2003 Film List - Page 2

[c] 2003 Film List [/c]

Last Updated: December 31, 2003
Total Eligible Films: 74
Recently Seen: 21 Grams, Mystic River
---------------------------------------------------------
2003 Eligible Releases
Title, Rating (Director, Running Time, Country, Date Seen)

2 Fast 2 Furious B (John Singleton, 100 min., USA, 6/7/03)
21 Grams A+ (Alejandro González Iñárritu, 125 min., USA, 12/31/03)
28 Days Later A- (Danny Boyle, 112 min., UK, 6/27/03)
Ali G Indahouse B (Mark Mylod, 83 min., UK, 2/27/03)
American Wedding B- (Jesse Dylan, 96 min., USA, 8/2/03)
Anger Management C+ (Peter Segal, 106 min., USA, 4/12/03)
L'Auberge Espagnole B- (Cédric Klapisch, 122 min., France, 5/6/03)
Bad Boys II A- (Michael Bay, 146 min., USA, 7/21/03)
Bad Santa A- (Terry Zwigoff, 93 min., USA, 11/28/03)
Basic B+ (John McTiernan, 95 min., USA, 3/28/03)
Better Luck Tomorrow B (Justin Lin, 101 min., USA, 5/12/03)
Bruce Almighty B- (Tom Shadyac, 102 min, USA, 12/30/03)
Cabin Fever A (Eli Roth, 94 min., USA, 9/6/03)
The Cat in the Hat C (Bo Welch, 78 min., USA, 11/28/03)
Cinemania B+ (Angela Christlieb & Stephen Kijak, 80 min., USA/Germany, 5/16/03)
Confidence A- (James Foley, 98 min., USA, 5/4/03)
Cradle 2 the Grave C (Andrzej Bartkowiak, 100 min., USA, 2/26/03)
Daddy Day Care F (Steve Carr, 92 min., USA, 5/5/03)
Daredevil C- (Mark Steven Johnson, 96 min., USA, 4/16/03)
Darkness B (Jaume Balagueró, 100 min., Spain/USA, 6/29/03)
Darkness Falls F (Jonathan Liebesman, 75 min., USA, 1/27/03)
Dead End A- (Jean-Baptiste Andrea & Fabrice Canepa, 79 min., France/USA, 4/8/03)
Dracula II: Ascension D- (Patrick Lussier, 85 min., USA, 5/2/03)
Dreamcatcher D (Lawrence Kasdan, 136 min., USA, 3/17/03)
Elf B+ (Jon Favreau, 97 min., USA, 11/17/03)
The Eye B (Danny & Oxide Pang, 98 min., Thailand, 6/5/03)
Final Destination 2 A- (David R. Ellis, 91 min., USA, 1/23/03)
Finding Nemo A (Andrew Stanton, 101 min., USA, 5/31/03)
Freddy vs. Jason B (Ronny Yu, 97 min., B+, USA, 8/20/03)
The Good Thief C (Neil Jordan, 109 min., UK, 6/6/03)
Gothika C- (Mathieu Kassovitz, 95 min., USA, 11/20/03)
The Haunted Mansion B (Rob Minkoff, 99 min., USA, 12/18/03)
The Hebrew Hammer B- (Jonathan Kesselman, 85 min., USA, 12/19/03)
Head of State C- (Chris Rock, 95 min., USA, 3/25/03)
Hollywood Homicide B (Ron Shelton, 111 min., USA, 6/22/03)
House of 1000 Corpses C (Rob Zombie, 85 min., USA, 3/12/03)
The Hunted B- (William Friedkin, 94 min., USA, 3/15/03)
Identity A (James Mangold, 87 min., USA, 4/23/03)
The In-Laws F (Andrew Fleming, 95 min., USA, 5/19/03)
Irreversible A+ (Gaspar Noe, 91 min., France, 12/2/03)
The Italian Job B+ (F. Gary Gray, 105 min., USA)
Jeepers Creepers 2 B- (Victor Salva, 100 min., USA, 9/30/03)
Just Married D+ (Shawn Levy, 95 min., USA, 5/3/03)
Kill Bill A+ (Quentin Tarantino, 110 min., USA, 10/12/03)
King of the Ants B- (Stuart Gordon, 102 min., USA, 5/17/03)
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life D- (Jan de Bont, 114 min., USA, 7/30/03)
The Last Samurai A (Edward Zwick, 144 min., USA, 11/29/03)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen C- (Stephen Norrington, 110 min., USA/UK, 7/15/03)
The Life of David Gale B- (Alan Parker, 131 min., USA, 2/23/03)
A Man Apart C (F. Gary Gray, 109 min., USA, 4/2/03)
The Matrix Reloaded C- (Larry & Andy Wachowski, 138 min., USA, 5/14/03)
The Matrix Revolutions D (Larry & Andy Wachowski, 129 min., USA, 11/7/03)
May A (Lucky McKee, 95 min., USA, 6/9/03)
A Mighty Wind A- (Christopher Guest, 87 min., USA, 4/27/03)
Mimic: Sentinel C (J.T. Petty, 75 min., USA, 3/19/03)
Mucha Sangre B (Pepe de las Heras, 80 min., Spain, 3/14/03)
Mystic River A+ (Clint Eastwood, 137 min., USA, 12/30/03)
Nos Miran (They're Watching Us) B (Norberto López Amado, 104 min., Spain, 6/4/03)
Old School B+ (Todd Phillips, 91 min., USA, 2/27/03)
Once Upon a Time in Mexico B (Robert Rodriguez, 105 min., USA/Mexico, 9/13/03)
Paycheck D (John Woo, 110 min., USA, 12/25/03)
Phone Booth B+ (Joel Schumacher, 80 min., USA, 4/4/03)
Pirates of the Carribean B+ (Gore Verbinski, 142 min., USA, 12/29/03)
Poolhall Junkies B- (Mars Callahan, 94 min., USA, 3/2/03)
The Recruit C (Roger Donaldson, 105 min., USA, 2/11/03)
Run Ronnie Run C+ (Troy Miller, 87 min., USA, 2/5/03)
The Runaway Jury B+ (Gary Fleder, 127 min., USA, 10/19/03)
School of Rock B- (Richard Linklater, USA, 10/4/03)
Seabiscuit C+ (Gary Ross, 140 min., USA, 8/17/03)
Spider B+ (David Cronenberg, 97 min., Canada/UK, 8/12/03)
Stuck on You B- (The Farrelly Brothers, 118 min., USA, 12/23/03)
SWAT B (Clark Johnson, 111 min., USA, 8/9/03)
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines B (Jonathan Mostow, 110 min., USA, 7/1/03)
Wrong Turn B (Rob Schmidt, 84 min., USA, 5/29/03)
------------------------------------------------------------
2003 Ineligible Films
Title, Rating (Director, Running Time, Date Seen)

About Schmidt A (Alexander Payne, 125 min., 2/2/03)
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind B+ (George Clooney, 114 min., 1/25/03)
Solaris B (Steven Soderbergh, 99 min., 2/20/03)
------------------------------------------------------------

			Spike Jonze
			Chris Koch
			Shawn Levy
			David Dobkin
			Mark Steven Johnson
			Antoine Fuqua
			Douglas McGrath
			Peter Segal
			Andrew Davis
			Gurinder Chadha
			Joel Schumacher
			Bryan Singer
			The Wachowski Bros.
			Tom Shadyac
			Andrew Stanton
			Ang Lee
			Dennis Dugan
			Todd Phillips
			Jonathan Mostow
			Stephen Norrington
			Gore Verbinski
			Jesse Dylan
			Robert Rodriguez
			Boaz Yakin
			Robert Rodriguez	????
			Robert Rodriguez	????
			Quentin Tarantino
			Quentin Tarantino

A check in the E column means the film (as far as I know, anyway) meets the requirements to be eligible as part of the thread's film count. My criteria is broader... Any film seen theatrically (regardless of the original year of release) will be listed as well as any DVDs which were debuted in theaters in 2003 (though there aren't any yet.)A check in the E column means the film (as far as I know, anyway) meets the requirements to be eligible as part of the thread's film count. My criteria is broader... Any film seen theatrically (regardless of the original year of release) will be listed as well as any DVDs which were debuted in theaters in 2003 (though there aren't any yet.)

Year-to-date average: 3.10714285...

