Best of 2004

Of course people are going to argue that 2004 sucked as far as music and film are concerned.  Why wouldn’t they?  We continue to hear more about popular commercial music and film than anything of quality. 

But as truth would have it, 2004 had some excellent film and music releases, and it is our aim to share them with you.  We apologize for jumping in so late in the year, but hopefully this serves as our brief moment of catch-up. 


As Editor-in-Chief, I told staff that they could select one, three, five, or ten of their favorites in each of these categories: Films, DVD, and Albums.

Here’s our picks of the year.

Film

Russell Bartholomee
(Staff Contributor & Associate Editor <New Music>):

I have two small children, so getting out to theaters is tough.  Still, these are the best that I saw:

1.     The Incredibles – Pixar doesn’t seem to know how to make a bad movie.  Brad Bird blew me away with The Iron Giant a few years back, and with The Incredibles, he has managed to make another classic.  It’s not just a great animated film; it’s a great film, period.

2.     Kill Bill Vol. 2 – I liked Vol. 1, but I wasn’t sure Tarantino could pull it off.  I was wrong.  I’m just waiting for the DVD release with both parts put together as was originally intended.

3.     Spider-Man 2 – Sam Raimi makes arguably the best comic book movie of all time (X-Men 2 is right on its heals).  Fans of Darkman knew he had it in him.

4.     Fahrenheit 9/11/Super Size Me (tie)

5.     The Passion of the Christ

These last three are probably the most controversial films of the year.  And all of them are significantly flawed.  Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock took huge liberties in the presentations of the facts in their respective “documentaries.”  And Mel Gibson’s Passion made me terribly uncomfortable (he soft-peddled Pilate, and the accusations of anti-Semitism are not completely unfounded).  Still, all three made people think critically about their subject matter, and the discourse and debate that followed was improved.  And most importantly—love them or loathe them—they were all compelling films.


Cari Crosby
(Media Relations, Marketing, and Advertising):

1. Sideways
2. Fahrenheit 9/11
3. The Motorcycle Diaries
4. Omagh
5. The Incredibles
6. Kinsey
7. The Life Aquatic
8. Super Size Me
9. Coffee And Cigarettes
10. Ray


Shel Desormeaux
(Staff Contributor & Associate Editor <Film & DVD>):

1. Shrek 2
2. Triplets of Belleville
3. Monster


Aaron Licht
(Staff Contributor):

1.     Shaun of the Dead
2.     Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter … and Spring
3.     Spider-Man 2
4.     Kill Bill Vol 2
5.     Before Sunset
6.     Sideways
7.     Kinsey
8.     Raspberry Reich
9.     Super Size Me
10.  The Fog of War


Adam D. Miller
(Editor-in-Chief, Staff Contributor)

1. Sideways
2. The Motorcycle Diaries
3. Kill Bill, Vol 2
4. Super Size Me
5. The Life Aquatic
6. Fahrenheit 9/11
7. Kinsey
8. Ray
9. The Incredibles
10. Coffee and Cigarettes


Zayne Reeves
(Staff Contributor):

Favorite Film: Baadasssss, directed by Mario Van Peebles. What Baadasssss does better than any other film is truly show you how much work, hustle, luck and absolute recklessness goes into creating something important. Over thirty years ago, Melvin Van Peebles made Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song which managed to be both a genuine product of an angry counterculture and a spectacular commercial success. Playing his own father, Mario Van Peebles gives a knockout performance that doesn't hesitate to show Melvin's darker edges and depicts the sometimes very shady world of early independent film with a clear eye and a great sense of humor.

DVD

Adam M. Anklewicz
(Technical Director/Webmaster & Staff Contributor):

1. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)
2. Triplets of Belleville
3. Stargate SG-1 Season 7
4. Nero Wolfe Season 1
5. Spongebob Squarepants Season 2


Russell Bartholomee
(Staff Contributor & Associate Editor <New Music>):

1. The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season
2. Schindler’s List
3. Homicide: Life on the Street: Season 4
Homicide: Life on the Street: Season 5 (tie)
4. Tanner ’88 – Criterion Collection
5. Ren & Stimpy-The Complete First and Second Seasons
6. Sonic Youth: Corporate Ghost
7. The Fog of War
8. The Iron Giant (Special Edition)
9. The Triplets of Belleville
10. Peter Gabriel Play: the Videos

Runners-up that should really be on the list, but didn’t get released before the Dec. 7 cut-off date:

1. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)
2. The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season


Cari Crosby
(Media Relations, Marketing, and Advertising):

1. Lost in Translation
2. Star Wars Trilogy
3. Six Feet Under: The Complete Second Season
4. Love Actually
5. The Simpsons – The Complete Fourth Season
6. Aladdin
7. Mulan
8. Seinfeld – Season 1 & 2
9. Big Fish
10. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King


Aaron Licht
(Staff Contributor):

1. Shaun of the Dead
2. Lost in Translation
3. Kids in the Hall season 1
4. The Weather Underground
5. Big Fish
6. Ed Wood SE
7. Dawn of the Dead SE
8. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly SE
9. Videodrome SE (Criterion)
10. The Battle of Algiers SE (Criterion)


Adam D. Miller
(Editor-in-Chief, Staff Contributor)

1. Lost In Translation
2. Star Wars Trilogy
3. The Simpsons – The Complete Fourth Season
4. The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll
5. Seinfeld Seasons 1 & 2
6. Six Feet Under: The Complete Second Season
7. The Commitments: Collector’s Edition
8. Calexico: World Drifts In
9. The Rolling Stones Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus
10. Ren & Stimpy


Zayne Reeves
(Staff Contributor):

Favorite DVD: Mystery Science Theater, Vol. 5. An excellent selection of episodes from my all time favorite television show. A particular standout is “Legend of Boggy Creek II” which, as host Mike Nelson points out, is actually the third Boggy Creek film.  

