Million Dollar Baby was without a doubt the best American movie of 2004. Say what you will about Martin Scorcese being snubbed for Best Director, but don't even pretend The Aviator or Sideways was superior to MDB. Sideways was a funny and heartwarming dramedy that deserves the praise it has received; however, I see it as similar to About Schmidt in that you can't really complain about it but you know deep down inside it's not a full-blown masterpiece. Payne is a relatively young man - he will prove himself with bigger, better works later down the line I'm sure. Same with Scorcese (except for the young part). And it doesn't necessarily matter that he hasn't been recognized because Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas are all classics that will never be forgotten anyway.
Now let's look at Million Dollar Baby, a simple story with a brilliantly engineered last act. The final 30 minutes or so (I never felt inclined to check the time) are absolutely devastating in terms of sheer sadness and beauty. And it would not be half as effective if not for the phenomenally-acted boxing story that preceded it. MDB is a reminder of the profound emotional punch the medium still has to offer after all these years.
