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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   F o u r

DAN'S TOP 1O OF 2003
Here is my listing of what the most essential movies to watch were in 2003. They may not be the greatest, or the cleverest, or the most incisive works to be found in the cinema... but you'd have to be a fuddy-duddy bore to have ignored most of these...
1. The Lord Of The Rings - The Return Of The King
I will have seen this by the time this issue of DMD is released, and I'm sure it will be my Number 1. Peter Jackson will never escape LOTR after this, and that is as it should be. Jackson manages to blend popcorn movies and art movies into one glorious beast. Critics adore it, cinephiles marvel at its technical brilliance, and the general public suddenly realize that the "geeks" were right. This should deserve to sweep the 2004 Academy Awards for the entire trilogy's sake...
2. The Matrix Reloaded
Controversial, yes. But I love The Matrix. The sequels were generally a disappointment when compared to the adrenaline rush of The Matrix back in 1999, but they did contain some of the year's most startling effects and at least attempted to pose philosophical questions about existence to the masses. Interestingly, it's almost as if the sequels were for the fans only. Joe Public may scoff at the occasionally convoluted dialogue and meandering plot, but those of us who played the video-game, watched The Animatrix and immersed ourselves in online debate about The Architect's speech know best. The Matrix sadly became a flawed trilogy unable to truly capture the original's spirit, but rarely has the world seen such grand and enjoyable "failures".
3. Kill Bill Volume I
Tarantino really kicked into high-gear for Kill Bill. His trademark witty wordplay was mostly missing, but in its place were some astonishing fight sequences that shamed The Matrix at times. This is real filmmaking from a master connoisseur of world cinema. A raucous assault on the senses that leaves you deliriously happy and psyched to see Volume II.
4. The Matrix Revolutions
While Reloaded, in my opinion, is the better movie purely because it kept you thinking and had the benefit of hype, Revolutions undoubtedly has the higher emotional content and greatest expectancy. Sadly the ending delivered - while logical and understandable in one sense - is irritatingly unresolved in many others. Still, you just had to see it, didn't you. Be honest.
5. X-Men 2
Traditional superhero movie-making on a grand scale. Great effects and a more involving story meant Bryan Singer finally made the X-Men movie we all wanted to see the first time around. Can't wait for X3...
6. Terminator 3
Mainly earning its place because it didn't stink, I know, but I've been a massive fan of the Terminator franchise ever since the original stunned me as a kid and T2 became the talk of the playground. T3 isn't high art as Cameron would have made it, the story is generally quite feeble in comparison, and it was far too humorous for its own good at times, but it was possibly the most entertaining sequel of the year.
7. Spirited Away
Fabulous. I know many of you shy away from "Japanimation", with occasional forays into the mysterious world of anime leaving you unconvinced. It's all cyberpunk, sex and overly-large eyes, right? Well, not always. Spirited Away is a fine kids film that is magical and entertaining in all the greatest traditions. Disney haven't made anything like this for years, and the depth of imagination and surreal imagery is just awesome. A fine movie.
8. Master & Commander - The Far Side Of The World
Rousing, impeccably acted and wonderful production values. An old-fashioned seafaring action-adventure that rarely puts a foot wrong. Russell Crowe is suitably macho and heroic, while Paul Bettany proves he's one of Britain's best new actors. A fine tonic for those somewhat peeved by Pirates Of The Caribbean's supernatural angle...
9. Pirates Of The Caribbean
A wonder that this movie swam, when it had sink written all over it. A big-budget Disney live-action movie produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, based on an outdated Disneyworld theme park ride? What were they thinking? Well, thank goodness they had the forethought to make sure the script worked. POTC became one of the year's biggest surprise hits, and made Johnny Depp a mainstream bankable star thanks to his hilariously camp turn as a slurring rogue pirate. Good, clean, family fun... with skeletons!
10. Finding Nemo
I don't care what people say - Finding Nemo isn't the best Animated Movie ever made. It's not even one of Pixar's best, but it's certainly worthy of mention here. Excellent voice casting that didn't detract from the animation (who knows who Albert Brooks is, really?) and some lush visuals ensured Nemo catered for everyone. As always, the secret to Pixar's success is simple: an engaging story, interesting characters and a strong moral message that isn't rammed down your throat amongst irritating songs by Elton John or Phil Collins. Listen up, Disney!

Cover
AND SO TO THE FUTURE...

And what will 2004 bring us?
Spider-Man 2
This should clean up at the summer box-office and, if early word is anything to go by, it should make the original look hideously flat and unexciting in comparison. They're definitely onto a winner purely because they're utilizing Spidey's greatest villain - Doctor Octopus.
Van Helsing
Undoubtedly another big-hitter for a number of reasons - it stars Hugh Jackman (X-Men), it features Dracula, The Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster, plus it's directed by Stephen Sommers, who has a knack for this kind of thing after creating the first two Mummy movies. Possibly 2004's most mindlessly fun movie.
The Incredibles
Pixar return (they're really cranking them out now, aren't they?) with this comedy superhero movie directed by Brad Bird - who helmed the wonderful Iron Giant a few years back. Expect good things - the trailer is very funny,
Thunderbirds
It's another big event - particularly for fans of Gerry Anderson's famous family of heroes. The cast finally have their strings cut and become live-action characters under the direction of Star Trek's own Jonathan Frakes. Reasons to be cheerful include a sublimely cast Sophia Miles and Ron Cook as Lady Penelope and Parker, respectively, and some seemingly impressive special-effects. Reasons to be wary include Frakes' track record - the rather good Star Trek First Contact, but the rather crap Star Trek Insurrection and Clockstoppers.
Cover Garfield
The fat orange cat is finally brought to the big-screen (about 20 years too late) in the vocal guise of Bill Murray with a little help from CGI. Could be wonderfully subversive, could be cringe-makingly awful... it does star Jennifer Love Hewitt, you see...
Stuck On You
The Farrelly Brothers return with their latest gross-out comedy, this one starring Greg Kinnear and Matt Damon as conjoined twins. The project has been in development since before 1994's Dumb & Dumber - so will it tap into their earlier successes (There's Something About Mary) or their later failures (Me, Myself & Irene)?
Brothers Grimm
Also making a return after a failure (the aborted The Man Who Killed Don Quixote) is visionary director Terry Gilliam - in a movie again starring Matt Damon as one-half of the Brothers Grimm, in a fantasy movie where the infamous fairy-tale writing siblings are recast as mediaeval conmen!
Kill Bill Volume II
Of course, Tarantino's magnum opus kung fu movie has to end. After being controversially cut in half at QT's request, fans are now salivating over Volume II - which promises more wild visuals and fights, but with an added dimension of character, plot and dialogue that the first half almost ignored...

So it's sure to be another bumper year of big-budget spectacle, sequels, remakes, CGI awe, and perhaps a few undiscovered gems currently under the radar.

Until next year, have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

2003 Retrospective - Part 3

Page Content copyright © Dan Owen, 2003.
Email Dan Owen

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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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As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier.

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Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP

Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE

Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP

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 F o u r

DAN'S TOP 1O OF 2003

AND SO TO THE FUTURE...

2003 Retrospective - Part 3

Page Content copyright © Dan Owen, 2003. Email Dan Owen

Visit Dan Owen.blogspot.com

DAN'S MOVIE DIGEST
2 0 0 3 R e t r o s p e c t i v e

Page Content copyright © Dan Owen, 2003.
Email Dan Owen