Since everyone else is doing it, I finally decided to go through and compile my top 15 of 2004 list.  Before I just decided that people can check out my top 100 to see what order I liked the movies in.  However, I have recently seen many newer 2004 films, so some of these aren't yet on the top 100 page. 

        I would like to start out by saying that I have not yet seen Million Dollar Baby, Sideways, Ray, Kinsey, Hotel Rwanda, House of Flying Daggers, Being Julia, Vera Drake, etc.  In fact, there are a lot of movies from 2004 that I have not seen.  So take this as a top 15 from the 50 or so movies I have seen...like 13 Going on 30 and Sleepover.  But let me also add that I have no desire to see Million Dollar Baby, House of Flying Dagger, Being Julia, or Vera Drake.  In fact I'm only going to see Million Dollar Baby out of duty. 

        Now, with the honorable mentions.  In no particular order, the movies that didn't quite make the list are as follows: 

        The Passion of the Christ.  Happy, Leahanne?  Yes, it was certainly emotionally involving.  But if there's one movie I never want to see again, but I'm still happy I saw it the first time, it's The Passion.  I even saw Mulholland Drive twice.  Jim Caviezel is awesome...heh, I almost called him godlike in the role.  And Mary and Mary Magdalene are equally as awesome.  All the performances are incredible, in fact.  But seriously, what is the point of this movie?  This movie just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and is not as skillfully executed as many other films this year. 

        Favorite moment (Since everyone else is doing it):  Probably when Mary chases after Jesus in the crowd.  Seriously, seeing the most famous mother in history watch as her only son goes off to die...you can't really deny the emotional impact. 

        The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.  My very first movie by Wes Anderson.  Excluding Rushmore, which I never saw continuously (we watched it in class).  But I laughed so hard during the Life Aquatic.  The craziness of the movie and the sheer artsiness was very intriguing.  Thinking back on the movie, there were so many random adventures that it's like a strange dream.  But in a good way.  I feel so close to everyone, even though, in fact, they were a very distant bunch.  I think I feel toward them as I feel toward old or retarded people (sorry to all my old or retarded readers.)  As in, I like them a lot, but mostly out of pity.  Still, the characters were all very moving, and I really enjoyed this movie. 

        Favorite moment:  There were so many hilarious scenes that it's hard to pick.  But I think I'd have to go with the final sighting of the famed jaguar-shark.  It's strangely sentimental, and seeing everyone in that tiny little ship is just hilarious.  The perfect ending. 

        The Manchurian Candidate.  While not as good as the original, this movie does a great job of transporting the original story forty years in the future.  With our modern political climate one building on fear, paranoia and suspicion (Cold war, anyone?) I was very impressed with the relevance.  That, and Meryl Streep is incredible.  Seeing her as a right-wing Hillary Clinton just blows me away.  And even though the Best Supporting Actress category is traditionally a category full of acclaimed performances, I'm a little disappointed to see that she didn't even get a nomination. 

        Favorite moment:  My favorite scene from this movie of course is one that showcases Meryl Streep.  With that, it is the scene in the beginning during the Congressional committee meeting where she lobbies for her son.  I love it so much, and she pulls it off so amazingly well. 

Eleanor Shaw: I will do whatever is necessary to protect America from anyone who opposes her. I can't... am I the only person in this room who's been reading these NSA reports?

Congressman Healy: I've read them.

Eleanor Shaw: All right, then. You know... you know we are on the brink of another cataclysm, probably nuclear, on our own soil.

Congressman Becket: Oh, Ellie, that's a bit extreme.

Eleanor Shaw: And it's not from random terrorists, but from covert alliances of disaffected nations who've all been made bold by this kind of Jordan one-worlder who believes that human beings are essentially good and that our powers are somehow, I don't know, shameful or evil and never to be used. Make no mistake. The American people are terrified. They know something's coming. They can feel it. And we can either shovel them the same old shit and call it sugar or we can arm them. We can arm them with a young, vibrant Vice President. We can give them heat, energy! Give them a war hero with heart, forged by enemy fire in the desert in the dark when American lives hung on the balance!

