo. Highly recommended.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. (9/14/03). Saw the last 1/3 after Matchstick Men (below) and laughed a lot. Returned to see entire film and was somewhat disappointed. Very good humored.
Matchstick Men. (9/12/03). A Nicholas Cage vehicle. Somewhat flat, fails to involve you with main character. Barely recommended.
Dirty Pretty Things. (9/11/03). Grisly, yes, but not excessively so. Good film.
American Splendor. (9/8/03). The layers of the movie--actor, comic strip, real character--add much. Recommended.
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). (9/5/03). I saw the digitally remastered print in a state-of-the-art theatre. The costumes and Basil Rathbone were surprises but the movie itself was a bit clunky. We do a better job with the mechanics of making a movie now. Recommended.
Open Range. (8/25/03). Low budget Kevin Kostner western, not as good as "Dances With Wolves," but good enough to recommend.
Spellbound. (8/19/03). Entertaining. I wonder what these kids are doing now. Highly recommended.
Whale Rider. (8/18/03). Simple, engrossing, emotional. Highly recommended.
Winged Migration. (8/14/03). Awesome photography of birds flying and landing and walking. Best nature film in decades. Recommended.
Freaky Friday. (8/10/03). Amusing but very light body switching movie. Not as good as "Big" with Tom Hanks. And Jamie Lee Curtis is getting old. Mild recommendation.
Seabiscuit. (8/4/03). The audience applauded at the end of this movie. The applause was deserved.
Capturing the Friedmans. (7/30/03). This movie captures real life during a time of great stress. It spotlights the quiet desperation of the wife of a gay pedophile. Grim subject matter but worth the effort. Highly recommended.
Swimming Pool. (7/14/03). Charlotte Rampling is good but very little happens here. Marginal recommendation.
L'auberge Esagnole. (7/01/03). Very good film. Second only to "Nowhere in Africa" for best of the year so far. Highly recommended.
Hulk. (6/30/03). CGI character and movie are better than previews. Jennifer Conelly looks good in closeups. Borderline at best.
Man on a Train. (6/25/03). Slow starting but you will warm to it. Recommended.
The Man Without a Past. (6/19/03). In Finnish. Surprisingly realistic view of down and outs in Helsinki. Pleasant, somewhat flat. Recommended.
PTU. (6/13/03). Detective thriller set in Hong Kong. Character study. Close but no cigar. Not recommended.
Chinese Odyssey 2002. (6/13/03). Humorous, light-hearted partial satire of recent action movies. Probably more fun if you speak Chinese. Borderline only.
The Italian Job. (6/02/03). Well-acted, decent script, good scenery but flat, flat, flat. Optional.
Bruce Almighty. (5/29/03). Funny enough. Recommended.
Nowhere in Africa. (5/28/03). Extraordinary film. Winner of Oscar for Best Foreign Film for 2003.
Matrix Reloaded. (5/20/03). Not as good as The Matrix but that is a very high standard. Keeps you puzzled. Car chase and fight scenes too long. Recommended.
X2. (5/11/03). It has its moments but is overly long and flat for long periods. Not recommended.
The Good Thief. (5/5/03). Probably better seen on DVD. Wish Nick Nolte could talk. Recommended.
Laurel Canyon. (5/4/03). I liked this movie very much. Not mainstream fare.
The Real Cancun. (4/26/03). Opening weekend, Saturday night at 7:45. Two other people in theatre. This movie was DOA and deservedly so. Walked out. On IMDB, 64% of viewers gave it a "1" rating, the worst possible.
Phone Booth. (4/24/03). Recommended if you have absolutely nothing better to do.
Rivers and Tides. (4/20/03). A movie about outdoor artist Andy Goldsworthy. This man is really connected to the land. I liked it a lot.
Bend It Like Beckham. (4/7/03). At last, a girl's soccer movie. More here than expected which is good and bad. Very enjoyable.
Basic. (4/4/03). As good as "Tears of the Sun" below. Better like war movies.
Rabbit-Proof Fence. (4/2/03). An understated, quiet movie that does not try to be more than it is. Recommended.
Chicago. (3/22/03). A musical? The first two thirds dragged but the ending was snappy. Recommended.
Frida. (3/22/03). Visually stunning, well-acted, gritty. Highly recommended.
Tears of the Sun. (3/20/03). Recommended only if you are a Bruce Willis fan.
I Spy. (3/12/03). Best choice available in 10 plex in Cabo San Lucas, Baja Sur, Mexico. Some funny moments, not as bad as expected but not recommended.
Daredevil. (2/26/03). Agree with daughter K's assessment, "silly." Provided badly needed diversion. Recommend if in same boat. Jennifer Garner is memorable.
The Quiet American. (2/24/03). A Michael Caine vehicle. Brendan Fraser is good too. Recommended.
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. (2/16/03). Better than the first one. Still a big "who cares?" problem. Barely recommended.
The Hours. (2/14/03). Marvelous cast. Wonderful acting. About as uplifting as a bleak movie can be. Recommended.
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. (2/8/03). Broke string of four good movies in a row. Failed to involve me. Boring, too long, stupid. It clarified that I dislike the work of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. Avoid.
About Schmidt. (2/1/03). Very good. Surprisingly tuned in screenplay. Recommended.
The Pianist. (1/28/03). Very well done movie about a Warsaw holocaust survivor. Grim but highly recommended.
25th Hour. (1/20/03). Peters out at the end but this movie was much, much better than expected. High recommendation.
Antwone Fisher. (1/19/03). Simple but surprisingly strong movie. Highly recommended.
Adaptation. (1/10/03). Made by the same crew that did "Being John Malkovich." As quirky but sorely lacking Malkovich's charm. Shallow, self-indulgent, almost unbearable by the end. Not recommended.
Bowling for Columbine. (1/4/03). This documentary about the prevalence of guns and gun related deaths in America (as opposed to other developed countries) was much better than anticipated. Wide-ranging but makes repeated connections between the material covered. Highly recommended.
Far from Heaven. (1/3/03). Stilted artificial view of life in the late 50s. Wooden dialogue. Obtrusive music. Not believable. Not recommended.
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