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2005
Even
though this year wasn't near as good as last year regarding great films, it
wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. But it was only one movie that
blew me away, and that's really odd because usually there are about 2-3 films
that really blow me away. Though I liked the other movies in my top 5, they
just didn't blow me away like my top 5 usually does. But I am being too
negative. It wasn't a BAD year at all for film.
I am very proud of myself in that I saw a personal best for me so far in
seeing FIFTY(!) movies from 2005. I still can't believe I managed to see that
many. In 2003, it was 30, last year was 37, and this year was 50. I still wish
I could have seen some more, but time and location restraints limit me. Still,
50 isn't too shabby for an OKC resident college student.
The format this year is the
same as it was last year. Positions 20-16 are Honorable Mention, 15-11 are
runners-up, and then of course there are the top 10 films of the year.
Enjoy!!!
| Honorable
Mention goes to... |
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Mrs.
Henderson Presents
d: Stephen Frears
w: Stephen Frears
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As in the words of the great Mrs.
Henderson, "How delicious!" And that it is. I highly enjoyed this
movie and adored Dench, but the competition was a little too great to
make the top 15. I did love this story, but only wish that it had been handled
better after the soldier and the actress hook up. Still, good stuff.
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The
Chronicles of Narnia
d: Andrew Adamson
w: Christopher Markus, Ann Peacock, Stephen McFeely
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So, I liked this more than a lot
of people did. We all knew it was going to be hard for the first big
blockbuster-type film of this nature to follow the LOTR franchise would be
nothing in comparison, but I think this story was handled well and I loved the
children here. They were very good.
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Match Point
d: Woody Allen
w: Woody Allen
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I only wish that the acting in
this movie could have matched the greatness of the script and the craftiness of
the direction. You would have thought with Johansson that it would have
been fine, but that wasn't the case because she delivers her worst performance
to date. Too bad too, because with the acting matching the directing and
writing, this would have made a much bigger dent in these placements.
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Crash
d: Paul Haggis
w: Paul Haggis
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I didn't want to really include
this movie, but I can't deny the effect it on on me after I initially saw it.
Even though the film has been too accepted and with repeat viewings it has
decreased in quality for yours truly, it isn't quite as bad as a lot of people
make it out to be. But it's nowhere near the overall best of the year, though
the ensemble is wonderful, and even though the writing is extreme, it's still
effective to me.
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The
40-Year-Old Virgin
d: Judd Apatow
w: Judd Apatow, Steve Carrel
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So
I will lie in a minute when I say that I laughed the most with Nathan
Lane this year, because it really happened with Steve Carrel. He
made himself a household name with this performance and role and
deservedly so. The story here itself is hilarious and the performances make
the material even funnier.
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#15
d: Susan Stroman
w: Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan
| Yes,
I am a total sucker for musicals. Moulin Rouge! still has yet to
be touched as the best one of our day, but I thoroughly enjoyed this
adaptation of the Broadway smash fro writer Mel Brooks. It's
loud, it's flamboyantly gay, it's in-your-face. It's supposed to be. And
everyone involved does not shy away. This would rank higher had the end
of the story not dragged and had they gotten a better person to play
Ulla. I love Thurman as much as the next person, but she hasn't
the vocals to pull Ulla off, even though her body has what it takes. And
God bless the hilarity of Nathan Lane. I don't think I laughed as
much as I did with him this year at the movies. Best scene: "Keep
It Gay" |
#14
d: Chris Columbus
w: Steven Chbosky
| Before
you roll your eyes and snicker and say 'typical' and never want to read
a review of mine again, let me clarify why this film is so high up on my
list. It's actually many reasons. I think the biggest reason is that
this was a generally weak year for films, but I also didn't not like the
movie as much as a lot of others. I had a couple of problems with it,
like the cast being 40 and still playing 25 year-olds, or the hacking of
"Goodbye Love" and the horrendous adaptation of "What You
Own," but the movie's strong points (and there are many more good
than bad) far outnumber the bad. I just love this story, and in the end
it was handled better than I thought it would be. Still, I wish Chris
Columbus could have handled the last half of the film better because
this would then firmly have a place in my top 5. Oh, and just to comment
and whore them out some more, Martin and Dawson were never
given enough credit for their stellar performances here. The whole cast
held this movie together.
