2005 Film List - Page 9

Howl's Moving Castle - Hayao Miyazagi is still doing the best hand-drawn animated work there is these days. The visuals are very striking and leave a very lasting impression. Where the film falls short is in its final act, where Miyazagi can't seem to put all of his creations - characters and subplots, into one cohesive ending.

(out of four)


Next up: The highly anticipated The Best Of Youth from Italy.

~Edwin

I'm almost halfway through and enjoying every minute of it. Unfortunately disc 2 hasn't shippped from Netflix so I'll be waiting several days to finish.

DVD looks great too.

.

Ummm, Edwin, did you ever open your room's window?

~T

Updated with Marco Tullio Giordana’s The Best of Youth (Italy).

~Edwin

Brook, hurry up and finish it. You won't be disappointed.

~Edwin

As soon as I get my hands on the disc I will. It's number #1 on my list and in stock. I have 4 discs in transit back to them with none on the way. Given their current policy of screwing me by shipping discs from Tacoma, Portland, and LA instead of the location 2 miles from my house, I may not see the rest until Friday or later.

I made sure I got both discs as I didn't want to wait that long to be able to finish it. It's a good thing both were in stock.

Netflix opened a distribution center in my city a little over a month ago. I am now getting most of my discs from this location. Shipping discs from other locations have dropped to a minimum - 1 every 2 to 3 weeks. Since I was grandfathered in on the 4 at a time plan, I can watch 16 films in a month or more if I wanted to. That averages to less than $1.50 per movie. No one can beat that.

I'm just hoping they don't start shipping my discs elsewhere to curtail my borrowing.

~Edwin

I have (or had) the same deal, grandfathered 4 plus local distribution center. But I've definitely noticed the pinch of their "limitation practices" the last couple of months.

Actually I was trying to set it up so I'd get both discs at the same time, but they skipped over a couple of other movies that were in stock according to my queue and shipped me disc 1 of Best of Youth.

Back to some reviews:

Up and Down - This drama tackles racism and family ties in it's picture of contemporary Czech society. Not unlike Crash or a number of other films, it follows the "large cast of interconnected characters" structure. Basically broken into halves, one part concerns a couple who purchase a black market muslim baby from human smugglers. The second half of the cast revolves around a family reuniting due to the patriarch's brain tumor and life-threatening operation. Complicating matters is the fact that years ago, the father left his wife to move in and start a family with his son's girlfriend.

Up and Down's best features are the cast and how the script sets up the characters. They create people we want to know and follow through a film without the crutch of stars and recognizable faces. The man who's baby-mad wife spends their savings to adopt "a black baby" is particularly good in a stirring scene where he bodily protects the child at the cost of losing his soccer-thug best friend. On the other side an uncomfortable family reunion becomes even more uncomfortable when the bitter, jilted wife launches into a diatribe about how being the only white person in her apartment complex makes her feel like a refugee in her own country.

While it does use a not-too-subtle brush in it's Czech Republic where the soccer club is racist (not to say such characters don't exist), the educated folks are progressive, and the authorities choose the path of least resistance, the film does paint a portrait of a country struggling with newfound multi-culturalism. It does meander in spots and get a little silly in others as it tries to juggle all the story threads and characters. Up and Down doesn't reach the heights of director Jan Hrebejk's previous Divided We Fall but for the most part is well made and directed. The story even survives the moments when the "interconnection" kicks in. What it can't overcome is a "cute" coda that lets the audience off the hook. A disappointing end to an otherwise good film. - B-

In Her Shoes - I found this film about two sisters finding love and purpose in their lives to be far better than I thought it could be. It's enthusiastic cast (Toni Collette, Cameron Diaz, Shirley Maclaine) and an entertaining script that tugs the heartstrings while never becoming cloying, make for an emotional, endearing movie experience. - B

Disc 2 is shipping today. I just hope it's shipping from here rather than from the West coast.

