say what? 2005 final
It had to be done: all in one place, the very best bad dialogue of the year 2005. No ranking — newer quotes are posted at the top. [Warning: May contain spoilers.]
year in review
best production design of 2004 (plus some other bests and worsts of the year)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN (encompassing production design, costumes, and makeup) The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou I usually favor invented worlds when picking the year’s best production work… and maybe I’ve done that here, too. Steve Zissou’s universe feels like it’s a baby step off skew with our own — the colors just a tad flat, … more…
best writing and direction of 2004: cut and print…
BEST DIRECTOR Lars von Trier, Dogville Ever a risktaker, Lars von Trier took one of the biggest risks onscreen in 2004 with a determinedly uncinematic film that was also unabashedly political — a breathtaking and refreshingly daring combination in an era of play-it-safe “entertainment.” Setting his cast and his scene on a bare, black-box stage, … more…
best performances of 2004: ready for their closeup…
BEST ACTOR Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda It’s a role that, in the hands of even another very competent actor, could have descended into pathos and sentimentality, but Cheadle’s performance goes way beyond mere competence: As an Oskar Schindler-type figure in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, he approaches incomprehensible horrors in a way that makes us intimate partners … more…
say what? worst. lines. ever, 2004 edition
Here, in one place, the funniest bad dialogue of the year 2004. They’re not ranked — they’re all equally awful. [Warning: May contain spoilers.] [click here for the best, most quotable snippets of dialogue from 2004] “Clearly, madam, genuis has turned to madness.” –Raoul (Patrick Wilson), to Madame Giry (Miranda Richardson), on the Phantom (Gerard … more…
totally quotable: best. lines. ever, 2004 edition
Here, in one place, the most quotable movie lines of the year 2004. They’re not ranked — they’re all great. [Warning: May contain spoilers.] [click here for the funniest bad snippets of dialogue from 2004] “Only people from the Bronx care about the Oscars.” –Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth), Beyond the Sea “I’ve never seen a … more…
best and worst movies of 2004 (and why I’m gonna spend a lot of money on DVDs)
Damn, but I had a good time at the movies this year. I sat through a lot of cinematic toxic waste, it’s true, but I also had a tough time winnowing down my best-of list to only ten films: the top 25 or 30 films in my annual ranking delighted me, made me laugh, moved … more…
2004’s films ranked
Following are the 226 theatrical releases for 2004 I ranked on the fly during the year. The ranking is now final, and any 2004 releases that I might catch in the future will not be ranked. The ranking includes only theatrical releases — made-for-cable and made-for-TV movies are not ranked, nor are older films I … more…
2003’s films ranked
Following are the 211 theatrical releases for 2003 I ranked on the fly during the year. The ranking is now final, and any 2003 releases that I might catch in the future will not be ranked. The ranking includes only theatrical releases — made-for-cable and made-for-TV movies are not ranked, nor are older films I … more…
best and worst movies of 2003 (and good riddance to a lousy year)
It hasn’t been a great year for film — I’m not the first critic you’ve heard say this. I had some very powerful and very entertaining experiences at the movies this year, but not as many as in other years, and few of those experiences coincided with the films that Hollywood wants us to think … more…
