Movie Releases by User Score

The Battle of Algiers 1.

The Battle of Algiers

January 9, 2004 | Not Rated
The Battle of Algiers re-creates a key year in the tumultuous Algerian struggle for independence from the occupying French in the 1950s. As violence escalates on both sides, children shoot soldiers at point-blank range, women plant bombs in cafés, and French soldiers resort to torture to break the will of the insurgents. Shot on the streets of Algiers in documentary style, the film is a case study in modern warfare, with its terrorist attacks and the brutal techniques used to combat them.
Metascore:
96
User Score:
8.0
Sideways 2.

Sideways

October 22, 2004 | R
Two old friends set off on a wine-tasting road trip...only to veer dizzily sideways into a wry, comedic exploration of the crazy vicissitudes of love and friendship, the damnable persistence of loneliness and dreams and the enduring war between Pinot and Cabernet. [Fox Searchlight Pictures]
Metascore:
94
User Score:
7.0
Moolaadé 3.

Moolaadé

October 15, 2004 | Unrated
A rousing polemic directed against the still common African practice of female circumcision, Moolaadé is set in a small African village, where four young girls facing ritual "purification" flee to the household of Collé Ardo Gallo Sy, a strong-willed woman who has managed to shield her own teenage daughter from mutilation. Collé invokes the time-honored custom of moolaadé (sanctuary) to protect the fugitives, and tension mounts as the ensuing stand-off pits Collé against village traditionalists (both male and female) and endangers the prospective marriage of her daughter to the heir-apparent to the tribal throne. [New Yorker Films]
Metascore:
91
User Score:
7.9
Before Sunset 4.

Before Sunset

July 2, 2004 | R
The timeless romantic story of two questing hearts and minds whose powerful bond defies time and place. [Warner Independent Pictures]
Metascore:
91
User Score:
8.6
The Incredibles 5.

The Incredibles

November 5, 2004 | PG
Known to the world as superheroes Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, Bob Parr and his wife Helen were among the world's greatest crime fighters, saving lives and battling evil on a daily basis. Fifteen years later, they have been forced to adopt civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs to live "normal" lives with their three kids, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack. Itching to get back into action, Bob gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top secret assignment. [Disney]
Metascore:
90
User Score:
8.8
House of Flying Daggers 6.

House of Flying Daggers

December 3, 2004 | PG-13
The year is 859 AD, and China's once flourishing Tang Dynasty is in decline. Unrest is raging throughout the land, and the corrupt government is locked in battle with rebel armies that are forming in protest. The largest and most prestigious of these rebel groups is the House of Flying Daggers, which is growing ever more powerful under a mysterious new leader. (Sony Pictures Classics)
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.8
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 7.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

March 19, 2004 | R
Joel (Carrey) is stunned to discover that his girlfriend Clementine (Winslet) has had her memories of their tumultuous relationship erased. Out of desperation, he contacts the inventor of the process, Dr. Howard Mierzwiak (Wilkinson), to have Clementine removed from his own memory. But as Joel's memories progressively disappear, he begins to rediscover his love for Clementine. (Focus Features)
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.8
Maria Full of Grace 8.

Maria Full of Grace

July 16, 2004 | R
This film follows a bright, gutsy young woman on a life-changing -- and life-threatening -- odyssey from Colombia to New York, weaving a gripping narrative of risk, determination and survival. (Fine Line Features)
Metascore:
87
User Score:
2.6
Tarnation 9.

Tarnation

October 6, 2004 | Unrated
Jonathan Caouette's film reimagines the whole idea of what a documentary can be. He weaves a psychedelic whirlwind of snapshots, Super-8 home movies, answering machine messages, video diaries, early short films, snippets of 80s pop culture and dramatic reenactments to create an epic portrait of an American family torn apart by dysfunction and reunited through the power of love. (Wellspring Media)
Metascore:
87
User Score:
7.1
Million Dollar Baby 10.

Million Dollar Baby

December 15, 2004 | PG-13
Two retired boxers who run a Los Angeles gym are caught off guard when a woman approaches them with her dream of stepping into the ring.
Metascore:
86
User Score:
7.5
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (re-released) 11.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (re-released)

February 13, 2004
Jacques Demy's 1964 musical fantasy stars Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo.
Metascore:
86
User Score:
8.0
Los Angeles Plays Itself 12.

