2003 was an overall good year for movies, and that too across genres such as comedy, action, fantasy, and more.
If you are looking for some great recommendations from this year, we have handpicked some of the best movies released in 2003.
These movies were either successful at the box office or amongst the audience, and also successful in both.
Make sure to add some of these to your watchlist for this weekend to enjoy, especially movies that you haven’t watched at all or you can always go for a re-watch!
Big Fish
Genre – Fantasy comedy-drama
Director– Tim Burton
Where to watch – Hulu
The plot starts with an impatient son attempting to separate fact from fantasy in his dying father’s life.
A lovely narrative delivered with the aid of metaphors & tall tales about the bond between a father and his son.
The actors devote their all to this story to bring Edward Bloom’s wild tales to life. Even the ending, which in some cases can seem more depressing, concludes on a lighter note as it honors the extraordinary life of a kind, educated, diligent man who formed more friendships and happy individuals than most people could ever dream of.
People like it because it is a beautiful film that explores the many nuances of a father-son relationship, with metaphors and storytelling that make it one of the must-see films of all time.
The conversation is witty and snappy, stripped down to the succulent bone, and the emotions are intense and realistic.
The Last Samurai
Genre – Epic period action drama
Director-Edward Zwick
Where to watch – Netflix
After being captured in combat, an American military advisor adopts the Samurai culture he was recruited to eradicate.
To educate the peasant soldiers for the first standing Imperial Army in modern firearms combat in the 1870s, Americans who desired lucrative contracts with the Emperor of Japan recruited Commander Nathan Algren, a jaded veteran of the American Civil War who would work for anyone.
People wish to watch its captivating anti-hero-to-hero tale set in the lovely historical backdrop of Japan during the Meiji restoration period when the country was at a crossroads between its traditional and new ways. The Last Samurai is a modern masterpiece that you must see.
With the assistance of one of the most well-known and moving movie soundtracks of the past ten years, it takes you on an inside tour through the life of the Samurai from a Westerner perspective.
While the plot remains straightforward, the themes of sacrifice, duty, honor, loyalty, and belonging are anything but, making them the movie’s most memorable and moving parts.
Oldboy
Genre – South Korean neo-noir action thriller
Director- Park Chan-wook
Where to watch – Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play
The movie’s opening scene shows a man’s silhouette clutching onto what appears to be a necktie being used to dangle another man from a building’s edge.
Choi Min-Sik, the person holding the necktie, orders another man to listen to his story. After being held captive for fifteen years, Dae-Su is freed, but he is given only five days to find his captor.
Legendary South Korean action thriller Oldboy has won praise from critics everywhere. It altered how the world perceived South Korean cinema.
Unquestionably, this movie is the work of genius Park Chan-wook, who also directed the gripping action thriller Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance.
The action in this movie may be the best you’ve ever seen in a South Korean film, and it’s terrific.
The cinematography is excellent, as are the visual effects. The movie has some natural humor and does an excellent job of portraying human emotions in the most genuine and impactful way possible.
Mystic River
Genre – Neo-noir crime drama
Director- Clint Eastwood
Where to watch – Prime Video, Redbox, Apple TV
The plot is so objectively plausible that you’ll think, This could happen and recommend it to anyone who has heard of Greek Catharsis.
The ancient Greek tragedy dramas protected Athens’s wise men from everyday life’s trivialities.
When one of three childhood friends suffers a family tragedy, the lives of three men who were childhood friends are shattered.
Jimmy is an ex-con and a father of three, and when his daughter Katie is found dead, Dave becomes the prime suspect.
Sean is a homicide detective investigating Katie’s murder, and as more information about Katie’s murder becomes available, he is confronted with both past and present demons.
The film’s cinematography is straightforward and intuitive. The majority of the scenes in the movie were shot in Boston, England. If you enjoy crime films, This is a Great movie to be watched
Pirates of the Caribbean-The Curse of the Black Pearl
Genre – Supernatural swashbuckler
Director-Gore Verbinski
Where to watch – Disney plus
Blacksmith Will Turner joins forces with eccentric thief “Captain” Jack Sparrow to save his fondness, the president’s daughter, from Jack’s former pirate allies, who have turned undead.
A lovely start to a film series! With expert editing, music composed on par with Mozart, and a perfect cast of actors, most notably Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, this film comes together perfectly!
