Stuart's Top Ten films of 2005
It’s been a year of crappy blockbusters (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Doom), unnecessary sequels (Land of the Dead, Transporter 2, The Legend of Zorro) and decent films that should have been so much more (Red Eye, Kung Foo Hustle). But you know what? It's been a damn fine year in other areas. In compiling this list I was amazed at how many films got such a high rating from myself, and the really good ones were coming from all directions. 2005 also saw a fantastic selection of Australian films released, and in fact three of them are mentioned on this page.
So I hope this list inspires you to go out and see any of the movies you missed last year, and if you have any comments (or even your own list) don't forget to post them in the hoopla.nu forum.
David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan's reinterpretation of the caped crusader not only raises the bar for comic book adaptations, but for all mainstream Hollywood movies. A big budget adventure that's intelligent, insightful and gripping from beginning to end. Burton's take on Batman was fantastic but those films pale in comparison to this one.
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Joss Whedon proving again that he is a one of the most exciting and brilliant screen writer/directors of fantasy and science fiction. His take on mankind's future is marvellously believable, thrilling and of course side-splittingly funny. It continues his love of inverting clichés while at the same time producing an unforgettably enjoyable film.
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Artist Miranda July's take on suburban life is an hilarious film, aspects of which I'm sure will remain in the collective consciousness of the alternative cinema-going set for many years to come. Her film dares to go into taboo territory, yet masterfully never becomes gross or inappropriate. 'Back and forth. Forever.'
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In a year of fantastic Australian films, Sarah Watt's was the best. Striking a perfect balance between uplifting drama and heartfelt tragedy, Look Both Ways was a must see of 2005.
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Grotesque yet stunningly beautiful at the same time, Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller's ultra-violent hip noir will be remembered for years to come. This is easily the best comic to film translation ever produced, with some shots jumping straight out of the source material. Even if the subject matter is a little too much for some, the images alone will without a doubt amaze audiences.
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A powerful adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel, Enduring Love was terribly underrated. Daniel Craig (the new Bond, James Bond), Samantha Morton (a favourite of mine) and Rhys Ifans in an insightful tale of love, loss and obsession.
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The most underrated film of the year. It only showed on one screen in my state of Victoria and was released in between Harry Potter and King Kong. Neil Gaiman's first foray into feature film, it was brought to life by the brilliant artist Dave McKean. A Labyrinth for the 00's, Mirrormask is a must see for fantasy and comic book fans. I pray Gaiman and Kean will go on to make more films.
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A surprisingly entertaining romp, The 40 Year Old Virgin is so much more than just a gross-out comedy. This romantic tale has a blatantly sensitive side, and the film had me laughing out loud for the entire 116 minutes.
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Soon to become a horror, not to mention Australian, classic, Greg McLean's feature is brutal and horrifying. John Jarratt's performance is one of the most memorable I've seen in ages.
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A challenging film that asks tough questions without providing any clear answers. I was stunned by this risqué yet oh so relevant film, and we left the cinema with much to talk about. Yet to be released in Australia, I saw this at the 2005 Melbourne International Film Festival.
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The third Aussie movie here (I'm much more of a patriot than Mark, obviously) is Nick Cave and John Hillcoat's stunning period piece. They manage to reinterpret and revitalise our assumptions about our outback history via a gothic/western crossbreed. Great performances and a brilliant soundtrack, The Proposition is sudden, violent poetry.
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A great action movie with an involving plot and decent performances... just goes to show that this is all possible within the Hollywood machine. Also, Jet Li proves that he is capable of so much more than his previous work.
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This guilty pleasure of mine is admittedly a one trick pony, but Christian Bale's transformation is extraordinary. A great thriller with stunning cinematography.
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Discuss your favourite - or most despised - films of 2005 on the hoopla.nu forum
Read Mark's take on 2005 in his top ten films of 2005 list.
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