Film Festivals 2004
Another great year for documentary fans with the gripping 'Capturing the Friedmans', political offerings 'Control Room', Robert McNamara in 'Fog of War', and the disturbing psyche of 'The Corporation'. For music lovers there was the fascinating 'End of the Century: The Sory of the Ramones', 'The Mayor of Sunset Strip', 'Metallica: Some Kind of Monster' and 'Festival Express'. Hector Babenco broke a long absence from directing with the powerhouse 'Carandiru' while Zhang Yimou's lush 'Hero' made it to New Zealand screens along with 'Motorcycle Diaries', gut-wrenching Korean flick 'Old Boy', heart-tugger 'Osama' and the delightful 'Triplets of Belleville' to name just a few.
Maria Full of Grace (2004)
7.5/10
Director: Joshua Marston
Starring: Catalina Sandino Moreno, Yenny Paola Vega, John Alex Toro, Guilied Lopez, Patric...
Director Joshua Marston's powerful tale introduces us to a determined young woman whose desire for a brighter future leads her into a world of unimagi... Read more
Mayor of the Sunset Strip (2003)
7/10
Director: George Hickenlooper
Starring: Beck , Cher , Coldplay , Rodney Bingenheimer, David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Elvis C...
When music scene demi-legend Rodney Bingenheimer was still an awkward unpopular teenager his autograph hound mother dropped him off in front of actre... Read more
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)
7.5/10
Director: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky
Starring: James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo
Three years in the making, this acclaimed documentary from filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky ("Brother's Keeper") provides a fascinating, in... Read more
Monsieur Ibrahim (2003)
7.5/10
Director: Francois Dupeyron
Starring: Omar Sharif, Pierre Boulanger
Set against the backdrop of 1960s Paris, this wondrous French drama details the relationship between a disconnected Jewish teen and a kindly Muslim de... Read more
My Life Without Me (2003)
7.6/10
Director: Isabel Coixet
Starring: Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Scott Speedman, Amanda Plummer, Leonor Watling, Debo...
Ann (Sarah Polley) is 23, has two daughters, a husband (Scott Speedman), a fretting mother (Deborah Harry), lives in Vancouver, and discovers that she... Read more
Nobody Knows (2004)
8.1/10
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Starring: Yuya Yagira, Ayu Kitaura, Hiei Kimura, Momoko Shimizu, Hanae Kim
Inspired by incredible true events, this is the story of 12-year-old Akira who one day finds a note from his mother saying she'll be gone for a while,... Read more
Oldboy (2003)
8.4/10
Director: Chan-wook Park
Starring: Min-sik Choi, Hye-jeong Kang, Ji-tae Yu
Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) has been imprisoned in a room for 15 years with no explanation when, barely sane, he is released. Thrown back into the world... Read more
One Missed Call (2003)
6.2/10
Director: Takashi Miike
Starring: Kou Shibasaki, Renji Ishibashi, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Kazue Fukiishi
From cult Japanese director Takashi Miike comes this typically stylish idiosyncratic horror-thriller. Yumi's friend has a missed call on her cell-pho... Read more
One Missed Call (blu-ray) (2003)
6.2/10
Director: Takashi Miike
Starring: Kou Shibasaki, Renji Ishibashi, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Kazue Fukiishi
From cult Japanese director Takashi Miike comes this typically stylish idiosyncratic horror-thriller. Yumi's friend has a missed call on her cell-pho... Read more
Only the Strong Survive (2002)
6.8/10
Director: Chris Hegedus, D A Pennebaker
Starring: Jerry Butler, The Chi-Lites, Isaac Hayes, Sam Moore, Ann Peebles, Wilson Pickett...
Revealing documentary from co-director D.A. Pennebaker ("Dont Look Back") offers a vibrant, captivating look at the legendary Memphis, Tennessee, musi... Read more