Domino - Keira Knightly bundle of attitude and sex appeal turns a mediocre action vehicle into an enjoyable romp. I can take or leave director Tony Scott's spastic editing style and use of every lense and filter type imaginable, but it never gets in the way of the impression Knightly makes onscreen. Plus as a former 90210 addict, I found the stunt casting of Ian Ziering and Brian Austin Green to be a good deal of fun. (even if Ziering's best line got deleted from the film). - B

Saw 2 - Subpar sequel to the ok original film makes use of the usual horror template of a group of disparate characters thrown together to be picked off one-by-one. Also successfully follows the bad horror movie mode of giving us characters so irritating one roots for them to die so the movie will end quicker. Neither the script nor the actors give the police and Jigsaw killer roles enough personality to stifle the yawns as scenarios we are all too familiar with play out in their mind-numbing interactions. Only a minor twist and some splatter save this from being truely horrid. - C-

Next Up: Part 2 of The Best of Youth, Tropical Malady, The Bad News Bears

Why even bother?

I wrote earlier: That averages to less than $1.50 per movie. No one can beat that (deal).

To most consumers, those economies of scale will speak louder and resonate further than Jake Gyllenhaal and any other Hollywood symbol saying, "The only way to enjoy the movies is in the theaters".

~Edwin

I got that beat Edwin

I'm trialing both Netflix and Blockbuster over spring break, I expect I'll get a dozen - fifteen films watched for free. might even keep netflix for an extra month cause there's a lot of movies I want to see (damn queueing and rating is addictive!).

A history of Violence -

A tight and incredible stunner from David Cronenberg, a delicious crowd pleaser of a film that also makes you think. Just brilliant all the way around. Perfect construction, excellent production values in every way and awesome performances.

History of Violence opens on two men leaving a hotel. Little things, the way the camera holds, the way they carry themselves, the way they talk and act all let you know they're violent men performing violent acts with detached prejudice. This leads us into our first act of violence, and we cut away to Tom Stall, small town family man, small business owner, he runs a mom and pop cafe in one of those backroad small Iowa towns that are probably an hour from an interstate, where the main drag is a piece of state highway with a 20 mile an hour speed limit through the town limits. "Stop and stay a while will ya"--our two violent men, low on cash and inhibitions, decide to to just that.

Tom stops them, and his life (or is it lives) begin to come unwrapped as the things he values most, his family, his identity, his normality are put in mortal danger. How would you react? How does violence change a person? How does violence make a person safe? How does water seep in throught a tight roof via insidious channels until every pore and cell is penetrated--infected? What can you do? Who are you? What if you're wrong.

Perfect film, the very best of the year, and I did NOT expect to be saying that again for 2005.

Wow.

Adam

Pretty Persuasion -

I was not impressed, the writer of the screenplay is apparently in love with his ability to write. I really disliked the style of the dialogue. I disliked the main character (though Wood's performance fascinated me, hence the high rating) and the crudity of the effect. No where near the level of Mean Girls or Election in filmmaking/artistic skill or entertainment value.

Hitch -

What is it about 2005 being such a great year for memorable, brilliant comedies? Damn. I can't think of another recent year that's been this damn good.

I adored this film, it was charming and perfect. Very clever and well done, the script was brilliant and it looks awesome. Will Smith is probably the best star currently working, imo.

Excellent film I expected to only enjoy and ended up having my socks knocked off, last film in this genre to do that was Jerry Maguire (which I saw last summer for the first time). But this is definitely up there with High Fidelity, and Sleepless in Seattle as GREAT modern romantic comedies.

Adam

El Crimen Perfecto -

This is a really good little comedy film, it dances a fine bit of entertainment, it's cheesy but not nearly as goofy as Iglesia's Accion Mutante or la Comunidad. However it doesn't quite rise to the absurd heights of perfection he reached with 800 Balas and La Comunidad.

Actually my biggest response is that I want to see this remade as a vehicle for Tom Cruise, or Christian Bale, or Guillermo del Toro, in that order, taking a light hand you could tighten up a few things here and there, tone down some of the silliness and rachet up some of the bite and it'd be a huge success here.

Love Rafael's opening monologue.

in brief. Rafael is a ladies man, he's got it all together and knows what he wants and how to get it. Nothing too huge, nothing flash in the pan, he's patient, he's got long range modest plans and he's happy and good at what he does.

Rafael works in a department store selling women clothes, all but one of his underlings are gorgeous, knockout girls who he getsin bed whenever he puts his mind to it, often treating to them to an 'illicit' night on the department store.