Album

Adam M. Anklewicz
(Technical Director/Webmaster & Staff Contributor):

1. Gentleman Reg - Darby & Joan
2. k-os - Joyful Rebellion
3. Wilco - A Ghost Is Born
4. Magnetic Fields - i
5. Brian Wilson - Smile
6. Nick Cave – The Lyre Of Orpheus
7. George Harrison – The Dark Horse Years 1976-1992
8. Peter Elkas - Party Of One
9. Elliott Smith - From A Basement On The Hill
10. Jet - Get Born


Russell Bartholomee
(Staff Contributor & Associate Editor <New Music>):

1. Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE – 37 years in the making, and the best thing I’ve heard in years.  If this had been released in 1967, we’d be talking about SMiLE in the same hushed tones usually reserved for Sgt. Peppers.

2. Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn – Other than SMiLE, the best album of the year by a long shot.  Jack White absolutely nailed the production.  Glorious.

3. A Ghost is Born by Wilco – Best rock album of the year.  These guys defy expectations with every release.  And that’s a good thing.

4. Musicology by Prince – The purple one isn’t going softly into that good night.  His best in over a decade.

5. Feels Like Home by Norah Jones – Great sophomore release by the talented Texan, with a bit more country flavor (and a duet with Dolly Parton).

6. The Delivery Man by Elvis Costello & the Imposters – Killer southern-tinged record with outstanding contributions from Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, and John McPhee.

7. Spooked by Robyn Hitchcock – A sparse acoustic affair featuring Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.  Exquisite.

8. The Grind Date by De La Soul – My favorite hip-hop album of the year by one of the genre’s most important artists.

9. To the 5 Boroughs by The Beastie Boys – Their best hip-hop since Paul’s Boutique.

10. The Spine by They Might Be Giants – The Johns still have it after all these years.


Cari Crosby
(Media Relations, Marketing, and Advertising):

1. Brian Wilson – Smile
2. Elvis Costello & The Imposers - The Delivery Man
3. A Girl Called eddy – A Girl Called Eddy
4. Elliott Smith - From a basement on the hill
5. Tom Waits – Real Gone


Shel Desormeaux
(Staff Contributor & Associate Editor <Film & DVD>):

1. Richard Buckner – Dents and Shells
2. Bjork – Medulla
3. Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand


Aaron Licht
(Staff Contributor):

1. Postal Service - Give Up
2. Muse - Time is Running Out
3. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Like Bad News


Adam D. Miller
(Editor-in-Chief, Staff Contributor)

1. Brian Wilson – Smile
2. Ron Sexsmith – Retriever
3. Elvis Costello & The Imposters – The Delivery Man
4. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
5. Elliott Smith – from a basement on the hill
6. Wilco – A Ghost Is Born
7. Jolie Holland – Escondida
8. Tom Waits – Real Gone
9. Loretta Lynn – Van Lear Rose
10. Rufus Wainwright – Want Two

Plus some reissues:
1. George Harrison – The Dark Horse Years 1976-1992
2. Tom Waits & Crystal Gayle – One From The Heart: Motion Picture Soundtrack
3. The Clash – London Calling: 25^th Anniversary Edition
4. Elvis Costello – Kojak Variety
5. The Kinks – Muswell Hillbillies


Brighid Mooney
(Staff Contributor):

Well, maybe more like the "Top 10 Albums of 2004 that I've actually heard." Here are ten of my favorites from the past 12 months:

1. Elvis Costello & The Imposters: The Delivery Man
2. Elliott Smith: from a basement on the hill
3. Modest Mouse: Good News For People Who Love Bad News
4. Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand
5. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Shake the Sheets
6. Le Tigre: This Island
7. The Magnetic Fields: i
8. Nick Lowe: Untouched Takeaway
9. The Beastie Boys: To the 5 Boroughs
10. Rufus Wainwright: Want Two


Zayne Reeves
(Staff Contributor):

1. The Dirty South, Drive-By Truckers
I humbly submit to you that the Truckers are the greatest band in America right now.

2. Van Lear Rose, Loretta Lynn
The country music establishment should be ashamed of itself for allowing her to languish for two decades. She still has what it takes to be queen of the sandbox.

3. Ashgrove, Dave Alvin
No one writes better songs than Dave Alvin.

4. Good News For People Who Love Bad News, Modest Mouse
They deserved every bit of their breakout success.

5. Dan Reeder, Dan Reeder
A wonderfully original and creative debut album. 

6. Your Country, Graham Parker
 His songs remain razor sharp and his voice has only gained in power and expressiveness.

7. The Tigers Have Spoken, Neko Case
A spirited live album that is anything but a stopgap release between proper studio records.

8. Cut N Shoot, Gurf Morlix
A perfect "classic" country album from one of the architects of the alt country sound.

9. Here For The Party, Gretchen Wilson
Beyond the catchy singles, Wilson's debut album makes a compelling case that she has the talent to stay in the game for the long haul.

10. Just Like There's Nothin' To It, Steve Forbert
Like Parker, Steve Forbert has continued to release a string of quality records to the deafening silence of the music industry. This is another damn fine album from the man with an honest-to-goodness masterpiece on it, the stunning "What It Is Is A Dream."

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