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by Dave McCoy
MSN Movies
Coming into 2003, high-profile blockbusters like "The Return of the King," both "Matrix" films, "The Last Samurai," etc. were all the talk. However, twelve months later, several optimistic trends emerged for filmgoers that head to the theater for something other than explosions. It's a cliché, but often the best things do come in small packages. It was smaller, independent character studies like "Lost in Translation" or "The Station Agent" that produced the biggest emotional responses. The written word and acting stepped forefront and were just as exciting as a big battle scene. The reason? Perhaps it was the flood of first or second time filmmakers -- artists like Sofia Coppola, Peter Sollett, Thomas McCarthy, and David Gordon Green -- taking center stage and sharing their voices. Not only did they make 2003 a solid year for movie going, but also they give us hope for the future.
Here's a look back at the best of 2003:
10. "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
The
strongest compliment you can give to Peter Jackson and what he achieved is that his final
installment of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is the weakest ... and yet,
it's still one of the best films of the year. That is how high Jackson has set
the bar. Yes, there are too many endings and perhaps too many battle scenes, but
"King" contains a dozen or so moments that literally make you gasp for air (the
chain of fire beacons, Frodo's battle with the spider). We've never seen
anything like this trilogy in cinema, and most likely never will
again.
9. "In America"/ "Raising Victor Vargas"
Two beautiful dramas
about the immigrant experience in America, achieved something that seemed
virtually impossible. Both Jim Sheridan's extremely personal "In America" and Peter
Sollett's natural debut "Raising Victor Vargas" show us New York City through
children's eyes, and take a city that has been filmed thousands of times and
somehow manage to make it look new again. Both films dodge clichés that come
with the territory and boast incredible performances: "In America" uses
professionals like Samantha Morton and Paddy Considine to explore one family redemption after the
death of their son, while "Vargas" uses an entire cast of unprofessionals --
lead by Victor Rasuk -- to explore teenage crushes and gender
dynamics on the Lower East Side.
8. "Spellbound"
A Hollywood screenwriter didn't pen
the most tense, nerve-wracking thriller of the year. That honor belongs to
documentarian Jeff Blitz, who followed eight teenagers on the quest to become
1999 National Spelling Bee champion. After sucking you into these kid's lives
through interviews with them and their families, Blitz zips you off to
Washington D.C. where they take the stage to spell words most of us haven't
heard, let alone spell. And the suspense is a surprisingly white-knuckled
thrill ride.
7. "The Station Agent"
Writer/director Thomas
McCarthy's subtle debut, "The Station Agent" is a perfect gem. The story --
about a dwarf (Peter Dinklage in a breakout performance) who moves into an
abandoned train station to cut himself off from the rest of the world, only to
meet two equally lonely souls (the extraordinary Patricia Clarkson and Bobby Cannavale) -- may sound dull on paper, but it's
pitch-perfect. It's a poignant take on the need for loneliness at times, but
also the redemptive powers of friendship, yet it manages to be deadpan
hilarious and touching without being syrupy and sentimental.
6. "Big Fish"
For years, Tim Burton haters have contended that the visually gifted
filmmaker simply could not tell a straight story. How wonderfully ironic it is,
then, that he went and made his masterpiece about a storyteller and the
essentialness of narrative. Burton's wild imagination melds perfectly with the
film's tall-tale spinning protagonist Ed Bloom (Albert Finney and Ewan McGregor) and both create a magical world that you
never want to leave. Back in reality, however, Ed is dying of cancer and his
realist son (Billy Crudup) wants to hear truth, not fiction before his
dad passes. The final 15 minutes of "Big Fish" -- especially if you are a father
or a son, or both -- is four-hankie time. That said, you don't feel manipulated
or used; the gallon of tears are well earned.