       Saved!  At first, I didn't want to see the movie.  Actually, I just didn't want to spend $7 on the movie.  However, I definitely should have.  This is a movie that a lot of people should see.  Deftly mocking both Young Life-going Super-Christians and right-wing extremism, how can I not love it?  In fact, this is one of the most socially-applicable movies of today, and definitely my favorite religious movie of the year (Suck on that, Mel). 

        Favorite moment:  Too many funny, satirical, and unfortunately realistic scenes in this movie.  Other than the ending, my favorite scene is probably when she sees Jesus swimming at her.  It's just hilarious.  That and the Jewish girl was crazy funny. 

And now on to the
Top 15 Movies of 2004
(insert trumpet blowing and drumming):

15)  Shaun of the Dead--Every scene is memorable and the film so adeptly skirted the line between comedy and horror that you can't fail but be impressed.  I don't even know what to say.  From the choreographed dance-fight to the news reports to the two groups of survivors passing their counterparts, this movie definitely made me laugh.  And I let my guard down.  And then they throw at me the scene where they find out the mom is infected.  And I am blown away by the talent of the actors. 

Favorite Moment:  Honestly, it might be the scene where they have to deal with the mom.  No, I have to go with the dance-fight.  It was just perfectly done.  With the lights, the pool cues, and all the zombies, this scene definitely exemplifies the best that this movie has to offer. 

14)  Mean Girls--Anyone who's anyone knows that everything in life relates to Mean Girls or Garden State.  And that is mainly due to the genius of the people behind them.  Tina Fey is godlike in her talent.  Mean Girls perfectly captures the feel of high school.  Though some of the characters and some of the plot points were a little shallow at points, I still feel like this movie does a great job of telling the story it set out to tell.  And I can't count how many times I've quoted this movie since seeing it six months ago. 

Favorite Moment:  Don't make me choose!  Oh wait, I've got it.  This is a spoiler, but I'm pretty sure everyone who reads this has seen this movie.  And if not, well you deserve to be beheaded for your insolence.  So, my favorite moment is of course, "And that's how Regina George died."  I didn't stop laughing until the end of the movie at that point, the first time I saw it.  I was blown away by the random bluntness of it all, but I can't give that as my favorite scene without mentioning some of the other awesome moments: 

"The girls....have gone wild!" 

"This is the fertility vase of the Umbekele tribe.  Doesn't that mean anything to you?" 
"Not really."
"Who are you?"

"...but it's not my fault I have a wideset vagina and heavy flow."

"Whatever, I'm getting cheese fries." 

I love this movie so much.  Please someone buy it for me! 

13)  Jersey Girl--At first it was hard for me to put this up here on the list.  I had forgotten about it, and I sorta felt it was blasphemy to put it above Mean Girls.  I had only seen it once and it was a long time ago.  But now that I think about it, this was a great movie.  All the performances were wonderful, especially George Carlin, Liv Tyler, and Ben Affleck.  I don't get how people can say that this movie sucked.  It was so funny one scene and so dramatic the next and it was all resolved with another scene that was just touching.  And I have no qualms with saying this is my favorite Kevin Smith movie, and I hope that he continues to make more movies like it, despite the stupid critic bastard-hoes.

Favorite Moment:  Without a doubt, one of the funniest scenes is probably the most touching and clearly my favorite.  "God, that's good!"  The talent show was perfect.  The surprise arrival of the dad is great, the scene they acted out was hilarious, the song was catchy and the ending was perfect.  I wish I could just rewatch their scene over and over. 

12)  Shrek 2--It's been a while since and animated movie would have made my favorites of the year list.  I laughed nonstop.  I can't wait to find out what happens next!  The first of many amazing sequels this year (Kill Bill doesn't count), Shrek 2 started off the summer wonderfully and really set the tone for the year. 

