Ten Best Films of 2004
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Top 10 of 2004 (so far)
01. Before Sunset (Richard Linklater)
02. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry)
03. The Incredibles (Brad Bird)
04. Fahrenheit 9/11 (Michael Moore)
05. Zatoichi (Takeshi Kitano)
06. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Quentin Tarantino)
07. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Alfonso Cuaron)
08. Dogville (Lars Von Trier)
09. Mean Girls (Mark S. Waters)
10. The Dreamers (Bernardo Bertolucci)
01. Before Sunset (Richard Linklater)
02. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry)
03. The Incredibles (Brad Bird)
04. Fahrenheit 9/11 (Michael Moore)
05. Zatoichi (Takeshi Kitano)
06. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Quentin Tarantino)
07. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Alfonso Cuaron)
08. Dogville (Lars Von Trier)
09. Mean Girls (Mark S. Waters)
10. The Dreamers (Bernardo Bertolucci)
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First, if you plan on a straight run-through with no breaks, empty your bladder.
Second, this is the first Lars von Trier film I've ever liked, much to my astonishment. It's meant to be a downer, but I found myself chuckling at the audacity of the film. I don't know what emotional state you should be in beforehand, but you should steel yourself with the knowledge that this is no picaresque wide-screen epic, but a film that takes place on stage and every shot has black walls and a black floor. That's the sort of information I find helpful when I'm in the mood for a particular film.
Second, this is the first Lars von Trier film I've ever liked, much to my astonishment. It's meant to be a downer, but I found myself chuckling at the audacity of the film. I don't know what emotional state you should be in beforehand, but you should steel yourself with the knowledge that this is no picaresque wide-screen epic, but a film that takes place on stage and every shot has black walls and a black floor. That's the sort of information I find helpful when I'm in the mood for a particular film.
"What the hell?"
Win Butler
Win Butler
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So Far:
1. Kill Bill, Vol. 2 (****)
2. Hero (****)
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (*** 1/2)
4. Collateral (*** 1/2)
5. Harry Potter and the Prisonser of Azkaban (*** 1/2)
6. The Incredibles (*** 1/2)
7. Jersey Girl (***)
8. Shrek 2 (***)
9. Spider-Man 2 (***)
10. Troy (** 1/2)
As you can see, it's not been a great year.
I've still got several important films to see before the finality of my list, including:
Sideways, Kinsey, Closer, Phantom of the Opera, Alexander, Finding Neverland...possibly others.
1. Kill Bill, Vol. 2 (****)
2. Hero (****)
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (*** 1/2)
4. Collateral (*** 1/2)
5. Harry Potter and the Prisonser of Azkaban (*** 1/2)
6. The Incredibles (*** 1/2)
7. Jersey Girl (***)
8. Shrek 2 (***)
9. Spider-Man 2 (***)
10. Troy (** 1/2)
As you can see, it's not been a great year.
I've still got several important films to see before the finality of my list, including:
Sideways, Kinsey, Closer, Phantom of the Opera, Alexander, Finding Neverland...possibly others.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
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Ten Best Films of 2004
Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood)
Sideways (Alexander Payne)
Kinsey (Bill Condon)
The Aviator (Martin Scorsese)
Hotel Rwanda (Terry George)
Bad Education (Pedro Almodovar)
The Motorcycle Diaries (Walter Salles)
Maria Full of Grace (Joshua Marston)
Vera Drake (Mike Leigh)
Ray (Taylor Hackford)
Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood)
Sideways (Alexander Payne)
Kinsey (Bill Condon)
The Aviator (Martin Scorsese)
Hotel Rwanda (Terry George)
Bad Education (Pedro Almodovar)
The Motorcycle Diaries (Walter Salles)
Maria Full of Grace (Joshua Marston)
Vera Drake (Mike Leigh)
Ray (Taylor Hackford)
Here's mine, with viewings of Finding Neverland and The Ladykillers taken into account. On further reflection--although I still dislike the thing very much--Finding Neverland isn't quite as bad as I thought, more of a very, very VERY low two star film like The Hours. Also, I really have no idea how to rank no.'s four through eight. I need to see Dogville and Hero again before I'll know for sure.
****
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Before Sunset
3. The Incredibles
***1/2
4. Kinsey
5. Sideways
6. Hero
7. Dogville
8. I Heart Huckabees
9. The Manchurian Candidate
10. Maria Full of Grace
11. Team America: World Police
12. Fahrenheit 9/11
***
13. Spider-Man 2
14. Coffee & Cigarettes
15. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
16. Mean Girls
17. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
**1/2
18. The Bourne Supremacy
19. Super-Size Me
20. Kill Bill: Volume 2
21. Collateral
22. Garden State
23. Troy
24. Starsky & Hutch
25. Shrek 2
26. Bon Voyage
27. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
28. Anchorman: The Rise and Fall of Ron Burgandy
29. The Dreamers (this ranking bugs me)
**
30. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
31. Hellboy
32. Ray
33. The Ladykillers (NEW)
34. The Terminal
35. Saved!
36. I, Robot
37. The Passion of the Christ
38. Napoleon Dynamite
39. Finding Neverland (NEW)
*1/2
40. The Stepford Wives
*
41. Van Helsing
NOT A MOVIE: Without a Paddle
****
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Before Sunset
3. The Incredibles
***1/2
4. Kinsey
5. Sideways
6. Hero
7. Dogville
8. I Heart Huckabees
9. The Manchurian Candidate
10. Maria Full of Grace
11. Team America: World Police
12. Fahrenheit 9/11
***
13. Spider-Man 2
14. Coffee & Cigarettes
15. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
16. Mean Girls
17. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
**1/2
18. The Bourne Supremacy
19. Super-Size Me
20. Kill Bill: Volume 2
21. Collateral
22. Garden State
23. Troy
24. Starsky & Hutch
25. Shrek 2
26. Bon Voyage
27. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
28. Anchorman: The Rise and Fall of Ron Burgandy
29. The Dreamers (this ranking bugs me)
**
30. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
31. Hellboy
32. Ray
33. The Ladykillers (NEW)
34. The Terminal
35. Saved!
36. I, Robot
37. The Passion of the Christ
38. Napoleon Dynamite
39. Finding Neverland (NEW)
*1/2
40. The Stepford Wives
*
41. Van Helsing
NOT A MOVIE: Without a Paddle
"How's the despair?"