Unfortunately for Rafael, he didn't get the floor manager position, and things keep going wrong with his rival (and new boss) hating him, an accidental death and a serious bit of blackmail start to throw his life completely out of control.

Well made and fun, good production values and a very well written script. and Iglesia likes using nudity instead of shooting around it, so that's always a plus (but it doesn't have the jaw-dropping effect it had in 800 balas).

Adam

Updated with David Cronenberg's A History Of Violence


Next up: The Squid and the Whale

~Edwin

I enjoyed The Perfect Crime quite a bit too. I need to check out some more of Igleisia's films.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) - Tommy Lee Jones directed and stars in this film that won him the best actor award at Cannes. Jones plays a ranch foreman who undertakes a quest to return the body of his friend Melquiades Estrada to the friend's home in Mexico after he is killed by a border patrol agent (Barry Pepper). Scripted by the writer of 21 Grams & Amores Perros the first section of the movie features a similar intercut narrative as we jump back and forth between the present and the past when Estrada was still alive.

This early section of the film presents a slice of life view of the small Texas town that provides the setting. We are introduced to the violent-tempered Pepper and his bored wife, the relationship between the town sherrif and the federal border patrol, the local waitress who is sleeping with both the sherrif and Jones, and Jones relationship with Estrada. This section offers a number of powerful dramatic and acting moments; indeed the women of the film create characters as strong and well-drawn as Jones himself. The dusty, hardscrabble landscape of south Texas and Mexico is a character unto itself; providing a picturesque backdrop as well as the sort of interesting rural environments one might find in a John Sayles film.

The 2nd part of the film is narratively straightforward as Jones kidnaps Pepper, brutally forcing him to confront his guilt over killing Estrada, and heads to Mexico to bury his friend. There is a Peckinpah-like mix of dark comedy and graphic violence to this material as the pair have a number of encounters along the way. While this section sets off a Searchers type scenario with 2 men who have an uneasy relationship forced to spend large amounts of time together, it also is where the film's seams show. Jones disappears from the film for extended periods and is completely withdrawn when present. Pepper's character comes to the fore at precisely the times we would most want to watch Jones. Still, given how little we get a chance to see this sort of serious adult drama in American film, it is certainly worth a look. - B+

Updated with Noah Baumbach's The Squid and the Whale


Next Up: Lodge Kerrigan's Keane

~Edwin

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio - A warm hearted story of a woman keeping her family together and supporting her alcoholic husband through her intelligence, creativity and strength. Julianne Moore's sincere and empathic performance turns this into a story of genuine warmth rather than something corny or sappy. She looks even better in contrast to Woody Harrelson's broader, stereotypical take on the husband character. - B+

Tropical Malady - This Thai film takes an experimental, almost avant-garde approach to telling its story of a man who falls in love with a male soldier. We see their relationship develop in the first section of the film. The soldier then takes the man into the jungle and the film changes from modern love story to the depiction of a Thai myth involving spirits and shape-changing Tigers (I think).

The problem I had wasn't the film's mysterious transformation which occurs quite artfully, but with everything that came before. These characters just didn't hold my attention. I couldn't get interested in their relationship or any of their sparsely drawn activities. By the time the film changes, I had tuned it out and was in "waiting for it to end" mode. The change brings intriguging story elements that had me wishing I knew more about Thai mythology/folklore. This section is also far more interesting stylistically but I could never fully engage what I was seeing. - C+

Mike Newell's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - After the third installment (Prisoner of Azkaban) I have lost faith in this film series as its narrative relies heavily and is more or less a litany of deus ex machinas and eye candy. Still this fourth installment is better than its predecessor and gets a mild recommendation for what it is.

~Edwin

Updated with Lodge Kerrigan's Keane


Next Up: Best Foreign Language Film Nominee Paradise Now

~Edwin

The Best of Youth - In Roger Ebert's review of The Best of Youth he says (paraphrased) "If the running time of most films turns them into short stories, The Best of Youth is a novel". The film primarily tells the story of two brothers, but their families, friends, and lovers figure prominently as well. Originally developed as a multi-part television film, the 6 hour runtime allows the film to fully develop its characters and tell their story through almost 40 years of Italian history in a delicate fashion that never feels rushed or episodic.

