TOP 10 2005

Started by modage, January 02, 2006, 05:14:12 PM

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modage

Best Of's are a tricky business, and for me this year has been an especially difficult one.  When even my favorite films are not without their problems, I've tried to weigh my experience watching the film with that of a more critical analysis.  This is the give and take that comprises my list because even though a movie like King Kong isnt a perfect film it still gave me a greater experience than watching Good Night and Good Luck, a film I didn't have any problems with specifically, but just never managed to give me that thrill that I wait for all year.  The films that did thrill me were as follows...

 
   


1. Batman Begins
While the Burton films are still my favorite, just seeing Batman taken seriously again onscreen was thrill enough to put this at the top of my list.  A great cast and great people involved all across the board, my only hope is that everyone will return for the sequel. 

2. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
With many of my favorite filmmakers absent this year, 2005 held a few notable surprises, none bigger than this film.  I'm pretty confident this will be a huge cult favorite when it hits DVD and people have a chance to discover it but for the handful of us who were able to see the film in theatres I think we all knew we were witnessing something special.

3. Munich
Very powerful filmmaking from one of my favorite filmmakers of all time. 

4. Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire
I'd been disappointed on some level with every previous Potter installment but during this film I learned to just enjoy myself and appreciate following these characters through their whole journey.  The darkest and most adult film in the series is also probably the best.

5. The Squid & The Whale
Another surprise was this film which beat all odds (and my Sundance prejudices) to become a very funny, very painful, very good film.

6. War Of The Worlds
Not quite as good as I had hoped it would be from Spielbergs recent sci-fi efforts A.I. and Minority Report, but a thrilling pastiche of his other films from a guy who could probably make this film in his sleep.

7. Kung Fu Hustle
Another huge surprise for me this year was this film which had me dying with laughter in the theatre.  I thought it was hilarious, the action was well staged and I'm shocked that more people haven't seen it.  A reminder: ""like Jackie Chan and Buster Keaton meet Quentin Tarantino and Bugs Bunny" How can any film geek NOT get excited over that?!

8. King Kong
An overblown film in every way, though it is a little rough around the edges and I wish Jackson had been given more time to tinker with the final edit of the film, it was a great ride and one that I hope sets the standard for action/adventure films to come.

9. Millions
It's a family film from the guy who did Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, what's not to love?  If I had watched the trailer I would never have gone to see this either, but since I didn't and it was released in the no-mans-land of March, this was my first 'favorite' of the year.  And as usually happens, has still managed to cling on to a spot in my Top 10.  Extra points go to films with the courage to come early!

10. Good Night And Good Luck
A very economical film proves that George Clooney has picked up a few tricks from Soderbergh and The Coen Bros. and just might turn out to be a great director in his own right.

11. The Weather Man
12. Wedding Crashers
13. Sin City
14. Star Wars: Episode III Revenge Of The Sith
15. Domino
16. Match Point
17. A History Of Violence
18. The Constant Gardener
19. Cinderella Man
20. Brokeback Mountain


NOTABLE: Sympathy For Lady Vengeance, Oldboy, Wallace & Gromit: Curse Of The Were-Rabbit, 2046, Bubble, Where The Truth Lies, Layer Cake, Thumbsucker, Elizabethtown, Night Watch, The Corpse Bride, Three...Extremes, Melinda & Melinda, Syriana, Jarhead, Me & You & Everyone We Know, The Descent, The New World, Serenity, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Hustle & Flow
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Kal

I think now its the right time to start with the list... although I have to see a couple of films (Brokeback Mountain, The Producers, Hustle & Flow, Match Point, Walk the Line, Syriana)

Here is my Best of 2005 List

1. Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith: We know that this is not literally the best movie, or the best directed, or the best acted movie. But its special for me (and for many people I believe) as its the missing part of the puzzle. I loved the film, and it was all I wanted from it. I wasnt expecting more. This year didnt have GREAT films in my opinion, so in a few years this will probably be the 2005 film I will remember the most.

2. Munich: This is the closest to a masterpiece I saw this year. Speilberg at his best.

3. King Kong: I wasnt dissapointed. The movie was beautiful and very well done. However, it didnt blow my mind. I dont know if I would have changed something or not. I would definetly would have wanted more NY CIty focus and not su much Island, but I cant complain.

4. Wedding Crashers: The best comedy of the year.

5. Cinderella Man: I just saw this last weekend and was shocked on how much I liked it.

6. Lord of War: A lot of people didnt like this(here or outside). But I liked it a lot. The story itself, and the acting.

7. The Island: Ok probably everyone is going to laugh, but I thought this was pretty good. The story is good, the special effects are good, and I liked the Bay/Johansson/McGregor combo.

8. Batman Begins: This was much better than expected. It wasnt 100% what it could have been, but it was a good comeback after the last ones. I look forward to the sequel and The Joker.

9. Tiempo de Valientes: I talked about this movie before. Unfortunatelly is not out here, and I have no idea when it will be. I will definetly get a copy soon and be glad to pass it around here to whoever is interested in watching it. I think because Fox bought the International rights, we might see it hitting here sometime this year.