Best scene: "I'll
Cover You (Reprise)" |
#13
d: Don Roos
w: Don Roos
| I
agree with Nathaniel at TFE regarding his love for writers/directors. I
am the same way. This year was especially strong for these filmmakers
this year. And one of the most successful was this story of many
different stories, all of which were neither boring nor over-the-top.
The many different actors in each story are what make the script (and
direction) of Don Roos so much better than it would be without
them. Particularly great are Gyllenhaal and Kudrow, both
of whom surprised the hell out of me. Best scene: The
ending of course and how every story comes together. |
#12
d: James Mangold
w: James Mangold
| When
I originally saw this I thought it was middle-of-the-road material held
up mostly with two stellar performances from Joaquin Phoenix and Reese
Witherspoon. They are the heart of this movie still, and that is why
I was impressed more the second time around watching this movie. This
time is didn't ring to me as a bio-pic as much as a romance and the love
these two had for each other fueled their talents and that aspect of the
story came through the most for me and the performances were even better
the second time around as well. Witherspoon especially creates the most
quotable character of the year in her June Carter. Best scene: "You're
my friend." |
#11
d: Ron Howard
w: Akiva Goldsman, Cliff Hollinsworth, Ron Howard
| I
probably knocked this movie down a little too much but it was much
better than a lot of people made it out to be. I am a bigger fan of Ron
Howard's films than a lot of people anyway, so there ya go, and I
love Crowe and think he's one of the best actors in Hollywood. I
hate that he was passed over this year at the Oscars. And even though
it's not one of her absolute best performances, Zellweger was
great too and did a great job with the long-suffering wife character.
This is a film about hope and perseverance and overcoming obstacles and
it never falls into the category of being too sappy and corny. And it
easily could have been. Best scene: The last fight. |
| OscarSights
Top 10 Movies of 2005 |
#10
d: Terrence Malick
w: Terrence Malick
| I
bumped this movie up from when I initially saw it I don't know why, but
it has really stuck with me. Maybe it's because of the brilliant and
ridiculously under-appreciated performance from the lovely Q'Orianka
Kilcher, or maybe it's just the artful and one-of-a-kind vision of Terrence
Mallick. Regardless, it has stuck with me. It's just a beautiful
film and it was crafted perfectly. This story of new worlds and
interaction among strangers at times gets a little boring, but even
those moments serve purpose in the bigger picture. Best scene: Nothing
specific comes to mind because it's really the quiet shots in the film
that are the best. |
#09
d: Anand Tucker
w: Steve Martin
| This
movie's greatness can mostly be laid at the doorstep of one of the most
talented and underappreciated actresses of her time: Claire Danes.
I can't explain what she does on screen, but she so beautifully becomes
the characters she portrays and sometimes she doesn't have a lot of
material to do that with. This is the case. This movie isn't very
layered. It's just a simple story of this girl who is lonely and looking
for love. But Danes adds so much more to it than that. I was reminded of
her brilliant limited role in The Hours in this movie in that she
lets her character soak into her so effectively. Martin's wonderful
adaptation was another great asset to the movie, and I am still
surprised at how funny Schwartzman was. Best scene:
Mirabelle saying goodbye to Ray. |
#08
d: Jim Jarmusch
w: Jim Jarmusch
| I
really hate that Bill Murray didn't get any awards contention for
this film. I thought he was better here than he was in Lost in
Translation, and he has received too much flack for this performance
because it is what holds this movie so beautifully together. A lot
should be credited to the writer/director Jim Jarmusch as well,
because with a story like this, boredom and frustration could have
surfaced, but what ended up emerging was a wonderful look at a lonely
man trying to find his purpose and some kind of meaning in life. Best scene:
Don at
the gravesite. |
#07
d: Steve Box, Nick Park
w: Steve Box, Nick Park, Bob Baker, Mark Burton
| I
thank God for animated films. I was reminded yet again this year that
the animated film is still very much alive and can actually be good
quality-wise. So often people think of the huge blockbuster animated
films and it's usually the ones that didn't make the most money that end
up being the best overall. I thought this was just a fun movie with a
fun storyline that had me laughing my ass off and just waiting and
waiting for more to unfold before my eyes. And to think, I had never
even heard of Wallace and Gromit before this. I have A LOT to catch up
