There were 35 or so pretty good movies in 2004 which, depending on one's mood or particular tastes, could have been ranked between positions 20 and 25, though I'm sure the top-20 would be have most of the same names (though likely not the same order) for 75% of critics and film aficionados.
Documentaries were particularly worthy of note (Some Kind Of Monster, Super Size Me, and Fahrenheit 9/11 as the obvious top-3, but also those disproving the latter two), while master directors (Martin Scorsese, Wolfgang Petersen, Oliver Stone, Wes Anderson, Jonathan Demme, and Kevin Smith to name a few) made sub-par, longish films that nonetheless displayed a lot of craftsmanship.
Relatively dumb comedies (Anchorman, Euro Trip, Dodgeball) and relatively smart ones (Team America, Shaun Of The Dead) remain entirely watchable and relevant 10 years later, as do the original action films (The Day After Tomorrow, Dawn Of the Dead, Hellboy).
All told, it was a fine year overall, but Eternal Sunshine was head and shoulders above the rest.
Should you wish to look back at some of my previous lists, look no further than: 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005.
Top 25 Films:
25. THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, Roland Emmerich (USA)
24. CLOSER, Mike Nichols (USA/UK)
23. MEAN CREEK, Jacob Aaron Estes (USA)
22. EURO TRIP, Jeff Shaffer (USA/Czech Republic)
21. SHREK 2, Andrew Adamson & Kelly Asbury & Conrad Vernon (USA)
20. THE AVIATOR, Martin Scorsese (USA)
19. DAWN OF THE DEAD, Zack Snyder (Canada/USA)
18. MILLION DOLLAR BABY, Clint Eastwood (USA)
17. HELLBOY, Guillermo Del Toro (USA/Czech Republic)
16. THE INCREDIBLES, Brad Bird (USA)
15. SUPER SIZE ME, Morgan Spurlock (USA)
14. MARIA FULL OF GRACE, Joshua Marston (USA/Colombia)
13. SIDEWAYS, Alexander Payne (USA)
12. ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY, Adam McKay (USA)
11. GEGEN DIE WAND (HEAD-ON), Fatih Akin (Germany/Turkey)
10. A DIRTY SHAME, John Waters (USA)
9. MIRACLE, Gavin O'Connor (USA)
8. SHAUN OF THE DEAD, Edgar Wright (England)
7. GARDEN STATE, Zach Braff (USA)
6. FAHRENHEIT 9/11, Michael Moore (USA/Canada)
5. TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE, Trey Parker (USA)
4. I (HEART) HUCKABEES, David O. Russell (USA)
3. HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, Zhang Yimou (China/Hong Kong)
2. KILL BILL, VOL. 2, Quentin Tarantino (USA)
1. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, Michel Gondry (USA)
Top 25 Directors:
25. OLIVER STONE, Alexander
24. JONATHAN DEMME, The Manchurian Candidate
23. BRAD SILBERLING, Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events
22. ZACK SNYDER, Dawn Of The Dead
21. ZACH BRAFF, Garden State
20. GUILLERMO DEL TORO, Hellboy
19. SPIKE LEE, She Hate Me
18. PAUL GREENGRASS, The Bourne Supremacy
17. CLINT EASTWOOD, Million Dollar Baby
16. JEAN-LUC GODARD, Notre Musique (Our Music)
15. MICHAEL RADFORD, The Merchant Of Venice
14. JOSHUA MARSTON, Maria Full Of Grace
13. WES ANDERSON, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
12. MARTIN SCORSESE, The Aviator
11. EDGAR WRIGHT, Shaun Of The Dead
10. JEAN-PIERRE JEUNET, Un Long Dimanche De Fiançailles (A Very Long Engagement)
9. TREY PARKER, Team America: World Police
8. FATIH AKIN, Gegen Die Wand (Head-On)
7. JOHN WATERS, A Dirty Shame
6. JUSTIN LIN, Better Luck Tomorrow
5. AGNÈS JAOUI, Comme Une Image (Look At Me)
4. DAVID O. RUSSELL, I (Heart) Huckabees
3. ZHANG YIMOU, House Of Flying Daggers
2. QUENTIN TARANTINO, Kill Bill, Vol. 2