Favorite Moment:  The ending musical number!  It all goes down and every character gets to shine, from the giant gingerbread man to Puss in Boots' distraction to the Prince's hilarious dancing to the Fairy Godmother's singing to Shrek's saving the day!  Close seconds include Shrek's rescue from jail, the opening of the movie, and the escape from the Fairy Godmother's cottage. 

11)  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban--The first Harry Potter film to be good.  I'm so happy I just recently got into Harry Potter, because otherwise, having to sit through the first two would have been, to quote the Creek, "Agony!"  But this movie is awesome.  I saw it three times in theaters, but once because I made Kistenmacher pay for me.  Yay for manipulation, influence and violence if necessary.  Anyway, the acting is what makes this movie.  I don't mean Daniel Radcliffe's yelling at the snow, but I definitely mean everyone else!  Snape, especially delivers an amazing performance, along with Lupin and Sirius Black!  I could go on forever with how many characters were perfect in this movie--Dumbledore, Hagrid, Trelawney, the Dursleys, Stan Shunpike, Cornelius Fudge--but I won't.  Just accept that I love this movie and can't wait to own it. 

Favorite Moment:  That's a tough one too, but when you get down to it, nothing compares to the revelations at the Shrieking Shack.  The Shack is more of a showcase of talent, with which Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis and Timothy Spall excelled beyond compare.  Even the kids were great here, and that is why this scene captures the essence of the movie and the series in general. 

10)  Collateral--I love this movie more than most people, but Iokare.  It rocked.  It's so well-done, and even though parts of the thriller-aspect of the movie were a little contrived (why didn't he just hide in a bathroom instead of running away and getting on the subway at the end), it's still very believable.  I love the script, especially, and I thought Cruise, Foxx, Smith and Ruffalo were all equally awesome.  I also thought the direction and editing were great for a movie that's almost entirely set in a taxi with a banged-in front. 

Favorite Moment:  Easy.  It's a spoiler, so skip this paragraph if you haven't seen it, because you're gonna want to see it for yourself.  Anyway, my favorite scene is right after the night club.  They're driving away, they slow down for the wolf to cross (speaking of which, I totally had a collateral moment on my street a few weeks ago when there was this wolf who walked by in front of my car just like in the movie...I swear it was a wolf...maybe a coyote), and then Jamie Foxx grows a pair and speeds up really fast and eventually flips the car.  It was so unexpected and awesome to watch that it is definitely my favorite moment from the movie. 

9)  The Aviator--I've been talking about it since at least Summer, and no one believed me.  Okay, so Leahanne didn't believe me.  But even in November the Aggie girls were all still undecided on the Aviator.  Hoes.  Anyway, it was awesome, but my favorite parts were the Hollywood scenes.  The senate-investigation was also great, but I loved seeing all the old stars and the old movie sets and how movies were made back then.  Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, and Alan Alda were the best, and coincidentally, they are the only ones up for Oscars.  I really like this movie and I hope it does well at the Oscars, but at the same time, it doesn't have that same "let's watch it again" feel that lots of the great movies have.  In fact, I doubt I'll see it again for a long time.  Nevertheless it was amazing for what it was--the mad story of a true man. 

Favorite moment:  Watching Howard Hughes destroy Senator Brewster at his own investigation simply because he didn't have the comprehension, tact, or intelligence to understand that he wasn't allowed to.  It was incredible and I loved when he just walked out on them.  Also, I love any scene with Katharine Hepburn, and I hate all scenes with Ava Gardner, except for when she comes to clean him up before his meeting.  Gosh, I changed my mind, I really do love this movie and I can't wait to see it again.  It's just that the crazy OCD moments freak me out--I can't really handle that stuff, and in retrospect, it seems like a large part of the movie.  But the rest of it makes up for it.  And I love it. 

8)  Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow--I love this movie so much.  It is the epitome of the adventure movie.  Rockets, jungles, treasure, dinosaurs, robots, jet packs, everything one could want from good adventure movies is here.  And it echoes the old sci-fi serials beautifully.  And I absolutely love Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law.  Angeline Jolie and Giovanni Ribisi as well.  Everyone was great, but you don't watch this movie for the acting.  You watch it for the sheer stylistic brilliance of every shot.  Everything about this movie is perfect and I want to own this movie very badly. 

