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Top 10 films of 2004 according to US Catholic film office
Since 1965 the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops´ Office for Film & Broadcasting has compiled a list honoring the top 10 films produced each year. These exceedingly well-made motion pictures are chosen not only for their obvious cinematic excellence, but for the filmmaker´s striving to enlighten as well as to entertain. Each passes the test for intelligence, ethical content and inspiration.
Top 10 lists are always a dicey proposition. Some years, the harvest of good films is plentiful; other times you really have to search. From a church perspective, it is even trickier. Do you choose films based solely on artistic merit? Should every movie have a strong moral message? Does an objectionable element automatically preclude the entire picture from inclusion? Such were the issues that percolated in our heads as we weighed the candidates," Harry Forbes and David DiCerto from the Office for Film and Broadcasting told Catholic News Service.
**The 10 best films of 2004 **(in alphabetical order):
– “The Aviator,” Martin Scorsese´s grandly glamorous biopic about the tortured life of legendary millionaire maverick Howard Hughes who triumphed over personal demons.
– “Danny Deckchair,” tender Australian import about a man who finds out that life is full of possibility, even when it seems otherwise.
– “Finding Neverland,” five-hankie fictionalized period drama, anchored by a superb performance by Johnny Depp, about British playwright and author J.M. Barrie´s platonic relationship with a consumptive widow who served as the muse for his best-known work, “Peter Pan,” and with her four young sons.
– “Hero,” visually spectacular martial-arts epic set in ancient China, which buttresses its eye-popping action sequences with a strong anti-war message.
– “Hotel Rwanda,” powerful fact-based drama about one man´s heroism during the dark days of the Rwandan genocide, which celebrates the nobility of the human spirit even in the face of unspeakable evil.
– “The Passion of the Christ.” Mel Gibson´s brutal but reverent interpretive distillation of the four Passion narratives, which, as a piece of devotional art – controversy aside – exhibits an uncompromising vision and some deeply moving imagery.
– “Ray,” inspiring biopic about the talented and troubled life of blind entertainer Ray Charles who overcame adversity and addiction to become an American musical legend, featuring a standout performance by Jamie Foxx.
– “Shall We Dance?” a charmingly crafted remake of a Japanese gem about a middle-aged man whose life in a rut is transformed when he secretly enrolls in a school for ballroom dancing. Despite getting trounced by some critics, the film offers a strong affirmation of marriage and family.
– “Spanglish,” James L. Brooks´ touching comedy-drama about a non-English-speaking, Mexican single mom who struggles to instill traditional values in her young daughter, while working as a housekeeper for an affluent American family. The movie deals with parenting and cultural assimilation with great profundity under its breezy surface.
– “Woman Thou Art Loosed,” redemption tale a la “Dead Man Walking” about a woman searching for hope and meaning in her broken life while awaiting execution for murdering the man who had sexually molested her as a child.
Since 1965 the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops´ Office for Film & Broadcasting has compiled a list honoring the top 10 films produced each year. These exceedingly well-made motion pictures are chosen not only for their obvious cinematic excellence, but for the filmmaker´s striving to enlighten as well as to entertain. Each passes the test for intelligence, ethical content and inspiration.
Top 10 lists are always a dicey proposition. Some years, the harvest of good films is plentiful; other times you really have to search. From a church perspective, it is even trickier. Do you choose films based solely on artistic merit? Should every movie have a strong moral message? Does an objectionable element automatically preclude the entire picture from inclusion? Such were the issues that percolated in our heads as we weighed the candidates," Harry Forbes and David DiCerto from the Office for Film and Broadcasting told Catholic News Service.
**The 10 best films of 2004 **(in alphabetical order):
– “The Aviator,” Martin Scorsese´s grandly glamorous biopic about the tortured life of legendary millionaire maverick Howard Hughes who triumphed over personal demons.
– “Danny Deckchair,” tender Australian import about a man who finds out that life is full of possibility, even when it seems otherwise.
– “Finding Neverland,” five-hankie fictionalized period drama, anchored by a superb performance by Johnny Depp, about British playwright and author J.M. Barrie´s platonic relationship with a consumptive widow who served as the muse for his best-known work, “Peter Pan,” and with her four young sons.
– “Hero,” visually spectacular martial-arts epic set in ancient China, which buttresses its eye-popping action sequences with a strong anti-war message.
– “Hotel Rwanda,” powerful fact-based drama about one man´s heroism during the dark days of the Rwandan genocide, which celebrates the nobility of the human spirit even in the face of unspeakable evil.
– “The Passion of the Christ.” Mel Gibson´s brutal but reverent interpretive distillation of the four Passion narratives, which, as a piece of devotional art – controversy aside – exhibits an uncompromising vision and some deeply moving imagery.
– “Ray,” inspiring biopic about the talented and troubled life of blind entertainer Ray Charles who overcame adversity and addiction to become an American musical legend, featuring a standout performance by Jamie Foxx.
– “Shall We Dance?” a charmingly crafted remake of a Japanese gem about a middle-aged man whose life in a rut is transformed when he secretly enrolls in a school for ballroom dancing. Despite getting trounced by some critics, the film offers a strong affirmation of marriage and family.
– “Spanglish,” James L. Brooks´ touching comedy-drama about a non-English-speaking, Mexican single mom who struggles to instill traditional values in her young daughter, while working as a housekeeper for an affluent American family. The movie deals with parenting and cultural assimilation with great profundity under its breezy surface.
– “Woman Thou Art Loosed,” redemption tale a la “Dead Man Walking” about a woman searching for hope and meaning in her broken life while awaiting execution for murdering the man who had sexually molested her as a child.
