The MRFH 2004 Revue

The MRFH 2004 Revue

2004... In MRFH

Running and writing for Mutant Reviewers is a whirlwind experience, all year long. Updates almost every day to do, movies to watch, reviews to write, Kyle's illegitimate children to find... it keeps one quite the busy. That's why it's always such a rush to just -STOP- at the end of the year, catch my breath, look back at how things went and developed... and then leap back into the fray.

Every year I've been with MRFH seems to be leaps and bounds better than the one previous, and 2004 did not fail me. That's largely due to the lack of any Matrix or Star Wars movies being released to ruin my mood, but it was other events as well.

I'm not always the most emotional or outwardly complimentary person, but somewhere deep inside me burns a tremendous pride for the staff of this site. Also, a chili cheese burrito I had for lunch. These are terrific people who are not only varied and interesting in their own right and smells, but phenomenal writers to boot. You can't receive hundreds of reviews each year to edit and post like the ones these guys and girls do without being occasionally floored by how funny, or insightful, or eloquent, or abstractly zany they can be. It was such a blessing to pick up Lissa and Rich last year, and to get two more excellent writers in Sue and Drew brought MRFH up to a level of quality and entertainment that we've never seen before. This staff works hard to make this a fun and lively website, and I'd say they succeed constantly. Thank you, fellow Mutants, for the minor miracles you deliver consistently.

Like a teenager who wakes up to find their pants too small and their face too zity, MRFH grew in all sorts of unexpected ways this year. We grew in readership, partially thanks to being FARKed and receiving a "Hot Site of the Day" award from USA Today.com in January 2004. Bit by bit, the look of the site (and the content) evolved to a more polished presentation, which included a new version of the front page and an overhauled Findaflik section. We added hundreds of new movies, reviews and features — more than any year before, topping over 200 features and 1300 reviews total — and did so for about 50 weeks of the year.

It was also a year where one of our own, PoolMan, entered the ranks of the merry men. Or married men. Who knows, it's all the same, eh?

It was the kind of year where you just have to sit back, undo the belt buckle, let out the gut, and sigh with contentment that everything filled you up the way it should.

2004... In Features

One of our unofficial new year's resolutions for 2004 was to post a new feature each and every week. I think we did rather well. I highly enjoy the features MRFH does, because they're freedom to explore outside of the limited review format.

2004's biggest Mutant features would be the 7th Annual Mutant Awards, where we awarded whining and toilet humor, and the incredible choose-your-own Haunted House that Drew and Kyle wrote up.

Some of my favorite features weren't as big, however. I had a blast doing the Jack Frost Mutant Viewing, seeing Kyle interrogate the staff in MRFHline #5, pontificating over movie marathons, trying to figure out movies from obscure pictures in Rich's Screenshot Challenge, Clare's love letter to Jeremy Piven, the MRFH forum community comparing their scariest moments in film, Sue's fear of Disney patricide, PoolMan's damning accusations of George Lucas, Drew's exhaustive look at Spider-Man comics, Lissa's alliterative essay on Musical Moments in Movies, attacking the ridiculous criticisms of CAP, covertly researching movie blurbs at a local Media Play, and reading some of the worst movie novelizations known to mankind.

We also began a new tradition at MRFH: the theme week. In 2004, we hosted three such weeks: the 80's Week, the Police Academy week, and the House Party week.

2004... In Cult

Keeping track of cult movies isn't easy to confine to a mere year. After all, the very definition of cult says that these films build up a specific dedicated following over time. Thus, I try to eye movies that seem to be becoming the definite cult films of the 2000's.

So far, it's a rich race. Donnie Darko is about as cult as you get — small release, underground hit — and the 2004 director's cut re-release only heightened geeks awareness of this awesome flick. The Boondock Saints are growing in popularity, with a supposed sequel on the way. Shaolin Soccer finally made it overseas, and it's a must-see for any cult afficianado. The Kill Bill films were practically stamped CULT the second they left the movie factory, and probably deserving of that moniker.

Otherwise... time will tell. Who knows if Harold & Kumar, or Team America, or even the new Dawn of the Dead will be considered cult classics come five years from now?

2004... In Carbonated Beverages

If I ever drink soda, which I rarely do, I'm a Diet A&W man myself. But I saw on the Coca-Cola website the following description for Mr. Pibb and I had to share it with you. This is a marketing department run amok, my friends, and I make none of this up:

Mr. Pibb was launched in Texas and quickly expanded through much of the U.S. Mr. Pibb appeals to 12-to-15 year olds who are just gaining independence from home and looking for things to call their own. Mr. Pibb enables them to have an uninhibited, fun and unconventional attitude because it has the sweet, refreshing bold taste they need to express their independence. In 2001, Pibb Xtra was introduced with an intense flavor kick — a bolder version of the original taste. Its bold taste and graphics appeal to young adults who are looking to get the most out of life and the most out of their soft drink.

Wow. I wish I was 12-to-15, then I could drink this wonderful elixir and achieve independence!

2004... In Soundtracks

I've only recently gotten back into my beloved pasttime of soundtrack collecting, and very few films' stuck out to me as "Must Buy's". Usually people flock to film compilations (where you have tons of songs from various artists) and shun the original film scores, although there are always exceptions.

Two film scores grabbed me by my loins and wouldn't let go this year. John Williams shook himself out of his previous Harry Potter apathy to create a score for Prisoner of Azkaban that not only incorporated a newer, more subtle Harry Potter theme, but brought back the glory days of Star Wars and Superman with exciting, lively action cues. It's a soundtrack I've had playing on my stereo quite often over the past few months.

The other is the more recent A Series Of Unfortunate Events, scored by Thomas Newman (whose other excellent musical works include the film American Beauty and the TV theme to Six Feet Under). His music is like looking at pastels used correctly: it's light, dreamy, and warm all around. Very excellent "otherworldly" score for a fantasy flick, and Newman even reminded me a bit of Danny Elfman's works for Tim Burton.

2004... In Movies

MOST PERSONAL PAIN IN WATCHING: House Party 4 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3