10 Best Movies of 2005

1. Crash - I cannot think of a film released this year, or for a long time, that had the sort of emotional impact on my heart as Crash. I saw it twice in the theater, and both times the audience would literally yell at the screen, cries of "NO", "Oh my gosh", "Please NO", "Holy #$@*", and many other unprintable responses. The way the story was told, the way the plotlines and characters were weaved together, and the overall message of the film all lent itself to being my choice for the best film of 2005. It is a rough film, full of foul language and a scene of sexuality, but looking beyond that you will find a powerful piece of art that will endure for generations.

2. Walk the Line - I cannot imagine how many more Johnny Cash albums were sold after the release of this film, but I can tell you that I ponied up my 15 bucks. Career defining performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon (fresh off Legally Blonde 2 - Red, White and Blonde) raise what could have been yet another musical biopic (see Beyond the Sea, Ray) to a higher plane of brilliance. The fact that the actors performed the songs themselves was a risky move that paid off hugely, both in authenticity and passion. What once scared long time Cash and Carter fans, was now heralded as a filmmaking breakthrough. Even Jamie Foxx, with his musical talents, was forced to lip sync to the majority of tunes in RAY, to our loss. The structure of the film, the powerful music, and the no-holds barred story telling all contribute to a truly innovative and classic film.

3. Chronicles of Narnia - Adapting this beloved children's story into a viable movie was not going to be an easy task. C.S. Lewis was against any sort of a live action version of it, saying in essence that it would rob the story of its power if there were talking animal puppets. Well, had he lived to see the technology of today, I think a tear would have rolled down his cheek as it did mine the first moment Aslan appeared on screen. Great casting, fantastic effects and CGI, and very good performances from the children made this a movie that I couldn't get enough of. I must admit, sheepishly, that I saw it 3 times in the theater. I feel a small measure of shame - especially since I'm running out to pick up the special edition DVD tonight (I own both versions of the soundtrack too). All in all, I think I've invested pretty heavily into the Narnia franchise, both financially and emotionally. But I do have my limits - for example, I absolutely refuse to pull the trigger on the Mr. Tumnus clothing line. As much as I'd look stunning in his signature pants and horns combo - I've decided enough is enough. Great film.

4. Elizabethtown - Expectation- it either gives unexpected joy or huge disappointment. Movies that carry huge expecations (either great reviews or friends word of mouth) tend to disappoint, not because they aren't well made films, but rather, they failed to deliver on the build up. Elizabethtown is a very polarizing film, with plenty of very strong feelings on both sides. So - now I have to come clean on my expectations for this film. I expected nothing. Maybe even less. I'm not a huge fan of Orlando Bloom (although I do prefer him to Ashton Kutcher) and Kirsten Dunst has always annoyed me for some reason, so the cast didn't have me overly excited. The odds were stacked against this film impressing me. But - let's not forget how much atmosphere affects movie enjoyment. Think about the difference between watching a great scary movie at 2 in the afternoon in a bright room with people walking in and out, the phone ringing, and text messages flying. Compare that with the same scary movie, watched at midnight with the rest of your family asleep, the creaks of your house lending an eerie addition to the soundtrack, dancing shadows causing your heart to beat so fast that you can't get a full breath, and you find yourself checking behind your couch to make sure you're alone. Atmosphere is truly key to enjoying and appreciating anything - but especially a movie. OK - so the atmosphere of watching Elizabethtown was me hanging out with close friends, a roaring fire, great cigars all around, and fine dark chocolates aplenty. The film begins... Now - one more thing that affects enjoyment of a film is its application in your life - meaning, how do the events / themes / characters of this movie apply to my life right now? I watched this movie just a few days after I had made some HUGE life changes, taken some massive risks, and admitted some big failures. My heart was pretty tender and malleable to say the least. Back to the film... The story begins with some pretty classic voice over narration by the main character, Drew (Bloom), as he grapples with his newfound identitiy - FAILURE. He even looks out the window of the company helicopter as he contemplates adding himself to the list of things that he has killed - his career, his company, his relationships, and his dreams. The way he handles the pain he feels is to respond to everyone with the classic retort "I'm fine." As the film progresses, the weight of his failure cripples his ability to freely grieve the death of his father, or to embrace the woman of his dreams. The themes of failure, loss, risk, love, freedom, and identity resonated within the deepest caverns of my heart. I highly recommend the film for anyone who has experienced the stench of failure, but has glimpsed the beauty of healing, love, and freedom. BTW - it has great music too.

5. Good Night, and Good Luck - The second directorial effort from George Clooney is a well made, truthful, eerily prophetic re-telling of the Murrow - McCarthy showdown. The current administration couldn't have been very happy with the obvious comparisons that were drawn by audiences after viewing this film. Government bullying of the media isn't something that ended in the 50's unfortunately, and it takes courage and creativity to create a piece of art that not only realistically tells a true story - but it also highlights a growing concern in our own times. Standout performances by David Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow and Frank Langhella as the CBS News executive trying to balance journalistic integrity and financial realities add to a terrific ensemble cast operating off a first rate script. Shooting in black and white was a bold move, yet it proved to add to the authenticity of the story.