Seeing Barbosa defeated was incredible, watching Elizabeth and Will enjoy their love in peace and the Commodore allowing Sparrow to leave without a fight.
Puerile, fabulous, witty, exciting, and romantic, with swashbuckling and spooky skeletons. With Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, this film comes together perfectly!
It was incredible to see Barbosa defeated, to see Elizabeth and Will enjoy their love in tranquility, and to see the Commodore let Sparrow go without a fight.
Memories of murder
Genre – South Korean crime thriller
Director-Bong Joon-ho
Where to watch – Hulu
The plot revolves around the investigation of serial murders in Hwaseong, a town located in South Korea.
Instead of focusing solely on the murders, Bong Joon Ho uniquely narrates the story by highlighting the difficulties faced by the investigators in the town during the investigation. There are no extra scenes in the film; each stage advances the plot.
This film provides a lot of thrills without a lot of plot twists.
The investigation scenes are excellent and keep you interested throughout the film. Even in this film, the camerawork impressed me, as it did in Parasite.
The entire film has a raw feel, leading us to believe actual events inspired it.
All of the actors performed admirably, particularly one character who is suspected of being the murderer, particularly impressed everyone.
Finding Nemo
Genre – Computer-animated comedy-drama adventure
Director- Andrew Stanton
Where to watch – Disney plus
The story commences with A timid clownfish embarking on a quest to return home when his son is kidnapped in the Great Barrier Reef and transferred to Sydney.
Nemo, the son of Marlin, a clown fish who lives in the Great Barrier Reef, is lost after venturing into the open ocean despite his father’s repeated warnings about many of the ocean’s hazards.
Nemo is kidnapped by a boat, caught in a net, and taken to a Sydney dentist’s office.
The film exemplifies Pixar’s uniqueness by focusing on a fish-centered storyline. Andrew Stanton accomplished a fantastic job in charge of this film’s direction.
It’s heartbreaking when Nemo and Dory first meet and when Marlin subsequently recognizes and locates his son Nemo.
The 3D animation in the movie is breathtakingly exquisite and astonishing for the time of its release, especially the water in the story, which appears to be honest.
It’s intriguing to think about a scenario with an epic hunt for a son who has vanished.
The message is primarily geared toward adults, a novel twist considering that youngsters are typically the target audience for family or children’s movies.
Old School
Genre – Commercially recorded hip hop
Director- Todd Phillips
Where to watch – Netflix
By founding a fraternity close to their alma college, three buddies hope to relive their glory years. After Mitch’s nymphomaniacal girlfriend, Heidi cheats on him, former party animal Frank marries but refuses to give up his wild life.
Beanie is a family man trying to recover his wild and crazy youth; Mitch, Frank, and Beanie become disillusioned with their personal lives.
The film excels because of its excellent acting and funny sequences.
The film’s ability to be so relatable may be its most vital point. Married men can identify with a yearning for the good old days, while young men crave respect and camaraderie.
It’s about taking risks and not looking back. It deals with the struggle of becoming older and starting a family.
All of these elements are present but in an absurdly comical manner.
The Italian Job
Genre – Heist action
Director– F. Gary Gray
Where to watch – Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play
Charlie Croker and his crew prepare an elaborate gold theft on their former partner after being betrayed and left for dead in Italy.
Professional burglars successfully steal $35 million in gold bars from an Italian gangster’s safe in Venice, but one of their allies betrays them and leaves them for dead.
They devise an exceedingly intricate theft against the traitor to recover the gold as they seek retribution.
It’s one of those movies you can see dozens of times, and each time feels like the first time. Time is as fresh as the first moment. It’s a hybrid of a heist movie and a revenge movie.
We get satisfying action and scrumptious justice porn from Italian Job. The film does a fantastic job of achieving its aim.
Who else could make driving a Mini Cooper to appear so much fun? This film undoubtedly played a significant role in the long-term sales of those vehicles.
Elf
Genre – Entertaining Christmas comedy
Director- Jon Favreau
Where to watch – Hbo max
Buddy, who was brought up, flies from the North Pole to New York City, dressed as a giant elf to see his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who requires some Christmas happiness but is unaware of his existence.
The famous sentence, “The best method to convey Christmas cheer is to sing loud for all to hear,” instructs the audience about all the best ways to do so.
Overall, the tone is quite endearing and wonderful. Buddy and Walter’s friendship is endearing.
