Year in Review: 2004
Ha! It's that time again, though I'm doing it earlier than I did last year, to put up my review of the movies I've seen in the theatres. :) There's four categories, and my opinion in each category. I won't include movies that came out last year that I saw again in 2004 (like ROTK), nor will I include any repeats (this year, I don't think there were any). Feel free to comment if you'd like, but be nice about it! :)
The Great
The Passion: Not a movie that would be considered great by everyone's standards, especially if they aren't familiar with the source material, and while this movie can't really stand on its own without the audiences' knowledge OF the source material, it was beautifully filmed, acted, and scored. So even if you don't give a flip about Christianity, watching this movie for what it is (in terms of filming, acting, and the music) is worth it. Just don't get too hung up on the story or lack thereof, okay? :)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: I think this was my favorite movie of the year. The story, the acting, and the philosophy behind it...there's so much meat to this movie that I could feast for days. The movie's worth a second and third viewing even, and definitely worth having on DVD.
Shrek 2: Even if the rest of the movie sucked, it would STILL be great thanks to Puss-in-Boots, who had me in tears of laughter EVERY TIME. But beyond that little fetish of mine, I love how this movie explores bigger, adult themes in ways that are still entertaining to children (and hell, they may not even catch it) and still immensely satisfying for adults as well.
Garden State: This movie makes me look forward to what Zach Braff produces in the future, because this movie speaks to my generation in ways that are both beautiful and brutally honest. The acting here is just wonderful in all regards, and I'm glad to see a movie about real people (as in not glammed up in any way) for a change. There's only one tiny thing about this movie that sort of urked me (it bothered Greg a lot), but didn't take away from the overall meaning of it.
The Incredibles: Ah, where will Disney be without Pixar? This was a great animated film that, like Shrek 2 brought adult themes into a mix that could be enjoyed no matter what your age. The movie was lots of fun, and it also was very well told.
The Good
Mystic River: I almost called this movie great, as the story and the acting were amazing, but honestly, after leaving the theatre, it just never effected me the way great movies do. And there were some parts of it that I was disappointed with, like how Tim Robbins's character acted a certain point (if you're curious, ask) that I felt was out of character, but overall, it was a very eerie and telling story of friendship and family and what you'll do for both.
13 Going On 30: This movie was beyond cute. I loved seeing Jen Garner act like a complete doof-ball, and I really liked seeing her reactions to the woman that everyone else knew her as. The movie, for all it's fun and light-heartedness, does have something to say about feminism in today's society, and what society really reduces women too, which is women who really want nothing more than to be little princesses in a big girl's body. *shrugs* It's interesting, really, if you think about it. ;) And even if you don't, there's still plenty about this movie that's satisfying, like watching Andy Serkis (aka Gollum) dance to "Thriller". :)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: I have to say, this was probably the best adapted of the three movies so far. I loved the casting in the end, and I really liked the darker feel for this movie. The score was surprisingly refreshing (for John Williams, who of late has been recycling), and I liked seeing the kids grow as actors. And even though the changes to the setting ultimately make sense, I'm all about continuity and things staying as they are, even if the first movie visualized things on a smaller level than it should've. :)
The Chronicles of Riddick: HA! The one cheese movie that everyone hated that I loved!!! Not that this movie is Oscar-worthy by any means, but I adored the story, and the potential within. There's SO MUCH that can be explored in Riddick's universe that in all actuality, this franchise would be better off as a television series than a movie trilogy (or whatever). But then, you wouldn't have Vin Diesel as the lead, and then that would suck, because Vin Diesel MAKES that character (and I wasn't a Vin Diesel fan at ALL until I saw him in this role, so that's saying something). I liked how the movie's events never really went where I thought they would at first, but I would recommend to ANYONE who wants to watch this movie to rent the director's cut of the theatrical edition. The director's cut just makes the story so much more coherent.
Spider-Man 2: Not a big fan of the Spider-Man franchise, but the second movie was FAR better than the first. It relied less on action and more on character, which helped me out a great deal in connecting with the story. Still, it had its cheese (unneeded cheese at that, but this franchise is good at putting in unneeded cheese), but the overall story and acting left me looking forward to the next film rather than ambivalent.
