2004 Best Reviewed Movies (Page #18)

For some athletes, the ultimate win comes through a stroke of luck, but for Robert Tyre Jones, Jr., Bobby Jones, the only golfer in history to win the prestigious Grand Slam all in the same year—it was truly a stroke of genius. Having overcome an early childhood illness, he would later leave an indelible print in sports history. In 1930, at the age of 28, Jones won the title of Grand Slam Champion by winning the British Amateur, the British Open, the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur. His record remains unbroken today. Even then, Jones was still able to complete two college degrees and graduate from law school. Eventually torn between his family and the game he loved, Jones retired early to spend time with his wife and children. However, his contributions to golfing continued, as Jones went on to found the acclaimed Augusta National Golf Club and the annual professional and amateur tournament—The Masters. The biopic, itself, is not only a story about the amazing feats Bobby Jones accomplished on the golf course, but also, the way he lived his life off the course. Bobby Jones became a true American hero, not because he played for money or fame, but rather for the love of the game. Bobby Jones, whose natural skill and uncanny passion for the game earned him the title the best golfer in the world, will always be remembered as a true gentleman and gracious sportsman.

Based on the novel by Anne Tyler, "A Slipping Down Life" is the story of the peculiar courtship of an awkward young woman and a charismatic singer/songwriter, and the profound effect that their unlikely relationship has on eachother's lives and futures. Evie Decker (Lili Taylor) is a painfully timid young woman whose monotonous life consists of living with her reclusive widower father (Tom Bower) and working a dead-end job dressed in a rabbit costume at a rundown amusement park. Evie's quiet existence is shattered when she hears a late-night radio interview with struggling musician Drumstrings Casey (Guy Pearce). Evie is fascinated with his seductive voice and sultry lyrics and convinces her best friend Violet (Sara Rue) to go with her to the local roadhouse to see him perform. Seeing him in person, Evie becomes even more mesmerized by the handsome and brooding musicians. During one of Drum's shows, Evie's growing infatuation blends with obsession when she becomes so entranced by his singing that she actually cuts his name into her forehead with a piece of glass. Instead of regretting her action, she considers this her first step towards taking more control of her life. The stunt brings her to Drum's attention and he and his manager David Elliot (John Hawkes) decide to use her as a marketing gimmick at future shows. Evie's total faith in Drum's talent inspires and intrigues him while her role as his "muse" imparts Evie with uncharacteristic self-assurance. The physical attraction between Evie and Drum increases as their emotional need for one another becomes more and more apparent. The inspiration they find together to break out from the confines of low expectations and the ordinariness of small town life begins to conflict with the pursuit of their individual dreams. Together or apart they must decide which path will lead to the fulfillment of their newfound strength.

Deep in a remote desert, vampire leaders are resurrecting Dracula, the horrific creature who spawned their race. Now known as Drake, this awesome vampire has unique powers that allow him to exist in daylight. To make things even more difficult for Blade, the vampiric leadership launches a smear campaign against him, targeting him as a murderous monster and sending the FBI after him. After Blade and his mentor, Whistler, have an explosive showdown with FBI agent Cumberland and his men, it's evident that the Daywalker will need some assistance. Blade reluctantly teams up with the Nightstalkers, a group of human vampire hunters led by Whistler's beautiful daughter, Abigail, and the wisecracking Hannibal King. While their blind scientist Sommerfield works on creating a final solution for the vampire problem, the Nightstalkers launch a relentless series of battles against Dracula's gang of the undead, led by the powerful vampire Danica Talos and her fanged acolytes Asher and Grimwood. Ultimately, Blade finds himself taking on the greatest vampire of all time, as his own fate and that of humanity hang in the balance.

In this heartwarming comedy from director Garry Marshall ("Runaway Bride", "The Princess Diaries"), Helen Harris (Kate Hudson) is living the life she always dreamed of. Her career at a top Manhattan modeling agency is on the rise; she spends her days at fashion shows and her nights at the city's hottest clubs. But her carefree lifestyle comes to a screeching halt when one phone call changes everything. Helen soon finds herself responsible for her sister's children -- 15-year-old Audrey (Hayden Panettiere), 10-year-old Henry (Spencer Breslin), and 5-year-old Sarah (Abigail Breslin). No one doubts that Helen is the coolest aunt in New York, but what does this glamour girl know about raising kids? The fun begins as Helen goes through the transformation from super hip to super mom, but she quickly finds that dancing at 3 a.m. doesn't mix with getting kids to school on time, advice that Helen's older sister, Jenny (Joan Cusack), is only too quick to dish out. Along the way, Helen finds support in the most unusual place with Dan Parker (John Corbett), the handsome young pastor and principal of the kids' new school, and realizes the choice she has to make is between the life she's always loved and the new loves of her life.

