| Greetings to the few visitors that are still looking for content on my much ignored website, I can't believe how bad I've been at updating this year. I don't think I've done anything since the last review of the year 2004!! Anyway I'm here now after what has been a slightly dissapointing year I must say. As usual I must add that I can't see every film, especially this year when I didn't see so many as usual. So if you find any omissions that you are shocked by, chances are that I haven't actually seen them. If you have your own thoughts then post them on the guestbook. As always, please bear in mind I have classed these films as coming from 2005 because they've been on general release in the UK in 2005 and I personally have seen them on cinema or video in time for this poll. |
| Review of 2005 |
| My Favourites 1. Downfall (I didn't expect to put this at the top, but thinking back I can't think of a more accomplished and powerful film this year) 2. Ep 3: Revenge of the Sith (ok so it isn't perfect but by god its dramatic, exciting and a final return to form for the franchise) 3. Napoleon Dynamite (I know its 2004 but it just missed my last list and I love it so much it had to get in here!) 4. Sideways (Alexander Payne just gets better and better) 5. Sin City (eye poppingly gorgeous and a hell of a lot of fun) 6. Kung Fu Hustle (totally ludicrous live action cartoon - wonderful) 7. Million Dollar Baby (moving and lovingly well made) 8. Me and You and Everyone We Know (quirkily touching and poetic character piece, a hidden gem) 9. Serenity (what the Star Wars prequels lacked, good old fashioned entertainment with sharp dialogue and likeable characters) 10. Mean Creek (great child performances in this dark morality tale) |
| Plus, films just brimming under : Crash, The Life Aquatic, Team America, Closer, Tarnation, Kinsey, History of Violence, War of the Worlds, The Descent |
| The Worst (there are probably loads worse or as bad out there, but I avoided them) Alexander (painfully camp - at times simply laughable) |
| The Dissapointments (Where I expected more) Wolf Creek (hyped up as being the new Texas Chainsaw, ended up being a hackneyed wannabe) King Kong (way too overblown for its own good, but did have its moments) Batman Begins (OK so it is pretty good, but nothing special, the villians especially aren't very strong) |
| Top Ten BO of the Year (US Grosses) 1. Star Wars EP3: ROTS 2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 3. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe * 4. War of the Worlds 5. King Kong * 6. Wedding Crashers 7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 8. Batman Begins 9. Madagascar 10. Mr & Mrs Smith (* still on release, based on projected grosses) |
| My personal Oscary type thingies |
| Best Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel (Downfall) (close contender: Alexander Payne (Sideways)) Best Actor: Bruno Ganz (Downfall) (cc: Paul Giamatti (Sideways)) Best Actress: Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) (cc: Natalie Portman (Closer)) Best Screenplay: Sideways (cc: Serenity) Best Cinematography: Million Dollar Baby (cc: The Descent) Best Special Effects: Sin City (cc: Ep 3 Revenge of the Sith) Best Music: Tarnation (cc: The Life Aquatic) |
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| Genre Awards (judged by effectiveness within the genre/category) Best Drama: Downfall Best Comedy: Napoleon Dynamite Best Action: Kung Fu Hustle Best Horror: The Descent Best Romance: Sideways Best Indie/Arthouse: Me and You and Everyone we Know Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Ep 3: Revenge of the Sith |