The film is simply drama at its finest; providing us with characters so richly drawn that we are willing to follow them anywhere. The length of the film allows us to see the characters change over time as their dreams give way to reality and then reality becomes their dreams. We see the characters inhabit episodes from Italian history, but such scenes never feel intrusive or a stunt. History is always in the background while the film is firmly in the hands of the characters.

The film is superbly mounted, sets, production design, cinematography, score, all are top notch. The one slight nitpick here is all the driving scenes feature Hitchcock quality process shots which stand out like a sore thumb in a film of this epic quality. However, this is easily forgiven in a film with so many other treats. The actors, especially the two leads must be given praise as well. With so much story to work with, they effectively portray their characters from college students to middle age with never a false note and it is there warm presence, even in scenes of profound sadness, that helps make The Best of Youth an unforgettable experience. Certainly one of the best films of the past year, or any year; I could have watched these characters another 6 hours. - A

The Bad News Bears - Utter dreck that is inferior to the original in every way. While I usually like Billy Bob Thorton, his and I assume the script's attempts to not have him imitate Walter Matthau create a character so acerbic and vicious that I can't imagine any parent would let their child spend 5 seconds with the man. After directing a warm-hearted comedy with kids in School of Rock, director Richard Linklater seriously misfires here. It's strange that the film takes so many of the scenarios and structure of the original, only to alter that film's best moments in a completely wrong-headed fashion. - D

Dear Wendy (2005) - Jamie Bell stars as a teenager living in a hermetically sealed West Virgina mining town. After the death of his father, he finds himself living alone with a dead end job at the local grocery. Inspiration strikes when he buys what he thinks is a toy pistol from an antique store and it turns out to be the real mccoy. Finding that owning a gun gives him a new sense of self-worth, he forms a group of likeminded teens and they name themselves "The Dandies". Adopting a philosophy of pacifism mixed with marksmanship, frilly old west clothes, and naming their pistols, The Dandies give Bell a family he never had. But when a newcomer changes the group dynamic, all of Bell's philosophical talk can't stop human nature from emerging.

Directed by Thomas Vinterberg from a script by Lars Von Trier, narratively it resembles Dogville and Manderlay, though Vinterberg stages it with proper sets rather than Von Trier's chalk line experimentalism. The title provides the film's narrative device, a letter written to Bell's pistol, Wendy. The story is mostly told through this narration as the dialogue is generally sparse. While the subtext pokes fun and wonders at societal obsessions with guns and NRAish tropes like guns make one safer, the story and characters were enough to hook me. Bell really impressed me with both his acting and his vocal abilities which carry the film. His character is possibly disturbed, giving a personality to a gun after all, yet never plays that in any sort of a conventional manner. In a key scene one is unsure whether he is more upset that someone else touched his gun, is liked by a girl he may or may not have a sexual attraction to, or by his sudden loss of status within the Dandies. A film and a performance with many layers to offer.

The finale, though, is somewhat problematic. It is filmed very oddly with freeze frames and even digital artifacting that had me wondering if the DVD was screwing up. He may not have had the budget or desire to show a full scale gunbattle, but the choices he makes in presenting the ending are "different" that's for sure. - A-

Paradise Now - Offers compelling material about the philosophies and organization of a Palestinian terror group, mixed with character drama and odd touches of humor. I can't help but question the motives of the film in putting a human face on the practice of incinerating a busload of innocents. - B-

The Forty Year Old Virgin - Entertaining comedy that milks more raunchy laughs than one might think possible out of its subject matter. I thought the "sweet" qualities of the film were overstated and I'm not much of a fan of Steve Carrell's comedy style, but the more than solid supporting cast makes the film a winner. That said, I would have liked it more if the "musical" finale had been deleted. Painful. - B

that musical finale was so unexpected and so deliriously over the top that it had me completely rolling, it took a lot of balls so I give it a big

Kings and Queen -

superbly acted film I never cared much for, it took me almost four weeks from starting it to finish it. It's brilliantly acted and too well written for it's own good. the editing style is influenced by Godard, but is intelligently employed for the good of the overall film--I didn't have a problem with it but it requires an adjustment.

