Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Question of the Day: Your Favorite Films of 2005?


Today's question continues my inquiry into what you all think are some of the best films of the decade.  Today we cover 2005, a year I had forgotten about.  There were a lot of great films released in 2005, and I think I forgot about it because of how great 2007 was, and how a lot of people think that year is the best of the decade, but 2005 gives it a run for its money.  Leave your lists in the comments.  Here's my list:

20.) The 40 Year-Old Virgin
19.) Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
18.) In Her Shoes
17.) The Devil and Daniel Johnston
16.) Elizabethtown
15.) Grizzly Man
14.) Broken Flowers
13.) The Ice Harvest
12.) Cache
11.) The Proposition



10.) Lord of War
9.) The Constant Gardner
8.) Sin City
7.) Brokeback Mountain
6.) The Weather Man
5.) A History of Violence
4.) The New World
3.) Munich
2.) The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
1.) Syriana

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12 comments

  1. Adam ZanzieDecember 29, 2009 at 2:10 PM

    1. Munich (Spielberg)
    2. The New World (Malick)
    3. King Kong (Jackson)
    4. No Direction Home: Bob Dyan (Scorsese)
    5. Grizzly Man (Herzog)
    6. Kingdom of Heaven: The Director's Cut (Ridley Scott)
    7. The Squid and the Whale (Baumbasch)
    8. War of the Worlds (Spielberg)
    9. Brokeback Mountain (Lee)
    10. Last Days (Van Sant)


    Unfortunately, I've neglected to see Syriana; I'll make sure to before my Decades list rolls around. About A History of Violence, I used to be a huge fan of that one- but I watched it again recently, and the dialogue just strikes me as incredibly fake. Cronenberg and Mortensen did far better two years later with Eastern Promises, I think.

    I love Hillcoat's The Proposition, though I've always considered it a 2006 film- since that's when it got its wide release.

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  2. JakeDecember 29, 2009 at 3:09 PM

    1. Caché
    2. Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut)
    3. Munich
    4. The New World
    5. A History of Violence (could be higher, but I need to watch it again)
    5. No Direction Home
    6. Sin City
    7. Syriana
    8. The Constant Gardener
    9. Grizzly Man

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  3. KrauthammerDecember 29, 2009 at 3:36 PM

    Whenever I compile lists like this it just reminds me that I need to watch a lot more contemperary foreign cinema. But it is what it is.

    1.A History of Violence
    2.Sin City
    3.Grizzly Man
    4.Munich
    5.Land of the Dead
    6.Brick
    7.The Weather Man
    8.El Violin
    9.King Kong
    10.Brokeback Mountain

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  4. Kevin J. OlsonDecember 30, 2009 at 1:13 AM

    Adam:

    Thanks for the comment. I agree with you that Eastern Promises is the better of the two, but I just love that final 30 minutes of A History of Violence. I think the dialogue kind of sounded stilted and fake because it was based on a comic book.

    I forgot about the Dylan documentary. That would definitely place in my top 5. D'oh! Thanks again for stopping by and adding your great list to the conversation.

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  5. Kevin J. OlsonDecember 30, 2009 at 1:14 AM

    Jake:

    Thanks for your list. Looks like we're in agreement on a lot of choices. Good stuff.

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  6. Kevin J. OlsonDecember 30, 2009 at 1:15 AM

    Krauthammer:

    Thanks for the list! I really like your top ten, and I'm elated to see another fan of The Weather Man is out there. I think it's one of the most underrated movies of the decade. Thanks again for stopping by.

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  7. StephenDecember 30, 2009 at 3:56 AM

    For me there wasn't much to get excited about in 2005 apart from the magnificent 'The New World' - one of the best films of any year.

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  8. Tony DayoubDecember 30, 2009 at 5:17 AM

    SYRIANA over THE NEW WORLD? Really? Both made my top 10 list for the year, but SYRIANA just barely. Gotta tell me the thinking behind that one, Kevin.

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  9. UnknownDecember 30, 2009 at 6:25 AM

    Nice list and SYRIANA would be my top choice as well. As much as I enjoyed THE NEW WORLD, Clooney's film edges it out with a complex narrative, riveting performances and takes a strong political stance leaving us with no easy answers by the end.

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  10. Kevin J. OlsonDecember 30, 2009 at 11:51 AM

    Stephen:

    I agree with you about The New World's place in the pantheon of great films this decade, but I think I need to see it again to make a claim like you do. I still haven't seen the extended version, and that's something I really want to do when I revisit the film, and I haven't been able to find that version, so maybe that's why I've been a slacker and haven't revisited the film since its initial release.

    Thanks for the comment.

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  11. Kevin J. OlsonDecember 30, 2009 at 11:59 AM

    Tony:

    All three films I placed over The New World could easily be usurped; however, I haven't seen the Malick since it was initially released, and I've seen the other three multiple times since 2005. As I stated above I really want to see the extended version of The New World when I give it another go. I just found the ambiguous narrative of Syriana to be fascinating and worthy of repeat viewings. I never find myself getting bored with the film, and whenever it's on I can't help but stop and watch until the end. Like Munich it's one of those mainstream movies that surpassed all my expectations by not playing it safe, and not wrapping things up with tidy, comfortable answers...and I think that surprise is what elevated those films for me.

    I love the beauty and poetry of Malick's film, don't get me wrong, I just haven't had the chance to watch it as much as the others. That will change, though, as I have a large list of films I am revisiting before I construct my best of the decade list.

    Anyway...I don't know if that's a sufficient enough reason, but there ya go. Thanks as always for the comment, Tony.

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  12. Kevin J. OlsonDecember 30, 2009 at 12:02 PM

    J.D.:

    I like what you say about what Syriana does well. I completely agree with you. I think that it will feel a little dated when I revisit in another 10 years, where The New World does have a timeless, epic feel of a poem, and will probably only get stronger with each viewing. But for relevance in 2005, and for a film that really affected me at the time I saw it (seeing it three times in the theater)...Syriana gets the edge.

    Thanks for the comment.

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