# Best films of 2004, 77th Academy Awards
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-2004-77th-academy-awards/510268
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [September 16, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-2004-77th-academy-awards/510268 "2009-09-16T02:52:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-2004-77th-academy-awards/510268/1 "2009-09-16T02:52:51Z")
I watched quite a few movies back in 2004 and I’ve been revisiting some of them recently.
_Million Dollar Baby_ is not one of the best films of 2004. Overall, I’d have to say _Finding Neverland i_s probably the best overall movie from that year. Still, 2004 was a great year for movies. _Phantom of the Opera_ should have earned a best picture nomination. I’m guessing the _Chicago_ win hurt Phantom. _The Aviator_ was also an excellent movie and far more deserving of a best picture Oscar. I’d also put _The Incredibiles_ right up there.
[link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/77th_Academy_Awards)
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-2004-77th-academy-awards/510268/2 "2009-09-16T06:18:58Z")
It is strange, but as a huge film buff who goes to a movie almost every Friday, on opening day, I have never wanted to see Million Dollar Baby. I have still not seen it - even when it hit the cable channels.
First of all, I am not a big fan of boxing, or boxing films.
Secondly, some idiot spoiled the film and let me know how it ended while it was still in the movie theaters.
And lastly, this was one of those films that pretty much gave away the whole plot in the trailer that ran a gazillion times on television and in theaters - and once the ending was spoiled for me, I felt like I had already seen it.
One of those rare, Oscar winning films that I have absolutely no interest in seeing. (Braveheart is the only other one that comes to mind - have not seen it either.)
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### Author:  [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-2004-77th-academy-awards/510268/3 "2009-09-16T19:20:27Z")
> [@DMark](#):
>
> It is strange, but as a huge film buff who goes to a movie almost every Friday, on opening day, I have never wanted to see Million Dollar Baby. I have still not seen it - even when it hit the cable channels.
> …
> One of those rare, Oscar winning films that I have absolutely no interest in seeing.
Same with me - I would add Crash to the list, never seen it, probably never will.
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### Author:  [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-2004-77th-academy-awards/510268/4 "2009-09-16T20:52:13Z")
> [@dalej42](#):
>
> I watched quite a few movies back in 2004 and I’ve been revisiting some of them recently.
>
> _Million Dollar Baby_ is not one of the best films of 2004. Overall, I’d have to say _Finding Neverland i_s probably the best overall movie from that year. Still, 2004 was a great year for movies. _Phantom of the Opera_ should have earned a best picture nomination. I’m guessing the _Chicago_ win hurt Phantom. _The Aviator_ was also an excellent movie and far more deserving of a best picture Oscar. I’d also put _The Incredibiles_ right up there.
>
> [link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/77th_Academy_Awards)
Aside from a few welcome visual flights of fancy, _Neverland_ is a predictable, by-the-numbers costume weepy. Good cast, all of whom deserve better. As for _Phantom_?!? Ugh.
My top films of 2004:
_ **Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind** _ (head and shoulders above everything else)
_Sideways, Collateral, The Motorcycle Diaries, Before Sunset, Hotel Rwanda, The Incredibles, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Spider-Man 2_ and _Goodbye, Dragon Inn_.
Still, _Million $ Baby_ is the 2nd best (IMHO) of the Pic nominees and a worthwhile enough winner, if not in my personal top 10.
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### Author:  [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-2004-77th-academy-awards/510268/5 "2009-09-16T21:11:00Z")
I agree on _Million Dollar Baby_–good not great. The main problem for me were the seams between the A-story (Eastwood/Swank) and the B-story (Freeman and the other boxers); the two plots never really gelled together, and the film never became more than the sum of its parts.
_Hotel Rwanda_ was my pick for best picture.
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### Author:  [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-films-of-2004-77th-academy-awards/510268/6 "2009-09-17T00:02:02Z")
To anyone who actually saw the play, the Phantom movie stunk. Actually, it pretty much stunk on it own merits, as well.