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From what I've see thus far, my best of 2004 picks:
(random order)
1 Mean Girls
2 Napoleon Dynamite
3 Kill Bill Vol. 2
4 Hero
5 Kinsey
6 Shaun of the Dead
7 Maria Full of Grace
8 Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
9 Supersize Me
10 Ray
Next 10: Sideways, The Bourne Supremacy, The Punisher, Garden State, Tarnation, Callas Forever, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, Mean Creek, Hotel Rwanda, The Incredibles
The Worst (these stunk!)
1 The Village
2 The Ladykillers
3 Latter Days
4 Alfie
5 Shall We Dance?
6 Surviving Christmas
7 The Passion of the Christ
8 The Day After Tomorrow
9 The Dreamers
10 tie: The Notebook, White Chicks, and The Brown Bunny
(random order)
1 Mean Girls
2 Napoleon Dynamite
3 Kill Bill Vol. 2
4 Hero
5 Kinsey
6 Shaun of the Dead
7 Maria Full of Grace
8 Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
9 Supersize Me
10 Ray
Next 10: Sideways, The Bourne Supremacy, The Punisher, Garden State, Tarnation, Callas Forever, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, Mean Creek, Hotel Rwanda, The Incredibles
The Worst (these stunk!)
1 The Village
2 The Ladykillers
3 Latter Days
4 Alfie
5 Shall We Dance?
6 Surviving Christmas
7 The Passion of the Christ
8 The Day After Tomorrow
9 The Dreamers
10 tie: The Notebook, White Chicks, and The Brown Bunny
"Winners make the rules. Losers live by them" - the only good line from a horrible movie
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Let's start this baby up again.
I saved this list on October 28th, and it's in need of updating. Except MAYBE for Huckabees, I haven't seen any movie higher than three stars since then.
****
1. His Brother
2. Code 46
3. Shaolin Soccer
***1/2
4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
5. Red Lights
6. Vera Drake
7. Crimson Gold
8. The Return
9. Control Room
10. Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry
11. Dogville
12. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
13. Before Sunset
14. Main Hoon Na
15. The Story of the Weeping Camel
16. I Heart Huckabees
***
17. Undertow
18. Maria Full of Grace
19. Sideways
20. Cowards Bend the Knee
21. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
22. Fahrenheit 9/11
23. Tarnation
24. The Incredibles
25. Zatoichi
26. Hum Tum
27. End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones
28. Spiderman 2
29. Osama
30. A Dirty Shame
31. Primer
32. Kinsey
33. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
34. The Day After Tomorrow
35. The Ladykillers
36. Goodbye, Lenin
**1/2
37. The Corporation
38. Mean Girls
39. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkeban
40. Intimate Strangers
41. The Motorcycle Diaries
42. The Notebook
43. Bon Voyage
**
44. Garden State
45. The Mother
46. Facing Windows
47. Outfoxed
48. The Manchurian Candidate
49. I'm Not Scared
50. Super Size Me
51. Coffee and Cigarettes
52. The Bourne Supremacy
53. Touching the Void
*1/2
54. Zelary
*
55. The Brown Bunny
No Stars
56. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
N/A
Strayed (Blurry projection, moron sat in front of me, evening ruined.)
??
Hero
I have NO idea where to place it, but it's in the **1/2 to ***1/2 range. Another vieweing would clarify things.
The Yes Men has been removed from the list in protest.
I saved this list on October 28th, and it's in need of updating. Except MAYBE for Huckabees, I haven't seen any movie higher than three stars since then.
****
1. His Brother
2. Code 46
3. Shaolin Soccer
***1/2
4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
5. Red Lights
6. Vera Drake
7. Crimson Gold
8. The Return
9. Control Room
10. Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry
11. Dogville
12. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
13. Before Sunset
14. Main Hoon Na
15. The Story of the Weeping Camel
16. I Heart Huckabees
***
17. Undertow
18. Maria Full of Grace
19. Sideways
20. Cowards Bend the Knee
21. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
22. Fahrenheit 9/11
23. Tarnation
24. The Incredibles
25. Zatoichi
26. Hum Tum
27. End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones
28. Spiderman 2
29. Osama
30. A Dirty Shame
31. Primer
32. Kinsey
33. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
34. The Day After Tomorrow
35. The Ladykillers
36. Goodbye, Lenin
**1/2
37. The Corporation
38. Mean Girls
39. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkeban
40. Intimate Strangers
41. The Motorcycle Diaries
42. The Notebook
43. Bon Voyage
**
44. Garden State
45. The Mother
46. Facing Windows
47. Outfoxed
48. The Manchurian Candidate
49. I'm Not Scared
50. Super Size Me
51. Coffee and Cigarettes
52. The Bourne Supremacy
53. Touching the Void
*1/2
54. Zelary
*
55. The Brown Bunny
No Stars
56. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
N/A
Strayed (Blurry projection, moron sat in front of me, evening ruined.)
??
Hero
I have NO idea where to place it, but it's in the **1/2 to ***1/2 range. Another vieweing would clarify things.
The Yes Men has been removed from the list in protest.
"What the hell?"
Win Butler
Win Butler