Los Angeles Plays Itself

July 28, 2004 | Not Rated
This documentary examines how Los Angeles has been portrayed by Hollywood and the impact of the movie industry on the city.
Metascore:
86
User Score:
8.3
Springtime in a Small Town 13.

Springtime in a Small Town

May 14, 2004 | PG
Set in China in 1946, shortly after the withdrawal of Japanese troops, this is the story of a couple in a small town whose lives are interrupted by the visit of the husband's old friend from Shanghai.
Metascore:
86
User Score:
tbd
Festival Express 14.

Festival Express

July 30, 2004 | R
A rousing record of a little-known, but monumental, moment in rock n roll history. Set in 1970, Festival Express was a multi-band, multi-day extravaganza that captured the spirit and imagination of a generation and a nation. (ThinkFilm)
Metascore:
85
User Score:
6.2
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring 15.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring

April 2, 2004 | R
Entirely set on and around a tree-lined lake where a tiny Buddhist monastery floats on a raft amidst a breath-taking landscape, this film is divided into five segments with each season representing a stage in a man's life. (Sony Pictures Classics)
Metascore:
85
User Score:
8.3
Hero 16.

Hero

August 27, 2004 | PG-13
The time: two thousand years ago. The place: the violent dawn of the Qin dynasty. The story: the soon-to-be First Emperor of China is on the brink of conquering a war-torn land. Three opponents are determined to assassinate him and one loyal subject stands in their way. [Miramax]
Metascore:
85
User Score:
8.8
Since Otar Left 17.

Since Otar Left

April 30, 2004 | Unrated
A bittersweet tale of deception and affection about three Georgian women -- strong-willed matriarch Eka, her long-suffering daughter Marina and rebellious granddaughter Ada -- all live together in their stately-yet-crumbling apartment in contemporary Tbilisi, the capital of the former Soviet republic. (Zeitgeist Films)
Metascore:
85
User Score:
7.7
Distant 18.

Distant

March 12, 2004
A photographer who is haunted by the feeling that the gap between his ideals and his real life is growing finds himself obliged to put up in his apartment a young relative who has left behind his village looking for a job aboard a ship in Istanbul to go abroad.
Metascore:
84
User Score:
8.0
Goodbye, Dragon Inn 19.

Goodbye, Dragon Inn

September 17, 2004 | Not Rated
On the last night before the old movie theater is shut down, a Japanese youth, despite the hard rain, comes running into the theater. The theater seems empty, void of life; yet there are some people, and some may not be people... [Wellspring Media]
Metascore:
83
User Score:
5.9
Osama 20.

Osama

February 6, 2004 | PG-13
A 12-year-old Afghan girl and her mother lose their jobs when the Taliban closes the hospital where they work. Feeling she has no choice, the mother disguises her daughter as a boy. Now called Osama, the girl embarks on a terrifying and confusing journey as she tries to keep the Taliban from finding out her true identity. (United Artists)
Metascore:
83
User Score:
6.5
Spider-Man 2 21.

Spider-Man 2

June 30, 2004 | PG-13
In the second installment in the Spider-Man series, based on the classic Marvel Comics hero, Tobey Maguire returns as the mild-mannered Peter Parker, who is juggling the delicate balance of his dual life as a college student and a superhuman crime fighter. The entertaining adventure escalates and Spider-Man's life becomes even more complicated when he confronts a new nemesis, the brilliant Otto Octavius, (Molina) who has been reincarnated as the maniacal and multi-tentacled "Doc Ock." (Sony)
Metascore:
83
User Score:
8.5
Vera Drake 22.

Vera Drake

October 10, 2004 | R
A portrait of a back street abortionist in 1950's London.
Metascore:
83
User Score:
7.4
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 23.

