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HTF Top 10's of 2004: Time To Throw Down! (1 Viewer)

CalebC

Grip
Joined
Jan 6, 2003
Messages
20
was dogville a 2003 or 2004 movie? i could have sworn it was on '03. if not i must add it to my list.
 

Nick C.

Second Unit
Joined
Dec 27, 2001
Messages
251
Depends if you're going by international or US release dates (see Jason's instructional first post). It doesn't really matter which you use, as long as it's consistent with the rest of the list, I imagine.
 

Justin_S

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2001
Messages
3,581
As of right now, this is my list.

1: The Machinist
2: Haute Tension
3: Friday Night Lights
4: The Butterfly Effect
5: Broken Lizard's Club Dread
6: The Passion of the Christ
7: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
8: Gozu
9: The Woodsman
10: Mean Creek
 

JonZ

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 28, 1998
Messages
7,799
This is my list as of today.

I havent seen:
UnderTow, Mean Creak,Sideways,Closer, The Machinist,The Aviator or Kinsey (all of which Im looking foward to seeing)

1. Million Dollar Baby
2. Maria Full Of Grace
3. Twilight Samurai
4. Spiderman 2
5. The Incredibles
6. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
7. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
8. The Ladykillers
9. The Butterfly Effect (Dir Cut)
10.Collateral
 

hanson mat

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jul 23, 2003
Messages
212
Here is my current list:

1)The Machinist
2)Eternal Sunshine
3)The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
4)Garden State
5)Incredibles
6)Finding Neverland
7)Napolian Dynamite
8)The Corp.
9)Sideways
10)Closer
 

Don_Limey

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
222
10. Hellboy
9. Butterfly Effect
8. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
7. Dodgeball
6. Collateral
5. Kill Bill Vol. 2
4. Team America: World Police
3. Ocean's Twelve
2. Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
1. Spiderman 2
 

Quentin

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2002
Messages
2,670
Location
Los Angeles
Real Name
Quentin H
Just like to say I LOVE all the graphics and everything people use for their lists. Wish I had the time...

TOP TEN FILMS OF 2004

1. MILLION DOLLAR BABY

How does one pick best of the year? Even in a "down" year like this, the top films are always all so good. And, my top five are so disparate in genre and style. But, Clint won my heart with this one. It is the most flawless script in the bunch. Rock solid writing. Add to that top notch performances and a minimalist style worthy of note. It ranks with Rocky, and Raging Bull as one of the best boxing movies ever.

2. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

So original. So unique. So touching. I never tire of watching this film. The performances are so perfect. And, the ending is a master stroke. It could be happy, it could be tragically sad. I could debate it either way for hours. And, I will! I love it enough to talk about it that long...

3. SIDEWAYS

The most personal and human film of the bunch. What can I say? Miles got to me. If his plight touched you, this film is in your top 5. Giamatti is heartbreaking.

4. THE AVIATOR

WOW! A movie about old Hollywood...GRAND old Hollywood...given to us from the master himself. He loves old film so much he uses different film stock to shoot the film. A friend of mine was talking to Scorsese about this great portrayal of a troubled genius...about the Mann's Chinese set they built. It was a near-exact replica, but one foot taller. My friend asked Scorsese why he built it one foot taller? "Because I could." I love Marty. Cate and Leo are awesome in this film. Whoda thunk I could care about a guy like this?

5. THE INCREDIBLES

This may not be my #1 film of the year, but it's the most fun! The best superhero movie ever made? Not Spidey, not X-Men...it's The Incredibles, hands down. Brad Bird rules.

6. FINDING NEVERLAND

Man...this film is a real tear-jerker. But, it's so utterly enjoyable on the way there. So many moments of purity and goodness. So touching. I'll watch this again with my family...and cry even more.

7. MAN ON FIRE

Best 'genre' film of the year. I love when a writer/director decide to break out of the typical action formula and give me more. This film spends the first 50 minutes making sure I care about the two main characters. This is tantamount to me caring about one more minute. And, boy, it pays off. It involves you with the first act, takes you for a fun ride in the second, and then breaks your heart in the third.

8. KILL BILL VOL. 2

Tarantino doing what he does best. Capturing the flavor of so many great genres - spaghetti western, old Hong Kong kung fu film, 70's hardass action. The Elle/Bea fight is one for the ages, and I love the 5 finger palm payoff as much as the eye pluck. I could have done without trademark QT Superman rhetoric...but, hey, what're ya gonna do?

9. HERO/HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS

House could have used Christopher Doyle. He added a touch to the mythical/dreamlike Hero that the film really needed. That said, I felt like I should include both. Still...House is imperfect to me, but Hero is complete. A smart, insightful, artistic eastern myth. I love it.

