What follows are my favorite films for 1997-2003. I don't limit the number of films that can be on a list. My only criteria is that a film be at least three stars out of four―which, to me, means the film achieved what it set out to do. A film may not be perfect and still achieve what it set out to do. Perfection in film is rare, as in any art.

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

Top 10 films of All Time

Honorable Mentions

2003 Favorite Movies (Of those seen so far)

1. Whale Rider
2. Master and Commander
3. Kill Bill Volume 1
4. 21 Grams
5. Seabiscuit
6. Finding Nemo
7. Cold Mountain
8. American Splendor
9. Lost in Translation
10. Monster
11. In America
12. The Matrix Reloaded
13. The Matrix Revolutions
14. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
15. The School of Rock
16. A Mighty Wind
17. Capturing the Friedmans
18. The Hunted
19. Phone Booth
20. The Italian Job
21. Big Fish
22. Open Range

2002 Favorite Movies

1. Minority Report
2. Catch Me If You Can
3. Bowling for Columbine
4. Adaptation
5. Chicago
6. 25th Hour
7. We Were Soldiers
8. The Pianist
9. Insomnia
10. Gangs of New York
11. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
12. The Bourne Identity
13. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
14. Spider-Man
15. Die Another Day
16. Impostor
17. Solaris
18. One Hour Photo
19. Blue Crush
20. About a Boy
21. Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron
22. Panic Room
23. 8 Mile
24. XXX

2001 Favorite Movies

1. A Beautiful Mind
2. Vanilla Sky
3. Ocean's Eleven
4. Memento
5. Mulholland Drive
6. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
7. A.I. Artificial Intelligence
8. Monsters, Inc.
9. Sexy Beast
10. Bridget Jones's Diary
11. The Shipping News
12. The Royal Tenenbaums
13. Shrek
14. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
15. Serendipity
16. Blow
17. Training Day
18. Hearts in Atlantis
19. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
20. Auto Focus

2000 Favorite Movies

1. Gladiator
2. Erin Brockovich
3. Requiem for a Dream
4. Snatch
5. High Fidelity
6. Cast Away
7. The Virgin Suicides
8. Chocolat
9. Traffic
10. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
11. The Patriot
12. Almost Famous
13. The Big Kahuna
14. Quills
15. Wonder Boys
16. Nurse Betty
17. Thirteen Days
18. Rules of Engagement
19. Miss Congeniality
20. X-Men

1999 Favorite Movies 

1. The Matrix
2. The Green Mile
3. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
4. American Beauty
5. The Insider
6. The Talented Mr. Ripley
7. Girl, Interrupted
8. Three Kings
9. Notting Hill
10. The Limey
11. Being John Malkovich
12. Man on the Moon
13. Go
14. Fight Club
15. Run Lola Run
16. The Cider House Rules
17. Galaxy Quest
18. Election
19. The Sixth Sense
20. Toy Story 2
21. October Sky
22. Tarzan
23. Runaway Bride
24. The Blair Witch Project
25. Sleepy Hollow
26. The Thomas Crown Affair
27. Eyes Wide Shut
28. Dogma
29. Trekkies
30. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
31. Mumford
32. Dick
33. Pushing Tin
34. Music of the Heart
35. Stir of Echoes
36. Magnolia

1998 Favorite Movies

1. Saving Private Ryan
2. The Truman Show
3. The Red Violin
4. Shakespeare in Love
5. Life is Beautiful
6. The X-Files
7. Ronin
8. A Bug's Life
9. Buffalo 66
10. Enemy Of the State
11. Primary Colors
12. Pi
13. Hilary and Jackie
14. Gods and Monsters
15. The Big Lebowski
16. Affliction
17. Dark City
18. Rushmore
19. One True Thing
20. The Negotiator
21. Blade

1997 Favorite Movies

1. Titanic
2. Star Wars: Special Edition
3. The Empire Strikes Back: Special Edition
4. Boogie Nights
5. Good Will Hunting
6. The Ice Storm
7. The Sweet Hereafter
8. As Good As it Gets
9. The Edge
10. L.A. Confidential
11. Wag The Dog
12. The Full Monty
13. Shall We Dance?
14. Eve's Bayou
15. Donnie Brasco
16. Copland
17. Air Force One
18. Contact
19. Men in Black
20. Face/Off
21. Addicted to Love
22. Brassed Off
23. Breakdown
24. Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion
25. Chasing Amy
26. Hard Eight
27. Smilla's Sense of Snow
28. When We Were Kings
29. The Apostle
30. One Night Stand
31. The Game
32. Starship Troopers
33. Gattaca

Top 10 films of All Time

1. Star Wars
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark
3. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
4. Witness
5. Taxi Driver
6. Network
7. This is Spinal Tap
8. Chinatown
9. Annie Hall
10. The Graduate

Honorable Mentions

1. Citizen Kane
2. The Godfather Part I
3. The Godfather Part II
4. Saving Private Ryan
5. Patton
6. The Right Stuff
7. Apollo 13
8. 2001: A Space Odyssey
9. Jerry Maguire
10. Apocalypse Now
11. Hannah and Her Sisters
12. Unforgiven
13. Singin' in the Rain
14. The Sound of Music
15. Jaws
16. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
17. Pulp Fiction
18. Forrest Gump
19. Dances with Wolves
20. The Wizard of Oz
21. The Conversation
22. Terminator 2: Judgment Day