BEST OF 2004

KILL BILL VOL. 2:

The second installment of Q.T.’s Kung Fu revenge epic is less action-filled that Vol 1., but is superior an almost every other way. A true Tarantino film as opposed to being an homage to some other genre. Great dialogue, great performances and David Carradine in a brilliant, Oscar-worthy tour-de-force.

SPIDERMAN 2:

Another superior sequel; Sam Raimy makes a leaner, faster, smarter film that also has more heart and more action than its predecessor. Seamless blockbuster entertainment at its finest.

THE INCREDIBLES:

One of the best superhero movies ever. Period. Brad Bird pulls it all together for an exhilarating ride that manages to be funny and thrilling, without sacrificing brains or pandering to the kiddies. The best film of the year.

INFERNAL AFFAIRS:

This Hong Kong export is not an action film. It’s a taut crime drama in the mode of Michael Mann’s best work. Wicked plot, smooth execution, nice cinematography, and some of the best Chinese actors in the business doing their best work. Looking forward to the Scorcese remake.

SIDEWAYS:

Alexander Payne’s rumination on pre-middle age is funny, sad and truthful. Not quite on the level of his previous two films, but a treasure that will probably gain stature on subsequent viewings. All four lead performances deserve Oscar nomination.

THE BOURNE SUPREMACY:

The finest contemporary action/spy flick since Frankenheimer’s RONIN. Relentlessly exciting on just about every level. Matt Damon does it all and I bought it all.

THE AVIATOR:

Not the smartest film Scorcese’s ever made, but his most purely entertaining since GOODFELLAS. Dicaprio shines as Howard Hughes and the rest of the cast and crew (specially cinematographer Bob Richardson) bring a high polished sheen to a classic Hollywood effort.

BEFORE SUNSET:

Another great sequel in a year filled with them. A heartfelt follow-up to Linklatter’s BEFORE SUNRISE finds our heroes in Paris, talking some more. I’m looking forward to the next installment.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND:

It’s a Charlie Kauffman film, which almost automatically means it’s the year’s most original movie. Funny, trippy, and often heart-breaking. Just see it.

HERO:

One of the most sublimely beautiful films I’ve ever seen. Zhang Yimou shows an amazing affinity for the marital arts genre; creating an instant masterpiece. Great concept, great action, and genius cinematography by Chris Doyle.  Probably the best Kung Fu film ever made whether you agree with its politics or not. Really.

DIRTY PRETTY THINGS:

Not too many people saw this Stephen Frears drama about immigrant workers unearthing some evil doings in a London hotel. It’s a shame because this is a thoroughly engaging mystery with wonderful lead performances and real emotion. You know it’s good, when you don’t mind the plot holes.

BETTER THAN YOU’D THINK

OPEN WATER:

So many of these “cheapie” indies are more hype than anything else. This one delivers the goods. A lean, brutal suspense drama that really puts you through the ringer. Nice DV cinematography and a great ending. See it with a diver you love.

KING ARTHUR:

This film got screwed by the studio in the editing and the marketing, but the DVD ‘Director’s Cut’ brings all its Seven Samurai meets Apocalypse Now grandeur into focus. An original piece of work with a strong Clive Owen lead performance holding it all together.

CLOSER:

What I call “a bad date movie”. A real ‘actor’s piece’ where beautiful people say and do cruel things to the ones they love. Mike Nichols goes back to his Carnal Knowledge heyday with this dark four-character play. Great acting, specially (again) by Clive Owen.

SHRECK 2:

Brainless fun, but much better than the original. Thanks in large part to Antonio Banderas’ Puss’n Boots. Fun for the whole family.

DAWN OF THE DEAD:

A great re-make. Good cast and great zombies bring the thrills and some good laughs.

THIRTEEN GOING ON THIRTY:

A charming retread of the BIG formula and, for my money, a better film all around. Jennifer Garner is luminous as a 13 year old who jumps into her future “rich bitch” self. Good nostalgia, if that’s what you’re looking for.

MAN ON FIRE:

A rarity; a good Tony Scott film. Denzel Washington is great as a grizzled alcoholic bent on revenge. Not everything here works, but it’s all incredibly watchable and engaging from start to finish.

MASKED AND ANONYMOUS:

The critics took a giant crap all over this Bob Dylan project, mainly because they didn’t get it. Like the best Dylan songs, this film asks a lot of questions and answers none of them. But I found it endlessly interesting, often funny, occasionally insightful and quite original. A must see for any BD fan.

TROY:

I’ve re-evaluated this film on second viewing. There are some great, totally original action sequences here, but also some very strong acting moments (specially by Eric Bana and Peter O’Toole) along with a dynamic narrative, a stellar cast and great art direction. Not a perfect film by any means, but a solid historical epic that benefits from repeated viewing.

WORST THAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN

Alexander:

An embarrassing turkey for everybody involved. It almost seems like all these talented people at the bottom of their game here. What the hell happened? I’ll tell you what: massive ego, an excessive budget, and too much partying. The year’s biggest failure by far.

Collateral:

The most over-hyped film of the year. A movie not as bad as it is disappointing. The story is familiar (is it a remake of The Hitcher?), the cinematography ugly, and the characters act inconsistently in order to serve the lame plot devices. There’s also some terrible use of music.  Michael Mann’s worst film to date.

The Ladykillers:

The Coen Brothers’ worst film. Not cute, not clever, not funny. A waste of a great cast.

The Terminal:

Who thought this would work? Tom Hanks doing another unconvincing accent in a movie that never rises above ‘cute’. A metaphor for “America” that never rings true. Another in a string of uninspired, mediocre films; Spielberg seems intent on dismantling his own reputation.

Van Helsing:

They throw every monster at you and I still couldn’t stay awake. Proof that no amount of noise and flashy FX can save a lame film. Let’s hope there’s no sequel.

Zato Ichi, The Blind Swordsman:

Some critics were impressed; maybe they should see some real Zato Ichi films. Nothing actually works in this Takeshi Kitano “re-thinking” of the classic Japanese character. Are we supposed to be impressed by trans-gender characters or the anachronistic dance numbers? And when the only serious action takes place in a tacked-on flashback, you know there’s a problem. O yeah, (spoiler alert), according to Kitano, Zato Ichi only pretends to be blind! OK, and Wonder Woman is actually a guy.