The Best Films of 2005
This has turned into quite a year, so I'm going to turn this into a top twenty list.
Keith's Top Twenty Films of 2005:
20. Walk the Line. The terrific performances, chemistry, and singing of Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix bring the songs and souls of Johnny and June Carter Cash to life.
19. Cinderella Man. Old fashioned story-telling done very well. Terrific performances by Russell Crowe and the amazing Paul Giamatti.
18. Syriana. Complicated story that would likely benefit from repeated viewing. Powerful, but also kept me at a distance as it spreads the story over so many characters that you never really get attached to any of them.
17. Sin City. Stunning visually as it captures the graphic comic style of Frank Miller. Good characters and dialogue.
16. Batman Begins. An exciting and very well done superhero movie that sets itself up perfectly as the beginning of the Batman story. Well cast and acted.
15. Broken Flowers. One of Jim Jarmusch's best films delivers a terrific performance by Bill Murray as a man who seeks out past flings to search for the truth about a grown child he may have fathered. Jeffrey Wright is a delight as his amateur detective neighbor. It's funny in a quiet, odd, sad, interesting way.
14. Wallace and Gromitt in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Fits in wonderfully next to the three terrific short films that you have hopefully already seen. Clever and inventive and a whole lot of fun.
13. Good Night, and Good Luck. It actually feels too short, but what is there is terrific. Following Edward R. Murrow and his decision and need to not let the actions of Senator Joseph McCarthy go unquestioned. David Strathairn is very good as Murrow and clips of McCarthy himself are interspersed.
12. Murderball. This documentary following Team USA quadriplegic Rugby players is exciting, fun, and very honest. It will shatter your expectations about a movie dealing with paralysis. The two main characters come off initially as jerks, though vibrant and engrossing, but I grew to find things about both flawed men that I liked and respected.
11. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It is an exciting adventure into a land of surprise and delight. The four children are very good, Jim Broadbent is a pleasure as the professor, and Tilda Swinton is perfect as the White Witch. It's not on par with The Lord of the Rings, but it brings you some of those same feelings.
10. The 40 Year Old Virgin. A crude, touching, and absolutely hilarious film. Steve Carell's geek to beat all geeks is not just laughed at but loved.
9. The Constant Gardener. Upon learning that his activist wife has been killed, a man begins to explore the depths of corruption in a pharmaceutical scandal putting his life at risk. The brilliant direction of Fernando Meirelles, excellent acting by Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, and a terrific script make this a smart, challenging thriller that won't easily leave your head.
8. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. I had heard much praise for the visuals, and indeed the stop-motion animation is amazing, but the reviews I had read indicated the story was weak or perhaps even boring. Alas, the story is sweet, clever, fun, and very inventive. It is a sheer delight - even my three-year old, to my surprise, loved it when he woke up from a nap and decided he wanted to watch it.
7. Crash. Not since Do the Right Thing has a movie so acurately and powerfully tackled the subject of racism without reducing it to a two sided issue. It follows a vast array of characters, and you become attached to almost all of them. It can be touching and it can be harsh, but it feels honest. It is a powerful, engrossing, superbly made film.
6. A History of Violence. David Cronenberg's latest film is a gripping and powerful study of character and consequences. It offers plenty for the viewer to contemplate both in film and life, while remaining fascinating throughout.
5. Match Point. Woody Allen's latest is his best since 1989's Crimes and Misdemeanors. It is a serious and fascinating look at passion and deception with brilliant dialogue and terrific performances.
4. Howl's Moving Castle. Animation doesn't get any more stunning or dazzling than this. Simply gorgeous. If it isn't quite as good as Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki's brilliant 2002 film, it isn't behind by much.
3. Capote. Featuring the brilliant performance of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote is a devasting film about the destruction of the body and the soul.
2. Brokeback Mountain. An emotionally powerful film that really gets into these two characters and how they struggle with wanting what they can't have. Excellent acting, direction, and script.
1. Munich. A challenging and devastating film that is not only an edge of your seat thriller but it gives your mind things to contemplate for days. It examines the past, while showing its relevance to today. A rare film with a large, grand scope that exists mostly on an intimate level.
