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Best of 2003

Best Movies of 2003, Ranked

2,948 films on the site were released in 2003, and 428 have enough critic or audience ratings to be ranked. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tops the list, ahead of The Triplets of Belleville and La Commune (Paris, 1871). The biggest hit was The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King with $1.1B worldwide, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won Best Picture at the 2004 Oscars.

films released in 2003
2,948
ranked by rating
428
worldwide, top 10 hits
$6B
award wins
92
  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) movie poster #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 94 Metascore
  2. The Triplets of Belleville (2003) movie poster #2 The Triplets of Belleville 91 Metascore
  3. La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2003) movie poster #3 La Commune (Paris, 1871) 90 Metascore
#1 of 2003

What Is the Best Movie of 2003?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the best-rated film of 2003, with a rank value of 90/100 from critics and audiences, ahead of The Triplets of Belleville (86/100). Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases).

Ranked

Top 25 Movies of 2003, Ranked

The Triplets of Belleville and La Commune (Paris, 1871) follow The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Drama is the most common genre in the top 25 (14 films). Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases).

Best of the 2000s
  1. The Triplets of Belleville (2003) movie poster
    2. The Triplets of Belleville 91 Metascore (Metascore 91 out of 100)

    2003 · Adventure, Comedy · 1h 18m

    Dir. Sylvain Chomet No Echo Score: ranked 86/100 on critics & audiences

  2. La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2003) movie poster
    3. La Commune (Paris, 1871) 90 Metascore (Metascore 90 out of 100 (5 critic reviews))

    2003 · Drama, History · 5h 45m

    Dir. Peter Watkins No Echo Score: ranked 86/100 on critics & audiences

  3. Ten (2003) movie poster
    4. Ten 86 Metascore (Metascore 86 out of 100)

    2003 · Drama · 1h 34m

    Dir. Abbas Kiarostami No Echo Score: ranked 85/100 on critics & audiences

  4. Capturing the Friedmans (2003) movie poster
    5. Capturing the Friedmans 90 Metascore (Metascore 90 out of 100 (39 critic reviews))

    2003 · Biography, Mystery · 1h 47m

    Dir. Andrew Jarecki No Echo Score: ranked 85/100 on critics & audiences

  5. City of God (2003) movie poster
    6. City of God 79 Metascore (Metascore 79 out of 100 (33 critic reviews))

    2003 · Drama, Crime · 2h 10m

    Dir. Fernando Meirelles No Echo Score: ranked 84/100 on critics & audiences

  6. Lost in Translation (2003) movie poster
    7. Lost in Translation 91 Metascore (Metascore 91 out of 100 (44 critic reviews))

    2003 · Drama, Romance · 1h 42m

    Dir. Sofia Coppola No Echo Score: ranked 83/100 on critics & audiences

  7. Sweet Sixteen (2003) movie poster
    8. Sweet Sixteen 86 Metascore (Metascore 86 out of 100)

    2003 · Drama, Crime · 1h 46m

    Dir. Ken Loach No Echo Score: ranked 83/100 on critics & audiences

  8. Crimson Gold (2003) movie poster
    8. Crimson Gold 82 Metascore (Metascore 82 out of 100 (26 critic reviews))

    2003 · Drama, Thriller · 1h 35m

    No Echo Score: ranked 83/100 on critics & audiences

  9. To Be and to Have (2003) movie poster
    10. To Be and to Have 87 Metascore (Metascore 87 out of 100)

    2003 · Family, Documentary · 1h 44m

    Dir. Nicolas Philibert No Echo Score: ranked 82/100 on critics & audiences

  10. Finding Nemo (2003) movie poster
    11. Finding Nemo 90 Metascore (Metascore 90 out of 100 (38 critic reviews))

    2003 · Adventure, Comedy · 1h 40m

    Dir. Lee Unkrich No Echo Score: ranked 82/100 on critics & audiences

  11. Medea (2003) movie poster
    11. Medea 84 Metascore (Metascore 84 out of 100 (5 critic reviews))

    2003 · Drama · 1h 16m

    Dir. Lars von Trier No Echo Score: ranked 82/100 on critics & audiences

  12. The Son (2003) movie poster
    13. The Son 86 Metascore (Metascore 86 out of 100)

    2003 · Drama

    Dir. Jean-Pierre Dardenne No Echo Score: ranked 82/100 on critics & audiences

  13. The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara (2003) movie poster
    14. The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara 87 Metascore (Metascore 87 out of 100)