It took me to eventually break down and read the netflix envelope to figure out what was going on though.

AS I can figure it:

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

Just never got into this well made and very well acted film.

Adam

Re: 2005 Film List

Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story - A warmly emotional family film about a young girl (Dakota Fanning) developing a relationship with her workaholic horse trainer father (Kurt Russell) through their rehabilitation of an injured champion horse. Fanning handles the scenes of youthful exuberance, the firework dramatic scenes, and the quieter, sadder material equally well. Russell provides solid support, as does the quality supporting cast of "B" players like David Morse (chewing scenery as the "evil" local horse mogul), Luis Guzman, Kris Kristofferson (crusty grandpa), Elisabeth Shue (mom) and Oded Fehr ("good" Middle Eastern horse mogul). Of course one can predict the ending before even putting disc to DVD player, but that doesn't really matter for this well executed and consistently engaging film. Dad's with daughters (like me) may experience a little dustiness in the house. - B

Two for the Money - Al Pacino and Matthew McConaghey star in this film about a down-and-out former college QB who experiences a brief taste of the good life as the star of Pacino's sports gambling service. The first half of the film is goofily over the top in a ridiculous-but-pleasant way. This is Pacino in full-on "Pacino" mode so YMMV, but for me Al is one of the all-time great scenery chewers so I enjoy this material. It also features Jeremy Piven basically playing his "Arnie" from Entourage character. Again, I'm a big fan of that show so I was amused by his turn here as well.

Unfortunately, the film never fully commits to this type of story and the entire second half is far more serious and leaden. This involves McConaghay's conflicted feelings over ways he has to compromise himself to succeed, an unpleasant scenario involving Pacino's jealousy/self-hatred and an imagined affair between his wife (a "still has it" Rene Russo) and McConaghay, and finally a ridiculous waste of time subplot featuring Armand Assante as an offshore gambler/mobster. So while I did enjoy parts of the film, it only escapes being labled a disappointment by the fact that I had no real expectations of quality going into the film. - C+

Flightplan - Yet another "Tale of Two Movies", I thought the first hour or so was an effective, surprisingly well photographed (cinematographer was Florian Ballhaus, son of Michael Ballhaus), suspenseful thriller about a woman (Jodi Foster) desperate to find her lost daughter on an airplane. It did an excellent job of capturing the indifferent and casual attitudes that others treated her crisis with and how, as her stress level increased, she became less and less able to deal effectively with even those people who were trying to be understanding.

The 2nd half of the film, when the "twist" is revealed, turns the film into a generic genre piece that is as clumsily executed and eye-rolling dumb as the trailer made the whole film look. - C+

Re: 2005 Film List

Hostel - While I somewhat enjoyed the early scenes of sex and partying as a bit of male fantasy wish fulfillment and the setup of the plot, the horror material was a distinct disappointment. The male leads have no presence or personality onscreen, killing any attempt the film makes at humor. The supposedly "sicko" material is far briefer than I had been led to believe and not in any way disturbing or entertaining. KNB's makeup and gore effects are terrible, amateur stuff. And really outside of a couple of scenes, Hostel is much closer to an action movie, complete with gun battles and even a car chase. All performed by an actor I would just as soon see filletted as play the hero. I enjoyed director Eli Roth's humorous slasher debut, Cabin Fever; Hostel feels like a step backward into a dead end. - D

Matchpoint - As a fan of Allen's work I was excited to hear the positive critical reception of this, his latest film. So I was even more disappointed when I actually saw it and could not share those views. I found it to be perhaps his most generically written film. His familiar voice seems to be missing as if it was scrubbed out in the transition from NYC to London. I know many have tired of Allen's neuroses spread out over 35 years but I'm not one of them. Bereft of that voice this felt like just another movie, albeit a well-polished one.

