The Film Experience Year in Review: The Best of 2004

Awards Page Index * OSCAR coverage here
'04 Creamy Goodness The Year in Review
Introduction / Underappreciated & Honorable Mentions / Top Ten
by Nathaniel R January 3rd

And now... The Top Ten List

"Would you erase me?" No I would not!

The years best films took me from a Spanish boys schools to a tourist boat ride along Le Seine. They detoured through major suburban chain stores before reaching Buddhist enlightenment in the middle of a still lake. These movies I love swung exuberantly from New York City skyscrapers and even whistled through the rainy streets of London despite poverty and misfortune. I was nearly lost in "a quiet little town not far from here". And now I've come through the other side. It's 2005 and it's time to look back on the year that was. Here then are the ten films that took me to the places I most cherished going to in the movie theater in 2004. And, should we be parted during this retrospective, "Meet me in Montauk."

#10 Pedro Almodovar is my favorite working auteur and Bad Education is another worthy entry into the hallowed halls of his filmography. His films have a way of growing stronger as they age. You become more attuned to their beautifully executed imagery and storytelling structures. Even if you resist they eventually win you over --though I've yet to succumb to Matador. So, on principle, I knew better than to leave this twisty gay-noir out of my list, even if I loved the also-rans just as much.

Bad Education has many immediate virtues; Gael Garcia Bernal's carnality and triple-whammy star turn, and he expected thrills and chills visually speaking. Most curiously, this fascinating noir also has one virtue that seems to be playing a double role as vice; the layers of stories that are actually all one story. Therein, at least at this writing, lies my tiny seed of discontent and the film's 10th place rank (low for Pedro). I'm not sure that Bad Education's many superb threads weave expertly into one superlative garment. I loved the stories. I understand them as one story. But I was waiting for the grand emotional fusion which never quite came. The disparate threads are tightly knit in my head but not my heart. But, If I love Bad Education a little less than Talk to Her or Law of Desire that is not to say that I don't love it. How could I not? There's so much to love.

#9 David O Russell (Three Kings) unleashed a comedy of chaotic singularity this year. It's been a long time since we've seen rapid-fire sophisticated verbal joking alongside manic slapstick. It's been an even longer time since the last "existential detective comedy" (Wait --was there a last one?)

If the cultural zeitgeist in 2004 had been all about playful soul-searching rather than blindly choosing sides, I ♥ Huckabees may have hit big. The film's climax, a scene between two existential detectives (Hoffman & Tomlin) and corporate climber Brad Stand (Jude Law) is formed around the question "How Am I Not Myself?" This inquiry is first posed as a throwaway. Brad's more defensive than curious. He's annoyed that the detectives have questioned his basic internal honesty. He exasperatedly asks "How Am I Not Myself?" as if swatting them away. (What a silly thing to question!) But the detectives begin to repeat the inquiry aloud, spinning it around their own tongues to taste it's true meaning. The comedy often emerges from the way they engage and disengage from conversations becoming distracted by their own curiousity. They are both service providers and true believers. But laughs are not the only purpose of this movie. The sequence darkens. Going about his day Brad moves from exasperation to self-loathing to fear, the question haunting him all the while. It takes on a mantra feeling by the end. It's a good question to answer, if you're up for it.

#8 Prologue) In which we are stunned by brilliant staging and an impressive huge cast. Chapter 1) In which Grace (Nicole Kidman) arrives and Tom (Paul Bettany) the obvious director-surrogate in this parable gives a 'moral lecture' and is immediately chastized by the narrator for "lashing out somewhat haphazardly in all directions." Chapter 2-5) "Happy Times" -The cast interacts lovingly... Chapter 6&7) until their love is exposed as shallow self-interest and their "true face" emerges and the film becomes totally shattering. Chapter 8&9) In which the director (Von Trier) lashes out somewhat haphazardly in all directions and the film ends.

Dogville is harrowing, excruciating in its inevitability, and unforgettable...an "easy sit." -ha ha. While colder than the 'Golden Heart trilogy' (Breaking the Waves, The Idiots, Dancer in the Dark) which raised Von Trier's profile to an icon of divisiveness, Dogville is equally important and potent. Understandably misread as an Anti-American screed, it's closer to a condemnation of the entire human race. This town is "...not far from here."

#7 I saw The Incredibles three times within the month of its opening. And every time something else opened the following month that only looked half-appealing I thought to myself. "Now, self, you can always go and see The Incredibles again!" This, the second greatest super-hero film ever made (we'll get to the first in a little bit), may be written off as comfort food, but it's not without nutritious value. I've never considered re-watchability to be the strongest indicator of quality but it counts as an obvious plus. The film's cheerful but serious inventiveness becomes more obvious upon repeat viewings.

Brad Bird, who also directed the last American 2-D animation classic The Iron Giant, deserves all the kudos he gets for this special toon. He also wrote the jam-packed, funny and relevant screenplay. He's not the first auteur to work in animation, but he's the genre's greatest superhero behind the scenes in quite some time. He may only be voicing Edna Mode ("I never look back! It distracts me from the 'now'.") but to me he's Mr. Incredible.

#6 Gorgeously humane and intimately scaled, spring, summer, fall, winter...and spring is the spiritual tonic that the cinemas most needed in this year of religious-fueled fury (The Passion) and overall human pettiness and ferocity (Dogville). Director Kim Ki Duk also moved from cruelty (see previous films) to peace and meditation here. spring, summer, fall, winter...and spring is structured with complete simplicity (the title is truthful), but what could have been a precious and obvious film is instead profoundly moving.

#5 Making a sequel to a film as delicate and "moment in time"-ish as Before Sunrise seems like a fool's errand. But director/writer Richard Linklater and his stars Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke are no fools. This re-meet is less cute (though still cuddly), deeper, and more resonant. It improbably improves the original, which is a pretty awesome trick. Celine and Jesse have aged well. Before Sunset's purity (it's told in real time) gives a beautiful ebb and flow to the chatty conversation and emotional reveals, and culminates in one of the great movie endings.

#4 Alexander Payne, with Sideways, is now four-for-four. He first made a mark in 1996 when Citizen Ruth won many cinephile hearts for its satirical know-how, poking fun (with gusto) of both sides in the eternal abortion rights battle. Next up came Election (my personal favorite) a hilarious high-school-as-macrocosm of politics movie. And finally, two years ago audiences discovered his work (with the help of a genuine legend Jack Nicholson) in About Schmidt. Apparently though, for a complete triumph with the sacred trinity of Audience/ Critics/Oscar, the fourth time is the charm.

The current backlash-generated question is: Are critics wrong to have been so unanimous in declaring Sideways, a light angsty middle age buddy comedy, the best film of the year? Perhaps. Is that anything to hold against this funny, incisive, memorable, and superbly acted gem? Absolutely not. Drink up!

#3 Mike Leigh is most frequently thought of as an ensemble director. His now famous method of working involves months of rehearsal and improv with his team of actors before the movie has a real script and before any footage is shot. His films tend to have uniformly strong work from their entire teeming cast... even the bit roles are perfection. What is less often remarked upon is the way his film's are often built organically around one magical, lived-in and accomplished lead performance from a character actor. Add Imelda Staunton's Vera Drake to the list that includes Brenda Blethyn's teary Cynthia Purley (Secrets and Lies) and the great Jim Broadbent's towering, magnificent William Gilbert in Topsy Turvy.

(For the Full Review)

#2 The first film in years to make me feel like a little kid again. Absolutely joyous from start to finish. My gratitude goes out to Tobey Macguire and Kirsten Dunst who continue to exhibit a rare chemistry. Kudos also to the team behind Doctor Octopus. Superheroes need a great rogues gallery and Doctor Octopus alone makes Spider-Man 2 a significant improvement on the original (which was hardly insignificant in its year). I don't know if "there's a hero in all of us" but Sam Raimi is one in my book. He continues to show complete acceptance and love for that most maligned genre; the comic book film. This webslinging adventure is, quite simply, the greatest superhero movie ever. "Excelsior!"

