I hate to say it, but out of the three-hundred odd films I've seen this year, the best were, for the most part, not new. Some of my favorites were DVD releases of old classics, and others, such as Lars van Trier's "Dogville," were revivals or festival screenings that will eventually make their way to American theaters. In the meantime, here are the new releases of 2003 that thrilled the most. Honorable mention goes to "The Sea," "Hulk," "Big Fish," and "21 Grams."
In terms of spectacle, epic drama, character, and emotional resonance, Peter Jackson's sweeping "Lord of the Rings" trilogy marks a peerless achievement. If the film seems unworthy of inclusion on a world film site, consider that it was made by a formerly obscure horror film director on his home turf in New Zealand--only the money came from Hollywood. Without a doubt, an enduring classic.
"Finally, all that dazzle serves a purpose," I wrote in January, when Fernando Meirelles' wildly entertaining drugland epic came out. Little did I know that the year wouldn't hold many more movies as riveting or poignant. Tarantino himself, whose style the Brazilian film emulates, ended up on the "worst of" list.
"11 Lessons from the Life of Robert McNamara" is the subtitle Errol Morris gave his astounding documentary about the former Secretary of State. As America seems poised to repeat the mistakes of the past, this eminently watchable film could not be timelier. "All of us are capable of horrible evil," Morris reminds us.
While Hollywood pushes its best releases to the end of the year, world film gems can appear any time--like Coline Serreau's involving feminist thriller, which slipped under many critics' (and audiences) radar in February. Hopefully, "Chaos" will get the attention it deserves once it's released on DVD.
Hasn't it all been said already? Sofia Coppola's sophomore effort is touching, hilarious, and splendid to look at. Let's hope that all the praise heaped on this small, wistful film doesn't set expectations too high for her next one.
Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley deliver stunning performances in this Great American Tragedy based on a novel by Andre Dubus III. It's the movie that Clint Eastwood wishes he had made with his overblown failure "Mystic River."
In a time when even small and foreign films feel ever more calculated, this quiet, touching movie from the Czech Republic hits all the right notes without strain. Starring the wonderful Vlastimil Brodsky in his last role.
After "Together," which features one of the most earned happy endings in film, Lukas Moodyson decided to turn to the dark side: "Lilya 4-Ever" deals with teenage prostitution, and it doesn't pull any punches. This heart-wrenching film reduced me to tears within the first fifteen minutes, and from there, things only got worse. A profoundly depressing experience, the movie didn't get the audience Lilya's fate deserves.
What is it about Austrians? When they're not pumping iron or running for governor overseas, apparently they abuse each other in their neatly-kept suburbs--and make highly disturbing movies. I won't pretend I enjoyed this harrowing vision of suburban hell by Enfant Terrible Ulrich Seidl, but I couldn't shake its images for weeks. For this achievement alone, "Hundstage" made it on this list.
10. Casa De Los Babys
John Sayles tackles the globalization of the adoption business with the help of a great ensemble cast: Marcia Gay Harden, Mary Steenburgen, Lili Taylor, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daryl Hannah, Susan Lynch and Vanessa Martinez turn in some of the best performances of the year in a movie that's lean on plot but rich with insight.
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