Movies of 2004
My LiveJournal has turned more into my MovieJournal cuz movies are so much more interesting than life anyway. So below are my top 10 favorite movies of 2004, among other lists...
TOP 10 FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2004:
1. The Life Aquatic. This is a movie I had been looking forward to for over a year and far exceeded my expectations. Wes Anderson is definitely my favorite director, and this is classic Wes Anderson, so if you enjoyed Royal Tenenbaums or Rushmore, I strongly recommend this movie! The cinematography is amazing, with nonstop colors, and the scenes where the camera pans the entire ship with all the various characters are my favorites. You don't need to get Wes Anderson to get this movie, but it helps.
2. Saw. This movie is why I'm specifically calling this list my "favorite" movies rather than the "best" movies. Saw has got some plot holes, but its filled with thrills, and the twist at the end is probably the best horror movie twist of all time. Definitely a jaw-dropper, similar to Se7en. It's not your typical scary movie. There is one gruesome scene, but this is more of a psychological thriller like Silence of the Lambs than a horrir flick.
3. Closer. Have you ever seen a movie before where Julia Roberts is the weakest member of the cast? And that's saying a lot because she was really good too. But Clive Owen and Natalie Portman steal the show in this movie, and I'm for both of them to win Oscars for best supporting. The relationships between the characters are what draws me to a lot of movies, and this one is the best example of that. Every character you can either love or hate at different points in the movie, but there's something about each one of them that you can relate to.
4. The Bourne Supremacy. This is one of the best action movies I've ever seen. You don't need to have seen the first one to enjoy this one. Great car chase scenes if you like stuff like that, but also a lot more intelligent than your typical action movie.
5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This is a movie that I really need to watch a second time because there's definitely some stuff that will make more sense if I see it again. It can be hard to follow, but the hint is to keep track of Kate Winslet's hair color. This is a great story, with great acting and a great director.
6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I don't care that the director messed with the book, this movie was still really good. And I argue that it's better than the first two Harry Potter movies as well. I liked the darker tone, and liked that the characters were less fantastic and more realistic so people can relate to them.
7. Ocean's Twelve. Not quite as good as the first, but still a really enjoyable movie. Even though he's the title character, George Clooney should get fifth billing, because this movie focuses a lot more on Pitt, Zeta Jones, and Damon. It was cool that you didn't really know that the big caper was going on as they were in the middle of it.
8. Garden State. I've always been a fan of Scrubs, and Zach Braff's definitely got a future in Hollywood as well. Another great acted flick featuring Natalie Portman. For some reason I seem to always enjoy Coming-of-age movies, and this is a really good one.
9. Troy. Best period flick of the year. Of course I still haven't seen King Arthur, which I really want to see since I'm a big Clive Owen fan now. But Troy was a very good story. I love how in these epic type movies normal people can never kill kings or other heroic warriors. Paris kills Achilles, who killed Hector, who killed Patricles. It's the same thing way in Lord of the Rings, but less heroes die in those movies.
10. The Butterfly Effect. I know it doesn't seem like 2004, but this movie was released back on January 23, 04. Above average acting by Ashton Kutcher, and a really good story all around. A little bit of suspended disbelief that he's always got the same friends and in the same sort of place, but that's Hollywood.
FIVE HONORABLE MENTIONS (not necessarily my 11-15 favorite movies, but more 5 movies that were better than I had expected)
1. Starsky and Hutch. Probably the best all around comedy of the year.
2. Dodgeball. Second best all around comedy of the year.
3. 13 Going on 30. Best romantic comedy of the year.
4. Secret Window. Great acting by Johnny Depp. The twist is a little predictable but still very enjoyable.
5. The Day After Tomorrow. I thought this was going to suck but it was actually pretty darn good. A little stupid that the father would walk all the way from DC to NY to rescue his son, when by the time he gets there helicopters will be on their way to rescue people as well.
FIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS (not necessarily the 5 worst movies of 2004)
1. The Village. Not a bad story, even though I called the twist from the beginning. But this should not have been marketed as a horror flick because it simply was not.
2. The Aviator. I'd been looking forward to this movie and had expected it to make my top 5 or so. But it was way too long, and Howard's supposed romances really weren't portrayed that romatically. DiPaprio was good, and Kate Beckinsale as Eva Gardner was really good too, but they couldn't save a movie that just dragged way too often. I wanted to punch Kathryn Hepburn in the face.
3. Napolean Dynamite. I don't see what all the fuss was about. I like my movies to have a plot.
4. Shrek 2. Not that I was really expecting this movie to be all that great since I hated the first, but definitely not worth being the highest grossing movie of the year. I thought better of the American public.
5. Meet the Fockers. Not a bad movie, but I'd been looking forward to this movie for 4 years and I was a little disappointed. They relied way too much on the baby for jokes, and too many recurring jokes around the name Gaylord. This movie did get good towards the end, but the beginning was dreadful.
TEN MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIES OF 2005
1. War of the Worlds. This movie has the biggest budget of all time, and it should be one of the best of all time.
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Best Harry Potter book out of the five, so hopefully it will be the best movie to date.
3. RENT. The play is my favorite, and with Chris Columbus as the director the movie shouldn't disappoint.
4. Saw 2. Does the fact that there is gonna be a Saw 2 give away the ending of Saw 1 a little bit?
5. Batman Returns. This should be good.
6. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka? The trailer looks kinda dumb but it should be entertaining.
7. Be Cool (Get Shorty 2). Great cast, great trailer.
8. Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Great cast, great trailer.
9. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Not a huge fan of the originals, but Star Wars has always been way ahead of its time. Plus it will have Natalie Portman who is my new favorite actress.