Year-to-date Top Ten (not based on original rating):

---

1. Holes
2. Uptown Girls
3. Kill Bill: Volume One
4. T3: Rise of the Machines
5. Bruce Almighty
(6.) Nicholas Nickleby*
6. Bend it Like Beckham
7. Pirates of the Carribean
8. Daredevil
9. American Wedding
10. The Matrix Reloaded

Criteria: 1st U.S. Non-Festival Theatrical Release in 2003

All films seen theatrically in 2003: 104
Eligible 2003 films seen theatrically: 84

Sorted by Ranking:


Open Hearts (Elsker dig for evigt)

1/2
Nowhere in Africa
And Now. . .Ladies and Gentlemen. . .
Thirteen
Lost in Translation
Mystic River
Love Actually
Shattered Glass


Identity
The Good Thief
Lilja 4-ever
Chaos (Serreau)
The Dancer Upstairs
The Man on the Train
Owning Mahowney
Charlotte Sometimes
Open Range
Whale Rider
Dirty Pretty Things
The Magdalene Sisters
The Secret Lives of Dentists
Matchstick Men
Under the Tuscan Sun
Long Life, Happiness & Prosperity
The Cooler
Tube
Melvin Goes to Dinner
The Station Agent
The Last Samurai
21 Grams
In America
House of Sand and Fog
Cold Mountain

1/2
Dark Blue
Phone Booth
Confidence
Down with Love
XX/XY
The Matrix Reloaded
Bruce Almighty
The Italian Job
The Man Without a Past
The Shape of Things
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Finding Nemo
Swimming Pool
S.W.A.T.
Freaky Friday
The Housekeeper
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Mondays in the Sun (Los Lunes al sol)
The School of Rock
Intolerable Cruelty
Wonderland
Runaway Jury
Demonlover
The Hunter and the Hunted
Matrix Revolutions
Manhole
Pieces of April
The Human Stain
Party Monster
Elephant
Bad Santa
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Something's Gotta Give
Stuck on You
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King


The Recruit
Daredevil
Shanghai Knights
Laurel Canyon
Lawless Heart
T3: Rise of the Machines
The Hard Word
American Splendor
The Rundown
The Returner
People I Know
Don't Tempt Me
Gothika
Dopamine
L'Imbalsamatore (aka The Embalmer, aka The Taxidermist)

1/2
Once Upon a Time in the Midlands

Ineligible 2002 (Limited) Releases seen theatrically in 2003:

Narc **1/2
The Pianist ***1/2
Chicago ***1/2
Rabbit-Proof Fence ***
Tully **1/2
Intacto **1/2
About Schmidt ***
25th Hour ***1/2
Adaptation **
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind **1/2
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ***1/2
El Crimen del Padre Amaro **1/2
The Quiet American ***1/2
Nicholas Nickleby ***
Le Bossu (On Guard)(1997 film with 2002 U.S. release)**
City of God ***
Morvern Callar *1/2
Cowboy Bebop the Movie **1/2
Talk to Her ***1/2
Bend it Like Beckham **

2003 Film List

Last Updated: May 22, 2003
Stars are out of five
2003 Films to Date: 10
2002 Films seen in 2003: 10
First Time Total: 38
Repeats: 8
Commentaries listened to: 2
2003 Total (all combined) 67

2003 By Title

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days **
Old School ***
The Recruit **
Shanghai Knights ***
Daredevil **
Bend it Like Beckham ****
Xmen2 ****
Phone Booth ****
Bulletproof Monk **
The Matrix Reloaded *

2002 Films Seen in 2003

Chicago **
Harry Potter **
Adaptation ****
Barbershop ***
Rabbit Proof Fence ****
The Pianist ***
Narc **
The Hours *
Star Trek: Nemesis ****
Maid in Manhattan ***

First Time Seen
Earth (Dovchenko) ****
Arsenal (Dovchenko) ***
Nosferatu (Herzog) ***
Amarcord (Fellini) **
Element of Crime (von Trier) **
Solaris (Tarkovsky) *****
National Velvet (Brown) **
King of Comedy (Scorsese) *****
À Nous la Liberté (Clair) *****
Carlito's Way (DiPalma) *****
Surviving Desire (Hartley) **
God is Great and I am Not (Bailly) **
The Apartment (Wilder) ****
Bande à part (Godard) ***
Casino (Scorsese) ****
Two for the Road (Donen) ****
Wasabi (Krawczyk) ***
High Plains Drifter (Eastwood) ****
Another Woman (Allen) ****
The Last Temptation of Christ (Scorsese) *****
Contempt (Godard) *****
Day of the Jackal (Zinnemann) ****
Lolita (Kubrick) *****
Dead Mean Don't Wear Plaid (Reiner) ***
Le Million (Claire) *****
Porco Rosso (Miyazaki) ***
Barry Lyndon (Kubrick) ****
Scratch (Pray) ***
All Quiet on the Western Front (Milestone) ***
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (Aldrich) ****
L'Atalante (Vigo) ****
Day for Night (Truffaut) ****
Castle in the Sky (Miyazaki) ****
True Grit (Hathaway) **
Stardust Memories (Allen) ****
Henry V (Olivier) ****
The Great Escape (Sturges) ***
High Noon (Zinnemann) *****

Repeat Movies
About a Boy (Weitz) ****
2001 (Kubrick) *****
Dr. Strangelove (Kubrick) ****
Clockwork Orange (Kubrick) ****
The Shining (Kubrick) ****
Cobra (Cosmatos) *
Midnight Madness (Nankin) *

DVD Commentaries Rated
Brazil - Love Conquers All Cut (David Morgan) *****
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (Scorsese/Powell) **** for Scorses ** for Powell

(edited to reflect Intolerable Cruelty 02/06/2004)

-An all time great
½-Great but just shy of perfection
-Must see
½-Recommended with reservations
-Solid film worth seeing
½-Major flaws
-very few positives utterly overwhelmed by negatives
½-Not worth seeing
ZERO (0)-Waste of time

Best of 2003
1.In America
1.The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
3.800 balas (800 Bullets)
4.Finding Nemo
5.The Missing
6.Peter Pan
7.House of Sand and Fog
8.Lost in Translation
9.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
10.Intolerable Cruelty
10.Los Lunes al sol (Mondays in the Sun)


2003 films - By Title
Anger Management - (4/12/2003)
Big Fish - ¾ (12/9/2003)
Bringing Down the House - ½ (8/11/2003)
Bruce Almighty - ½ (5/26/2003)
Chihwaseon (Painted Fire) - (4/13/2003)
Daredevil - ½ (8/9/2003)
Dreamcatcher - ½ (3/21/2003)
Finding Nemo - (10/24/2003)
Finding Nemo - (6/3/2003)
Holes - (4/27/2003)
House of Sand and Fog - (1/9/2004)
Hulk - ½ (7/21/2003)
In America - (12/21/2003)
Intolerable Cruelty - (2/6/2003)
Jisatsu circle (Suicide Club) - (6/23/2003)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 - (11/20/2003)
The Last Samurai - (12/27/2003)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - ½ (7/24/2003)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Extended Edition - ½ (12/13/2003)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - (12/17/2003)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - (12/30/2003)
Lost in Translation - (10/11/2003)
Los Lunes al sol (Mondays in the Sun) - (2/21/2003)
A Man Apart - ½ (4/8/2003)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World - ½ (12/6/2003)
Matchstick Men - ½ (10/13/2003)
The Matrix Reloaded - (5/14/2003)
A Mighty Wind - (1/13/2004)
The Missing - (12/4/2003)
Neko no ongaeshi (The Cat Returns) - (5/2/2003)
800 balas (800 Bullets) - (2/22/2003)
Open Range - (8/18/2003)
Peter Pan - (1/5/2004)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - (7/11/2003)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - (12/25/2003)
The Rundown - (11/28/2003)
Seabiscuit - (1/5/2004)
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over - (7/25/2003)
Tengoku no Tobira (Cowboy Bebop: Knocking On Heaven's Door) - (6/19/2003)
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - ½ (7/23/2003)
Les triplettes de Belleville (The Triplets of Belleville) - (1/31/2003)
28 Days Later - (7/10/2003)
21 Grams - (12/6/2003)
Uptown Girls - (1/6/2004)
X2 - (5/4/2003)
Ying xiong (Hero) - ½ (4/1/2003)


2003 films - By Rank (out of )

Anger Management		12 Apr 2003
Chihwaseon (Painted Fire)		13 Apr 2003
Finding Nemo		24 Oct 2003
Finding Nemo		03 Jun 2003
Holes		27 Apr 2003
House of Sand and Fog		09 Jan 2004
In America		21 Dec 2003
Intolerable Cruelty		06 Feb 2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King		17 Dec 2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King		30 Dec 2003
Lost in Translation		11 Oct 2003
Los Lunes al sol (Mondays in the Sun)		21 Feb 2003
The Matrix Reloaded		14 May 2003
The Missing		04 Dec 2003
Neko no ongaeshi (The Cat Returns)		02 May 2003
800 balas (800 Bullets)		22 Feb 2003
Peter Pan		05 Jan 2004
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl		11 Jul 2003
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl		25 Dec 2003
Seabiscuit		05 Jan 2004
21 Grams		06 Dec 2003
X2		04 May 2003
½
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Extended Edition		13 Dec 2003
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World		06 Dec 2003
Matchstick Men		13 Oct 2003
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines		23 Jul 2003
Kill Bill: Vol. 1		20 Nov 2003
The Last Samurai		27 Dec 2003
A Mighty Wind		13 Jan 2004
Open Range		18 Aug 2003
The Rundown		28 Nov 2003
Tengoku no Tobira (Cowboy Bebop: Knocking On Heaven's Door)		19 Jun 2003
Les triplettes de Belleville (The Triplets of Belleville)		31 Jan 2003
28 Days Later		10 Jul 2003
Uptown Girls		06 Jan 2004
½
Bringing Down the House		11 Aug 2003
Bruce Almighty		26 May 2003
Daredevil		09 Aug 2003
Hulk		21 Jul 2003
A Man Apart		08 Apr 2003
Ying xiong (Hero)		01 Apr 2003
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over		25 Jul 2003
½
Dreamcatcher		21 Mar 2003
Jisatsu circle (Suicide Club)		23 Jun 2003
½
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen		24 Jul 2003
ZERO (0)

