WINTER BREAKout! IV: 2004 Year in Review-- The Movies

Hey everybody, I'm Doctor Nick Riviera!

Last night was devoted to very little cleaning, some more Buffy-watching, and a viewing of "Napoleon Dynamite" with the lovely Ms. Oliver. She loved the flick so much in theatres that she purchased it yesterday when it debuted on DVD. Warning her I was less-than-enthused by the TV trailers, but open to pretty much everything, I gave it a shot. And found myself laughing, but not really enthralled. It certainly has its charms and its moments, and i genuinely liked it, but if you asked me to feed you back one quick-quip or ultra-memorable line, I don't think I could. It just never really captured me, although, like I said...I did laugh. So it has its moments. Maybe I just didn't get it? I dunno. I'll hand out a mild recommendation (based on the population of The Kingdom) if there's anyone out there's who's seen it, I'm interested in your thoughts.

That being said, I figured talking about one movie was a good segue into giving YOU my list of My Top 10 Favourite Movies of 2004! I'm hoping to do a few more of these lists as a sort of "year in the end WINTERBREAKout! spectacular," so feel free to chime in with your own individual highlights, lowlights, and favourites over the course of the next few weeks.

The only rule for eligibility here is that I saw it in a theatre, between Jan 1, 2004 and today. Unfortunately, this means both The Life Aquatic and Oceans Twelve are not eligible, cuz i ain't seen 'em yet. I'm sure I'll love both though.

Most of these, I've ranted about at one time or another this year, but tough cookies! I'm doin it again!

Honorable Mention: The Village, OutFoxed, Dodgeball, The Bourne Supremacy

Hands Down Worst Movie of the Year: Open Water

My Top Ten Favourite Movies of 2004

10) Fahrenheit 9/11

• Say what you will about Michael Moore. I'll probably agree that to an extent, he's a liberal nutbar. I'll certainly agree with you that this movie was political propoganda, and not a documentary. But nothing can change the surreal, harrowing experience of sitting in a theatre, looking at a black screen, and hearing the sounds of September 11, 2001 echo around me. That moment alone places this touchingly personal, often humours, and generally heart-moving piece of film onto the list.

9) Van Helsing

• I know plenty of people who didn't like this, and thought it was corny, cheesy, and even a little lame, but I'll tell you what, I had fun watching this. My brother, dad, and aunt all got a kick out of it, and we all have pretty differnt tastes in flicks (okay, maybe not my brother an I). Basically, this set off the summer movie season with mindless fun, an original and interesting take on vampires, werewolves, etc., great costumes, and hot hot HOT ladies. I can't help it, I'm a Hugh Jackman mark, too. Like I've said before, in a summer movie season that lacked a brainless shoot-'em-up, this one quenched that thirst for me. It's a popcorn movie, but I love popcorn. And with Van Helsing, you need extra butter.
  

8) Garden State

• The fact that this movie, which I adored as heartfelt, clever, witty, touching, funny, and beautiful all at once is ranking eighth for me, just shows what kind of year in movies it was for me. In honesty, 8-4 on this list could be interchanged depending on my mood, as well as 1-3, but today, Garden State ends up as 8. I fell in love with Natalie Portman all over again, and I gained a new appreciation for all of the little things in movies that build characters. And the characters are built through these because it's the little things that make us who we are. And to an extent, I think that's what this movie is about. At least, that's what it was for me. Next to The Incredibles, this is the one I most regret only seeing once.

7) Troy

• As flawed as it was, I enjoyed the hell out of this movie. I understand EXACTLY why many people don't like it as much as I do. It's because Greek Mythology is my thing. I read the Illiad last summer, and loved it more than The Oddyssey, so this flick was all about me. Though it took the Gods effectively out of the story, they were still there, you just had to know where to look. It brilliantly took a "this is how it really happened" approach to legend, and I was able to pick out all the little places where it stayed true to a 5000 year old myth while staying grounded in reality. Loved that about it. I remember standing outside the theatre with Gooder for a good half-hour explaining all this stuff to him, and just realizing more and more as I went along. The fight scenes were marvelous (especially Hektor v. Achilles), Eric Bana carried the movie on his back, and Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, and Brian Cox all filled out their roles nicely. Bonus points for Ajax: Asskicker. Can't wait for the DVD.

6) Shrek 2

• When Kup, Megan Starr, and I saw this in the theatre, I remember us all saying that we had never laughed so hard in a theatre. Just amazingly funny, and superior to the first movie in so many respects, this is another I can't wait to see again. Antonio Banderas, as "Puss in Boots" positively stole the movie out from everyone else (and since "Everyone else" is Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy, that's one HELL of an accomplishment), and the entire "KNIGHTS" bit (a white bronco!) where they bust him for Catnip is the essence of hilarity.
  

