2005 Film List (1 Viewer)

[Seth Paxton]

Yeah, KKBB ended up being a purchase after the rental for me.

I got up to 88 films seen by adding 3 more.

Fun with Dick and Jane
4 of 10
blah, didn't really know where they wanted to go with it. Never as biting at it should be for the subject, but also not willing to just be goofy fun.


Shopgirl
8.5 of 10
Beautifully shot, really excellent direction. Strong story and dialog, nice performances from all 3 main characters. My only real fault with the film was Marting going to voice over. He should have put some of those lines in the mouths of the characters and let the rest just be implied by the story and acting.

Of course to me this was obviously a revisit to LA Story but done from the young girl's POV (SJ Parker in that film) instead of the older man's, and of course done far more seriously. So I can see him having the mindset of the VO narration for LA Story applied, but it just gets in the way here. Otherwise outstanding.

The World's Fastest Indian
8.5 of 10
Brilliant biopic, another classic adventure-journey where the main meets tons of exotic characters along the way, all while being the most out of place of all of them. By lingering at home for 30 minutes and then stretching out the journey, they made the impact of him finally getting there and getting to drive his Indian much stronger and emotional.

Add to this a viewing of an actual documentary on Munro contained on the DVD and I was amazed to see how realistic the portrayal by Hopkins was. One of his best acting efforts yet. It just misses being a 9 from me, probably more due to general subject than film production. IE, great film from a good story.

The Matador
8.5 of 10
The film has a wonderful dark edge to it, but unlike Taylor of Panama, Pierce is playing a more likeable, yet also more flawed "sleeze spy" which makes the final payoff a bit stronger even though it's comedy. There were character contradictions that gave him an interesting depth, and the film pleasantly surprised me by turning away from the more obvious twist to one which rounded out the characters better.

Like Indian it is hard for me to say why this isn't a 9 other than it just didn't have the impact on me the 9s on my list did.

 

[Brook K]

Like I said, KKBB had 3 good jokes. I barely cracked a smile the rest of the film. Another one I didn't enjoy as much as you:

The Matador
Starring Pierce Brosnan as a hitman with a crisis of confidence after experiencing remorse for his life and Greg Kinnear as the everyday joe who befriends him after being fascinated by Brosnan's "war stories". A buddy comedy that is never that funny, it simply moves from one situtation to the next without much energy or drama. The film gets by on the charms of its two stars and has some solid supporting work from Hope Davis and Phillip Baker Hall, there just isn't a lot to sink one's teeth into here. - C+

 

[Brook K]

Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic
Combining relentlessly unfunny stand-up comedy performance with mediocre sketches and dreadful musical sequences, there's not much I can say about the film. Silverman is certainly attractive and exudes "bad girl" sexuality, she just doesn't make me laugh, at least when she's working with her own material. Watching and hearing the audience reactions made this film like one LONG joke I wasn't in on. - F

 

[Seth Paxton]

Wow Brook, I had a totally different reaction to Jesus is Magic. I love her stand-up, so I guess that has a lot to do with it.

Jesus is Magic
7.5 of 10
In the same vein as the rest of the Mr. Show regulars, Silverman presents a "mixed format" stand-up with interesting jumps into musical numbers and skits. However the backbone remains her stand-up act. I guess if you are like Brook and don't find her funny, then there is little point in seeing this film. If you do like her work then you should really enjoy this fun film. I'd give it more but it was never outright brilliant to me, just consistantly solid.

Brick
9 of 10
Great concept of placing a Film Noir story and script into a high-school setting (with some stretches to make it fit). If you enjoy the clip-along lingo of classic noir, not modern teen lingo, and the twisty turns of a tough guy trying to find his way out of a classic noir web, then this film is for you.

Sisterhood of Traveling Pants
7 of 10
A bit formula, but generally well-performed and with a solid message about personal identity and the importance of friends. It's a bit out of my range of genres which might be why I ranked it a bit lower. For someone closer to its target audience this probably deserves a higher rating.

Transamerica
8 of 10
Huffman is brilliant and the film on the whole is solid. It perhaps lacks some strength in its resolution or perhaps in some areas it might have explored more. Instead the film settles for being a little bit more simple, which is fine and works very well here. It just doesn't put out enough to reach for the 9-10 rating area.

Sky High
7.5 of 10
A pretty enjoyable family action film, based in standard messages of the outsiders saving the day and earning respect, with the popular kids once again being the villains. And of course a misunderstood hero that starts off as a villain. It rates this high because it simply delivers this formula in tight fashion.

 

[Adam_S]

seth, Brick is a 2006 film, not 2005.

 

[Seth Paxton]

So I see now. Okay, consider it moved. I didn't realize it was an arthouse-only 2005. That's just as well, I'm nearing 100 2005 viewings but pathetically low on my 2006 count (mostly due to lack of 2006 DVD screenings, my in-theater rate is still on its normal pace).

 

[Adam_S]

no, it's theatrical release (arthouse) was in March of this year, and I think it played at Sundance 2005, which is why Imdb thinks it's a 2005 film.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Well now I am adding a 2005 film by US LA/NY/limited release standards.

Oldboy
10 of 10
An amazingly well directed and shot film with a revenge/mystery plot on par with the intensity of something like Pulp Fiction or Se7en. The film is artful in perfect service to its story, rather than as a distraction from it. One of my favorite details was the subway car coming into frame as the edit wipe. One of endless small touches that visually keep the film flowing well.

It goes on my top 10 of 2005 at #5 behind Batman Begins and ahead of Squid and the Whale.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Zathura
6.5 of 10
I have yet to see Jumanji, but after hearing some positive comments on both films I decided to seek them out. Zathura is the first one I made it to. A bit light and child formula driven, but well produced and a fun ride. Not a classic for me, but I bet kids really enjoyed it and will remember it fondly 15 years from now in a way that I look back on something like Labyrinth or even Krull.

Howl's Moving Castle
7.5 of 10
Big points for the creativity and the beauty of the art, but the story/script is pretty weak on logic for my understanding. Maybe it's a cultural thing where stuff is obvious to others, but for me a lot of the actions, needs and perils seemed to jump up out of nowhere with very little sense behind them. Lots of "well now I'm just doing this" type of moments. Some fantasy logic was there, but it often went beyond that for me, much more than his previous work.

Can't really fault the film, but I also can't give it a higher PERSONAL rating.

Memoirs of a Geisha
7.5 of 10
Until the credits I forgot who had directed this and I swear that at the critical geisha dance midway through I found myself blown away and thinking "this is a lot like some of the best stuff in Chicago". No surprise there once I was reminded that Marshall had helmed the film.

Unlike Chicago, Memoirs lacks a certain level of tension or power, outside of a few scenes. On the whole it all works fairly well, and man does it LOOK GREAT, but it seems to have some pacing issues. Marshall has a great eye and has proven twice now that you will get great art direction and cinematography from his films. But maybe a languid pace isn't his forte.

Aeon Flux
3.5 of 10
This wasn't the disaster I was expecting. They did totally miss the tone of the animated shorts, but in a Demolition Man manner the film presents a moderately decent action ride. That's a low bar to aim for and to fall short of, which is why it gets a 3.5 instead of a 6-7.

It's not so much bad filmmaking as it is boring, corporate style filmmaking. Not sure if suits were actually the cause here, but it comes off like they were.

97 films seen in 2005 now. I'd like to get to 125 at least.