The Best and Worst of 2004 ; Despite Lack of Blockbuster Trilogies, Box Office Still Boom, Bust

Summary

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As we looked back on the year in film 12 months ago, we recalled that three apocalyptic trilogies resolved themselves with varying degrees of sound and fury: "The Terminator," via "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"; "The Matrix," via "Matrix Reloaded" and "Matrix Revolutions"; and "The Lord of the Rings," via "The Return of the King."

In 2004, there were no trilogies to be resolved, even if the latest Hogworts Academy term, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Akzaban" was something of a third-time charmer, moving the franchise into darker, thornier terrain.

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Extract

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The Best and Worst of 2004 ; Despite Lack of Blockbuster Trilogies, Box Office Still Boom, Bust

As for "Blade: Trinity" ... who asked for it? Not us.

Even without the help of "Rings," "Matrixes" and "Terminators," there were apocalypses at 2004's movies all the same, both literal and figurative. Among them:

* The Civil War ground zero of "Cold Mountain."

* The murderous impulses of "Monster."

* The Calvary Hill abattoir of "Passion of the Christ."

* The true-life Vietnam debacle of "The Fog of War."

* The pitch-black political skewerings of "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "The Manchurian Candidate"

* The zombie holocausts of those kissin' ...

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