Drama
Man on Fire 2004
Denzel Washington's bodyguard-revenge thriller, taken partly to dodge accusations of category fraud after flirting with The Life Aquatic here instead.
The Big Picture · Draft
The 2004 Movie Draft
September 14, 2021/ 91 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins · Chris Ryan
Sean, Amanda, and Chris draft the movies of 2004 across six categories, then argue about who got stuck with Million Dollar Baby.
18 films across 1 segment.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
The 2004 Movie Draft drafting 2004 movies
Chris Ryan
Comedy or Horror
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy 2004
"The funniest movie I've ever seen": the DVD extras and outtakes turned it into a phenomenon that outlived the theatrical run.
Oscar Winner
Ray 2004
Taken for Jamie Foxx's total commitment to the Ray Charles bit as much as the movie itself, which he calls "totally fine."
Sequel
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 2004
Rewatched recently on cable and holds up better than remembered, closer to a Western than the first volume, with a stacked ensemble.
Blockbuster
Collateral 2004
Michael Mann's Tom Cruise/Jamie Foxx two-hander, called one of the best LA movies ever made. The Audioslave-scored coyote scene gets singled out.
Wildcard
Shaun of the Dead 2004
Edgar Wright's breakout, still argued as his best or second-best film.
Sean Fennessey
Drama
Before Sunset 2004
The second Linklater/Hawke/Delpy film, called the most beautifully made of the trilogy and a contender for best movie ending ever.
Comedy or Horror
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou 2004
IMDb lists it as action/adventure/comedy, but it's defended as darker and more of a downer than people remember: a father-son story about not relating.
Oscar Winner
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2004
Won Best Original Screenplay; Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman's Jim Carrey/Kate Winslet film that's drifted from mainstream hit to cult favorite.
Sequel
Spider-Man 2 2004
Sam Raimi's film, argued as the movie most responsible for unlocking two decades of comic-book culture had it flopped.
Blockbuster
The Aviator 2004
Scorsese's Howard Hughes biopic with Leonardo DiCaprio, called mid-tier Scorsese but fun and beautifully made.
Wildcard
2046 2004
Wong Kar-wai's loose sequel to In the Mood for Love, with Tony Leung, Gong Li, and Zhang Ziyi.
Amanda Dobbins
Drama
The Notebook 2004
A Nicholas Sparks adaptation that "should be total garbage" but isn't, thanks to Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling's chemistry.
Comedy or Horror
Mean Girls 2004
Still quoted constantly, and the other half of Rachel McAdams's breakout year, alongside The Notebook.
Oscar Winner
The Incredibles 2004
Brad Bird's superhero family film, praised for its action and its "nothing is more important than family" throughline.
Sequel
Ocean's Twelve 2004
Defended, jokingly, as the second-greatest sequel in American history behind The Godfather Part II.
Blockbuster
Million Dollar Baby 2004
Eastwood's boxing drama, which swept the Oscars: a reluctant pick after passing on Kill Bill earlier in the draft, remembered for its brutal final act.
Wildcard
Napoleon Dynamite 2004
A cult classic complete with "Vote for Pedro" merch, worn out on DVD after the fact.
On the board, undrafted honorable mentions
National TreasureVan HelsingMeet the FockersHarry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanShrek 2The Day After TomorrowShark TaleI, RobotTroy50 First DatesLemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate EventsFahrenheit 9/11The VillageThe GrudgeDodgeball: A True Underdog StoryThe Passion of the ChristThe Bourne SupremacyThe Polar ExpressTeam America: World PoliceFriday Night LightsSpartanMiracle13 Going on 30WimbledonGarden StateCloserCoffee and CigarettesLayer CakeHarold & Kumar Go to White CastleThe TerminalKinseyEuroTripWhite ChicksI ♥ HuckabeesThe Motorcycle DiariesBorn into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light KidsWaspIn Good CompanyAlong Came PollySideways
Also mentioned raised along the way
Not from 2004, mentioned in passing The Matrix ResurrectionsDuneShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten RingsDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of MadnessLast Night in SohoKillers of the Flower MoonCry MachoIn the Mood for LoveThe Godfather Part IIThe Deer HunterThe French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV The WireMurder Among the MormonsWandaVision
Ads Netflix FIFA World CupBoar's HeadWhite Claw
Promos The Watch (Ringer podcast)