99 Top Films from Rotten Tomatoes in 2004

A man who lives in people's homes while they're away, working off the stay with chores, has his routine disrupted by a chance encounter. He meets a captivating woman seeking an escape from a loveless marriage.

Taxi driver Max agrees to a fare for $600, but the deal turns sour when he discovers his passenger is an assassin.

Ross McElwee journeys through North Carolina's tobacco country, exploring the region's historical traditions surrounding tobacco cultivation and consumption. He contrasts this exploration with mainstream filmmaking, specifically "Bright Leaf," a 1950 melodrama directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Gary Cooper. The…

This film chronicles the life of Howard Hughes from 1927 to 1947. It follows his rise to prominence as a successful film producer and aviation innovator, alongside the increasing effects of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder on his mental state.

The Salton Sea is an inland body of water near Southern California marked by large fish die-offs, abandoned resorts, and extreme heat. This film chronicles the sea's history, from its popularity as a resort destination in California, attracting visitors seeking…

Julia Lambert is a beautiful, talented, wealthy, and famous diva. She has everything – including a supportive husband who built her successful career – but after years of fame, she grows bored and desires something new. She finds this in…

Accountant Harold and his energetic friend Kumar, high from watching TV, become obsessed with a White Castle commercial. They're certain a location is close and embark on a late-night journey to New Jersey. Their quest leads them into trouble with…

In the aftermath of World War I, Mathilde, a young woman from France, embarks on a quest to uncover the truth about her fiancé who disappeared during the conflict. Her search reveals surprising revelations. Though heartbroken by the loss of…

This documentary chronicles the life of Jean Dominique, a prominent Haitian radio personality and dedicated human rights activist.

A young, driven filmmaker becomes convinced that the country's political leaders are actually evil reptilian aliens planning to take over the world. Driven by a sense of injustice, he converts his basement into a film studio and an unsettling interrogation…

Riding Giants tells the story of big wave surfers who have achieved legendary status in their sport. Directed by Stacy Peralta, known for his work in skateboarding.

Michael, a Danish officer, is deployed to Afghanistan for a three-month mission with the International Security Assistance Force. His initial task is to locate a young radar technician who had become separated from his unit. During the search, Michael's helicopter…

Devastated when his girlfriend chooses a procedure to erase him from her memory, Joel makes the same decision. As his memories of her begin to disappear, he realizes he still loves her, and it might be too late to reverse…

Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey travel to Far, Far Away to meet Fiona's parents, the Queen and King. However, Shrek and the King don't get along. When the Fairy Godmother learns Fiona married Shrek instead of Prince Charming, as King Harold…

Peter Parker is struggling with who he is. Tired of being Spider-Man, he decides to stop, and the city is left vulnerable to the destruction caused by the villainous Doc Ock. At the same time, Peter finds it difficult to…

This film explores the history of celebrity culture globally, as seen through the experiences of Rodney Bingenheimer, a prominent figure in the pop music industry.

Robert Greenwald's feature-length documentary expands on his acclaimed short film, "Uncovered: The Whole Truth About The Iraq War." The film examines the Bush administration's justification for the war in Iraq by featuring interviews with U.S. Intelligence experts, diplomats, and former…

A young man from rural Turkey travels to Istanbul hoping to find work on a ship, and stays with his cousin while he looks. As time passes, the young man's difficulties in finding a job and his cousin's own problems…

The film explores how media empires, spearheaded by Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, have driven television news to a lowest-common-denominator approach. It offers a detailed examination of Fox News and the societal dangers when a large portion of the media is…

"Lost Boys of Sudan" is a documentary film about two Sudanese refugees' remarkable journey from Africa to America. Peter Dut and Santino Chuor, orphaned by the brutal civil war in Sudan, survived attacks by wildlife and armed groups to reach…

As World War II looms, four Parisians navigate the approaching German invasion of their city. The film follows the intertwined lives of a young writer, a glamorous movie star, a French politician, and a young scientist, as they struggle to…

This sharp and insightful documentary follows a small group of activist pranksters as they become internationally known for their elaborate impersonations of the World Trade Organization. They stage their performances on television and at business events worldwide.

Trainer Frankie Dunn is struggling with a difficult relationship with his daughter when boxer Maggie Fitzgerald arrives, determined to turn professional. She seeks out Dunn and his team for their help.

A grandmother begins a passionate affair with a man who is half her age. Simultaneously, this man is also having a sexual relationship with her daughter.