King Arthur: I haven't seen the unrated director's cut yet (it's sitting on my shelf, I should do that tonight), but I thoroughly was entertained by this movie. There was enough character (Clive Owen amazed me as Arthur) and enough of a cohesive story to keep me interested, and I'm always entertained by various tellings of the Arthurian legend. Edit: I've now seen the director's cut, and I love this movie even more...
The Village: Not my favorite Shamaylan film, but a very good one. Unlike some people, I did not guess the ending at any time during the movie (though I had it in my head the whole time, as Greg mentioned "Wouldn't it be cool if..." months before the movie was released. But what I liked about it was its study of what fear does to people, and what fear can drive people to do. Nothing like a supposed utopia getting smashed (in some fashion). The acting was strong, and the cinematography and score beautiful. :)
Hero: This movie is very operatic. There were acts, there was an overture, and there was even a chorus. The tragic end that also and well as the ultimate revelation of the characters and what was really at work...all of it was simply beautiful, and very well done. I would call it great, but *shrugs* there were still parts that lost my attention. :) A beautiful movie to sit and watch though, as well as a gorgeous score.
The Good for what it was, but nothing spectacular
Master and Commander: I feel kind of bad putting this movie in this category, but really, I'd feel bad putting it in any category. When I went to watch it, it was my third try, and unfortunately, I had the sinus infection from hell which kept me from focusing properly and noticing things that bothered me that normally would never bother me. So why this category? Well, the category speaks for itself. I think would've enjoyed it MORE had I been feeling better (and been able to finish watching the movie *whistles innocently*), but I doubt the category would've changed. It was a strong movie with very interesting detail and historical accuracy, but nothing about it made me sit at the edge of my seat.
Hidalgo: This was a fun action-movie that I saw for two reasons: 1) Viggo and 2) it was a horsie movie I could drag my grandmother too. There's not much to say here, though I'm sure I had more to say about it at the time, but it's fun, if not a little long, which I think was my only real peeve about it. And for that matter, I don't think the movie itself was long...it just felt that way.
Hellboy: Ah, one of the many I got dragged to by the boy. :) This movie actually wasn't bad at all...in fact, I expected worse. Instead, I was very entertained by the main character's antics, and the story itself stood on its own feet, which is all I ask for in an action movie, no matter how cheesy it is. :)
Mean Girls: This was a nice, enjoyable movie that really warrants no commentary. Sure, it gave a good perspective on the life of high school and the sacrifices made to be popular, and the humor was satisfying, but in the end, it was just a funny movie. :)
Alien versus Predator: Gee, I wonder why I saw this movie...it actually wasn't bad (and trust me, I was dreading it), and I liked how they took mythology and made an actual story out of this rather than letting it be just another action flick that could've come out of some fanfic writer's head. At least there was development, and the ending, while cheesy, was rather amusing and gave the fans of the side that DID not win something to cheer about.
Resident Evil 2: Apocalypse: Just another sequel that plays and expands on the mythology of the first. It really wasn't all that bad, though there was some cheese that bothered me quite a bit, and I felt the twist at the very very end was a bit overwhelming, though it would make for interesting sequel material, let me tell ya. :)
The Bad
Secret Window: Why people like this movie, hell if I know. The ending has been done before in film and done a million times better. Not to fault Johnny Depp (because his acting was fine, though not his best), but this movie did not need to be a movie...some short stories don't translate well, and for people who read a lot and are familiar with twisted endings, you could sniff this one a mile away. Simply put, there wasn't enough material in the short-story itself to distract a viewer from what was really going on in the plot. *shrugs*
The Punisher: This wasn't THAT bad, but it wasn't good enough to be put in the category above. And to be honest? The trailer to this movie was far better than the movie itself. And really, there's not much to say about it. I think for those familiar with the story like my boyfriend, they were somewhat happy with it, but even as an action flick, it was too two-dimensional (even though the main character is SUPPOSED to be that way, but still, I want more from my movies), and there were some plot holes that deserved explanation, as well as some cheese that could've really been done without. But a great end shot, I'll give it that. Oh, and a great soundtrack (not score, soundtrack).
