My top ten favorite movies of 2004 (minus one)

I might be jumping the gun a little bit, but I don't think I'll be seeing many more movies that were released this past year (especially since I can't seem to find an undubbed copy of 2046). So I thought it was as good a time as any to hilight the movies I most enjoyed this year. Bear in mind that there are a bunch of movies I haven't seen that I'll have to catch on video later, whereupon I might have to augment this list. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. But for now, in alphabetical order:

The Battle of Algiers. Technically, this film about the revolt against colonial rule was released in 1965, but 2004 saw its reappearance in the theaters. At times almost documentary-like, The Battle of Algiers manages to tell the story unflinchingly. A particularly apt film to have been released this year, as the U.S. prepared for and then went to war in a foreign land. This film shows the dangers of being an occupying force.

Before Sunset. I hated the first movie due to Ethan Hawke's overly self-indulgent American teenager, though Jean has since helped me see the light. Hawke's portrayal was apt, even if he was portraying himself. In this sequel, both Hawke and Julie Delpy play parts of themselves, and externalize the conversations we have with ourselves about our pasts and the relationships we might have thought we had left there. The film feels less like fiction than the first and slightly like a reality show as two people are placed in front of the camera and told to tell each other their hopes from the past and fears for the future, with and without each other.

Blind Shaft. Another film that takes documentary techniques and trains them on two mine workers in rural China out to make a buck. Their methods are, to say the least, questionable, and one's conscience is stricken when they encounter a young man who may be the son of their last victim. A harsh account of life in China, surveying the cultural landscape with a cynical gaze.

Control Room. A documentary about the news organization Al-Jazeera, Control Room shows what it's like from the other side, as Arabic journalists must cover a war that has come to their shores and how they deal with it as individuals and as professionals.

Days of Being Wild. While made and released in Hong Kong in the 80s, 2004 saw the first release of this Wong Kar-Wai film in the United States. Although only his second film, it is an assured work, incorporating the storytelling techniques and visual styles for which he would later be known.

Hero. While I may not have liked the way in which the story was told or the politics behind the film, there was no more beautiful film that came out this year. Cinematographer Chris Doyle worked with Zhang Yimou to give each section a distinct visual style, bringing sumptuous imagery to the screen. And as such it could be perceived as an incredibly long commercial selling the idea of glamour.

The Incredibles. In 2004, Pixar released their sixth and best animated feature, and in growing older, also offered their most adult film to date. While the effects are stunning and the action scenes exciting, the core of the film rests with the characters as they struggle to be true to themselves within the limited confines of their lives, or struggle to even discover what their true selves are. The animation is top notch, cartoony without ever being wholly unbelievable; it is a massive technical achievement. But what makes the film work beautifully is that the animation takes a back seat to the characters and to the story, so that eventually I forgot I was watching an animated film, so caught up was I in the lives of the Parrs.

Infernal Affairs. While this film was released in 2002 in Hong Kong (where it has already spawn two sequels), 2004 saw its release in the States. A stylish police drama, Infernal Affairs pits a mob boss against a HK police chief, each with a mole in the other's organization. A smart story of betrayal and counterbetrayal as the players move their pawns over the board, angling for position. Chris Doyle makes a second appearance on this list as the visual consultant for the film.

Zatoichi. Takeshi Kitano's take on the legendary blind swordsman offered fantastic action scenes (replete with computer generated blood) and a rousing finale. His use of musical sequences seemed particularly apt for a swordsman attuned to the sounds around him. A nice chapter in the continuing saga of Zatoichi, filtered through Kitano's sensibilities (and sense of humor).
Posted by eku at December 9, 2004 12:08 AM