After the great crop of films last year, 2004 was a disappointing return to form for Hollywood. Week after week, the films that made it into the theatres called out to me: "Stay home."
Rolling Stone Magazine had a depressing list of the 100 Worst Movies of 2004, and I'm happy to say I avoided the majority of them. Hence, this is one of the shortest lists of films I've seen in the last decade.
Click here to see a partial list of films that I had opted to stay away from in 2004 and save 9 bucks! When you look at that list of dogs, its no wonder I went to the movies less this year!
So what sent me to the 61 films I did see? I sought out films that might actually interest and or stir me. Critical response to the films helped. Also I leaned more to independent and maverick films. I was looking for excellence in direction, writing, and/or acting. Still, just like everyone else, I occasionally succumbed to marketing and went to see action, kung-fu, effects extravaganzas, and super heroes. I'm only human. And movies are supposed to be fun!
So what did Hollywood give us this year ? Lots of biopics.
For some reason original film ideas were in short supply this year. Sequels, franchises, and stories of pre-sold famous lives. I hope we are through with biopics for a little while. These suckers tend to have little to say other than "Here's this guys life." Though the disclaimers at the end of the film always end up saying it was "based" on their lives, and noone who knew them agree with the story. OK. So what was the point again? Jamie Foxx did a nice job in Ray, but the script was pretty much a bore (no matter how good the music.) And what was Kevin Spacey thinking??? "Beyond the Sea" was one of the worst of the year. Poor Bobby Darin.
That's what made a small, intimate film like "Sideways" the highlight of the year -- it was completely fresh -- not based on anything other than a slice of life and the hazards of middle-age.
As always, at the bottom of this list were films released in 2003 that I didn't catch till they made it out in 2004. They are ranked separately. And I'll have to wait until 2005 to see a few highly regarded films still in very limited release.
You still won't go wrong renting anything on my Best of 2004 list. Enjoy! And let's hope for a brighter 2005.
Films released in 2004 but not seen till 2005 are marked in Gray and with an astericks and appended to the list.
The Best of 2004
1. Sideways - You hate to over-praise a film that's as simple as this. But the characters are human, the writing is witty and relaxed, and the actors catch every nuance. Charming, funny, and sticks with you long after viewing.
2. Maria Full of grace - Yes, it's subtitled. But this detailed story of a young woman whose only hope for a better future lies in becoming a drug mule is harrowing and as suspenseful as anything you'll see this year. The subtitles seem to disappear as you get caught up in the gripping story - beautifully acted by newcomer Catalina Sandino Moreno. Best foreign film of the year.
*2A. Million Dollar Baby*
3. Before Sunset - This sequel (to my #5 favorite movie of 1995, "Before Sunset") provides a wonderful coda to the original film. It's seven years later, and the same two people meet again, walk the streets of France and discuss what "might have been." Don't see this one without renting and watching the former. The achievement here is the almost documentary-like simplicity of the dialog and the camera work. Like watching real-life. And in its way, every bit as romantic as its predecessor. Touching.
4. Spider Man 2 - Yes, it's a studio superhero movie -- but Sam Raimi gets it right! He understands that superhero movies aren't about effects and action, but character. And then he kicks ass with great action and effects anyway! Doc Ock's mechanical arms have the menace Raimi used to show us in "The Evil Dead" movies. Lots of fun!
5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Half of this is the most imaginative screenplay of the year. I thought the supporting characters were too goofy, but the central love story was enormously touching and original. It's great to see a script with an original way of examining material. And Michael Gondry finds lots of visual metaphors to bring the complex ideas home.
6. The Incredibles - Can Pixar do nothing wrong? The fact that they make script and story the most important element of their pictures puts them on a non-stop winning streak. Brad Bird fulfills the promise of his charming "The Iron Giant" with this superhero pic. Sure, it steals a lot of ideas from Fantastic Four and Watchmen, (both of which are coming out in the next year, and will be accused of stealing from this film), but this one hit the screens first and will get all the credit for its telling this story first. But you can't argue with the witty execution of this thoughtful and funny family superhero saga.
7. Collateral - Michael Mann continues to show that atmosphere can add a lot to a film. Strong performances from both Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, and a great sense of character. Far more engaging than than Manchurian Candidate, Bourne Supremacy, and a lot of other action films that filled the year.
8. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - OK, I confess a weakness for Wes Anderson movies. Not as deep as "Rushmore", but richer than "The Royal Tenebaums." This goofy and occasionally touching film kept me smiling from ear to ear throughout. Unpredictable and loopy. Almost Brechtian in its wry way of keeping the viewer at a distance, and yet charming. Or annoying. Depending on your taste. I laughed quite a bit!