    2003 · War, Documentary · 1h 35m

    Dir. Errol Morris No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences

  14. Mystic River (2003) movie poster
    15. Mystic River 84 Metascore (Metascore 84 out of 100 (42 critic reviews))

    2003 · Drama, Mystery · 2h 18m

    No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences

  15. The Magdalene Sisters (2003) movie poster
    16. The Magdalene Sisters 83 Metascore (Metascore 83 out of 100)

    2003 · Drama · 1h 59m

    Dir. Peter Mullan No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences

  16. Lilya 4-Ever (2003) movie poster
    16. Lilya 4-Ever 83 Metascore (Metascore 83 out of 100 (27 critic reviews))

    2003 · Drama, Crime · 1h 49m

    Dir. Lukas Moodysson No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences

  17. Marooned in Iraq (2003) movie poster
    16. Marooned in Iraq 88 Metascore (Metascore 88 out of 100 (14 critic reviews))

    2003 · Drama

    Dir. Bahman Ghobadi No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences

  18. Winged Migration (2003) movie poster
    16. Winged Migration 82 Metascore (Metascore 82 out of 100)

    2003 · Documentary · 1h 29m

    Dir. Jacques Cluzaud No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences

  19. Love and Diane (2003) movie poster
    16. Love and Diane 85 Metascore (Metascore 85 out of 100 (16 critic reviews))

    2003 · Documentary

    Dir. Jennifer Dworkin No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences

  20. American Splendor (2003) movie poster
    21. American Splendor 90 Metascore (Metascore 90 out of 100 (42 critic reviews))

    2003 · Biography, Drama · 1h 41m

    Dir. Robert Pulcini No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences

  21. My Flesh and Blood (2003) movie poster
    22. My Flesh and Blood 78 Metascore (Metascore 78 out of 100 (17 critic reviews))

    2003 · Documentary · 1h 23m

    Dir. Jonathan Karsh No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences

  22. In the Mirror of Maya Deren (2003) movie poster
    23. In the Mirror of Maya Deren 80 Metascore (Metascore 80 out of 100 (12 critic reviews))

    2003 · Biography, Documentary · 1h 43m

    Dir. Martina Kudlácek No Echo Score: ranked 80/100 on critics & audiences

  23. Bus 174 (2003) movie poster
    24. Bus 174 83 Metascore (Metascore 83 out of 100 (27 critic reviews))

    2003 · Crime, Documentary · 2h 2m

    Dir. Felipe Lacerda No Echo Score: ranked 79/100 on critics & audiences

  24. The Man Without a Past (2003) movie poster
    25. The Man Without a Past 84 Metascore (Metascore 84 out of 100)

    2003 · Drama, Thriller · 1h 37m

    Dir. Aki Kaurismäki No Echo Score: ranked 79/100 on critics & audiences

Box office

What Were the Highest-Grossing Movies of 2003?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King earned $1.1B worldwide, ahead of Finding Nemo ($941.6M). The top 10 took $6B together; 744 films released in 2003 have a box office record here. Grosses that look like data errors are left out.

Full 2003 box office
  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) movie poster #1 $1.1B worldwide The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King $381.9M domestic · Action
  2. Finding Nemo (2003) movie poster #2 $941.6M worldwide Finding Nemo $380.8M domestic · Adventure
  3. The Matrix Reloaded (2003) movie poster #3 $741.8M worldwide The Matrix Reloaded $281.6M domestic · Action
  4. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) movie poster #4 $654.3M worldwide Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl $305.4M domestic · Action
  5. Bruce Almighty (2003) movie poster #5 $484.6M worldwide Bruce Almighty $242.8M domestic · Drama
  6. The Last Samurai (2003) movie poster #6 $454.6M worldwide The Last Samurai $111.1M domestic · Action
  7. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) movie poster #7 $433.4M worldwide Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines $150.4M domestic · Action
  8. The Matrix Revolutions (2003) movie poster #8 $427.3M worldwide The Matrix Revolutions $139.3M domestic · Action
  9. X2: X-Men United (2003) movie poster #9 $407.7M worldwide X2: X-Men United $214.9M domestic · Action
  10. Bad Boys II (2003) movie poster #10 $273.3M worldwide Bad Boys II $138.6M domestic · Action
Awards

