2005

1. Syriana




Syriana is definitely one of the best films of the year because it is intelligent and entertaining, yet doesn’t necessarily take the path you are expecting. Basically the plot looks at the Middle Eastern-U.S. oil conflicts from the points of view of half a dozen of the involved parties (laid-off workers, Texan business tycoons, royalty, CIA, economic advisors, etc.). None of the characters are necessarily right or wrong, good or evil (the best choice I think the director could have made), and each is flawed in their own actions or self-righteous outlook. All of the different threads in this movie have their own twists and impact, and they do come together and overlap like most films of this nature do, but they don’t reach an “end game” or big solution. The fight for oil is one of the most complex and potentially disabling problems that our generation will ever face, and Syriana presents that quite honestly. The already infamous speech about corruption explains quite well what the entire film is about: look around and we’ll see that nothing is going well in the game for oil and it never will.

I feel a warning is necessary, however: George Clooney is not at all hot in this picture. You won’t be turned off him forever, but expect to be slightly disgruntled with the hairy, fat Clooney. So just close your eyes and listen to his words (and the occasional scream or violent grarrl) – he did win the Oscar after all. In closing, Syriana is obviously my choice for the best movie of 2005. Until next year my movie-loving internet friends!


2. Good Night, and Good Luck

Oh George Clooney, you are so hot for an old man, and, as you proved with Good Night, and Good Luck, a very talented and conscientious director too. For those of you that have seen this film, you will probably agree that it nearly put you to sleep. Not necessarily a good trait for a second best movie to have, but nevertheless a result of the black-and-white coloring choice and the rather subdued plot. This is certainly not a film that comes out with all barrels ablaze, scene after scene of knock-you-off-your-feet action or drama. But, it has a beautiful subtlety and self-respect for its characters (Murrow, of course, but also the other network employees, like Robert Downey Jr. and Patricia Clarkson) that was unique among 2005 movies. It harkens back to old, great movies like All the President’s Men or The Manchurian Candidate. The direction is superb, of course, but what is really great is the writing. At 93 minutes it is a short, tight script with nary a wasted scene – something that I wish happened more often in this age of 3 hour, multi-ending films. Good Night, and Good Luck is quite the old-world treat.


3. Sin City

Apparently this movie is almost a word-for-word adaptation of the graphic novel by Frank Miller. So maybe this praise is more for that than the movie itself. Well both certainly have the same style, which I’d say is the most valuable element, beyond plot or characters. This is simply a style of cinematography that we have never seen before – very comic-like, of course - an interesting mixture of gritty and cartoonish. Each act is related but not wholly overlapping as directors often find necessary but really is not (parallel stories with similar or contrasting themes can work without having its characters interact, no?). These elements ultimately operate to explain the environment; really this is a movie about its setting, not plot. But that’s just my take on it. Nearly everyone who sees it gleans something different and that’s certainly part of its appeal.


4. Tsotsi

Quite a worthwhile film, and unlike many of the other political movies this year, it succeeds without hitting you over the head with its message. Is the message in the banner? I would think so, but you can decide for yourself. (Clearly you should see the movie if only to understand what the hell I’m talking about). Tsotsi won Best Foreign Film at this year’s Oscars and I definitely agree with that choice. This is a movie about a thug (that's what the word tsotsi means) in a very ghetto area of South Africa who kills and steals without much conscience to get by. But as the movie progresses so does Tsotsi; he is a bad man who gets better. That kind of redemption story is all too absent from movies these days, and frankly better it be an African film where there are real causes for the bad behavior in the first place.


5. Munich

I was not expecting to like this movie. I thought it was just another one that I had to see in order to make a credible list (look how much trouble I go to just for you people!) but ultimately would not enjoy. I also believed with absolute certainty that Billy Bob Thorton played a lead role (he's not even in it), but that’s beside the point. Don’t be deterred by thinking that this is all about the events that took place at the Olympics. Knowing the outcome of that event does not matter (it didn’t in Titanic either), but moreover this film is really about the after-math and how Jewish people took their revenge. By the way, favorite part: Naomi Watts’ death, least favorite part: final sex scene… weird! In my mind, Munich is one part Shindler’s List, one part Grapes of Wrath (I have no idea why), and one part James Bond. The James Bond part is why I love this movie because it’s so unexpected and fun! More movies should incorporate 007 into their angsty, political plots. Can you imagine Brokeback, Crash, or Constant Gardener with a little spy action thrown in? Amazing!


6. Batman Begins

The second best superhero movie ever made! After Spider-Man 2, of course, which was #7 on last year’s list. I looked that up just for you. Batman has always been close to my heart, ever since that wonderful 60s sitcom (POW, ZAP, SHWAP! Indeed!), so I was very excited for a feature adaptation that promised to take a shrewd look at the roots of this great bat. Well, it did not disappoint. There was certainly a pile of interesting, gritty back-story of how the bat came to be, coupled with a central plot that delved deep into the mythology of Gotham villains (so that’s why there are so many crazy people in NYC!). Christian Bale was surprisingly great in the lead role, and really the only downfall was Katie Holmes because she’s just awful. ZOP! BANG!


7. The Constant Gardener

Oh what a lovely movie! The more time that passes since I last saw it, the more I feel good about it. I don’t know what that’s suppose to mean. Anyways, the performances are great and the writing is very strong. The thing I liked the best was how you understand and appreciate Rachel Weisz’s character more and more as the film progresses - something most critics pointed out. This is true elegance in cinema, and personally I think what Crash could have been. That is, a movie that has a lot to say about on an important subject, but that does it with pure delicacy and grace.


8. Crash

I really did not think I would like Crash at all when it first came to theaters. It looked kind of stupid (people crash into each other just to feel … Um…) and ridiculously preachy. And it was both, especially the latter, but it was also kind of magical. My favorite scene was when the little girl… did her thing. That sentence sounds dirty because I’m attempting to avoid spoilers. Paul Haggis (writer of Million Dollar Baby – my second favorite movie of 2004) is certainly an intelligent man and he has a lot to say about racism that, perhaps, has not been said before. Overall it was pretty tight, but I think Haggis needs to learn the meaning of the word subtlety and thus it is lower on the list than it otherwise might be.


9. Serenity

Even if this had been a strange carbon copy of War of the Worlds, I have extreme solidarity with Joss Whedon and would gleefully have compromised my journalistic (?) integrity and added to the list anyways. But, fortunately, this is just a really great film. Lots of fun in its bizarre Western-Fi way, full of great action moments, a fairly solid plot, and original characters. Not to mention a pretty great death scene (rival even to some of the better ones on Buffy).


10. Cache

If you have been paying attention, you may remember that Cache was also one of my worst films of the year (note: when I originally wrote this I assumed there would be more time between the two posts). I obviously haven’t been able to resolve the conflicting emotions that it left me with. I estimate roughly 10% of the audience loved it, and 10% somehow managed to find some peace of mind in the ending as thus found it "OK-to-Good", and the rest definitely hated it. Overall, it was a very intelligent, thoughtful film on the nuisance of a man’s conscience. The ending was… different, but definitely appropriate and in-keeping with the director’s motives. It’s just tough to ascertain (while watching) that the film’s purpose goes far beyond that of a regular suspense movie. So, fine, I will allow it, and even offer some praise for it, but I stand firm in regard to its dual positioning on my lists. In fact, I think it’s rather appropriate given the movie.