Our Top 10's of 2003: Time To Throw Down! - Page 6

Updated my list to include City of God (theatrical viewing)and Lost in Translation (DVD)

Dana,
Whoa... I can't believe how much time you're devoting to this (though, I REALLY do appreciate it). Is there any way that I can help? I manage my list using a MySQL database (with a PHP frontend), so maybe I can just export it to you somehow?
Are you trying to make me feel guilty for seeing so many films?
Tell me more about this Film Tracker tool...

1- Return of the King
2- Finding Nemo
3- Pirates Of Carribean
4- Italian Job
5- Under the Tuscan Sun
6- X2
7- Seabiscuit
8- Big Fish
9- Freddy Vs Jason
10- Mystic River

Updated my list with In America at #2. I also bumped Big Fish off the list, and moved M&C up a few spots. Also added a link to my 2003 List.

Great job with the top 30 Dana, without it, these lists would get quite dull.

Lowell

Updated my 2003 Films List with two new entries to my top ten list. Matrix: Reloaded gets Matrix: Rejected as does Kill Bill: Volume 1, which gets the chop to make way for Cold Mountain and The Station Agent.

Best of 2003

1. Cidade de Deus (City of God)
2. Ying Xiong (Hero)
3. Better Luck Tomorrow
4. Lost In Translation
5. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
6. Seabiscuit
7. The Station Agent
8. Raising Victor Vargas
9. Cold Mountain
10. Matchstick Men

Updated my 2003 Films seen list to include Runaway Jury, Monster, The Cooler, and Seabiscuit. None made my top 10.

2003 Film List

::sniff::

Is it because of that #4.5 entry for Hero? That's just meant to indicate where it would be if it qualified.

Great work again, Dana! I see that May didn't make the cut.

Woohoo!! Thanks Dana... You rock!

Ok... wait, so that means there are actually 260 films that I haven't yet seen?

out of curiosity is that second number (mine is 311) for total 2003 films seen, or total films seen in 2003 :p. cause I've only seen about 40 2003 films.

Adam

I have updated my film list with American Splendor, Cabin Fever, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and Whale Rider, but none reached my top ten.

darn, hope it doesn't affect In America's ranking too much, I keep hoping that one will crack the top ten eventually

Adam

Updated my list to bump Seabiscuit (#10) for American Splendor, a very cool movie.

Saw Monster this weekend. Made it in my top 10.

(*Note=when I say something like "...you guys...you people, etc," that does not mean YOU SPECIFICALLY. It refers to critics, friends, people who have no clue what they are talking about, typically. No one specifically is the object of my slanderings.)

It's hard for me to say with certainty whether this was a good year for movies or a great year. Unlike years past, I saw very few of the films I wanted to, and so it must be forgiven that my year-end wrap-up is incomplete. First, here are the films I did not see, but will sometime in my life:

1)21 GRAMS: Director of Amores Perros, which I adore. Plus Sean Penn and Benicio del Torro...not sure why I missed this one.

2)MONSTER: Charlize Theron looks like crap in this one, and that is one hell of an accomplishment.

3)MASTER & COMMANDER: I read a quote that said this was "the best Star Trek movies in years," meaning that it is dark and claustrophobic rather than the over-blown-sea-faring-rip-roaring-yar-yar-killfest-Russell-Crowe-extravaganza that it had been made out to be. So I actually want to see it.

4)COLD MOUNTAIN: Renee Zelwegger, whose face is perpetually contorted like she is defacating, kept me away from this one. But I'm still curious.

5)CITY OF GOD

6)THE STATION AGENT: Peter Dinklage may pack more acting chops per pound than any other actor out there. This looks absolutely great.

7)OLDBOY: Holy **** looks cool.

8)WHALE RIDER: Not sure about this but everyone keeps recommending it.

9)PETER PAN: Say what you will...this will take a dump on Hook and Spielberg's head and then ol' Stevie will thank it for the new hat.

10)CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS: Documentaries are cool, and this one seems really interesting.

11) THE FOG OF WAR: Ditto the above.

12)LOVE ACTUALLY

13)OPEN RANGE: Throw Costner a bone.

I know I've left some films off this list (a lot of them). If you have any more recommendations, aside from those already posted, please, by all means...

