@ The Movies: The Top 10 In 2003

Well, here we are at the end of another year and once again, I'm wracking my brains about what I thought were the best movies of 2003. Believe me, there were more than 10 great movies to pick from this year, which makes the task all the tougher.

Of course, my answers are completely subjective; after all, each movie strikes everybody in a different way. But for me, the question boils down to, "Is the film entertaining and/or informative, and most importantly, did it stay with me long after I left the theater?"

Let's find out if the same films stayed with you in 2003 -- and here's to continued happy moviegoing experiences in 2004!

10. "Ghosts of the Abyss" -- Filmmaker James Cameron's stunning 3D IMAX documentary gives unprecedented view of Titanic as it lay on the ocean floor of the North Atlantic. And while the views of ship alone are enough to shoot a chill up your spine, Cameron puts the disaster into an amazing perspective by often superimposing computer-generated sets over several areas of the wreckage to help us imagine what the ship looked like in its full glory. The only thing that hurt this film was shortage of large screen venues to play it in.

9. "The Station Agent" -- A charismatic Peter Dinklage stars in a deeply affecting tale of friendship about dwarf, Finn McBride (Dinklage), who after years of ridicule because of his size, finds strange company in an overly anxious food wagon vendor (Bobby Cannavale) and an artist (Patricia Clarkson) haunted by a family tragedy. It's a remarkably original story that has a lot of heart.

8. "The Last Samurai" -- "Glory" director Edward Zwick creates another glorious movie in "The Last Samurai," an epic tale that follows a disillusioned soldier wracked with guilt from the Civil War (Tom Cruise) who trains Japanese soldiers to fight the country's remaining samurai warriors -- but finds redemption in the captivity of the enemy. Whether it's on the bloody battlefields or the intimate environs of the samurai village, Zwick has an incredible handle on the filmmaking process. Sure, Cruise is billed over the title of the film, but Zwick really is the star.

7. "Seabiscuit" -- For the lack of better words, the horseracing movie "Seabiscuit" feels like a classic right out of the gate. Weaving together the stories of a jockey (Tobey Maguire), a trainer (Chris Cooper), an enterprising businessman (Jeff Bridges) and an undersized racehorse, writer-director Gary Ross' depression-era drama is an inspiring ride. Sure, we've seen underdog stories before, but who doesn't love an underdog? And, you can't deny it, the horses in the film are absolutely beautiful creatures.

6. "Cold Mountain" -- A sprawling, beautiful Civil War-time romantic epic from "The English Patient" director Anthony Minghella, "Cold Mountain" boasts a bevy of brilliant performances, from a breathtaking Nicole Kidman to Jude Law, who is bound to reach the level of superstardom after this movie. But the biggest surprise comes with Renee Zellweger, who turns in a bizarre, yet engaging performance as a Kidman's farm hand.

5. "Finding Nemo" -- Pixar Animation Studios dives into another wondrous computer-animated tale with "Finding Nemo," a lost fish tale that's perhaps the company's best movie yet. But "Nemo's" visuals wouldn't have meant a thing if didn't have the emotion had to match it. Whether it be Ellen DeGeneres' goofy Dory or Albert Brooks' neurotic Marlin, the characters often come off as more real than their live-action film counterparts.

4. "X2: X-Men United" -- A brilliant sequel to an engaging original, "X2" has it all: action, adventure, comedy and emotion. Like "Finding Nemo," the reason director Bryan Singer's sci-fi adventure succeeds is because the filmmaker keeps his characters at the forefront. Anybody who's ever felt like an outsider can relate to this movie -- the continuing story of mutants trying to gain acceptance in a society that misunderstands them.

3. "Something's Gotta Give" -- Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton are delightful in writer-director Nancy Meyer's smart and sassy romantic comedy about a bachelor (Nicholson) notorious for dating only younger women who suddenly finds himself smitten with the mature mother (Diane Keaton) of his latest girlfriend (Amanda Peet). Keaton turns in perhaps the most charming performance of her career, while Nicholson playfully becomes a target for self-deprecating humor. It's real hoot.

2. "A Mighty Wind" -- Backed by a wonderfully original premise, high-spirited performances and an infectious feel-good atmosphere, the documentary-style music-comedy about the folk music - "A Mighty Wind" -- is a powerful comedic force. Like his prior mock-documentary films "Waiting for Guffman" and "Best in Show," director Christopher Guest (whose joined by fellow Spinal Tappers Michael McKean and Harry Shearer) once again proves with "Wind" that you don't have to go far to find the greatest laughs in life, because they're all alive and well right there in those quirky people known as "us." As hapless as the characters are, they still feel real.

1. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" -- Director Peter Jackson has not only created a grand spectacle that's an instant classic with "The Return of the King," he's completed the insurmountable task of not only sustaining, but heightening the intensity with each "Lord of the Rings" film chapter. Combining the intimacy and emotion of 2001's "The Fellowship of Ring" and the action, adventure and sweeping landscapes of 2002's "The Two Towers," "The Return of the King" is the last grand piece of one of the greatest cinematic achievements ever. I don't know about you, but I'm going to really miss these characters. What an incredible moviegoing experience.

Honorable Mentions:

• Director Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River" seethes with intensity thanks to gutsy performances by Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Marcia Gay Harden, but a morally questionable ending is a big turn off.
• Featuring lovable acting turns by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johannson, "Lost in Translation" is an oddly compelling tale of friendship from director Sofia Coppola that's harmed by a slow plot set-up.
• The biggest surprise of the year came with the energetic remake of "Freaky Friday," where you swear stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan have really switched bodies. Curtis is an absolute scream as the mom-turned-teen in what's sure to be another classic Disney family film.
• Jack Black aces his performance as a rock and roll slacker-turned-substitute teacher in "The School of Rock." The great thing about Black's character is that he's not a one-note Johnny: he was intellectualized by music in his formative years, and in addition to the fact that the music he preaches about is jammin' stuff, it's got a message, too -- and so does the movie.
• Also worthy of mention are the wondrous holiday movie "Elf" for Will Ferrell's "Big"-like spirit and writer-director Jon Favreau's creativity, and Russell Crowe's high-seas epic "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" for it's spectacular oceanic battles. Don't see this one on a full stomach if you're prone to getting sea-sick!