Non-2003 films, seen for the first time in 2003 - By Title:
8½ - - (21 May 2003)
About Schmidt - ½ - (10 Jan 2003)
Adaptation. - - (29 Jun 2003)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - - (08 Dec 2003)
The Adventures of Robin Hood - - (06 May 2003)
The African Queen - ½ - (13 Jun 2003)
After Hours - - (03 Sep 2003)
After the Thin Man - - (08 Jan 2003)
L' Âge d'or (The Age of Gold) - - (22 Jan 2003)
Akihige (Red Beard) - - (30 Jul 2003)
Alexsandr Nevsky (Alexander Nevsky) - - (13 May 2003)
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore - ½ - (23 May 2003)
All About Eve - - (14 Jun 2003)
All Quiet on the Western Front - - (28 May 2003)
All the President's Men - - (28 Jul 2003)
An American in Paris - - (31 Dec 2003)
Angels with Dirty Faces - - (05 May 2003)
Animal Crackers - ½ - (25 Aug 2003)
Annie Hall - ½ - (25 May 2003)
Another Thin Man - - (12 Jan 2003)
L'Atalante - ½ - (10 Sep 2003)
The Awful Truth - ½ - (24 May 2003)
Backdraft - ½ - (15 Oct 2003)
Bai fa mo nu zhuan (The Bride with White Hair) - - (30 May 2003)
Bai fa mo nu zhuan II (The Bride with White Hair II) - - (31 May 2003)
Batoru rowaiaru (Battle Royale) - - (31 May 2003)
The Birth of a Nation - ZERO (0) - (16 Jul 2003)
The Black Cat - - (02 Mar 2003)
Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) - ½ - (20 May 2003)
Boys Town - - (21 May 2003)
Braindead (Dead-Alive) - ½ - (18 Jan 2003)
Bride of Frankenstein - ½ - (23 Jul 2003)
Brief Encounter - - (15 Jun 2003)
Bringing up Baby - - (18 Jun 2003)
Captain Blood - - (01 May 2003)
Captains Courageous - ½ - (20 Sep 2003)
The Charge of the Light Brigade - - (03 May 2003)
Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie) - - (15 Mar 2003)
Chicago - - (16 Feb 2003)
Chinatown - - (28 May 2003)
Chorok mulkogi (Green Fish) - - (06 Mar 2003)
Chunhyang - ½ - (16 Jun 2003)
Confessions of a Nazi Spy - - (28 Oct 2003)
The Conversation - - (06 Jun 2003)
A Day at the Races - - (22 Sep 2003)
The Deer Hunter - ½ - (20 Jul 2003)
Destry Rides Again - ½ - (24 Sep 2003)
Dinner at Eight - - (24 Jan 2003)
Do ma Daan (Peking Opera Blues) - - (21 Apr 2003)
Doctor Zhivago - - (31 Jul 2003)
Dodsworth - ½ - (27 May 2003)
Donnie Darko - - (14 Mar 2003)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - - (25 Jul 2003)
Dracula - ½ - (13 Jan 2003)
Drácula - - (09 May 2003)
Duck Soup - - (26 May 2003)
Earth - - (10 Mar 2003)
Easy Rider - - (28 Aug 2003)
Die Ehe der Maria Braun (The Marriage of Maria Braun) - - (03 Mar 2003)
Enter the Dragon - - (23 Aug 2003)
Eraserhead - - (20 Mar 2003)
The Exorcist - - (18 Jun 2003)
Failan - - (17 Mar 2003)
Far from Heaven - - (04 Apr 2003)
Fearless - - (05 Mar 2003)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off - - (13 Mar 2003)
Filmmaker - - (10 Sep 2003)
42nd Street - ½ - (03 Jan 2003)
The Four Feathers - - (06 Oct 2003)
Frankenstein - - (03 Jun 2003)
Freaks - ½ - (15 Jan 2003)
Fury - - (04 Jun 2003)
'G' Men - - (15 Oct 2003)
Giant - ½ - (10 Jul 2003)
Glengarry Glen Ross - ½ - (16 Mar 2003)
Gojitmal (Lies) - ½ - (22 Mar 2003)
The Gold Rush - ½ - (23 Jul 2003)
Gone with the Wind - ½ - (08 Jan 2003)
The Good Earth - - (06 Jun 2003)
Goodbye, Mr. Chips - ½ - (10 Jun 2003)
The Graduate - ½ - (08 Jun 2003)
Grand Hotel - - (20 Jun 2003)
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? - - (19 Jul 2003)
Gunga Din - ½ - (23 Oct 2003)
The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of Twelve Monkeys - - (30 Apr 2003)
Happy End - ½ - (24 Mar 2003)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - - (02 Jan 2003)
Holiday - - (27 Jan 2003) revised to 3stars on 03/01

Horse Feathers - - (08 Jun 2003)
The Hound of the Baskervilles - - (27 Oct 2003)
Huang tu di (Yellow Earth) - ½ - (07 Apr 2003)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame - - (09 Jun 2003)
In Cold Blood - ½ - (05 Dec 2003)
In the Bedroom - ½ - (17 Jun 2003)
The Informer - ½ - (09 Mar 2003)
The Invisible Man - ½ - (11 Jun 2003)
Island of Lost Souls - - (22 Jul 2003)
It Happened One Night - - (06 Feb 2003)
It's a Gift - ½ - (22 Jul 2003)
Jackie Brown - - (08 May 2003)
The Jazz Singer - ½ - (22 Jul 2003)
Kiss Me Kate - - (13 Sep 2003)
Koroshiya 1 (Ichi the Killer) - ½ - (07 Jun 2003)
The Lady Vanishes - - (13 Nov 2003)
The Life of Emile Zola - - (01 Nov 2003)
Little Secrets - - (09 Jun 2003)
Little Women - - (09 Jan 2003)
Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run) - ½ - (08 Apr 2003)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - ½ - (03 Feb 2003)
Lost Horizon - - (12 Feb 2003)

.

Theatrical viewings
01/25 - A Guy Thing (1/10)
02/02 - The Recruit (5/10)
02/02 - Final Destination 2 (5/10)
02/15 - Daredevil (7/10)
02/16 - Shanghai Knights (7/10)
02/22 - Old School (7/10)
02/22 - How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (4/10)
03/01 - The Life of David Gale (4/10)
03/15 - Willard (9/10)
03/15 - The Hunted (5/10)
03/28 - The Core (5/10)
04/13 - Bend It Like Beckham (7/10)
04/26 - Identity (7/10)
04/26 - Confidence (7/10)
05/03 - X-Men 2 (8/10)

Theatrical viewings - 2002 releases
01/?? - About Schmidt (8/10)
01/?? - 25th Hour (6/10)
01/?? - Antwone Fisher (7/10)
01/?? - Chicago (8/10)
01/?? - Narc (5/10)
01/?? - The Hours (8/10)
01/25 - Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (6/10)

Home viewing - first time
(O = own, L=library, R=rental)
01/?? - [O]The Magic Flute (9/10)
01/?? - [R]Ginger Snaps (5/10)
01/?? - [O]The Killing (9/10)
02/08 - [O]Sherlock Holmes and the Woman in Green (5/10)
02/18 - [L]The Red Shoes (7/10)
02/20 - [L]Nosferatu: Phantom Der Nacht (7/10)
02/22 - [O]The Man Who Wasn't There (8/10)
02/27 - [L]Happy Accidents (6/10)
02/28 - [L]Taste of Cherry (6/10)
03/02 - [R]City by the Sea (5/10)
03/03 - [R]One Hour Photo (7/10)
03/04 - [L]Traffic (8/10)
03/09 - [L]The Others (9/10)
03/11 - [L]Sling Blade (8/10)
03/13 - [L]In the Mood for Love (8/10)
03/14 - [L]The Twelve Chairs (7/10)
03/15 - [L]The Unknown Marx Brothers (6/10)
03/19 - [L]Yi Yi (8/10)
03/22 - [O]Madadayo (10/10)
03/23 - [O]Kurosawa (7/10)
03/28 - [O]The Day the Earth Stood Still (6/10)
03/30 - [L]Focus (6/10)
04/01 - [L]Lilo & Stitch (8/10)
04/05 - [L]The Hurricane (8/10)
04/12 - [L]What Time Is It There? (8/10)
04/13 - [L]Y Tu Mama Tambien (7/10)
04/20 - [O]The Anniversary Party (2/10)
04/28 - [R]Secretary (8/10)
05/10 - [L]Princess Mononoke (10/10)

Home viewing - repeat
01/?? - [O]One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (10/10)
01/?? - [O]Lolita (9/10)
01/28 - [O]The Lady Vanishes (9/10)
02/01 - [O]Amadeus: Director's Cut (10/10)
02/09 - [O]Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (8/10)
02/15 - [O]Minority Report (9/10)
02/20 - [L]Richard Pryor: Here and Now (7/10)
02/21 - [L]A Hard Day's Night (8/10)
03/01 - [L]Night of the Hunter (9/10)
03/05 - [O]Eraserhead (10/10)
03/26 - [O]Ran (10/10)
03/29 - [O]Frenzy (7/10)
03/31 - [O]Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (6/10)
04/17 - [L]Boyz n the Hood (6/10)
04/18 - [O]Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (9/10)
05/04 - [L]M*A*S*H (7/10)

Home viewing - partial (lost interest)
01/?? - [R]Dog Soldiers
02/27 - [L]Powaqqatsi
03/01 - [L]The Unbelievable Truth
03/02 - [L]Stalag 17
03/07 - [L]Not Another Teen Movie
03/19 - [L]Intermezzo
04/02 - [L]City on Fire (dubbed)
04/13 - [L]Devil in a Blue Dress