Troy: Bwah, the movie I actually WILL bash in this category!!!! How bad was this movie? SO DAMN BAD. Seriously. I was looking forward to this movie, not just for the amount of eye-candy, but because the trailers looked cool and dude, I'm all about epic stories. But this? Please kill me. Forget the fact that they pretty much ignored the source material, let's look at the costumes, which were comical. The love-story, which was pathetic. The pacing of the movie? Completely wrong. Oh, and don't get me started on the actual art design of the temples and such...oh no, don't get me started. To me, epic movies have a certain standard to live up to (thank you LOTR) and even though it's a high bar to reach, you can STILL deliver a satisfying movie without alienating your viewers, no matter how versed they are in the source material. The good points to this movie, though, was the pretty, and the amazing acting on the part of Eric Bana (which was a real surprise for me, as I did NOT like Hulk). And it was nice to see Sean Bean in the role of Odysseus...his acting made me want an "Odyssey" movie, but only if there was a COMPLETELY different creative-team involved.
Vanity Fair: This movie--despite the strong acting on the part of all the actors--never really hit the point. Or when it did hit the point, it hit too hard. From what I hear, the director's one of those overly faithful when it comes to adaptations, and this definitely was in need of some trimming. The movie felt long, and the focus too split between Rebecca's story and that of her friend, and overall, I had a hard time figuring out whether or not I should sympathize, empathize or even relate to or cheer on Rebecca's character, which is sad, because Witherspoon really is a good actress. Personally, I think reading the book will bring more fulfillment than watching the movie, and I intend to do that one day. Oh, but pretty score, yessiree. :)
Hmmm...oddly enough, and this isn't intentional, every single movie on the "Bad" list is an adaptation or loosely inspired by source material. Interesting, especially since (The Passion excluded) my "Great" list is all original work. Heh.
23? It doesn't feel like that many, but I think that's mostly due to the ratio of movies that I wanted to see and the ones I saw because Greg wanted to. :) And there were movies I would've LIKED to have seen this year, but it wasn't in the cards, so I'll probably catch them next year or on Pay-Per-View. :)
The Great
The Passion: Not a movie that would be considered great by everyone's standards, especially if they aren't familiar with the source material, and while this movie can't really stand on its own without the audiences' knowledge OF the source material, it was beautifully filmed, acted, and scored. So even if you don't give a flip about Christianity, watching this movie for what it is (in terms of filming, acting, and the music) is worth it. Just don't get too hung up on the story or lack thereof, okay? :)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: I think this was my favorite movie of the year. The story, the acting, and the philosophy behind it...there's so much meat to this movie that I could feast for days. The movie's worth a second and third viewing even, and definitely worth having on DVD.
Shrek 2: Even if the rest of the movie sucked, it would STILL be great thanks to Puss-in-Boots, who had me in tears of laughter EVERY TIME. But beyond that little fetish of mine, I love how this movie explores bigger, adult themes in ways that are still entertaining to children (and hell, they may not even catch it) and still immensely satisfying for adults as well.
Garden State: This movie makes me look forward to what Zach Braff produces in the future, because this movie speaks to my generation in ways that are both beautiful and brutally honest. The acting here is just wonderful in all regards, and I'm glad to see a movie about real people (as in not glammed up in any way) for a change. There's only one tiny thing about this movie that sort of urked me (it bothered Greg a lot), but didn't take away from the overall meaning of it.
The Incredibles: Ah, where will Disney be without Pixar? This was a great animated film that, like Shrek 2 brought adult themes into a mix that could be enjoyed no matter what your age. The movie was lots of fun, and it also was very well told.
The Good
Mystic River: I almost called this movie great, as the story and the acting were amazing, but honestly, after leaving the theatre, it just never effected me the way great movies do. And there were some parts of it that I was disappointed with, like how Tim Robbins's character acted a certain point (if you're curious, ask) that I felt was out of character, but overall, it was a very eerie and telling story of friendship and family and what you'll do for both.