And the movies who get an honorable mention, but I simply cannot say were among the ten best (in no particular order):

1)ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO: Robert Rodriguez is who I want to be when I grow up. This guy writes, directs, does his own photography, edits, and then, oh yeah, scores the picture. Hats off. You are a filmmaking god. Even if this movie was at best incoherrent.

2)MATRIX RELOADED: Thought-provoking, open-ended in such a beautiful way. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THAT IN REVOLUTIONS? You ditched anything that was cool and said, screw it, they'll come to the theater anyway. I can't even believe these two movies were shot simultaneously. Shame on you, Andy and Larry, shame on you.

3)MYSTIC RIVER: Great, but slow. Eastwood is a subtle director, no flash, every shot means something, but tells it in the most simple, powerful way. The score had some extremely strange moments, though. I don't understand what the purpose of some of the music was. And this is NOT as good as everyone is saying. I still really dig it, though. Top notch performances. And the Kevin Bacon subplot with his estranged wife was worthless to the plot, and should have been axed. Tim Robbins gets the Oscar since Astin wasn't nominated.

4)X2: X-MEN UNITED: It's too bad the coolest part of this movie happens in the first five minutes. Isn't that a no-no? Don't peak in the first five minutes of the film. Good flick, but everytime something happened, all I could think was that the Nightcrawler part was way awesomer. Yeah, awesomer. That's what I said.

5)PHONE BOOTH: Oh so very simple. Awesome. Short and sweet. Hats off to Joel Schumacher for showing some restraint, and not putting rubber nipples on Colin Ferell's dress shirt.

6)COWBOY BEBOP: Hate anime. Love this.

7) MAY: Wow. I can't wait to see what this director does next. And keep your eye out for Angela Bettis.

8) IN AMERICA: This film is plain brilliant. The small girls are wonderful actresses, and the script is wonderfully written. I felt for this family. I really did.

9) BETTER LUCK TOMORROW: I am thoroughly impressed with the no-pulled-punches attitude of this movie. The scenarios are over-the-top, and that works. This movie has style and subtlety all in one, and the acting is solid throughout.

And the top ten of 2003:

10. TRIPLETTS OF BELLEVILLE: I won't say anything except go see it before it's out of theaters! Now. Go. Why are you still reading this?

9. LAST SAMURAI: Dances with Samurai? Screw you guys. This movie is thought-provoking, beautifully shot, wonderfully acted (especially Ken Watanabe, whose graceful understatement is a perfect counterpoint to Tom Cruise's character at his most confused, depressed, and billigerent), and the action is some of the best I've seen. The love story is more of a hint than a reality, and that is perfect to the tone of this film. I only wish the ending was different. This movie could have been among the best of the year had the ending stuck with the direction of the film's rhetoric and tone. Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

8. BIG FISH: Fantastical and elegant. So sweet-natured and innocent it almsot makes your teeth rot. This is one of only two films for which I actually teared up, and that is a testament to the genuinely touching relationships that are explored within this film.

7. SCHOOL OF ROCK: If Johnny Depp can get nominated for BEING a movie, then Jack Black should have been nominated too. Don't get me wrong, Johnny was fantastic in Pirates, and even better in Once Upon a Time in Mexico, but Jack Black absolutely is the heart and soul of this movie. He is so comfortable in this role, so genuine, so funny, that you can't help but root for him and his class of musical misfits. My hat is off.

6. 28 DAYS LATER: Shot totally on DV? You dudes are good. Awesome awesome stuff. Inspiring. Bring on the next batch, Boyle!

5. LOST IN TRANSLATION: I heart Bill Murray and want to lick Scarlett Johanssen's booty. But no, this movie is wonderfully written, and acted so well I can't believe it. The reality of their love is something all too foreign in movies...two kindred spirits that can never really be together. Murray's ship had already sailed. How sad it must be to be either of them.

4. AMERICAN SPLENDOR: Paul Giamatti tears this f***** a new one. The blend of documentary, film narrative, and actual comic-book stuff is one of a kind. And who knew your run-of-the-mill average shmuck could be so interesting to watch?

3. FINDING NEMO: Pixar are gods. Forget the INCREDIBLE animation, the richness of the underwater world, and the various other eye-candies. Pixar knows how to tell a rich, funny, simple story. They pay attention to the most minute of details, and they actually give a crap if we enjoy ourselves at the movies. Thanks to Pixar, for making such art.

