2003 FILM BALLOT

the point of this exercise isn't merely to stand in contrast to industry awards shows but to shine light on other works/achievements/performances that might've not gotten enough consideration during their initial releases 

Honoring the best in several categories from the 2003 film year.
(all titles received wide or limited release for '03)
Other year-end ballots posted at The Wandering Image:   1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991,1992,

 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003,
 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Also, if you wish to view my favorite 30 films of 2003, go here




Note: "Animated Short" and "Animated Feature" categories have been merged into one Animation category, regardless of runtime length. Also "Sound Editing" and "Sound Mixing" have been combined into one "Sound Design" category. Focusing on both overall mix and sound creation.

2003

*IN AMERICA

THE SON

MILLENNIUM ACTRESS

GERRY

RETURN OF THE KING

LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION

MASTER & COMMANDER

LA COMMUNE: PARIS, 1871

FRIDAY NIGHT

UNKNOWN PLEASURES

TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE

BIG FISH

BLISSFULLY YOURS

LOST IN TRANSLATION

DEMONLOVER

KILL BILL: VOL. 1

ALL THE REAL GIRLS

28 DAYS LATER

ELEPHANT

DRACULA: PAGES FROM A VIRGIN'S DIARY

actual best picture oscar nominees:
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING  (won)
LOST IN TRANSLATION
MASTER & COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
MYSTIC RIVER
SEABISCUIT

actual foreign language oscar nominees:
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS  (won)
EVIL
THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI
TWIN SISTERS
ZELARY

2003

*Jim Sheridan for IN AMERICA

Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne for THE SON

Sofia Coppola for LOST IN TRANSLATION
Satoshi Kon for MILLENNIUM ACTRESS
Peter Weir for MASTER & COMMANDER

actual oscar nominees:
Fernando Merielles for CITY OF GOD
Peter Jackson for LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING  (won)
Sofia Coppola for LOST IN TRANSLATION
Peter Weir for MASTER & COMMANDER: FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
Clint Eastwood for MYSTIC RIVER

2003

*Catherine Samie 

                in THE LAST LETTER
Naomi Watts in 21 GRAMS
Samantha Morton in IN AMERICA
Charlize Theron in MONSTER
Scarlett Johansson in LOST IN TRANSLATION

actual oscar nominees:
Keisha Castle-Hughes in WHALE RIDER
Diane Keaton in SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE
Samantha Morton in IN AMERICA
Charlize Theron in MONSTER  (won)
Naomi Watts in 21 GRAMS

2003

*Paul Giamatti 

            in AMERICAN SPLENDOR
Robert Downey Jr. in THE SINGING DETECTIVE
Jack Black in SCHOOL OF ROCK
Bruce Campbell in BUBBA HO-TEP

Sean Penn in MYSTIC RIVER

actual oscar nominees:
Johnny Depp in PIRATES OF CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
Ben Kingsley in HOUSE OF SAND & FOG
Jude Law in COLD MOUNTAIN
Bill Murray in LOST IN TRANSLATION
Sean Penn in MYSTIC RIVER  (won)

2003

*Patricia Clarkson 

                   in PIECES OF APRIL
Marcia Gay Harden in MYSTIC RIVER
Hope Davis in AMERICAN SPLENDOR

Naomie Harris in 28 DAYS LATER

Zooey Deschanel in ALL THE REAL GIRLS

actual oscar nominees:
Shohreh Aghdashloo in HOUSE OF SAND & FOG
Patricia Clarkson in PIECES OF APRIL
Marcia Gay Harden in MYSTIC RIVER
Holly Hunter in THIRTEEN
Renée Zellweger in COLD MOUNTAIN  (won)

2003

*Benicio del Toro in 21 GRAMS
Johnny Depp in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

Djimon Hounsou in IN AMERICA

Simon Rex in SCARY MOVIE 3

Tim Robbins in MYSTIC RIVER

actual oscar nominees:
Alec Baldwin in THE COOLER
Benicio Del Toro in 21 GRAMS
Djimon Hounsou in IN AMERICA
Tim Robbins in MYSTIC RIVER  (won)
Ken Watanabe in THE LAST SAMURAI

