1. Downfall - Absolutely my favorite film from 2004. The moment I saw the trailer for this film I knew there was something different about it. The entire film is so incredibly intense, from start to finish. It's amazing how intense it is considering that 1. these are Nazi's we're following, 2. there's no real main character (the secretary is the main protagonist, but there are long stretches of the film without her and there are so many other plot lines that she's lost at times). Still, every scene and sequence has a haunted quality, as if we're watching the ghosts trapped in their last tomb, reliving their final moments over and over. The haunted nature sucks the life out the viewing time and again as we watched horrible and evil acts being played out by maniacal beings; from parents killing their children so they won't have to grow up in a world without National Socialism to officers shooting themselves as a last act of defiance. The world perhaps will never see a movement quite like the Nazi's, who mixed such an odd sense of kitsch with such an evil way of taking over a modern society, and this film captures all of that whole movement distilled down to the last week in it's fanatical leader's life.
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - One of the most unique movies ever made. Movies in so many ways are like dreams and memories and this film probably gets closer to what memories feel like than any other movie. The details and emotions are what carry this film; and it seems like the filmmakers understood that, planting tiny details into every scene that eventually comes back later at some point. It's sort of like the pieces or objects in our dreams that make sense until we wake up and they don't quite fit into reality. That's sort of the essence of symbolism in literature, when an object carries more meaning that the physical object itself. But Eternal Sunshine doesn't ever dwell on this more than needed, they place these important things in spots around the action; from cups to drawings to hair color. It's an odd romance
3. Anchorman - This is the movie that made me laugh so hard I fell off the couch. It has spawned a thousand one-liners relating to such topics as: San Diego, scotch, a woman's hiney, relaying important news items like "Cannonball", a whale's reproductive organs, the use of cologne, bears, lamps, when to drink milk, our cages of emotions, the sizes of burritos and their proper disposal, and so much more.
4. Kung Fu Hustle - I had to go back and watch this again because I fell asleep watching it in 2004. I'm glad I did because this film is legit. It combines so many different styles to fit into a whole new world of it's own. It's hilarious and captivating alongside being an amazing action film. Besides all that, it is one of the best Asian films of the last 15 years, up there with House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This film though, follows the tradition of so many Asian films, though, that merge Eastern and Western styles so fluidly. It builds a world full of depth all while paying homage, a balance that's hard to do sometimes.
5. The Aviator - This should have won Best Picture. Watching this again really brings out how good of a biopic this is and how well the effects still hold up pretty well. In many ways, this was a big grand movie (much aligned with the subject matter) and deserves the praise for the large leaps it takes in tackling every aspect of what makes a movie a spectacle. The aeriel plane sequences alone are amazing, but matched with DiCaprio's performance and the breathtaking production design (covering several decades) this film fires on all cylinders. And it's now given me reason to say "Show me all the blueprints" over and over again when my three year olds ask the same question twelve times.
6. The Incredibles - Usually when movies(or TV shows) make up their own superheroes it comes off as fake or forced. But leave it to Pixar to do it right. They not only created very real and believable heroes, but they created a whole world to support them. They play homage to the 60's Modern style that fits so well with the tone of the superhero world. I'm sure Mad Men took at least a little inspiration from The Incredibles' production design. The world they create yearns for a sequel, yet the story is so perfectly wrapped up a sequel would probably take away from the complete story of the family.
7. The Life Aquatic - Here we are with Wes Anderson. Perhaps part of his low dip (with Darjeeling Limited) but the film holds up on repeated viewings and gets better over time. Perhaps the low dip is due to the grander scope of the film, as compared to previous films that were more personal and primarily character driven. Here you still have the characters, but that's mixed with bigger scenery and grander adventures. Anderson has been able to find a balance now, Grand Budapest Hotel is very grand and adventurous), but Life Aquatic was almost silly at times because you have small, quaint Anderson-esque characters out in the dangerous world in real life seeming situations. But that's where the value of repeat viewings come in. The Anderson-esque nature of the characters and situations is initially lost of the real-world grand scope, but on a re-watch it's easier to find the tiny Wes Anderson touches. For instance, Willem Dafoe's facial expressions in the background of scenes. Maybe one other flaw is Owen Wilson playing a Kentucky pilot. It seems so out of place. Perhaps Anderson has learned his lesson on forcing accents onto actors that shouldn't have them. (Just look to Ed Norton's plain accent in Grand Budapest Hotel for an example of a performance not needing it.)
8. Hotel Rwanda - Have to put this in here. It's such an incredible true life story. The emotion and chaos are so real and wild and hard felt. Not necessarily a film you go back for for entertainment, but one worth watching for something else.
9. House of Flying Daggers - This film could not be left off a top ten list of that year. The use of color alone could make it one of the best films of the last decade. The blind dancing sequence as well could keep it on that list as well. The film truly shows that Hollywood does not have a monopoly on amazing cinematography. The best cinematography could be coming out of the Far East. Wuxia storylines sort of thread the line between overly complicated and overly simplified, which is a hard thing to do. Emotions and characters and the situations they're in can be simplified, i.e. a girl pretends to be a blind geisha to spy on the government. But Wuxia films are filled with twists and turns; i.e. She's not really blind at all! And the guy who is protecting her really is a spy from the government! And of course they fall in love while performing amazing martial arts. Amazing film. On par with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, maybe better even.
