Unlike the newspaper critics I like to reserve my top 10 films of a given year right around Oscar time. Why? Well, unfortunately I don’t have access to all the screenings like they do. So, I, and the rest of the movie-going public, flock to see the latest Hollywood have to offer each week. Many times this means waiting weeks, maybe even months, so I can see films like Brokeback Mountain or Capote. Now you know why good things come to those who wait. Up until this point I have seen 131 films from 2005, either in theaters or on DVD. I have witnessed the good (Murderball); the bad (The Wedding Date); and the downright ugly (Duece Bigalow: European Gigolo).
When looking back at year of theatrical releases, don’t judge success on box office receipts. I must admit that with all the crap that clogs our multiplexes 2005 had a slew of fun, entertaining, and thought provoking films. And to limit it to a top 10 list was mighty difficult. That is why I must include a list of my honorable mentions of 2005:
(In alphabetical order)
The 40-Year-Old Virgin – Simply put, it is the best adult-humored comedy within the past ten years. Props to the people in charge of casting who decided Steve Carell was the best fit for some guy who hasn’t lost his you-know-what.
Cinderella Man – A casualty of bad timing at the box office. Universal Pictures wanted to capture lightning in a bottle again, like it did with Seabiscuit. Good performances, especially Paul Giamatti, highlight this second Ron Howard-Russell Crowe collaboration.
Good Night, and Good Luck – George Clooney’s second round in the director’s chair is a glimpse at the past. While Senator McCarthy and his hearings tried to weed out Communists, Edward R. Murrow tried to right a wrong and go after McCarthy. Played by the great, yet hardly recognized actor David Straithairn, Murrow was an institution and no other anchor will ever have that sort of aplomb again.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – He Who Should Not Be Named makes his return to Hogwarts, but Harry has more important things to worry about. Like finding a date to the Winter Ball. See Harry, Ron, and Hermoine go through adolescence in the first PG-13 rated Harry Potter.
A History of Violence – The acclaim this film has gotten is a bit overwhelming, but all of it is deserved. A psychological thriller in the grandest sense, David Cronenberg expands on the simple story of a man protecting his family. Throw in a little violence here and there and the revelation about Viggo Mortensen’s character – not to mention Maria Bello in a cheerleader uniform – and you got one hell of a movie!
Howl’s Moving Castle – Not Hayao Miyazaki’s greatest animated achievement, but a great deal better than CGI crap like Madagascar or Valiant. Still, it is no match for an inventor and his furry companion (more on that later).
Hustle and Flow – Terrence Howard gives a tour-de-force performance as a hustler who aspires to be a rap star. Writer-director Craig Brewer hits all the right notes in his feature debut. If you have ever had a dream or wished upon a star, you are in the same boat as DJay (Howard).
Jarhead – Sporting one of the best trailers in quite a while, Jarhead was supposed to be the big contender at the Oscars. Alas, it wasn’t. The cast, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Jamie Foxx, et al., is a great ensemble. The problem is the work in which the film is based. The best-selling memoir by former Marine Anthony Swofford is a book that just doesn’t translate to being a “great” film.
King Kong – Bigger and badder (and more expensive) than the original, Peter Jackson lives out his fantasy at recreating his greatest influence as a director. The movie is a little long for my liking, but nonetheless rewarding. While some may “ohhhh and ahhhh” at the awesome fighting spectacle between Kong and the dinosaurs, the scene with Anne and the beast enjoying the sunset is peaceful, serene. This just exemplifies that big and hairy he may be, Kong has a softer side as well.
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang – Talk about an injustice. This movie had a limited run in theaters, but it was one of the coolest buddy pictures in quite a while. It was almost like watching a Shane Black movie. Hold the phone, it was his movie. This has Shane Black written all over it. In the dialogue, in the casting decisions (Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer, whodathunk?) Kilmer should have had at least been recognized in the supporting actor category for his performance as the detective Gay Perry.
