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#1- A History of Violence Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Ashton Holmes Directed by: David Cronenberg, Josh Olson Very few movies can weave so many elements into one movie from drama, to action, to even a little bit of comedy and make into this sexy, action packed drama that rivets you to your seat for two hours. A History of Violence accomplishes more in fifteen minutes than many movies do in two hours. From action packed gun fights, to incredibly sexy love scenes the movie delivers easily the best movie of 2005 as it will leave you with a desire to see the movie over and over. |
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#2- Sin City Starring: Jessica Alba, Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Powers Boothe, Rosario Dawson Directed by: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, Quentin Tarantino What if you could make a comic book come alive and find the events of that comic happening around you in a world filled with crime, passion and larger than life heroes and villains and all this taking place right in front of your eyes. Sin City is that comic book and it is probably the best comic book movie as it easily outclasses everyone else in its genre. From the cool styling’s of Quentin Tarantino to the harsh world of Frank Miller Sin City delivered the second best movie of 2005 | ||
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#3- Crash Starring: Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, William Fichtner Directed by: Paul Haggis No matter what you think and no matter how tolerant you think of yourself each and everyone of us somewhere deep down is a little bit racist. The movie is a very stark look at racism and how that racism effects each and everyone of us as the things we do can affect others in a ripple effect sort of way. | ||
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#4- Layer Cake Starring: Daniel Craig, Michael Gambon, Colm Meaney, Kenneth Cranham, Jamie Foreman Directed by: Matthew Vaughn If there is one thing that Michael Vaughn knows how to do, it the ability to make a cool, action packed gangster movie. Coming off as the producer of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch he delivers once more with this look into the life of what it is to be a drug dealer and gangster. He couldn’t have found a better actor than Daniel Craig either as he delivers in one of the best movies of 2005. | ||
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#5- Serenity Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin Directed by: Joss Whedon What if you were to mix the genres of a western and that of science fiction space movie that is what this movie does. It is a space western that mixes all the shootouts, heists and old time western feel in the confines of outer space. While the movie doesn’t get to delve as deep as the TV show did it’s a shame that Firefly got cancelled as the movie proves the formula worked. | ||
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#6- Revenge of the Sith Starring: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson Directed by: George Lucas I have heard all the critics and nay Sayers but honestly how many of you out there bought the DVD and went to see the movie more than once in the theatres. The prequels have been somewhat of a let down but this movie is easily the best of the newer star wars films as it includes the most action and the best fight sequences and we get to see once and for all how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader. | ||
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#7- Mr. & Mrs. Smith Starring: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Adam Brody, Kerry Washington Directed by: Doug Liman Smart and witty the movie was easily the best of what is considered to be popcorn flicks. But I think the movie was a little bit more than just a popcorn flick as the chemistry between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt was electrifying to say the least. And while the movies has its fair share of gun battles it also has its fair share of smart and witty dialogue as the two characters act out what most of us would do if we found out our significant other was the complete opposite of who we thought they were. | ||
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#8- Batman Begins Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman Directed by: Christopher Nolan At first I wasn’t sure if this was the best Batman movie ever but after seeing it several times, I am sure. The movie delivers like no other Batman movie as it tells the story from the beginning how one man’s own tragedy would become the catalyst for one of the most intriguing super heroes of our time. As more and more comic book movies hit the big screen they should take a look at movies like this and Sin City who found away to jump off the pages of a comic and our imagination and turn into wonderful movies. | ||
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#9- Cinderella Man Starring: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko, Paddy Considine Directed by: Ron Howard There are a lot of sport movies out there and the ones that work the best our movies like Cinderella Man where its not just the events that happen in the sporting arenas that make up the movie but instead the characters and their lives outside the arena that keep us glued to our seats. Cinderella Man will almost have you in tears as you live and suffer along with Russell Crowe and his family as he makes the most improbable happen. | ||
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#10- House of D Starring: Anton Yelchin, Téa Leoni, David Duchovny, Robin Williams, Erykah Badu Directed by: David Duchovny This is the best movie that you probably never even heard of. It’s the coming of age story and how one event can change us and our lives forever. It is also a movie about life and not forgetting to live it while we have it by loving and caring for those who mean the most to us. From David Duchovny if this is the kind of movie he can make I can’t wait tell he decides to write and direct his next movie. | ||
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Honorable Mention- Jarhead Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Jamie Foxx, Lucas Black, Chris Cooper Directed by: Sam Mendes What if you were to take a peak into what it must be like to be a soldier fighting a war that they don’t believe in and our only there because they have no where else to be. That is what Jarhead is and it makes it quite clear what it thinks it is like to be a marine at time with its tagline of welcome to the suck. Taking place during the first gulf war we get to see the highs and lows of the common soldier defending his country and fighting a war he doesn’t believe in | ||
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Honorable Mention- Munich Starring: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Geoffrey Rush, Mathieu Kassovitz, Ciarán Hinds Directed by: Steven Spielberg The powerful Steven Spielberg led directed movie about how bloodshed and violence only leads to more bloodshed and violence. Four Israeli’s are asked to avenge the deaths of their country men who were killed during the 1972 Munich Olympic games as they hunt down and kill eleven men who had their hands in planning it but along the way they lose sight of their mission as the come to learn spilling blood and causing violence only leads the Arabs to do the same to their people. | ||
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Worst Movie of the Year Deuce Bigalow: European Gigilo Starring: Rob Schneider, Eddie Griffin, Jeroen Krabbe, Til Schweiger, Douglas Sills Directed by: Mike Bigelow Have you ever heard a joke that when you first heard it you found it slightly amusing but not enough to really laugh out loud. But the second time you hear the joke you don’t find it amusing even in the slightest that sums up the sequel to a slightly amusing movie from the hack they call Rob Schneider. Deuce Bigalow is easily the biggest waste of time in 2005 and that’s quite an accomplishment as it was competing with such trash like Bewitched, Stealth and the Wedding Date | ||
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Biggest Dissapointment of 2005 War of the Worlds Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins Directed by: Steven Spielberg I love Steven Spielberg but he truly dropped the ball on this movie as he forgot to tell a story and instead tried to just pass off special effects as a movie. Special effects do not make a movie they are just suppose to enhance it I wish all directors would keep that in mind when making movies. Dakota Fanning is so annoying as she screams her way through the movie that you will want to slap her silly and the movie changes too many elements from the original from probable to improbable and just downright silly at times. | ||
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Best Comedy of 2005 The Producers Starring: Will Ferrell, Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, Gary Beach Directed by: Susan Stroman Hollywood will never learn, a comedy can contain its fair share of sexual humor and crudeness but if that is all the movie is it will never be a comedy that is remembered through the ages. We saw all the crude movies this year from Wedding Crashers to the 40 Year Old Virgin and while we may have laughed hard the first time these movies will easily lost their appeal the second viewing as they weren’t nearly as funny. The Producers is old school funny, its more slapstick and it has its fair share of sexual references the movie doesn’t need them to sell itself. The movie is about a two guys who scheme to make the worst Broadway play ever and hilarity ensues, a remake and still holding its own after all these years. | ||