10. SPARTAN

So many films to choose for #10. Just see below. I picked Spartan because I think it gets an unfair shake. Not since Ronin have I enjoyed a spy thriller as much as this. I love Bourne Identity, but it's more of a popcorn thrill ride. This film is smart and sharp in a way only this, Ronin, Condor and a couple other films reach. Mamet fires off dialogue and if you can't follow that's your problem. Kilmer owns the film. I hope we continue to see more smart thrillers like this in the future. Here's hoping for The Interpreter to be just as good.

Honorable mentions:
Hotel Rwanda
The Woodsman
Before Sunset
Collateral
Garden State
Dawn of the Dead
The Machinist
Twilight Samurai
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
Touching the Void
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Friday Night Lights
Shaun of the Dead
Bourne Supremacy

Films I have yet to see:
Badassss
A Very Long Engagement
Maria Full of Grace
Life Aquatic

WORST/MOST DISAPPOINTING FILMS OF 2004

Connie and Carla-

This movie tops my worst list. Easily the most terrible of the terrible. What an unconvincing, overreaching, gut-churning, horrid rip-off of "Some Like it Hot". Nia Vardalos exposes her true self, and the rest of the world (hopefully) realizes "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was one of the most overrated hype jobs of all time.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Ugh. What a terrible waste of a great and original idea. There is less than no story here. Combined with wooden acting, it is a recipe that doomed this high concept idea to never again appearing on screen.
 

Kristian

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 16, 2001
Messages
945
Real Name
Kristian
Top Ten of 2004



1. Spider-Man 2




2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban





3. The Incredibles




4. Kill Bill: Volume 2



5. The Aviator




6. Hero




7. The Passion of the Christ




8. The Terminal




9. Collateral



10. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind


Bottom Five of 2004

1. Catwoman
2. Kinsey
3. Eurotrip
4. The Girl Next Door
5. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
 

Joe Kamsan

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Nov 14, 2002
Messages
77
2004 Top Ten

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Before Sunset
3. The Aviator
4. Kill Bill Vol. 2
5. Dogville
6. The Incredibles
7. The Village
8. Dawn of the Dead
9. Mean Creek
10. The Bourne Supremacy

Honorable Mention: Touching The Void, Million Dollar Baby, Spartan, Finding Neverland

*Edited 2-14-05 to include "The Aviator" straight in to number 3, bumps "Touching The Void" out of the Top Ten

Still To See: Sideways, Closer
 

Chris

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 4, 1997
Messages
6,788
I've now seen most of the films I consider any sort of serious contender for my list.. and, after a lot of debate, I'm going to decide to pitch in.

1. Sideways. This is the position I have really debated because every film within my top three I feel is deserving of #1. Sideways is, in my mind, a throwback film, a film that was daring through it's subtle use of camera work, allowing the actors to act and focus on them, rather then pretty scenery or cutaway movements. Sideways had long, involved sequences of dialog that managed to express meaning and a connection with the characters. Thoughtfully filmed, Sideways is the kind of film I wish were made more often.

2. The Incredibles. Brad Bird should be recognized outside of the Best Animated Film category for a film that manages to delve into the human condition better then many live action films this year. Addressing questions of who we are, and what we want from life, the Incredibles is a family friendly film with a lot of meaning and substance to it that is too easily dismissed because of it's format. A gem in direction, movement and style, The Incredibles is everything I expect of Pixar and Bird.

3. Closer. This is a film that I have debated back and forth on. For a while, I hated it. For another bit, I loved it. Closer is a film that a lot of people will find hard to stomach with it's to the point dialogue and no holds barred attack on the nature of love. But Closer scores so well by making the situations seem real enough, understanding the torment of the characters. It's part of what I loved and hated about the film, the closeness you feel to the emotions of the characters, the shallow nature of some moments and the serious "thud" of the reprocussions. Wonderfully filmed, well acted, and with such tight spaces to make you feel entrapped in the situations.

4. Hotel Rwanda. This is a film that is, in many ways, similar to the kind of film that made "Schindler's List" so powerful, a story of a man who looked beyond himself to do the right thing. But what made this film stunning is how many people that I saw this with were still oblivious to this occurring. A film that more people should see just to be aware of the world around them. The acting within this film is absolutely top notch, and there are sequences - especially those in the streets outside the hotel - that are crushing with the emotion as everything right seems to go by the wayside.

5. The Passion of the Christ. Very few films get as much positive and negative press as TPoTC. Some people will bitterly hate this film, some will love it. I am not a religious person, but being aware of the beliefs having grown up with them, I found Gibson's portrayal to be to the heart of many of them, the cinematography perfect, and one scene - the scene in which Mary sees her son fall - to be amongst the most powerful moments in all film this year.