Kung Fu Hustle – Is the result of throwing some kung fu classics and Looney Tunes cartoons to the wall and seeing what sticks. Stephen Chow throws everything plus the kitchen sink and makes a harebrained kung-fu comedy.
Mad Hot Ballroom – “Dancing with the Stars” may get viewers by the millions, but see how intercity schools learn to cha-cha-cha in a classroom environment. The documentary focuses on a number of schools as they practice for different competitions around the district.
Millions – TNSTAAFL = There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Tell that Damien, a kid who knows his Patron Saints like they were the names of dinosaurs. When a bunch of money falls into his lap Damien tries to do what’s right. Much like Whale Rider from a few years ago, Millions is the rare type of family film where the stories and characters have meaning, not just stupid gags or shenanigans.
Pride and Prejudice – There’s nothing like a good love story and that’s Jane Austen’s specialty. With an unknown in the director’s chair P and P could have been a train wreck, but surprisingly we get a film that is sure to amuse and delight. Keira Knightly is precious as the heroine and Donald Sutherland is a quiet and reserved hoot playing her father.
Prime – What happens when the love at first sight wears off and the couple has to be accustomed to a relationship? Uma Thurman and Bryan Greenberg meet and sparks fly. Add Meryl Streep into the mix (who is Uma’s therapist and Bryan’s mother) and see if this love can prevail. This is definitely a romantic comedy that women missed in 2005, probably because they didn’t know who the hell Bryan Greenberg was.
Saint Ralph – Definitely my sleeper pick for 2005. Ralph has a hard life. His mother is in a coma and he attends a Catholic school. If that weren’t enough he’s going through puberty and must contend with his sins of the flesh. He gets it in his head that if he wins the Boston Marathon it will be a miracle and just the trick to wake his mother from the coma. Hilarity ensues as Ralph grows through puberty and his determination to run. Saint Ralph is Canada’s own Breaking Away.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants – While the title sounds like it could be a porno, this adaptation of Ann Brashares’ novel is about the close knit friendships between four girls. The traveling pants are a McGuffin that prolongs the story as they go from girl to girl during a magical summer. With a cast of rising starlets the movie touches upon subjects that many young girls go through (meeting boys, a broken home, etc.), but does so in a way that is honest, not syrupy.
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada – Tommy Lee Jones directed and stars in this little Western. Jones is a ranch worker who made a promise to his Mexican friend that he would bury him in Mexico when his time came. When a border patrol officer accidentally kills his friend, Jones forces the officer to come with him to Mexico to bury his friend. Three Burials takes a while to get going, but once it does it is the film becomes this fascinating journey of two men and a dead guy trekking to Mexico.
The Upside of Anger – For much of the first quarter of 2005, this film was an early contender for my top 10 list. A lot can happen in 12 months, though. But there is no mistaking this family drama about a housewife and the pain of raising four adolescent girls. Writer Mike Binder directs Joan Allen to a performance that should have garnered serious Oscar consideration. Kevin Costner is affable as a former baseball player who slowly becomes Allen’s favorite drinking companion.
Walk the Line – Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon are a dynamic duo playing Johnny Cash and June Carter. Director James Mangold’s masterful tribute to “The Man in Black” is a celluloid testament to one of music’s greatest legends. Watching the relationship that blossoms between Cash and Carter, as well as the underlying story of Cash trying to live up to his father’s expectations, is a visual experience. In total: Great music + great acting = A fantastic movie.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
The Weather Man – Is there any other job that is more pointless than a weatherman? They read maps and report if it is going to be sunny or if rain is expected. When they get something wrong, people let them know it. Just ask Nicolas Cage. In Gore Verbinski’s film people throw milkshakes and chicken nuggets in his general direction. Funny as that may be, this film is really about how one man struggles with raising a family and trying to live up to his father (Michael Caine), who is an acclaimed author.
To see my Top 10 of 2005…Click here.
