John Michael Decker's Top Ten Films of 2004

Happy New Year, Everybody!

Well, you've been waiting for it all year and now, here it is! My top 10 film list from the last year. Actually, 2004 was a pretty good year for movies. I know this because for every movie that made it to my list there were about two movies that I wanted to put on my list. Movies like; ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, THE LADY KILLERS, OPEN WATER, GARDEN STATE, THE DREAMERS, FINDING NEVERLAND, TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN and THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE. All great flicks that I would gladly recommend. Just not good enough to make it to one of my coveted top ten spots (how pompous did that just sound?). Enough blather! Here is my list from 10 to 1:

#10) SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW: An extremely enjoyable little piece of escapist fluff. It managed to be both retro and original all at the same time. A neat trick.

#9) COLLATERAL and SPARTIN (TIE): Try as I might, I just couldn't decide which one of these movies l liked the best. So I declared a tie. Why not? It's my damn list. Both are thinking man's action flicks with complex, multi-dimensional characters exploring moral gray areas.

#8) SHAUN OF THE DEAD: A freaking hysterical send up of the George A. Romero zombie films. The protaganists in this flick are so dim that it talks them half the movie to figure out that England is over run with the flesh eating undead.

#7) FAHRENHEIT 9/11: One of the most important films of the year which, sadly, not enough people paid attention to. Sure this is a Michael Moore propaganda film, but it is filled with many scary truths that a lot of people just didn't want to deal with. I only wish that it had accomplished it's goal, to run George W. Bush out of Washington on a rail!

#6) DAWN OF THE DEAD: This re-make of the George A. Romero classic manages to surpass the original in many ways. Better acting. Better F/X. Scarier zombies. A thrilling action/horror masterpiece.

#5) THE VILLAGE: Many critics savaged M. Night Shyamalan's latest opus, but I loved it. I found the movie engaging, well acted, surprising and timely. An exploration of how a society can control it's people through fear.

#4) THE INCREDIBLES: You just can't go wrong with Pixar. This movie was incredible! Most super-hero films deal with the origin story, but this one was about how super-heroes deal with retirement. Equal parts Fantastic Four and James Bond were lovingly blended together to make this excellent flick.

#3) HELLBOY: The Hellboy comic book (written and drawn by Mike Mignola) contains within it elements of many of the things I love. Old school comic book action, pulp fiction, folk lore, Lovecraftian mythology and big monster fights. But at it's core it is about a really screwed up guy who decided to ignore his destiny and choose his own path. And I didn't think that anyone could gather these disparate elements together and turn them into a decent movie. Until director Guillermo del Toro did just that and surpassed my wildest expectations.

#2) KILL BILL: VOL. 2: Quentin Tarantino manages to surpass the excellent KILL BILL: VOL. 1 by adding some much needed characterization to the second part of his revenge/kung-fu/spaghetti western. David Carradine has never been cooler.

And the number one best film of 2004...

#1) SPIDER-MAN 2: This was a great year for sequels and re-makes to surpass the originals. Sam Raimi hit the ball out of the park with this, perhaps the best comic book film ever. As Peter Parker struggles to balance his responsibilties as Spider-Man with his responsibilties to his personal life, a new super villian enters the scene. Doc Ock, played by the wonderful Alfred Molina, becomes a tragic, multi-layered character. Far more interesting than the two dimensional mad man depicted in the comic book. And the movie ends with a great set up for another sequel.

So there you have it. Feel free to contact me and critique my choices. And this year we can look forward to BATMAN BEGINS, THE FANTASTIC FOUR, KING KONG, SERENITY and the re-make of WAR OF THE WORLDS starring yours truly as fleeing refugee #897.

See you at the movies.

Johnny D.