6. Million Dollar Baby. This is a film that, at the beginning, I thought would suffer from a script that seemed replete in everything you've seen before. Old manager, boxer on the outs. And yet, it manages to make it feel fresh and real. Eastwood turns in a fantastic performance and you relate to the characters. There were moments within Million Dollar Baby that I felt were not as good as it could have been, thus putting it at #6, however, it is a solid film that is probably going to stand up well in the test of time.

7. A Very Long Engagement. Another film I fear will be overlooked because of low distribution. A sweeping film with a lot of heart and a difficult storyline. Definitely worth a watch.

8. Before Sunset. I didn't get to see this in the theaters, finally watched on DVD. It was a glad find, one of the better films with a simple story. Sometimes, we dress up things with far too much "wow" moments instead of dealing with the subtle nature of reality. Before Sunset gets it, and sings true, making it a great film.

9. Eternal Sunshine... one of those films that the first time I saw it, I hated it. Hated it. The second time I saw it, I said "hmm" By the third time I watched, I said "this is a good film" The more I watched Eternal Sunshine, the more I appreciated it, and began to really love the film.

10. .. is still up for debate. I have several films I'm really debating over here, between "Finding Neverland" "Ray" "Kill Bill V. 2" etc.. I have not seen Vera Drake, Moolade or Aviator yet, so this list may also be revised...

Revised: Ok, just watched Aviator. That one will not make my list. Not bad, but not top 10.


Worst of the Year

1. My Baby's Daddy (what a piece of crap) - I had managed to totally black this piece of garbage out until it was on Starz this weekend. Jeezus.

2. Without a Paddle.

3. Catwoman

4. Alexander

5. Phantom of the Opera - I know, I know, I just gave it a mixed review.. but the more I think about it, the more and more unhappy I am with this film, which isn't bad in the sense of some films that will go unnamed in my list, but bad in the sense that I feel it took a great work and pissed all over it.. at least "White Chicks" started as a piece of crap, so the fact it ended up that way isn't a big suprise.

6. White Chicks. (said above)

7. Soul Plane - what a racist piece of c***, for a film with so many African American people, the way it portrayed a large group of people (African Americans) was so offensive I wouldn't want my children to see it in any way shape or form. Talk about garbage.

8. Club Dread - who greenlit this garbage?

9. Stepford Wives. Couldn't leave well enough alone? I was waiting for Nicole Kidman to scream "Go Go Gadget robotwife!"

10. Teacher's Pet. A film that tells kids being special is really not the way it is supposed to be, and only comformists really succeed. Way to go, Disney! Take a show with at least a good message "you can achieve anything!" and turn it into a movie that says "you have to do what you were born to do, you'll never be greater then that" What a message!

11. Fat Albert I had to make mention for this. CRAP.

Top Performances

Male:

Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda)
Jim Caveziel (The Passion of the Christ)
Jamie Foxx (Ray)

Female:

Hillary Swank (Million Dollar Baby)
Natalie Portman (Closer)
Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)
 

Craig S

Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2000
Messages
5,884
Location
League City, Texas
Real Name
Craig Seanor
Here's the latest cut of my Top Ten:
  1. Sideways
  2. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
  3. A Very Long Engagement
  4. Kill Bill, Vol. 2
  5. Finding Neverland
  6. Hero/House Of Flying Daggers
  7. Million Dollar Baby
  8. The Aviator
  9. The Incredibles
  10. The Terminal
Bubbling Under - these films were at one time in (or in consideration for) my Top Ten. All are very worthy contenders. In alphabetical order:
  • Closer
  • Collateral
  • Friday Night Lights
  • Garden State
  • Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban
  • Hotel Rwanda
  • Kinsey
  • Miracle
  • The Passion Of The Christ
  • The Polar Express (3D IMAX Version)
  • Ray
  • Spider-Man 2
  • The Woodsman
I have seen a total of 78 2004 films. Here are the Top Ten contenders I have yet to see:
  • The Assassination Of Richard Nixon
  • Bad Education
  • The Motorcycle Diaries
  • The Sea Inside
I try to avoid bad movies, but here's the bottom 5 I saw this year, with number 1 being the worst:
  1. Twisted
  2. Godsend
  3. The Forgotten
  4. Walking Tall
  5. Van Helsing
 

Brook K

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2000
Messages
9,467
Still have a lot to see but I'll go ahead and post a list

2004 Top 10 List (NY/LA 1st Release)

1. Dogville
2. The Brown Bunny
3. The Return
4. The Trilogy: An Amazing Couple
5. Intimate Strangers
6. Dawn Of The Dead (04)
7. Sideways
8. The Trilogy: On The Run
9. Rosenstrasse
10. The Five Obstructions


