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The end of the year usually brings about reviews of things or events from that year of some
sort, so here are my selections for my favorite Disney films of 2003. As a beginning,
here are the movies that I have seen from this year, in order of release date:
Holes
The Lizzie McGuire Movie
Finding Nemo
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Brother Bear
As you can see from the list, I haven't seen Freaky Friday, which generally got
good reviews, or Haunted Mansion. But although I could
be wrong, I don't think those would affect my choice for the top spot.
And my favorite Disney film of 2003 is: Pirates of the Caribbean. There are several
reasons I find this movie enjoyable. It is a fun pirate movie that doesn't take itself
too seriously. While the film isn't cheesy or corny, it doesn't try to be anything
more than it is - a pirate movie filled with action, adventure, a ship battle,
and more than a few swordfights.  Plus, there is the mystery of the curse to keep your
interest up. And let's be frank - Johnny Depp carries the film as Captain Jack Sparrow.
As with all good movie characters, it would be hard to imagine anyone else in the
role. Of course, the supporting cast does a fine job as well. The special effects
are remarkable, and the score adds greatly to the onscreen action.
I must confess that I didn't have high hopes for the movie before it was released.
And perhaps that made the film all the more enjoyable; because I didn't have to worry
about whether it met my expectations, I could just sit back and enjoy the action.
Perhaps the viewing location added to my initial enjoyment as well, because we saw it
while aboard the Disney Cruise Line, meaning we saw Pirates of the Caribbean in the
Caribbean. But repeated viewings of the DVD in my own living room have produced the
same enjoyment. So it was easy to pick Pirates of the Caribbean as my favorite Disney
film of 2003.
 A rather close second would be Finding Nemo. Pixar never fails to deliver, and this
movie is no exception. While my expectations for this movie were pretty high, Finding
Nemo met and even exceeded them. It has everything that Pixar movies are known for,
starting with a well thought out story that mixes humor with emotion, action with
narration. A large cast of well developed characters keeps things interesting. Pixar
always seems to find just the right voices for their characters, and they outdid
themselves in this one by casting Ellen DeGeneres as Dory. Finding Nemo
is a fun movie that appeals to everyone in the family, and it isn't a surprise that it
was the biggest movie of the year.
 Not very far behind Finding Nemo is Brother Bear. And like Finding Nemo, it has
a good story with some unexpected turns, a great voice cast, and spectacular animation.
Phil Collins' songs also add quite a bit. I had listened to the soundtrack several times
before seeing the film, and while I enjoyed it before, I have enjoyed the soundtrack
even more after seeing the film. And my favorite characters in the film were Tuke
and Rutt, voiced by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis. I have enjoyed seeing them pop up
on everything from the Disney Channel to McDonald's commercials to the televised Walt Disney World
Christmas Parade. This is one movie I am looking foward to owning on DVD.
 The other two movies I saw this year, Holes and The Lizzie McGuire Movie, were good,
although I was content with seeing them in my home on DVD instead of the theater. After
seeing them, I don't think that was a mistake. I would rank Holes slightly above
Lizzie McGuire. They were each a pleasant evening's diversion.
During 2003 I also had a chance to see some of the Disney releases of the previous
year for the first time, thanks to DVD. The Rookie is an inspiring story of how it
is never too late to pursue your dreams. Tuck Everlasting is an interesting tale
of the mystery behind a family's longevity.  But my favorite Disney movie of 2002 that I
didn't see until 2003 was The Santa Clause 2. This wonderful holiday movie continues the
story told in the 1994 original. And all the original cast is back, along with some
new additions. Especially entertaining are the other legendary figures, such as the
Sandman, Father Time, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny. This film mixes warmth
and humor in just the right amounts, and Tim Allen is likeable as always. This is one
of the few movies that I wanted to buy after renting the DVD.
2003 was a good year for Disney movies (and DVDs as well). Hopefully, 2004 will
bring many more exciting adventures!
- Story by Steve Burns; Photos ©Disney
Posted
Steve is a three-time Disney Store National Trivia finalist and webmaster of BurnsLand, home of Steve's Disney Railroad Adventures.
E-mail Steve at steve@startedbyamouse.com, discuss this article in the StartedByAMouse.com Disney Discussion Forums or use the Talkback feature below.
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