best of 2005
I hate this time of year. We are in the middle of awards season. Everyone (meaning critics and bloggers alike) are listing what they consider to be the best films they have seen in the past year. All this leads into the oscars which are fueled by the DGA, WGA, Golden Globes, etc. The films I like never win awards. Only a specific kind of film gets Oscars. The best film I saw in my last year of undergrad, was Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In my mind it was no contest. But then from no where came the good but vastly overrated Million Dollar Baby. In short I love film, but hate the oscars. In the end they brainwash the world into thinking that only a drama is a respectable genre. So here with no further ado (or bitching) are my favorite films of the year.
Millions
I saw this film for free by accident during my semester in LA. Danny Boyle seems to excel in every genre he attempts. This tender fable about faith and greed finds him at his best. I knew I loved the film, but I knew that it was great when I met Jessica’s aunt and uncle. They loved the film. It is not often that a film geek and an elderly couple can agree on the same film. The film is beautiful and moving in a way that no other film was this past year.
Serenity
Joss Whedon is my hero. This summer I finished watching the TV series that preceded the film, Firefly. Watching this cinematic conclusion to the series was the best time I had the theater this year. I laughed and then I cried. I was hanging on the edge of my seat. Hands down this is what sci fi is supposed to do. Take the viewer on an adventure. Admittedly the experience was enhanced by already knowing the world and the characters. But how can you not love a film that has sword fights, spaceships and zombies.
Hustle and Flow
MTV marketing this film horribly. Ultimately this film was not about hip hop. The point was that it is not too late to chase your dreams. The casting for this film was brilliant. When the film reached the end, it was not the end that I expected. It reflected the fact that 20 years after hip hop’s birth, its a full grown musical genre that reaches beyond the bling fueled MTV/BET version. The lifestyle of the main characters is not glamorized, and most of the characters live in poverty. But they are not crushed by it.
The Forty Year Old Virgin
I laughed so hard during this film. It mixed raunchy humor with heart. Amazingly a film respected the choice of chastity, and made fun of how over sexualized our culture is. I love it. Judd Apatow made one of the best comedies I have ever seen. The balance this film achieves is truly amazing. Somehow in the same scene gross out humor can exist with charecter development.
Murderball
One line from this film still sticks in my head. “Zupan was an asshole before he got in the chair, it wasn’t the chair that did that.” I don’t think alot about people in wheel chairs. After seeing this film, my perspective changed. Through the prism of this sport we see men who have full lives despite being paralyzed. Walking away, I was left to wonder what am I doing with my fully functional body. The way this film portrays these men makes the story work. The easy thing is to do is show them as people to be pitied. But they are treated as any other athlete would be.
Batman Begins
This is my new favorite superhero film. X2 and Spiderman 2 were pretty good. But Chris Nolon took the bat to a whole new level. The film felt like an epic adventure, while at the same feeling noirish and gritty. Nothing tops the feeling of a well made summer blockbuster. It felt like a comic book, with forcing the feeling on the audience. Liam Nesson was frightening as Ra Sha Gul.
Lords of Dogtown
Normally I am not a huge fan of bio pics, but this one had me enthralled. At it’s best, the film boasts a mix of Dazed and Confused with the frenetic energy of City of God. Three young actors, play the young skateboarders perfectly. Emile Hirsch gives an oscar worthy performance as troubled Jay Adams, along with Victor Rasuk’s over achieving Tony Alva, and John Robinson's quiet Stacy Perlotta. The performance that really wowed me was Heath Ledger unrecognizable as the Z Boys father figure Skip. Not a perfect film, but a perfect companion piece to the documentary which has all the facts, the film fills in all the emotions.
Oldboy
This filled the tarintino void this year. A fantastic pulp story of revenge. I have the image of Ol de sue eating a live octopus after spending fifteen years locked in a room burned in my mind. Admittedly it is a bit over the top, but that is all part of the stylized fun. All the shocking images work with the pulp driven world to create a film that seems believably unreal.
