Dave’s Top Ten of 2004 – Your Results May Vary - Page 2

6. The Five Obstructions

Hardly anybody got to see this and that’s too bad, because it’s a great film…if you’re a filmmaker. I don’t know how much appeal this would have, actually, outside of that niche, but inside, it has quite a bit. Crazy Lars Von Trier challenges his mentor Jorgen Leth to remake Jorgen’s film The Perfect Human five times over, each time with a number of restrictions to raise the bar. In one case each shot can only last half a second. In another he must shoot it in a format he despises – the cartoon. Each time he surprises himself, and us, with the results. It ultimately ends up being a film about filmmaking and the responsibility (or avoidance of responsibility) of the director as a storyteller. Bored yet? If not, check it out.

5. The Passion of the Christ

Yes, yes, I know. I’m not supposed to like this film. Or if I do I’m a red state evangelistic wacko. But if you cut beyond the hype you’ll see a film that is masterfully directed (who knew Mel had it in him?) and emotionally wrenching (Christian or not, the film is largely about a mother’s love for her son). Is it violent? Oh, my, yes. Will you get more out of it if you already know or are interested in the minutiae of the gospel? Probably. Will I stop talking like Robert Evans now? Maybe. But the point is that in terms of sheer filmmaking, this is an outstanding achievement. But I will admit to the bias of appreciating that this is one of the few films about the Bible that seems to make an effort to stick to the source material. So my recommendation may come with a pillar of salt. (Sorry. Couldn’t help it.)

4. The Incredibles

Ah, finally. A film everyone can agree on. But don’t scoff at that. It’s no mean feat. Just because a movie is a feel-good flick doesn’t mean it has universal appeal. Plenty of cynics loved this movie, too. And that’s the magic of Pixar (and in this case, Iron Giant & Simpsons alum Brad Bird, who writes and directs here), to make a movie that everybody can love. On top of that, it has fantastic production design (or whatever you call that for an animated film) and an outstanding performance by Bird himself as superhero fashion designer Edna Mode. It’s no coincidence this is already up on the IMDB top 250 (as are Garden State and my top three picks).

Article Author: David Dylan Thomas

David Dylan Thomas is a Philly-based writer/filmmaker who opines voraciously about dem pictures what move on the screen at DavidDylanThomas.com.

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