Matthew Chmiel

In the first four months of 2004, there have been more films that I have enjoyed than half of 2003. Then there have been a few which I currently have hated, but this is a thread in what films are currently the best of 2004.

My "Rank Them As I See Them" thread.

1. The Girl Next Door
04/09/04 / Dir: Luke Greenfield / Rated R / 112 Mintues / 1.85:1
Currently my favorite film of the year so far. I mostly love this film as I am a geeky male named Matt and I do want a porn star to move into me next door... but I'm also a sucker for teen comedies that are actually good and have heart. It also helps that this film has a great soundtrack (too bad the CD doesn't represent that).

2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
03/19/04 / Dir: Michel Gondry / Rated R / 108 Minutes / 1.85:1
I love Michel Gondry's music videos, hated his first feature. I love all of Charlie Kaufman's scripts, except Human Nature (which also happened to be Gondry's first flick) I did love Eternal Sunshine... through. It's a great romantic-comedy/fantasy with some brilliant preformances from all those involved, especially Carrey and Winslet. Too bad it couldn't find more of an audience. Hopefully on DVD...

3. Kill Bill: Volume Two
04/16/04 / Dir: Quentin Tarantino / Rated R / 136 Minutes / 2.40:1
I'm a Tarantino fanboy, what can I say?

4. Jersey Girl
03/26//04 / Dir: Kevin Smith / Rated PG-13 / 102 Minutes / 2.40:1
I'm a Smith fanboy, what can I say?

5. The Butterfly Effect
01/23/04 / Dir: Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber / Rated R / 113 Minutes / 1.85:1
I believe that Bress and Gruber are two writers/directors to look out for. After writing a fun sequel to what originally was a crappy film (Final Destination), the two followed up their efforts with the smart (and serious) sci-fi/drama The Butterfly Effect and showed the world Ashton Kutchner can act... somewhat...

6. Stark Raving Mad
Direct To Video / Dir: Drew Daywalt and David Schneider / Rated R / 103 Minutes / 1.85:1
This film should've never went direct to video and I wonder what the hell Newmarket was thinking by doing that. Stark Raving Mad is a fun dark comedy/action caper about a criminal (played by Seann William Scott, who tries to break his Stiffler stereotype) who throws a rave in order to break into a high security bank next door. I had tons of fun watching the film after my surgery in February unlike the crapfest that was Battle Royale II.

7. Touching the Void
01/23/04 / Dir: Kevin Macdonald / Unrated / 106 Minutes / 1.85:1
A pretty good docudrama about two British guys who try and climb one of the highest peaks in the Andes back in the early '90s. Props go to director Kevin Macdonald for making this one of the most visually interesting films (next to Eternal Sunshine) of the year.

8. Dawn of the Dead
03/19/04 / Dir: Zach Snyder / Rated R / 97 Minutes / 2.40:1
I wanted to hate this film, but I ended up liking this flick a lot. It's more of a companion piece to the original than a remake. I can't wait for Zach Snyder's next project, but James Gunn can burn in hell for all I care after the Scooby Doo flicks.

9. Intermission
03/19/04 / Dir: John Crowley / Rated R / 105 Minutes / 1.85:1
A fun and quirky Irish film that nobody has seen except me and six other people.

10. The United States of Leland
04/02/04 / Dir: Matthew Ryan Hodge / Rated R / 108 Minutes / 1.85:1
The film has one of the most interesting concepts in years and one hell of a cast to back it up. Yet, director and writer Matthew Ryan Hodge doesn't execute his idea well at all and what the audience is presented with is a mixture of a good film and a total failure. Some stuff works, some stuff fails. If Hodge had more experience (and maybe a better director and a few re-writes), this film could've been easily the best film of 2004. Instead we're left with a film that's worth a watch or two, but it could've been so much more. Oh yeah, nobody should ever cast Chris Klein.

Honorable Mentions:
- Broken Lizard's Club Dread
- Eurotrip
- The Punisher (what can I say, I enjoyed it).