13 Going On 30: This movie was beyond cute. I loved seeing Jen Garner act like a complete doof-ball, and I really liked seeing her reactions to the woman that everyone else knew her as. The movie, for all it's fun and light-heartedness, does have something to say about feminism in today's society, and what society really reduces women too, which is women who really want nothing more than to be little princesses in a big girl's body. *shrugs* It's interesting, really, if you think about it. ;) And even if you don't, there's still plenty about this movie that's satisfying, like watching Andy Serkis (aka Gollum) dance to "Thriller". :)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: I have to say, this was probably the best adapted of the three movies so far. I loved the casting in the end, and I really liked the darker feel for this movie. The score was surprisingly refreshing (for John Williams, who of late has been recycling), and I liked seeing the kids grow as actors. And even though the changes to the setting ultimately make sense, I'm all about continuity and things staying as they are, even if the first movie visualized things on a smaller level than it should've. :)
The Chronicles of Riddick: HA! The one cheese movie that everyone hated that I loved!!! Not that this movie is Oscar-worthy by any means, but I adored the story, and the potential within. There's SO MUCH that can be explored in Riddick's universe that in all actuality, this franchise would be better off as a television series than a movie trilogy (or whatever). But then, you wouldn't have Vin Diesel as the lead, and then that would suck, because Vin Diesel MAKES that character (and I wasn't a Vin Diesel fan at ALL until I saw him in this role, so that's saying something). I liked how the movie's events never really went where I thought they would at first, but I would recommend to ANYONE who wants to watch this movie to rent the director's cut of the theatrical edition. The director's cut just makes the story so much more coherent.
Spider-Man 2: Not a big fan of the Spider-Man franchise, but the second movie was FAR better than the first. It relied less on action and more on character, which helped me out a great deal in connecting with the story. Still, it had its cheese (unneeded cheese at that, but this franchise is good at putting in unneeded cheese), but the overall story and acting left me looking forward to the next film rather than ambivalent.
King Arthur: I haven't seen the unrated director's cut yet (it's sitting on my shelf, I should do that tonight), but I thoroughly was entertained by this movie. There was enough character (Clive Owen amazed me as Arthur) and enough of a cohesive story to keep me interested, and I'm always entertained by various tellings of the Arthurian legend. Edit: I've now seen the director's cut, and I love this movie even more...
The Village: Not my favorite Shamaylan film, but a very good one. Unlike some people, I did not guess the ending at any time during the movie (though I had it in my head the whole time, as Greg mentioned "Wouldn't it be cool if..." months before the movie was released. But what I liked about it was its study of what fear does to people, and what fear can drive people to do. Nothing like a supposed utopia getting smashed (in some fashion). The acting was strong, and the cinematography and score beautiful. :)
Hero: This movie is very operatic. There were acts, there was an overture, and there was even a chorus. The tragic end that also and well as the ultimate revelation of the characters and what was really at work...all of it was simply beautiful, and very well done. I would call it great, but *shrugs* there were still parts that lost my attention. :) A beautiful movie to sit and watch though, as well as a gorgeous score.
The Good for what it was, but nothing spectacular
Master and Commander: I feel kind of bad putting this movie in this category, but really, I'd feel bad putting it in any category. When I went to watch it, it was my third try, and unfortunately, I had the sinus infection from hell which kept me from focusing properly and noticing things that bothered me that normally would never bother me. So why this category? Well, the category speaks for itself. I think would've enjoyed it MORE had I been feeling better (and been able to finish watching the movie *whistles innocently*), but I doubt the category would've changed. It was a strong movie with very interesting detail and historical accuracy, but nothing about it made me sit at the edge of my seat.
Hidalgo: This was a fun action-movie that I saw for two reasons: 1) Viggo and 2) it was a horsie movie I could drag my grandmother too. There's not much to say here, though I'm sure I had more to say about it at the time, but it's fun, if not a little long, which I think was my only real peeve about it. And for that matter, I don't think the movie itself was long...it just felt that way.