6. Syriana - Yet another politically charged message movie, this film was financed through a company called Participant Productions, which has a very new paradigm for involvement in a film project. They will only get involved in the process if a film not only seems like it has a good shot at being profitable, but just as important to them is that the film has to have a component of calling people to social action. So far, they have financed Murderball, Good Night and Good Luck, North Country, and Syriana (among others in development) - and each of these films has provided social commentary to the masses. But the company doesn't stop at giving the warm-fuzzies, they actually create programs that the audience is invited to get involved in. For the sexual harassment depicted in North Country, they partnered with STAND UP, an organization that fights harassment in all its forms. For Good Night, they created REPORT IT NOW, to "...compel the media to get back to reporting in the public interest!", for Murderball they created GET INTO THE GAME which sets out to "...smash stereotypes about the disabled! ...raise funds to provide sports wheelchairs to athletes in need." For the film Syriana, which asks some very hard questions about our interests in the Middle East, OIL CHANGE has been partnered with to address America's dependency on foreign oil. " Oil addiction. It saps America's economic strength, pollutes our environment, and jeopardizes national security. Breaking that addiction begins with the choices we make as individuals. Instead of oil dependence, let’s choose Oil Change!" People are encouraged to pursue lifestyles that encourage using alternate forms of energy and to pressure the government to head in that direction. Syriana is typical of Stephen Gaghan's style (Traffic), with it's rapid fire editing, multiple characters and plotlines, and standout acting performances. His script makes some very strong statements, but it also leads the audience on a journey of discovering the truth with Bob Barnes (Clooney, for which he won his first Oscar), a CIA operative that has literally given his blood and most of his life for his country. As he is betrayed, beaten, and meets his ultimate demise, he slowly uncovers the motives of a government bent on protecting it's interests at all costs. If what this film suggests is even remotely true, then it really is time to change things. Very powerful - not for the faint of heart or for those who want to keep their fingers in their ears.

7. Batman Begins - This franchise was dead. Over. Brutally slain by the absolute flop "Batman and Robin" (sorry George). Warner Bros. had laid it's beloved comic book hero to rest for good it was thought. Well, in the time since 1997, comic book adaptations have become the hottest genre in Hollywood (thank Peter Parker), and we are now getting films from everyone who has EVER appeared in a comic. Which does beg the question, where's Archie? Anyway, Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia) proposed a much darker version of the caped crusader, this time going back to his orgins. A prequel - filled with actors with real chops, no more Governator, Uma, Alicia Silverstone, or sweet mercy - Chris O'Donnell (I honestly LOATHE him). Now we have Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Cilian Murphy, Michael Caine, and Katie Holmes. Oops, ok , so there had to be one cult following, freak in the movie - I guess. But the biggest coup was to cast Christian Bale as Batman. He brings a depth to the character that has never been seen before (sorry Beetlejuice fans, he outdoes even Michael Keaton) and also he has the actual physical presence to make us believe that he could actually beat someone up. The film balances humor, action, backstory, and a little romantic tension to an almost perfect degree. In my humble opinion, it's the best ever in the rapidly expanding comic book adaptation genre.

8. Nine Lives - Ok - so this reveals the side of me that enjoys a good old fashioned series of interconnnected vignettes told in a structure of stand alone short films. I was mesmerized by the plotlines, by the way the director effortlessly connects characters and stories, and the powerful revelations that are presented to us - sometimes like a shotgun to the head, other times in a tenderly complex whisper. Very, very different from anything I saw this year. Check out Robin Wright Penn's performance in the supermarket - it may have been the best performance by an actress this year, too bad it was only a few moments long. (Warning: it earns its R rating)

9. King Kong - I felt a certain obligation to include this movie on the list, mostly because after recently watching it again on DVD, I appreciated the efforts of Peter Jackson in a whole new way. He basically crafted a $200 million love story of such subtlety and complexity that even the sight of a giant gorilla battling two huge dinosaurs isn't enough to strip away the beauty of the story. The technological advances in this film push us lightyears ahead of anything else that has been done before on film, even further than Jackson himself went with the Lord of the Rings movies. Great story, solid cast, and effects that will have your jaw agape. Well worth your 3 hours.

10. Grizzly Man - This is the lone documentary on my list, and its presence is because of the astounding nature of the film (pun intended). The movie seeks to establish the true life story of Timothy Treadwell, a mysterious and volatile person, who spent most of his life devoid of meaning and truly lost until he found meaning and purpose living with Kodiak Grizzly bears in Alaska. Yep. He honestly lived among grizzly bears. Now when I was very young, I watched a cheesy horror movie when my parents were out of town that was about this grizzly bear that basically terrorized unsuspecting campers. It was pretty much Jaws of the state forest. Well, in the movie, they pepper in actual horrifying facts about the greatness of the grizzly, how it can run like 30 miles per hour (much faster than me), how it can smell you if you try to hide, how it can climb trees, swim, and how the strength of it's jaws can severe your limbs as easily as I eat cheese. These thoughts never used to bother me - until I went camping, then they would all rush back to my mind as I attempted to use the little outhouse by myself at 1am in total darkness. Fear induced constipation became a chronic camping health condition for me. So watching Grizzly Man was a little bit of a risk for me, being that I feel that I have begun to pull through the side effects of my fear recently - but I felt like the time had come to face my fear once more. What made this film so fascinating to me is that it easily could have been made in a style more conducive to Dateline or even the E! True Hollywood Story, but instead, Werner Herzog leads us on a journey of discovering the mystery of who Timothy Treadwell was, what drove him to live with real bears, and what caused his death. Interviews with friends, family, forest rangers, and others who knew him were intercut with ACTUAL FOOTAGE shot by Treadwell himself. Every summer for 13 years, Treadwell lived with the grizzlies and always brought a video camera with him which he used to chronicle his adventures. This footage is at times shocking and scary, but it also reveals the heart of the adventurer. Treadwell really did love these creatures, and felt it was his mission to protect them. One small detail that puzzled many was that they already were protected, and living in an area of government protected state park land. But nonetheless, he lived as a lover and a warrior for his community, and ultimately his love for them claimed his life. This film achieves new heights for a documentary both for the story, and for the feats of Treadwell's camera, as we are granted never before seen access to the dangerous world of the grizzly.

That's it! The top ten of the year... As always, weigh in, comment, agree, disagree, post your own Top 10...

Let the discussions begin!