2004 Top 10 List (World 1st Release)

1. The Brown Bunny
2. Intimate Strangers
3. Dawn Of The Dead
4. Sideways
5. Shaun Of The Dead
6. We Don't Live Here Anymore
7. Team America World Police
8. Kill Bill, Vol. 2
9. Control Room
10. Jersey Girl


10 Best Movies I Saw For The 1st Time In 2004

1. In A Year With 13 Moons (Rainer Werner Fassbinder)
2. Hiroshima Mon Amour (Alain Resnais)
3. The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse (Fritz Lang)
4. Early Summer (Yasujiro Ozu)
5. A Page Of Madness (Teinosuke Kinugasa)
6. Lola (Rainer Werner Fassbinder)
7. The Battle Of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo)
8. Minnie & Moskowitz (John Cassavetes)
9. Autumn Tale (Eric Rohmer)
10. The Passion Of Anna (Ingmar Bergman)
 

Brian.L

Supporting Actor
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Messages
549
Top Ten of 2004

1. Sideways


2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind


3. The Incredibles


4. Shaun of the Dead


5. Control Room



6. Before Sunset



7. The Staircase
In Good Company, Touching the Void, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Aviator, Spider-Man 2, Primer

EDIT 1/6/11: Added The Staircase and messed around with the ratings a bit. This year was so good it's crazy.
 

Stevan Lay

Second Unit
Joined
Jan 5, 2000
Messages
485
Best of 2004

By Australian release:
  1. The Station Agent
  2. The Incredibles
  3. Open Range
  4. The Passion of the Christ
  5. The Twilight Samurai
  6. House Of Flying Daggers
  7. Garden State
  8. Dawn of the Dead
  9. Infernal Affairs
  10. Before Sunset

Worst of 2004
  • Envy
  • Twisted
  • Gothika
  • The Whole 10 Yards
  • Van Helsing
 

MichaelPe

Screenwriter
Joined
Feb 22, 1999
Messages
1,115
MY TOP TEN OF 2004
  1. Million Dollar Baby
  2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  3. Kill Bill: Vol. 2
  4. Before Sunset
  5. Sideways
  6. Hotel Rwanda
  7. Un long dimanche de fiançailles (A Very Long Engagement)
  8. The Aviator
  9. Closer
  10. Garden State
  11. Mar adentro (The Sea Inside)
  12. Tarnation
  13. Diarios de motocicleta (The Motorcycle Diaries)
  14. Primer
  15. Kinsey
  16. Dogville
  17. Spartan
  18. Undertow
  19. Ying xiong (Hero)
  20. Collateral[/list=1]
 

Rich Malloy

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2000
Messages
3,998
I should just put a placeholder, as well, but I'm sure it'll be well over a year and probably longer before I can put this question of "2004 favorites" to bed. Ah well, here's the first draft, and I've noted those I've now seen more than once as "(*)":

1. Before Sunset (*)
2. Dogville (*)
3. Kill Bill 2 (*)
4. House of Flying Daggers (*)
5. Cowards Bend the Knee
6. Hero (*)
7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (*)
8. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
9. The Return
10. Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
 

Matt Stone

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2000
Messages
9,063
Real Name
Matt Stone
First update on my list. I dropped Sky Captain and Spartan in favor of Kinsey and Baadasssss!
 

Mark Pfeiffer

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 27, 1999
Messages
1,339
Finalized since this is what is going to the proverbial press.

Best of 2004 version

1. Dogville
2. The Five Obstructions (De Fem benspaend)
3. Before Sunset
4. The Village
5. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
6. The Aviator
7. Million Dollar Baby
8. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
9. Kill Bill Vol. 2
10. Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

Honorable Mentions
-Bon Voyage
-Code 46
-Cowards Bend the Knee
-Garden State
-Hero (Ying xiong)
-House of Flying Daggers
-Maria Full of Grace
-The Saddest Music in the World
-Sideways
-Spartan
-Spider-Man 2
-Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring
-Touching the Void

Just missing the cut
-Baadasssss!
-Blind Shaft (Mang jing)
-Enduring Love
-I Heart Huckabees
-The Incredibles
-Intimate Strangers (Confidences trop intimes)
-Mean Girls
-Miracle
-The Polar Express
-The Return (Vozvrashcheniye)
-Secret Things (Choses secretes)
-Shall We Dance?
-Super Size Me
-Tarnation
-The Terminal
-Time of the Wolf (Les Temps du loup)
-Vera Drake
 

Chris_Richard

Supporting Actor
Joined
Dec 3, 2001
Messages
515
1. Dogville
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
3. The Aviator
4. Vera Drake
5. Mean Creek
6. Collateral
7. Sideways
8. p.s.
9. Closer
10. Saved

Just Missed Out: Baadasssss!, Control Room, Finding Neverland, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Kinsey, A Very Long Engagement.

I still have a few films to see, so I expect there will be some movement.
 

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