The second problem has become all too familiar for me lately - the lead actor. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers bland metrosexuality generated no enthusiasm from me to follow his character arc. The more embroiled he became in moral ambiguity and even criminal acts, the more ridiculous the whole plot became to me. I have pairs of socks with more personality than Meyers. Indeed the whole movie was rather lifeless in this regard, even with actors in other roles that I have a built-in interest in watching such as Brian Cox and Scarlett Johanssen. Really the only moment in the film that made me sit up in my chair was the anticipation that comes with seeing a long shot of Ms. Johanssen walking through the rain, that Allen carefully draws out to generate a Pavlovian response from male audience members before rewarding us with the begged-for close-up of her drenched torso.

At least there is the small consolation that has been one constant throughout Allen's career - if you don't like his current film, there's a new one coming right around the corner. - C

Shopgirl - Steve Martin's novella turned into film, Shopgirl offers an enthusiastic performance from Claire Danes, Martin in "serious" mode, and a generally lukewarm romance. While there is quality dramatic material in the situation Danes finds herself in; torn between two suitors and at something of a crossroads in her life this is her meatiest movie role and best performance in some time, neither man seemed worthy of her attentions. Martin a first rate cad and Jason Schwartzbaum, an actor I can't stand who's not too annoying here, is a goofy "alternative" type who undergoes a personal transformation in a series of ridiculous throwaway scenes that are eminently fastforwardable to get back to Danes. - B-

Breakfast on Pluto - Cillian Murphy stars as the cross-dressing Patrick/Patricia "Kitten" Braden in Neil Jordan's latest film. Left on the doorstep of an Irish church as an infant, the adult Kitten goes to England to find the mother he never knew. Set against the backdrop of "The Troubles" in the early 70's, Breakfast on Pluto is structured chapter-style, with Kitten learning a "lesson" in each chapter; a structure that quickly brings diminishing returns. The humor falls flat (a framing device featuring narration by talking birds is excruciating), and the character is so impossibly nice and passive he/she quickly becomes a bore. Murphy's lauded performance has nothing on John Cameron Mitchell or Terrence Stamp. The film only comes to life during the brief appearances of Brit-film vets Brendan Gleeson (as an amusement park hedgehog) and Stephen Rea (as a seductive magician). - C+

Mrs. Henderson Presents - A crowd-pleasing musical comedy that works as inspirational homefront story, a call for sexual freedom, and simply as a showcase for the talents of Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins. Though the script is somewhat formulaic, the story is told with wit, verve and emotion, and is easily absorbing. I found myself moved on several occasions and enjoyed the musical sequences to the point that I wish the film contained more of them or contained full songs rather than going the montage route. Mrs. Henderson Presents is another fine example of the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. - B+

Re: 2005 Film List

Well I have to figure out what all I have posted in this thread. I lost my hard drive back in March and that really killed off my posting around here. Trying to get back in the groove. I have caught up on many 2005 flicks lately, a few S&S films and a couple of 2006 ones even but haven't posted anything about any of them.


I know for sure that I didn't yet mention:

The New World
10 of 10
I really badly screwed up by not seeing this in 70mm at the Arclight back at Xmas. But at least I finally did. For me this was Malick's best work yet. I was totally mezmerized by the film from the first seconds to the final shot. The minimalist dialog and abundant use of sound are powerful tools in his hands, but ultimate it is his direction, choice of shots, and editing that make the picture so powerful.

I found Aguirre to be amateurish at times which ticked off plenty of people, but New World struck me almost like a consistantly high quality version of Aguirre, where the actors and mise-en-scene were always up to par with the director's choices.

It also has to go down as the best representation of Native Americans ever brought to film. Malick had me believing that he had simply gone to this time period with a camera and then put a nice score to his collected footage.

This film becomes my #1 for 2005.


Jarhead
9.5 of 10
Another film that really blew me away, especially after the mixed reviews. I know some people loved it but so many others seemed coolish to it that I had my doubts. Sarsgaard and Gyllenhaal work fantastically off each other, and Foxx turns in yet another outstanding effort (this goes in line with his Ali and Collateral efforst as one of his best IMO).

The cinematography by Deakins was just fantastic, and even moreso considering the variation of looks the film had. Also the Visual FX came off as amazingly real, primarily when they hit the blown oil wells. I felt like the film really put me in that time and place effectively.

This moved into my top 10 at the #8 spot just behind Crash and just ahead of Munich.


Malick and Mendes - I guess I really shouldn't have been surprised that these films were both so well done.