Out of those five I've seen "The Incredibles" and "ESOTM" in their entirety but only the first hour or so of "The Aviator". "The Incredibles" and "The Aviator" are great popcorn flicks but I just dont get what's supposed to be so good about either of them. "Ray" was a much more affecting biopic than "The Aviator" (Not only because of Jamie Foxx's performance) and I can name a zillion better animated flicks (Sorry Mark) than "The Incredibles" (Hell, the "Polar Express"). My initial love for "ESOTM" has dampered since its release on DVD. It's a very good film--my personal fave for the year--but I dont think it has any great staying power. I think it's fault is in script writer Charlie Kauffman who is always capable of consistently churning wonderful movies year after year but they all seem to be so quirky and so odd that it stretches to the point of almost novelty. I dunno...
But I do know that 2004 was a year of mediocrity in the film industry.
Maybe I should have made it a requirement that people have seen the films before voting, but it's not really necessary, since I knew what the results would be before I put this up.
My mission in life is to let people enjoy themselves even if I haven't been able to personally convey my love of film through any finished product yet (unless you are a close friend.) I herald popcorn films. Film is art, and when a "popcorn" film uses the resources of film art in a totally-new way to entertain, move and enthrall audiences, I think it is a better use of the medium than a so-called art film which bores the living daylights out of you with its abstract pretentiousness and supposed lessons about life. The lessons tend to be about how cretins are humans too, so let's watch them kill, maim or be misanthropic and learn from them!
People have been bitching that "The Lord of the Rings" movies are just for fanboys who enjoy films which have nothing to do with humanity or our world. Hell, they express more about love, life and beauty than every flippin' slow, "significant", personal drama that comes around, but you see, at least I accept differences in taste and try not to smugly belittle great films and art. I just take each film as it comes without prejudices about the director, writer, cast, etc. Sure, I have my own personal favorites based on watching so many films, but I have no sacred cows or pariahs.
Thanks to everyone who contributes to this poll. I hope you all see the films on it and are secure enough in your personal reactions to not let critical consensus, family and friends, or blind prejudice influence how you perceive and appreciate film, any other art form, or any other person you ever come across the rest of your life.
"Naked Woman, Naked Man Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
Posts: 12874 | Location: Behind the Orange Curtain | Registered: 14 May 2004
I have seen all of these except Million Dollar Baby which I may see this weekend. Without thought, I would definitely pick Eternal Sunshine. The only other movie that is mentioned here that I actually really enjoyed is The Incredibles. Not a hard decision for me.
Posts: 635 | Location: California | Registered: 24 August 2004
People have been bitching that "The Lord of the Rings" movies are just for fanboys who enjoy films which have nothing to do with humanity or our world. Hell, they express more about love, life and beauty than every flippin' slow, "significant", personal drama that comes around, but you see, at least I accept differences in taste and try not to smugly belittle great films and art. I just take each film as it comes without prejudices about the director, writer, cast, etc. Sure, I have my own personal favorites based on watching so many films, but I have no sacred cows or pariahs.
Nicely said, mark. I think the genius of the LOTR films (and the Star Wars films) is that they convey the great moral and personal issues(things like good and evil, family and loyalty, faith and doubt, and so on) while remaining entertainment. If you think the LOTR films were made for the fanboys who name their dogs Frodo, you're probably right. But they weren't made EXCLUSIVELY for those people. They were made to express the power of the human being (or hobbit!) and to examine the wonders of the world. There's something to be said for a nicely done epic...the LOTR trilogy fits that bill, the original Star Wars does it. Beowulf, the Bible, the Bhagavad Gita. Epics. Good stuff.
This has nothing to do with the poll. I've only seen ESOTSM. I'll vote after I see the rest, although I'm not really that interested in Million Dollar Baby. All of the good reviews on Sideways make me a little wary (whenever the critics get THAT gooey on a movie it usually means I won't like it) but I like Paul Giamatti (PIG VOMIT!!!!). The Incredibles is on my must rent list and the Aviator will be as well, when both come out on DVD.
Posts: 3875 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: 25 May 2004