on. Best scene: Saving Wallace. |
#06
d: Rodrigo García
w: Rodrigo García
| I
love it when stories all intertwine, and when they are done in a way
that isn't forced and over-the-top it is the best. And that is what
happens here. This ensemble cast is one of the strongest that I have
ever seen. Every person, especially the ladies (especially Hamilton and
Wright-Penn), are on top of their game. Rodrigo García is
the main reason this movie worked the way it did. The writing of these
nine stories and the way they all engaged me mixed with his unbelievable
ability with a camera make this one of the overall best crafted films of
the year. It's hard to pick one, but... Best scene:
Maggie at the gravesite. |
#05
d: Phil Morrison
w: Angus MacLachlin
| I
saw this movie mostly for the wonderfully vibrant little Amy Adams,
but it ended up being one of my favorite films of 2005, and not just one
of my favorite performances. The whole cast is on top of their game and
really surprised me. They nail the Southern family and Davidtz does
a great job with the lone stranger trying to make her way into it. Phil
Morrison did a wonderful job with the shots of this movie,
especially those quiet shots of just nothing but a house or an empty
room or the woods. And its a story that could easily fall into the 'been
there, done that' label, but it's anything but. Best scene: Ashley
going into labor. |
#04
d: George Clooney
w: George Clooney, Grant Heslov
| I
went into this film knowing that I would not like it. I told myself that
from the get go. I do it so often and I shouldn't, but to my surprise
the film was much better than I anticipated it being. George Clooney did
a wonderful job directing and co-writing the film, but it's really the
performance from the great David Strathairn that holds this movie
together the most and doesn't allow it to fall into boring and
yawn-inducing cinema. Clooney and Heslov did something
spectacular with this script as well, because they made this
interesting. From the opening shot to the last, it's hard to not pay
your utmost attention to what's unfolding on the screen. I couldn't look
away once. Best scene: Murrow telling America
we only have ourselves to blame. |
#03
d: Thomas Bezucha
w: Thomas Bezucha
| Here's
the film that I was expecting something out of (Christmas comedy and
movie fluff) but got much more from it. This look at this family had me
laughing hard and also reaching for the Kleenex. It's much more
heart-tugging than you'd think, and it will definitely go down as a
Holiday favorite from yours truly. Bezucha did a wonderful job of
not letting this fall into Lifetime Movie of the Week material and that
mixed with some hilarious and touching performances (mainly Keaton,
Nelson, and Parker) from one of the best ensembles of the year
prove that this is one of the overall best films of the year.
Best
scene: The dinner
scene. |
#02
d: Joe Wright
w: Deborah Moggach
| I
can't wait to see Pride & Prejudice again. I wasn't too
thrilled about seeing the movie when it released in November, but much
to my surprise (and the surprise of many others), this Jane Austen adaptation
was surprisingly well adapted and wonderfully engaging. Joe Wright did
a fantastic job scoping out this story before our eyes. His craft is
among the best of the year, and who knew that a film could be this
gorgeous. The art direction, cinematography, and score make this come
alive even more. Then there's the young Keira Knightley, whom I
never thought could deliver a performance like this. Her Lizzie will
make you fall in love with her, and her scenes with the melty Matthew
MacFadyen will make you fall in love with falling in love. Best scene: Mr. Darcy walking up to Elizabeth at her
house during the misty morning. |
#01
d: Ang Lee
w: Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana
| No
question or doubt in my mind that Brokeback Mountain is
the best film of the year. It's the only one from 2005 that blew me
away. The success and greatness of the movie is all owed to Ang Lee,
who is truly one of the best directors working today. I know he will
continue to direct Oscar-calibur films in the future. The adaptation of
the short story is what also made this so successful. It is adapted so
beautifully, delicately, and accurately. Then there's the cast, which is
one of the best ensembles of the year. The chemistry between Ledger and
Gyllenhaal is unbelievable, and they give great performances to
boot, and so does the supporting cast of Williams and Hathaway.
My #1 film is always one that haunts me after I see it over and over
again. Brokeback did that all three times I saw it i the theaters. It
made me laugh, it made me cry. It made me wish more movies from 2005
could be this good. Best scene: Finding the shirt. |
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