Favorite moment:  This is a real tough one.  Because as someone who was once (okay, really still is) a little boy, I absolutely eat up all the imaginative adventure scenes.  From the underwater escape to the station in the sky to the jungle full of dinosaurs, every scene is an adventure I took as a child.  But if I had to pick a single moment, it would probably be the scene where Jude and Gwyneth are in the jungle fleeing crazy monsters when they cross that log bridge...the one where Gwyneth almost gets killed because she goes back for the camera.  That, or the opening seqence.  I wish I could watch it right now! 

7)  Spiderman 2--Definitely the best superhero movie ever.  Soon to be outdone tenfold by Batman Begins as a superhero movie and Sin City as a comic book movie.  But for now, this movie really proved that comic book movies can be more than just popcorn.  Actually, both X-Mens and the original Spidey flick proved that, but this one did it in strides.  You got all the hopelessness and tension of the rising action, easily relating to Peter Parker, whether it be through his need to confess, his falling apart from Mary Jane, his financial problems, or his caring for his aunt.  The guy is the most human superhero ever, and that's what makes it hurt all the more when nothing goes his way.  Let's be honest, I felt more for Peter Parker in Spiderman 2 than I did for Howard Hughes in the Aviator.  Maybe it's because it's easier to relate, being a modern day college student (and superhero by night) as well.  And on top of all that drama, you get the coolest action scenes!  The train scene blows the highway chase in Matrix Reloaded out of the water.  I love love love this movie and can't wait to own it either.  (Are you seeing a pattern yet?)

Favorite moments:  I say moments, plural, because there are two.  On the action front, the train scene far exceeds the climactic battle, and the end with his mask off and the promise by the thirty-some-odd survivors not to tell his secret is powerful.  But the scene that almost hits me even harder is the confession of Peter Parker to Aunt May that it was his fault Uncle Ben had died.  Both of their reactions were so real and so hard-hitting that I am completely blown away.  What a scene.  Peter fraught with guilt and May haunted by old memories, this scene is comics done right.  Let's hope Spiderman 3 is just as good.  Oh wait, I didn't mention the brilliance of James Franco yet.  Yeah, he's awesome.  Okay.  Also, Spiderman 2 had the best trailer in a long time!  And I will never back down from that claim.  Ever. 

6)  The Incredibles--Two animated movies in a single year that made my favorites list?  This has actually never happened.  I mean, I haven't made lists every year, but no two animated movies that I love were made in the same year.  This year, I was fortunate enough to experience Pixar's finest--the best movie they've made (to explain, Toy Story is higher on my list for more sentimental reasons, but is a close second to the quality of the Incredibles).  I love the themes of the Incredibles, the script and dialogue, the style of the world, and especially the story.  Everything about this movie screams incredible.  Not just because it's called that, either. 

Favorite Moment:  This is difficult to choose because so many scenes were spot-on.  The family dinner was so perfect, Jack-Jack's latent powers had the same comedic power as the Regina George fake death, Frozone's argument with his wife about his super-suit was to die for (even though they ruined it by putting it on commercials) and the action scenes on the island were so powerful.  But my favorite scenes are the ones with Edna.  She's simply hilarious and everything she said made me laugh.  I especially love her small stature and her standing on the seats to gain height. 