10. The Chronicles of Narnia. Haven't heard much about this yet, but I loved the books and the old movies so hopefully the updated movies will be good.
TOP 10 FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2004:
1. The Life Aquatic. This is a movie I had been looking forward to for over a year and far exceeded my expectations. Wes Anderson is definitely my favorite director, and this is classic Wes Anderson, so if you enjoyed Royal Tenenbaums or Rushmore, I strongly recommend this movie! The cinematography is amazing, with nonstop colors, and the scenes where the camera pans the entire ship with all the various characters are my favorites. You don't need to get Wes Anderson to get this movie, but it helps.
2. Saw. This movie is why I'm specifically calling this list my "favorite" movies rather than the "best" movies. Saw has got some plot holes, but its filled with thrills, and the twist at the end is probably the best horror movie twist of all time. Definitely a jaw-dropper, similar to Se7en. It's not your typical scary movie. There is one gruesome scene, but this is more of a psychological thriller like Silence of the Lambs than a horrir flick.
3. Closer. Have you ever seen a movie before where Julia Roberts is the weakest member of the cast? And that's saying a lot because she was really good too. But Clive Owen and Natalie Portman steal the show in this movie, and I'm for both of them to win Oscars for best supporting. The relationships between the characters are what draws me to a lot of movies, and this one is the best example of that. Every character you can either love or hate at different points in the movie, but there's something about each one of them that you can relate to.
4. The Bourne Supremacy. This is one of the best action movies I've ever seen. You don't need to have seen the first one to enjoy this one. Great car chase scenes if you like stuff like that, but also a lot more intelligent than your typical action movie.
5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This is a movie that I really need to watch a second time because there's definitely some stuff that will make more sense if I see it again. It can be hard to follow, but the hint is to keep track of Kate Winslet's hair color. This is a great story, with great acting and a great director.
6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I don't care that the director messed with the book, this movie was still really good. And I argue that it's better than the first two Harry Potter movies as well. I liked the darker tone, and liked that the characters were less fantastic and more realistic so people can relate to them.
7. Ocean's Twelve. Not quite as good as the first, but still a really enjoyable movie. Even though he's the title character, George Clooney should get fifth billing, because this movie focuses a lot more on Pitt, Zeta Jones, and Damon. It was cool that you didn't really know that the big caper was going on as they were in the middle of it.
8. Garden State. I've always been a fan of Scrubs, and Zach Braff's definitely got a future in Hollywood as well. Another great acted flick featuring Natalie Portman. For some reason I seem to always enjoy Coming-of-age movies, and this is a really good one.
9. Troy. Best period flick of the year. Of course I still haven't seen King Arthur, which I really want to see since I'm a big Clive Owen fan now. But Troy was a very good story. I love how in these epic type movies normal people can never kill kings or other heroic warriors. Paris kills Achilles, who killed Hector, who killed Patricles. It's the same thing way in Lord of the Rings, but less heroes die in those movies.
10. The Butterfly Effect. I know it doesn't seem like 2004, but this movie was released back on January 23, 04. Above average acting by Ashton Kutcher, and a really good story all around. A little bit of suspended disbelief that he's always got the same friends and in the same sort of place, but that's Hollywood.
FIVE HONORABLE MENTIONS (not necessarily my 11-15 favorite movies, but more 5 movies that were better than I had expected)
1. Starsky and Hutch. Probably the best all around comedy of the year.
2. Dodgeball. Second best all around comedy of the year.
3. 13 Going on 30. Best romantic comedy of the year.
4. Secret Window. Great acting by Johnny Depp. The twist is a little predictable but still very enjoyable.
5. The Day After Tomorrow. I thought this was going to suck but it was actually pretty darn good. A little stupid that the father would walk all the way from DC to NY to rescue his son, when by the time he gets there helicopters will be on their way to rescue people as well.
FIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS (not necessarily the 5 worst movies of 2004)
1. The Village. Not a bad story, even though I called the twist from the beginning. But this should not have been marketed as a horror flick because it simply was not.
2. The Aviator. I'd been looking forward to this movie and had expected it to make my top 5 or so. But it was way too long, and Howard's supposed romances really weren't portrayed that romatically. DiPaprio was good, and Kate Beckinsale as Eva Gardner was really good too, but they couldn't save a movie that just dragged way too often. I wanted to punch Kathryn Hepburn in the face.
3. Napolean Dynamite. I don't see what all the fuss was about. I like my movies to have a plot.
4. Shrek 2. Not that I was really expecting this movie to be all that great since I hated the first, but definitely not worth being the highest grossing movie of the year. I thought better of the American public.
5. Meet the Fockers. Not a bad movie, but I'd been looking forward to this movie for 4 years and I was a little disappointed. They relied way too much on the baby for jokes, and too many recurring jokes around the name Gaylord. This movie did get good towards the end, but the beginning was dreadful.
TEN MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIES OF 2005
1. War of the Worlds. This movie has the biggest budget of all time, and it should be one of the best of all time.
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Best Harry Potter book out of the five, so hopefully it will be the best movie to date.
3. RENT. The play is my favorite, and with Chris Columbus as the director the movie shouldn't disappoint.
4. Saw 2. Does the fact that there is gonna be a Saw 2 give away the ending of Saw 1 a little bit?
5. Batman Returns. This should be good.
6. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka? The trailer looks kinda dumb but it should be entertaining.
7. Be Cool (Get Shorty 2). Great cast, great trailer.
8. Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Great cast, great trailer.
9. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Not a huge fan of the originals, but Star Wars has always been way ahead of its time. Plus it will have Natalie Portman who is my new favorite actress.
10. The Chronicles of Narnia. Haven't heard much about this yet, but I loved the books and the old movies so hopefully the updated movies will be good.