Theatre:

Moves released in 2003, in chronological order of viewing:

Marci X (Winter 2002 test screening) 1/2 *
Final Destination 2 (2/8/03) (Regal Union Sq.) * 1/2
Old School (2/13/03) (Loews 34th St.) ***
Gods and Generals (2/21/03) (City Cinemas Village East) *
Irréversible (3/12/03) (Clearview's Chelsea) ****
City of God (aka Cidade de Deus) (3/14/03) (Clearview's Chelsea) ** 1/2
Lost in La Mancha (3/22/03) (Quad Cinema) ***
Phone Booth (4/3/03) (American Museum of the Moving Image w/writer Larry Cohen) ***
The Good Thief (4/12/03) (Loews Village VII) ** 1/2
A Mighty Wind (4/18/03) (AMC Empire 25) ***
House of 1,000 Corposes (4/18/03) (AMC Empire 25) Zero Stars
X2: X-Men United (5/2/03) (Regal Union Sq.) ***
The Matrix Reloaded (6/8/03) (City Cinemas Village East) ***
28 Days Later (6/28/03) (Regal Union Sq.) *** 1/2
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (6/29/03) (Loews Village VII) ****
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (7/5/03) (National Amusements Farmingdale Multiplex) ***
Johnny English (7/18/03) (Loews Times Sq.) * 1/2
Seabiscuit (8/10/03) (UA Farmingdale Stadium) * 1/2
Freddy Vs. Jason (8/17/03) (Loews Vilage VII) ***
Cabin Fever (9/12/03) (Loews Vilage VII) ****
Lost in Translation (9/21/03) (Loews Vilage VII) ****
Bubba Ho-Tep (10/5/03) (AMC Empire 25) *** 1/2
Kill Bill Vol. 1 (10/10/03, 11/7/03) (National Amusements Farmingdale Multiplex, UA Kaufman Astoria Stadium 16) *** 1/2
Mystic River (10/15/03) (Loews Huntington Shore) ***
Godfathers of Mondo (11/4/03) (Viewed at home)
Confidence (11/5/03) (Viewed at home) ***
Scary Movie 3 (11/17/03) (UA Kaufman Astoria Stadium 16) ***
Elf (11/17/03) (UA Kaufman Astoria Stadium 16) ****
Epidemic (1987, first official US release) (11/18/03) (Anthology Film Archives) *** 1/2
Bad Santa (12/2/03) (UA Farmingdale Stadium) *** 1/2
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (12/18/03, 1/1/04) (National Amusements Farmingdale Multiplex, Regal Kaufman Astoria) ****
Cold Mountain (1/7/04, Loews Huntington Shore) **
Big Fish (1/16/04, Regal Kaufman Astoria) *** 1/2
Monster (1/18/04, Loews 19th Street) ***

Movies released in 2002, seen in 2003, in alphabetical order:
About Schmidt (Regal Union Sq.) ****
Catch Me If You Can (Huntington Shore) 1/2 *
Chicago (seen twice) (Regal Union Sq., Loews 34th St.) ***
Dog Soliders (viewed at home, 12/5/03) *** 1/2
Gangs of New York (Loews 19th St.) ***
Narc (seen twice) (Loews Village VII, AMC Empire 25) *** 1/2
Russian Ark (Cinema Village) 1/2 *
Spider (American Museum of the Moving Image w/director David Cronenberg) ***
The 25th Hour (UA Farmingdale Stadium) ** 1/2

Older films seen theatrically in 2003, in chronological order:
Night of the Living Dead (1968) (1/11/03) (American Museum of the Moving Image w/director George Romero) ****
The Apple (5/24/03) (Landmark Sunshine) ****
Cannibal Holocaust (5/31/03) (Landmark Sunshine) ****
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Restored Version (aka Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo) (6/2/03) (Film Forum) ****
Dead & Buried (7/28/03) (Two Boots Pioneer, w/director Gary Sherman) ***
Q, The Winged Serpent (8/25/03) (Two Boots Pioneer, w/special video introduction by director Larry Cohen) *** 1/2
Wet Hot American Summer (8/30/03) (AMC Empire 25, w/writer-director David Wain, writer-actor Michael Showalter, actor Zak Orth, and other cast/crew) ****
Scarface (1983) (10/12/03) (AMC Empire 25) *** 1/2
Maniac (10/31/03) (Two Boots Pioneers, w/director William Lustig) ****
Alien: The Director's Cut (10/9/03) (UA Union Square, DLP) ****
Duck, You Sucker: 2003 Restoration (11/25/03) (Film Forum) *** 1/2

Video:

Films seen for the first time in 2003, in chronological order:
Ginger Snaps (1/03) ***
The Duellists (1/03) *** 1/2


Society (1/03) ***
Hellraiser: Inferno (1/03) **
Mon Oncle (1/03) ****
Non Ho Sonno (aka Sleepless) (1/03) ** 1/2
Dellamorte Dellamore (aka Cemetery Man) (1/03) ***
Cut and Run (aka Inferno in Diretta) (1/03) * 1/2
Django, Kill! ...If You Live, Shoot! (aka Se Sei Vivo Spara) (1/30/03) **
House on the Edge of the Park (aka La Casa Sperduta nel Parco) (1/31/03) **
Zombie '90: Extreme Pestilence (2/5/03) *
Shock Waves (2/6/03) ** 1/2
American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (2/13/03) *
The Bloodstained Shadow (aka Solamente Nero) (2/14/03) * 1/2
Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979) (2/17/03) (I'd only seen the English-language version previously) *** 1/2
Some Like It Hot (2/19/03) *** 1/2
Contamination (aka Alien Contamination) (2/20/03) **
Blood From The Mummy's Tomb (2/20/03) **
Stargate: Director's Cut (2/24/03) (I'd only seen the theatrical cut previously) ***
Casino Royale (2/27/03) * 1/2
American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt (2/27/03) 1/2 *
Castle Freak (3/1/03) ** 1/2
House III (aka The Horror Show) (3/1/03) * 1/2
Beauty and the Beast (aka La Belle et la Bête) (1946) (3/2/03) ****
Seven Blood-Stained Orchids (aka Sette Orchidee Macchiate di Rosso) (3/3/03) ** 1/2
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (3/4/03) **
The Final Countdown (3/6/03) ***
Summer of Fear (aka Stranger in Our House) (3/8/03) *
Convoy (3/9/03) ***
Progeny (3/10/03) **
Contraband (aka The Smuggler aka The Naples Connection aka Luca il Contrabbandiere) (3/14/03) **
2019: After the Fall of New York (aka 2019: Dopo la Caduta di New York) (3/16/03) ** 1/2
L.A. Takedown (aka L.A. Crimewave aka Made in L.A.) (3/18/03) (it's disturbing just how inferior this film is to its subsequent remake, Heat) * 1/2
The Thing From Another World (3/19/03) *** 1/2
A Virgin Among the Living Dead (aka Christina, Princesse de L'érotisme) (3/22/03) ** 1/2
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (3/24/03) * 1/2
First Blood (3/26/03) ***
The Last Picture Show (3/30/03) ****
Withnail & I (4/3/03) *** 1/2
Scars of Dracula (4/7/03) 1/2 *
Trois Couleurs: Bleu (4/9/03) ****
Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger Part 4 (4/12/03) *** 1/2
Oliver Stone's America (4/13/03) ***
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Extended Edition (4/13/03) *** 1/2
Häxan (4/19/03) **** (I'd seen segments of it previously)
Spirited Away (aka Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) (4/22/03) ****
Kiki's Delivery Service (aka Majo no Takkyubin) (4/25/03) ***
Beyond the Darkness (aka Buio Omega aka Blue Holocaust) (4/27/03) ***
Turkish Delight (aka Turks Fruit) (5/5/03) ****
Django Strikes Again (aka Django 2: Il Grande Ritorno) (5/10/03) ** 1/2
Bride of Re-Animator (5/11/03) ***
Soldier of Orange (aka Soldaat van Oranje) (5/14/03) ***
The Crazies (aka Codename: Trixie) (5/15/03) *** 1/2
Once Upon a Time in the West (aka C'era una Volta il West) *** (3/16/03)
Two Evil Eyes (5/19/03) ***
Paris, Texas (5/20/03) *** 1/2
Antoine & Colette (5/20/03) ***
Blue Sunshine (5/21/03) *** 1/2
Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies (5/22/03) ***
Deadbeat at Dawn (5/23/03) ** 1/2
Day for Night (aka La Nuit Américaine) (5/28/03) *** 1/2
Short Night of the Glass Dolls (aka Corta Notte delle Bambole di Vetro) (5/30/03) **
Blowup (6/4/03) *** 1/2
The 4th Man (aka De Vierde Man) (6/10/03) *** 1/2
True Romance: Director's Cut (6/12/03) *** 1/2
The Godfather Part II (6/14/03) *** 1/2
Spellbound (1945) (6/20/03) *** 1/2
Straw Dogs (6/22/03) ***
The 39 Steps (6/23/03) *** 1/2
The Rapture (6/24/03) ***
Unforgiven (6/30/03) *** 1/2
New York, New York: Director's Cut (7/3/03) *** 1/2
The Tenant (7/9/03) ****
The Great Dictator (7/21/03) *** 1/2
Playtime (8/1/03) *** 1/2
Black Demons (aka Demoni 3) (8/3/03) ** 1/2
I Spit on Your Grave (aka Day of the Woman) (8/4/03) **
Run, Man, Run (aka Corri, Uomo, Corri) (8/5/03) **
The Case of the Bloody Iris (aka Perché quelle strane gocce di sangue sul corpo di Jennifer?) (8/7/03) ***
La Femme Nikita (8/13/03) *** 1/2
Death Line (aka Raw Meat) (8/13/03) ***
The Birth of a Nation (9/11/03) *** 1/2
I Drink Your Blood (10/27/03) ***
Snuff (11/6/03) * 1/2
Mondo Cane (10/10/03) ***
Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman In Carver Country (11/19/03) ** 1/2
Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii: The Director's Cut (11/20/03) ***
Stolen Kisses (11/24/03) *** 1/2
Mannaja (aka A Man Called Blade) (11/25/03) ** 1/2
The Toolbox Murders (1978) (12/11/03) ****
God Told Me To (12/15/03) *** 1/2
To Live and Die in LA (12/16/03) *** 1/2
Nekromantik (12/17/03) ***

