# I Want to See the Best Movies of 2004
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-best-movies-of-2004/284696
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 14, 2005, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-best-movies-of-2004/284696 "2005-01-14T12:16:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2005, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-best-movies-of-2004/284696/21 "2005-01-17T06:29:29Z")
_Shaun of the Dead_ is off the list. I really don’t like horror movies, so I very much enjoyed the way this movie mixed in the comedy and I liked the realism of the characters as well. I wouldn’t have gotten any of the references to classic zombie movies without IMDb except for the joke about Ash, which pleased me immensely. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Treviathan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treviathan)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-best-movies-of-2004/284696/22 "2005-01-17T15:19:54Z")
The two movies I would recommend which have not yet been mentioned are the stunning **Maria Full of Grace** and the utterly perplexing (but in a good way) **Primer**.
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### Author:  [@partlycloudy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partlycloudy)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-best-movies-of-2004/284696/23 "2005-01-17T17:48:15Z")
> [@Caprese](#):
>
> This movie was Italian, and it was called **I’m Not Afraid.**
[nitpick]
Well, technically it’s called [I’m Not Scared](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326977/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxzZz0xfGxtPTIwMHx0dD1vbnxwbj0wfHE9aW8gbm9uIGhvIHBhdXJhfGh0bWw9MXxubT1vbg__;fc=1;ft=4) in America (_Io non ho paura_ in Italian), and it’s fantastic!
[/nitpick] 😉
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### Author:  [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-best-movies-of-2004/284696/24 "2005-01-17T19:52:40Z")
I thought 2004 was pretty crappy for movies. Notwithstanding, I do manage to see about 40 movies (on avg) a year. Of the ones not already mentioned, I will second _Finding Neverland_ as great, and I would like to throw _Collateral_ in there as well.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2005, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-best-movies-of-2004/284696/25 "2005-02-03T07:15:06Z")
I’m posting to this one more time because I saw _Hotel Rwanda_ this evening, and was positively shattered by it. I’d have nominated it for Best Picture in a heartbeat; it deserves the other considerations it’s getting as well. The most significant movie I’ve seen in a while, too. Again I’m speaking as someone who didn’t care for _Sideways_, but I think it’s interesting that a movie that so clearly appeals to actors, critics and other showbiz people gets a Best Picture nod and this one gets overlooked. Actually, come to think of it, with the exception of _Million Dollar Baby_, all five Best Picture nominees had stories and characters related to show business.
Anyway, I also saw _The Aviator_, _Merchant of Venice_, and _Million Dollar Baby_. When they are run, I will see _The Motorcycle Diaries_, _I Heart Huckabees_, and _Team America: World Police_. I hope I still get to see _The Woodsman_, and I wish I could find _Vera Drake_ someplace.
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### Author:  [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2005, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-best-movies-of-2004/284696/26 "2005-02-03T13:28:26Z")
> [@Caprese](#):
>
> This movie was Italian, and it was called **I’m Not Afraid.**
:smack: Thanks! No wonder I couldn’t find it. Why was I thinking Spanish? Probably because of Bad Education.
But, yeah, I’ve seen it tranlated as “I’m Not Scared”. Wonderful movie. I can’t believe it wasn’t nominated.
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### Author:  [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2005, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-best-movies-of-2004/284696/27 "2005-02-03T13:34:21Z")
And speaking of nominated…I just saw Sideways and…I don’t get it. I mean, I thought it was good. Very good. But not _that_ great. Certainly not as interesting as Eternal Sunshine which didn’t get nominated for best picture. Feh.
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### Author:  [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-best-movies-of-2004/284696/28 "2005-02-03T13:49:56Z")
I think that in a way, Sideways is this year’s Lost In Translation. Some people just don’t get what all the fuss is. I enjoyed Sideways very much, loved the dialogue, but it was no epic, (nor was it, of course, meant to be).
I agree about Eternal Sunshine; its writing was truly innovative.
And yes, I’m Not Scared (not Afraid!;)) was both excellent and overlooked.
Looking forward to Bad Education.
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