2003

*IN AMERICA 

     - Naomi, Kristen & Jim Sheridan
LOST IN TRANSLATION - Sofia Coppola
THE STATION AGENT - Tom McCarthy
KILL BILL: VOL.1 - Quentin Tarantino
FINDING NEMO - Andrew Stanton

actual oscar nominees:
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS
DIRTY PRETTY 
FINDING NEMO
IN AMERICA
LOST IN TRANSLATION  (won)

2003

*AMERICAN SPLENDOR 

        - Robert Pulcini & Shari Berman
THE GOOD THIEF - Neil Jordan
MYSTIC RIVER - Brian Helgeland
MASTER & COMMANDER - Peter Weir, John Collee
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING - Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson

actual oscar nominees:
AMERICAN SPLENDOR
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING  (won)
CITY OF GOD
MYSTIC RIVER
SEABISCUIT

2003

*TO BE AND TO HAVE
THE FOG OF WAR
BALSEROS
LOVE AND DIANE
MY ARCHITECT

actual oscar nominees:
BALSEROS
CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS
THE FOG OF WAR  (won)
MY ARCHITECT
THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND

2003

*MILLENIUM ACTRESS
THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE
LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION

TORNEHEKKEN [HEDGE OF THORNS]
Robert Morgan's THE SEPARATION

FINDING NEMO
CAT SOUP
DESTINO
WARD 13
THE SECOND RENAISSANCE [ANIMATRIX segment]
CHEMICAL BROTHERS: STAR GUITAR
HARVIE KRUMPET
INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5TORY OF THE 5ECRET 5TAR 5YSTEM

actual oscar nominees feature:
BROTHER BEAR
TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE
FINDING NEMO  (won)

actual oscar nominees short:
BOUNDIN'
DESTINO
GONE NUTTY
HARVIE KRUMPET  (won)
NIBBLES

2003

*FINDING NEMO 

                    - Thomas Newman >
ALL THE REAL GIRLS - David Wingo >
BIG FISH - Danny Elfman >
LOTR: RETURN OF THE KING - Howard Shore >
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: - Hans Zimmer >

MYSTIC RIVER - Clint Eastwood >

actual oscar nominees:
BIG FISH
COLD MOUNTAIN
FINDING NEMO
HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING  (won)

2003

*SIGUR ROS: 

    "UNTITLED #1" aka "VAKA"
TERMINAL BAR
CHERNOBYL HEART

MOST (THE BRIDGE)
MORGAN FISHER'S "( )"
TENACIOUS D: JB'S BJ

JOHNNY CASH: HURT

TENACIOUS D: BUTT BABY

LUDACRIS: STAND UP

CHEMICAL BROTHERS: GET YOURSELF HIGH

RARE EXPORTS INC.

LINKIN PARK: FAINT

OUTKAST: HEY YA!

actual oscar nominees live-action short:
THE RED JACKET
MOST (THE BRIDGE)
SQUASH
(A) TORZIJA
TWO SOLDIERS  (won)

actual oscar nominees documentary short:
ASYLUM
FERRY TALES
CHERNOBYL HEART  (won)

categories below this point are

↓for you technical craft lovers↓

2003

*CITY OF GOD - César Charlone, ABC
SEABISCUIT - John Schwartzman, ASC
GERRY - Harris Savides, ASC
MASTER & COMMANDER - Russell Boyd, ASC, ACS
28 DAYS LATER - Anthony Dod Mantle, BSC, ASC, DFF

actual oscar nominees:
CITY OF GOD
COLD MOUNTAIN
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
MASTER & COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD  (won)
SEABISCUIT

2003

*THE FOG OF WAR - Doug Abel, 

         Chyld King, Karen Schmeer
KILL BILL: VOL.1 - Sally Menke
CITY OF GOD - Daniel Rezende
COLD MOUNTAIN - Walter Murch
HULK - Tim Squyres

actual oscar nominees:
CITY OF GOD
COLD MOUNTAIN
LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING  (won)
MASTER & COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
SEABISCUIT

