Robert here, looking back at 2004. This past decade really was a documentary renaissance, and if Errol Morris' The Fog of War from 2003 was the best of the decade (in the opinion of this humble writer) the most original documentary arrived a year later. Jonathan Caouette's Tarnation is a portrait of the director's mother, grandparents and self with arms that stretch wide and utilize a palate of home videos, photographs, television and movie clips combining to make a tapestry of life and mental illness like none you've seen before.
Filmmakers are often told that they have ten minutes to grab and keep the audience. This montage which falls in the films first few minutes (and is set to one of the best bands of the decade Iron & Wine) should have you reacting the same as me.... willing to give Caouette my full attention for as long as he want's it.
