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The Best & Worst Movies of 2005
"Brokeback Mountain" Best Movie of 2005
by Tim Nasson
Wild About Movies publisher


Crash Movie PosterIt’s not shocking news that movies are getting progressively worse.

In fact, when interviewing Steven Spielberg this past summer, for “War of the Worlds,” he told me that “It’s not DVDs, cable TV and TiVo that are keeping people out of movie theaters in record numbers. It’s the lack of good movies.” Well, he seems to have heeded his own observation and made one movie this year that many, including this critic, deem Best Picture material – “Munich.” However, his “War of the Worlds” left a lot to be desired, and quite possibly could have been a masterpiece with another actor in the lead.

2005 proved to be a year with many low-caliber big-studio films – more about those in a minute – thereby making room for many ‘independent’ films on Top 10 lists around the nation, including mine.

Don’t be surprised to see the majority of the upcoming Academy Award nominations go to films made for less than $30 million – the industry standard for a film to be labeled ‘independent’ or ‘low-budget.’

Brokeback Mountain Movie PosterTop 10 Films of 2005

1. Brokeback Mountain - The first ‘gay’ movie portraying all of its gay characters as masculine and human, putting to bed, hopefully once and for all, the notion that all gay men are raging queens, with limp wrists, and aren’t happy without Martha Stewart on the tube and a glass of Dominus Cabernet in one hand and a Restoration Hardware catalogue in the other. The film, deserving of the plethora of awards it has received and will continue to receive, may go down in history as one small step at humanizing gay men. It wouldn’t have worked, at all, if its stars, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllehaal were unconvincing, nor if its director, Ang Lee, didn’t get every word, gesture and breath just right. Don’t be surprised if a myriad of men who know they are truly gay, yet have been too afraid to deal with the issue, come away from this movie with the will to do something about it – just like many, after being captivated by “The Passion of the Christ,” confessed their sins, some, even murder. “Brokeback Mountain” is that powerful.

2. Crash – Move over Robert Altman. Paul Haggis who (Academy Award winning screenwriter “Million $ Baby”) wrote and directed this – a powerful, engrossing film telling several stories about a diverse group (the black thugs, the racist cop, the Mexican alarm installer, the ticking Pakistani grocery clerk, the scheming Asian and so on), all intertwining and occurring within 36 hours and concluding with explosive, astonishing and heart-pounding results – is the new master of the original screenplay.

3. Munich – Steven Spielberg, now $200 million richer, what with the sale of Dreamworks to Paramount Pictures, doesn’t make movies just for the money, as is the case with this. This is a powerful, masterpiece of a film about the Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Or is it? Actually, it’s a film about what happens after the assassinations – the lengths, counter assassinations, the Jews went to to get back at the Palestinians. Munich is not going to make Spielberg many friends but it will open up dialogue and as Spielberg hopes, “becomes a prayer for peace.” Munich, in many ways, could be called the older brother of “Schindler’s List.”

Palindromes Movie Poster4. Palindromes – Todd Solondz has made his share of eye-openers, “Welcome to the Dollhouse,” and “Happiness,” among them. This is his tribute to Dawn Wiener, the main character in “Welcome to the Dollhouse.” Unlike anything you have seen before, and impossible to explain, this film, which follows a little girl through her childhood and adolescence, (in a unique way – different girls, of various races, sizes and ages, playing her), and the pain she endures, is this year’s best ‘independent’ film, by far.

5. March of the Penguins – This is no National Geographic special, slapped onto the big screen in order to cash in on a few bucks. This is a year in the lives of a family of penguins – over a thousand – who march to the southern most part of the Antarctic, (who knows why?), during its worst season, each year – to mate, sit on the eggs until they hatch, see the chicks off, and then start all over again. You see, penguins mate for life. It’s the insight into their lives, though, that captures our attention and hearts most – the almost human emotions they evoke, when their chicks are stillborn, or, worse, when the egg cracks before its maturation. OK. It’s the closest film, sans humans, to “Terms of Endearment,” and we were endeared.

Capote Movie Poster6. Capote – While Phillip Seymour Hoffman is no Robert Morse, there doesn’t seem anyone alive today, who could have portrayed Truman Capote better at the height of his career – which is what Capote focuses on. And Dan Futterman, (yes, Amy Brenneman’s younger brother on “Judging Amy”), who wrote the film, does an exemplary job. The best character study of the year.

7. Batman Begins – Yes. We thought it was going to suck, like last year’s “Catwoman.” But how we were wrong. This Batman is the best ever and in no small way, Christian Bale helped, by making Batman human, unlike others who have donned the bat suit in years past. Director Christopher Nolan also deserves credit, as without him the film most likely would have looked like a comic book come to life as all other Batman films have, rather than the somewhat gritty, yet very human look we get this time.