2. KILL BILL, VOL. 1: Quentin, I'll kill you if you have another hiatus like this last one. This movie kicked my butt. Gore, blood, obscenity, revenge, humor. Genius. Why the hell did you need to push #2 back to April?

1. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING: We should be thankful to have witnessed this. Probably the greatest achievement in cinematic history, to sound pretentious. OK, this thing started like, back in 1994/95 with prelims, and went through two different production houses. They shot over 18 months. It's a miracle these things came out at all, and here they are, some of the most amazing movies I've ever seen. The performances and characters are so rich, the visual effects so seamless, and the story so fun to watch, that I am in awe. Sean Astin, above all, deserves recognition for his work in this one. Sam is the hero of this one, and no mistake. And that's saying a lot, because EVERY SINGLE PERFORMANCE is incredible, Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd, and Ian McKellan in particular. Peter Jackson and crew, thanks for giving a damn about how your films turn out. Anyone else probably would have failed. Your films will live on and capture the hearts of generation after generation. THANK YOU.

Okay, that's it.

well for those who put all the real girls on their list i wanna say thanks.

this movie just slipped right by me some how.
what a great movie.

i havnt seen all the movies from last year that could be candidates for a top 10 , i still havent seen return of the king.
but i sure would put ATRG'S on the list.

heh I felt the same way, just consider it a Spielbergism. Take away the last 2 mins. of Saving Private Ryan and Minority Report, and you have virtually the top of their respective genres. I doubt Zwick had final cut for the Last Samurai anyhow, nothing against his repertoire, but they haven't been blockbusters, and seeing how enormous the budget was, no way Warner could have it end on a sour note (certainly paved the way by focus screenings :p))

It's not. It's a nice indy film with a very appropriate (IMO) indy-style ending for the three main characters. It has chuckles, its quirky, its cute. But not "absolutely hilarious". That's just not what its aiming for.

Its still a nice film to see, something that deals with people more in line with how small, indy films about real people do.

Seth, I think I may have misspoke (or mistyped). Yes, your description seems more accurate than "absolutely hilarious." Alas, I'll have to wait for DVD to catch this one, I'm afraid.

"We should be thankful to have witnessed this. Probably the greatest achievement in cinematic history, to sound pretentious."

Return of the King...the greatest achievement in cinematic history...

Return of the King is a "greater achievement" than Lawrence of Arabia, Citizen Kane, Metropolis, Fantasia, Schindler's List or 2001: A Space Odyssey? In what *possible* way?

Many of my L.A. friends have gotten kinda lame as far as movie-going, movie talk and year-end ranking are concerned. Unfortunately, there's been slowly but steadily less opening night group movie-going and e-mail chatter leading up to or thereafter about films over the past, oh, six years as I guess thirtysomething responsibility has set in in some of my friends' lives. Sad.

I miss that colloquy. Ergo, although I haven't participated in this annual thread in the past, I'd like to begin this year. For context, following my 2003 films, I'll include mention of films I enjoyed in previous years. [Caveat: I still unfortunately have not seen AMERICAN SPLENDOR, BIG FISH, IN AMERICA, CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS, THIRTEEN and THE MAGDALENE SISTERS.]

In no particular order (as I find it way too difficult too parse things out beyond #1 [which for me in 2003 was LAST SAMURAI]):

THE COOLER - Director Wayne Kramer has been watching CASINO (one of my top 10 faves of all time).

DIRTY PRETTY THINGS - Much deserved Best Original Screenplay nom for Steven Knight. Chiwetel Ejiofor is terrific. After the Julia Roberts misfire that was MARY REILLY (1995) and going more mainstream with HIGH FIDELITY (2000), I enjoyed Stephen Frears' return to fine, smaller, quirky British form.

CITY OF GOD - More Scorsese influence. Take even more violent "mean streets," put it in Rio slums and have Tarantino direct. Stunning.

Amidst all the attention Miramax and Harvey Weinstein are getting for COLD MOUNTAIN not getting a Best Picture nomination, the real Miramax Oscar story of this year has kinda gotten lost: DIRTY PRETTY and CITY OF GOD are outstanding, smaller, internationally-financed pictures that together earned five noms.

MONSTER - Charlize deserves that Oscar nom, if not to win. Bravo for first-time director Patty Jenkins. Dug the use of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'."

