2005 the Year in Film, So Far (The First Half Recap)

Welcome to my recap of the first half of 2005 at the movies, this is for all films seen theatrically between 1/1/05 and 6/31/05. First up are a few facts and figures regarding those films and trips to the theater. The figures consist of all theatrical viewings, but the Best of lists below are culled only from the eligible films. I have discounted films released in 2004 or earlier, there are a few that are eligible based on their initial release being in the US this year.

One thing I realized as I was putting this together, there have been some really good films, yet few memorable performances. I had a heck of a time to compiling the actor lists. Hopefully the second half will pick up the pace.

The rankings could change at any time, without notice.

Number of trips to the theater: 77
Number of movies seen: 73
Number of films eligible for the lists: 59
Longest Film: Downfall at 150 minutes
Shortest film: Madagascar at 80 minutes
Average length: 108 minutes

By MPAA Rating:
Number of R rated films: 23
Number of PG-13 rated films: 36
Number of PG rated films: 7
Number of G rated films: 1
Number of Unrated films: 10

By Primary Genre (Decided by me):
Action: 8
Animated: 3
Anime: 1
Comedy: 12
Documentary: 6
Drama: 11
Foreign: 14
Horror: 10
Musical: 2
Science Fiction: 4
Suspense/Thriller: 6

Now here is the real reason you're reading this, the best of lists, sure to be controversial, just keep in mind these are merely my opinions.

Top 10 Movies of the First Half:

1. Sin City. I saw this twice, and am really looking forward to the DVD release. This was an absolutely phenomenal film. It is unlike anything I have seen for some time. Striking style, over the top performances, and an ensemble cast combine to make this the best I've seen this year. ****
2. Crash. Not enough people have seen this strong work. Another ensemble cast that takes you to the edge, reels you back in, just to take you out again. I wasn't prepared for how good this film was. ****
3. Batman Begins. They finally got the Bat right. Great cast, interesting story, and on top of that great characters. Especially Christian Bale as Batman. ****
4. Kung Fu Hustle. This was absolute insanity, laugh out loud funny, insanely silly. Tex Avery come to life, with kung fu. ****
5. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. While it does bring up questions and inconsistencies within the series, but this was the prequel we were waiting for. Great action, effects, and surprisingly a couple of very good performances. ***.5
6. Head On. I am sure I did not get all of the subtext, but this was an amazing film about two very, very damaged people. Very moving, and disturbing. ***.5
7. Millions. Danny Boyle follows up his revisionist zombie film with a wonderful family film. A touching tale of doing the right thing. ***.5
8. 3 Iron. This is a quietly surreal tale from Korea. Virtually no dialogue, yet a very strong connection is made between the two leads. ***.5
9. War of the Worlds. This could easily be picked apart, but a certain viewpoint opens up the story and reveals a more personal film within the epic destruction. Plus some cool effects. ***.5
10. In Good Company. This was a big surprise. A delightful comedy that isn't dumbed down, or overly shocking. It has some good acting, and is just fun to watch. ***.5

Top 5 Surprise Films:

• Hostage. I was shocked at how good this action/suspense film was. It was tightly wound, well paced, and was a perfect fit for Willis. ***
• House of Wax. Surprisingly, this was actually watchable. A throwback to the slasher films of the 1980's. **.5
• Assault on Precinct 13. Much like last year's Dawn of the Dead, a surprisingly good reimagining of a well regarded film from the 1970's. ***
• Land of the Dead. Never thought I would see another new Romero zombie movie, yet here we are. They just go well together. ***
• Mad Hot Ballroom. Absolutely delightful. This had me smiling from start to finish, a documentary about inner city kids in a ballroom dancing competition. ***.5

Bottom 5 Films: (descending order)

• The Ring Two. Very disappointing sequel, I expected more from the director of the Japanese original. *.5
• The Amityville Horror. I wasn't much of a fan of the original movie, and this wasn't much better. *.5
• A Lot Like Love. What an annoying couple of people. Poor acting, poor dialogue. But it was fun to goof on. *.5
• White Noise. A film shouldn't break it's own rules, it shouldn't cut away from every character developing moment before it develops. I feel bad for Michael Keaton, first this, then Herbie. *.5
• Alone in the Dark. Uwe Boll is awful. I knew that going in, and I still went. I am sad. *