Older films re-seen in 2003:
Down By Law (1/03) *** 1/2
Dawn of the Dead (w/commentary) (1/03) *** 1/2
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1/03) **
Swingers (1/03) ***
Van Wilder (1/03) *
Django (1/03) *** 1/2
Dogma (1/03) * 1/2
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (1/03) *** 1/2
Finding Forrester (1/03) ***
The Wicker Man (2/03) ***
Videodrome (2/03) ****
Hitch-Hike (2/03) *** 1/2
Rashomon (2/03) *** 1/2
Dead Zone (2/03) *** 1/2
Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (3/03) *
Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers (3/03) * 1/2
The Day The Earth Stood Still (3/7/03) ****
Army of Darkness: Director's Cut (on the recent R3 MGM disc) (3/17/03) *** 1/2
Zombie 4 (aka After Death) (3/21/03) * 1/2
Roger Dodger (3/24/03) *** 1/2
Mausoleum (3/25/03) * 1/2
The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie (3/28/03) **
Return of the Living Dead (w/commentary) (3/29/03) *** 1/2
John Carpenter's The Thing (w/commentary) (3/29/03) ****
The Howling (w/commentary) (3/30/03) ***
This Is Spinal Tap (w/Criterion commentary #1 (Guest, McKean, Shearer)) (4/2/03) ****
Menace II Society: Directors' Cut (4/4/03) *** 1/2
West Side Story (4/5/03) ****
Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (4/7/03) ** 1/2
Phantasm (w/commentary) (4/9/03) *** 1/2
Rules of Attraction (4/15/03) ***
Last House on the Left (w/commentary by Craven & Cunningham) (4/17/03) ***
Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance (4/18/03) ****
Metropolis (1927) (4/20/03) ****
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1998 "Collector's Edition" Cut) (4/23/03) *** 1/2
Resident Evil (w/commentary) (4/28/03) ***
Blue Velvet (4/29/03) ****
X-Men (5/2/03) ***
The 400 Blows (aka Les Quatre Cents Coups) (5/3/03) ****
Wet Hot American Summer (w/commentary) (5/9/03) ****
Withnail & I (5/9/03) *** 1/2
The Gate (5/13/03) **
The Matrix (5/25/03) *** 1/2
2019: After the Fall of New York (aka 2019: Dopo la Caduta di New York) (5/26/03) ** 1/2
Spiderman (w/commentary #1 (Raimi, et al.) and trivia track) (5/27/03) ***
The Crazies (aka Codename: Trixie) (6/1/03) *** 1/2
Zombie Holocaust (6/15/03) ***
Tora! Tora! Tora! (6/22/03) ** 1/2
The Beyond (w/commentary) (7/2/03) *** 1/2
Zombi 3 (w/commentary) (7/7/03) ***
Wanted: Dead or Alive (7/31/03) ***
Shivers (8/1/03) ***
Made (8/3/03) *** 1/2
Manhunter: Director's Cut (8/7/03) *** 1/2
Troll (8/16/03) **
Troll 2 (8/18/03) as a film: 0 stars, as a classic of bad filmmaking: ****
Roger Dodger (w/commentary by Kidd, Scott, and Eisenberg) *** 1/2

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (9/1/03) ***
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (9/2/03) ** 1/2
Squirm (9/2/03) ***
Blood for Dracula (w/commentary) (9/8/03) *** 1/2
The Limey (w/60s "docu-commentary") (9/9/03) ****
Monthy Python's The Meaning of Life (9/14/03) *** 1/2
Terminator 2: Judgment Day: Special Edition (w/"Extreme" trivia track) (9/23/03) ****
Damien: Omen II (10/20/03) ** 1/2
Silent Night, Deadly Night (10/24/03) ** 1/2
Citizen Kane (w/commentary by Peter Bogdanovich) (10/28/03) ****
The Lion King: Special Edition (11/7/03) ****
Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones (w/commentary) (11/11/03) ***
I Spit on Your Grave (w/Joe Bob Briggs commentary) (11/11/03) **** (commentary rating)
Basket Case (w/commentary) (11/12/03) (w/commentary) ***
The Hills Have Eyes (12/8/03) *** 1/2
Charlies Angels: Full Throttle (12/9/03) (w/McG telestrator commentary) ****
Breaking the Waves (12/14/03) (w/selected commentary) ****
A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors (12/28/03) ****
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Extended Edition (12/31/03) ***

DJ

Whew! I just spent about 90 minutes adding my SXSW titles. (After this I gotta do an update for that goddam Dream Girl Draft... )

Here's what I got - in order of outright grooviness:

May - OK this one wasn't actually part of the festival, but since the only theaters in the nation showing it were in Austin and Fresno - I had to jump at the chance to go see it. I just freakin' loved this movie. Period. I've posted my review in the Movies Forum if you're interested, but it's a five-star flick all the way.

Cabin Fever - A new cult classic. Trust me on this. If you dig horror flicks, make sure to see this one early on; it's an excellent time with a lively audience.

Bubba Ho-tep - Astonishing that a movie so goofy could also be so heartfelt, scary and funny at the same time. Still no distrib. Bruce Campbell will shock the world - if the flick ever gets seen.

Dummy - Adrien Brody, Milla Jovovich, Illeana Douglas and Vera Farmiga are just fantastic in this weird-yet-lovable (and often hilarious) romantic comedy. Keep an eye out for it.

Melvin Goes to Dinner - Clever and often very funny adaptation of the play of the same name. Bob Odenkirk directs the chat-heavy flick with a deft touch, and the four diners are spot-on perfect (particularly screenwriter Michael Blieden and Dinner and a Movie's Annabelle Gurwitch). It's wall-to-wall conversation, but the juicy sort that's so much fun to eavesdrop on.

A Mighty Wind - Christopher Guest gets his improv gang back together again and the result is as hilarious as you'd expect. If you enjoyed Best in Show and/or Waiting for Guffman, you'll absolutely dig this one.

Tom Dowd and the Language of Music - Excellent documentary about one of the world's most respected (yet unknown) sound designers. Sounds dull eh? Well, Dowd was the genius behind the recordings of Led Zepplin, Eric Clapton, Ray Charles, several Motown legends, and a host of others. Plus he invented 8-track recording which makes him a trailblazer in the art of recorded music. Great doco.

Assassination Tango - Robert Duvall's newest may be a bit languid for some (I fully expected to be a bit bored), but it's actually a compelling and sweet movie. Plus...who doesn't love Robert Duvall?

Fulltime Killer - Clever movie homages and brilliantly creative action sequences highlight this Japanese action flick. Very cool.

Phone Booth - "Tight" is a word I used to describe this flick about 6 times before I got tired of using such a vague and silly adjective. Colin Farrell is really damn good in this tight little thriller. (See? I'm an idiot.) Schumacher wrenches up the tension, the supporting cast is uniformly strong (Forrest Whitaker especially) and there are several really tight moments. Er, I mean intense. Ack, I'm such a shitty writer. But this is a damn fun flick certainly worthy of a trip to the multiplex.

Security - Low-budget no-name thriller that's damn damn funny. Nothing but improv for 80-some minutes, but the tale of two clueless security guards trying to solve a late-night chocolate theft is quite simply very amusing.

You'll Never Wiez in this Town Again - I can't believe I'm actually saying this but "Damn that Pauly Shore movie was FUNNY!" Shore wrote, directed and plays himself in this cameo-laden farce about the pitfalls of has-beenism and the dangers of faking your own death. Surprisingly very funny.

EvenHand - Alternately witty and sobering tale of two Texas cops and the various oddballs they keep running across. Strong acting and an avoidance of cliche help to keep things interesting.

The Eye - Stylish and atmospheric Japanese horror thriller from the Pang Brothers. Equal parts Blink, The Sixth Sense and several others, but still creepy-cool enough to stand on its own. A few slow spots and a ponderous score can't sink it.

Flag Wars - Pretty cool doco about one bizarre neighborhood in Columbus Ohio: the long-standing African American residents are being ousted by a group of homosexual homeowners. No kidding. It gets pretty nasty.

The Hard Word - Slick and profane Aussie crime flick. Guy Pearce and Rachel Griffiths vamp it up to a criminal degree, and the whole cast is a rabid and nasty hoot. Suffers from about two finales too many and a schizophrenic pacing - but still worthy of a look.

