Movie Reviews, 2004

I saw only 66 movies last year (down from about 100 in 2002), of which 59 were DVD rentals, the majority of which were released in theaters in 2003 or earlier. So this isn't a 'best of 2004' list, just some suggestions for the off-night rental. Enjoy!
Dan

BEST PICTURES (MAINSTREAM CHOICES)
1. The Fog of War (2003)--Errol Morris on his worst day is better than Michael Moore at his best... and I mean no offense to Errol Morris by mentioning him in the same sentence as the pompous windbag from Flint. If you haven't already, see Morris's Thin Blue Line (1988); it was probably the genesis of the current boom in documentaries (Roger & Me came a year
later).
2. Touching the Void (2003)--I can't say enough about it. A must-see. MUST SEE!!
3. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)--I don't know if I liked this one more or less than the other two. I did fast-forward through the last 30 minutes, which otherwise would have tanked the movie for me.
4. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)--Another great documentary. If you haven't already, see Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996), which is even better.
5. Dinner Rush (2001)--Danny Aiello's best role since Do the Right Thing. Edoardo Ballerini is strong too; you may remember him as Alvarez on Oz (on HBO).
6. Spellbound (2002)--Consensus top 10. Today's speller is tomorrow's crossword champ....

BEST PICTURES (BUT HIGH BETA)
7. City of God (2002)--A little choppy, but the story pulls it through. Doesn't make me want to vacation in Rio anytime soon.
8. Elephant (2003)--Innovative film-making. An out-of-body experience. Like Blair Witch, but without the bad audio.
9. Dirty Pretty Things (2002)--Is that Audrey Tautou (from Amelie)? Playing a Turk? Stephen Frears strikes again (and if you haven't seen his other films, go get The Grifters, High Fidelity, Dangerous Liaisons, Sammy and Rosie, Prick Up Your Ears, etc. etc. etc.).
10. The Triplets of Belleville (2003)--Innovative. I might not have liked it quite so much if I weren't into biking.
11. American Splendor (2003)--Giamatti breaks through. Hope Davis is wonderful too.
12. L'Auberge Espagnole (2002)
13. Next Stop Wonderland (1998)--Won't make many top ten lists. Hope Davis is good in it.
14. 28 Days Later (2002)--This is the good stuff: British post-apocalypse survivalists.
15. Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator (2002)--Dogtown and Z Boys is better, but it still works.
16. Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns (2003)--You have to like They Might Be Giants... but I happen to love them
17. Intolerable Cruelty (2003)--I loved it! I loved it! The Coen brothers are underrated (despite being pretty highly rated). George Clooney isn't just a mimbo, at least when he is directed by he Coens... Go see O Brother Where Art Though? and Three Kings too.

SAW THEM IN THE THEATER--FOUR GOOD ONES AND A STINKER
18. Supersize me (2004)--Tremendous. Loved it. Got me eating even more Kashi.
19. Closer (2004)--Usually I find Julia Roberts tedious and cloying. But she was great in this one. Jude Law is like DiCaprio, but more sufferable. Clive Owen is superb; see him in Croupier if you haven't already.
20. Sideways (2004)--Outstanding. Paul Giamatti continues to impress (as he did in American Splendor , but here more accessibly). Watch out for the photo of him and his dad (Bart) in the first 15 minutes. Virginia Madsen is great in the role... she is this decade's answer to the Big Chill, but no so smarmy. I don't get the Sandra Oh-mania, but she was fine too.
21. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)--Touching and original. I liked Jim Carrey in this role, and Kate Winslet is as good as she was in Heavenly Creatures (i.e. very very good).
22. The Manchurian Candidate (2004)--Liked the original. Slept through most of the 2004 remake. Woke up from time to time and wished I hadn't.

PRETTY GOOD (BUT HIGH-BETA)
23. Bad Santa (2003)--Hilarious
24. Shaolin Soccer (2001)--Strong caveat: this is mainstream Chinese moviemaking... so it has really strange plotlines and emotive acting... totally absurd but fun to watch anyway
25. Zatoichi (1989)--More bizarre but watchable martial arts, this time Japanese. Tries to be like Kurosawa but doesn't quite make it. Even with the subtitles it's hard to follow.
26. The Importance of Being Earnest (1952)
27. Donnie Darko (2001)--More teen angst. Has cult status, but not really a cult movie.
28. On Guard (1997)--Daniel Auteil is in usual form. Nice period piece.
46. The Reckoning (2004)--Paul Bettany plays a traveling actor in the middle ages. Terrific flick.