A team of Swedish researchers arrives in Norway to study how Norwegian men use their kitchens, aiming for maximum efficiency. Folke Nilsson is tasked with observing Isak Bjørvik. Research protocol dictates Folke must remain silent and observe from a designated…

Bob Parr has left his life as a superhero to work as an insurance adjuster and raise his three children with his wife, a former hero, in the suburbs. However, a strange assignment arrives, and he must once again don…

In ancient China's Warring States period, a district official journeys to the court of Qin Shi Huang, asserting he eliminated the three individuals who previously tried to assassinate the king.

A woman's decision to protect girls from female genital mutilation sparks a divisive conflict within her community, fracturing the village.

Nine years after a single night in Vienna, Jesse tours Europe, reading from a book inspired by his encounter with Celine. In Paris, Celine unexpectedly finds him, and they reconnect for the day before Jesse departs for another flight. Both…

A dedicated young man develops feelings for his sister’s bridesmaid. He quickly discovers the unsettling nature of her personality.

In 9th century China, a dishonest government fights a rebellion led by the Flying Daggers. A skilled warrior rescues a captivating rebel from jail to aid her in reuniting with her forces, but the situation is more complicated than it…

As the Berlin Wall falls, Alex Kerner's mother awakens from a coma. A staunch communist, she must now be shielded from the news of the wall's collapse to prevent a potentially fatal heart attack.

A Japanese librarian with obsessive tendencies lives in Bangkok, frequently considering suicide in his apartment. His routine is disrupted when he witnesses the death of a young girl and subsequently meets her older sister.

Winnipeg, during the Depression, is home to a wealthy woman who uses her position as a beer baroness to organize a competition. The contest seeks out the saddest music imaginable, with a $25,000 prize for the winner.

A Mongolian family faces hardship when their new camel colt is rejected by its mother. To resolve this, they seek the help of a musician who performs a ritual intended to persuade the mother to accept her offspring.

On a trip to Jerusalem, a young man named James discovers what it truly means to be Israeli.

Struggling with writer's block, playwright J.M. Barrie forms a close bond with a widow and her four young sons. The boys deeply impact Barrie's life, ultimately becoming the inspiration for his most famous work: Peter Pan.

April 1945. With the Soviet Army advancing from the east and the Allied forces attacking from the west, Germany faces imminent defeat. In Berlin, Adolf Hitler declares Germany will still win and orders his generals to fight to the death.…

In 1950s Britain, abortionist Vera Drake struggles as her work clashes with societal expectations. This conflict has devastating consequences for Vera and her family.

In a small Texas town, the community is consumed by its high school football team. When their star player, Boobie Miles, suffers a serious injury at the start of the season, the town's optimism vanishes, and underlying tensions rise. New…

Los Angeles, shortly after September 11th, becomes a pressure cooker as the lives of several people become intertwined over 36 hours: a wealthy housewife in Brentwood, her prosecutor husband, a Persian shop owner, two police officers, a couple of car…

Dan Foreman, a successful advertising executive at a major publication, finds his world upended when a corporate takeover brings him under the supervision of Carter Duryea, a much younger man. The situation becomes complicated when Carter begins a romantic relationship…

This documentary follows the lives of child prostitutes in Kolkata's Songachi red-light district. Filmmaker Zana Briski initially intended to photograph the prostitutes, but she befriended their children. Briski started teaching the children photography, believing it could offer them a path…

This film is based on the journals of Che Guevara, the leader of the Cuban Revolution. In his writings, Guevara details his experiences with his close friend Alberto Granado during a motorcycle journey across South America in the early 1950s.

A mother and daughter find happiness in letters from their beloved son, Otar, who lives in Paris. When the daughter learns Otar has died unexpectedly, she hides the truth from her mother, irrevocably altering both their lives.

Ramón Sampedro, a former ship mechanic and poet, became paralyzed after a diving accident. For thirty years, he tirelessly campaigned for the legal right to end his life. He forms strong bonds with his lawyer Julia and his friend Rosa,…

Major Ben Marco is haunted by nightmares years after his unit was ambushed in the Gulf War. He starts to question the heroic image of his former squadmate, Sergeant Raymond Shaw, who is now running for Vice President. As Marco's…

Overnight is a darkly funny and unsettling look at one man's journey to make a Hollywood film. It begins with the promise of success as Troy Duffy, a bartender from Boston, sells his first screenplay, The Boondock Saints.

Cady Heron quickly gains popularity with the popular "Plastics" clique at her new high school. However, her life changes when she develops feelings for Aaron Samuels, who is also the ex-boyfriend of the Plastics' leader, Regina George.

