MORE THAN ANYTHING, IT WAS A VERY ANIMATED YEAR AT THE MOVIES.

Byline: Bob Strauss Film Writer

Yes, the biggest film stories of 2004 were Mel Gibson and Michael Moore making highly profitable end runs around the traditional movie distribution system.

I'll also be the first to acknowledge that a cornucopia of ambitious, adult-aimed fall releases turned what had been shaping up as a pretty dismal movie year into one of the decade's more rewarding ones. In fact, I'm happy to admit that I saw so many remarkable films, I felt compelled to go a little crazy with my best-of list.

And let me add that, even though they weren't my personal cups of tea, the roster of worthy films extends well beyond my favorites to include ``Hotel Rwanda,'' ``The Sea Inside,'' ``Maria, Full of Grace,'' ``Hero,'' ``The Aviator,'' ``In Good Company,'' ``Moolaade,'' ``Collateral,'' ``Open Water,'' ``Tarnation,'' ``Garden State,'' ``Closer'' and a good half-dozen others that at least tried to do something serious with one of the world's greatest art forms. And yes, I'll even cop to thinking that ``The Village'' and ``King Arthur'' had a few things going for them.

But there was another big 2004 movie story that isn't getting much attention, but may be the most significant one of all. By the time all grosses for the year's releases are added up, an unprecedented four cartoons - ``Shrek 2,'' ``The Incredibles,'' ``Shark Tale'' and ``The Polar Express'' - will be on the list of top 10 ticket-sellers. No more than two have reached those heights in the past. And ``Shrek 2'' is the chart-topper by far - more than $74 million in receipts ahead of its closest competitor, ``Spider-Man 2.''

Of course, this is partly an accident of release timing. More high-profile animated features were ready to come out this year than in previous ones. And while some of the big animated winners were demonstrably better than most of their live-action (or CG-overloaded) blockbuster competitors, should we be alarmed that the popular film culture is clearly growing more and more cartoonish? Just asking.

As for the future of religious movies, political documentaries and, indeed, serious adult cinema in the face of a top-grossers chart that also includes a Harry Potter entry, ``The Day After Tomorrow,'' a ``Bourne'' sequel and ``I, Robot'' ... well, it makes me think back a few years to when ``The Blair Witch Project'' was the cultural and commercial phenomenon. Somehow, that one didn't usher in an era of handheld, no-budget hits fueled by youthful ingenuity alone. Whatever happened to those ``Blair Witch'' guys, anyway?

If I can confidently predict any lasting effect of 2004 on the future films we see, I'd say it's going to look a lot like summers at the multiplex past. And maybe a little more like Saturday morning TV.

Bob Strauss, [phone]

bob.strauss(at)dailynews.com