Kill Bill: Vol. 2

April 16, 2004 | TV-MA
An epic tale of one woman's quest for justice presented in two installments. (Miramax)
Metascore:
83
User Score:
8.2
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 24.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

June 4, 2004 | PG
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry, Ron and Hermione, now teenagers, return for their third year at Hogwarts, where they are forced to face escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, who poses a great threat to Harry. Harry and his friends spend their third year learning how to handle a half-horse half-eagle Hippogriff, repel shape-shifting Boggarts and master the art of Divination. They also visit the wizarding village of Hogsmeade and the Shrieking Shack, which is considered the most haunted building in Britain. In addition to these new experiences, Harry must overcome the threats of the soul-sucking Dementors, outsmart a dangerous werewolf and finally deal with the truth about Sirius Black and his relationship to Harry and his parents. With his best friends, Harry masters advanced magic, crosses the barriers of time and changes the course of more than one life. [Warner Bros.]
Metascore:
82
User Score:
8.3
The Agronomist 25.

The Agronomist

April 23, 2004 | PG-13
This documentary is a profile of Jean Dominique, a Haitian radio journalist and human rights activist who was assassinated in 2000.
Metascore:
82
User Score:
8.4
Touching the Void 26.

Touching the Void

January 23, 2004 | R
This documentary follows the climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates as they set out to climb the west face of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes.
Metascore:
82
User Score:
8.6
Blissfully Yours 27.

Blissfully Yours

September 24, 2004 | Not Rated
This film focuses on a Burmese refugee whose fate has linked him to the lives of two Thai women in a border town. (Kick the Machine)
Metascore:
82
User Score:
7.2
The Return 28.

The Return

February 6, 2004 | Unrated
In contemporary Russia young brothers Vanya and Andrey have grown a deep attachment to each other to make up for their fatherless childhood. They are shocked to discover their father has returned after a twelve year absence. With their mother's uneasy blessing Vanya and Andrey set out on what they believe will be a fishing vacation with their taciturn father. [Kino International]
Metascore:
82
User Score:
8.2
The Twilight Samurai 29.

The Twilight Samurai

April 23, 2004
A family drama set in the late nineteenth century Japan, as the feudal Shogun period was giving way to the Meiji Restoration. [Empire Pictures]
Metascore:
82
User Score:
8.4
Cowards Bend the Knee or The Blue Hands 30.

Cowards Bend the Knee or The Blue Hands

August 11, 2004
A 10-part penny dreadful, a peepshow melodrama, loosely conceived around the filmmaker's autobiography, with an aesthetic that is one part "Vampire" serial, one part psycho fever-dream. (Film Forum)
Metascore:
82
User Score:
5.2
The Story of the Weeping Camel 31.

The Story of the Weeping Camel

June 4, 2004 | PG
Set amid the cast expanse of South Mongolia's Gobi Desert, this film follows the adventures of a family of camel herders who face a crisis when one mother camel rejects her newborn, following a particularly difficult delivery. Invoking an ancient ritual, the family sends two of its young boys to the capital city to enlist the aid of a musician whom they believe will coax the mother camel into nursing her baby. (ThinkFilm)
Metascore:
81
User Score:
8.4
Bad Education 32.

Bad Education

November 19, 2004 | NC-17
In the early 60s, two boys - Ignacio and Enrique - discover love, movies and fear in a Christian school. Father Manolo, the school principal and Literature teacher, both witnesses and takes part in these discoveries. The three characters come against one another twice again, in the late 70s and in 1980. These meetings are set to change the life and death of some of them. (Club Cultura)
Metascore:
81
User Score:
7.7
Tom Dowd & the Language of Music 33.

Tom Dowd & the Language of Music

January 16, 2004 | Unrated
This documentary profiles the life and work of a man whose personal history reflects the evolution of modern music and recording technology: legendary producer/recording engineer Tom Dowd.
Metascore:
80
User Score:
tbd
Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin 34.

Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin

February 13, 2004
The title says it all.
Metascore:
80
User Score:
8.0
Riding Giants 35.

Riding Giants

July 9, 2004 | PG-13
This documentary takes viewers along surfing's timeline, highlighting the group of extraordinary adventurers that emerged: surfers who, not satisfied with the mere recreational and social aspects of the sport, began searching for bigger and bigger waves, pushing the boundaries of performance to explore the "unridden realm." (Sony Pictures Classics)
Metascore:
80
User Score:
tbd
Oasis 36.

