arenn's 2004 Film Year in Review

In 2004 I saw fewer films than usual. However, there were still a number of quality products I was able to take in, including a number of very exceptional films.

Starting, as always, with my list of top films that premiered in Chicago this year.

1. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (****) Directed by Michel Gondry (USA), but much of the credit to Charlie Kaufman's incredible script. What science fiction should be. You mean you didn't know it was science fiction? Exactly.

2. HERO (****) Directed by Zhang Yimou (China). A paean to authoritarianism it may be, but it sure was purdy.

3. TOKYO GODFATHERS (****) Directed by Satoshi Kon (Japan). I normally don't like sentimentalist pieces, but this outstanding anime is an exception. No American could have created this film.

4. TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE (***) Directed by Trey Parker (USA). Team America, Fuck Yeah! This movie was awesome, even in its most disturbing and uncomfortable moments.

5. MY ARCHITECT (***) Directed by Nathaniel Kahn (USA). Both a great profile of a architect and a great tour of his architecture. Worth it just to see the shots of the capital of Bangladesh.

6. THE FOG OF WAR (***) Directed by Errol Morris (USA). A deeply flawed effort by Morris, who often stumbles in documentaries where he has too much sympathy for the characters. Nevertheless, compelling in a Morrisesque way.

Here are the rest of the 2004 new releases / Chicago premiers and how they stacked up. In alphabetical order:

• THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK (*). Directed by David Twohy (USA). Yes, I'm reluctantly forced to admit I saw this.
• THE FOUL KING (**). Directed by Ji-woon Kim (Korea). Given the set-up (bank clerk turned professional wrestler), this should have been better.
• GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE (**). Directed by Mamruo Oshii (Japan). Ok, visually appealling (albeit with too much CGI), but very disappointing compared to the stupendous original.
• A GOOD LAWYER'S WIFE (**). Directed by Sang-soo Im (Korea). A ok but depressing drama about a failed marriage.
• KILL BILL, VOL. 2 (**). Directed by Quentin Tarantino (USA). No better than the first chapter.
• PTU (**). Directed by Johnnie To (Hong Kong). Billed as the "Return of Johnnie To", I didn't think this Hong Kong cop/gangster flick lived up to the hype.
• SPIDER MAN 2 (*). Directed by the Sam Raimi (USA). Yuck.
• ZATOICHI (**). Directed by the Takeshi Kitano (Japan). I'm sure if I'd been raised on Zatoichi as a kid, I'd have liked it better. Decent flick though.

As always, I take in older films in re-release whenever I get a chance. I'm very thankful to live in a city where the classics are still shown on the big screen.

• THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS (***). Directed by Gillo Pontecorvo (France, 1695). Supposedly required viewing the Pentagon these days. I'm not sure of the lessons to be drawn, though. Very interesting character portraits. The guerillas are not shown in an overly sympathetic light and the character you end up liking the best is the ruthless French Col. Matthieu.
• THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR (***). Directed by Ronnie Yu (Hong Kong, 1993). With all the attention on modern day wuxia, it's nice to see a classic for a change.
• LA DOLCE VITA (***). Directed by Federico Fellini (Italy, 1960). This guy is a master of film making, no doubt.
• PEKING OPERA BLUES (***). Directed by Tsui Hark (Hong Kong, 1986). A definite classic.

You can also read about what I thought of last year's films and about 2002 and. 2001.

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