2004: The Summer's Best

NOTE: All of these movies were theatrically released from June 4, 2004 - August 27, 2004.
Any other films released this year will qualify for my "Top 10 of 2004", but not for this one.
Examples: Troy was released on May 14, and even though it is considered a "summer

movie" by many, it does qualify for this list. The same goes for a film, such as Vanity

Fair, which was released on September 1. It's pretty self explanatory; got it? Good.

#10
Napoleon Dynamite - I first saw this movie at an advanced, promotional screening, in which I had no knowledge regarding it, whatsoever. I settled into my chair, with a free T-Shirt in lap, which exhibited a gigantic drawing of the now infamously-deformed, magically-bred "Liger." Turns out that my lack of preconceived notions about the film only made it more of a pleasant surprise. As choppy as its first act may be, N.D. is one of the funniest movies of recent years, with a wacky, out-there performance from John Heder. I don't see any possibility of Napoleon Dynamite not becoming a cult-classic. It certainly deserves such status.

#09
The Bourne Supremacy - If forced to choose, I think I'd pick Doug Liman's The Bourne Identity over this sequel, but it is, nevertheless, a gem of mainstream cinema. Microbudget-turned-Hollywood director Paul Greengrass builds suspense beautifully, and knows how to keep one on the edge of their seat. Supremacy is an immaculately crafted film with reserved, ingenious performances from almost every member of the cast. It is a better crafted movie than its predecessor, no doubt. The only area the franchise takes a hit in its second installment in is that of fun. This installment is still very entertaining, even if not as much as the original.

#08
The Notebook - This is one of those movies that came out of nowhere. Watching the trailers, I thought that it would be an entirely conventional romance, even if enjoyable. And it sort of was, but that's not to say that it did not contain many superb elements. Rachel McAdams, in particular, was amazing. After appearing in the train-wrecks that were Mean Girls and The Hot Chick, she was able to redeem herself with a refreshing, sexy, electrified performance, which was undoubtedly heartwarming. Following in the footsteps of his brilliant father, director Nick Cassavetes proved himself to be a touching storyteller, through The Notebook.

#07
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Alfonso Cuarón's take on the Harry Potter series was far darker than Chris Columbus' was, and I like it a lot less. Watching the first two films, I wanted to be standing side-by-side with Harry, Ron, and Hermoine. The Prisoner of Azkaban relies more on mystery and intrigue than imagination and, while less satisfying than its more illusive predecessors, Cuarón has still made a very good film. As disappointed as I was, there was no denying that the third entry in the franchise was a complete spectacle with a profound sense of storytelling. I'm hesitant about the fourth film, but anxious, nonetheless.

	#06 Spider-Man 2 - As the third member of a trilogy to make my list, Sam Raimi's triumphant comic-book adaptation deserves praise. Less reliant upon pure action than the first flick, it juxtaposes myth and emotion, as our conflictive, but heroic protagonist questions the worthiness of the tight red and blue costume that he often slaps on to fight crime and avenge his grandfather's death. While slow at times, Spider-Man 2 is quite touching and contains superb, nostalgic action-sequences, which actually permit audience members to realize what is happening, even if they blink. The conclusion to the series has every reason to be masterful.
	#05 The Terminal - Steven Spielberg sold out to a one-note conventions this year, and I couldn't have been happier. In cahoots with longtime buddy Tom Hanks, the master filmmaker created a one-of-a-kind movie with an uncountable amount of clichés, as oxymoronic as that may seem. Following the day-to-day life of a foreign traveler, who has been confined to an airport terminal's walls, as a result of his native country's recent fall to rebels, it functions both as a comedy and a romance. The most remarkable thing about The Terminal, though, was that I always sympathized for the protagonist because of his emotions, not his cute accent.
	#04 Hero - I bought the imported, Cantonese copy of this film on DVD, on a whim, long before it was released in U.S. theaters, and was amazed. Not only does it contain sweeping, gorgeous kung-fu battle scenes, but also supremely poignant emotional resonance, unlike anything else I've ever seen in this genre. Jet Li headlines the wonderfully cast ensemble, toying with the rather simple concepts of order, custom, and loyalty, in a deceptive plot, which reminded me of those of several great noir films. Director Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggars comes out later this year; it could be the second superb movie of this nature in 2004.

#03
The Village - Anyone who called The Village talky, inconclusive, and ridiculous missed the point of the exercise. Perhaps they were disappointed by the fact that it did not turn out to be a standard, run-of-the-mill horror movie. I, on the other hand, beamed as I watched every frame of M. Night Shyamalan's latest effort, and was rather frightened for the first half hour. Maybe I'm a sucker for well-done thrills, but so be it. This picture was amazing in many senses; Shyamalan's methods of diverting the audience's attention, in order to make the end twist more shocking were insanely inventive. I'm in the minority when I say this, but I dug it.

#02
Garden State - Writer/director/star Zach Braff's quirky comedy always had me interested, even when I questioned its quality. For the entire first half, things seemed shaky to me, with some aspects of it being far more successful than others. But, by the time his character, nicknamed Large, met his future girlfriend, Sam (Natalie Portman), and their chemistry overflowed the screen and seeped into the theatre, saturating the audience in the film's greatness, I realized that everything was in place; the genius of the movie was not ignorable. Equipped with its powerful, astounding third-act, Garden State garnered a solid level of mastery.

#01
Before Sunset - It took nine years for Richard Linklater to release a follow-up to Before Sunrise, but the day finally came, this summer. With stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy co-writing, the trio fashioned another miraculous romance. More mature and thoughtful than the already near-perfect original, Before Sunset works on deeper terms, which is quite an achievement. The leads have the presences of old friends, allowing fans of the first film to become instantly immersed in the sumptuous dialogue. In all of its long, extended takes of current-day Paris, this masterpiece tells a tale that everyone wishes they were a part of. It is beautiful.