Valley of Tears - Sadly enlightening doco about an infamous onion-workers strike from the 70's. I wrote a review.

The Dance - Boxers-in-prison doco. Alternately fascinating and redundant, though a solid flick overall.

Flowers - Mega low-budget drama about the dangers of accepting employment in an illegal after-hours nightclub. Piper Perabo pops up in Act III.

Jon E. Edwards is in Love - Outspoken soul singer Edwards preaches and pontificates about how damn cool he is. Still, an interesting guy usually makes for an interesting documentary.

Only the Strong Survive - Miramax picked up this musical documentary about a reunion of some Motown greats, including Mary Wilson, Isaac Hayes and Sam Moore. Great performance footage, somewhat interesting backstory stuff.

Cinemania - Grating and generally unpleasant documentary about New York's five most amazingly obsessed movie freaks. Tough to get behind a doco that takes the stance of "film the obsessive/compulsive wacko and snicker", but if you think YOU'RE a movie freak - you ain't seen nothin' yet.

A Midsummer Night's Rave - Cheapy modernization of the Bard suffers from fairly atrocious acting and pedantic tone. Maybe I was just in a bad mood that night.

The Nature of Nicholas - Impressive-looking yet drearily off-putting tale of a young boy's struggle with his burgeoning homosexuality. I didn't dig it, but I watched it the same night as the other one I didn't dig.

Sexless - That this navel-gazing irritant managed to win the Audience Award is a testament to the power of local-boy ballot stuffing. Anyone out there ever seen a flick about whiny 20-somethings pining on an on about sex and relationships? You can bet the filmmakers here sure did.

Three and a Half - Artsy-schmartsy and generally dull 'cinema poetry' (that's what the director called it) that showcases the fictional lives of the creations of three subway-bound artists. Got that?

Happy Here and Now - Ally Sheedy, David Arquette and a few other familiar faces populate this arcane and uninteresting tale of New Orleans weirdness, complete with online love affairs, dead fireman's wives, and a drunk Clarence Williams. Not good.

Spun - I've already vented this bile from my system in the form of a full review. Suffice to say that this is one of the stupidest, ugliest and least entertaining movies I've ever seen. Some see it as brilliant; I see moldering garbage.

I think that's everything! (Except for the short films...)

Lemme know if any of these titles pique your interest and we can kibitz.

2003 Film List, updated Nov. 20rd, 2004

# Seen: 122

A
The Barbarian Invasions
Kill Bill: Volume I (2 viewings)
Russian Ark
The Shape Of Things
Stevie
Tibet: Cry Of The Snow Lion

A-
The Cooler
Fog Of War: Eleven Lessons From The Life Of Robert S. McNamara
Gerry
Lilya 4-Ever
The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers Extended Cut
The Man Without A Past
Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World
Open Range
The Station Agent
School Of Rock
The Triplets Of Belleville
X2: X-Men United

B+
American Splendor
Anything Else
Better Luck Tomorrow
Bubba Ho-Tep
Bus 174
Cabin Fever
Capturing The Friedman's
Casa de los Babys
City Of God
Divine Intervention
Elephant
Freddy Vs. Jason
The Good Thief
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
House Of Sand And Fog
I Capture The Castle
In America
In This World
Intolerable Cruelty
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
Mystic River
Northfork
Shattered Glass
Thirteen
The Weather Underground

B
21 Grams
Amandla! A Revolution In Four Part Harmony
Bend It Like Beckham
Chaos
Confidence
Elf
House Of 1,000 Corpses
The Last Samurai
Looney Tunes Back In Action
Love Actually
The Magdalene Sisters
Man On The Train
The Matrix Reloaded
May
A Mighty Wind
The Missing
Nowhere In Africa
Pieces Of April
Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl
Raising Victor Vargas
Respiro
Ripley's Game
Seabiscuit
Spellbound
Swimming Pool
Ten
To Be And To Have
Underworld
Whale Rider

B-
28 Days Later
All The Real Girls
Big Fish
Blue Car
The Company
Dark Blue
Dirty Pretty Things
Girl With A Pearl Earring
The Human Stain
The Italian Job
Laurel Canyon
Lost In Translation
Masked & Anonymous
Millenium Actress
Monster
My Life Without Me
Old School
Once Upon A Time In Mexico
Owning Mahowny
Piglet's Big Movie

C+
Bad Santa
Bruce Almighty
Cold Mountain
The Dancer Upstairs
Demonlover
Down With Love
Dracula: Pages From A Virgin's Diary
Finding Nemo
The Hulk
Identity
Irreversible
The Matrix Revolutions
Something's Gotta Give
Sylvia
Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines
Willard
Wrong Turn

C
Beyond Re-Animator
The Eye
Runaway Jury
Winged Migration

C-
Matchstick Men
Shanghai Knights
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Wonderland

D+
Daredevil
L'Auberge Espagnole

D
American Wedding

D-
The Secret Life of Dentists
Veronica Guerin


Top 10 Academy Rules
1) The Shape Of Things
2) Kill Bill Vol. 1
3) The Barbarian Invasions
4) Russian Ark
5) Tibet: Cry Of The Snow Lion
6) Stevie
7) Lilya 4-Ever
8) The Cooler
9) Open Range
10) The Man Without A Past

Top 10 World 1st Release
1) The Shape Of Things
2) Kill Bill Vol. 1
3) The Barbarian Invasions
4) Tibet: Cry Of The Snow Lion
5) Stevie
6) The Cooler
7) Open Range
8) Fog Of War: Eleven Lessons From The Life Of Robert S. McNamara
9) Gerry
10) Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World

created Mar 22, 2003
Updated June 30, 2003
4 Star Ratings

Total 2003 movies: 44
Total non-qualifying: 6
Total First time: 35
Total movies: 85

Honorable Mention: Theatrical showing of Ghostbusters (1984)

2003 Film List

28 Days Later - ***
American Wedding - **1/2
Anger Management - **1/2
Apollo 13: Imax - ***
Bad Boys 2 - **1/2
Basic - *1/2
Bruce Almighty - **1/2
Cabin Fever - **
Cold Creek Manor - *
Core, The - **
Darkness Falls - 1/2
Dreamcatcher - **1/2
Down With Love - **
Freddy Vs Jason - **1/2
Finding Nemo - **1/2
Gods and Generals - *
House of 1000 Corpses - **
Hulk, The - *
Identity - **1/2
Italian Job - ***
Jeepers Creepers II - *1/2
Just Married - **
Kill Bill Vol 1 - ***
League of the Extraordinary Gentleman - **
Lewis & Clark (IMAX) *1/2
Life of David Gale - ***
Malibu' Most Wanted - **
Matrix Reloaded - ***
Old School - **1/2
Once Upon A Time In Mexico - **
The Order - *
Phone Booth - **1/2
Pirates of the Caribbean - **1/2
Recruit, The - **1/2
Rundown, The - **1/2
Shanghai Knights - **1/2
Shaolin Soccer - **
SWAT - **1/2
Terminator 3 - ***
Texas Chainsaw Masscre - ***
Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life - **1/2
Underworld - **1/2
Wrong Turn - *1/2
X-Men 2 - ***


Non-Qualifying (2002 seen in 2003)

About Schmidt - ***
Chicago - ***1/2
Pianist, The - ***1/2
Hours, The - ***
Dog Soldiers - ***
Lion King (IMAX) **1/2

First Time list

K-19 The Widowmaker - **
Night of the Living Dead (1990) - **
Fiddler on the Roof - **
Eight Legged Freaks - **
Sleepaway Camp - **
Zombie - **1/2
Ice Age - **1/2
Traffic - ***
Requiem for a Dream - ***
Windtalkers - **
Re-animator - ***
Boys don't cry - **
Enigma - ***
City by the Sea - *1/2
White Oleander - **1/2
Showtime - **1/2
Return of the Living Dead 3 - *1/2
K-Pax - **1/2
History of the World Part I - ***
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist - **1/2
Final Fantasy- **
Ghost World - **1/2
Score, The - **
Sex and Lucia - **1/2
Deep Red - **
Iris - *
Antitrust - **
Joyride - **1/2
Apocolypse Now - **1/2
Rounders - **
12 Monkeys - ***
Escape From LA - **
Cube 2: Hypercube - 1/2
Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer - *1/2
Cannibal: The Musical - **
Insider, The - ***
Mad Max - **1/2
Immortal Beloved - **1/2