Following bassist Jason Newsted's departure in 2001, heavy metal icons Metallica decide on an intervention. This documentary captures the band's journey as they work with a therapist to address two decades of bottled-up anger and aggression. While searching for a…

Renowned architect Louis Kahn, celebrated for iconic buildings like the Exeter Library and Salk Institute, fathered two children with women other than his wife. His son, Nathaniel, always dreamed of his father joining them. However, Kahn remained with his wife.…

A woman relentlessly pursues the assassins who attacked her and threatened her unborn child. Systematically, she eliminates those connected to the killers, working her way through a list of targets. Her final objective is to confront and kill Bill.

This film explores how a shared history of religious schooling during the Franco regime and experiences of sexual abuse have profoundly shaped the lives of two lifelong friends.

Following a close call in a strange accident, a troubled teenager begins experiencing vivid visions of a giant rabbit. The rabbit seems to control him, leading him to commit a series of crimes.

Ray Charles was born on a Florida sharecropping farm and lost his sight at age seven. Encouraged by his strong-willed mother to be self-reliant, he discovered his talent playing the piano. Performing throughout the South, the soulful singer built a…

During the Korean War, two brothers find themselves fighting on opposite sides. The older brother consistently volunteers for the most dangerous assignments, hoping to keep his younger sibling safe from combat.

Andrew goes back to his hometown for his mother's funeral, and finds himself reconnected with people from his past. At the same time, he decides to stop taking his strong antidepressants. He meets Sam, a woman dealing with her own…

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il initiates a worldwide terrorist plot, prompting the elite, heavily armed Team America to intervene. The team, which includes troubled Broadway actor Gary Johnston, must confront Jong-il and navigate opposition from the Film Actors Guild, a…

This documentary explores how sound, rhythm, and time are experienced through the body, focusing on percussionist Evelyn Glennie, who is nearly deaf. It follows her journey to understand and express music in profound ways.

For 30 days, Morgan Spurlock eats nothing but McDonald's – three meals a day, no exercise – to investigate the link between fast food and America's rising rates of obesity. He undergoes regular medical check-ups with three doctors, documenting his…

Following a late 18th-century legal ruling that established corporations as legal persons, they have become a powerful force in global economics, politics, and society. This film offers a psychological exploration of this corporate "person" through various real-world examples. The analysis…

This quirky comedy follows two brothers, Wilbur, who is contemplating suicide, and Harbour, who desperately tries to stop him. After their father's death leaves them his bookstore, their lives become complicated by the arrival of a woman who brings both…

Jonathan Caouette's film is a documentary about his childhood with his mother, who had schizophrenia. The movie uses a variety of materials collected over 19 years of his life: snapshots, Super-8 footage, answering machine messages, video diaries, and early short…

In 1975, as the Vietnam War ended, thousands of Vietnamese orphans and Amerasian children were brought to the United States in "Operation Babylift." *Daughter from Danang* tells the story of Heidi Bub (also known as Mai Thi Hiep) and her…

In his third year at Hogwarts, Harry faces new experiences and obstacles. He learns how to interact with a Hippogriff, turns frightening Boggarts into comical figures, and even briefly reverses time. However, the year is fraught with peril: menacing Dementors…

A road trip across the country becomes a disaster for a couple struggling with their relationship.

When a devastating outbreak transforms the world's population into aggressive, flesh-eating zombies, a band of survivors seeks refuge in a sprawling shopping mall.

Following the Taliban's takeover in Afghanistan and the subsequent limitations placed on women's public roles, a young girl disguises herself as a boy to secure employment and provide for her mother and grandmother.

This drama follows an aging Black writer reflecting on the Harlem Renaissance. He forms an unexpected connection with a gay teenager he encounters at a New York City homeless shelter.

This documentary chronicles the rise and fall of the iconic punk band, the Ramones. Using archival footage and interviews with all members throughout their history, alongside new interviews with fellow musicians, the film follows the band's journey over two decades,…

Milan and Goran are criminals who smuggle illegal immigrants. After one such operation, they find an immigrant has left a baby behind. Milan and Goran decide to sell the baby to Lubos and Eman, who run an illegal baby adoption…

Kinsey is a look at Alfred Kinsey, a researcher determined to explore the most private aspects of American life. What starts as a scientific project becomes deeply personal for Kinsey, evolving into an unforeseen exploration of human nature.

This documentary examines Senator John Kerry's time serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War, his involvement with the anti-war movement afterward, and how these experiences shaped his subsequent political journey.

In Colombia, a teenage girl who is pregnant makes the difficult decision to become a drug mule, hoping to earn money for her family's essential needs.

