Category: Year: 2003
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Willard. Dir. Glen Morgan. New Line Cinema. 2003.
Glen Morgan’s disturbing horror film Willard portrays the life of social misfit Willard Stiles (played by Crispin Glover), and a colony of trained rats who live in the basement of his somewhat derelict mansion. Whilst at first Willard intends to dispose of the rodents, he instead connects with a distinctive white rat whom he names…
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Seven Pounds. Dir. Gabriele Muccino. Sony Pictures. 2003
Seven Pounds is a 2003 drama film directed by Gabriele Muccino which explores the relationship between humans and non-human animals, specifically focusing on the bond between human and dog. The film highlights how through feelings of trust and dependency, combined with overcoming societal stereotypes, both humans and dogs can utilize the time they spend together…
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The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Dir. Peter Jackson. New Line Cinema. 2003.
In this scene, we see a last gasp attack from the human riders against a far larger force of evil orcs. The horses the men ride reflect the heroic values of their riders whilst also encompassing the bestial nature of conflict. Jackson uses a wide shot, with the golden sun shining on the riders, to…
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How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Dir. Donald Petrie. Paramount Pictures. 2003.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 days is a romantic comedy about a magazine writer, Andy, who is conducting a social experiment that involves her acting in very cliché forms of crazy to see what it takes to really drive a man away. However, Andy’s target, Ben, is an advertising executive that wants to take…
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I am David. Dir. Paul Feig. Lion’s Gate Films. 2003.
I am David (2003) is a film adaptation of a children’s book of the same name by Anne Holm. The protagonist David must journey north alone after escaping a Bulgarian prison camp, in order to reach Denmark which he has been told is safe. As he is walking through a vineyard in Italy, he is startled…
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Big Fish. Dir. Tim Burton. Columbia Pitures. 2003.
Tim Burton’s, Big Fish [1] follows the life of the charismatic Edward Bloom in his search for adventure far from the confines of his small town in Alabama. Upon leaving his town, his hedonistic search for excitement becomes chaotic and animalistic as he is led primarily by his primitive desires, such as sexuality. This is particularly…
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Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Dir. Gore Verbinski . Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. 2003.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a film based on the Disney theme park attraction, which tells the story of 18th century pirates trying to rid themselves of an Aztec curse. Early in the film a group of pirates are imprisoned at Port Royal, alongside one of the film’s central characters, Captain…
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Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde. Dir. Charles Herman-Wurmfield. Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer. 2003.
Legally Blonde 2 attempts to interrogate the controversial issue of animal testing in a comedic domain. Although the realm of comedy is potentially limiting, due to its farcical and flippant nature, Herman-Wurmfield uses humour to expose issues in animal experimentation through his protagonist, Elle Woods. Elle realises her beloved pet Chihuahua Bruiser’s mother is trapped…