The Michigan Daily discovered in April 2005 that several articles written by arts editor Marshall W. Lee did not meet the newspaper's standard of ethical journalism. Parts of these stories had been plagiarized from other news sources. Although the article below has not been found to contain plagiarism, the Daily no longer stands by its content. The co-authors had no knowledge of the plagiarism.

 

In 2004, big filmmakers were supposed to make a big splash: delivering highly anticipated sequels, reveling in the true-life troubles of American icons and shaking up the November election with caustic documentaries. While many of the big-name efforts fell flat — Steven Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s Twelve,” Oliver Stone’s “Alexander” and James L. Brooks’s “Spanglish” spring to mind --— the year was filled with delightful surprises and pleasant performances. From the off-kilter absurdism of “I Heart Huckabees” to the blockbuster sensibilities of “The Incredibles,” 2004 featured an eclectic collection of original films. Despite the lack of a cohesive direction, a few films — “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Sideways” and “Kill Bill Vol. 2” — emerged as near-consensus favorites of the Daily’s critics.

— Marshall Lee and Zac Peskowitz

 

Marshall W. Lee

1-Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind — The most satisfying film experience this year. Charlie Kaufman’s hectic meditation on love, longing and memory explodes with wit and grace. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet turn out the best performances of their respective careers.

 

2-Kill Bill: Vol. 2 — Quentin Tarantino’s two biggest strengths — gaudy dialogue and gaudy violence — have never blended so seemlessly or with such delirious enthusiasm. Uma’s performance, RZA’s soundtrack — everything about Tarantino’s epic is simply pitch-perfect.

 

3-Closer — Everything that you’ve heard about this movie is true. It’s pretentious. It’s plodding. It’s difficult. It’s also cinema’s bravest and most exciting leap toward the candor and complexity of literature in years. All four leads give subdued and stellar performances.

 

4-Sideways — Set against the stark beauty of California’s wine country, Alexander Payne’s fourth film is by far his most generous. A simple tale of two frustrated middle-aged nobodies on a last-ditch effort to live like young men, the movie speaks volumes about loyalty, failure and love. Paul Giamatti deserves the Oscar.

 

5-Motorcycle Diaries — A historically inaccurate biopic that wears its heart on its sleeve, the story of Che Guevara’s 5,000 kilometer motorcycle trek through South America is beautifully shot, smartly written and well acted. Gael Garcia Bernal cements his status as international cinema’s rising young star.

 

6-Open Water — 2004’s most original and disturbing thriller was unfairly maligned for low production value and a nearly non existent plot. Regardless, this story of an embattled young couple abandoned at sea may be the most disturbing film in years. The ending will haunt you for days.

 

7-The Incredibles — Pixar’s most joyous and enjoyable movie since the original “Toy Story,” Brad Bird’s slap-happy action extravaganza is at turns wacky, warm and philosophical. Disney’s best animation to date beautifully masks this raging diatribe against complacent mediocrity.

 

8-The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou — Until Wes Anderson abandons ensemble nonsense and returns to the subdued, simple roots of his first two films, we’ll just have to make due with this incoherent — albeit hilarious — rambler.

 

9-Collateral — America’s poet laureate of masculinity, Michael Mann, accomplishes the seemingly impossible in this noir thriller: He forces Tom Cruise’s obnoxious antics into the background and allows Jamie Foxx and nocturnal L.A. to steal the show.

 

10-I Heart Huckabees — Like watching soemone else’s crazy, convoluted dream, this film shines and dazzles from a distance. Naomi Watts as a quaker; Dustin Hoffman with a mop-top; Jude Law breastfeeding Jason Schwartzman. What’s not to love?

 

Zac Peskowitz