Mark's Top Ten films of 2005
For my second annual round-up of the best and worst I've seen in a calendar year, I've changed my scoring methods slightly. Last year, I tended to just add the critical rating and hoopla factor together, coming up with a score out of ten, but for this year I've decided on a new method. Films in consideration include all films released in cinemas in Australia in 2005 - although I don't see every film and can obviously only comment on those I've seen - including older films shown in festivals.
The new rules are that films will be ranked primarily by critical rating, and then when there are equally matched films by that measure, the hoopla factor will separate them. For films with equal scores for both critical and enjoyment ratings, I have reflected further on them to decide in which order they will appear. Listed in the honourable mentions section will be films just outside - but sharing the same scores as several of those that made - the top ten. Hopefully this year's list will provoke some thought and discussion amongst our readers, and feel free (as always) to comment at either our forum or via the contact page.
Seen for the first time as part of the 2005 Melbourne International Film Festival where it completely blew me away, Murderball is a stunning mixture of action and drama, comedy, sadness and triumph. Criticised by some for being manipulative, I found this documentary to be a revelation. Moving, funny, charming and exciting, it is the best sport movie I've ever seen. My biggest film-going regret of 2005 is missing the screening and Q&A with Mark Zupan hosted by Palace Cinemas due to a prior engagement.
Rating:  
Hoopla Factor:
Serenity, the film based on Joss Whedon's TV series 'Firefly', was only made at all after a worldwide legion of Browncoats bought up the dvd of the series in massive numbers. Given the opportunity to allow his world new life, Whedon delivered a stunning film that is as unconventional as it is exciting and witty. Featuring its own dialect of English/Chinese, lots of action, and some true surprises, Serenity was an absolute standout in a year of crappy Hollywood blockbusters.
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Hoopla Factor:
Another film that was as surprising as it was unexpected, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is a stunning mixture of postmodernism and film noir. Shane Black has written an homage to the great noir films of the classic era, as well as pulp-detective novels, and yet changed the form to allow his own style of humour to shine through. A truly exciting experience, watching Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang was yet another reminder of what film can offer when you least expect it.
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Hotel Rwanda is an extremely eloquent condemnation of Western apathy and self-interest, that comes along at a time when those of us in the 'First World' are wondering more and more about our policies that affect those in the 'Third'. With an amazing performance by Don Cheadle in the central role, and some truly moving sequences, this is one of the most powerful movie-going experiences of the year.
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Hoopla Factor:
Seen as part of the AICE Israeli Film Festival 2005, Or provoked a lot of feelings in the audience - revulsion mixed with compassion, horror with empathy. Dana Ivgy gives an astonishing performance in the title role, and is ably supported by Ronit Elkabetz as her wayward mother. Difficult to watch, but exceptionally good nonetheless.
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Certainly the best of the year's big blockbuster events, Batman Begins fills the role created by Spider-Man 2 in 2004 - it is the best 'event film' as it takes the time to explore the depths within the hero.
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Hoopla Factor:
A powerful treatise on fear and racial distrust, Crash brilliantly weaves so many disparate stories into one editorial point, and yet still allows individual moments to break our hearts. The second film featuring Don Cheadle in the top ten.
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Hoopla Factor:
A wonderful examination of relationships and the effect of aging on the male psyche, Sideways tells us that we're never too old to grow. Excellent performances by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church allow Sideways to truly shine.
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Hoopla Factor:
The second documentary I saw at the 2005 Melbourne International Film Festival (the first was Murderball), Enron tells an incredible story of arrogance, greed, manipulation and deception. Simple enough for those not economically minded to understand, and persuasive enough that you wind up wanting these men to rot in prison forever for the impact they had on so many 'Mom & Pop' investors.
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Hoopla Factor:
A beautifully realised portrayal of two people finding joy in each other, when they expected and sought nothing of the sort, Brides features excellent performances by its two leads, Damian Lewis and Victoria Haralabidou, and brilliant direction by Pantelis Voulgaris.
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Hoopla Factor:
Having the audience rocking with laughter is one thing - it being at you not with you is another. An abysmal film, with nothing of value, from poor performances to an absurd plot. Not worth the film stock they wasted it on.
Rating: No Stars
Hoopla Factor: No Stars
The most pretentious film of 2005, Paul Cox's tale of sexuality and meaning is so caught up in the imagery of the art pieces contained within that it fails to supply even the basics - plot, performance, script. Awful.
Rating:
Hoopla Factor: No Stars
9 Songs pretends to be artistic and clever about sexuality's role in intimacy, but fails to be anything other than pornography. Showing 'real sex', and dressing it up as instructional on the rise and fall of a relationship, this is one of the most gratuitous abuses of the form in recollection.
Rating:
Hoopla Factor: No Stars
Typifying the big-budget culture of Hollywood, this is an all-action film that fails to even adequately show said action, due to appalling editing and abysmal CGI effects. Bankrupt of script or point, one of the true lowlights of the year.
Rating:
Hoopla Factor: No Stars
The really disappointing thing about Michael Bay's massive flop, is that it actually starts with an interesting premise. That he ruined it with poor shot selection, terrible editing, and a focus on action over insight is an indictment on his abilities as director.
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Discuss your favourite - or most despised - films of 2005 on the hoopla.nu forum
Read Stuart's take on 2005 in his top ten films of 2005 list.
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