A rebellious rich boy reluctantly lands in the Marine Corps and falls for a beautiful but crazy young musician while on leave. Against the wishes of family and friends and under strict regulations of military life, the two find romance and solace within each other - facing obstacles that may force them apart.

Havana: November, 1958. 18-year-old Katey Miller (Romola Garai) brings an innate curiosity and a smattering of Spanish to her new life in Cuba's lush capital, where her father has taken an executive posting at Ford. Bookish and awkward, Katey is expected to join the smart set of American teenagers who are the Millers' neighbors at the exclusive Oceana Hotel. But Katey finds herself drawn instead to the proud, purposeful Javier (Diego Luna), a waiter who also happens to be brilliant dancer. Determined to learn the slinky, spectacular moves that Javier seems to know in his bones, Katey persuades him to partner with her in a prestigious national dance competition at Havana's glittering nightclub/casino, The Palace. Soon, the straight-A student is deceiving her parents, stealing away both day and night to discover a different part of Cuba with Javier. They meet at the steamy nightclub La Rosa Negra, where only the locals go and where the dancing is hotter than the temperature outside. Some days, they practice on the sand of an out-of-the way beach, aligning their bodies in a sensual harmony that mirrors the growing passion between them. As the night of the contest finally arrives, Katey and Javier are ready to take their place as a couple on the dance floor - unaware that the country club, and the streets of Havana itself, are about to erupt in revolutionary violence.

Live-action version of the Saturday morning television cartoon (1972-85) following the misadventures of a group of adolescent boys growing up in a Philadelphia neighborhood, focusing on an obese boy named Albert and his friends Rudy, Mushmouth, Bill, Dumb Donald, Russell, and Weird Harold. Fat Albert pulls his pals into trouble when they fall out of their TV world into the real world, where Fat Albert tries to help a young girl, Doris, make friends. However, the simple life of the group is interrupted when Fat Albert falls for Doris' older sister, Lauri, sparking his friends to worry that their leader may never want to return to his cartoon world.

A top FBI profiler, Special Agent Illeana Scott (Angelina Jolie) doesn't rely on traditional crime-solving techniques to unravel the mysteries of a murderous mind. Her intuitive, unconventional approach often makes the crucial difference between catching a killer and sending a dead-end case to the cold file. When Montreal detectives handling a local homicide investigation reluctantly ask for an outsider's help to get inside the head of a cunning serial killer, Agent Scott joins the case. With meticulous insight, she theorizes that the chameleon-like killer is "life-jacking" – assuming the lives and identities of his victims. As the pressure mounts to catch the elusive murderer, Agent Scott's unorthodox methods alienate her from a territorial police team that feels threatened by her uncanny abilities. Her seemingly cold demeanor belies an unparalleled passion for her work, and she's at her best when she's working alone. But when an unexpected attraction sparks a complicated romantic entanglement, the consummate specialist begins to doubt her finely-honed instincts. Alone in an unfamiliar city with no one she can trust, Agent Scott suddenly finds herself on a twisted and terrifying journey, surrounded by suspects in a case that has become chillingly personal.

In "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed", Scooby and the gang confront an anonymous masked villain who is plotting to take over the city of Coolsville by wreaking mayhem with a monster machine that creates Mystery Inc.'s classic foes like The Pterodactyl Ghost, The Black Knight Ghost and The 10,000 Volt Ghost. Meanwhile, the gang's detecting abilities are scrutinized by relentless reporter Heather Jasper-Howe (Alicia Silverstone), aided by museum curator Patrick Wisely (Seth Green) and thwarted by nasty Jeremiah Wickles (Peter Boyle).

Set in the fast-paced world of motorcycle racing, this action movie shows what happens to long-time biker Cary Ford (Martin Henderson) when he is framed by a long-time rival, Henry (Matt Schulze), the leader of a biker gang called the Hellions for the murder of Sleepy D, the brother of Trey Wallace (Ice Cube), the leader of the Machine, the most notorious and feared biker gang in the country. Cary and his friends must make a run for it as they have both Trey and his Machine bikers and the FBI on their tails.