Oasis

May 7, 2004
A hardened ex-con falls for a severely disabled woman in this psychological drama.
Metascore:
79
User Score:
8.1
Hotel Rwanda 37.

Hotel Rwanda

December 22, 2004 | R
Based on true events from the civil war in Rwanda, this film profiles Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), the manager of a luxury hotel who opened his establishment to Tutsi refugees despite the danger to himself and his family.
Metascore:
79
User Score:
8.6
Kinsey 38.

Kinsey

November 12, 2004 | TV-MA
This film turns the microscope on Alfred Kinsey (Neeson) in a portrait of a man driven to uncover the most private secrets of a nation. (Fox Searchlight)
Metascore:
79
User Score:
5.6
Bright Leaves 39.

Bright Leaves

August 25, 2004
This documentary is a subjective, autobiographical meditation on the allure of cigarettes and their troubling legacy for the state of North Carolina. (First Run Features)
Metascore:
79
User Score:
6.3
The Five Obstructions 40.

The Five Obstructions

May 26, 2004 | Unrated
Lars von Trier has a bizarre way of showing his regard for mentor Jørgen Leth whose 1967 short film The Perfect Human, he claims to have seen 20 times. Von Trier challenges Leth to remake the film following an increasingly difficult set of obstructions.
Metascore:
79
User Score:
6.9
Control Room 41.

Control Room

May 21, 2004
Directed by Jehane Noujaim, an award-winning Arab-American filmmaker who has lived within and embraced both worlds, Control Room re-examines what is perhaps the pressing question of: "is America radicalizing or stabilizing the Arab world?" By providing a balanced view of Al-Jazeera's presentation of the second Iraq war to their worldwide Arab audience, it calls into question many of the prevailing images and positions offered up by the U.S. news media. (Magnolia Pictures)
Metascore:
79
User Score:
7.5
Lightning in a Bottle 42.

Lightning in a Bottle

October 22, 2004 | PG-13
On February 7th, 2003, renowned artists across multiple music genres and generations commandeered the stage at New York City?s Radio City Music Hall to pay tribute to their common heritage and passion - the blues. This documentary captures the night?s magic and weaves a history of the blues through the juxtaposition of performances, backstage interviews, rehearsals and archival clips of some of the greatest names in American music. (Sony Pictures Classics)
Metascore:
78
User Score:
tbd
Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids 43.

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids

December 8, 2004 | R
This documentary is an inspiring look at the transformative journey of a group of extraordinary children in Calcutta's red light district. (ThinkFilm)
Metascore:
78
User Score:
8.1
Blind Shaft 44.

Blind Shaft

February 4, 2004 | Unrated
This film tells the story of two itinerant Chinese miners who risk their lives under dangerous working conditions and develop questionable morals in order to survive. (Kino International)
Metascore:
78
User Score:
7.8
Lost Boys of Sudan 45.

Lost Boys of Sudan

February 18, 2004 | Unrated
A feature-length documentary that follows two Sudanese refugees on an extraordinary journey from Africa to America.
Metascore:
78
User Score:
6.5
The Saddest Music in the World 46.

The Saddest Music in the World

April 30, 2004 | R
It's 1933 in Winnipeg and the Great Depression is in full bloom. Beer Baroness Lady Port-Huntly (Rossellini) announces a global competition to determine the saddest music in the world, and musicians from across the globe pour into town to vie for the whopping $25,000 prize. Part musical melodrama, part tongue-in-cheek social satire, Guy Maddin's expressionistic film achieves a level of lunacy rarely seen since the Marx Brothers. (IFC Films)
Metascore:
78
User Score:
6.6
Son frère 47.

Son frère

April 2, 2004
Thomas and Luc are brothers. Thomas is straight; Luc is gay. Unable to accept his brother's homosexuality, Thomas distances himself. When Thomas contracts a terminal illness, he intrudes into Luc's contented life and asks him to be his caretaker. (Strand Releasing)
Metascore:
78
User Score:
tbd
The Aviator 48.

The Aviator

December 17, 2004 | PG-13
Leonardo DiCaprio stars as aviation pioneer Howard Hughes in this biopic directed by Martin Scorsese.
Metascore:
77
User Score:
8.4
A Talking Picture 49.

