M. Medved's Best and Worst Movies of 2003

Crosswalk.com ^ | 12/31/03 | Michael Medved

[L.A.Justice]

Michael Medved's Best and Worst Movies of 2003 Michael Medved Your Cultural Crusader

Best

1."In America"

2."Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"

3."The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"

4."The School of Rock"

5."Radio"

6."Bend It Like Beckham"

7."Gods and Generals"

8."Secondhand Lions"

9."Mystic River"

10."Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"

Honorable Mention: "Pasionada", "Peter Pan", "American Splendor", "Looney Tunes: Back in Action", "Matchstick Men", "Finding Nemo", "Open Range" and "Lost in Translation."

Worst

1. "Gigli" (Bennifer in excelsis, with J. Lo delivering the immortal line: "It's turkey time —Gobble! Gobble!)

2. "The Order" (The odor — sulky, somber Heath Ledger tries to save the demonic Catholic church)

3. "Beyond Borders" (Beyond boredom — anorexic Angelina tries to feed picturesquely starving kids)

4. "Spy Kids 3D: Game Over" (Sly Stallone plays four different villians — all badly)

5. "View from the Top" (Gwyneth's career hits bottom in flight attendant flopperoo)

6. "My Boss's Daughter" (Wouldn't Ashton Kutcher actually be more interested in his boss's mother?)

7. "The Hulk" (existential idiocy in comic book adaptation by Ang Lee, as Nick Nolte auditions for his arrest)

8. "Hollywood Homicide" (Harrison Ford's career homicide)

9. "Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat" (Not nine lives — nine painful deaths)

10. "Kill Bill Vol. I" (Bill doesn't die — but more than 100 extras do)

[L.A.Justice]

"In America" is indeed very good...Especially the performance of 2 sisters...I have yet to watch "Master and Commander..." and TLOTR.

About "Mystic River"...I have no intention of going to a theater to watch it even if it is nominated for the Best Picture during the Oscar time.

"Matchstick Men" was good indeed..."Lost in Translation" was OK. I have to admit that I got bored at times watching that film...

"Hulk"...I think it was a so-so film. I don't think "Hollywood Homicide" was that horrible...However, after reading Harrison Ford's anti-Bush comments, I did regret watching the film in the theater...

"Kill Bill" was a mildly interesting film...

[LiteKeeper]

bump

[beaversmom]

Medved bump--love that guy.

[goldstategop]

ANY film with Russell Crowe in it is a good draw. We're also looking ahead to the completion of Michael Sharaa's "Civil War" trilogy that began with "Gods And Generals", and which continues in "Gettsyburg." LOTR is magnificient although "The Master And The Commander" is right there next to the splendid "Gladiator." As for Bennifer, that's one of the funniest lines in a bad movie and is strictly for the laughs along with Madonna's artless performance in "Swept Away." Here's to the best and worst from Hollywood in 2004!

[rbessenger]

after reading Harrison Ford's anti-Bush comments, I did regret watching the film in the theater...

He also gave thumbs up to Sean Penn and Tim Robbins (Mystic River) as well as Francophile Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean. 2004 is a new year, perhaps conservatives will make a splash on the big screen (Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Dennis Miller- there are some conservatives in Hollywood). Was Mel Gibson's "Passion" considered?

[L.N. Smithee]

Medved bump--love that guy.

Years ago, I was in a bookstore with $20 in my wallet I planned to spend on a certain book. I flipped through Michael Medved's Hollywood vs. America, saw in print everything I had been saying to myself, my friends, and family for years, and decided that I owed it to Medved to buy the book. I didn't put it down until I finished it, and read it again and again.

If you haven't read it, you gotta.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

"Master and Commander" was a great film, easily Crowe's best since "Gladiator".

One that wasn't mentioned, and probably won't win any awards is "Confidence", a rather underrated movie in the tradition of "The Sting".

"Kill Bill" was proof that devolution can happen to a director's skills. Tarantino's best work was done in "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs". This one and "Jackie Brown" were mediocre.