Corvin

I've found the greatest pleasure in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Fog of War, and Touching the Void. Kill Bill: Volume 2 is up there, also.

drjay

I'd say Eternal Sunshine has been my fav. I love Kaufman... LOVE I say. Another good dramatic performance by Jim Carrey (after Truman). Also Elijah Wood was perfectly cast as the little pitiful bitch guy.

RyoHazuki

1. Kill Bill vol. 2

2. Dawn of the Dead

3. The Passion of the Christ

scott shelton

1) KILL BILL: VOL. 2

2) SPARTAN

3) INTERMISSION

4) JERSEY GIRL

5) STARSKY & HUTCH

6) DOGVILLE

7) ZATOICHI

8) THE PUNISHER

9) 50 FIRST DATES

10) MIRACLE

And I know it's crap all around, but with some well timed bathroom breaks, and 13 GOING ON 30 is damn near perfect.

Caliking

hasnt been a busy movie year yet. too busy so far. there are many i will catch when netflix has em. here is my top 5 i have seen so far (as seen in my rank them as you see em thread):

1. Passion of the Christ: 10/10 (seen on 2/25)
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: 10/10 (seen on 3/19)
3. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 10/10 (seen on 4/17)
4. Hellboy: 7/10 (seen on 4/2)

MrN

My current top 10 of 2004:

Fog of War
Goodbye, Dragon Inn
Touching the Void
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Dogville
The Return
In the Company of Men
Down by Love
Quality of Life
The Man Who Copied

Star Wars Guy

Considering that we can rarely get a babysitter, I'd have to say Jersey Girl, as it's the only new movie of 2004 that I've seen.

Smidget

Definitely Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and I have a bad feeling nothing else will come close to it the rest of the year, maybe Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic.

Supreme Sean

1. Man on Fire ( A - )

2. The Alamo ( B + )

3. The Passion of the Christ ( B + )

matome

1) Kill Bill Vol. 2 (10/10)

2) Passion Of The Christ (9/10)

3) Dawn of The Dead (9/10)

Giles

The Return
The Five Obstructions
Broken Wings
Touching the Void
Distant
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Blind Shaft
Los Angeles Plays Itself
Osama
Dogville
I'm Not Scared
Haute Tension
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself
Aileen: Life and Death of A Serial Killer

Geofferson

1) Kill Bill Vol.2
2) The Passion of the Christ
3) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Rypro 525

since it was indeed released into 200 theaters this year, can city of god count?

Ginwen

I've gone to about a dozen movies this year, but only 4 of them were 2004 releases.

1. Eternal Sunshine: ***1/2 out of ****
2. Kill Bill V. 2: ***
3. Hidalgo: **1/2
4. The Ladykillers **

QuiGonJosh

1. Kill Bill Vol. 2
2. Jersey Girl
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
4. Butterfly Effect
5. The Punisher
6. Hellboy

Kinyo

The Passion and Girl Next Door were both very good movies.

steebo777

Eternal SUnshine of the Spotless Mind without a doubt.

sataniko

The Passion of the Christ

Kal-El

The Passion of the Christ

RichC2

1. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (4/4)
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (3.5/4)
3. Dawn of the Hellboy (no clue, I really only have a top two and have only seen like 4 movies this year) (3/4)

ianholm

Kill Bill Vol. 2

Rivero

Absolutely no contest.


Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Carrey, Winslet, Kaufman and Gondry deserve Oscar nominations for this. A beautiful, funny, moving and sad sci-fi/drama/romance with so many ideas and hidden pleasures it takes at least two viewings to comprehend everything that went into each scene. It's the type of movie that really makes you look critically at your relationships and any future ones you may have. In that sense I found it very inspirational, though others have called it depressing, and for that alone it is easily the best movie of 2004 so far.


Clementine: This is it, Joel. It's going to be gone soon.

Joel: I know.

Clementine: What do we do?

Joel: Enjoy it.

Skull

Kill Bill Vol.2

theneobez

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless, one of the best films period.