A Talking Picture

December 10, 2004 | Not Rated
A young history professor and her seven-year-old daughter embark on a cruise through the Mediterranean Sea and befriend three famous women of different nationalities. [Kino International]
Metascore:
77
User Score:
5.7
Notre musique 50.

Notre musique

November 24, 2004
Part poetry, part journalism, part philosophy, Jean-Luc Godard's Notre Musique is a timeless meditation on war as seen through the prisms of cinema, text and image. (Wellspring Media)
Metascore:
77
User Score:
7.0
Home of the Brave 51.

Home of the Brave

October 27, 2004
A documentary about Viola Liuzzo, the only white woman murdered in the civil rights movement in America and why we DON'T know who she is. Told through the eyes of her children, the film follows the on-going struggle of an American family to survive the consequences of their mother's heroism and the mystery behind her killing. (Emerging Pictures)
Metascore:
77
User Score:
tbd
Bukowski: Born into This 52.

Bukowski: Born into This

May 28, 2004 | R
The first comprehensive documentary on author Charles Bukowski, one of those rare writers whose work created a myth of epic proportions around its creator. (Magnolia Pictures)
Metascore:
77
User Score:
7.2
Dig! 53.

Dig!

October 1, 2004 | R
Dig! is a feature-length documentary shot over seven years about musicians Anton Newcombe, leader of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Courtney Taylor, head of the Dandy Warhols, star crossed friends and bitter rivals. (Palm Pictures)
Metascore:
76
User Score:
7.2
A Very Long Engagement 54.

A Very Long Engagement

November 26, 2004 | R
An extraordinary love story set against the background of World War I.
Metascore:
76
User Score:
7.7
This So-Called Disaster: Sam Shepard Directs the Late Henry Moss 55.

This So-Called Disaster: Sam Shepard Directs the Late Henry Moss

April 21, 2004 | R
After appearing in Michael Almereyda's film version of Hamlet (in which he played the ghost), Sam Shepard invited the filmmaker to document the staging of his most recent play, "The Late Henry Moss," when it premiered in San Francisco in the fall of 2000. The resulting documentary is a remarkable group portrait - a vivid look at masterful performers working their way through a process of creative discovery. (IFC Films)
Metascore:
76
User Score:
tbd
Shaun of the Dead 56.

Shaun of the Dead

September 24, 2004 | R
This "rom zom com" (romantic zombie comedy) follows the bloody funny adventures of underachiever Shaun (Pegg) and his best mate Ed (Frost) as they cope with a zombie invasion of North London and attempt to rescue Shaun's girlfriend Liz (Ashfield) and his Mum (Wilton). It's going to be one hell of a weekend. (Rogue Pictures)
Metascore:
76
User Score:
8.5
The Manchurian Candidate 57.

The Manchurian Candidate

July 30, 2004 | R
As the entire nation watches the presidential campaign hurtle towards Election Day, one soldier races to uncover the conspiracy behind it -- a conspiracy that seeks to destroy democracy itself. (Paramount Pictures)
Metascore:
76
User Score:
7.7
Fear and Trembling 58.

Fear and Trembling

November 19, 2004 | Unrated
Amélie, a dreamy and romantic young Belgian woman, arrives in Japan to begin work as a translator for the giant Yumimoto Corporation. For Amélie, who spent her childhood in Japan, this is a dream come true. But unfamiliar with the customs of the Japanese workplace, she commits a series of cultural missteps and is singled out as a deviant within the company. Unable to stop her downfall, Amélie suddenly stumbles upon her own extraordinary means of liberation. [Cinema Guild]
Metascore:
75
User Score:
7.5
MC5*: A True Testimonial 59.

MC5*: A True Testimonial

April 23, 2004
The hidden and forgotten history of an incredible group in an incredible time in America, this documentary profiles the Detroit rock group MC5. (Future/Now Films)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
8.3
Knafayim Shvurot 60.

Knafayim Shvurot

March 12, 2004 | R
An intimate and universal coming of age story set within a dysfunctional, mourning family. (Sony Pictures Classics)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
4.6
Infernal Affairs 61.

