The Casual Critic's 2004 Top 10 Movies April 29, 2005
Posted by TheCasualCritic in Casual Critic Movie Picks
We're almost half way through 2005 and I finally decided to come out with my top 10 list of 2004. This year, the most difficult obstacle in compiling this list was deciding how to consider the foreign films that I watched in the past year. A lot of the 2004 productions have theatrical distribution in USA in 2005 and therefore I caught up with most of them only in the past few months, while others have yet to secure a distributor. I have yet to see all the 2004 Oscar nominated foreign movies for example, while, on the other side of the coin, I included Dogville on my 2003 top 10 list, although it screened only in 2004 in USA.
Ultimately, having to make a decision I decided that, unless I want to wait until spring 2006 to publish my 2004 top 10 list, I will go by the most empirical of rules: I will include the movie in the year that I watched it in with the exception of movies that I decide to include in their production year... Puzzled? Well... A lot of movies risk getting caught in this no-man's land so I will do my best to advertise them.
Once again, do not take this list as a ranking (although I do use numbers) but rather as a best of list, a memento of the movies that I found most special and accomplished in 2004.
| 10. | I Heart Huckabees |
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The existential aussie comedy covers all range of humor from intellectual philosophical ramblings to slapstick and brings some fun performances by Dustin Hoffman, Isabelle Hupert and Lily Tomlin. While some may find it pretentious, I found it refreshing, therefore it makes the list. |
| 9. | Immortel (ad vitam) |
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Immortel, has yet to find a US distributor. This is not surprising, as
the genre, although it attempts to penetrate more the US market, has
yet to find its spearhead. Despite the recent relative success of
foreign animation, particularly through Hayao Miyazaki's movies
(Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away), most of the recent showings have
not encountered much success beyond their fan base and regular movie
buffs. It's a pity as Immortel is certainly one of the better movies I
have seen in 2004.
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| 8. | Closer |
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Closer gives a grim look at the moments and behaviour that we're not
too proud of in our relationships, yet we can't steer ourselves away
from them. It bluntly exposes our capacity for self-destruction and
leaves us with a rather bitter taste in the end (or even throughout).
However, I found it quite truthful in its bitterness, similar to the
way Virginia Woolf's story was truthful in its own age. A tough nut to
swallow for some, but for me a rather thought provoking movie.
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| 7. | Ray |
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I've said in my Oscar commentaries
that Ray is the most important
movie out of the five Best Picture nominees and I still stand by that
statement. While it may have minor shortcomings from a filmmaking
perspective, it features a brilliant performance by Jamie Foxx and
tells the story of one of the true American legends: Ray Charles. A
movie that is certain to enjoy lots of television re-broadcasts for years to come.
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| 6. | Motorcycle Diaries |
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Motorcycle Diaries, while being important since it depicts Che
Guevara's youth according to his own youthful memories, it is also a
fun movie about two friends on a roadtrip across South America. Watch
it without prejudice.
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| 5. | A Touch of Spice (Politiki Kouzina) |
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Politiki Kouzina is not a flashy big fat Greek wedding, although it
does describe wedding preparations at some point. It is an actual Greek
movie, according to many, the best to come out of Greece in the past
years, talking about the Greek-Turk conflicts, about the beauty of the
local cuisine and about the local culture.
|
| 4. | Kill Bill: Vol.2 |
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Quentin Tarantino definitely came out with an ambitious project, and I
found the 2nd part to be even better than the first, more original,
with a better balance between fight sequences, background story and
humor. Overall Kill Bill may not go above Pulp Fiction in the fan
tops, but it is nevertheless an instant cult classic.
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| 3. | Garden State |
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No one was blown away by Garden State, yet a lot of people found it to
be quite a nice movie. I think it is a movie that just works: great
music, a finding yourself type story that is part serious, part
off-the-wall, with enough accurate references that the young
generation easily can identify and with endearing performances by
Natalie Portman and Zach Braff.
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| 2. | Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind |
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Charlie Kaufman doesn't compromise on his completely original view of
the world, yet manges to bring to his latest movie the extra touch
that was missing from his previous films: the classic touch of true
feelings, of love and searching for a soulmate, issues that everyone
can easily relate to. With this theme solid throughout the movie,
everyone can follow the metaphors and the strange adventure that the
heroes go through while at the same time identifying with them in ways
that was not possible in Being John Malkovich or Adaptation.
Almost tied for best movie of 2004 for me.
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| 1. | The Incredibles |
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I am not used to placing an animated movie at the top of my yearlong
list. However, after watching _The Incredibles_ for 3 times, and
enjoying it thoroughly each time, as well as the rest of the audience,
I have to admit that this is what movies can really be about - pure
entertainment. In a day and age where veteran movie critics bicker
about the R rating attributed to one movie or another, Pixar manages
to not only break new barriers in computer animation, but also give a
lesson in true family entertainment that appeals to all ages, from
young kids to retired couples or even jaded adults. And I will break
another habit of mine by saying that I am actually looking forward to a
sequel, even though it will be hard to match up with the original.
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| * | Outstanding Special Mention |
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There are two movies that I decided with a torn heart to leave out of
the "official" top 10, since I've seen them way into 2005 and they
received late limited distribution in the US. Also, if I were to
include them in the list, they could very well be 2 of the top 3
movies of the 2004. So in order to make sure they do not get overlooked
until I will compile my 2005 list, I decided to give them separate
special recognition.
The Downfall is perhaps one of the best war movies of all times. It depicts the very last moments of the fall of the 3rd Reich at the end of the second World War, as Berlin was about to fall under the pressure of the allied troops. Strongly documented based on the accounts of survivors that were in Hitler's bunker until the last moment, _Der Untergang_ gives more insight than any other movie I've seen into how the World War became possible, into Hitler's mix of charisma and delusional madness, into how a lot of his acolytes and staff truly got to believe in the Nazi cause. Nobody Knows is one of the most powerful dramas I have seen in recent years. If you thought 21 Grams, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby or even Dancer in the Dark are strong dramas, you should give yourself the chance to experience a different, slightly more subtle type of drama. Nobody Knows weaves a simple story where children innocence and playfulness may wrap a blindfold about the viewer eyes until the very end of the movie. Deservingly winning at Cannes in 2004 the best actor award, Nobody Knows is without a doubt one of the finest movies of 2004. |
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Until next year.
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