1. MICHEL GONDRY, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Top 30 Lead Actors:
30. ANDY LAU, House Of Flying Daggers
29. CLINT EASTWOOD, Million Dollar Baby
28. TOM CRUISE, Collateral
27. JOHNNY DEPP, Finding Neverland
26. ZACH BRAFF, Garden State
25. LEONARDO DICAPRIO, The Aviator
24. WILL FERRELL, Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy
23. JIM CARREY, Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events
22. DAVID CARRADINE, Kill Bill, Vol. 2
21. ADAM SANDLER, Spanglish
20. DANIEL CRAIG, Layer Cake
19. LIAM NEESON, Kinsey
18. RORY CULKIN, Mean Creek
17. JOHN MALKOVICH, Ripley's Game
16. COLIN FARRELL, A Home At The End Of The World
15. SEAN PENN, The Assassination Of Richard Nixon
14. DUSTIN HOFFMAN, I (Heart) Huckabees
13. CHRISTOPHER WALKEN, Around The Bend
12. AL PACINO, The Merchant Of Venice
11. KEVIN BACON, The Woodsman
10. BILLY BOB THORNTON, Friday Night Lights
9. BILL MURRAY, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
8. BIROL UNEL, Gegen Die Wand (Head-On)
7. KURT RUSSELL, Miracle
6. JIM CAVIEZEL, The Passion Of The Christ
5. JAVIER BARDEM, Mar Adentro (The Sea Inside)
4. PAUL GIAMATTI, Sideways
3. DON CHEADLE, Hotel Rwanda
2. JIM CARREY, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
1. JAMIE FOXX, Ray
Top 30 Lead Actresses:
30. SARAH POLLEY, Dawn Of The Dead
29. ELISHA CUTHBERT, The Girl Next Door
28. SCARLETT JOHANSSON, In Good Company
27. MARISA TOMEI, Alfie
26. DIANE KRUGER, Wicker Park
25. NICOLE KIDMAN, Birth
24. MAGGIE CHEUNG, Clean
23. SIGOURNEY WEAVER, Imaginary Heroes
22. SCARLETT JOHANSSON, A Love Song For Bobby Long
21. LAURA DERN, We Don't Live Here Anymore
20. CATE BLANCHETT, The Aviator
19. ZHANG ZIYI, House Of Flying Daggers
18. LAURA LINNEY, P.S.
17. KATE WINSLET, Finding Neverland
16. CARLY SCHROEDER, Mean Creek
15. SIBEL KEKILLI, Gegen Die Wand (Head-On)
14. PAZ VEGA, Spanglish
13. SARAH ADLER, Notre Musique (Our Music)
12. ELSA ZYLBERSTEIN, Modigliani
11. ISABELLE HUPPERT, I (Heart) Huckabees
10. NAOMI WATTS, The Assassination Of Richard Nixon
9. NATALIE PORTMAN, Garden State
8. IMELDA STAUNTON, Vera Drake
7. LOLA DUENAS, Mar Adentro (The Sea Inside)
6. KRISTEN STEWART, Speak
5. EMMANUELLE DEVOS, Rois Et Reine (Kings And Queen)
4. HILARY SWANK, Million Dollar Baby
3. CATALINA SANDINO MORENO, Maria Full Of Grace
2. ANNETTE BENING, Being Julia
1. KATE WINSLET, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Top 25 Supporting Actors:
25. TY BURRELL, Dawn Of The Dead
24. GEORGE CARLIN, Jersey Girl
23. JEFF GOLDBLUM, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
22. JEFF DANIELS, Imaginary Heroes
21. JOHN LITHGOW, Kinsey
20. GARY OLDMAN, Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
19. DON CHEADLE, The Assassination Of Richard Nixon
18. JAMES JOHNSTON, Clean
17. WILLEM DAFOE, The Clearing
16. NICK FROST, Shaun Of The Dead
15. TREVOR MORGAN, Mean Creek
14. MICHAEL MADSEN, Kill Bill, Vol. 2
13. MATHIEU AMALRIC, Rois Et Reine (Kings And Queen)
12. STEVE ZAHN, Speak
11. MARK WAHLBERG, I (Heart) Huckabees
10. THOMAS HADEN CHURCH, Sideways
9. TOM WILKINSON, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
8. MORGAN FREEMAN, Million Dollar Baby
7. STEVE CARELL, Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy
6. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
5. JAMIE FOXX, Collateral
4. JEAN-PIERRE BACRI, Comme Une Image (Look At Me)
3. CLIVE OWEN, Closer
2. NOAH EMMERICH, Miracle
1. GABRIEL MACHT, A Love Song For Bobby Long
Top 25 Supporting Actresses:
25. MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG, Euro Trip
