The Real Best Movies of 2005

The Real Best Movies of 2005

Scott Manning
March 6, 2006 | Comments (7)

There have been many years when the Academy Award for Best Picture does not go to the Best Picture. Then there is this year when not a single one of the movies nominated deserved the award.

Without saying one of the 537 jokes that come to mind, I'll simply point out that Brokeback Mountain is a chick-flick without the chick.

Good Night, and Good Luck is supposed to remind us of how mean Joe McCarthy was. More than 50 freaking years after McCarthy accurately pointed out that there were Communist spies within the US government, this movie attempts to relive the whole thing minus McCarthy's accuracy about there being COMMUNIST SPIES WITHIN THE US GOVERNMENT.

Munich was long, preachy, and a rewrite of Israel's history, yet worth a view. I'd hardly call this the best film of the year.

Capote is about some quirky gay novelist from back in the 1950's. I never realized that guy gays could be quirky.

Crash is the movie that actually won. According to this film, everyone is racist in the worst possible way. I saw Crash back in the summer and have made fun of it since. I was shocked to find out that people actually thought it was the best.

The Real Best Movies of 2005
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When using criteria for picking my best movies of 2005, I used the following criteria that aren't used at the Academy Awards:

Was it good?
Will I watch it again?
Will I watch it again in 20 years and still enjoy it?

The following are the films that meet the above points to the fullest.

Batman Begins
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No other movie competes with this film. Unlike the Batman movies of the past, this one is not just a bunch of pop-culture mixed in with some high-budget actors. Instead, this movies dives deep into an adventurous journey as to what made Batman.

The movie is fast-paced, serious, and entertaining from start to finish. It takes the superhero movie concept to a whole new level in terms of making the characters real. This movie also boasts a powerful soundtrack that got zero recognition.

Read the full review

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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I read the first Harry Potter and fell asleep. I went to see the first two movies because my wife dragged me. But ever since the third film came out, I've had a whole new view of this magical, little wizard boy.

'Goblet of Fire picks up where the third film left off and continues an entertaining, adventurous journey of a teenage wizard. The special effects, storyline, and characters are all fascinating. The 15-minute scene with Voldemort is captivating. The wait to finally see this bad guy up close was well worth the wait.

I hear that Harry Potter fans like the movie too.

Sin City
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Who knew that Bruce Willis could play an over the hill cop so well?

This film took a big chance by allowing the artist from the comic books to co-direct and by creating a new style of filming. Almost the entire film was done using green-screens in an attempt to make the actors look like they are in the comic book itself.

It worked.

This movie follows a series of short stories in Sin City where every character has a messed up life. In an attempt to do one last thing right, the characters act with nothing to lose as they attempt to help friends, save lives, and prove themselves.

The movie is one of constant desperation that proves no matter how far you have fallen, you still can be saved.

Bruce Willis also rips the balls off of a child molester. That's called making an impact.

Final Thoughts
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I know some of you may be quick to point out that I picked two comic-book movies and one fictional novel. If you've seen these movies, you'll notice that Batman Begins and Sin City are two vastly different movies in every away. In fact, the only thing they have in common is that they were originally comic books.

As for Goblet of Fire, I'm not afraid to admit that a British housewife is writing books that can be translated into entertaining movies. Compare that to remakes of 1950's films, rewrites of history, and the fascination with anything and everything GAY.

Then again, if Harry had a quick fling with Ron, perhaps the film would have had a chance to be among the elite at the Academy Awards.

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Comments (7):

1) Posted by: Vassago
March 6, 2006 4:08 PM

I can't believe you liked that Batman movie. The whole "kill this guy to prove your loyalty" scene was obviously contrived and movie-ized, I mean why didn't he just kill the guy god. I also have issues with movies where everyone is an increadibly bad shot (like in gi-joe and the a-team shooting thousands of rounds/lasers and never hitting anyone), and I thought the end where the mansion gets burned down when Liam comes back was completely predictable and *yawn* boring.

2) Posted by: Scott
March 7, 2006 2:19 PM

This is coming from the guy who liked Doom.

3) Posted by: clifgriffin
March 21, 2006 10:44 PM

Hey Scott,

I don't remember if you remember me from ye ol' FK way back when.

But I agree with your analysis of Batman Begins.

In fact, I'd have to say only an idiot would find that movie anything but amazing.

Laters,
Clif

4) Posted by: Scott
March 22, 2006 11:23 PM

Clif, you're a blast from the past. Hope all is well in your world and I'm glad we agree on fine cinema.

5) Posted by: joe
May 29, 2006 10:51 AM

I watched the new King Kong DVD on my laptop 3 times. Also 3 other of the older King Kongs. I've previously watched many Batman movies and wouldn't buy its DVD. I'd like to see Poseiden, and some movies on WW2--especially the Reich. PS--"The world is a stage..."

6) Posted by: Scott
May 30, 2006 9:54 AM

I enjoyed King Kong as well. The island natives were stunning.

But the movie was about 30-40 minutes too long and that's really what kept it from being in "The Best" category.

7) Posted by: joe
June 17, 2006 6:14 AM

Yea, King Kong was kinda long. The long scene of all the "giant" bugs, lizards, slugs, etc. were edited in the first run in '32. The idea was added in the new King Kong, making it last the extra 30 some minutes. The scene was only morbidly exciting anyway.

It seems all too many contemporaneous movies/films center around the cop/robber and murders/forensics. Original and thought provoking plots have been replaced with razzle-dazzle. The Advertisements have become the primary motives it seems--the movies' qualities--secondary.

Rocky, Terminator, etc. are exceptions. And really old movies from '20s and '30 were w/o so many advertisement considerations. The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits were original stuff. And on top of that, there were no "subliminal takes" lasting all of split seconds. These were outlawed eventually.

The "all-time" Top 100 List are primarily (proportunately) older movies. We've gone from good clean soap commercials to snake oil balogna sharlatins. In other words, the useful intermissional ads of old have gone to the styles of what's your credit card number. Too bad, too many seem to "buy" into it.

There were better movies when there were only 2 or 3 channels on our TV sets. Quantity has obfuscated quality. This similarily goes with books. They are so hard to "filter." They are seldom on the Top 10 Best Seller's List. All the criteria here is whose "buying" it now.

In other words--relative to the old classics--there were no "best" movies in 2005. What was the best movie of last month? None! What were the best movies in Drive-ins. Who cared? It wasn't the purpose of many in "attendance."

For instance in politics--polls have become the thing. In movies--box office sales have become the thing. Mozarts to MTV...

An exception: Spiderman rules over Batman. But compare the original Bonanza to the "new" Bonanza, etc. The Day the Earth Stood Still! All Gone With the Wind! The sons of old actors, likewise, have almost always fallen short of their expectations. King Kong has stood the "test-of-time." And surprisingly, out-did the original. I'm still waiting for something equivalent to the Honeymooners or I Love Lucy. OK--so I'm an "old guy."