Born into Brothels
A beautiful little documentary about the power of art to save the children of India's sex industry. It’s a documentary in the classical since. It observe what happens as an american photographer tries to save these children. Who are as interesting, and compelling as anyone who is fictional.
2046
I fell asleep for a few brief moments while watching this film. In my defense, i was laying on the floor watching it. Even though I saw the import dvd in april, and the film is not as good as its predecessor. It still has a great viewing experience.
The Family Stone
Another film with strange marketing. What looked like a textbook meet the family comedy turned out to be a wonderful drama about family and the holidays. I was pissed after leaving the theater. I felt deceived. But after digesting the film I liked it alot. It also holds a place in my heart because during my internship at Panavision I pulled camera parts for the film, and met the DP. So in some small way I was apart of this film. It is an exciting feeling.
Land of the Dead
No it is no where as good as night or dawn, but it was nice to old zombie filmmaking on the big screen. Sometimes you need to see zombies invade pittsburgh to make your summer complete.
Walk the Line
Almost didn’t include it. But I did really enjoy this film, and Johnny is one of my heros. The acting in this film is top notch, as are the recreations of the music. To Johnny’s chaotic life played out in front as a drama was different then reading about it. But film captured the spirt of John and June, with out glossing over the mistakes that they made.
films that I agree (with the critics) are very good.
A History of Violence
This film was hard to watch. The gore was extremely lifelike, and the tension mounted as I watched. Waiting for someone else to get killed. I wanted to leaved the theater, but I wanted to see what happened. My appreciation of this film grew in hindsight. While hard to watch, after having seen it new revelations emerge.
Goodnight, and Good Luck
Truth be told, this is a strange little film. It lacks an act structure. But that is actually to its advantage. It captures an era that I did not live through, and shows how the news used to be.
Brokeback Mountain
This is a beautiful film that tells of a love that two men can not escape. The setting seems other worldly when the two spend that first fateful summer on the mountain. The story sets in full motion when the two men try to move on with their lives. It’s not a film about being gay. The film never labels anyone. Both men support and love the families they started. But something comes alive in them when they are with each other. Heath Ledger plays Enis Del Mar perfectly. Jack brings him out his shell. The cast is superb, and the women in there lives help make it clear that this not a clear cut issue.
films that would make this list if had seen them. because i know my own taste.
the squid and the whale
the constant gardener
the best of youth
syriana
grizzly man
Millions
I saw this film for free by accident during my semester in LA. Danny Boyle seems to excel in every genre he attempts. This tender fable about faith and greed finds him at his best. I knew I loved the film, but I knew that it was great when I met Jessica’s aunt and uncle. They loved the film. It is not often that a film geek and an elderly couple can agree on the same film. The film is beautiful and moving in a way that no other film was this past year.
Serenity
Joss Whedon is my hero. This summer I finished watching the TV series that preceded the film, Firefly. Watching this cinematic conclusion to the series was the best time I had the theater this year. I laughed and then I cried. I was hanging on the edge of my seat. Hands down this is what sci fi is supposed to do. Take the viewer on an adventure. Admittedly the experience was enhanced by already knowing the world and the characters. But how can you not love a film that has sword fights, spaceships and zombies.
Hustle and Flow
MTV marketing this film horribly. Ultimately this film was not about hip hop. The point was that it is not too late to chase your dreams. The casting for this film was brilliant. When the film reached the end, it was not the end that I expected. It reflected the fact that 20 years after hip hop’s birth, its a full grown musical genre that reaches beyond the bling fueled MTV/BET version. The lifestyle of the main characters is not glamorized, and most of the characters live in poverty. But they are not crushed by it.
The Forty Year Old Virgin
I laughed so hard during this film. It mixed raunchy humor with heart. Amazingly a film respected the choice of chastity, and made fun of how over sexualized our culture is. I love it. Judd Apatow made one of the best comedies I have ever seen. The balance this film achieves is truly amazing. Somehow in the same scene gross out humor can exist with charecter development.