28 DAYS LATER - Didn't go back to see the revised ending, but suppose I eventually will on DVD. Part of the reason it's not a priority is because I'm seemingly in the minority in having enjoyed the original ending, noteworthy amongst other reasons for its perhaps unintentional but nevertheless hopeful (and problematic) racial harmony subtext. The sensational Naomie Harris deserves to be cast in a lot more films.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS - Neil Labute has--inappropriately, in my opinion--been called the "misogynistic Mormon" by some critics so I thought it amusingly ironic that he wrote and directed the most romantic movie I saw in 2002, POSSESSION. He was back to scabrous form in 2003. I wish Paul Rudd acted/got cast in more films.

TEARS OF THE SUN - Poorly marketed by Columbia, this should have been a corker for Joe Roth's troubled Revolution Studios. This pic also had the misfortune of being released at the same time as the beginning of the U.S., um, engagement in Iraq. Some auds apparently stayed away for visceral/political reasons while some conveniently criticized the picture as an example of "hawkish," imperialist U.S. foreign policy. I'm more interested than the next guy in cultural politics debates, but its unfortunate that this well-directed, terrific-looking, exciting actioner bore that additional baggage. Another remarkable score from Hans Zimmer, who has continued to ceaselessly kick ass at an insanely prolific pace since GLADIATOR. From TRAINING DAY to TEARS to Bruckheimer's KING ARTHUR this summer, Antoine Fuqua has quickly become one of my fave young directors. If the pic rocks as hard as the trailer leads me to hope, here's to him getting nominated for ARTHUR (becoming only the second "black director" to be so acknowledged).

THE ITALIAN JOB - Terrifically entertaining, even if Ed Norton seemed to be less-than-committed. Go on, brutha F. Gary Gray: after chasing TLC's "Waterfalls," he's given us FRIDAY, SET IT OFF, THE NEGOTIATOR, A MAN APART and THE ITALIAN JOB. He's currently shooting GET SHORTY sequel BE COOL. This movie (along with SCHOOL OF ROCK) were pretty much the only bright spots in an abysmal b.o. year for Paramount and how-does-she-keep-her-job Sherry Lansing.

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM

CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE - In December, I read at least a half-dozen year-in-review articles/blurbs regarding 2003's Summer Of the Underperforming Sequel. Regardless of whatever such broader lackluster b.o. context this pic may fit into ex post facto, while sitting in the theater watching it, I was having fun Fun FUN.

FINDING NEMO - We'll see what happens if Comcast ends up acquiring Di$ney and if Brian Roberts reaches out to Steve Jobs, but I'm glad Jobs walked away from the Mouschwitz negotiations. I'm tickled that this film outgrossed THE LION KING.

SCHOOL OF ROCK - Loved it! "Chelloooo." "One great rock show can change the world." Amen.

MYSTIC RIVER - I barely recognized my beloved Andy Dufresne. Tim Robbins deserves even more praise than Sean Penn keeps justifiably getting. Bravo to both for their Oscar noms.

TUPAC: RESURRECTION

COLD MOUNTAIN

THE LAST SAMURAI - Happy to see this film in more than a few HTFers lists. Personally, I think this film got screwed at both the b.o. and in the Oscar noms. Flame away, but I think its absurd that LOST IN TRANSLATION got a Best Picture nom and not this film. It reps a classic personal, Hollywood conundrum for me: on the one hand, there are of course issues with this film in terms of historical accuracy and cultural and representational/casting politics. But on the other hand, goddamn what a remarkable piece of work. I'm happy for Tom (what a way to celebrate 20 years in the movies) and think the film deserves--in addition to the ones it received--Oscar noms for cinematography, editing, actor, score (Hans does it again!), director and picture. Although not quite as emotional for me personally, the ending of this picture is the most poetic I've seen since ROAD TO PERDITION (another movie I was livid over not receiving even a Best Picture nom). I love the voice over narration Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

BAD BOYS II - And I don't mean "guilty pleasure" (which I find to be a pretentious designation). I was surprised by the vitriol this film provoked by many who posted in the HTF comments thread for this film. This one really split the aud. It's too bad that Michael Bay's seeming coverage phobia precluded the Alligator Alley sequence (and other action set pieces) from being even more impressive than it already is. Jaw-dropping action. Messy humor. And smokin' hot Gabrielle Union . . . in a swimsuit. She can take the liberty of ordering me Bacardi mojitos any damn time. This film was the practical effects cure to the CGI-and-blue-and-green-screens-are-everywhere-dammit ills that ailed me last summer.

