Towers lord over best of all the rest

    by Nick Nance

    Putting one's favorite 10 movies in order from best to worst was relatively easy this year.

    Some movies were no-brainers while others were forgotten until a chance discussion served as a reminder.

    10. Spiderman. At first it was hard to imagine Toby Maguire as Spiderman. However, after seeing the movie, it was obvious he was a perfect choice. The only question about Spiderman is will Peter Parker return?

    9. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. The series opened another amazing chapter in the story of a young boy gone bad. Despite the plot sounding like a bad after-school special, George Lucas proved that a cast can carry a movie and do it very well.

    8. Count of Monte Cristo. Many will disagree with the selection of this movie in a top 10 list. Those are the same people who thought Jackass and 8 mile were good movies. One of Richard Harris' final films is a must see for this year.

    7. Road to Perdition. Here it is, the sleeping giant. Tom Hanks and Paul Newman team up for a heart-wrenching tale of a boy getting to know his father. Newman and Hanks should, without doubt, see several awards from their performances in this greatly done 1920s story of a mafia hit man. This movie drew little attention as the best of the summer releases, but it should be released again so more viewers have a chance to see it on the big screen.

    6. The Pianist. Roman Polanski has had a rough life. However, probably the hardest event of his life was surviving the Holocaust as a child. The Pianist is the first time he has expressed this pain in a movie. The film shows with gory detail the mistreatment and murder faced by Polish Jews in WWII. This movie has not had wide release and is currently showing in Dallas. It probably will not make it to Fort Worth, so viewers here will have to trek to the big city to the east.

    5. Minority Report. Steven Spielberg outdoes himself again. Sidekick Tom Cruise stars as a cop in the pre-crime division of the futuristic police. Great action and suspense make this movie a great experience. This is one of Cruise's best films in recent years.

    4. We Were Soldiers. There is really no way to sum up how deep this movie really is; you must see it. Mel Gibson stars in this war drama about a group of soldiers in Vietnam dropped behind enemy lines. Those viewers turned off by war movies may be turned off by this one also. However, this film deals more with soldier's feelings in the face of war.

    3. Harry Potter: The Chamber of Secrets. The latest tale of the fantasy series follows young Harry through another series of adventures. The children's movie is enjoyable entertainment for all ages. Charming is the best way to describe the Potter movies. While the second film is more dark than the first, it is just as enjoyable and enchanting as the first offering from director Chris Columbus.

    2. Chicago. Broadway on the big screen is the best way to describe this movie. Richard Gere proves he can act after a few disappointing releases in a row. Rene Zellweger and Catherine Zeta Jones also deserve recognition for their masterful performances in Chicago. Who would have guessed that Jones could dance? Well, after reading about the beauty, I found out that she was the Wales tap-dancing queen, and she proves it in this film. Queen Latifah also takes the show as the prison warden who helps the women believe their press releases.

    1. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. It has been hard to be a Lord of the Rings believer. However, 2002's blockbuster hit leaves no doubt about it. The Hobbits are magical.