These are my ten favorite films of 2004

February 08, 2005

A short, concise look at what I've found to be my favorite films of 2004. This list may evolve further if, after viewing some of the remaining 2004 candidates, we have one that may usurp one of the positions. I'd also like some feedback and possible recommendations as well.

10. Samaria > Whether French-taught, Korean-born director Kim Ki-Duk is a master of film should not be decided by the rather medioce, overrated The Isle, but rather by his look at a strange tale of revenge and seduction from the viewpoint of a trouble young girl. However unnerving, the Samaritan Girl is as beautiful as it is sad, shocking as it is believable.

09. The Incredibles > Absolutely magical, beyond anything I could have expected from Pixar. While other films in the genre have lacked necessary depth to be a whole-hearted film-going experience, The Incredibles delivers with emotions that soar through the spectrum.

08. Spider-Man 2 > A blockbuster with heart. Sam Raimi must have read his journals from when he was a child, because he undoubtedly padded up every insecurity and granted every wish children have that make them yearn for the comic book hero. The commonality with you and me is what makes this so great.

07. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou > While far inferior to Wes Anderson's masterpiece The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic soars on points irrelevant to most film reviews. This is truly a labor of love by the director that encompasses midnight to midnight of a story most of us only take on the surface. Beautifully filmed with a superb soundtrack.

06. Last Life in the Universe > New York-bred Thai director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang brings forward an off-the-wall gangster drama that doubles as a character study of a suicidal Japanese man in Thailand. Ichi the Killer's Tadanobu Asano's portrayal of the Japanese man is sublime and addictive, and cinematographer Christopher Doyle's visuals melt your eyes at every sequence.

05. 2046 > In the loose sequel to my favorite film of all-time, In the Mood for Love, Wong Kar-Wai advances his story into the 1970s with a bouncier Latin feel that helps Zhang Ziyi give what may be her finest performance to date. Again, cinematographer Christopher Doyle shines with daunting visuals to match the moody atmosphere of lost love and heartbreaks.

04. One Night in Mongkok > An endless, nightmarish crime/drama set in the most populated area of the world. Cecilia Cheung, who has historically been a lump of coal in films, provides a stunning performance to show that Failan was not a fluke. In addition, Daniel Wu's protrayal as a rural, honest-but-unlucky assassin is phenomenal. The film keeps its composure throughout, rarely letting the viewer breathe without hesitation.

03. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind > Combining Charlie Kaufman's twisted mind with Michel Gondry's knack for visual flair was only the first step—the addition of Jim Carrey in a neurotic-foil role, unusual for him, and the neurotic Kate Winslet led to unexpected chemistry that turned what could have been a mediocre exercise in mindfucking into one of the finest films in recent years.

02. Closer > Pulling strings to make you feel like a puppet: Nichols did it with us in The Graduate, and now he's doing it with us again in Closer. How fucked up are people? One has to wonder, but one also has to believe that intentions are never as bad as they may seem. Closer evokes emotions hidden within many of us, of betrayal and desperation which we show to no one, not even ourselves. Damn fine film with superb performance from Owen and Portman in particular.

01. Oldboy > Quite honestly, the only film in this year's list that may rank in my top 20 of all-time. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance director Chan-Wook Park's adaptation of the Japanese manga is surreal, cerebral and infinitely tragic. Min-Sik Choi's Oh Daesu is one of the most memorable characters of the modern film era, a man drugged and imprisoned without being given a reason, and then released without an exaplanation. His quest and rediscovery of life (including the incredibly perfect corridor action sequence) is a tale that requires multiple viewings to be fully digested. I urge everyone to view this, especially before the knock-off American version comes out in 2006.

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i looove your list! and now i'm gonna have to hunt down a copy of Oldboy.

I'm more often exposed to mainstream movies, so thanks for sharing your list and comments. I'll be on the look out for the others!

-"Closer" was also a top movie of mine. You can never really know someone. It was like a mirror image to my life.