Infernal Affairs

September 24, 2004 | R
A tightly wound thriller which centers on two Hong Kong police officers - one a gang mole on the force and the other an undercover cop in the gang - who share the same objectives and who find their destinies intertwined in this high-octane police actioner. [Miramax]
Metascore:
75
User Score:
6.8
The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi 62.

The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi

July 23, 2004 | R
Director Takeshi Kitano takes on Japanese cinematic legend Zatoichi. Kitano stars as the blind wanderer with a distinctive red cane and a shock of platinum blonde hair. Softly-spoken, he makes a living as a masseur and by gambling, but his humble, shuffling facade masks a lightning-fast, deadly swordsman. (Miramax)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
7.4
Shrek 2 63.

Shrek 2

May 19, 2004 | PG
The fairy tale continues as everyone's favorite ogre faces his greatest challenge of all -- the inlaws! (DreamWorks)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
8.7
The Clay Bird 64.

The Clay Bird

April 30, 2004
A young student is torn between the worlds of Hindu and Muslim religions in this Bangladeshi film directed by Tareque Masud. (Milestone Films)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
8.6
The Motorcycle Diaries 65.

The Motorcycle Diaries

September 24, 2004 | R
This film follows an inspiring journey of self-discovery and traces the youthful origins of a revolutionary heart, Che Guevara. (Focus Features)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
7.6
The Deserted Station 66.

The Deserted Station

December 3, 2004
Based on a concept the director and Abbas Kiarostami developed on a photography trip together, a man and a young woman are stranded in a remote village after their car breaks down. The photographer and the sole adult male inhabitant, a schoolteacher, leave to get help while the young woman, herself childless, bonds with the children whose parents are nowhere to be found. (First Run Features)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
8.1
Kitchen Stories 67.

Kitchen Stories

February 20, 2004 | Unrated
In the early '50s the Home Research Institute in Sweden sends 18 observers to the rural district of Landstad, Norway, with its surplus of bachelors, to study the kitchen routines of single men. (IFC Films)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
6.6
Baadasssss! 68.

Baadasssss!

May 28, 2004 | R
Mario Van Peebles directs an honest and revealing portrait of his pioneering father Melvin. (Sony Pictures Classics)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
8.4
Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst 69.

Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst

November 26, 2004 | Unrated
An unprecedented account of the Symbionese Liberation Army, arguably the most notorious and flamboyant domestic terrorist group in American history. (Magnolia Pictures)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
tbd
S21: The Khmer Rouge Death Machine 70.

S21: The Khmer Rouge Death Machine

May 19, 2004 | Unrated
In 1975-79, the Khmer Rouge waged a campaign of genocide on Cambodia?s population. 1.7 million Cambodians lost their lives to famine and murder as the urban population was forced into the countryside to fulfill the Khmer Rouges' dream of an agrarian utopia. In S21, Panh brings two survivors back to the notorious Tuol Sleng prison (code-named "S21"), now a genocide museum where former Khmer Rouge are employed as guides. (First Run Features)
Metascore:
75
User Score:
6.1
On the Run 71.

On the Run

January 30, 2004 | Unrated
This taut thriller in the crime/gangster tradition is the first segment of the unprecedented trilogy of films from Belgian actor/director Lucas Belvaux.
Metascore:
75
User Score:
tbd
Tokyo Godfathers 72.

Tokyo Godfathers

January 16, 2004 | PG-13
In modern-day Tokyo, three homeless people’s lives are changed forever when they discover a baby girl at a garbage dump on Christmas Eve. As the New Year fast approaches, these three forgotten members of society band together to solve the mystery of the abandoned child and the fate of her parents. Along the way, encounters with seemingly unrelated events and people force them to confront their own haunted pasts, as they learn to face their future, together.
Metascore:
74
User Score:
7.9
The Sea Inside 73.

The Sea Inside

December 17, 2004 | PG-13
Based on the profoundly moving true story that captured the world's attention, The Sea Inside is about Spaniard Ramon Sampedro (Bardem), who fought a 30-year campaign to win the right to end his life with dignity. The film is the story of Ramon's relationships with two women: Julia (Rueda), a lawyer who supports his cause, and Rosa (Duenas), a local woman who wants to convince him that life is worth living. (Fine Line Features)
Metascore:
74
User Score:
8.0
End of the Century 74.

