These are the movies that made the biggest impression on me in 2003. While I'm sure some of you out there will rip into me via email, I would encourage all of you to talk shit about my selections on our GeoBoards.

10. Identity: This is one of those movies that just sneaked up on me. I saw the trailer and didn’t think much of it until Twiz’s wife told me it was worth a look, actually she said it was the type of movie I would like. So to my surprise when I did check out this little thriller, as much as I hate to admit it she was right. This movie was one of the best mind f**ks of the year and who done it movies in quite sometime.

Best Performance: John Cusak as the limo driver with the mysterious past, oooh spooky.

9. Finding Nemo: Anytime a movie can captivate a 14 month old and an adult in the same viewing it’s always an achievement in filmmaking. Props to Pixar for putting out a kids’ flick that isn’t completely dumb ass. It’s simply a great film about fathers and sons.

Best Performance: Ellen Degeneress… No, seriously she plays a confused fish like she was born to play a confused fish.

8. Pirates of the Caribbean: Another fun family flick makes the cut. While not historically correct (Pirates of the Caribbean were more like slave traders, see lyrics to Bob Marley’s Redemption Song) the film had a certain charm many Disney films don’t.

Best Performance: Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Depp is the reason why I watched this movie from beginning to end. Imagine one of those drunk, strung out has been rockers from VH1 dressed as a pirate and there’s your Captain Jack Sparrow.

7. X2: X-Men United: The Best Blockbuster Movie of 2003. From Nightcrawler’s introduction to Wolverine tearing everyone a new one this movie was a non-stop roller coaster. What’s more each character has their own story arc that keeps us involved. Fans of the comic book will enjoy the very last image in this film.

Best Performance: Aaron Stanford as Pyro, You can tell this guy just wants to set shit on fire, everything else is a formality.

6. 28 Days Later: While it’s no secret this movie borrows heavily from George Romero’s Day of the Dead it still managed to carve its own little niche into the zombie horror genre (technically it’s not a zombie movie). The performances are excellent all around and the tension is sure handedly built to a climatic end (Note: check The DVD for the way better alternate ending).

Best Performance: Naomie Harris as Selena, her performance is seriously one of my favorites of the year, highly under stated. Somebody please make a movie staring Naomie.

5. Irreversible: Just so you can’t say I didn’t warn you there is a 15 minute rape scene that is just brutal beyond words. Still for those who can bare through are in for a disturbingly good film.

Best Performance: Monica Belluci, after seeing her in this you’ll ask yourself why she was in crap like the Matrix sequels and Tears of the Sun.

4. Last Samurai: Admittedly the ending seems somewhat improbable this was still an amazing film the sets, performances and battle scenes were some of the best this year. It’s unfortunate it takes a movie for people to gain respect for another culture, nonetheless a fascinating look into the way of the samurai.

Best Performance: Ken Watanabe as Katsumoto. Make no mistake, the poster might say starring Tom Cruise, but this film belongs to Watanabe.

3. Return of the King: I think every top ten list I’ve seen so far has this at number 1 or 2. Well allow me to buck the trend. Peter Jackson has pulled off what few directors could and will probably receive an award. ROTK puts an end to one of the best trilogies of all time.

Best Performance: Bernard Hill as Theoden. This was a hard, but Hill made me emotionally invest the most.

2. Kill Bill Volume 1: Tarantino’s forth film was well worth the wait. I know some of you out there can name 20 Asian films that Kill Bill borrows from, but that’s just what this
film is, a homage to the great and often overlooked Japanese and/or Honk Kong cinema.

Best Performance: Uma Thurman as the Bride. A woman with a thirst for revenge, it’s hard to top that.

1. Dirty Pretty Things: Hands down the best and unfortunately the most overlooked movie of the year. Director Stephen Fears brings to life a world very few know about or care to acknowledge. The acting is phenomenal and represents everything that is good in small independent films. Do yourself a favor and see this film now!

Best Performance: Chiwetel Ejiofor as Okwe. It’s rare we get a chance to see a character like this so richly developed and marvelously played. Check for Ejiofor in Spike Lee’s upcoming film She Hate Me.