9. Spanglish - Critics didn't much like this film and I'm unsure why. While far from perfect, it at least had a lot of ideas and themes that were worth mulling about. Tea Leoni gives a brave performance as a self-centered Mom, and the large ensemble cast keeps things interesting. James Brooks writes for adults, and the dialog is rich and clever. The screenplay deals with communication issues on a number of levels. I'll take any movie that inspires some conversation after its over. This did.
10. Hero - This stunning martial arts film was filmed in 2002 but didn't make it to the U.S. until 2004. If the idea of Asian wire work action and Mandarin subtitled dialog put you off, then perhaps you should avoid this. But this was the most visually stunning film of the year. Using color, style, and symbols, each scene is more beautiful than the last. Jaw-dropping special effects. Amazing fight sequences. Like great ballet -- its beautiful to behold for its aesthetics, even if the Rashomon-like story about unifying China is a little thin. Much richer than "Crouching Tiger", and also better than Yimou Zhang's other film this year "House of the Flying Daggers" (#24 below)
PASS THE POPCORN: (Not the year's best, but still entertaining, enjoyable movie going! The best of the rest. All well worth a rental)
11. Garden state
*11A. Garden State*
12. Kinsey
13. Kill Bill vol 2
14. Supersize me
15. Touching the Void
16. Farenheit 9/11
*16A. In Good Company*
17. Delovely
18. The Aviator
19. Harry Potter 3
20. Napolean Dynamite
21. Team America
22. Open Water
23.
Closer
24. House of the Flying Daggers
25. The Terminal
26. Finding Neverland
27. Saved
28. Ray
29. Sky Captain
30. Dawn of the Dead
31. Manchurian Candidate
32. Bourne Supremacy
33. Shrek 2
YAWNERS:
34. I Heart Huckabees
35. The Ladykillers
36. Mean Girls
37. The Last Shot
38. The Polar Express
39. Crimlnal
40. Spartan
41. The Five Obstructions
42. What the bleep do we know?
43. Hell Boy
WORST OF THE YEAR:
44. Coffee & Cigarettes
45. We Don't live here Anymore
46. Troy
47. I Robot
48. Jersey Girl
49. The Dreamers
50. Torque
51. The Day After Tomorrow
52. Oceans 12
53. Beyond the Sea
54. Van Helsing
2003
Films Seen in 2004 (star ratings from 4-1 indicate how good or bad these would
have wound up in last year's list)
7 films from last year (they have been placed in the 2003 list
in gray)
In America - 4 star
Capturing the Friedmans - 4 star
Monster - 3.5 star
The Cooler - 3.5 star
The Triplets of Belleville - 3.5 star
The Fog of War - 3.5 Star
Big Fish - 3 star
Films Avoided in 2004!
Alexander
After the Sunset
Against the Ropes
Agent Cody Banks 2
The Alamo
Alfie
Alien vs. Predator
Along Came Polly
America's Heart and Soul
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
Around the World in 80 Days
Beauty Shop
The Big Bounce
Blade: Trinity
Breakin' All The Rules
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
The Brown Bunny
The Butterfly Effect
Catwoman
Cellular
Chasing Liberty
Christmas with the Cranks
The Chronicles of Riddick
Cinderella Story
Code 46
Connie and Carla
The Cookout
Danny Deckchair
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
Easy
Envy
Eulogy
Eurotrip
Exorcist: The Beginning
Fifty First Dates
The Final Cut
First Daughter
The Forgotten
Garfield
Godsend
The Grudge
Head in the Clouds
Hidalgo
Johnson Family Vacation
King Arthur
Ladder 49
Laws of Attraction
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Little Black Book
Mr. 3000
Mudge Boy
My Baby's Daddy
National Treasure
Never Die Alone
New York Miniute
The Notebook
Paparazzi
The Perfect Score
The Prince and Me
Princess Diaries 2
Raise Your Voice
Raising Helen
The Reckoning
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Rick
Scooby-Doo 2
Secret Window
Seed of Chucky
Shall We Dance?
Shark Tale
She Hate Me
Stateside
The Stepford Wives
Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2
Surviving Christmas
Suspect Zero
Taking Lives
Taxi
Thunderbirds
Twisted
The United States of Leland
Walking Tall
Welcome to Mooseport
White Chicks
The Whole Ten Yards
Wicker Park
Wimbeldon
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!
Without a Paddle
and I suspect -- Many More!
Films seen in 2008 and beyond are all now housed on TroutcoBlog.
The films I saw in 2007 Rated.
The films I saw in 2006 Rated.
The films I saw in 2005 Rated
The films I saw in 2004 Rated.
The films I saw in 2003 Rated.
The
films I saw in 2002 Rated.
The films I saw in 2001 Rated.