Hellboy: Ah, one of the many I got dragged to by the boy. :) This movie actually wasn't bad at all...in fact, I expected worse. Instead, I was very entertained by the main character's antics, and the story itself stood on its own feet, which is all I ask for in an action movie, no matter how cheesy it is. :)
Mean Girls: This was a nice, enjoyable movie that really warrants no commentary. Sure, it gave a good perspective on the life of high school and the sacrifices made to be popular, and the humor was satisfying, but in the end, it was just a funny movie. :)
Alien versus Predator: Gee, I wonder why I saw this movie...it actually wasn't bad (and trust me, I was dreading it), and I liked how they took mythology and made an actual story out of this rather than letting it be just another action flick that could've come out of some fanfic writer's head. At least there was development, and the ending, while cheesy, was rather amusing and gave the fans of the side that DID not win something to cheer about.
Resident Evil 2: Apocalypse: Just another sequel that plays and expands on the mythology of the first. It really wasn't all that bad, though there was some cheese that bothered me quite a bit, and I felt the twist at the very very end was a bit overwhelming, though it would make for interesting sequel material, let me tell ya. :)
The Bad
Secret Window: Why people like this movie, hell if I know. The ending has been done before in film and done a million times better. Not to fault Johnny Depp (because his acting was fine, though not his best), but this movie did not need to be a movie...some short stories don't translate well, and for people who read a lot and are familiar with twisted endings, you could sniff this one a mile away. Simply put, there wasn't enough material in the short-story itself to distract a viewer from what was really going on in the plot. *shrugs*
The Punisher: This wasn't THAT bad, but it wasn't good enough to be put in the category above. And to be honest? The trailer to this movie was far better than the movie itself. And really, there's not much to say about it. I think for those familiar with the story like my boyfriend, they were somewhat happy with it, but even as an action flick, it was too two-dimensional (even though the main character is SUPPOSED to be that way, but still, I want more from my movies), and there were some plot holes that deserved explanation, as well as some cheese that could've really been done without. But a great end shot, I'll give it that. Oh, and a great soundtrack (not score, soundtrack).
Troy: Bwah, the movie I actually WILL bash in this category!!!! How bad was this movie? SO DAMN BAD. Seriously. I was looking forward to this movie, not just for the amount of eye-candy, but because the trailers looked cool and dude, I'm all about epic stories. But this? Please kill me. Forget the fact that they pretty much ignored the source material, let's look at the costumes, which were comical. The love-story, which was pathetic. The pacing of the movie? Completely wrong. Oh, and don't get me started on the actual art design of the temples and such...oh no, don't get me started. To me, epic movies have a certain standard to live up to (thank you LOTR) and even though it's a high bar to reach, you can STILL deliver a satisfying movie without alienating your viewers, no matter how versed they are in the source material. The good points to this movie, though, was the pretty, and the amazing acting on the part of Eric Bana (which was a real surprise for me, as I did NOT like Hulk). And it was nice to see Sean Bean in the role of Odysseus...his acting made me want an "Odyssey" movie, but only if there was a COMPLETELY different creative-team involved.
Vanity Fair: This movie--despite the strong acting on the part of all the actors--never really hit the point. Or when it did hit the point, it hit too hard. From what I hear, the director's one of those overly faithful when it comes to adaptations, and this definitely was in need of some trimming. The movie felt long, and the focus too split between Rebecca's story and that of her friend, and overall, I had a hard time figuring out whether or not I should sympathize, empathize or even relate to or cheer on Rebecca's character, which is sad, because Witherspoon really is a good actress. Personally, I think reading the book will bring more fulfillment than watching the movie, and I intend to do that one day. Oh, but pretty score, yessiree. :)
Hmmm...oddly enough, and this isn't intentional, every single movie on the "Bad" list is an adaptation or loosely inspired by source material. Interesting, especially since (The Passion excluded) my "Great" list is all original work. Heh.
23? It doesn't feel like that many, but I think that's mostly due to the ratio of movies that I wanted to see and the ones I saw because Greg wanted to. :) And there were movies I would've LIKED to have seen this year, but it wasn't in the cards, so I'll probably catch them next year or on Pay-Per-View. :)