Random commentary:

Demerit For Tarnished Esteem: Roger Ebert. His reviews of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, BAD BOYS II and THE MATRIX RELOADED evince his being out-of-touch with contemporary youth culture. This may hardly be a surprise to some of his critics but last year it seemed more painfully obvious, especially on two memorable occasions, both involving matters racial. I'm hardly an expert on the hip hop nation youthquake, but in my opinion Ebert completely misses the mark in his comments on the funniest scene in BBII (featuring a rich, inspired, satiric turn by Will Smith) and his pedestrian theory on why there are so many black folks in MATRIX RELOADED. (Read his reviews at ChicagoSunTimes.com if you're wondering what I'm referring to.)

Most Personally Depressing Film Of the Year: That excuse for a "terminator film." It provides negative reinforcement of just how remarkable Jim Cameron is that another director and other writers--even with the same star--could take the cinematic universe he created and debase something so stunning and visionary into something that was merely . . . adequate. It was an adequate action picture, disingenuously urged into production by Schwarzenegger so that he would not be perceived as a washed up movie star when he made his bid for governor. Shame on you, "governor." Shame on Jim and the fu*ked up relations between him and Andy Vajna and Mario Kassar that played a role in the film being made without him. And shame on me for ever thinking the film could be satisfying with someone at the helm other than Jim, my favorite megalomaniac. As a friend who saw the film with me can attest to, I was just about in tears walking out of the theater. The movie put me in a righteously indignant emotional funk and, at the risk of sounding maudlin, I can't tell you how profoundly sad it makes me to consider the reality that funk and this movie brought to my mind: "What if Jim is done making movies?"

(Luckily for J.C. fans everywhere though, last month at a q&a following a T2 screening in Hollywood Jim said that, after spending the past three years deep sea diving, a movie like RETURN OF THE KING exemplifies how far iterative vifx technology has come. He said ROTK helped him realize that he's "got to get back to work." He has continued designing and using 3-D hi def cameras. He wouldn't/couldn't elaborate but he said his next project is going to be a "3-D hi def sci fi/action movie with a stack of visual effects.")

Additional postscript: According to today's (Feb. 17, 2004) Daily Variety, Lightstorm has optioned the rights to the Charles Pellegrino novel Ghosts Of Vesuvius, "a forthcoming . . . book . . . about the volcanic eruption that leveled Pompeii in 79 A.D."

Pics I dug from previous years:

2002
Road To Perdition
Gangs Of New York
We Were Soldiers
Kissing Jessica Stein
High Crimes
Frailty
The Kid Stays In the Picture
Drumline
Standing In the Shadows Of Motown
Bowling For Columbine

2001
Black Hawk Down
Memento
Made
Vanilla Sky
From Hell
Ocean’s Eleven
The Pledge

2000
Almost Famous
Billy Elliot
Erin Brockovich
Keeping the Faith
Love & Basketball
Chuck & Buck
Boesman & Lena
Gladiator
Cast Away
Mission: Impossible 2
The Original Kings Of Comedy

1999
October Sky
Naturally Native
The Thomas Crown Affair
The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Insider
Being John Malkovich
Eyes Wide Shut
The Iron Giant
Toy Story 2

1998
He Got Game
The Truman Show
The X-Files
Whatever
Saving Private Ryan
Return To Paradise
Cube
One True Thing
Beloved

1997
The Apostle
Chasing Amy
Copland
Good Will Hunting
L.A. Confidential
Midnight In the Garden Of Good and Evil
Titanic
Ulee’s Gold

1996
Bound
Courage Under Fire
Get On the Bus
Lone Star
Set It Off
Swingers
Trainspotting

"Return of the King is a 'greater achievement' than LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, CITIZEN KANE, METROPOLIS, FANTASIA, SCHINDLER'S LIST, or 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY? In what *possible* way?"

