Possum Holler

My goal each year in my Oscar prophesies is to do better than the year before. Well, this year I failed. Last year I was right 14 times, this year I 0nly got 13 right. If you are interested, those were Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Oringinal Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design, Make Up, Score, Animated Feature, and Foreign Film.

Yes, I actually missed Best Picture. I also missed Cinematography. Honestly, though, I think that a year ago, only Sideways gets nominated for Best Picture...just an opinion.

So, as a service to my readership I am going offer my top 15 favorite movies of 2004 and my top 15 best films so that you can make wise decisions as you rent movies in the coming year. I was originally going to do 10, but I couldn't narrow it down that far. As far as going to the movies in the next couple of months, the only ones that I am excited about are Be Cool (the sequel to Get Shorty and from the author of Jackie Brown) and Sin City. Be Cool comes out next weekend and Sin City comes out the first weekend of April.

BEST FILMS OF 2004
1). Hotel Rwanda
I had pretty much decided that the no. 2 movie on my list would be no. 1, however, the more I thought about it the more I realized that Hotel Rwanda is the only movie this year that I would recommend to EVERYONE that I know. This is the most important film of the year and I encourage all of you to see it as soon as possible.
2). Motorcycle Diaries
This film was absolutely beautiful and made me want to travel around South America.
3). Maria Full of Grace
Another foreign film, I thought it was hard to watch. However, my mom, who is Colombian thought it was a lot cleaner than it could have been. Watch it and imagine that they are glorifying the life of a drug mule and think about how hard life can be for people who see no other way than to turn to this career.
4). The Aviator
I really thought this would win Best Picture. It won the most Oscars, but again Martin Scorcese misses Best Picture and Best Director. I liked the movie a lot, even if it starts to unravel in the second half after an amazingly put together first half.
5). Closer
Uncomfortable. That is the most appropriate word to describe Closer. As ugly (though physically beautiful) the characters in the movie are, I felt like this was an incredibly made movie. The dialogue is painfully honest and disturbing, but it is beautifully shot and well acted. I don't feel that I can truly assess this film until I watch it a second time.
6). Sideways
Perhaps the most perfect movie of the year. It accomplishes excactly what it wants too. Maybe it is just me, but I came out of it so depressed as I empathized with Miles, the lead character. This is a film for men that is disguised as a girl's movie. I think only men can fully appreciate the relationship between Paul Giammati's character and Thomas Haden Church's character.
7). Million Dollar Baby
Best Picture. Maybe. Maybe not. There were flaws in the script. I respect it a lot, but it brought up a very serious issue without fully examining it. I'm not going to spoil the end for you, but I think that it brought something up in the last 20 minutes that it could have spent the entire movie debating. When I get around to watching The Sea Inside I might write more extensively on this subject.
8). The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Charlie Kaufman won the Oscar for best Original Screenplay. I can't even imagine how he came up with this, but it is one of the most enjoyable movies that was nominated for an Academy Award.
9). Finding Neverland
This was the most touching of the Best Picture nominees.
10). Control Room
I'm not sure why this wasn't nominated for Best Documentary, but in my opinion it was just that. If you aren't familiar, it is a look a Al-Jazeera tv's struggle in the middle between it's Islamic audience and and increasing American influence.
11). Fahrenheit 9/11
Although I didn't think that this was as good a documentary as Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine I still felt it was a very important movie. I'm probably one of the few Americans that relate to both Fahrenheit AND the Passion of the Christ, but historically, this movie WILL be noted.
12). Ray
Jamie Foxx was amazing.
13). Kill Bill Vol. 2
The first volume was a bloody mess...and it set up volume two perfectly. This movie pulls all the details together into a perfect package and was the only movie of the year that had me grinning ear to ear the whole time.
14). Phantom of the Opera
For some reason, musicals always get a lot of respect from critics. While Phantom didn't get any Best Picture buzz (and was no Chicago), it was still a worthwhile and respectable film.
15). Hero
I didn't get to see House of Flying Daggers which is supposed to be even better, but this was an amazing action movie.

Possum's Favorite Movies of 2004:

1. Kill Bill Volume 2
2. Garden State
3. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Hysterical.
4. Napoleon Dynamite
Immediate cult classic.
5. Spanglish
I could write an entire column on this movie, but I'm afraid it would be too personal...so I won't.
6. The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
7. Sideways
8. Coffee and Cigarettes
There is no way to accurately explain this movie.
9. Hotel Rwanda
10. Finding Neverland
11. I [Heart] Huckabees
Waiting for Godot, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead...I'm not sure why, but I am a huge fan of absurdist, existential comedies.
12. The Phantom of the Opera
I am among the VERY few straight males who LOVE musicals...I stumbled upon Fiddler on the Roof on cable on Saturday morning and my day was shot.
13. Fahrenheit 9/11
14. Hero
15. Ray