As for LOTR:ROTK, I'm reserving judgement till I see it again this weekend. My initial assessment was that while it was very good, it felt like something was missing. By that I mean, it's over 3 hours long, and towards the end, I was almost begging for it to end, but at the same time, it seemed like they didn't really explain how some things in the plot turned out like they did *cough*-Saruman!-*cough*-Eowyn and Faramir!-*cough*. I guess I'll have to wait for the director's edition DVD next November.

As I predicted on the 2004 FReeper Prediction thread though, I pick "The Last Samurai" to win Best Picture(it's entertaining, but the PC just oozes out of every pore in this movie), and "Return of the King", despite everything I've said here, while being deserving of the big prize, will get shafted by the liberals in Hollyweird again.

[metalboy]

Was Mel Gibson's "Passion" considered?

The reviews are in.....

"IT IS AS IT WAS!!"-Pope John Paul II-Vatican Review

[Hawkeye's Girl]

I liked "The Hulk." It was an art house psychological movie, so I understand why others don't enjoy it, but I think it was cool.

[metalboy]

Gigli is the top worst movie...Ben Affleck..Just goes to show in Hollyweird, that if you make just one good movie your entire career, your set for life. Kevin Costner is the current bomb king but Bafflack is getting there. Unreal. In any other biz you`d get your ass canned in a second. I wonder if studios hire these idiots who refuse to read scripts beforehand just for the tax write offs. "Hey this script is terrible! I know, lets make the movie!" That`s like saying "Hey this stock is gonna crash!! Let`s invest our money! yeah!"

[Paul8148]

I agree with his list expect for Radio. It was deadful.

[SuziQ]

...I have yet to watch "Master and Commander..." and TLOTR.

Went to see M&C on Tuesday; VERY good movie with one of the most terrifying storm scenes I have EVER seen in a movie! My favorite is definitely Return of the King. I've only seen it once, so far, but plan to go again this weekend, AND next weekend with a bunch of Freepers who are also Tolkien fans. I'm glad I have Medved's list. I can line the movies up on my Netflix queue!

[Travis McGee]

"Secondhand Lions" was terrific. See it!

[metalboy]

I liked "The Hulk." It was an art house psychological movie, so I understand why others don't enjoy it, but I think it was cool.

But he didn`t say the immortal line, "Hulk smash" plus they never did explain why all his clothes rip off, including his leather shoes, except his pants. Does his pants rip off while he`s changing into the Hulk and he sews them back on, if so, how can the Hulk calm down enough to thread a needle? Does the Hulk have a Hulk sewing machine? or are they incredible stretchy pants that Bruce Banner wears especially for his Hulk disease?

[Husker24]

How about Termanator 3, I watched it last night and thought it was sweet.

[metalboy]

Honorable Mention: "Peter Pan"

Gee, you think Michael Jackson saw this yet? Talk about timing. I think Michael Jackson watching this movie 500 times like he said he watched E.T. are pretty much set in stone.

[reg45]

Was Mel Gibson's "Passion" considered?

No. It hasn't been officially released. It will be considered a 2004 film not 2003.

[I_dmc]

for Kill Bill, you kinda have to be in on the joke. The whole story was a running fantasy made up while filming Pulp Fiction, by Tarantino and Uma Thurman.

[I_dmc]

hmm, no mention of Matrix Revolution in either list.

[csvset]

Fwiw, I was listening to NPR, and this was Bob Mondello's list. I haven't been to a theater in years, so I'll probably wait for the DVD realeases.

Top 10 Films of 2003

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, directed by Peter Jackson

Finding Nemo, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich

The Barbarian Invasions, directed by Denys Arcand

Capturing the Friedmans, directed by Andrew Jarecki

City of God, directed by Kátia Lund and Fernando Meirelles

House of Sand and Fog, directed by Vadim Perelman

Lost in Translation, directed by Sofia Coppola

21 Grams, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu

American Splendor, directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini

Angels in America, directed by Mike Nichols (HBO)

Other Notable Films

In America, directed by Jim Sheridan

Girl with a Pearl Earring, directed by Peter Webber

Monster, directed by Patty Jenkins

Shattered Glass, directed by Billy Ray

Spellbound, directed by Jeffrey Blitz

My Architect: A Son's Journey, directed by Nathaniel Kahn

The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara, directed by Errol Morris

Spider, directed by David Cronenberg

Holes, directed by Andrew Davis