2004 Best Picture Nominees Ranked
featuring deep regrets and the Lord of the Rings finale
One of my goals for 2025 is to watch every Best Picture nominee of the Academy Awards a.k.a. the Oscars from the year I was born to the present and rank them in order of my personal enjoyment of each. This is part 6 of 25 of that project. I’ll start the list at the bottom and work my way up.
5. Seabiscuit (2003) dir. Gary Ross
⭐⭐⭐
The hopes of a nation rode on a long shot. True story of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of their nation.
This felt so much like a Disney Channel Original Movie because of how generic, bland, cheesy it was. It had some heart to be sure, but I found it hardly compelling as a story unless you are really into horse-racing.
4. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) dir. Peter Weir
⭐⭐⭐💫
The courage to do the impossible lies in the hearts of men. After an abrupt and violent encounter with a French warship inflicts severe damage upon his ship, a captain of the British Royal Navy begins a chase over two oceans to capture or destroy the enemy, though he must weigh his commitment to duty and ferocious pursuit of glory against the safety of his devoted crew, including the ship’s thoughtful surgeon, his best friend.
Although I was bored for much of the first half of this movie, I didn't realize just how invested I had become in the characters. It was a slow build and an unexpected one. The production design and editing here are incredible—you feel so immersed in the setting that you can almost smell the blood and sweat and taste the salty air of the sea. I believe this film walked so that the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise could run.
3. Lost in Translation (2003) dir. Sofia Coppola
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Everyone wants to be found. Two lost souls visiting Tokyo—the young, neglected wife of a photographer and a washed-up movie star shooting a TV commercial—find an odd solace and pensive freedom to be real in each other’s company, away from their lives in America.
This movie isn't without its problems, from the racist portrayal of Japanese people to Scarlett Johansson's age at the time of filming, and nothing much really happens, but so much of it worked for me. This was a film I didn't expect to like, but there was something about its somber and quiet approach that made it charming and made me feel seen. When you're depressed, the feeling of being lost never quite goes away even when you're in a relationship and even with the maturity of age on your side. We're all just lonely people trying to figure life out. The main thing I would have changed if I were to rewrite the script is to make the two main characters' relationship completely platonic, even though part of me feels that it already is. I think this movie is perfect for fans of The Worst Person in the World (2021).
2. Mystic River (2003) dir. Clint Eastwood
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
We bury our sins, we wash them clean. The lives of three men who were childhood friends are shattered when one of them suffers a family tragedy.
This was absolutely heartbreaking, and I can't believe I hadn't heard of this movie before. The story was so compelling and was executed with pitch-perfect direction, exceptional writing, and excellent editing. Sean Penn and Tim Robbins' performances here are astounding. I can't say I loved the movie though because it is just so messed up and sad.
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) dir. Peter Jackson
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
There can be no triumph without loss. No victory without suffering. No freedom without sacrifice. As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world–and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome–one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.
It feels almost criminal to rate this less than 5 stars, but upon rewatching the whole trilogy more critically, I think this has to be the weakest of the three movies. The previous two stood well on their own while this one relies heavily on the audience's investment in the story as a whole in order for it to work. Still, the talent that went into this is absolutely undeniable. From score to visual effects, cinematography to production design, Peter Jackson has really directed his magnum opus here with a technical achievement that has hardly been replicated or equaled by most any other film director who has ever attempted an epic fantasy adaptation. The way I think this is the weakest film in the trilogy and yet the last hour of the film contains many of the most iconic moments that never fail to make me emotional even upon multiple rewatches should tell you a lot.
Which of these films have you seen and which ones do you like? Let me know!