I LIKED IT DESPITE STRONG MISGIVINGS BEFORE VIEWING... i.e. I liked it but felt guilty about it
29. In America (2002)--This movie was made for Jim McGuire. All it lacked was a solemn reading of the poem about the guy who freezes to death.
30. You Got Served (2004)--In the strong tradition of Bring It On and Drumline... If you haven't seen any of these, see Drumline first, unless you are a Kirsten Dunst devotee, in which case see Bring It On.
31. Thirteen (2003)--Kids and Bully are both better movies.
32. The School of Rock (2003)
33. Bowling for Columbine (2002)--Elephant is better. But he has a point about those Canadians; if they own the guns, why don't they use them?

BETTER THAN I EXPECTED
34. Shattered Glass (2003)--Watch the DVD extras... they interview the real ex-journalist.
35. Matchstick Men (2003)--Best Nicolas Cage movie since Valley Girl (well, he made a couple of good ones since then, but not many).
36. Pieces of April (2003)--Katie Holmes vehicle. Oliver Platt and Patricia Clarkson married? They must be about 20 years apart.
37. Anything Else (2003)--It's Woody Allen through the mouth of Jason Biggs. Not too bad.
38. Owning Mahowny (2003)--Philip Seymour Hoffman is a good actor. Really.

SOMEWHAT OVERRATED BUT PRETTY GOOD ANYWAY
39. Monster (2003)--The DVD extras on the making of the movie were better than the movie.
40. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)--A heck of a lot better than Vol. 1.
41. Hellboy (2004)--Latest entry in the obscure-comic-book-hero-made-into-a-movie genre
42. Bourne Supremacy (2004)--Not enough of Franka Potente; see her in Run Lola Run. Matt Damon has exactly one facial expression for the entire movie.
43. Hero (2002)--Jet Li! Yeah! Lots of martial arts, not much martial artistry.

BETTER THAN WATCHING GRASS GROW, BUT ONLY MARGINALLY MORE EXCITING
44. Veronica Guerin (2003)--Cate Blanchett can't save it. Maudlin.
45. Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman (1944)
47. The Human Stain (2003)--This one has Wentworth Miller, whom I met about 10 years ago at Deer Island, when he was 16. Doesn't save the movie though. Nicole Kidman is not believable as a charwoman. Boring movie.
48. Once Were Warriors (1994)--I got this because Bryant Gumbel said he liked it. It's a bit like a Lifetime made-for-TV movie, but featuring Maoris (I guess that makes it more authentic).
49. Man on the Train (2002)--Aging French gangsters. Enough said. Like Swimming Pool, but without Ludivine Sagnier.
50. Out of Time (2003)--Denzel. Eva. Dull dull dull.
51. Final Destination (2000)
52. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)--Had they fallen?
53. Sweet Sixteen (2002)
54. Ride with the Devil (1999)--Stars Jewell (the singer) but drags nonetheless.
55. Walking and Talking (1996)--Catherine Keener is good, but it moves slow slow slow.

I DIDN'T LIKE IT, DESPITE HIGH EXPECTATIONS
56. All About Eve (1950)--Yap yap yap... will someone make Bette Davis shut the hell up? Who could feel sorry for that woman?
57. Sharpe's Waterloo (1997)--The books are better
58. The Newton Boys (1998)--Matthew McConaughey needs to be hit in the face with the flat part of a shovel. Now that would be entertaining!

SAW THEM ON AN AIRPLANE--YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
59. Dodgeball (2004)--I would never have paid to see this movie. I laughed heartily though. Not Ben Stiller's worst movie of the year.
60. The Butterfly Effect (2004)--Stars that guy who dates Demi Moore. Not so good.

DIDN'T GRAB ME, SO I TURNED THEM OFF (USUALLY WITHIN 10 MINUTES)
61. Big Fish (2003)--I like Burton, but this had the saccharine alarm ringing off the hook before the opening credits
62. I Capture the Castle (2003)--Some kind of English thing. Couldn't be bothered to watch it.
63. The Quiet American (2002)--Probably it's a good flick, for someone who has no other demands on his time.
64. Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)--It's Ang Lee, so it's almost an obligation to see it, but I've found some of Alison's shows on the Food network more engrossing.

WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?
65. Mystic River (2003)--A piece of crap. This is a DVD for laying down and avoiding. What a misuse of talent.
66. The Junction Boys (2002)--Bear Bryant played by Tom Berenger. Please.