The scene where it says “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” is the film’s high point.
Due to the previously mentioned stop motion, it’s astonishing that not all visual effects were created using computer graphics.
Similar to movies like ‘Gremlins, The Polar Express, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,’ this one became so well-liked that some theatres still rerelease it yearly around the holidays.
Matchstick Men
Genre – Black comedy
Director-Ridley Scott
Where to watch – Prime Video, Vudu, Redbox.
A phobic con man and his apprentice are about to pull off a successful scam when the former’s adolescent daughter shows up unexpectedly.
One day, Angela and her boyfriend go into a neighborhood carpet store where Roy has evolved into a salesperson.
Roy confronts Angela but decides to pardon her after seeing how much of an honest guy he is.
A timeless movie from the early 20th century, With its excellent acting and lovely blending of comedic family and serious drama, this dark comedy features a gorgeous score by Hans Zimmer.
It weaves in a charming tale of a con artist who learns he has a daughter and gradually repents his ways to become a responsible grownup.
The narrative takes a turn out the better, ending in grief and a great payoff that is a thrill.
An absent father or husband returns to the family home at the climax. Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman provided support roles.
Identity
Genre – Ensemble horror thriller
Director-James Mangold
Where to watch – Netflix, Hotstar, Hooq
Marooned in a desolate Nevada motel during a torrential rainstorm, ten outsiders become acquainted when they realize they are killed off one by one.
Malcolm Bodies of Water has been found guilty of several murders and sentenced to death.
As a psychological thriller/mystery film, it hits the mark with a good sense of balance.
First and foremost, fantastic casting and appearances all around. Second, the tempo keeps you interested; at 90 minutes, it is easily worth watching in one sitting.
There are multiple plotlines, and comprehending the dynamics of what is going on in these plot twists pays off. Some have criticized the ending plot twist, but remember that this is a Murder mystery.
Lost in Translation
Genre – Romantic comedy-drama
Director- Sofia Coppola
Where to watch – Hulu
After meeting in Tokyo, a fading movie star and a neglected young woman develop an odd friendship.
The friendship that forms between the two, which isn’t always smooth, is only for this particular moment in time but also has long-term effects.
This is a brilliantly written film. The script is fantastic, with a good mix of energetic humor and bittersweet soul-searching.
The story, driven by its characters, moves slowly but purposefully; any faster would have detracted from the magic and poignancy and rendered the title irrelevant.
And I adore the ambiguous but profound ending. Lost in Translation is both sad and funny but has a magical and irresistibly moving tone.
The story’s plausibility is this movie’s most vital point. The two central performances – each of which gained widespread acclaim and is regarded as one of the best in each actor’s career-accomplish this.
Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World
Genre – Historical drama
Director-Peter Weir
Where to watch – Hulu
During the Napoleonic Wars, a brave British captain pushes his ship and crew to their breaking point in pursuit of a formidable French warship circling South America. The story is shown in 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars.
Captain Aubrey of the British man-of-war HMS Surprise is tasked with pursuing the French privateer Acheron and “burning, sinking, or taking her as a prize.”
Surprise midshipman Hollom notices a dark shape in a fog bank as the film begins.
A movie called Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World masterpiece by Peter Weir is a movie that attracted my attention.
This movie features some of the best cinematography, astounding visual effects, fantastic sound effects, and meticulous attention to every little detail.
The battles are breathtaking, chaotic, startling, puzzling, intense, brutal, and genuine.
Runaway Jury
Genre – Legal thriller film
Director- Gary Fleder
Where to watch – Hulu
A juror and a lady on the outside manipulate a court case involving a significant gun manufacturer.
A torts attorney named Wendell Rohr is taking on the gun lobby. The defendants’ jury consultant is Rankin Fitch, and they are competing with one another for the jury’s sympathy and favor. However, there is a person inside.
Juror Nicholas Easter has a girlfriend named Marlee, who lives outside the courtroom. It’s quick, smooth, and a lot of fun.
One of the best film adaptations of a John Grisham book, with a more intriguing twist added by changing the crime to one that works better on screen.
It’s worth viewing the great confrontation sequence between Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman, demonstrating what excellent actors can do when the material is superb.
The performances by the performers were superb. The script is fantastic, and the action keeps you interested. A job well done and one to watch! Worth seeing.
Featured Image Source: RT