5)  Finding Neverland--This is the one movie that is up for the big awards that really touched me.  Coming into it, I was sort of unexcited.  That quickly changed.  Johnny Depp is mind-blowing in yet another performance as J.M. Barrie.  The Scottish accent is such a cool accent, too.  Kate Winslet, as always, impressed me to no end.  Freddie Highmore and the other children were so wonderful as well, conveying both the wonderful imaginative spirit of children and the desire to be taken seriously as well.  I especially loved the youngest boy (George, maybe?) with his cute little voice and Peter, who was simply amazing.  Also of note are Julie Christie as Winslet's domineering society mother (but not the traditional Ruth DeWitt Bekader society mother, but a more multifaceted version) and Dustin Hoffman as Depp's nonchalant and extremely patient producer.  Both have great scenes in the end where they accept Barrie's genius.  But the great thing about this movie is that it is not the typical movie at all.  Depp and Winslet are nothing more than close friends, and never even consider engaging in a romantic relationship.  The archetypal society mother has a compassionate streak, and even the suspicious wife wants nothing more than to be close to her husband.  Nothing about this movie is ordinary, and that is why it is my favorites of the movies up for best picture.

Favorite Moment:  I really hate to choose, but the final play was so moving.  I absolutely love that Julie Christie claps first when Peter Pan turns to the audience for help.  You'll see what I mean.  Runners up include the final conversation between Barrie and Peter, the kite-flying, the first performance of Peter Pan, and any of the fantasy sequences that threw me back into my childhood.  I love everything about this movie. 

4)  Closer--I hate to put this higher than Finding Neverland, because the latter is so innocent and magical, full of hope, whereas this is the furthest thing from it.  Closer is a brilliant examination of love and relationships, mostly a character study of four flawed individuals.  I love the artsiness, but the actors are what make this movie the genius that it is.  Jude Law is incredible, of course, in his third movie to make my list of favorites.  Julia Roberts is great as well, especially when we first meet her.  The rest of the time she is a little forgettable.  But the true shining stars are Clive Owen and Natalie Portman.  Clive Owen is nasty and vindictive, but only because his passion is so great, his love is so fierce.  Natalie Portman is a little odd, but mesmerizing and so wonderfully sincere as someone who is completely infatuated and insecure one scene but completely independent the next.  The cast here make this movie the piece of art it is, and again, can't wait to own this one. 

Favorite Moment:  Every character has their awesome moment.  There's the hilarious cyber-sex scene, the only time I remember laughing in this otherwise dark movie.  Then we have the opening which was great, just as great as the ending.  Jude's visit to Clive's office.  Clive's interrogation of Julia.  Natalie's photo-shoot with Julia.  Natalie's honest openness with Clive at the strip club.  Every scene is wonderful.  My favorite is--I seriously can't pick.  I've been sitting here for five minutes, and I got nothing.  That is what makes this movie my number four.  Ooh, chills, I'm listening to music, and the Blower's Daughter just came on (that's the song from the trailer and the opening scene). 

3)  Kill Bill, Vol. 2--What can I say about Tarantino that I haven't already said?  This was one of the first movies I saw when I first started my website, so I've raved about it before.  Everything is awesome.  Bill, Elle, Budd, and of course the Bride.  Seriously, Uma got screwed by the awards shows.  The second has all the action of the first, and with even more character development.  I gotta admit, though, after reading that early script for it, I really wished they had included the chapters about Yuki, Go-Go's sister, exacting her revenge and the one that shows more of Bill's backstory.  But the final product was also amazing.  But it's been way longer since I've seen this than I've seen any of the other movies in my top 5, so it's harder to gush like I can about Finding Neverland.  So, just accept that I like this movie a whole lot and can't wait till it's released with Volume 1. 

Favorite Moment:  The final scene with Bill and the Bride talking and fighting.  Also, Pai Mei is amazing, and I love his entire chapter.  But Bill and the Bride really take the cake, and I'm so pleased David Carradine got a nod from the Golden Globes for his work here. 