8. Wallace & Gromit – Yes, there were many other traditional, er, Pixar and computer animated films this year, such as “Madagascar,” “Chicken Little,” “The Corpse Bride,” and “Valiant,” but none come close to the uniqueness and hilarity and brilliant screenplay that this film and these two characters – and friends – made out of clay, bring to life on the big screen.

Ladies In Lavender Movie Poster9. Ladies In Lavender – Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. Both Academy Award winners, (Smith two times over), come together as sisters living on the English coast during WWII, in a film we have seen nothing like since “The Whales of August,” (starring Bette Davis and Lillian Gish), nearly twenty years ago. Putting these two together for a movie of any kind would be magic but with the screenplay - and direction - by Charles Dance, this an instant classic makes.

10. Match Point – Woody Allen is back – for the masses. Not since “Hannah & Her Sisters” has Woody Allen had a movie that made any significant money at the box office, ("Match Point" will make some dough when it's released), nor received with such critical adulation. (I, though, hated “Hannah” with a passion, seeing it for the first time during its initial theatrical run, at the ripe old age of fifteen.) “Match Point” pits the beautiful Scarlett Johansson against the dashing Jonathan Ryhs- Meyers in this film about passion, temptation and obsession. This film is so great don’t be surprised to see Best Picture, Director and Screenplay Academy Award nominations for seventy year old Allen.

Bewitched Movie Poster

Worst 10 Films of 2005

1. Bewitched

A Sound of Thunder (tie)
2. Fantastic Four
3. Dukes of Hazzard
4. Constantine
5. The Honeymooners
6. Aeon Flux
7. Stealth
8. Hide & Seek
9. Into the Blue
10. Miss Congeniality 2

Hitch Movie Poster Top 10 Pleasant Surprises

1. Hitch
2. Madagascar
3. Sin City
4. The Island
5. Pride & Prejudice
6. Mrs. Henderson Presents
7. A History of Violence
8. Good Night, And Good Luck
9. The 40-Year-Old Virgin
10. Walk the Line

War Of The Worlds Movie PosterTop 10 Biggest Disappointments

1. War of the Worlds
2. Wedding Crashers
3. King Kong
4. Constant Gardener
5. The Aristocrats
6. North Country
7. Elizabethtown
8. Casanova
9. Memoirs Of A Geisha
10. Oliver Twist

Best Remake
Pride & Prejudice

Worst Remake
House of Wax
Bad News Bears (Tie)

Batman Begins Movie PosterBest Sequel
Batman Begins

Worst Sequel
The Ring 2

Best TV Show Turned Movie
Alas, one couldn’t be found.

Worst TV Show Turned Movie
Bewitched
Dukes of Hazzard
The Honeymooners (3-Way Tie)

The Producers Movie Poster Best Broadway Musical Turned Movie
The Producers

Worst Broadway Musical Turned Movie
Rent

Best Novel/Novella Turned Movie
Brokeback Mountain

Worst Novel/Novella Turned Movie
A Sound of Thunder

Stay tuned, as Wild About Movies predicts the 2006 Oscar nominees soon.

(Oscar nominations are announced late January 2006)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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2008 Movies

 



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In The Spotlight

"W" Movie Poster:

