Best Movies of 2005

[crazygirl]

To tell you the truth the only move I heard of was the first one.
I have yet to see it but I really want to go.
Other than that I have no idea what movies these are
Best Movies of 2005

We lost back at the year in movies. Plus, the Three Stooges to the big screen?

Dec. 28, 2005

2005 provided some bitter moments in movie history, but it also yielded some unforgettable highlights. This week's column showcases the best and the worst in movies this year plus mentions some of the winners and losers along the way. Without further ado, the Hitlist's top 10 movies of the year are ...

1. "Brokeback Mountain" -- Director Ang Lee brought Annie Proulx's short story to life as only a few directors could. That the industry takes it seriously as a legit Oscar contender is a testament to its universal story, but in the long run the popularity race won't matter. "Brokeback" is a truly great movie and great movies are rarely forgotten.

2. "The Squid and the Whale" -- Noah Baumbach's drama is the most accurate depiction of the effects of divorce on an American family on film. And it's funny, too.

3. "Murderball" -- Audiences made a mistake by ignoring this documentary about the U.S. quadriplegic rugby team's journey to the 2002 Paralympics. "Murderball" captures the true spirit of athletic competitiveness better than any movie in recent memory.

4. "Pride & Prejudice" -- This was too easily dismissed as just another "Jane Austin adaptation." Newcomer Joe Wright's direction provided not only a modern perspective but also embraced the romantic joy of the classic story.

5. "Layer Cake" -- This sophisticated new spin on the London gangster tale proved director Matthew Vaughn is a far superior filmmaker than ex-partner Guy Ritchie.

6. "Nine Lives" -- It had perhaps one life too many, but it's a feast of fantastic performances (Holly Hunter, Robin Wright Penn, Glenn Close) and genuine moments that many films only dream of capturing.

7. "The New World" -- Director Terrence Malick's majestic film documenting Pocahontas' life with men of the Western world is admittedly difficult, but it also reminds us why cinema is a powerful art form.

8. "2046" -- If you really want to see two great performances from Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li, then skip "Memoirs of a Geisha" and check this out instead. Both actresses are at their best in Wong Kar-Wai's exquisite tale of love and heartbreak in '60s Hong Kong.

9. "Police Beat" -- Chronicling the weekend of an African-born Seattle police officer unable to admit that his girlfriend will never return, this 2005 Sundance selection (which still hasn't been released in theaters) is a poetic window into the frustrations of love.

10. "Good Night, and Good Luck." -- This riveting thriller depicting Edward R. Murrow's public war with the maniacal Sen. Joe McCarthy proves that George Clooney's true calling may lie in directing. Clooney succeeds in not only accurately retelling these historical events but also in showing their eerie relevance to today's political climate.

 

[ChuckD]

To tell you the truth the only move I heard of was the first one.
I have yet to see it but I really want to go.
Other than that I have no idea what movies these are
Best Movies of 2005

1. "Brokeback Mountain" -- Director Ang Lee brought Annie Proulx's short story to life as only a few directors could. That the industry takes it seriously as a legit Oscar contender is a testament to its universal story, but in the long run the popularity race won't matter. "Brokeback" is a truly great movie and great movies are rarely forgotten.

Saw it last Monday, was blown away, and will be seeing it again this Monday.

 

[NVDisMa729]

Never heard of any of those movies

 

[ChuckD]

To tell you the truth the only move I heard of was the first one.
I have yet to see it but I really want to go.
Other than that I have no idea what movies these are

Never heard of any of those movies

Well, I had heard of most of them, but was in dark on a few of them. So, to help out, here is a quick description of each of the movies in this Top 10 list.




1. "Brokeback Mountain" -- The story of two young men - a ranch-hand (Ennis Del Mar) and a rodeo cowboy (Jack Twist)- who meet in the summer of 1961, and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection, one whose complications, joys, and tragedies provide a testament to the endurance and power of love.

2. "The Squid and the Whale" -- Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney star as a couple who’ve given up on their marriage in writer/director Noah Baumbach’s “The Squid and the Whale.” Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline co-star as the couple’s sons who are dramatically affected by their parent’s divorce.

3. "Murderball" -- From the gyms of middle America to the Olympic arena in Athens, Greece, Murderball tells the story of a group of world-class athletes unlike any ever shown on screen. In addition to smashing chairs, it will smash every stereotype you ever had about "gimps" and "cripples." It is a film about family, revenge, honor, sex (yes, they can) and the triumph of love over loss.


4. "Pride & Prejudice" -- The five Bennet sisters have all been raised by their mother with one purpose in life-finding a husband. When a wealthy bachelor takes up residence in a nearby mansion, the Bennets are abuzz. Amongst the man's sophisticated circle of friends, surely there will be no shortage of suitors for the Bennet sisters.


5. "Layer Cake" -- Sleek, well dressed and polite, our unnamed hero is a consummate professional. Treating cocaine and ecstasy like any other commodity, he has made a fortune for himself by keeping his hands clean and staying under the radar. Having made the decision to retire, his aim is to break free from the world of crime, drugs and violence and live a simple, quiet life with the money he has amassed.

6. "Nine Lives" -- “Nine Lives” is the story of nine women at different stages in their lives facing different emotional obstacles. Written and directed by Rodrigo Garcia, “Nine Lives” sets itself apart because of Garcia’s unique choice of shooting each segment in unbroken takes. For the actors that meant memorizing more than the usual amount of dialogue. It also required each actor to really focus on working with their co-stars, even more so than in most feature films.

7. "The New World" -- Set against the backdrop of the real discovery of America-in the 17th Century Jamestown, Virginia settlement where the culture of European explorers collided with that of Native Americans. It was in this wild new frontier that English explorer John Smith developed a relationship with a young Indian princess named Pocahontas that put them each at odds with their own worlds.


8. "2046" -- ."2046" deals with love, romance, pain, choices and lost opportunities. "He thought he wrote about the future," the film's narration says of main character Chow Mo-wan, "but it really was the past. In his novel, a mysterious train left for 2046 every once in a while. Everyone who went there had the same intention: to recapture their lost memories." "2046" revolves around romantic relationships, desires and memories with the central character Chow, played by Tony Leung Chiu-wai, as a writer/journalist.


9. "Police Beat" -- Chronicling the weekend of an African-born Seattle police officer unable to admit that his girlfriend will never return, this 2005 Sundance selection (which still hasn't been released in theaters) is a poetic window into the frustrations of love. (I had to use the description posted by CrazyGirl. This was one of the films I hadn't heard about, and couldn't find anything about it on the net.)

10. "Good Night, and Good Luck." -- Chronicles the real-life conflict between television newsman Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee.