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Dan Owen reviews

DAN'S   MOVIE   DIGEST

2 0 0 3   R e t r o s p e c t i v e

P a r t   O n e

Not unlike recent years, 2003 saw the return of those great filmmaking traditions: the sequel and the superhero movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger used the marketing juggernaut of Terminator 3 as a political campaign push - and it worked a treat. The Matrix and The Lord Of The Rings - two modern classics - completed their trilogies (with varying success). But don't forget those fresh, original ideas. There were some. Adaptation was another work of genius from director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kauffman, while Finding Nemo dominated the US summer box office and 28 Days Later became an unlikely worldwide hit. Even a movie based on a theme park ride (Pirates Of The Caribbean) became one of the most respected blockbusters of recent years.

Here are some of the most notable movies of 2003 - in terms of notoriety (both bad and good)...

For those already available on DVD, please click on the image for further info.

28 DAYS LATER
Danny Boyle needed a hit, particularly after The Beach threatened to end his Hollywood pass in the wake of Trainspotting. Thankfully, Boyle's contemporary updating of the zombie movie - transplanting the action to London together with a Day Of The Triffids vibe - worked a treat.
28 Days Later became a success in the US - which is quite an achievement for a British movie without Richard Curtis involved somewhere...
DVD review

2 FAST 2 FURIOUS
The first Vin Diesel racing action drama was a surprise hit a few years back, but even without Diesel aboard a sequel found its way onto multiplexed. Paul Walker (the most wooden actor of 2003?) takes the lead.
Well, actually, the cars are the real stars. Sadly, while F&F2 is a serviceable sequel, all the best bits were revealed in the trailer and there's not much more to get excited about.

ADAPTATION
After the sublime Being John Malkovich, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman was in danger of being labelled a one-trick pony. His terrible Human Nature (a crass and lazy Tarzan-alike) could have signalled the end of a promising career. Thankfully, reteaming with music-director Spike Jonze and an on-form Nicolas Cage, rescued him.
Adaptation became one of the most original movies of 2003 and a worthy Oscar nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay - which is sadly didn't win...
DVD review

BAD BOYS II
Unwanted sequels abound in recent years - with none more unwanted than Bad Boys II. Will Smith should be steaming ahead, not starring in trite re-runs of past glories (a la Men In Black II). Of course, for Martin Lawrence this movie was just the shot in the arm he needed after dismal comedy efforts like Black Knight. Even director Michael Bay, still smarting after Pearl Harbor's critical drubbing, needed an easy hit.
To be fair, Bad Boys II is gorgeous to look at - with some impressive action sequences around every corner... but there's just very little else beyond posturing and dumb dialogue.

BRUCE ALMIGHTY
Jim Carrey's career has wavered in the past five years. He hit a low with Me, Myself & Irene, didn't find a particularly receptive audience for The Grinch and then starred in total disaster The Majestic. Haven't heard of it? There's a reason.
So, Mr Carrey decided to star in a safe-bet - a high-concept comedy from the director of his first hit - Ace Ventura Pet Detective. Bruce Almighty didn't really satisfy those hungry for more biting satire, but it had a fairly high gag quotient and became 2003's blockbuster comedy successes.

CHARLIE'S ANGELS - FULL THROTTLE
Strangely, Charlie's Angels was one of the most pleasantly dumb and entertaining action movies of 1999. So it's even stranger that its sequel - now outfitted with a bigger budget and the presence of the shapely Demi Moore - should fail so pathetically.
It retains its sparkle and sass, but the lead actresses are now utterly saccharine and false. McG ensures the film is overly-directed to cover-up the lack of plot, and the headline-grabbing Moore barely features. A sad waste.

CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND
George Clooney is becoming a real player. Not only is he one of the brightest and best Hollywood actors around, but he can also direct! This is his debut, and he manages to craft a very witty and engaging "true" story based on the autobiography of infamous US gameshow host Chuck Barris... who may, or may not, have also been a hitman for the CIA.
Sam Rockwell is fantastic as Barris, while Charlie Kaufman's screenplay is playful and interesting.

DAREDEVIL
In the wake of Spider-Man, superheroes are hot property in Hollywood. So much so that even the not-quite-so-famous comic-book stars can get a shot at greatness. Ben Affleck achieves a boyhood dream to play the Man Without Fear, a blind lawyer who actually has sonar-like super-senses.
Perhaps most memorable for Colin Farrell's scenery chewing and the delicious presence of Jennifer Garner as sai-wielding assassin Elektra. Daredevil was a solid hit in the US, but struggled elsewhere.

DUMB & DUMBERER
There are unwanted sequels (see Bad Boys II) and then there are unwanted prequels. Jim Carrey comedy Dumb & Dumber was decent enough - heralding an era of bad taste comedy back to our screens - but did it really need a prequel?
Without Carrey of Jeff Daniels, the film has to rely on two unknown look-a-likes - who actually aren't that bad. But the script is infantile nonsense and a sad indictment on everything that's wrong with cash-in titles...

FINDING NEMO
Pixar can't go wrong. Since 1995's Toy Story they have dominated the CGI movie-making world (with only DreamWorks' Shrek offering a challenge). Finding Nemo was being quietly perceived as their worst film - and it's certainly not their best, really - but that didn't stop it becoming the biggest grossing animated movie of all time!
Great voice talent, and even greater animation ensure Nemo is a family film the kids will be watching on DVD for years to come...
Movie review

2003 Retrospective - Part 2

Page Content copyright © Dan Owen, 2003.
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The following is a list of Dan's Movie Digests online :

2007 Retrospective: Part One 2007 Retrospective: Part Two 2007 Retrospective: Part Three 2007 Retrospective: Part Four

Issue 188: August 22nd 2007 Issue 187: August 8th 2007 Issue 186: February 22nd 2007 Issue 185: January 26th 2007

2006 Retrospective: Part One 2006 Retrospective: Part Two 2006 Retrospective: Part Three 2006 Retrospective: Part Four

Issue 184: December 20th 2006 Issue 183: December 8th 2006 Issue 182: November 30th 2006 Issue 181: November 22nd 2006 Issue 180: November 15th 2006 Issue 179: November 6th 2006 Issue 178: July 19th 2006 Issue 177: July 12th 2006 Issue 176: July 6th 2006 Issue 175: June 23rd 2006 Issue 174: June 16th 2006 Issue 173: June 7th 2006 Issue 172: May 18th 2006 Issue 171: May 10th 2006 Issue 170: May 4th 2006 Issue 169: April 26th 2006 Issue 168: April 20th 2006 Issue 167: April 12th 2006 Issue 166: April 5th 2006 Issue 165: March 29th 2006 Issue 164: March 15th 2006 Issue 163: March 9th 2006 Issue 162: March 3rd 2006 Issue 161: February 22nd 2006 Issue 160: February 15th 2006 Issue 159: February 8th 2006 Issue 158: February 3rd 2006 Issue 157: January 27th 2006 Issue 156: January 18th 2006

2005 Retrospective: Part One 2005 Retrospective: Part Two

Issue 155: November 24th 2005 Issue 154: November 18th 2005 Issue 153: November 11th 2005 Issue 152: November 4th 2005 Issue 151: October 21st 2005 Issue 150: October 12th 2005 Issue 149: October 7th 2005 Issue 148: September 29th 2005 Issue 147: September 21st 2005 Issue 146: August 19th 2005 Issue 145: August 10th 2005 Issue 144: August 4th 2005 Issue 143: July 29th 2005 Issue 142: July 22nd 2005 Issue 141: July 13th 2005 Issue 140: July 8th 2005 Issue 139: June 30th 2005 Issue 138: June 24th 2005 Issue 137: June 17th 2005 Issue 136: June 9th 2005 Issue 135: June 2nd 2005 Issue 134: May 25th 2005 Issue 133: May 20th 2005 Issue 132: May 11th 2005 Issue 131: April 20th 2005 Issue 130: April 13th 2005 Issue 129: April 6th 2005 Issue 128: March 23rd 2005 Issue 127: March 16th 2005 Issue 126: March 2nd 2005 Issue 125: February 23rd 2005 Issue 124: February 17th 2005 Issue 123: February 11th 2005 Issue 122: February 2nd 2005 Issue 121: January 26th 2005 Issue 120: January 21st 2005 Issue 119: January 12th 2005

