The Dancer Upstairs
Actor John Malkovich’s (“In the Line of Fire”) directorial debut is an introspective character study of a Latin American detective (Javier Bardem) on the trail of an anarchist bomber. Based on the novel by Nicholas Shakespeare, the movie features more politics, literature, and introspection than the average American thriller, but Malkovich also handles the action with a calm precision that is oftentimes just plain eerie. (2003 wide release) R
The Last Samurai
An American arms dealer (Tom Cruise) sent to modernize Japan’s army in 1876 finds himself siding with a samurai rebellion and the honor of its leader (Ken Watanabe). Edward Zwick’s admirably ambitious film doesn’t quite live up to all its potential, but it is still a gripping adventure—and splendid production—about one way of life fighting to span the bridge from one epoch to the next. R
Seabiscuit
Director-screenwriter Gary Ross (“Pleasantville”) turns the feel-good, real-life tale of a down-and-out racehorse into a parable of the Great Depression. Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and Tobey Maguire star as three American archetypes brought together by the beast: the self-made man, the laconic, straight-talking loner, and the flawed by unsinkable everyman. PG13
Favorite Films of 2003: Nos. 9-15
Favorite Films of 2003: Nos. 1-8
Because no one pays him to do it, the F&SN Critic cannot possibly afford to see every worthwhile movie that comes out in a year. The following is a partial list of films from 2003 he would very much like to see when he finds the time or the funds:
Back-to-front, mixed up story about three people (Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Benicio Del Toro) caught in a web of fate and tragedy.
28 Days Later
Low-budget, low-fi, and heavy-hitting zombie movie from Danny Boyle, that wacky guy who directed “Trainspotting.”
Anything Else
The story of an aging New Yorker (Woody Allen) passing on the torch of neurosis to a young protégé (Jason Biggs) sounds like pure Woody. Christina Ricci co-stars as the girl Woody won’t let Biggs trust.
The Barbarian Invasions
A Quebecois professor near the end of his days looks back on his life of romance, leftist causes, and flair.
Capturing the Friedmans
Eerie and revealing documentary about a family caught in the limelight amidst charges of sex abuse and child pornography.
The Company
Neve Campbell and Malcolm McDowell star with the real members of the Joffrey Ballet in Robert Altman’s slice-of-life look at the world of ballet.
Elephant
Gus Van Sant’s documentary-style look at a fictionalized high school shooting was 2003’s most controversial film, running a wild gamut of criticism from the year’s best film to its worst.
Gerry
The year’s second most controversial film is also the work of director Gus Van Sant, this one about two men named Gerry (Casey Affleck and Matt Damon) who get lost in the desert…and then nothing happens.
Hulk
Another blase comic book adaptation, or is it a metaphorical study of masculine rage and distant parenting? Ang Lee’s follow-up to “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” was not a box-office smash, but may find longevity on video. This movie is top on my list to see if someone else pays for the rental.
A professor’s (Anthony Hopkins) affair with a younger woman (Nicole Kidman) involves secrets from his past in this mystery-cum-character study. Selected by the American Film Institute as one of the year’s ten best American films, despite its lackluster box office appeal.
Love Liza
Chubby and nasally everyman Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as a loser who takes up model airplanes to help recover from the recent suicide of his wife. Kathy Bates co-stars as his mother-in-law.
The Matrix Revolutions
The final installment of the Wachowski brothers’ special effects bonanza trilogy pits heroic hackers against a giant evil computer. The trilogy may have promised more than it delivers intellectually, but the visuals do not disappoint.
May
Is it just another teen slasher movie, like the previews make it out to be, or is it a genuinely creepy look at a woman with really low self-esteem? Only a trip to the video store will tell.
Mona Lisa Smile
A free-spirited professor (Julie Roberts) shakes things up at a women’s university in the 1950s. A sincere look at 20th century feminism at best, a vapid star vehicle at worst.
Monsieur Ibrahim
The story of an unlikely friendship between a troublemaking Jewish kid and an aging Muslim convenience store operator (the great Omar Sharif) in Paris.
Morvern Callar
A lonely woman (Samantha Morton) rises to fame by claiming her dead boyfriend’s novel as her own.
Open Range
A decade after “Dances With Wolves,” Kevin Costner returns to the Old West with essentially the same plot of all westerns: where does civilization begin, and what should the cost be? Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Michael Gambon, and Diego Luna star.