Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban was the best Potter movie produced. For one, the director stayed faithful to the book, which did not hurt. Adding a little darkness to the series, we see a more mature Potter and friends dealing with a more serious threat.
Hollywood showed its leftist tint as Fahrenheit 9/11 demonstrated Michael Moore at his propaganda best. Moore is quickly becoming the Leni Riefenstahl of his generation as his propaganda flicks are as brilliantly produced as they are intellectually bankrupt. Then there was The Manchurian Candidate. The original movie suspense came from the fact that the enemy was disguised as the most patriotic of Americans. The original movie theme was that McCarthyism did more to subvert the war against communism than aid it. The movie producers also believed that the enemy really exists and were immensely evil. The modern version treated the modern America without enemies, and it was as if 9/11 did not occur. While the movie was slickly made and brilliantly acted, the intellectual premise that our main enemy is corporate America showed that some in Hollywood live in fantasyland.
For those who love horror, the remake of the Dawn of the Dead proved to be a chilling and delightful remake. And for those who love good British satire, the Shaun of the Dead was brilliantly funny. The main character decides that the best place to live out the apocalypse is his favorite pub.
Tom Cruise sends a chill down the audience's spine as the amoral hit man in Collateral. Collateral was well crafted, and Jamie Fox showed that his dramatic debut in Ali was no fluke. The interesting aspect was Cruise's own justification for what he does for a living. Since most of the people he was killing are criminals, he was merely taking out the garbage. His occasional diatribes into philosophy of life enlivened the movie as we gathered some insight into the man and his thoughts.
Article comments
1 - RJ
I've seen many of the movies you write about, and generally agree with your reviews. TDAT was enjoyable for the special-effects only. The storyline was inane. SIDEWAYS was interesting, but not exactly the best thing I've ever seen. TROTK was awesome, but then the entire LOTR trilogy was. Collateral had some great acting and a very interesting premise.
I haven't yet seen the rest, and I refuse to watch F911...
2 - usherer
I can't believe you left out Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind!
3 - Sandra Smallson
I have always preferred great stories and drama to action movies or disaster flicks, whatever you want to call them. Jurassic park, Godzilla, TDAT, Independence day..those are not my flicks. I hate Childrens movies too. I was dragged kicking and screaming to watch the Lion King. I hate animation. Therefore, I have no interest in Shrek, Toystory, Sharktale or whatever else they have out there.
My favourite movie of 2004 was "The Notebook". I can watch that a zillion times. Was it a 2004 movie? LOL.
The others that I can remember are..1)Door in the Floor 2) We don't live here anymore 3)Dreamers 4) Ae Fond Kiss...was "How to lose a guy in 10 days, last year? If it was, add it to my list. I enjoyed that. Cooler, I enjoyed as well. There were some others but these were my absolute favs that I have added or will add to my DVD collection. I can't rave enough about The Notebook. That none of the actors have got any nominations for any awards to my knowledge, is a travesty. Same with Basinger and Bridges for Door In The Floor.
4 - NancyGail
Nicely done. Think you meant Jamie Foxx made his dramamtic debut in Ray, though. Which he also happened to win a Golden Globe for.
5 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Nancy, Jamie Fox was in Ali too. Ray was after collateral, no?
6 - tom donelson
Aaron and Duke,
You are right. Foxx dramatic debut was Ali and Ray was released after collateral.
7 - Joe
Jamie Foxx played football player in the movie On Any Given Sunday a few years back, I think that was his first dramatic role.
8 - Joe
As one of the half dozen people in the country with that factoid committed to memeory, I just thought I'd share.
9 - tom donelson
Joe,
You are right, I forgot all about Any Given Sunday.