The MRFH 2004 Revue

The MRFH 2004 Revue

Deadlines. Do they inspire or stifle creativity? Let’s find out.

It’s January 13, 2005, 6:30 PM local time. I’m sitting on a plane in Chicago, well aware that my year-in-review article is due in 36 hours. That sounds like a lot of time, but tomorrow is Friday and I never get anything done on a Friday night. So I have two hours of flight time to write this, and that’s pretty much it.

Far more alarming, however, is that I have no access to IMDb, and the guy sitting next to me is already absorbed in his book and probably wouldn’t appreciate me nudging him and saying, “Excuse me, but can you name ten movies that came out earlier this year?” I can remember from summer on pretty well, but January to April is pretty much a blur, especially without my electronic crutch. On the other hand, it means that a movie must be that much more memorable to make this article.

I’m pretty certain that last year I did a list of memorable moments in movies. So in interest in continuity — and in my eagerness to get to that copy of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell that’s sitting in front of me — I will once again present you with Lissa’s List of Memorable Movie Moments, the 2004 edition.

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin embrace in the Shrieking Shack

The Boy Who Lived (Harry Potter, for all you heathens), came back for a third installment this summer. Prisoner of Azkaban was my favorite of the three movies (and one of the best movies of the year, in my mind), partly because of the darker one and the more grown up issues and blah blah… oh who are we kidding? I loved this movie because my two favorite characters are in it: Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. I might have issues with the mustache, but it was worth it to see the boys on screen.

Getting out of my seat at the end of Sideways

Is this 2004 or 2005? Since it was released in 2004, we’ll call it that. Sideways was a decent movie and is probably going to be gravitating to Oscar nominations like I gravitate to chocolate chip cookies, but I admit I wasn’t turning cartwheels over it (I’m a bit low brow that way). But Duckie and I went to see it in the Colonial Theater — y’know, the one that was featured in The Blob. Yes, the theater was in a 1950's movie, and the comfort of the seats reflects that. I enjoyed Sideways, but I’ve never been so glad for a movie to end!

Spiderman stopping the train

I had to mention a Spider-Man 2 moment, because even though I didn’t love the movie, so many people — mutants and non-mutants alike — adored it. I’m not saying Spiderman 2 was bad, mind you. But it was slow. Agonizingly slow. But the action was really, really cool.

An unnamed extra shouts “Oh dear God, not again!” (or “What is wrong with you?”) or something like that in Van Helsing

Ah, Van Helsing. The disappointment of the summer. I was so looking forward to this movie, and it sucked. It just flat out sucked. However, there was a moment when I was granted hope, and that was when Van Helsing and Carl were walking through the lab in a scene that was actually laugh-out-loud funny. And I admit that any time I can look at Hugh Jackman, it’s not a total waste of my time, and David Wenham’s even better if he hasn’t had his hair attacked by a lawnmower (and he got all the best lines in Van Helsing anyway). But the bad must be remembered along with the good, and so Van Helsing earned a slot on my list.

Drew and Sue came aboard the Mutant Express

Sappy me, I have to add this. Aside from being amused by the rhyming names, it’s nice not to be the new kid on the block (“Step One, we can have lots of fun!”) anymore. And it got Pooly drawing, which I always love (I really wish I could draw cartoony type people). And we’ve been treated to some truly amusing writing. AND I really like both Drew and Sue. So this is certainly good.

The Mutant Reviewers Forum (or at least this Mutant) is forced to eat crow

When the premise for Saved! came out, we laughed at it. We cracked up. We mocked it mercilessly on the Forum. Then I went to see it, prepared to make fun of it for posterity. Um, it turned out to be my favorite movie of the year. Who knew?????

SOMETHING in Troy

Actually, that’s not totally true. I found Troy dull, long, and pretty boring. Plus, I couldn’t figure out who I was supposed to be rooting for. But it’s one of the few movies I’ve ever seen with more good looking guys running around naked or near-naked than women, and so I felt it deserved a mention for this ground-breaking development.

Josh announces Sam’s getting his butt kicked by a girl, and Toby tells Ginger to get the popcorn

Okay, so that’s not from a movie; it’s from The West Wing. And okay, that’s not even from this year, it’s from second season. But we discuss TV enough around here, and Duckie and I FINALLY came to our senses and became West Wing addicts this year, and are completely enjoying one of the best written shows EVER. I had to have a Toby moment, because he’s our favorite character.

Our pastor preaches about The Passion, and my youth group kids ask why I have yet to see it

I still haven’t seen it, but I felt it needed to be acknowledged. The Passion was such a major artistic endeavor that you can’t talk about 2004 in the movies and not talk about this. I have huge respect for Mel Gibson for making this, and maybe one day I’ll even get up the guts to watch it. (I don’t think I’ll react well to it, just on a stomach sort of level.)

I try to remember a moment from Garden State worth remembering

Duckie really liked this one. I was okay with it. But now, several months later, I really can’t remember much of what it was about or any quotes or even a funny anecdote from it. It just exists in some part of my mind as a title, and a vague memory that that funny guy from Scrubs is in it in a really bad shirt.

Puss pulls out the eyes in Shrek 2

I loved Shrek 2. It battles with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for the #2 slot on my movie-of-the-year list behind Saved!. There are actually moments I like better (The Fairy Godmother, the factory escape, etc.), but Puss giving the sweet innocent kitty eyes is what I bring home in my head. Although I did get a kick out of them using Puss licking himself as Antonio Banderas’s credit shot.

I throw my wine at Duckie during Open Water

As you will soon be able to tell from my review, I hated Open Water with a passion. It even beat out Van Helsing for the worst movie of the year, because at least Van Helsing had Hugh Jackman ripping his shirt off.

Aragorn unsheathes Narsil

Yes, the third Lord of the Rings movie is out on DVD this year. And with a lot of the garbage that is out as well (see the above, perhaps?), it is a very, very, very good thing!

Noah Percy stabs Lucius Hunt in The Village

There was a lot about The Village that didn’t completely rock my socks, but Adrien Brody’s performance was not one of those things. I thought he did a fantastic job as Noah Percy, and that particular moment where he stabbed Joaquin Phoenix’s character was just simply beautifully done. I’m quite fond of Mr. M. Night Shyamalan, and really wish they COULD get him to come speak at Asian-American Day at work, like they said they’ve tried to do.

Duckie playing The Girl Next Door soundtrack

We really liked this movie, and when we were watching it, the soundtrack was great. But where did all the awesome, kickass songs go on the CD? What was the garbage they left us with? Were was the Queen? Some mysteries will echo through the ages.

Seeing Team America: World Police in San Francisco

The movie was nowhere near as funny as I thought it would be. The theater was unbelievable: a shrine to the media world.

Kyle and I write our completely shallow articles

I’ve had a lot of fun writing this year, and there are probably pieces I like even better than my Men of the Moment and Hot Chicks - A Woman’s Perspective articles, but I had a lot of fun writing both of them. And I got more mail about the men article than about anything else I’ve written for MRFH — combined. (Three pieces!) And thanks to Duckie for simply shaking his head in amusement.

And lastly, I make my “Lissa’s Top Ten Movies of the Year” list

You can probably guess a lot of them, but here we go. My top 10 movies of 2004 (that I actually saw) are as follows:

9. Mean Girls

8. Dodgeball (hey, something funny had to be on here!)

7. The Girl Next Door

6. Sideways

5. Phantom of the Opera

4. The Prince and Me

3. The Incredibles

2. (tie) Shrek 2 and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

1. Saved!

Next: Discount 2004 Calendars