2003 was an eclectic year for motion pictures.  In what may be much more than a movie, but rather the final episode of the most spectacular miniseries ever made, we finally discover whether Frodo succeeds in destroying the ring and making Middle Earth once again safe for hobbits, elves, dwarves, white wizards, the returning king -- and all men of good will.  A daughter of a legendary filmmaker, who has taken the baton from her famous father (who's now more content making Merlot in his California vineyards than making movies) goes on to prove that she can go toe-to-toe with Hollywood's big boys.  19^th Century sea battles are rendered with unprecedented verisimilitude that leaves audiences awestruck.  A former box office star of action-packed horse operas and violent police shoot-em-ups directs a quiet and somber masterpiece that delves into character subtext to explore a moral dilemma.  And an undersized horse wins a race and inspires a nation. 

Of the five films released in 2003 that are nominated for Best Picture of the Year, four were based on bestselling books -- one an inspiring true story, written by an author who beat overwhelming odds to cross her own finish line to success.  Only one film nominated for the top honor is an original story, written and directed by a young woman, who is rapidly emerging as one of Hollywood's top contenders. 

Which movie will win? 

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING 

In what is undeniably the most ambitious undertaking of epic filmmaking in Motion Picture History, director Peter Jackson pulls out all the stops in the third and final installment of author J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy. Nominated for 11 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING is guaranteed to thrill die-hard Tolkien fans -- and even those uninitiated to the customs of Middle Earth. Not only does this movie faithfully adhere to the text, but also is so awesome an experience that audiences will not even need to have seen the first two films to revel in the sheer magnificence of this astounding cinematic achievement.  Never has a classic work of literature been more thoroughly and reverently translated to the silver screen. When the Forces of Good (Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, and Men) unite to do final battle with the Forces of Evil (Sauron, Orcs, Ringwraiths, Mûmakils, and Nazgûls), it's not hard to guess who will ultimately emerge victorious by the end of the long journey; but getting there and back is 99 percent of the fun. Bigger, bolder, and even more spectacular than its two predecessors, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING boasts state-of-the-art visual effects that will leave viewers breathless.  But it will also bring tears to the eyes when endearing characters vividly realized by an accomplished ensemble cast take their final bow in a dazzling denouement. All good things must come to an end. 

LOST IN TRANSLATION 

Apparently nothing was lost in translation when legendary director Francis Ford Coppola (THE GODFATHER, APOCALYPSE NOW) taught the tricks of his trade to his only daughter, Sofia Coppola, who wrote and directed the movie that has been nominated for four Oscars®, including Best Picture, Best Achievement in Directing, and Best Original Screenplay.  Serving up a funny, sexy, and surprisingly poignant film, the young Coppola shows that she really knows how to grab audience attention from the get-go with the most unforgettable opening shot since Stanley Kubrick had Nicole Kidman drop her dress for her notorious nude eye-opener in EYES WIDE SHUT.  LOST IN TRANSLATION begins with a long and lingering close up of 18-year old up-and-coming superstar Scarlett Johansson's voluptuous bottom, encased in sheer, hot pink panties -- to lure enthralled and receptive viewers into the unfolding narrative of a thought-provoking tragicomedy.  Coppola weaves an intricate original tale of a faded American movie star (Bill Murray), who travels to Tokyo to shoot a series of TV commercials for a whiskey company, teams up with the neglected young wife (Johansson) of an inattentive photographer (Giovanni Ribisi), and ultimately embarks upon an adventure that unexpectedly evolves into a journey of introspective spiritual discovery.  Proving she can tell an entertaining cinematic story with subtlety and style that would make her father proud, Sofia Coppola can also guide veteran actors to deliver dynamic performances.  Former Saturday Night Live funnyman, Murray, who won the Golden Globe® for his portrayal, is also nominated for an Oscar® for Best Actor for this film.

MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD

Those old Errol Flynn movies were never like this!  Hollywood used to make 19^th century naval warfare look like good clean fun.  But in MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD, you'll finally get to see what the historic battles on the high seas were really like. Utilizing amazingly realistic computer generated special effects, director Peter Weir savagely depicts the devastation of close-range heavy artillery fire.  When the cannon balls are flying, splintering hulls and rending sailors limb from limb, you'll want to dive under your seat.  The film is so remarkable in its respect for historic detail that even die-hard landlubbers will exit theatres feeling as if they've just taken shore leave after sailing with Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and the English fleet against Napoleon's navy.  At times, this film can be hard to take for the squeamish, particularly following the fierce fighting when the decks are awash with gore. But this movie also serves up scenes of spectacular and serene beauty, especially when the crew drops anchor off the coast of the Galapagos Islands to embark upon a scientific expedition.  Based on the tenth book in Patrick O'Brian's legendary series of novels about the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars, this is a real he-man's movie -- the ultimate seafaring adventure.  Required viewing for naval history buffs, MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD is nominated for 10 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects. 

MYSTIC RIVER 

Clint Eastwood, who once held the title of Hollywood's Top Box Office Attraction as a movie actor portraying "The Man With No Name" in a series of epic and operatic westerns, also made a name for himself as one of Hollywood's top movie directors when he won the Academy Award© for Best Achievement in Directing for UNFORGIVEN. Eleven years later, at the helm on MYSTIC RIVER, Eastwood is once again sailing ahead of the regatta, cruising full speed towards this year's Oscar® glory. In this murder mystery/morality play filmed on location in the seedy riverfront neighborhoods of Boston Massachusetts, Eastwood courageously rejects all special effects and camera trickery, relying instead on his talents of good old-fashioned movie making.  What emerges is a work of "pure cinema," a flawless film redolent of Hollywood's Golden Age, driven almost exclusively by the raw power of storytelling and performance. The craftsman Eastwood faithfully maintains the disturbing subtext of Dennis Lahane's bestselling novel without losing a beat as the suspenseful tale unfolds sotto voce.  Under Eastwood's tutelage members of an all-star cast deliver some of the finest performances of their acting careers. Chosen in 2003 as the opening night presentation at the New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center (an honor regarded as an award in itself), MYSTIC RIVER is a gritty and heart-wrenching tale of guilt, repression, justice and revenge, which will undoubtedly be remembered among the most important American movies of the early 21^st century.  It's well-deserving of its six Oscar® nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Sean Penn), Best Supporting Actor (Tim Robbins), Best Supporting Actress (Marcia Gay Harden), Best Adapted Screenplay (Brian Helgeland). 

SEABISCUIT 

You've got to see this movie in a packed theatre!  It has audiences on their feet applauding, cheering -- and by the finale, weeping uncontrollably.  SEABISCUIT does for horseracing what ROCKY did for boxing.  The sleeper hit of the summer captured the hearts of American moviegoers by offering the one thing that is so rare in movies these days.  SEABISCUIT delivers hope.  It's a true story of long-time losers, who beat the odds and are reborn as champions.  It assures us all that it's never too late to change things for the better, that no one is too beaten down or too insignificant to make a difference -- and if you have the gumption to stick it out until the bitter end, there's always a real possibility for a bright tomorrow.  During the Great Depression a former bicycle repairman Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges), who made his fortune by introducing the automobile to the American West before suffering a devastating personal tragedy, overcomes his grief when he purchases Seabiscuit, a reject racehorse.  Howard teams up with a washed-up rodeo rider (Chris Cooper), who becomes the horse's trainer, and a half blind and half crippled ex-prize fighter (Tobey Maguire), who later becomes the jockey, who rides Seabiscuit to victory.  It's based on the bestselling book of the same title, written by author Laura Hillenbrand, who beat some tough odds of her own.  She wrote her novel while fighting back against a debilitating chronic medical condition.  The popular odds-on favorite, SEABISCUIT is nominated for seven Oscars®,  including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.