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2004 Movies: A review..I know it's July 2005


Camusmind

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Ok, so the Oscars were handed out in February, but I wanted to wait until I saw Million Dollar Baby before I posted my thoughts on the year in movies that was 2004.

 

As I said, I finally saw Million Dollar Baby, the last of the five nominated pictures for "Best Picture" and it was my least favorite. I adore Hillary Swank; her role in Boys Don't Cry remains a performance for the ages in my mind, but the way she portrayed the lead character in this Clint Eastwood movie was disasterous at best. All of the characters, with the exception of Morgan Freeman's character, were overexagerrated, for what was supposed to be a poignant film. On a five star rating scale, I give Million Dollar Baby two stars.

 

With that critique out of the way, I'd like to present my personal awards for film achievement in 2004.

 

2004 Camus Awards

 

Best Actor: Johnny Depp - Finding Neverland

 

While I truly admired Ray Charles and thought Jamie Foxx did a good job portraying him in Ray, Depp's performance in Finding Neverland was truly phenomenal and the best performance I saw by a male actor in any 2004 film, whether it be Hollywood blockbuster, independent film or foriegn.

 

Best Actress: Catalina Sandino Moreno Maria Full of Grace

 

If you have yet to see this film, you truly need to rush to Blockbuster to rent it. You forget the film has subtitles after 5 minutes and it is a truly artistic experience for the viewer.

 

Best Director: Michael Radford - The Merchant of Venice

 

Obviously, Radford begins with a great script. Never has there existed a better script writer than William Shakespeare, but editing Shakespeare is always a tough subject. Radford produces a beautifully edited script that destroys the myth that one of Shakespeare's most controversial pieces was anti-semitic. Radford's mastery shows Shakespeare's true meaning was a lesson of tolerance we all can apply in our day-to-day lives.

 

 

Best Picture: Before Sunset

 

Watching 1994's Before Sunrise and 2004's Before Sunset, it's hard to believe that the same Richard Linklater responsible for Dazed and Confused and the recent remake of The Bad News Bears could have produced two pieces so magnifecently written, directed and acted as the ones in question, but he did--not bad for a native Texan. Ethan Hawke and French-beauty Julie Deply give beautiful performances in this dialogue intense movie. Go out and rent it, watch it with your girlfriend and you are sure to earn major points. It's a intelligently written "chick flick" that guys can truly enjoy.

 

Best Supporting Actor: Al Pacino - The Merchant of Venice

 

This is Pacino's best performance since Serpico! Shylock is one of Shakespeare's toughest character's to truly capture--a true enigma for the actor and the audience, but Pacino manages to deliver a performance that would make ol' Willie proud.

 

Best Supporting Actress Natalie Portman - Closer

 

Portman delivered not one, but two Oscar worthy performances in 2004 (Garden State being the other). I would have considered this film for best picture had Julia Roberts not brought the cast down--everything else about this film is near perfect, including Portman's performance. It doesn't hurt that Portman may possibly be the sexiest star in Hollywood.

 

Best Soundtrack: Garden State

 

Anytime you can mix Nick Drake, The Shins and Simon and Garfunkel into a movie soundtrack, you have a definite winner.

I also have to give a nod to the De-Lovely soundtrack--anyone who will take Cole Porter songs and have modern artists such as Elvis Costello and Alanis Morrissette remake them, deserves a mention.

 

Best Foriegn Film: Downfall

 

Leading up to the Oscars, I couldn't believe that Maria Full of Grace had been totally ignored by the Academy. A few weeks after the Oscars, I had the opportunity to see Downfall on the big screen, and while I still felt Maria deserved a nomination, I had found a new "Best Foriegn Film." This German movie chronicles the fall of Nazi Germany and the "emotional downfall" of Adolf Hitler.

 

Best Documentary: Farenheit 9/11

 

I'm sure I will receive more criticism for this pick than any other...

 

 

So there you have it....It might have taken me until July to announce my picks, but that's the way I see them....Feel free to add your comments.

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Originally posted by Camusmind

On a five star rating scale, I give Million Dollar Baby two stars.

I was disappointed with the movie as well -- but I thought is was better than two stars .......... 3 ½ stars for me ;)

 

... and what was all the youthanasia controversy about ??? :ermm: It was a freakin' movie.

 

Oh, yeah -- the holier-than-thou Terri Schiavo factor ;)

 

 

I'm too skeptical to load up on modern movies (too many great pre-1980 movies I would rather funnel the energy to locate), but I have to say that I was completely blown away by Sideways. IMHO -- second only to Almost Famous as the best movie of the 21st Century.