Sitting President
October 13, 2008

W


Wild About Movies now provides you with more movie posters, movie trailers, movie synopses, Behind The Scenes of movies, and celebrity interviews with stars of upcoming movies than any other web site in the world. Today you are able to peruse the movie trailers, movie posters and movie synopses of more than 500 movies not yet in theaters (and more than 150000 movies in theaters and on DVD). Clint Eastwood's two movies, "Changeling" and "Gran Torino." And "The Unborn." And Kevin James as "Mall Cop." "The Burning Plain," starring Charlize Theron. The first "Wonder Woman" movie of the millennium. "Charlie Banks" and "Pippa Lee." Clive Owen in "The International." "Lovely Still" - featuring Martin Landau & Ellen Burstyn. Isla Fisher in "Confessions Of A Shopaholic." And Mickey Rourke as "The Wrestler." Jamie Foxx in "The Soloist." Matt Damon in "Green Zone." And "Nothing Like The Holidays," Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire." The documentary "The Linguists." John C. Reilly in "Cirque Du Freak." Patrick Swayze in "Powder Blue." Jake Gyllenhaal as "Prince of Persia: Sands Of Time" and "The Dark Knight" himself, Christian Bale, as John Connor in "Terminator Salvation." Sam Raimi's "Drag Me To Hell." Oscar winner Adrien Brody in "The Brothers Bloom." Rose McGowan as "Red Sonja 2009." Mark Wahlberg in "Max Payne" and Gerard Butler in the Frank Darabont film "Law Abiding Citizen" the opposite Katherine Heigl in "The Ugly Truth." Chace Crawford in "The Haunting of Molly Hartley" and "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail." Rob Zombie's "Tyrannosaurus Rex" and Justin Chatwin in "Dragonball" and Keanu Reeves in "The Day The Earth Stood Still." And Seth Rogen is "The Green Hornet." The kid friendly movie "The Perfect Game" along with "Witchblade 2009," as well as Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor as lovers in "I Love You Phillip Morris." Sequels: Everything from Daniel Radcliffe naked not in "Harry Potter 6," but Daniel Radcliffe naked at WAM and on Broadway in "Equus." The Disney 3D films "Cars 2" and "Toy Story 3." Shia LaBeouf in "Transformers 2" and Jason Statham in both "Crank 2" and "Transporter 3." Also, Vin Diesel in "Fast And Furious 4." And Kate Beckinsale in "Underworld 3." Steve Martin's "The Pink Panther 2," and the requisites, "Ice Age 3" and "Cloverfield 2" and "Iron Man 2." Also Dreamorks Animations' "Madagascar 2" and the very delayed "Star Trek XI." Also the prequel of "The DaVinci Code," "Angels & Demons." Need more movies? Channing Tatum in "GI Joe The Movie." And Seann William Scott in both "Role Models" and "Trainwreck: My Life As An Idiot." The big screen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" and two Tony winning plays turned movies, "Doubt," starring Meryl Streep, and "Frost Nixon," starring Frank Langella (each who will most likely win 2009 Oscars). Also "Sunshine Cleaning" and "The Other End Of The Line" and The Rock in "Race To Witch Mountain." Also, "Friday the 13th 2009" and Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's next collaboration, "Ashecliffe" aka "Shutter Island." In addition, the big screen incarnations of "Marley & Me" and "The Spirit." Also, Sacha Baron Cohen as "Bruno." "The Great Buck Howard" and Nicolas Cage in "Knowing." Also the long delayed "Killshot" and Brad Pitt in both "Inglorious Bastards" and "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button." The big screen adaptation of Maurice Sendack's "Where The Wild Things Are Movie," to fab film director Michael Mann's "Public Enemies," to "Saw 5," or "Saw V," depending whether you're into Roman numerals. And "Taken," starring Liam Neeson. "Local Color" and "Sex Drive." Along with "Watch Out" and "Wild Child" and "The Escapist." - More? Sure! Peter Jackson's "District 9" and "The Lovely Bones" and "The Hobbit Movies." Colin Farrell in "Pride And Glory" and Leonardo DiCaprio in "Revolutionary Road." And "Thor." and "Monsters vs Aliens." "The Smurfs Movie;" and "Splice;" and "Repo: Genetic Opera;" "Push;" "AstroBoy." Even more! "Fears of the Dark" and the big screen version of "Land of the Lost" and Oliver Stone's "W" along with Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" and "Chicago 7." And Also, a slew of animated and non animated Walt Disney movies, many in 3D: including "Fraggle Rock: The Movie" and "The Jonas Brothers Movie 3D" and "Bolt," "The King of the Elves" and "Rapunzel," "The Bear and the Bow;" "Newt," "The Princess And The Frog," "Up," "Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea" and And Universal's animated movie "The Tale Of Despereaux." Heath Ledger's last movie, "Dr. Parnassus." "Black Devil Doll." More? Wesley Snipes in "Gallowwalker!" Even more: "Zack And Miri." Also: Zac Efron in three big screen movies: "Footloose 2010," "17 Again" and "High School Musical 3." "Bitch Slap" and Daniel Craig in "Defiance," and as 007 in "Bond 22," which now has the official title "Quantum of Solace;" "Delgo" and the Catholic films "Pope Joan" and "Hotel For Dogs" and "Synecdoche, New York" and Benicio Del Toro as "The Wolfman" and "Che." And "Notorious." Also, Hugh Jackman as "Wolverine;" "Valkyrie." The 2009 films, "He's Just Not That Into You," James ("Titanic") Cameron's "Avatar;" "Watchmen," (from the director of "300"), "The Bad Lieutenant 2009" and Hilary Swank in "Amelia." And "Adoration" and the non Disney animated movie"Coraline." Also, "Two Lovers" and Anne Hathaway in both "Passengers" and "Bride Wars." "The Reader," starring Ralph Fiennes. Robert Downey Jr. as "Sherlock Holmes." The long awaited page to screen "Twilight." Will Smith in "Seven Pounds" aka "7 LBS." The Canadian smash "3 P'tits Cochons," Italian worldwide hit "Gomorra," as well as the Chinese blockbuster "Red Cliff" and the French hits "Hunting And Gathering" and "Ch'tis." Not to mention the Australian smash "The Tender Hook". Also, Julia Stiles in "Cry Of The Owl" and Diablo Cody in "Jennifer's Body," which she also wrote. "Captain America" and Sean Penn as Harvey "Milk." And don't forget the must 'not' sees "My Bloody Valentine 3D" and Uwe Boll's "Far Cry." "How To Be A Serial Killer" and, of course, Jean Claude Van Damme in the aptly titled "JCVD." Also, the "2009 Oscars." Our latest entry - "W" - movie poster and movie trailer premieres. For the current and complete 2008 movie box office report... (continue)




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