Welcome to my first ever Top 10 List. I have wanted to do this for a long time, but have never formally done it. So here you go. I hope you find something on the list that you haven't seen and can enjoy.
Best Movie of 2003
Before we get to 2004, I have to say a few things about 2003. It was a good year for me personally. I graduated with my Ph.D. in Human Development and Marriage and Family Therapy from Virginia Tech in May, and then moved to Orange County California with my wife and son to begin a job as an assistant professor in psychology at Chapman University in August. In July, my Dad flew from Utah to Virginia to help me drive a 28 foot moving van to California. We traveled almost 3,000 miles together and had quite an adventure. When we reached St. George, Utah we stopped for the night and went to see the movie Seabiscuit in the theater. I won't ever forget how moving an experience it was. The intensity of the father-son bond that developed during our cross-country trip magnified the emotions of the father-son relationships on screen and seared this movie into my heart as one of my all time favorites.
2004 Misses that I Thought Would Be Hits
Here
are a couple of movies that I thought would make this list, but instead were
disappointing.
This is Wes Anderson's 4th film. His last two - Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums were great offbeat movies. This one however, just can't find itself. It plays more like a lot of short skits. Even Bill Murray who is very likable as Steve Zissou, can't save it. Anderson needs to branch out more and perhaps direct a movie he hasn't written and been too clever with.
The Aviator PG-13
A lot of people loved the Aviator. I personally did not. I saw it at Christmas and came out 3 hours later wishing I could have them back. I am in the minority here as this movie was on virtually every critic's top 10 list. I thought Leonard Dicaprio was good as Howard Hughes. But there was really nothing to like about this man. He was a great visionary, and he struggled with OCD his whole life, but there was nothing that made you pull for him. I think the big flaw is Martin Scorsese. I personally think he is the most overrated directed ever. His style really pulled the film down for me and I just didn't enjoy it at all.
2004 Top 10
This was Zach Braff's first feature film. He wrote and directed it. If you watch Scrubs, you know who he is. It is about a 20 something year old who return to New Jersey where he grew up to attend his Mom's funeral. It has some clever dialogue and funny moments. Natalie Portman is funny as an eccentric girl who he meets on his return home. It does include some misses and could have been a bit stronger. But overall, it was a great first movie and shows a great deal of promise for a future career.
Everyone has probably heard about this documentary at some level. I watched this movie with my wife and dad over Christmas and it had a powerful effect on me. It tells the story of Morgan Spurlock who documents his life as he eats nothing but McDonalds food for one month. He consults doctors and has medical tests done to determine its effect on his body. This is a fascinating look at the dangers of the fast food market and the poor eating habits of most Americans. After watching this movie, I told my wife I would not go to McDonalds for any food item for one year. Six months later I have kept to it. It is a great movie if you are looking for good entertainment and a boost to be more health conscious.
# 8 Miracle PG
This is a great story about the inspirational Miracle on Ice that happened during the 1980 winter Olympics when the underdog USA hockey team beat the unbeatable Russian men's team. Kurt Russell gives a great performance as Herb Brooks, the coach and driving force behind the team's march to the gold medal. I didn't want to see this movie, but at my wife's insistence, I went along. I loved it and found it very inspiring.
This is a great story about a superhero. Tobey Maguire reprises his role as Peter Parker and Kirsten Dunst plays Mary Jane. Unlike other action movies that focus solely on action, this movie focuses on story and the characters - whom you actually care about. A sharp script and great direction drive the movie. You all have probably seen this. It is a lot of fun.
# 6 Maria Full of Grace R
In Spanish with English subtitles. This is a very interesting and sad story that details the drug trafficking methods used in Columbia to get drugs across the borders into the U.S. It tells the story of a 17-year old girl names Maria who is unhappy with her life and limited opportunities in a small town in Columbia. She learns of an opportunity to be a "drug mule" which is someone who swallows packets of heroin and takes a plane to New York to deliver the goods. It is fiction, but draws on several true stories of young girls who come to the U.S. from Columbia in this dangerous endeavor.
The first thing to note on this movie is the tagline on the poster. It says - Save The Day November 5, 2004. Well, something pretty incredible happened to our family on this day - our daughter Delaney was born! We love that story in our house. On top of that, this movie is flat out awesome. Brad Bird (The Iron Giant) makes a wonderful movie full of ingenuity, humanness, comedy, spy conventions, and amazing action. This movie worked for me on every level. I could watch it over and over again. All around, this might be the best animated film I have ever seen.
I loved this movie about the life of Ray Charles. Jamie Foxx plays Ray and virtually transforms himself in Mr. Charles. From the very first few minutes, you know this will be a great movie. It doesn't shy away from showing Charles' successes and failures -especially as a heroin addict and absent father. The movie stays with you along time and you get a great appreciation for this man who was raised in poverty, went blind as a young boy from glaucoma, and was one of the most successful and influential musicians ever. If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend it.
#3 Million Dollar Baby PG-13
Clint Eastwood stars and directs this movie about a female boxer played by Hillary Swank. The movie is is good, straightforward story telling. Clint Eastwood's directing style is simple and non-gimmicky. Hillary Swank was remarkable as a girl from poverty who has nothing but a desire to be a fighter. She fully deserved the Oscar for Best Actress. And Morgan Freeman is great as a former boxer who now manages an old gym. After I saw the movie, I told Krista that I thought it would win Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actor - which it did.
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are great in this movie about memory and the implications of erasing unwanted memories. It was written by Charlie Kaufman and it a great exploration about the topic. Jim Carrey is funny and serious in this role. It is smart, original, and thought provoking. A great movie that is non-formulaic. The original premise about the power of memory and the implications to our lives if we could erase them gave me a lot to think about in the days after I saw it.
#1 Finding Neverland PG
This was the most touching movie of the year. It tells the story of James Barrie, a British playwright who created and wrote Peter Pan based on his friendship with a young widow and her children. Johnny Depp gives a multi-faceted performance as Mr. Barrie. You can't help but admire this man and his love for writing and for this young family. The movie underscores the importance of imagination and creativity, and of being young at heart.
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