Venue Color Key:
Regal Cinemas HamburgCinemark Lexington GreenThe Kentucky TheaterDVDSatellite TVVHS2003 Movie List, in Alphabetical OrderMovie TitleReviewRunning TimeDirectorRatingLinks28 Days Later5.4112Danny BoyleAmerican Wedding6.6102Jesse DylanAnger Management3.9106Peter SegalBringing Down the House3105Adam ShankmanCharlie's Angels: Full Throttle6.8106McGFreaky Friday5.696Mark S. WatersThe Guru394Daisy von Scherler MayerHollywood Homicide5.2111Ron SheltonJohnny English6.388Peter Howitt (II)Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde3.695Charles Herman-WurmfeldThe Life of David Gale0130Alan ParkerThe Matrix Reloaded8.1138Wachowski BroNational Security488Dennis DuganOld School4.990Todd PhillipsOpen Range8.6135Kevin CostnerPhone Booth7.290Joel SchumacherThe Recruit5.3115Roger DonaldsonSeabiscuit8.1141Gary RossShanghai Knights5.7114David DobkinTerminator 3: Rise of the Machines7.5109Jonathan MostowView From the Top387Bruno Barreto
Non-2003 Movie List, in Alphabetical OrderMovie TitleReviewRunning TimeDirectorRatingLinks2001: A Space Odyssey9.1156Stanley Kubrick25th Hour5.5135Spike LeeAbout a Boy8.4101Chris and Paul WeitzAdaptation.8.9115Spike JonzeAmelie7.9122Jean-Pierre JeunetAmerican Beauty8.6122Sam MendesBad Boys3.8119Michael BayCasablanca9.3102Michael CurtizCharlie's Angels798McGCitizen Kane8.2119Orson WellesThe Count of Monte Cristo6.2131Kevin Reynolds (I)Cube5.190Vincenzo NataliAn Evening With Kevin Smith7.8194J.M. KennyThe Executioner's Song6.6136Lawrence SchillerLa Femme Nikita4.1115Luc BessonFight Club9.8139David FincherFrailty7.3100Bill PaxtonGangs of New York8.6166Martin ScorseseGlengarry Glen Ross5.6100James FoleyGoodfellas6.5145Martin ScorseseHead Over Heels0.886Mark S. WatersIn and Out6.190Frank OzJackie Chan: My Stunts6.1100Jackie ChanThe King of Comedy7.3101Martin ScorseseL.A. Confidential8.9138Curtis HansonLawrence of Arabia9.6216David LeanLeon: The Professional (Version Integrale)9.5110Luc BessonThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended E9.5208Peter JacksonMade3.194Jon FavreauMenace II Society6.897Hughes BrothersMonty Python's The Meaning of Life8.2107Terry Gilliam and Terry JonesThe Negotiator6.3139F. Gary GrayO Brother, Where Art Thou?8.7106Joel CoenOffice Space8.889Mike JudgeThe Others6.9104Alejandro AmenabarOut of Sight6.3123Steven SoderberghPi8.984Darren AronofskyThe Professional9.2110Luc BessonPunch Drunk Love7.295Paul Thomas AndersonRat Race2.8112Jerry ZuckerThe Red Violin4.9132Francois GirardReservoir Dogs6.199Quentin TarintinoRounders4.5121John DahlThe Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming8.2120Norman JewisonSaving Grace4.694Nigel ColeSe7en9.8127David FincherSix Degrees of Seperation5.1112Fred SchepisiSpider-Man8.6121Sam RaimiSwingers7.396Doug LimanThe Terminator6.8107James CameronTerminator 2: Judgement Day8.8152James CameronThere's Something (More) About Mary4.6134Farrelly BrothersThree Kings8.9114David O. RussellThe Transporter7.492Corey YuenVanilla Sky7.4135Cameron Crowe
Statistics:
Total movies watched: 76
Total time watching movies: 8822 minutes
Average movie length: 116.07894736842 minutes
Average movie review: 6.5802631578947
Agreed with RottenTomatoes 77.631578947368% of the time

[b]Percentage of Movies Watched at Venue:

[b]Percentage of Movies Watched of Rating:

[b]G

[b]PG

[b]PG-13

[b]R

[b]NR

My Pathetic 2003 Film List

Alrighty then...let's start this party!

Star ratings are out of 5 stars.
Films are listed in no particular order.


1. Daredevil- 3.5

2. The Core- 1.5

3. Basic- 1.0

4. Lost in La Mancha- 4.5

5. Old School- 3.5

6. Dreamcatcher- 2.0

7. Phone Booth- 2.0

8. Willard- 3.5

9. View from the Top- 1.5

10. Final Destination 2- 2.5

11. Bringing down the House- 2.0

12. Cowboy Bebop: The Movie- 4.0

13. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days- 2.5

14. Anger Management- 2.5

15. X2: X-Men United- 4.5

16. City of God- 5.0

17. The Matrix Reloaded- 4.5

18. HULK- 4.5

19. Charlies Angels: Full Throttle- 2.0

20. 28 Days Later- 3.5

21. T3: Rise of the Machines- 4.5



OLDER FILMS SEEN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2003

Solaris (original)- 5.0
Rashomon- 5.0
Picnic at Hanging Rock- 5.0
Band of Brothers TV Series- 4.0
Cowboy Bebop TV Series- 5.0
Blue- 5.0
White- 5.0
Red- 5.0
The Closet- 3.5
The Ring- 2.5
The Day the Earth Stood Still- 5.0
Ghost Ship- 2.5
The Royal Tenenbaums- 4.5
Donnie Darko- 4.5
Dawn of the Dead- 5.0
Open Your Eyes- 4.5
Nights of Cabiria- 5.0
8 1/2- 5.0
Seven Samurai 5.0

More to come...

-Dennis

I use the NY/LA criteria (Oscar eligible).
I rank all films 0-10 with 10's being the best of the year, not necessarily all time. The scale is spread over the current year only. 10-8 worth an evening showing 7.5 to 6.5 matinee only, 6-5 rent it, 4 or lower skip it.

Recent Updates
Jan 16, 2005 - Love Actually (8)


83 films viewed (40 theatrically)



Alpha List
(Bold marks top films)

21 Grams 9
28 Days Later 8.5
Alex and Emma 3
American Splendor 9.5
American Wedding 4
Angels in America 9.5
Anger Management 6.5
Animatrix 8
Bad Boyz 2 3.5
Bad Santa 8
Bend It Like Beckham 8.5
Better Luck Tomorrow 8.5
Big Fish 8.5
Blue Car 8
Bruce Almighty 7.5
Bubba Ho-Tep 8

Charlie's Angels 2 4
City of God 10 (twice)
Cold Mountain 9
Confidence 7.5
The Cooler 8
The Core 3.5

Daredevil 6
Down with Love 7
Dreamcatcher 2
Dumb and Dumberer 3
Elephant 7.5
Elf 8
Finding Nemo 8.5
The Fog of War 9
Freaky Friday 8.5
Freddie vs. Jason 3

Ghosts of the Abyss 7
Girl with a Pearl Earring 7
House of Sand and Fog 9
House of 1000 Corpses 2
House of the Dead 0
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days 5.5
The Hulk 7.5
Identity 7.5
In America 10
Intolerable Cruelty 8
Irreversible 7
The Italian Job 8

Just Married 4.5
Kill Bill Vol. 1 9
The Last Samurai 7
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 6.5
Lost in La Mancha 7.5
Lost in Translation 8.5
Love Actually 8

Master and Commander: FSotWorld 10
Matchstick Men 8
The Matrix Reloaded 8.5 (three times)
The Matrix Revolutions 9
A Mighty Wind 7.5
The Missing 6.5
Monster 9.5
Mystic River 10
Old School 5
Open Range 7.5
Paycheck 3.5
Phone Booth 7.5
Pirates of the Caribbean 8.5

The Recruit 6.5
The Return of the King 10
Runaway Jury 7
The Rundown 6

S.W.A.T 7.5
School of Rock 8.5
Seabiscuit 9
Shanghai Nights 3.5
The Station Agent 7.5
Swimming Pool 7.5
T3 7
Thirteen 8
Timeline 3.5
Tomb Raider 2 2.5
The Triplets of Belleville 8.5

Underworld 5.5
View from the Top 3
Whale Rider 9
X2: X-Men United 9


I don't list other films viewed within the year on this list, only 2003 eligible films, even if I see them theatrically.

Note that I have placed Russian Ark on my 2002 film list. I will also not be putting Lawrence of Arabia on this list despite its 2003 theatrical presentation.

[C]My 2003 Film List [/C]

Updated : January 18th, 2004


2003 Films Total : 50
2003 Films seen theaterically : 24
2003 Films seen via DVD/Home Theater : 26
2003 Films goal to be seen : 50 (25 theater, 25 HT)



Last Film to be seen in theater : Lord of the Rings : Return of the King

Next Film to be seen in theater : Big Fish


Top 5 Films in 2003

1. Finding Nemo
2. Kill Bill Volume 1
3. Lord of the Rings : Return of the King
4. The Last Samurai
5. X2 - X-Men United



[b]5 Unreleased films I want to see theaterically this year (listed by most anticipated) *Started November 1st *

1. Lord of the Rings : Return of the King
2. The Last Samurai
3. Big Fish
4. Master and Commander : The Far Side of the World
5. Paycheck



[C]Films released in 2003 [/C]

[C] Seen in theaters [/C]

Lord of the Rings : Return of the King 1/2
The Last Samurai 1/2
Elf
Master and Commander : The Far Side of the World 1/2
Matrix Revolutions
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Mystic River
Kill Bill Volume I (twice)
Out of Time
The Rundown
Matchstick Men
Underworld
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
S.W.A.T 1/2
American Wedding 1/2
Pirates of the Caribbean 1/2
Terminator 3 : Rise of the Machines (twice)
28 Days Later
The Hulk 1/2
Hollywood Homicide
Finding Nemo (twice)
X2 - X-Men United (twice)
The Matrix Reloaded 1/2
Final Destination II

[c] Released in 2003 seen via Home Theater [/C]