10. Two for the Money: Ok I know... this definetly shouldnt be here. But it was a crappy year, and I still have to see a number of movies that would probably make the Top 10. However, this is my type of movie. Mathew McConaguhey rules (he also did in Sahara).

So I guess I will revise the list sometime when I finish watching the films mentioned on top. Other than the first 3 films of my list, the others are really nothing special. I just liked them, and when you start doing these lists its amazing how you figure out that this year sucked. Hopefully 2006 will be much more exciting... and we are all looking forward to it!


samsong

#2
1. The New World

Pozer

I think a couple of you guys accidentally mixed some from your worst list in with your best

shinwa

1. A Bittersweet life(so moving)
2. Kung Fu Hustle (such creativity)
3. Batman Begins (except for when the second half turned into a generic summer action movie)
4. Sha Po Lang (Nice to see you again fight choreography. Welcome back great framing)
5-10. I don't care.
Run until you puke blood.
Practice until you piss blood.
- Ping Pong

ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ

Quote from: pozer on January 03, 2006, 11:46:50 PM
I think a couple of you guys accidentally mixed some from your worst list in with your best

Do you realize how extremely non-specific your insult is?

You didn't list your top 10, you didn't say who was wrong, or what they were wrong about.

You have effectively presupposed that a mistake was possibly made by someone somewhere.
"As a matter of fact I only work with the feeling of something magical, something seemingly significant. And to keep it magical I don't want to know the story involved, I just want the hypnotic effect of it somehow seeming significant without knowing why." - Len Lye

Gamblour.

I think he's talking about Elizabethtown in mod's list and all of Andyk's.
WWPTAD?

Kal

Quote from: Gamblour on January 04, 2006, 03:05:21 PM
I think he's talking about Elizabethtown in mod's list and all of Andyk's.

Thanks. Where is your list?

Gamblour.

Quote from: andyk on January 04, 2006, 07:05:12 PM
Quote from: Gamblour on January 04, 2006, 03:05:21 PM
I think he's talking about Elizabethtown in mod's list and all of Andyk's.

Thanks. Where is your list?

pfft i was simply clarifying what pozer already meant. I'm waiting to post my list, after I see all the films from this year that I can, something you clearly didn't do by including Two for the Money and The Island, calling this a crappy year.
WWPTAD?

NEON MERCURY

Quote from: andyk on January 02, 2006, 09:05:21 PM
Here is my Best of 2005 List
1. Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith:
2. Munich:
3. King Kong:
4. Wedding Crashers:
5. Cinderella Man:
6. Lord of War:
7. The Island:
8. Batman Begins:
9. Tiempo de Valientes:
10. Two for the Money:

i hate to say this but your list is as bad as eberts...

Kal

You forget that this is about TASTE... each person is different... not all films are made for everyone. So leave my list alone.

I did clarify that there are some films that I havent been able to see and that may be in my Top 10 list. For the ones that I did see, those are the 10 films I liked the most. I dont think there is anything wrong with them.

Two For the Money wasnt very good, but I enjoyed it a lot. It wont be a script that I will get, or learn from, or watch the special features of the DVD. But it was really entertaining, I like the topic a lot, I like football, I enjoy betting in general, so it worked for me.

squints

Quote from: pyramid machine on January 04, 2006, 08:52:59 PM
Quote from: andyk on January 02, 2006, 09:05:21 PM
Here is my Best of 2005 List
1. Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith:
2. Munich:
3. King Kong:
4. Wedding Crashers:
5. Cinderella Man:
6. Lord of War:
7. The Island:
8. Batman Begins:
9. Tiempo de Valientes:
10. Two for the Money:

i hate to say this but your list is as bad as eberts...

seconded
"The myth by no means finds its adequate objectification in the spoken word. The structure of the scenes and the visible imagery reveal a deeper wisdom than the poet himself is able to put into words and concepts" – Friedrich Nietzsche

Pubrick

#12
Quote from: Walrus, Kookookajoob on January 04, 2006, 02:27:17 PM
Do you realize how extremely non-specific your insult is?

You didn't list your top 10, you didn't say who was wrong, or what they were wrong about.

You have effectively presupposed that a mistake was possibly made by someone somewhere.

i'm pretty sure he was talking about Meatball's list which was above his post. meatball then deleted it after pozer made his incisive remark.

it was vague enuff to be funny because it was open to interpretation. it was funny if we got what he was talking about, that was the risk. if he had just quoted the list he was talking about the joke would hav sucked. again..

Quote from: Pubrick on December 06, 2005, 04:47:33 AM
that is the difference between you and pozer.
under the paving stones.

polkablues

I don't care what anyone says.  Sometimes having to explain the joke does make it funnier.
My house, my rules, my coffee

Gamblour.

Quote from: polkablues on January 04, 2006, 09:41:30 PM
I don't care what anyone says.  Sometimes having to explain the joke does make it funnier.

Right. The first, best example that comes to mind is Fred Willard in Waiting for Guffman, when he dances with that ribbon and rubs it down the ladies, but comes to Levy and says "Forget about it", then does it again, explaining what he did.
WWPTAD?