24. KIM POIRIER, Dawn Of The Dead
23. SIENNA MILLER, Layer Cake
22. SELMA BLAIR, A Dirty Shame
21. LENA HEADY, Ripley's Game
20. DIANE KRUGER, Troy
19. MONICA BELLUCCI, The Passion Of The Christ
18. KATE BECKINSALE, The Aviator
17. LUCY PUNCH, Being Julia
16. JADA PINKETT SMITH, Collateral
15. DARRYL HANNAH, Kill Bill, Vol. 2
14. SIGOURNEY WEAVER, The Village
13. JEAN SMART, Garden State
12. BELÉN RUEDA, Mar Ardentro (The Sea Inside)
11. CONNIE BRITTON, Friday Night Lights
10. VIRGINIA MADSEN, Sideways
9. CLORIS LEACHMAN, Spanglish
8. SOPHIE OKONEDO, Hotel Rwanda
7. MARION COTILLARD, Un Long Dimanche De Fiançailles (A Very Long Engagement)
6. LAURA LINNEY, Kinsey
5. NATALIE PORTMAN, Closer
4. MELTEM CUMBUL, Gegen Die Wand (Head-On)
3. NAOMI WATTS, I (Heart) Huckabees
2. NAOMI WATTS, We Don't Live Here Anymore
1. MERYL STREEP, The Manchurian Candidate
Top 25 Screenplays:
25. JAMES GUNN, Dawn Of The Dead
24. GUILLERMO DEL TORO, Hellboy
23. JOHN LOGAN, The Aviator
22. ERIC GUGGENHEIM, Miracle
21. BRAD BIRD, The Incredibles
20. ERIC BRESS & J. MACKYE GRUBER, The Butterfly Effect
19. MIKE LEIGH, Vera Drake
18. JEAN-LUC GODARD, Notre Musique (Our Music)
17. PAUL HAGGIS, Million Dollar Baby
16. EDGAR WRIGHT & SIMON PEGG, Shaun Of The Dead
15. OMAR NAIM, The Final Cut
14. QUENTIN TARANTINO, Kill Bill, Vol. 2
13. TINA FEY, Mean Girls
12. WES ANDERSON & NOAH BAUMBACH, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
11. FATIH AKIN, Gegen Die Wand (Head-On)
10. JOSHUA MARSTON, Maria Full Of Grace
9. PATRICK MARBER, Closer
8. JOHN WATERS, A Dirty Shame
7. WILL FERRELL & ADAM MCKAY, Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy
6. ALEXANDER PAYNE & JIM TAYLOR, Sideways
5. ZACH BRAFF, Garden State
4. TREY PARKER & MATT STONE & PAM BRADY, Team America: World Police
3. DAVID O. RUSSELL & JEFF BAENA, I (Heart) Huckabees
2. JACOB AARON ESTES, Mean Creek
1. CHARLIE KAUFMAN, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Top 25 Cinematographers:
25. EMMANUEL KADOSH, Modigliani
24. ROBERT RICHARDSON, The Aviator
23. TOM STERN, Million Dollar Baby
22. OLIVER WOOD, The Bourne Supremacy
21. ROGER DEAKINS, The Ladykillers
20. MATTHEW F. LEONETTI, The Butterfly Effect
19. PASCAL RIDAO, Arsène Lupin
18. DAVID JOHNSON, Alien Vs. Predator
17. ROGER DEAKINS, The Village
16. BENOÎT DELHOMME, The Merchant Of Venice
15. DEREK ROGERS & CHRISTIAN SEBALDT, Resident Evil: Apocalypse
14. MATTHEW F. LEONETTI, Dawn Of The Dead
13. BRUNO DELBONNEL, Un Long Dimanche De Fiançcailles (A Very Long Engagement)
12. DAVID M. DUNLAP, Shaun Of The Dead
11. GUILLERMO NAVARRO, Hellboy
10. EMMANUEL LUBEZKI, Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events
9. PETER DEMING, I (Heart) Huckabees
8. UELI STEIGER, The Day After Tomorrow
7. LAWRENCE SHER, Garden State
6. BILL POPE, Team America: World Police
5. ERIC ADKINS, Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow
4. ERIC GAUTIER, Diarios De Motocicleta (The Motorcycle Diaries)
3. ROBERT RICHARDSON, Kill Bill, Vol. 2
2. ELLEN KURAS, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
1. ZHAO XIAODING, House Of Flying Daggers
Top 10 Villains:
10. JIM CARREY, Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events
9. TY BURRELL, Dawn Of The Dead
8. JASON LEE, The Incredibles
7. DAVID CARRADINE, Kill Bill, Vol. 2
6. LARS ULRICH, Some Kind Of Monster
5. LADISLAV DERAN, Hellboy
4. TOM CRUISE, Collateral
3. SHAUN EVANS, Being Julia
2. TREVOR MORGAN, Mean Creek
1. TOBIN BELL, Saw
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