In modern-day Russia, two brothers reconnect with their father, whom they've only seen in a faded photograph, after he unexpectedly returns home. Their mother agrees to a trip with him, but the journey soon becomes a challenging test of their…

This is the true story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates' perilous and nearly fatal climb of Siula Grande, a 20,810-foot mountain in the Peruvian Andes, in 1985.

On February 7th, 2003, leading artists from various music styles and eras gathered at New York City's Radio City Music Hall to celebrate the blues. Performing for a large audience, iconic musicians from roots, rock, jazz, and rap collaborated in…

A CIA mission to acquire secret Russian documents is compromised by a rival agent who subsequently appears in the quiet coastal town where Bourne and Marie are living. The couple are forced to flee for their lives. Bourne, having previously…

This film offers a unique look at how the Iraq War was viewed internationally, through the lens of Al Jazeera, the most-watched news organization in the Arab world. Frequently accused by the U.S. Government of bias for its coverage, particularly…

Trevor, a lathe operator plagued by insomnia, begins to experience unsettling events both at his job and in his personal life. He's relentlessly pursued by an odd stranger, though no one else appears to see him.

Two men in their middle years take a spiritual trip through California's wine country. One is an unpublished novelist battling depression, while the other is about to get married.

Based on true events, the film is set in Rwanda during the 1990s, a time when over a million Tutsis were murdered in a genocide largely ignored internationally. Hotel owner Paul Rusesabagina uses his hotel to shelter over a thousand…

Two tiger cubs are torn from their mother and taken into captivity. Years later, an explorer (Pearce) reunites them, unknowingly setting them on a path to becoming enemies by forcing them to fight.

During the last days of World War II, the Nazis try to use black magic to win the war. Allied forces raid the camp where they're performing the ritual, but before they can finish, they accidentally summon a baby demon.…

At the close of the 19th century, low-ranking samurai Seibei Iguchi faces hardship as a widower supporting his two daughters and aging mother. His life changes when Tomoe, a childhood friend, returns. Yet, as the feudal system collapses, Seibei is…

College coach Herb Brooks takes charge of the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic hockey team, introducing an unconventional and demanding approach. Following an initial defeat, Brooks motivates his talented but undisciplined players to focus on a single goal: defeating the seemingly…

In a small Tokyo apartment, twelve-year-old Akira is left to care for his younger siblings after their mother departs with no word of return.

After serving a twelve-year prison sentence, Walter returns home to find his family has left him, except for his brother-in-law. Secretly, he is a sex offender and pedophile. He secures an apartment and is monitored by his parole officer while…

Australian teenager Heidi is forced to leave home after being discovered with her mother's boyfriend. With limited options, she moves to Jindabyne, a tourist town. There, she begins a relationship with Joe at a local bar, seeking a sense of…

Documentarian Nick Broomfield returns to the story of Aileen Wuornos, the Florida woman convicted of murdering six men between 1989 and 1990. Broomfield interviews Wuornos as she becomes increasingly unstable, exploring the troubled mind of a woman the Florida authorities…

Broadway: The Golden Age is a comprehensive film exploring America's most celebrated theatrical tradition. Award-winning filmmaker Rick McKay filmed over 100 of the greatest stars from Broadway and Hollywood. He discovered that while films and literature can be restored, historic…

Shaun enjoys a quiet life centered on his girlfriend, his mother, and his local pub. This peaceful existence is disrupted when the dead begin rising and aggressively seek out living people in London.

Hussein, a pizza delivery driver in Iran, sees firsthand how unfairly wealth is spread. He discovers a purse full of expensive receipts from a high-end jewelry store and tries to return it. However, he's turned away from the store because…

In rural Yorkshire, independent Mona befriends the privileged Tamsin. To solidify their bond, Mona introduces Tamsin to her devoutly religious brother and assists her in secretly observing her father's affair. United by their shared secrets, the two girls' friendship intensifies,…

This film presents Michael Moore's perspective on the Bush administration's alleged exploitation of the 9/11 attacks to promote its plans for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In 1989, prostitute Aileen Wuornos forms a relationship with a young woman named Selby. Hoping to improve her life, Aileen's lack of education leads her back to working on the streets. After being assaulted, she kills her attacker. This event…

A group of Oregon teenagers on a celebratory boat trip have a prank in mind for the school bully that quickly escalates. They soon find themselves facing unforeseen repercussions from their actions.

A young Shaolin monk reconnects with his disheartened fellow monks and they decide to start a soccer team, creatively applying their martial arts training to gain an edge.