Top 5 Actors:

1. Christian Bale (Batman Begins). Bale completely inhabits this role, bringing a grounded reality to the dual personality of our hero. Great performance.
2. Daniel Craig (Layer Cake). A subtle performance, crafting a portrait of a good bad guy.
3. Sean Penn (The Interpreter). Another strong performance from Penn. What else can I say?
4. Steven Chow (Kung Fu Hustle). A comedic gem. Kung fu loony toons brought to life, embodied in the wildly entertaining Chow.
5. Russell Crowe (Cinderella Man). Seemed like a bit of an Oscar grab, but there is no denying the heart that Crowe brought to the role.

Top 5 Actresses:

1. Nicole Kidman (The Interpreter). Much like Penn in the same film, another fine performance.
2. Sibel Kikelli (Head On). Unapologetic and in your face, Sibel gives us a terribly fractured character searching for love.
3. Aishwarya Rai (Bride & Prejudice). Strikingly beautiful, and funny, she is magnetic on the screen.
4. Angelina Jolie (Mr. & Mrs. Smith). She was a lot of fun in this movie, it may not be high art, but she shows true star power.
5. Sandra Bullock (Ms. Congeniality 2). A completely unnecessary film, but she is still a lot of fun in the role.

Top 5 Supporting Actors:

1. Ian Mcdiarmid (Star Wars Episode III). In a film full of mediocre acting, Ian stood above them giving this layered portrayal of the most evil character in the Star Wars universe.
2. Michael Caine (Batman Begins). Alfred has never made such an impact. Caine brings a great deal of weight to the role of a butler.
3. Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man). It seems that he can do no wrong. Another wonderful character creation.
4. Heath Ledger (Lords of Dogtown). A surprising turn, his performance as Skip was very good. I liked what he brought to the movie.
5. Tie: Ewan McGregor (Star Wars Episode III) and Gary Oldman (Batman Begins). Obi-Wan or Gordon? Two excellent performances, I couldn't decide.

Top 5 Supporting Actresses:

1. Hee Jae (3 Iron). Completely silent and totally mesmerizing.
2. Dakota Fanning (War of the Worlds). It is unbelievable how good she is, this is no exception.
3. Renee Zellweger (Cinderella Man). A touching performance, amongst the Oscar grab of film, she was still very good.
4. Thandie Newton (Crash). What her character goes through is amazing. She really pulls it off too.
5. Scarlet Johannsen (In Good Company). A small role, but a pivotal one for a few other characters in her life.

Top 5 Directors:

1. Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins). Strong film, great cast, excellent story, plus character growth. This exceeded my expectations, and Nolan really holds it all together.
2. Paul Haggis (Crash). Weaving an incredible web of interlocking stories, Haggis takes to the edge just to pull you back in stylish fashion.
3. Robert Rodriguez (Sin City). Unlike anything you are likely to see, Rodriguez (along with Frank Miller and Quentin Tarantino) deliver a film featuring a gorgeously unique vision.
4. Steven Spielberg (War of the Worlds). Flawed, yet intriguing reworking of the Wells tale. An epic tale brought down to a personal level.
5. Danny Boyle (Millions). Not only has he mastered the Brit-gangster and revisionist zombie films, he tackles the family film and knocks it out of the park.

Random Notables:

• Special Effects. Sin City was an effect, but seriously, Episode III has some top notch work.
• Ensemble Casts. The top two films on my list feature fine ensemble casts.
• Best Acting by a Zombie. Eugene Clark as Big Daddy in Land of the Dead.
• Impossible Ending Award. High Tension, the ending could not happen, period.
• Best movie with most mediocre cast. Episode III, bad acting, good acting, very good movie.
• Horrific Horror Movies. What is it with all of these lousy horror movies? It is tough being a fan of horror, there are so many bad ones out there.

Also at Blogcritics.