Top 10 Films of 2005

Equal 10th: Match Point

Beautifully shot and the Brits in front of and behind the camera do a fine job. Perhaps rather poignantly (or not), it’s only hampered by the two Americans involved with this: namely, writer-director Woody Allen’s horrific idea of how upper class Brits speak and Scarlet Johansson’s utterly stiff performance. His best film in years, as you’ll hear all the time. But surely that's not so much a compliment but more a sigh of relief?




10. Munich

We should cherish Steven Spielberg for making such important films accessible to the mainstream audience. Though 'Munich' flags in places and is prone to cliché (they're in Paris - can you guess the backdrop to the meeting?), you can't deny how thrilling the set pieces are. But it does now feel ever so slightly like we're playing Spielberg bingo: main character consistently wracked with guilt? Check. Young innocent girl perilously close to death? Check. Still, it's sumptuously shot and Daniel Craig gets in some early James Bond practise by being part of an excellent cast, seemingly all licensed to kill.




9. Primer

Made for roughly the cost of one of King Kong’s roars – that’s $6000 to you, guv’nor – this original (note, original) take on the tricky topic of time travel is well worth seeing (presumably in the future, if you haven’t heard of this movie until now). ‘Primer’ succeeds because our protagonists don’t attempt to use their invention to cure illness or rescue a cat from up a tree but rather make as much money as possible. Be warned – you’ll need to watch it at least three times (with one of those accompanied by the excellent director’s commentary on the DVD) but this will keep you going till they finish making ‘The Time Traveller’s Wife’. You have read that, haven’t you? Oh do keep up.




8. The Matador

Pierce Brosnan’s first foray into film post Bond is far more successful than on any of his four outings as 007. He plays a drunk hitman who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Greg Kinnear’s down on his luck salesman down Mexico way. Check out director Richard Shepherd’s website for my full review (or, er, scroll down the page).




7. Oldboy

The first of three foreign films in my list, 'Oldboy' is a peculiarly gruesome trip. A Korean businessman is kidnapped and released 15 years later with a new phone and wallet…and that’s it. He has to work out why he was taken, what’s become of his daughter and he just might have to kill a few people in the process. This ain’t for the faint of heart but place your fingers over your eyes during the squeamish bits and you’ll be fine.




6. Cinderella Man

Why on earth hasn’t this had a better reception? AMC theatres over here were offering people their money back if they didn’t like it! What’s not to like? It’s a terrific story, sensationally shot by Ron Howard with a commanding lead performance from Russell Crowe. Is it because he throws telephones in New York hotels? Honestly, what’s the world coming to? I live in this city and you see and hear far worse than a cricketer’s cousin roughing up a bell boy*. Probably. Memo to the NYPD: he loves his wife! No, really!
*This blog does not and never will condone throwing telephones at hotel employees. Chelsea fans, yes, hotel staff, no.




5. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

This was clearly the year that the sick and twisted buddy movie hit back. Literally. And if 'The Matador' was one example, ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ did the job even better. It marked a return to form for wunderkind Shane Black (he wrote ‘Lethal Weapon’, ‘The Last Boy Scout’ and ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight’) who also directs Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer in the movie of their careers. Though it suffers from being slightly too knowing and clever clever in places, it showed more creativity than almost everything else on offer.




4. Kung Fu Hustle

Steven Chow’s follow up to the wonderful ‘Shaolin Soccer’ didn’t disappoint either. The fight sequences are so beautifully choreographed you’ll swear you’re watching a musical. Albeit one where Gene Kelly is spinning in the rain and Ginger Rogers isn’t so much dancing but rather smashing cheek to cheek.




3. The Constant Gardener

Speaking of follow up’s, Brazilian Fernando Meirelles went from the leftfield ‘City Of God’ to the ‘you couldn't possibly get more mainstream than by adapting a John Le Carré book’ with ‘The Constant Gardener’. Watch it on a double bill with ‘Match Point’ to see how differently and deliciously London can be filmed. And then feel your heart swell with pride seeing Rachel Weisz acting to a far higher degree than Scar Jo will ever achieve. She might just nab the Best Actress Oscar for this one.




2. A History Of Violence

David Cronenberg took 20 years to make as commercially viable a film as ‘The Fly’. But boy, was it worth the wait (that’s not a question). Viggo Mortensen is extraordinary as Tom the hometown hero with possibly - yes - a very murky past indeed. Four moments (possible spoiler alert required here) will stay with me forever: the way in which he deals with trouble at his café, the scenes of a sexual nature between Mortensen and Mario Bello must be the best ever committed to celluloid and THAT look he throws his son after the shotgun incident on the lawn just might be the most harrowing. In short: he’s the new De Niro.





1. Caché (Hidden)

French cinema can hold its head high thanks to this towering achievement. It’s no exaggeration to call Caché's first and last shots nothing short of staggering…and everything in-between is pretty damn perfect too. Ostensibly telling the story of a well to do Parisian couple (Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche) being terrorized, Caché slowly develops into a terrifying thriller which leads you into the murky waters of French-Algerian politics. There’s a theory now doing the rounds that Caché partially inspired the Autumnal riots in Paris. And you simply must see this film to be able to have an opinion on it.