Birth (USA/UK, dir. Jonathan Glazer)

The White Diamond (Germany/UK/Guiana, dir. Werner Herzog)

2004 was a formative year for me as a growing cinephile and what a year it was for cineastes all over the world – displaying a finely balanced cross-section of outstanding work offered from across the continents and genres. There was much to be had in terms of ingenuity and originality and, in the UK at least, plentiful brilliance to be found in the non-English releases, as well as three stunning homegrown cult hits: My Summer of Love, Dead Man’s Shoes and Shaun of the Dead. The same distinction, and more, goes to the Argentinian film industry, a frequent producer of both cutting edge cinema – The Holy Girl – and gentle, poetic homages to the sweetness of life – Bombón, El Perro and The Motorcycle Diaries.

Meanwhile, In New York, Jonathan Glazer came out with his second feature, the remarkably accomplished Birth a fantastic testamanet tot he power of cinema to manipulate its audience so that they might realize a truth about themselves.

La Niña Santa (Argentina, dir. Lucrecia Martel)

2004 Watchlist: 3 IRON – THE AVIATOR – BEFORE SUNSET – THE BRIDESMAID – DIG! – DOWNFALL – EROS – MA MÈRE – MOOLADÉ – THE RECRUITER – SIX SHOOTER – TRIPLE AGENT – TROPICAL MALADY – VERA DRAKE – WHISKY – ZEBRAMAN

My Summer of Love (UK, Pawel Pawlikowski

Honorable Mention: 2046 – CALVAIRE – DEAD LEAVES – I HEART HUCKABEES – LAYER CAKE – THE MACHINIST – RIDING GIANTS – SIDEWAYS – THREE… EXTREMES

Bombón, El Perro (Argentina, dir. Carlos Sorín)

Read my blog, Films Of Every Colour

<<< BEST OF ’03 ~ BEST OF ’05 >>>

BEST OF 2004 (RANKED)