Top 10 movies of 2003: list No. 3

By SHANI ALSTON

You’ve read all the other lists. Critics have been picking their top 10 movies of 2002 for a… You’ve read all the other lists. Critics have been picking their top 10 movies of 2002 for a while now. A lot of the same movies are praised over and over again by many different people, while some movies are overlooked merely because they aren’t as “moving” or “deep.” Well, I haven’t forgotten about them. In no particular order, here’s a list of some of the coolest movies of 2002.

10. “Big Fat Liar” – It starred Frankie Muniz from “Malcolm in the Middle” and Amanda Bynes from Nickelodeon as two kids who take on Hollywood. Plus, the bad guy’s skin gets dyed really blue. What more can you ask for?

9. “Signs”- A creepy movie that turned me off to searching for crop circles; it definitely kept me awake the night after I saw it.

8. “Blade 2” – Starring Wesley Snipes, “Blade 2” featured blood, blood, and more blood, as well as more vampires than you can shake a stake at. For a sequel, it was pretty good and more than a mere blatant copy of the first one. It also had a good twist in the middle.

7. “Sweet Home Alabama” – This is one romantic comedy I’d recommend watching more than once. The story is really sweet and the quality of the cast keeps the movie from becoming too cliche and typical.

6. “8 Mile” – This flick brought the world of underground rapping to the big screen. I enjoyed the intense freestyle battle scenes and the authenticity Eminem brought to his role as struggling rapper Jimmy Smith.

5. “Drumline” – This was one movie filled with music and competition. Nick Cannon starred as a talented drummer who has a lot to learn about teamwork. The movie is part drama, part comedy, part musical and lots of fun to watch. The scenes where the marching band performs are impressive.

4. “25th Hour” – Spike Lee’s latest was an intimate look into a sensitive drug dealer’s last day as a free man before he goes to jail. The intimate look into the characters and the haunting images of a post-Sept. 11, 2001, New York made it memorable.

3. “Spiderman” – This was one of the biggest movies of the summer. Everyone had to see it just to know what everyone else was talking about. Tobey McGuire makes the cutest superhero, so I had to include it.

2. “Antwone Fisher” – This was Denzel Washington’s directorial debut movie. What made this movie even more powerful was the fact that it was a true story. The pain and triumph of Antwone’s struggle was beautifully conveyed in the film.

1. “Goldmember” – In this third installment in the Austin Powers series, the father-son twist on the story was especially touching. I enjoyed the return of Fat Bastard, Austin, Dr. Evil, Scott and Mini-me. It had more cameos than I could count.

And one more: “Minority Report” – It starred Tom Cruise as a cop who tries to outsmart the system once he is accused of committing a murder in the future. It kept me thinking even after it was over.

That’s just an eclectic list of some of the cool movies of 2002, most of which you won’t find on other lists. If you missed them the first time around, good thing there’s a Blockbuster around here now. Feel free to check these movies out.