Which 2003 Movies Won the Most Awards?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King leads with 28 wins from 38 nominations, then Lost in Translation with 11 wins. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won Best Picture at the 2004 Oscars. In all, 82 films released in 2003 have award nominations on the site, with 92 wins between them.

2004 awards season
  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) movie poster
    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 28 / 38
    2003 · Action, Adventure · 28 wins from 38 nominations
  2. Lost in Translation (2003) movie poster
    Lost in Translation 11 / 28
    2003 · Drama, Romance · 11 wins from 28 nominations
  3. Mystic River (2003) movie poster
    Mystic River 7 / 27
    2003 · Drama, Mystery · 7 wins from 27 nominations
  4. Cold Mountain (2003) movie poster
    Cold Mountain 6 / 32
    2003 · Drama, Romance · 6 wins from 32 nominations
  5. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) movie poster
    Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World 6 / 25
    2003 · Action, Adventure · 6 wins from 25 nominations
  6. Monster (2003) movie poster
    Monster 6 / 8
    2003 · Biography, Drama · 6 wins from 8 nominations
  7. Whale Rider (2003) movie poster
    Whale Rider 3 / 6
    2003 · Drama, Family · 3 wins from 6 nominations
  8. In America (2003) movie poster
    In America 2 / 17
    2003 · Drama, Romance · 2 wins from 17 nominations
By genre

What Is the Best 2003 Movie in Each Genre?

The highest-ranked 2003 film of 12 genres, from Action (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King) to Documentary (Winged Migration). Each film appears once, under its first genre that is still free.

Release months

When Were 2003's Movies Released?

October was the busiest month of 2003 with 289 releases; its best-rated film is Mystic River. January shows 410 because films whose exact release day is unknown are stored on January 1.

  • January Best: City of God
    410
  • February Best: Painted Fire
    178
  • March Best: Ten
    222
  • April Best: Medea
    227
  • May Best: Capturing the Friedmans
    239
  • June Best: The Weather Underground
    208
  • July Best: La Commune (Paris, 1871)
    193
  • August Best: The Magdalene Sisters
    203
  • September Best: Lost in Translation
    283
  • October Best: Mystic River
    289
  • November Best: The Triplets of Belleville
    256
  • December Best: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
    240
Languages

Which Languages Were 2003's Movies In?

53% of 2003's films with a known language are in English (1,554). French comes next with 175 films, out of 55 languages in all.

Every year

Best Movies by Year

A best-of page for each of 55 years, from 1900 to 2026 (so far). Before 1980 there is one page per decade, for its first year (1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970); from 1980 every year has its own.

2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
1980s
1900–1970
FAQ

Best Movies of 2003: Questions & Answers

Quick answers about 2003's best-rated films, biggest hits and awards, from the lists above.

What is the best movie of 2003?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the best-rated film of 2003 on What's After the Movie, with a rank value of 90/100 from critics and audiences. The Triplets of Belleville is second and La Commune (Paris, 1871) third. Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases).

About The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

What was the highest-grossing movie of 2003?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King earned $1.1B worldwide, the most of any 2003 release on the site. Finding Nemo follows with $941.6M.

2003 box office

Which 2003 movie won the Oscar for Best Picture?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) won Best Picture at the 2004 Academy Awards.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Which 2003 film won the most awards?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King has the best award record of the 2003 releases on the site: 28 wins from 38 nominations.

2004 awards season

How many movies were released in 2003?

The site lists 2,948 films released in 2003. 428 of them are ranked, and October had the most releases with a known day (289).

How are the best movies of 2003 ranked?

Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases). Only feature films count (60 minutes or longer, no concert recordings), and a film needs enough ratings, box office or award attention to be ranked.