10. Spiderman 2 - The best of the Spiderman films. Like most superhero films, the second takes what works from the first and makes it better, then avoids the bloated plot trappings of the third. (Look to the Dark Knight trilogy as the prime example.) The character arch is the best of the films, and Doc Ock is the best villain from the films, mainly because Alfred Molina was cast. The Spiderman series actually did an amazing job with casting. It's always nice having amazing classic actors in superhero films; Willem Dafoe, Patrick Stewart, Ian Mckellan, etc...) Molina isn't necessarily given amazing dialogue or characterization, but he manages to put so much depth and intellect into the character. Even Dafoe in the first film just sort of relied on being crazy a bit too much, something Molina never does in this film. It really is a shame that the third film failed so badly when this film gets every part right. There's only one villain, which means so much more time can be spent on his story and on Peter Parker's story, which is what makes the Spiderman character so interesting. Overall, one of the best superhero films to date, and a shining moment for 2004.
Honorable Mention:
Man on Fire - saw this the first time after coming back from Mexico City. Glad I didn't see it before, otherwise I would have been scared the entire time, and not just during taxi rides.
Miracle - can't help myself. I believe in miracles.
The Chronicles of Riddick - this one surprised me a lot. I thought for sure it would be awful, but it isn't bad at all. Vince Diesel isn't really the best actor, and the story is a little shallow, but the production design is amazing and a decade later it holds up pretty well.
Kill Bill Vol 2 - just off the list. No real reason to keep it off the top ten, but maybe in hindsight after Tarantino's later films isn't as shiny.
Collateral - landmark film. One of the early great features shot on video. The use of light and dark is amazing. Overall, a very compelling story. And Tom Cruise has grey hair.
The Sea Inside - for a film about a guy stuck in one place this film is quite engrossing. Mainly because of the philosophy it brings up.
Motorcycle Diaries - such an easy film to watch. This belongs on the top ten road movies ever made.
Yesterday - the premise seems so simple; An African woman discovers she has AIDS and deals with her life. But the whole film goes about it in such a straightforward and simple way that the existential crisis is there without being on the nose.
A Very Long Engagement - I love this director. WW I looks so great. No one knows love like the French.
3. Anchorman - This is the movie that made me laugh so hard I fell off the couch. It has spawned a thousand one-liners relating to such topics as: San Diego, scotch, a woman's hiney, relaying important news items like "Cannonball", a whale's reproductive organs, the use of cologne, bears, lamps, when to drink milk, our cages of emotions, the sizes of burritos and their proper disposal, and so much more.
7. The Life Aquatic - Here we are with Wes Anderson. Perhaps part of his low dip (with Darjeeling Limited) but the film holds up on repeated viewings and gets better over time. Perhaps the low dip is due to the grander scope of the film, as compared to previous films that were more personal and primarily character driven. Here you still have the characters, but that's mixed with bigger scenery and grander adventures. Anderson has been able to find a balance now, Grand Budapest Hotel is very grand and adventurous), but Life Aquatic was almost silly at times because you have small, quaint Anderson-esque characters out in the dangerous world in real life seeming situations. But that's where the value of repeat viewings come in. The Anderson-esque nature of the characters and situations is initially lost of the real-world grand scope, but on a re-watch it's easier to find the tiny Wes Anderson touches. For instance, Willem Dafoe's facial expressions in the background of scenes. Maybe one other flaw is Owen Wilson playing a Kentucky pilot. It seems so out of place. Perhaps Anderson has learned his lesson on forcing accents onto actors that shouldn't have them. (Just look to Ed Norton's plain accent in Grand Budapest Hotel for an example of a performance not needing it.)
8. Hotel Rwanda - Have to put this in here. It's such an incredible true life story. The emotion and chaos are so real and wild and hard felt. Not necessarily a film you go back for for entertainment, but one worth watching for something else.
Honorable Mention:
Man on Fire - saw this the first time after coming back from Mexico City. Glad I didn't see it before, otherwise I would have been scared the entire time, and not just during taxi rides.
Miracle - can't help myself. I believe in miracles.
The Chronicles of Riddick - this one surprised me a lot. I thought for sure it would be awful, but it isn't bad at all. Vince Diesel isn't really the best actor, and the story is a little shallow, but the production design is amazing and a decade later it holds up pretty well.
Kill Bill Vol 2 - just off the list. No real reason to keep it off the top ten, but maybe in hindsight after Tarantino's later films isn't as shiny.
Collateral - landmark film. One of the early great features shot on video. The use of light and dark is amazing. Overall, a very compelling story. And Tom Cruise has grey hair.
The Sea Inside - for a film about a guy stuck in one place this film is quite engrossing. Mainly because of the philosophy it brings up.
Motorcycle Diaries - such an easy film to watch. This belongs on the top ten road movies ever made.
Yesterday - the premise seems so simple; An African woman discovers she has AIDS and deals with her life. But the whole film goes about it in such a straightforward and simple way that the existential crisis is there without being on the nose.
A Very Long Engagement - I love this director. WW I looks so great. No one knows love like the French.
Who knew that 2004 had so many gems?! But you forgot Mean Girls (which is amazing).
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