Freddy -vs- Jason 1/2 Viewed 01/16/2004
League of Extraordinary Gentleman Viewed 01/17/2004
Swimming Pool 1/2 Viewed 01/18/2004
Jeepers Creepers II
Bad Boys II 1/2
Millenium Actress
Tomb Raider : Cradle of Life
Bruce Almighty 1/2
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Down with Love 1/2
Tears of the Sun 1/2
Charlie's Angels Full Throttle
Wrong Turn 1/2
The Core
The Italian Job
A Mighty Wind
Identity 1/2
2 Fast 2 Furious
Confidence 1/2
The Hunted
A Man Apart
Anger Management
Bringing Down the House
Cradle 2 the Grave
Daredevil
Old School 1/2

[c]Listing by rating : [/c]

[c] [/c]

[c]
Finding Nemo
Kill Bill Volume I

1/2

Last Samurai, The
Lord of the Rings : Return of the King
Master and Commander : The Far Side of the World




28 Days Later
A Mighty Wind
Elf
Matchstick Men
Millenium Actress
Mystic River
Out of Time
Pirates of the Caribbean
Rundown, The
Terminator 3 : Rise of the Machines
X2 - X-Men United

1/2

American Wedding
Bad Boys II
Bruce Almighty
Confidence
Down with Love
Freddy -vs- Jason
Hulk, The
Identity
Matrix Reloaded, The
Old School
S.W.A.T
Swimming Pool
Tears of the Sun
Wrong Turn



2 Fast 2 Furious
A Man Apart
Anger Management
Bringing Down the House
Charlie's Angels Full Throttle
Cradle 2 the Grave
Daredevil
Final Destination II
Hollywood Homicide
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Hunted, The
Italian Job, The
League of Extraordinary Gentleman
Matrix Revolutions
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Tomb Raider Cradle of Life
Underworld



Jeepers Creepers II
Texas Chainsaw Massacre


[/C]


[C]Films viewed for the first time in 2003 [/C]

Adventures of Robin Hood
Alien
The Seven Samurai
Psycho (1960)
The Apartment
Singin in the Rain
The Maltese Falcon
Vertigo
To Kill a Mockingbird
Its a Wonderful Life
Rear Window
The Big Sleep
Notorious 1/2
Jaws 1/2
All About Eve 1/2
On the Waterfront 1/2
Some Like it Hot 1/2
Chinatown 1/2
Bowling for Columbine 1/2
[B} Master of the Flying Gulliotine 1/2
Life is Beautiful 1/2
Iron Giant 1/2
Contact
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Pianist
L.A Story
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Hero
Touch of Evil
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Gangs of New York
Adaptation.
True Romance
The Wicker Man
25th Hour
Raising Arizona
Spirted Away
About Schimdt
Bringing out the Dead
Magnolia
Better off Dead
Blood Simple.
Kiki's Delievery Service
Versus 1/2
Blue Velvet 1/2
Five Deadly Venoms 1/2
Highlander 1/2
Last Temptation of Christ 1/2
Roger and Me 1/2
Red Dragon 1/2
Amelie 1/2
Bull Durham 1/2
Royal Tenebaum 1/2
Collateral Damage 1/2
Shanghai Knights 1/2
Evil Dead II 1/2
Gosford Park 1/2
Equilibrium 1/2
Narc 1/2
Hart's War 1/2
Mulholland Dr 1/2
Little Giants 1/2
Boondock Saints 1/2
Waiting for Guffman 1/2
Rushmore 1/2
[b] Day of the Dead(1985)
Requiem for a Dream
Die Another Day
The Transporter
Knockaround Guys
Phone Booth
Weekend at Bernies
Punch-Drunk Love
Confessions of the Dangerous Mind

Total = 74

Ratings are out of 4 Stars.

= Waste of Time
= Good and bad parts. Flawed. Rental.
1/2 = More good then bad but bad parts diminish picture a bit. Usually recommended for fans of genre/director/actor etc...
= Good throughout. Recommend Viewing
1/2 = Good throughout, great at times.
= Masterpiece


Raymond

Bringing Down the House - B
Daredevil - C
Anger Management - C
X2: X-Men United - A
The Matrix Reloaded - B-
Bruce Almighty - B
Finding Nemo - B+

2 Fast 2 Furious -
Alien - Director's Cut (ineligable for inclusion overall) -
All the Real Girls -
American Pie 3: American Wedding -
Anger Management -
Bend It Like Beckham -
Bringing Down the House -
Bruce Almighty -
Bulletproof Monk -
Charlie´s Angels :Full Throttle -
Cinemania -
City Of God -
Core, The -
Daredevil -
Down With Love -
Elephant -
The Eye -
Final Destination 2 -
Finding Nemo -
Good Thief, The -
Hulk -
The Hunted -
Intolerable Cruelty -
Irreversible -
The Italian Job -
Johnny English -
Jungle Book 2 -
Kill Bill Volume #1 -
League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The -
Life of David Gale, The -
The Lord of the Rings : The Return of the King -
Lost in La Mancha -
Love Actually -
Magdalene Sisters, The -
Master and Commander -
Matrix Reloaded, The -
Matrix Revolutions, The -
Mystic River -
Nowhere in Africa -
Phone Booth -
Pirates of the Carribean : The Curse of the Black Pearl -
Russian Ark -
Seabiscuit -
Spy Kids 3D : Game Over -
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas -
Spellbound -
Sweet Sixteen -
Terminator 3 : Rise of the Machines -
28 Days Later -
Underworld -
Whale Rider -
X2 -

---

Films viewed for the first time in 2003.

8 -
400 Blows, The -
Adventures of Robin Hood, The -
American President, The -
Another Woman -
Beauty and the Beast (1945) -
Bed and Board -
Big Heat, The (1953) -
Big Sleep, The -
Born on the Fourth of July -
Carrie -
Christmas Story, A -
Dish, The (2001) -
Enter the Dragon -
Final Destination (2000) -
Fog, The -
Great Escape, The -
Hard Day's Night, A -
Haunting, The (1963) -
Haunting, The (1999) -
Heavenly Creatures (1994) -
Hidden Fortress, The -
JFK : The Director's Cut -
Kissing Jessica Stein -
Kes -
Lady Vanishes, The -
Lavender Hill Mob, The -
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The -
Little Shop of Horrors -
Little Princess, A -
Lolita -
Love on the Run -
Maltese Falcon, The -
Man in the White Suit, The -
Mistons, Les (short) -
Misery -
Mississippi Burning -
Monsoon Wedding -
Nixon -
Paths of Glory -
Peeping Tom -
Pianist, The -
Player, The (1992)-
Punch-Drunk Love -
Rashomon -
Red Beard -
Roger & Me -
Salvador -
Shoot the Piano Player -
Stolen Kisses -
Straw Dogs -
Sunset Boulevard -
Throne of Blood -
Treasure of the Sierra Madre -
Unbreakable -
Where Eagles Dare -
White Christmas -
Wicker Man, The -
Zulu -

Added Capturing the Friedmans (my 3rd four-star film, after Spellbound and Dark Blue) and Finding Nemo (3.5 stars) to the list.

Updated with Chris Koch's A Guy Thing. One word: Egregious.

I have never seen a director so obsessed with its subject city that he had to show as many of its landmarks as possible and often. At one point, one landmark was shown not once, not twice but (I counted) three times. In one instance, that same landmark was shown only seconds apart from each other.

That's too bad because these scenes didn't work as filler time either for a very paltry script.

~Edwin

Edwin,

I'm curious as to why you even viewed A Guy Thing. I thought I might quote you:-

As I said earlier in this thread, my wife suddenly had this urge to see every newly released (on DVD, thank God) romantic comedy that is out there - a genre that she particularly didn't care for before.

I liked it when she didn't like these type of films before as I didn't have to sit through it at all. The next on her wish list is How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. She already told me this hoping that it is going to be better than A Guy Thing.

With the recent string of disappointments for her including Sweet Home Alabama, Maid In Manhattan, and now this, maybe she'll get back to her old ways. I sure hope so.

I guess in short, its called, give and take. And that's so that I can see the likes of The Matrix Reloaded.

~Edwin

Welcome to my world, Edwin!

The things we do for them, Tino. The things we do...

~Edwin

Updated my list with 2 Fast 2 Furious (C+) and Hollywood Homicide (C+).

Updated with the somewhat disappointing The Eye, which has style to spare, a winning lead and the kind of big, elaborate set-piece that tends to surprise me from a foreign film. Unfortunately, the script is a mess, never really deciding on just what Mun's gift/curse should be. One where I hope the inevitable American remake improves the story somewhat. ¼

Also added the "Animatrix" shorts. I think I might have like Reloaded more had "Final Flight Of The Osiris" played before it, and enjoyed "The Second Renaissance". The rest mostly play as fanfiction for those who like The Matrix more than I do: "Beyond" and "Program" stood out as neat, "A Detective Story" had a nifty look but a pointless story, "Kid's Story" and "World Record were blah, and "Matriculated" was just an incredibly boring tech demo.

Updated with Daredevil (**/*****).

Updated with the craptacular, National Security (F) and masterpiece of shit, Old School (F).

Updated with Guy Maddin's extremely nifty Dracula: Pages From A Virgin's Diary. There will be a longer post in the alterna-thread about how I actually "saw" this in October, and didn't think as much of it because it was a really crappy digital presentation at two in the morning as part of a horror marathon. Not the environment for an artsy ballet film, and I was dozing off at times. Yesterday's show at the Brattle as part of Dracula Week was much better. ½

And, continuing the "strange movies by strange directors", I followed that up with Takashi Miike's 1996 high-school yakuza movie Fudoh: The New Generation. I swear I heard the folks in the projection room high-fiving each other when they finally got the focus just right.