Best Movies Of 2003

[Bill Murphy]

Note: Winged Migration & Spellbound don't count, even though most of us saw them this year, else both'd be in the top five.

Rivers & Tides
American Splendor
Capturing The Friedmans
Lost In Translation
Return Of The King
Finding Nemo
SChool Of Rock
Mystic River
Pirates Of The Caribbean
Cold Mountain

I did not see Secret Lives Of Dentists or 21 Grams; I'm sure I'm forgetting something(great Mexican or Brazilian film, maybe?); and IMO the quality really drops after the top six or seven.

Kill Bill 1 & Last Samurai are great "popcorn" movies and I think Mystic River is the best overrated movie ever.

Gotta give credit where credit is due to Sofia Coppola; doubt there have been many directors who've gone two for two outta the gate like she has. Terence Malick(although I've never seen his first two & thought Thin Red Line sucked), Tarantino. Did Scorsese start Mean Streets-Taxi Driver?

Yeah, she's had every advantage but she's got the chops; can both write & adapt, as well as direct no-names & big stars. Of course, I know plenty of people who hated Virgin Suicides so there you go.