Gee, didn't mean to OFFEND YOU. Here's the deal, though. Those are all incredible, amazing films, some of the best ever shot. Each are achievements in their own right. Citizen Kane changed the way films were directed, edited, etc. These are highly influential films, but the amount of work and detail that went into the Lord of the Rings films, which includes an incredibly lengthy pre-production, 18-month principal photography, post-production, shooting all three THREE-HOUR-PLUS-MOVIES simultaneously, adapting a 1000-page novel for the screen, and not getting lazy at any point during the arduous process. Did any of those films have to be edited from 3 million of feet of film? Did any of those films have to be worked on by a crew of hundreds? Did any of those films require the same kind of dedication from every facet of production, be it Peter Jackson, the cast, the digital effects artists, Howard Shore, on and on and on? I did not mean ROTK is the greatest achievement, I meant the Lord of the Rings is. I love all the movies you listed, but no, they are not as impressive in terms of achievement. And that is strictly my opinion...it's right to me, it can be wrong to you.

"These are highly influential films, but the amount of work and detail that went into the Lord of the Rings films, which includes an incredibly lengthy pre-production, 18-month principal photography, post-production, shooting all three THREE-HOUR-PLUS-MOVIES simultaneously, adapting a 1000-page novel for the screen, and not getting lazy at any point during the arduous process."

Do you really want to base an opinion on a film being "the greatest achievement in cinema history" on just rote man hours? Have you seen and studied Cleopatra? Did you know that Bambi was in production for five years? Each frame hand-drawn and hand-painted? It's not the man-hours that makes a film "great", it's not even the labor in the final analysis -- it is the end product. Return of the King is a greater achievement in cinema than Citizen Kane? Schindler's List is inferior to Return of the King because the shooting schedule was performed over three months?

"Did any of those films have to be edited from 3 million of feet of film?"

As far as I personally know, no one on the editing team of Schindler's List admitted to falling asleep while watching the dailies because so many units shot so much coverage of the same action. It's not the amount of the footage shot that makes a film great...it's the end product.

"Did any of those films have to be worked on by a crew of hundreds?"

Fantasia not only had a crew of hundereds, it was so ambitious, Stokowski and Disney created the world's first mutli-channel soundtrack for a feature-length motion picture.

"Did any of those films require the same kind of dedication from every facet of production, be it Peter Jackson, the cast, the digital effects artists, Howard Shore, on and on and on?"

Are you suggesting that Stanley Kubrick did not require and demand incredible dedication from his crew to pull off 2001: A Space Odyssey, or that the armies of artists required to hand-paint and hand-draw each frame of Fantasia lacked the same dedication? Or that the resolve of David Lean to endure the brutal working conditions of Lawrence of Arabia is less than the resolve of Peter Jackson's New Zealand crew?

"I did not mean ROTK is the greatest achievement, I meant the Lord of the Rings is. I love all the movies you listed, but no, they are not as impressive in terms of achievement. And that is strictly my opinion...it's right to me, it can be wrong to you."

I love the Lord of the Rings movies - Fellowship of the Ring is one of my favorite films of all time. I do not, however, allow my affection to cloud a reasoned analysis as to the greatest achievements in cinema history. If astonishing labor was all that it took to earn a distinction as one of the greatest films of all time, James Cameron's The Abyss, Abel Gance's Napoleon, and Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Cleopatra would all be at the top of the Sight and Sound poll.

There's more to the equation than labor...like making an impact on film language, how films are seen and understood or even heard.

"Fun entertaining movie" + "lots of man hours" does not equal "greatest achievement in cinema history". I think there's more to it than that. Will film students be studying the neo-classicism and over-the-top giant monster "camp" of Return of the King next year?

I doubt it.

Will they be studying Welles' taste and breathless innovations seen in Kane?

It's a certainty.

Case closed.

As a preface, I am a huge fan of Peter Jackson and the work his team has done.

I don't think it is an overstatement to add The Lord of the Rings among the greatest cinematic achievements. Not only was it an epic in scale and ambition to the greats of the past, but it also breaks a great deal of new ground. It features the first digital actor as a principle emotional actor in a film. It represents a literary achievement by bringing a fantasy film to critical acclaim, including non-technical areas like acting and directing (some might call it the first legitimately great fantasy film). And it provides a "cast of thousands" concept updated to the digital world with their Massive special effects engine.

I have no problem listing it among the landmarks of cinema. I wouldn't call it the greatest. I think we all know that belongs to brothers Farrelly and their cinematic opus, Dumb and Dumber, which reached its pinnacle with 'The Most Annoying Sound in the World'.