E-Crap's Best of 2003

MOVIES 
Best Movie of 2003 - THE DANCER UPSTAIRS

John Malkovich scores big in his directorial debut about a revolution in an unnamed country in Latin America. I liked it just as much on the second viewing.

Honorable Mention

* Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (Pop culture meets conspiracy theory. Not to mention the author of the cheesy pop classic "Palisades Park.")
* Seabiscuit (I’m biased about the racing backdrop, but good nonetheless. Gotta love William H. Macy’s bit part!)
* Lost in Translation (welcome back, Mr. Murray)
* Bend it Like Beckham



MUSIC - CD's
Best CD of 2003 - RUNAWAY FAVORITE by Professor & Maryann

Brilliant, eclectic duo + backing musicians = a more commercially viable sound, though it should not have been necessary. My favorite song from the CD changes weekly, and that's one of the reason none made the "best song" list - they each take away votes from the others!

Honorable Mention

* "The Wind" by Warren Zevon (Zevon spent the last year of his life working on this gem. A lasting legacy.)
* "Spanish Radio" by de Sol (Good time, Latin-flavored rock ‘n roll.)



MUSIC - SONGS
Best Song of 2003 - AMSTERDAM


Four years ago, E-Crap.com was the first popular "pop culture" website and e-zine to feature a mostly unknown band from New England named Guster. Since that time, Guster has gone on to much fame and popularity. In 2003, they produced the best song of the year. "Gonna write you a letter..."



Honorable Mention

* "Spin Around" by de Sol (Between Guster and DeSol, these were the two songs stuck in my mind for the better part of the summer.)
* "Picture" by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow (A slightly sappy choice, but a song I loved until radio stations began to overplay it.)



TELEVISION
Best TV Show - ESPN's Beg Borrow & Deal

A weak HBO year leads to a surprise winner. What can I say… this was fun to watch. A reality show based on actual sports feats sometimes matched against professional athletes. And having Kerri Kasem on one of the teams didn’t hurt either!

Honorable Mention

* ESPN's "World Series of Poker" (I’m not a big poker player, but I couldn’t even turn off the reruns of this competition. Partly due to some of the sleazy players, partly because of the human element, there was nothing cooler than seeing sometime steal a million dollar pot without even a single pair!)
* "The Dead Zone" (Pretty cool adaptation based on the Stephen King best-seller. Anthony Michael Hall (the geek from 80’s movie "Sixteen Candles") as a guy who sees murders happen to people ahead of time and must work to prevent them from actually happening. Confusing premise, but it works.)