#1 I made the mistake of not writing about Eternal Sunshine when it first premiered. It became more and more difficult to write about the further I got away from it's.

#10 Pedro Almodovar is my favorite working auteur and *Bad Education* is another worthy entry into the hallowed halls of his filmography. His films have a way of growing stronger as they age. You become more attuned to their beautifully executed imagery and storytelling structures. Even if you resist they eventually win you over --though I've yet to succumb to Matador. So, on principle, I knew better than to leave this twisty gay-noir out of my list, even if I loved the also-rans just as much. Bad Education has many immediate virtues; Gael Garcia Bernal's carnality and triple-whammy star turn, and he expected thrills and chills visually speaking. Most curiously, this fascinating noir also has one virtue that seems to be playing a double role as vice; the layers of stories that are actually all one story. Therein, at least at this writing, lies my tiny seed of discontent and the film's 10th place rank (low for Pedro). I'm not sure that Bad Education's many superb threads weave expertly into one superlative garment. I loved the stories. I understand them as one story. But I was waiting for the grand emotional fusion which never quite came. The disparate threads are tightly knit in my head but not my heart. But, If I love Bad Education a little less than Talk to Her or Law of Desire that is not to say that I don't love it. How could I not? There's so much to love.	#9 David O Russell (Three Kings) unleashed a comedy of chaotic singularity this year. It's been a long time since we've seen rapid-fire sophisticated verbal joking alongside manic slapstick. It's been an even longer time since the last "existential detective comedy" (Wait --was there a last one?) If the cultural zeitgeist in 2004 had been all about playful soul-searching rather than blindly choosing sides, I ♥ Huckabees may have hit big. The film's climax, a scene between two existential detectives (Hoffman & Tomlin) and corporate climber Brad Stand (Jude Law) is formed around the question "How Am I Not Myself?" This inquiry is first posed as a throwaway. Brad's more defensive than curious. He's annoyed that the detectives have questioned his basic internal honesty. He exasperatedly asks "How Am I Not Myself?" as if swatting them away. (What a silly thing to question!) But the detectives begin to repeat the inquiry aloud, spinning it around their own tongues to taste it's true meaning. The comedy often emerges from the way they engage and disengage from conversations becoming distracted by their own curiousity. They are both service providers and true believers. But laughs are not the only purpose of this movie. The sequence darkens. Going about his day Brad moves from exasperation to self-loathing to fear, the question haunting him all the while. It takes on a mantra feeling by the end. It's a good question to answer, if you're up for it.

#8 Prologue) In which we are stunned by brilliant staging and an impressive huge cast. Chapter 1) In which Grace (Nicole Kidman) arrives and Tom (Paul Bettany) the obvious director-surrogate in this parable gives a 'moral lecture' and is immediately chastized by the narrator for "lashing out somewhat haphazardly in all directions." Chapter 2-5) "Happy Times" -The cast interacts lovingly... Chapter 6&7) until their love is exposed as shallow self-interest and their "true face" emerges and the film becomes totally shattering. Chapter 8&9) In which the director (Von Trier) lashes out somewhat haphazardly in all directions and the film ends. Dogville is harrowing, excruciating in its inevitability, and unforgettable...an "easy sit." -ha ha. While colder than the 'Golden Heart trilogy' (Breaking the Waves, The Idiots, Dancer in the Dark) which raised Von Trier's profile to an icon of divisiveness, Dogville is equally important and potent. Understandably misread as an Anti-American screed, it's closer to a condemnation of the entire human race. This town is "...not far from here."	#7 I saw The Incredibles three times within the month of its opening. And every time something else opened the following month that only looked half-appealing I thought to myself. "Now, self, you can always go and see The Incredibles again!" This, the second greatest super-hero film ever made (we'll get to the first in a little bit), may be written off as comfort food, but it's not without nutritious value. I've never considered re-watchability to be the strongest indicator of quality but it counts as an obvious plus. The film's cheerful but serious inventiveness becomes more obvious upon repeat viewings. Brad Bird, who also directed the last American 2-D animation classic The Iron Giant, deserves all the kudos he gets for this special toon. He also wrote the jam-packed, funny and relevant screenplay. He's not the first auteur to work in animation, but he's the genre's greatest superhero behind the scenes in quite some time. He may only be voicing Edna Mode ("I never look back! It distracts me from the 'now'.") but to me he's Mr. Incredible.