5) Team America: World Police

• What can I say? I thought I'd never laugh harder than I did at Shrek 2, and then THIS came out. There are SO many reasons I need to see this movie again, from the songs (AMERICA!! F*CK YEAH!) to the catchphrases ("Aww He-row Hans Brix") to the total disregard for Republicans, Democrats, foreigners, EVERYONE ("Film Actors Guild" "dirka-dirka-jihad-dirka"). This movie is going to be a cult/college favourite for a LONG time. I guarantee you the DVD sells like gangbusters. It surpassed my expectations, I laughed my ass off, and yes, "Pearl Harbor sucked, almost as much as I miss you."
  

4) Big Fish

• Technically released in 2003, I didn't see it until Jan or Feb of this year, so bite me. Nothing in movies makes me cry more readily than anything about fathers and sons. Not even when Tommy Lee Jones kills Boomer the Dog in "Blown Away." Not even Rudy. No, fathers and sons. Add that element to Tim Burton Brilliance (and yes, I'm a fan, between two great Batmans and the Nightmare Before Christmas, I can overlook Mars Attacks), some amazing performances by Ewan McGregor and friends, and one of the sweetest, prettiest love stories ever, and you've got an apk Instant Favourite. I bought this on DVD moments after it came out. Did I mention daffodills? Beautiful movie. I still have to make my parents watch it.

3) Spider-Man 2

• How shocking is it that Spidey-Deux just placed third on my list? To me, not very. It was tough figuring out my top three, but like I said, they're almost interchangable. This movie is a nearly-perfect superhero movie. In fact, it might just be a perfect superhero movie. My Kingdom Review is archived back in June, since I dragged Kup to a midnight showing when it was released. Then I made sure to take everyone to it, and despite my limited budget, saw it four times in the first ten days it was out. The performances are amazing, and this is director Sam Raimi at his absolute best. Watching this movie, and watching them get everything right about the Spider-mythos, and taking a potentail lame-ass like Doc Ock, and ratcheting everything up a dozen notches made me feel like a proud, proud father. It's not often comic geeks get to feel proud like that, and that's a beautiful feeling. I adore this movie, I'm getting it for Christmas, and it blows me away that they're saying it's looking at Oscar snubbery. I think it deserves as much consideration as anything, just never thought, y'know, REAL movie critics would too. At the time, I thought that this was the Apex of the superhero genre...

2) The Incredibles

• ...until The Incredibles came out. Spidey made me feel like a proud parent, but The Incredibles made me feel like a kid again. Which is why it got the slight nudge in the rankings. My review is posted in the archives, so I won't go far into depth. This movie is perfection, 113%. As a comic geek, I always end up reading everything or watching the movies on the lookout for flaws or continuity mistakes or whatever. I thought the only problem I'd have with this movie was that I've seen all the powers before. Well, this took all the powers, and used them in ways I'd never even considered. The characters were perfect, and my favourite movie moment this year was being right there alongside Dash as he ran across the water avoiding the guards, chuckling to himself at how cool it was to be a hero. Just an amazing movie in writing, direction, visualization.. you name-- just perfect.
  

1) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

• I've wanted to write about this movie for so long, but haven't been able to figure out how to convey how much I love it. When this doesn't get Oscar considerations, I guarantee you I won't watch the Oscars. I refuse to believe Leonardo DiCaprio in ANOTHER period piece can be better than this unconventional love story, but I digress. First of all, Kate Winslett was extraordinary, and I couldn't help but love her, depite the fact that she was a frickin' loon. I think that's why the movie works so well for me, I can understand how you can just adore someone who seems so wrong and different and bad for you. And I can understand how you never want to lose someone, no matter how much it hurts to have them in your life, because just one of those most-special memories makes it all worthwhile. I love that you don't know what happens to them when it's all said and done, because that's beyond the point. The point is trying, even in the face of direct proof that you two shouldn't work. It's about second chances and holding onto those precious moments for dear life, because when all you have is faith, it needs to be enough. And it can be. It's on my Christmas list, and if I don't get it, I will be a vengeful Adam.

Well, folks, thanks for reading all 1000 words of this Top 10. I'd love to know how you feel about any/all of these flicks. And please feel free to point out any I may have forgotten. Stay tuned for more of these Year End Spectaculars. I'll be back soon.

Excelsior!
-apk