End of the Century

August 20, 2004 | Unrated
This documentary look at the Ramones traces the history of the band, from its unlikely origins, through its star-crossed career, bitter demise and the sad fates of Joey and Dee Dee. End of the Century is a vibrant, candid document of one of the most influential groups in the history of rock. (Magnolia Pictures)
Metascore:
74
User Score:
7.5
Red Lights 75.

Red Lights

August 20, 2004 | Unrated
Set during a summer holiday weekend in France, this is an edge-of-your-seat thriller in the tradition of Claude Chabrol and Alfred Hitchcock. (Wellspring)
Metascore:
74
User Score:
5.9
Raja 76.

Raja

March 26, 2004
Shot entirely in Morocco and Marrakech, Raja is the story of a beautiful young Moroccan woman living on the streets.
Metascore:
74
User Score:
tbd
Mean Creek 77.

Mean Creek

August 20, 2004 | R
When a group of teenage boys and one bold young girl seek playful revenge on the kid who has tormented them, nothing turns out the way they expected. What begins as a trip down a river and a childish prank soon turns into an eye-opening encounter with the enemy -- a harrowing journey into wilderness and an event that will force them to grapple with the very meaning of friendship and responsibility. (Paramount Classics)
Metascore:
74
User Score:
7.9
In the Realms of the Unreal 78.

In the Realms of the Unreal

December 22, 2004 | Unrated
This explores the parallel lives of legendary outsider artist Henry Darger, a reclusive janitor by day and a visionary artist by night. (Diorama Films)
Metascore:
74
User Score:
7.1
The Keys to the House 79.

The Keys to the House

December 22, 2004 | PG
The story of a young father forging a relationship with his handicapped son, whom he meets for the first time as a teenager.
Metascore:
74
User Score:
7.3
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster 80.

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

July 9, 2004 | R
Three years in the making, this documentary provides a fascinating, in-depth portrait of the most successful heavy metal band of all time, as they faced monumental personal and professional challenges while recording their first studio album of original songs in five years. (IFC Films)
Metascore:
74
User Score:
6.7
Teacher's Pet 81.

Teacher's Pet

January 16, 2004 | PG
The hysterical tale of a "Spot," a talking canine whose ultimate wish is to become "a real boy." (Disney)
Metascore:
74
User Score:
7.9
Arna's Children 82.

Arna's Children

October 8, 2004
A documentary about the tragedy of the Israeli occupation, focusing on an alternative education system and theatre group developed by a woman from a Zionist family who is married to a Palestinian Arab.
Metascore:
73
User Score:
8.0
Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed 83.

Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed

September 24, 2004
This is the first historical documentary on Brooklyn Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm and her campaign to become the Democratic Party's presidential nominee in 1972. (REALside Productions)
Metascore:
73
User Score:
tbd
The Bourne Supremacy 84.

The Bourne Supremacy

July 23, 2004 | PG-13
The Bourne Supremacy re-enters the shadowy world of expert assassin Jason Bourne (Damon), who continues to find himself plagued by splintered nightmares from his former life. The stakes are now even higher for the agent as he coolly maneuvers through the dangerous waters of international espionage - replete with CIA plots, turncoat agents and ever-shifting covert alliances - all the while hoping to find the truth behind his haunted memories and answers to his own fragmented past. (Universal Studios)
Metascore:
73
User Score:
8.7
Last Life in the Universe 85.

Last Life in the Universe

August 6, 2004 | R
A magic-realist romance about the culture bridges we build -- and sometimes wish we could jump off of. (Palm Pictures)
Metascore:
73
User Score:
8.3
Super Size Me 86.

Super Size Me

May 7, 2004 | PG
Why are Americans so fat? Find out in Super Size Me, a tongue in-cheek - and burger in hand -- look at the legal, financial and physical costs of America's hunger for fast food. (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
Metascore:
73
User Score:
7.5
I'm Not Scared 87.