2004 Retrospective: Part One 2004 Retrospective: Part Two 2004 Retrospective: Part Three 2004 Retrospective: Part Four

Issue 118: December 22nd 2004 Issue 117: December 15th 2004 Issue 116: December 8th 2004 Issue 115: December 1st 2004 Issue 114: November 24th 2004 Issue 113: November 18th 2004 Issue 112: November 11th 2004 Issue 111: November 3rd 2004 Issue 110: October 28th 2004 Issue 109: October 13th 2004 Issue 108: October 6th 2004 Issue 107: September 29th 2004 Issue 106: September 22nd 2004 Issue 105: September 15th 2004 Issue 104: September 8th 2004 Issue 103: September 1st 2004 Issue 102: August 11th 2004 Issue 101: August 7th 2004

Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 4 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 3 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 2 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 1

Issue 99: July 28th 2004 Issue 98: July 21st 2004 Issue 97: July 9th 2004 Issue 96: July 7th 2004 Issue 95: June 30th 2004 Issue 94: June 22nd 2004 Issue 93: June 6th 2004 Issue 92: May 28th 2004 Issue 91: May 23rd 2004 Issue 90: May 14th 2004 Issue 89: May 9th 2004 Issue 88: April 30th 2004 Issue 87: April 24th 2004 Issue 86: April 17th 2004 Issue 85: April 9th 2004 Issue 84: March 27th 2004 Issue 83: March 19th 2004 Issue 82: March 12th 2004 Issue 81: March 5th 2004 Issue 80: February 27th 2004 Issue 79: February 20th 2004 Issue 78: February 13th 2004 Issue 77: February 6th 2004 Issue 76: January 30th 2004 Issue 75: January 23rd 2004 Issue 74: January 16th 2004 Issue 73: January 9th 2004

2003 Retrospective: Part One 2003 Retrospective: Part Two 2003 Retrospective: Part Three 2003 Retrospective: Part Four

Issue 72: December 12th 2003 Issue 71: December 4th 2003 Issue 70: November 28th 2003 Issue 69: November 21st 2003 Issue 68: November 14th 2003 Issue 67: November 7th 2003 Issue 66: October 31st 2003 Issue 65: October 24th 2003 Issue 64: October 17th 2003 Issue 63: October 10th 2003 Issue 62: October 3rd 2003 Issue 61: September 26th 2003 Issue 60: September 19th 2003 Issue 59: September 12th 2003 Issue 58: August 29th 2003 Issue 57: August 22nd 2003 Issue 56: August 15th 2003 Issue 55: August 8th 2003 Issue 54: August 1st 2003 Issue 53: July 25th 2003 Issue 52: July 18th 2003 Issue 51: July 11th 2003 Issue 50: July 4th 2003 Issue 49: June 27th 2003 Issue 48: June 20th 2003 Issue 47: June 13th 2003 Issue 46: June 6th 2003 Issue 45: May 30th 2003 Issue 44: May 23rd 2003 Issue 43: May 16th 2003 Issue 42: May 9th 2003 Issue 41: May 2nd 2003 Issue 40: April 25th 2003 Issue 39: April 18th 2003 Issue 38: April 11th 2003 Issue 37: April 4th 2003 Issue 36: March 28th 2003 Issue 35: March 21st 2003 Issue 34: March 14th 2003 Issue 33: March 7th 2003 Issue 32: February 28th 2003 Issue 31: February 21st 2003 Issue 30: February 14th 2003 Issue 29: February 7th 2003 Issue 28: January 31st 2003 Issue 27: January 24th 2003 Issue 26: January 17th 2003 Issue 25: January 10th 2003 Issue 24: January 3rd 2003

2002 Retrospective: Part One 2002 Retrospective: Part Two 2002 Retrospective: Part Three 2002 Retrospective: Part Four

Issue 23: December 20th 2002 Issue 22: December 13th 2002 Issue 21: December 6th 2002 Issue 20: November 29th 2002 Issue 19: November 22nd 2002 Issue 18: November 15th 2002 Issue 17: November 8th 2002 Issue 16: November 1st 2002 Issue 15: October 25th 2002 Issue 14: October 18th 2002 Issue 13: October 11th 2002 Issue 12: October 4th 2002 Issue 11: September 27th 2002 Issue 10: September 20th 2002 Issue 9: September 13th 2002 Issue 8: September 6th 2002 Issue 7: August 30th 2002 Issue 6: August 23rd 2002 Issue 5: August 16th 2002 Issue 4: August 9th 2002 Issue 3: August 2nd 2002 Issue 2: July 26th 2002 Issue 1: July 19th 2002

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