Murderball
One line from this film still sticks in my head. “Zupan was an asshole before he got in the chair, it wasn’t the chair that did that.” I don’t think alot about people in wheel chairs. After seeing this film, my perspective changed. Through the prism of this sport we see men who have full lives despite being paralyzed. Walking away, I was left to wonder what am I doing with my fully functional body. The way this film portrays these men makes the story work. The easy thing is to do is show them as people to be pitied. But they are treated as any other athlete would be.
Batman Begins
This is my new favorite superhero film. X2 and Spiderman 2 were pretty good. But Chris Nolon took the bat to a whole new level. The film felt like an epic adventure, while at the same feeling noirish and gritty. Nothing tops the feeling of a well made summer blockbuster. It felt like a comic book, with forcing the feeling on the audience. Liam Nesson was frightening as Ra Sha Gul.
Lords of Dogtown
Normally I am not a huge fan of bio pics, but this one had me enthralled. At it’s best, the film boasts a mix of Dazed and Confused with the frenetic energy of City of God. Three young actors, play the young skateboarders perfectly. Emile Hirsch gives an oscar worthy performance as troubled Jay Adams, along with Victor Rasuk’s over achieving Tony Alva, and John Robinson's quiet Stacy Perlotta. The performance that really wowed me was Heath Ledger unrecognizable as the Z Boys father figure Skip. Not a perfect film, but a perfect companion piece to the documentary which has all the facts, the film fills in all the emotions.
Oldboy
This filled the tarintino void this year. A fantastic pulp story of revenge. I have the image of Ol de sue eating a live octopus after spending fifteen years locked in a room burned in my mind. Admittedly it is a bit over the top, but that is all part of the stylized fun. All the shocking images work with the pulp driven world to create a film that seems believably unreal.
Born into Brothels
A beautiful little documentary about the power of art to save the children of India's sex industry. It’s a documentary in the classical since. It observe what happens as an american photographer tries to save these children. Who are as interesting, and compelling as anyone who is fictional.
2046
I fell asleep for a few brief moments while watching this film. In my defense, i was laying on the floor watching it. Even though I saw the import dvd in april, and the film is not as good as its predecessor. It still has a great viewing experience.
The Family Stone
Another film with strange marketing. What looked like a textbook meet the family comedy turned out to be a wonderful drama about family and the holidays. I was pissed after leaving the theater. I felt deceived. But after digesting the film I liked it alot. It also holds a place in my heart because during my internship at Panavision I pulled camera parts for the film, and met the DP. So in some small way I was apart of this film. It is an exciting feeling.
Land of the Dead
No it is no where as good as night or dawn, but it was nice to old zombie filmmaking on the big screen. Sometimes you need to see zombies invade pittsburgh to make your summer complete.
Walk the Line
Almost didn’t include it. But I did really enjoy this film, and Johnny is one of my heros. The acting in this film is top notch, as are the recreations of the music. To Johnny’s chaotic life played out in front as a drama was different then reading about it. But film captured the spirt of John and June, with out glossing over the mistakes that they made.
films that I agree (with the critics) are very good.
A History of Violence
This film was hard to watch. The gore was extremely lifelike, and the tension mounted as I watched. Waiting for someone else to get killed. I wanted to leaved the theater, but I wanted to see what happened. My appreciation of this film grew in hindsight. While hard to watch, after having seen it new revelations emerge.
Goodnight, and Good Luck
Truth be told, this is a strange little film. It lacks an act structure. But that is actually to its advantage. It captures an era that I did not live through, and shows how the news used to be.
Brokeback Mountain
This is a beautiful film that tells of a love that two men can not escape. The setting seems other worldly when the two spend that first fateful summer on the mountain. The story sets in full motion when the two men try to move on with their lives. It’s not a film about being gay. The film never labels anyone. Both men support and love the families they started. But something comes alive in them when they are with each other. Heath Ledger plays Enis Del Mar perfectly. Jack brings him out his shell. The cast is superb, and the women in there lives help make it clear that this not a clear cut issue.
films that would make this list if had seen them. because i know my own taste.
the squid and the whale
the constant gardener
the best of youth
syriana
grizzly man