2)  Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind--This is the movie that should be winning Best Picture.  By now, I'm sure you can guess what my number one is, and why it had no chance at winning any Oscars.  But this movie could have, and should be.  I can't believe that it's only up for TWO Oscars, and not best picture even.  Anyway, I love everything about this movie too.  All of the characters are great, the sci-fi-ness of it, and the scenes in Joel's head where everything disappears are simply awesome.  And the way the story is told is the best part.  Ever since I saw this, I decided that I didn't want to see any movie where it looked like there would be strong female performances because I wanted Kate Winslet to win the gold.  There is still hope, but she's up against some pretty highly acclaimed performances.  It might have to suffice that I think she's the best.  Also, this is Jim Carrey's and Kirsten Dunst's best work.  Both are perfect.  There's nothing about this movie that isn't perfect.  Except it's awards.  But that's what indies are about right?  No awards, high critical acclaim and a semi-underground popularity among arthouse geeks and pop culture freaks.  No matter what anyone says, this movie is perfect, and I love it like my firstborn. 

Favorite Moment:  the Barnes and Noble scene stands out in my mind.  Because it is amazing.  I love watching as everything around them slowly fades, even, eventually, Clementine.  Also, I love the scene where they "first" meet on the train to Montauk.  And I love all the transitions, like when it starts raining while they are in bed and then suddenly Joel rolls weirdly and ends up inside a car.  They were expertly performed and I am amazed at how well they worked out.  But really the entire movie is amazing. 

1)  Garden State--I don't care what anyone says, this is the movie that touched me most.  It's not the funniest, it's not the one I relate to most, it's not the most dramatic.  It's just the one that really spoke to me most.  It is a work of art that many have called "The Graduate" of our generation.  I can definitely see that.  It's already the love of college students everywhere and hopefully will enjoy continued success in the future.  Zach Braff not only crafted the ingenious script, wherein many comments on life and society are made humorously and meaningfully, but he created the entire work that is Garden State.  He framed every shot, he envisioned every scene, he cast the perfect assembly of people.  He truly displays his talent as a filmmaker here in his first outing, and I really can't wait for his future projects.  Braff even turns in an excellent performance, subtly changing throughout the course of the movie.  Natalie Portman steals the movie, however, as the quirky, fun-loving, sensitive Sam.  She is simply captivating, you really wish you knew her.  Peter Sarsgaard is spot-on as well, perfect in every scene.  Ian Holm is a god.  I really wish they had kept in the scene with Holm talking to Braff by the bathtub where the mom drowned.  It really brings up a lot, and allows Holm to shine.  Best Supporting Actor stuff.  Really, though, the one-scene characters are the memorable ones.  Jean Smart as a white-trash mom (Tim speaks Klingon), Kenny the Cop (my personal favorite--your mom just died!), the annoying pyramid scheme kid (We all have dreams-I know I do!), the return-lady at Handi-World (you bought these to cut cans?), the Jewish aunt (gorgeous), Albert the abyss-keeper (I like to think it goes on forever), the doctor (I couldn't get an erection for a year and a half), Sam's mom (you forgot to take the gate out and now Jelly's dead), the list goes on and on.  I really do love everything about this movie. 

Favorite Moment:  At first I was going to say the scene on top of the tractor that has been reenacted millions of times since, but on second though, my very favorite scene is during the song Let Go and the bathtub scene before it.  The bathtub scene shows the chemistry between Andrew and Sam and shows us the beauty of their relationship.  The Let Go scene, first of all, has great music, but also it is the ending of the movie and shows quick scenes of the supporting characters and then shows Large stay in New Jersey for Sam.  I love it.  VERY VERY close seconds are the tap-dancing by the fireplace and the Kenny scene.  That guy's awesome. 

And now, I know you're all waiting for my very worst of 2004.  Well, it's been a good year for bad, with Catwoman, Anacondas, White Chicks, etc.  But the very worst of the worst has to be a movie that I saw.  And, of course there's a tie.  The losers are:

13 Going on 30 and Sleepover!!! No explanation necessary.  I've already ranted enough on the gross lack of 13 Going on 30's understanding of time and temporal mechanics.  Ooh, that made me sound smart.  Too smart for this section.  And Sleepover had the glorious "I think I can get us a car, you guys" as well as the slow-clappable "Do it for the losers" speech that got them into the dance. 

Favorite Moments:  The Thriller dance scene and the "Borrow a pair of Steve Phillips' boxer shorts" scene. 

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