Top Ten Films of 2005
Pope John Paul II passed away.
The first YouTube video is posted.
The first person cured of HIV.
The first face transplant takes place.
Hitch made it to the top ten worldwide grosses. Will Smith has enormous power.
It was Harry Potter, Star Wars, Narnia, King Kong, Batman, Willy Wonka and children’s films. Our future was always right in front of us.
11-25
Batman Begins (Directed by Christopher Nolan) - HBO
Brokeback Mountain (Directed by Ang Lee)
Broken Flowers (Directed by Jim Jarmusch)
Caché (Directed by Michael Haneke)
Capote (Directed by Bennett Miller)
Constantine (Directed by Francis Lawrence)
Conversations with Other Women (Directed by Hans Canosa) - Amazon Prime
Hard Candy (Directed by David Slade)
Jarhead (Directed by Sam Mendes)
Munich (Directed by Steven Spielberg) - HBO
Thank You For Smoking (Directed by Jason Reitman)
The New World (Directed by Terrence Malick)
Thumbsucker (Directed by Mike Mills)
Walk the Line (Directed by James Mangold) - HBO
War of the Worlds (Directed by Steven Spielberg) - HBO
top ten
10. Brick (Directed by Rian Johnson)
The now famous Last Jedi and Knives Out director started by making a low budget indie at his own high school with teenagers talking like 1940’s cops and gangsters. It’s a fun, silly, and ultimately dark melancholy little movie with a great JGL performance. Scripts like this are like great debut punk records.
9. The Descent (Directed by Neil Marshall)
One that I’ve grown to love over the years at the pure visceral nature of the filmmaking. It is a simple idea with amazing execution. The horror here is real and terrifying and like the best scary movies you can put on your PhD hat or just enjoy it.
8. The Devil and Daniel Johnston (Directed by Jeff Feuerzeig)
One of my first favorite documentaries and I love the subject more now than I did then. I think ten years ago I was more fascinated and less empathetic. Now I appreciate it a lot more. His music has more layers and beauty the older I get. Built to Spill put out a record of covers this year and I can’t recommend that highly enough.
7. The Squid and the Whale (Directed by Noah Baumbach) - Amazon Prime & Netflix
It has shrunk in my love of it over the years but it is still darkly funny and as poignant as ever. Baumbach has become one of my favorite filmmakers in the most recent decade. Jeff Daniels is one in the Tim Robbins zone for me that I always like him when it’s more comedic. Eisenberg, Laura Linney, and my personal MVP who is up for anything Billy Baldwin rules.
6. Grizzly Man (Directed by Werner Herzog) - Amazon Prime & Hulu
One of the most unique documentaries ever made with hundreds of hours compiled into a great documentary. A man killed by the thing he loves most. I wonder if Werner Herzog could have ever come close to relating to such a thing.
5. The 40 Year Old Virgin (Directed by Judd Apatow)
Sure, some parts haven’t “aged well” but I still laugh a lot and feel the genuine human love there is. It has such a positive vibe to all of it. Rogen, Rudd, Malco, and Keener are fantastic. Although a special shout out to Jonah Hill in the ebay store not understanding the rules is my MVP.
4. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (Directed by Tommy Lee Jones)
One of the lesser seen movies on any of these lists. Tommy Lee Jones is one of my favorite actors and directors, although not known for the latter, as you can gather from these lists. I could watch him do anything. But he is a man of integrity is seems like who also is game for most types of storytelling. This is a beautiful movie with dark humor and western aesthetic. And you will get what the title suggests.
3. A History of Violence (Directed by David Cronenberg)
Cronenberg is one of the best directors of all time who does not get enough respect because he is a weirdo who loves goop and stoicism. He has created some of the greatest monsters and creatures of cinema but has trouble getting anything made. He did this graphic novel adaptation in a way only he could and it came out so well.
2. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Directed by Shane Black)
The Predator didn’t work, but Black’s other films he directed get better with time. It’s so nice seeing Robert Downey Jr. before he stopped really trying. He and Val Kilmer make an awesome team, and even though Michelle Monaghan didn’t have the career people assumed she would after this I think she has crafted a nice career. It’s probably my favorite christmas movie.
1. Junebug (Directed by Phil Morrison)
The best movie about flyover states to me. Amy Adams is a bright shining star and should have multiple Oscars and every nomination Meryl gets should be given to her. Not that it’s a competition… A sweet movie about coming back home and finding the love you lost in the city and appreciating the things you get outside of small towns. Bringing the culture and sweet homeness together to create something new. I have no idea why this speaks to me.