#6 Gorgeously humane and intimately scaled, spring, summer, fall, winter...and spring is the spiritual tonic that the cinemas most needed in this year of religious-fueled fury (The Passion) and overall human pettiness and ferocity (Dogville). Director Kim Ki Duk also moved from cruelty (see previous films) to peace and meditation here. spring, summer, fall, winter...and spring is structured with complete simplicity (the title is truthful), but what could have been a precious and obvious film is instead profoundly moving.	#5 Making a sequel to a film as delicate and "moment in time"-ish as Before Sunrise seems like a fool's errand. But director/writer Richard Linklater and his stars Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke are no fools. This re-meet is less cute (though still cuddly), deeper, and more resonant. It improbably improves the original, which is a pretty awesome trick. Celine and Jesse have aged well. Before Sunset's purity (it's told in real time) gives a beautiful ebb and flow to the chatty conversation and emotional reveals, and culminates in one of the great movie endings.

#4 Alexander Payne, with Sideways, is now four-for-four. He first made a mark in 1996 when Citizen Ruth won many cinephile hearts for its satirical know-how, poking fun (with gusto) of both sides in the eternal abortion rights battle. Next up came Election (my personal favorite) a hilarious high-school-as-macrocosm of politics movie. And finally, two years ago audiences discovered his work (with the help of a genuine legend Jack Nicholson) in About Schmidt. Apparently though, for a complete triumph with the sacred trinity of Audience/ Critics/Oscar, the fourth time is the charm. The current backlash-generated question is: Are critics wrong to have been so unanimous in declaring Sideways, a light angsty middle age buddy comedy, the best film of the year? Perhaps. Is that anything to hold against this funny, incisive, memorable, and superbly acted gem? Absolutely not. Drink up!	#3 Mike Leigh is most frequently thought of as an ensemble director. His now famous method of working involves months of rehearsal and improv with his team of actors before the movie has a real script and before any footage is shot. His films tend to have uniformly strong work from their entire teeming cast... even the bit roles are perfection. What is less often remarked upon is the way his film's are often built organically around one magical, lived-in and accomplished lead performance from a character actor. Add Imelda Staunton's Vera Drake to the list that includes Brenda Blethyn's teary Cynthia Purley (Secrets and Lies) and the great Jim Broadbent's towering, magnificent William Gilbert in Topsy Turvy. (For the Full Review)

#2 The first film in years to make me feel like a little kid again. Absolutely joyous from start to finish. My gratitude goes out to Tobey Macguire and Kirsten Dunst who continue to exhibit a rare chemistry. Kudos also to the team behind Doctor Octopus. Superheroes need a great rogues gallery and Doctor Octopus alone makes Spider-Man 2 a significant improvement on the original (which was hardly insignificant in its year). I don't know if "there's a hero in all of us" but Sam Raimi is one in my book. He continues to show complete acceptance and love for that most maligned genre; the comic book film. This webslinging adventure is, quite simply, the greatest superhero movie ever. "Excelsior!"	#1 I made the mistake of not writing about Eternal Sunshine when it first premiered. It became more and more difficult to write about the further I got away from it's.