2003 - PRODUCTION DESIGN + SET DECOR

*MASTER AND COMMANDER: 

THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD 

                               - Bill Sandell
DOWN WITH LOVE - Andrew Laws, Martin Whist, Don Diers
COLD MOUNTAIN - Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo
THE LAST SAMURAI - Lilly Kilvert; Gretchen Rau
LOTR: RETURN OF THE KING - G.Major, Hennah, Alan Lee

actual oscar nominees:
GIRL WITH A PEAR EARRING
THE LAST SAMURAI
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING  (won)
MASTER & COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
SEABISCUIT

2003

*THE LAST SAMURAI 

                     - Ngila Dickson
DOWN WITH LOVE - Daniel Orlandi
LOTR: RETURN OF THE KING - Ngila Dickson, R.Taylor
MASTER & COMMANDER - Wendy Stites
PIRATES OF THE CARRIBBEAN: BLACK PEARL - Penny Rose

SEABISCUIT - Judianna Makovsky

actual oscar nominees:
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
THE LAST SAMURAI
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING  (won)
MASTER & COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
SEABISCUIT

2003

*LORD OF THE RINGS: 

   THE RETURN OF THE KING 

- P.Swords King, Peter Owen, Richard Taylor
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - Ve Neill, Martin Samuel
X2 - Rita Ciccozzi, Monica Huppert, Toby Lindala
MASTER & COMMANDER - Edouard Henriques III, Yolanda Toussieng
TERMINATOR 3 - Stan Winston

LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN 

            - Brian Best; Michelle Taylor; Neill Gorton; Ian Morse

actual oscar nominees:
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING  (won)
MASTER & COMMANDER: FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL

2003

*ELEPHANT
MASTER & COMMANDER: FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
GERRY
THE MATRIX: RELOADED & REVOLUTIONS

actual oscar nominees sound editing: 
MASTER & COMMANDER: FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD  (won)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
FINDING NEMO

actual oscar nominees sound mix: 
THE LAST SAMURAI
LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING  (won)
MASTER AND COMMANDER
PIRATES OF CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
SEABISCUIT

2003

*PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING
THE MATRIX: RELOADED & REVOLUTIONS
MASTER & COMMANDER: FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
HULK

GODZILLA: TOKYO S.O.S.

actual oscar nominees:
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING  (won)
PIRATES OF CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD

↓The following categories are inspired by The Muriel Awards

2003

*1) Saying goodbye to E.T. and little brother Frankie in moonlight 

                  - IN AMERICA
2) Cannon battle in fog - MASTER & COMMANDER
3) Bugs, Daffy, & Elmer Fudd run through Dali, Seurat, Munch paintings - LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION
4) Swing set confession. "Mogwai Fear Satan." 

-------------------------------------- ALL THE REAL GIRLS
5) Francis returns to lumber yard after violence. 

**Ending moment** ----------------------------------- THE SON

6) Demonic scarab beetle attacks Elvis in rest home 

-------------------------------------------- BUBBA HO-TEP
7) Retracing their steps in sand map. Arvo Pärt dread

-------------------------------------------------- GERRY
8) Wandering abandoned London streets. - 28 DAYS LATER
9) The Bride VS GoGo & the Crazy 88s - KILL BILL VOL.1
-tie- the highway pile up premonition 

-------------------------------------- FINAL DESTINATION 2
10) Hulk's desert  rampage against military hardware 

------------------------------------------------------- HULK
11) Final embrace. Inaudible whisper.  **close** 

------------------------------------------------ LOST IN TRANSLATION
12) Nightcrawler's acrobatic White House blitz - X2 
-tie- Jungle fight against several jungle rebels 

-------------------------------------------- THE RUNDOWN
13) Final 15mins, starting with Willie's last safe hack 

------------------------------------------------- BAD SANTA
14) Dog's train ride day dream - TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE
15) Freeway chase sequence - THE MATRIX RELOADED

also, the pancakes:

2003

*MYSTIC RIVER
IN AMERICA
ANGELS IN AMERICA
SEABISCUIT
LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING

Other year-end ballots posted at The Wandering Image:   1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991,1992,
 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003,
 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014