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Sideways had to grow on me. At first, I thought it was a little too pretentious, but the more I digested it, the more I liked it. I still don't think it was the "best movie of 2004". Probably not even in my top 5 for 2004.
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I guess I was attracted to the :love: Virginia Madsen :love: character ('should have won the Oscar) :mad: -- a career B-movie actress comes out of nowhere with one of the best portrayals of a real (for lack of a better term) 30/40-something female is a long, LONG time.

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Still....none of them hold a candle to Angelheart.

 

By the way, Cheapy. Have you been able to see Ladybug, Ladybug yet? I remember you seemed interested to find it after we talked about it several months back.

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Originally posted by Five0pd310

By the way, Cheapy. Have you been able to see Ladybug, Ladybug yet?

Nope -- but it's on my TiVo favorites :thumbsup:

 

I need to start my own movie channel: The Esoteric Channel ;)

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Originally posted by cheaptrick77
Originally posted by Five0pd310

By the way, Cheapy. Have you been able to see Ladybug, Ladybug yet?

Nope -- but it's on my TiVo favorites :thumbsup:

 

I need to start my own movie channel: The Esoteric Channel ;)

 

Yeah, you can call it Muzak! Oh wait that was taken and it stunk as well.:w00t:

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im surprised that you guys didnt like Million Dollar Baby that much. Although i agree that the character may have been exagerated, they were so 3 dimensional, it was justified. Million Dollar Baby is all about relationships, and i thought it was done really well.

 

Sideways was the best movie of the year IMO. Incredibly written, Incredibly acted, and incredibly directed. Really i couldnt find any fault in any of the movie.

 

Garden State would definitly take the cake as the most underappreciated movie of the year. It really spoke to me, i loved this movie.

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I NEVER have like Clint Eastwood, but I LOVE Hillary Swank--so those two cancel each other out.

 

The story was weak---I kept on hearing there's a "big twist" to the movie, a "Crying Game like moment" is how some described it......I couldn't have been less impressed.

 

The more I think about the movie; the more disappointed I become. It might truly be the biggest movie disappointment of my life. Out of all the movies I saw in 2004, "Million Dollar Baby" ranks squarely in the middle.

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Originally posted by cheaptrick77

I'm too skeptical to load up on modern movies (too many great pre-1980 movies I would rather funnel the energy to locate), .

 

YEa because the world of art and movies and sports ended in 1980.

 

I tell you what good old day syndrome runs rampant with you I swear...LOL

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Originally posted by TxEaglecaller

YEa because the world of art and movies and sports ended in 1980.

 

I tell you what good old day syndrome runs rampant with you I swear...LOL

Actually, my intentions are more to BRING ATTENTION to pre-1980 movies/music/sports. ;)

 

I don't think "art" ceased 25 years ago, I just despise the flippant attitude the majority of our society has with anything they consider "old" .......... as if "new" always means "better" :ermm:

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Originally posted by cheaptrick77

Actually, my intentions are more to BRING ATTENTION to pre-1980 movies/music/sports. ;)

 

I don't think "art" ceased 25 years ago, I just despise the flippant attitude the majority of our society has with anything they consider "old" .......... as if "new" always means "better" :ermm:

Like that has not always been the case...Out with the old in with the new is our society's rule...BUT.. If you spend to much time in the pat, you will end p missing what can be great in the present

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Originally posted by TxEaglecaller

Like that has not always been the case...Out with the old in with the new is our society's rule...BUT.. If you spend to much time in the pat, you will end p missing what can be great in the present

Believe it or not, I try to maintain an equal balance, no matter how it may appear .......... AGAIN: my main inspiration is BRINGING ATTENTION to the past ;)

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It seemed to me that "Sideways" and "Million Dollar Baby" were bandwagon movies. The best definition I can come up with is "mainstream arthouse" movies. There's something about movies that people say I HAVE to see that makes me not want to see them. I have still yet to see The Passion.

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Originally posted by Voted4Dubya

It seemed to me that "Sideways" and "Million Dollar Baby" were bandwagon movies. The best definition I can come up with is "mainstream arthouse" movies. There's something about movies that people say I HAVE to see that makes me not want to see them. I have still yet to see The Passion.

so you cant see any movies?
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Originally posted by Voted4Dubya

no its not that, its just that i felt like if I went and saw Sideways or Million Dollar Baby, then the terrorists would win.

lol. well im just saying that the big blockbusters are so hyped, so you wouldnt wanna watch those. but then the indie, and good hollywood movies get the media attention around oscar time. so i guess that would limit you to little known foriegn films?
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