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.
Osama (2003)
7.4/10
Director: Siddiq Barmak
Starring: Marina Golbahari, Arif Herati, Zubaida Sahar
The first feature film from post-Taliban Afghanistan, this award-winning drama is set during the radical Islamic regime's rule. With women forbidden t... Read more
Power Trip (2003)
7.5/10
Director: Paul Devlin
Attempting to supply modern electrical power to the former Soviet republic of Georgia, a powerful American energy company encounters enormous drama an... Read more
Ruby and Quentin ( Tais-toi! ) (2003)
4.9/10
Director: Francis Veber
Starring: Jean Reno, Gerard Depardieu
Ruby (Jean Reno) has only one thing on his mind: to avenge the death of the woman he loved at the hand of a criminal. Quentin (Gerard Depardieu) has v... Read more
Shattered Glass (2003)
7.2/10
Director: Billy Ray
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, Melanie Lynskey,...
Gripping true story centres on Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen), a young journalist for The New Republic magazine who quickly wins over colleagues w... Read more
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
7.9/10
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Penelope Wilton,...
There comes a day in every man's life when he has to get off the couch... and kill some zombies. When flesh-eating zombies are on the hunt for a bite... Read more
Since Otar Left (2003)
7.6/10
Director: Julie Bertuccelli
Starring: Ester Gorintin, Nino Khomassouridze, Dinara Droukarova
Three generations of women share a crowded apartment in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi. Strong-willed, elderly matriarch Eka lives for letters a... Read more
Somersault (2004)
6.8/10
Director: Cate Shortland
Starring: Abbie Cornish, Sam Worthington, Lynette Curran, Erik Thomson
Heidi (Abbie Cornish), starved of true affection, looks to short-lived sexual encounters for the physical and emotional contact she craves. After a co... Read more
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring (2003)
Director: Kim Ki-duk
Starring: Oh Yeong-Su, Kim Ki-duk, Kim Yeong-min
A tiny Buddhist monastery floats on a raft amidst a breathtaking landscape, tended to by a solitary Monk. Into this serene setting comes a young child... Read more
Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator (2002)
7.2/10
Director: Helen Stickler
Starring: Mark Rogowski, Tony Hawk, Stacy Peralta
In the 1980s, professional skateboarder Mark "Gator" Rogowski was one of the sport's most revered icons. This captivating documentary chronicles the d... Read more
Super Size Me (2004)
7.2/10
Director: Morgan Spurlock
Starring: Morgan Spurlock
What would happen if you were to eat only food from McDonald's for an entire month? That question is answered in this controversial - and wildly enter... Read more