Keith's Top Twenty Films of 2005:
20. Walk the Line. The terrific performances, chemistry, and singing of Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix bring the songs and souls of Johnny and June Carter Cash to life.
19. Cinderella Man. Old fashioned story-telling done very well. Terrific performances by Russell Crowe and the amazing Paul Giamatti.
18. Syriana. Complicated story that would likely benefit from repeated viewing. Powerful, but also kept me at a distance as it spreads the story over so many characters that you never really get attached to any of them.
17. Sin City. Stunning visually as it captures the graphic comic style of Frank Miller. Good characters and dialogue.
16. Batman Begins. An exciting and very well done superhero movie that sets itself up perfectly as the beginning of the Batman story. Well cast and acted.
15. Broken Flowers. One of Jim Jarmusch's best films delivers a terrific performance by Bill Murray as a man who seeks out past flings to search for the truth about a grown child he may have fathered. Jeffrey Wright is a delight as his amateur detective neighbor. It's funny in a quiet, odd, sad, interesting way.
14. Wallace and Gromitt in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Fits in wonderfully next to the three terrific short films that you have hopefully already seen. Clever and inventive and a whole lot of fun.
13. Good Night, and Good Luck. It actually feels too short, but what is there is terrific. Following Edward R. Murrow and his decision and need to not let the actions of Senator Joseph McCarthy go unquestioned. David Strathairn is very good as Murrow and clips of McCarthy himself are interspersed.
12. Murderball. This documentary following Team USA quadriplegic Rugby players is exciting, fun, and very honest. It will shatter your expectations about a movie dealing with paralysis. The two main characters come off initially as jerks, though vibrant and engrossing, but I grew to find things about both flawed men that I liked and respected.
11. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It is an exciting adventure into a land of surprise and delight. The four children are very good, Jim Broadbent is a pleasure as the professor, and Tilda Swinton is perfect as the White Witch. It's not on par with The Lord of the Rings, but it brings you some of those same feelings.
10. The 40 Year Old Virgin. A crude, touching, and absolutely hilarious film. Steve Carell's geek to beat all geeks is not just laughed at but loved.
9. The Constant Gardener. Upon learning that his activist wife has been killed, a man begins to explore the depths of corruption in a pharmaceutical scandal putting his life at risk. The brilliant direction of Fernando Meirelles, excellent acting by Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, and a terrific script make this a smart, challenging thriller that won't easily leave your head.
8. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. I had heard much praise for the visuals, and indeed the stop-motion animation is amazing, but the reviews I had read indicated the story was weak or perhaps even boring. Alas, the story is sweet, clever, fun, and very inventive. It is a sheer delight - even my three-year old, to my surprise, loved it when he woke up from a nap and decided he wanted to watch it.
7. Crash. Not since Do the Right Thing has a movie so acurately and powerfully tackled the subject of racism without reducing it to a two sided issue. It follows a vast array of characters, and you become attached to almost all of them. It can be touching and it can be harsh, but it feels honest. It is a powerful, engrossing, superbly made film.
6. A History of Violence. David Cronenberg's latest film is a gripping and powerful study of character and consequences. It offers plenty for the viewer to contemplate both in film and life, while remaining fascinating throughout.
5. Match Point. Woody Allen's latest is his best since 1989's Crimes and Misdemeanors. It is a serious and fascinating look at passion and deception with brilliant dialogue and terrific performances.
4. Howl's Moving Castle. Animation doesn't get any more stunning or dazzling than this. Simply gorgeous. If it isn't quite as good as Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki's brilliant 2002 film, it isn't behind by much.
3. Capote. Featuring the brilliant performance of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote is a devasting film about the destruction of the body and the soul.
2. Brokeback Mountain. An emotionally powerful film that really gets into these two characters and how they struggle with wanting what they can't have. Excellent acting, direction, and script.
1. Munich. A challenging and devastating film that is not only an edge of your seat thriller but it gives your mind things to contemplate for days. It examines the past, while showing its relevance to today. A rare film with a large, grand scope that exists mostly on an intimate level.
posted by Keith Allison at 1:12 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home