| TOP TEN OF 2005 |
[Jan. 18th, 2006|04:21 pm] |
CLEAN
Maggie Cheung stars as Emily, the rock star wife who suddenly has to deal with the death of her husband - drugs, hardships, and her own issues arise as she has to piece her life back together for the sake of her son and in-laws. Nick Nolte plays her father-in-law with ease and care for his grandson - he wants Emily to succeed, stay away from drugs, and be the mother she has to be for her son - but the struggle is there. It will not go away and Emily must get herself out of the hole she has put herself in. CLEAN may not be the most original film I’ve seen, but it is affecting, unique, and heartbreaking.
JARHEAD
“Welcome to the Suck” says Troy to Swofford, the young man with an idea of what his war will be, only to find that it never is more than a single moment. Director Sam Mendes doesn’t give us a cliché war picture - this is of a personal war - one with characters, emotions, and moments in time. JARHEAD is the truth of one veteran’s experience - it’s not every serviceman’s voice - but it is one, that is controversial, devastating, and honest.
SHOPGIRL
The soft look at Mirabelle, the girl at the glove counter, could be seen as this year’s Lost in Translation, seemingly muted and with hidden depth, but Claire Danes’ performance is wondrous and charming, as her male counterparts, Steve Martin’s Ray, and Jason Schwartzman’s Jeremy, compliment and match her immensely. Anand Tucker’s filmic absence since Hilary and Jackie is forgotten - a treat like SHOPGIRL only comes along every once in a while - better to have it than never at all.
MOONLIGHT
Paula van der Oest’s MOONLIGHT is a small Dutch film you’ve never heard before - I can’t give a reason exactly why - but it’s not the easiest movie to watch. Laurien Van den Broeck stars as Claire, a young girl living with her wealthy adoptive family, when one day she discovers a boy hiding in her play shed on their property. She then realizes he has been left for dead, and was apart of a drug smuggling ring, to which they eventually come crawling around her homeland, seeking him. The two children eventually run away, all for the unnamed boys’ safety, and because Claire feels it is her duty. The movie is slowly starting to be released around the world, and had an extremely limited release stateside this past November. What I loved so much about this movie was the look and presentation of desperation in a youthful relationship. Claire acts selfless and most often isn’t sure of herself - but the movie is powerful and haunting. If you come upon it, give it a try.
PALINDROMES
And continuing the not-so-easy-to-watch pattern is another awesome exercise in controversy from Todd Solondz. If you want to read my full review, go here and scroll. Otherwise, you’re just going to have to take this number placement as a sign of my approval.
MYSTERIOUS SKIN
As far as Gregg Araki goes, I hate his work. But I’ll retract because of his amazing work with the Scott Heim novel adaptation of MYSTERIOUS SKIN, a touchy, graphic-but-not look at sexuality and child abuse. Joseph-Gordon Levitt and Brady Corbet are fantastic as two boys distanced from the present, but connected by their painful past. The film is not perfect, nor extremely well made, but it has had this resonance with me - it’s a moving and totally admirable little film that boldly goes where many would rather not.
STAR WARS- EPISODE III : REVENGE OF THE SITH
So NOW I’ll be really obvious and go for the biggest movie of 2005, box office wise -
but there’s got to be a reason for that, you know? Lucas gives us the FINAL installment and LAST of the prequels (which is relieving, for sure), and all while reaffirming my love for Star Wars and faith in ol’ George. Transition to Darth Vader for Anakin? IT WORKS. And all those What If’s? to wind up in a movie just about 140 minutes. Bravo. It’s definitely been a fun, bumpy ride.
MATCH POINT
MATCH POINT is a Woody Allen movie for someone who doesn’t like Woody Allen. I’m not one of those people, but if I was, I’d surely praise the film just as much. Where Allen could have been obvious with plot and intent, he instead decides to whisk us away to London, where a tennis playboy schemes, and a saucy out-of-work actress catches his eye, only to have his infatuation seemingly destroy everything he has worked for. In a movie filled with such desire and soft dialogue, Match Point is mysterious without letting you in on the mystery. And with gorgeous undertones that you don’t realize until the very end. A true work of brilliance for Allen.
KING KONG
KING KONG is everything you and I want in movies - but don’t want to admit. We want danger, destruction, action, love, romance, fright, charm, and to be grossed out. Peter Jackson has masterfully taken all of his awesome qualities from his past work and meshed it into the ULTIMATE experience . .. well, theatrically. King Kong might be seen as cheesy, overdone, and just plain indulgent, but those who say that don’t want to admit that a movie- and remake - about a giant Gorilla was absorbing and made you tear up, even when you knew what was going to happen in the end.
CAPOTE
I was hoping somehow that another movie could unseat CAPOTE as my favorite movie last year, but no. It didn’t happen, even when I thought the feat was managable. My absolute favorite genre is Drama- that said, Capote could possibly be my favorite dramatic feature made in the past decade. Engrossing, fascinating, and a near miracle in itself, Phillip Seymour Hoffman takes the reigns as Truman, with all the tools in his acting belt, and lets it flow like pure cinematic magic. Capote is exactly what I want all drama films to be, but they usually don’t end up being - powerful, moving, and having the ability to leave me speechless. |
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