I'm Not Scared

April 9, 2004 | TV-MA
Something sinister is lurking under the surface of 10 year old Michele's idyllic summer in 1978. While the days in his remote southern Italian village are filled with the familiar routines of childhood, a chance discovery leads to a shocking revelation. (Miramax)
Metascore:
73
User Score:
7.6
Big Animal 88.

Big Animal

February 20, 2004 | Unrated
A lovely, small film that exposes greed and pettiness while celebrating the most beautiful human themes: love, friendship and tolerance. (Milestone Films)
Metascore:
73
User Score:
tbd
After the Life 89.

After the Life

February 13, 2004 | Unrated
This serious drama is the second segment of the unprecedented trilogy of films from Belgian actor/director Lucas Belvaux.
Metascore:
73
User Score:
tbd
The Corporation 90.

The Corporation

June 4, 2004 | Unrated
This feature documentary analyzes the very nature of the corporate institution, its impacts on our planet, and what people are doing in response. (Zeitgeist Films)
Metascore:
73
User Score:
8.1
The Scandal 91.

The Scandal

October 13, 2004
Based on the novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Untold Scandal is set in aristocratic 18th century Korea at the end of the Chosun Dynasty. (Kino International)
Metascore:
73
User Score:
6.5
Ray 92.

Ray

October 29, 2004 | PG-13
Ray is the never-before-told, musical biographical drama of American legend Ray Charles. Featuring Jamie Foxx in the central role, Ray follows the inspiring story of a one-of-a-kind genius. (Universal)
Metascore:
73
User Score:
8.4
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There 93.

Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There

June 11, 2004 | Unrated
The most important, ambitious and comprehensive film ever made about America's most celebrated indigenous art form, Broadway tells the stories of our theatrical legends, how they came to New York, and how they created this legendary century in American theatre. (Second Act Productions)
Metascore:
72
User Score:
8.3
Hellboy 94.

Hellboy

April 2, 2004 | PG-13
A supernatural action-adventure based on Mike Mignola's acclaimed Dark Horse Comic series of the same name. [Sony]
Metascore:
72
User Score:
7.6
The Mother 95.

The Mother

May 28, 2004 | R
May is an ordinary grandmother from the suburbs. When her husband dies on a family visit to London, she recedes into the background of her busy, metropolitan children's lives. Stuck in an unfamiliar city far from home, May fears that she has become another invisible old lady whose life is more or less over. Until she falls for Darren, a man half her age who is renovating her son's house and sleeping with her daughter. (Sony Pictures Classics)
Metascore:
72
User Score:
8.0
The Woodsman 96.

The Woodsman

December 24, 2004 | R
A harrowing and moving tale of one man's attempt to re-enter society after twelve years in prison. (Newmarket Films)
Metascore:
72
User Score:
7.8
Time of the Wolf 97.

Time of the Wolf

June 25, 2004
An apocalyptic calamity has left the people of Europe struggling to survive amidst drastic shortages of food and water. A couple decides to flee the city to their country house with what meager supplies they can find in hopes of protecting their children. To their surprise and horror they find the house already occupied by another equally desperate family. The ensuing confrontation forever changes their -- setting them adrift in a chaotic, often indifferent world in which their survival hinges on the strained compassion of those they encounter. (Palm Pictures)
Metascore:
71
User Score:
6.8
Intimate Strangers 98.

Intimate Strangers

July 30, 2004 | R
In this provocative love story masked in the guise of a suspense thriller, a beautiful Parisian woman opens the wrong door and steps into a dizzying psychological mystery that will forever change two lives. (Paramount Classics)
Metascore:
71
User Score:
7.6
The Tracker 99.

The Tracker

January 16, 2004
The year is 1922. The Tracker has the job of pursuing The Fugitive, an aborigine who is suspected of murdering a white woman, as he leads three mounted policemen: The Fanatic, The Follower and also The Veteran across the outback. (ArtMattan)
Metascore:
71
User Score:
6.9
Dolls 100.

Dolls

December 10, 2004
Three contemporary stories inspired by the everlasting emotions expressed by the precious dolls of Bunraku theater. Three stories delicately intertwined by the beauty of sadness. Three stories of undying love. (Palm Pictures)
Metascore:
71
User Score:
6.7

Titles with fewer than 7 critic reviews are excluded.