My Favorite Films of 2004

[arsaib4]

I'm also looking forward to I * Huckabees (well, it is out), I believe Pmw saw the film here and he just might be right as many critics haven't exacty embraced it, but this one i'll have to see for myself.

I do wonder if Sideways is this year's Lost In Translation which was unanimously over-praised by critics in their festival reviews and then even upon it's premiere locally while most cinephiles had some reservations about that kind of approval.

Unfortunately Hanks is back, this time as a CGI character in The Polar Express. He's certainly not having a good year with The Ladykillers and The Terminal.

As for Oscar glory, we have Jamie Foxx in Ray, Liam Neeson in Kinsey, Alexander (which is apparently delayed till the end of November due to some gay love scenes), just to name a few.

[JustaFied]

Originally posted by arsaib4
I'm also looking forward to I * Huckabees (well, it is out), I believe Pmw saw the film here and he just might be right as many critics haven't exacty embraced it, but this one i'll have to see for myself.

M. Dargis at the Times gave it a positive review. Hoberman's review is lukewarm, I think the critics at the least admire that it's different . Denby calls it "an authentic disaster, peppered with many odd and brilliant moments". Myself, I'm still a sucker for a movie about existentialism in America. I appreciate a rather absurd look at the "normal" day-to-day life in this country, perhaps it can foster new perspectives.

I forgot about Alexander. Of course. So, they're editing it because of a gay love scene? Does Stone know about this?

[arsaib4]

Originally posted by JustaFied
I forgot about Alexander. Of course. So, they're editing it because of a gay love scene? Does Stone know about this?

Stone does know and apparently isn't too pleased, but my guess is that the budget which is reaching $130 M doesn't help his cause. As reported on imdb a Warner Bros. spokeswoman declined to discuss the report, saying "We wouldn't talk about anything involving the process of making a movie," which kind of gives it away. A friend of mine pointed out that 40+ years ago, the "oyster" scene between Olivier and Curtis in Spartacus was edited to remove the homosexual context, look how far we've come. I think America is just happy with their gay characters on television during the 'family hour' who laugh at bad jokes and keep good hygiene, i don't think they are ready for a guy taking it in the ass, something else they like to do (or so i hear). I say let's bring on the 'unrated' dvd.

[oscar jubis]

Below a list of my favorite films seen in the past ten weeks or so. Still upset with self for missing Zelary and Vera Drake during their one-week stay in town. Maybe Imelda Staunton will get an Oscar nom and the acclaimed Brit film comes back to theatres.

THE CORPORATION
This 145-minute Canadian doc from directors Jennifer Abbott and Mark Achbar is perhaps my favorite movie of 2004, or more specifically, the most important one. "I can't think of another documentary that's taught me as much as this one" (J. Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader).

MONDAY MORNING
The latest from Georgian director Otar Iosseliani received a limited release in Canada last year but not in the US (outside of fests and isolated screenings). This French/Italian coproduction juggles deadpan comedy, astute psychological observation and sociological subtext. Available on dvd from the UK.

UNDERTOW
David Gordon Green is still my favorite young American director. Can't blame him for wishing to appeal to a larger audience by providing genre thrills. More comments on the film's thread.

TARNATION
87 minutes of fragments from 20 years in the life of a man exposed to abuse, family dysfuction and mental illness. Most of the material is culled from home movies and the director's own short films. Raw, unprocessed and messy but quite powerful and moving.

RED LIGHTS
Engrossing French thriller about an alcoholic and his wife driving from Paris to pick up their kids at a summer camp. Well written and performed.

THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES
The film avoids controversy by focusing on the consciousness-raising, South American voyage of the young medical student that would become El Che. Rewarding and nice to look at, but rather tame, calculated not to piss off anybody.

THE INCREDIBLES
I had more fun watching it than any other superhero or animated film of 2004.

MARMOULAK (The Lizard)
A thief escapes from prison disguised as a mullah. He finds it advantageous to maintain the pretense. By the time the religious establishment in Iran figured out how subversive this comedy was, the film had been a box office hit for weeks. All reels were confiscated, but the Fort Lauderdale film fest managed to find a pirated dvd copy for exhibition.

Garden State
At times too precious. A tad indulgent. But it provided me and Chelsea with enough pleasure and edification to recommend it.

I heart Huckabees
After the premiere at Cannes, Ebert was asked for his opinion and he said he didn't know. I had a similar reaction. I know I'm glad there are filmmakers attempting something original, and the premise/concept appeals to my sensibilities. I know I want to see it again but I wonder if these characters will ever feel "real". Maybe it doesn't matter. Perhaps it's more a film about ideas than anything else. This film could be as great as Glenn Kenny (Premiere) thinks, or as mediocre as Ebert concluded after a second viewing.

[oscar jubis]

I appreciate the opportunity. Otar Iosseliani was born in Tbilisi, Georgia in 1934 and has been active as a film director for over 40 years. He has lived in France since 1980. Monday Morning is the first of his dozen or so features that I've had the opportunity to watch. Several of his films have received awards at Cannes, Berlin and Venice but none has been released stateside. It's appalling. My first encounter with Otar Iosseliani was the film Son of Gascogne in which he acted as himself. Two of Iosseliani's films are available in the US: Chasing Butterflies on vhs and Brigands Chapter VII on dvd. I plan to seek them out soon.

Monday Morning won the Silver Bear for best director and the FIPRESCI prize at Berlin, where it premiered in 2002. It concerns Vincent, a chemical factory worker encumbered by monotonous routine and familial responsibilities. One day, he decides to travel on his own to Venice. The first half hour depicts Vincent's routine in his French village and interactions with his wife, children and mother. Then, the film seems to forget about the main character to show amusing vignettes of village life. One hour into the film, Vincent is on a train to Venice, where he meets several interesting individuals, including an old aristocrat played by Iosseliani himself. What is remarkable about the film is its almost complete reliance on visuals to convey character detail. Forced to identify antecedents to this type of filmmaking, Jacques Tati comes to mind, but Iosseliani seems less obviously comedic. The sparse dialogue plays second fiddle to the images, which display a masterful command of cinematography and mise-en-scene.

Monday Morning is available on dvd in the UK. The disc includes director's biography, filmography, and a 6-minute
interview that left me wanting more. Monday Morning is not a heavily plotted film and those who demand dramatic tension from cinema won't find it here. Perhaps this accounts for its lack of US distribution. I think Monday Morning is a remarkable film.