Best of 2005

A fun thriller on the first viewing, a subversive and twisted drama on the second, and all cleverly disguised as a shiny studio venture. The violence is intense, but also has the cartoonish appeal of Cronenberg's earlier biological horror flicks. Somehow, it's crude and polished at the same time. The casting is perfect. As husband and wife, Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello look and act like a real American family. They have great chemistry, particularly in two key love scenes that reveals just as much story and character as any straight dialogue would. Ed Harris and William Hurt have a blast at chewing the scenery which works in a brilliant contrast to Mortensen's subtlety. With a total runtime under a hundred minutes, each scene is finely crafted and executed, creating an energetic and thoroughly entertaining film that never overstays its welcome.

This is the stuff timeless masterpieces are made of. Though it garnered huge critical acclaim and box office success, the true impact of this film probably won't be recognized for many more years. Anyone familiar with the original short story can attest to the flawless expansion of the film's feature-length narrative, without sacrificing the integrity of the characters. Ang Lee's direction is simple, yet striking. The film depends entirely on the performances, and at the time, none of the four leads were particularly well known for their prestige roles, having come from the likes of Disney franchises, cult thrillers, teen-targeted blockbusters, and a primetime soap opera. But the young cast proved to be more than capable. Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway each make an impression, despite limited screen time. But of course, it's the men here that are the main attraction, and they don't disappoint. Jake Gyllenhaal is outstanding as Jack, while Heath Ledger is simply transcendent as Ennis, so nuanced here that even the short story's original author Annie Proulx was impressed.

An underrated drama/thriller that was completely overlooked by critics. Gwyneth Paltrow is phenomenal here as Katherine, the daughter of a once-brilliant mathetmatician (Anthony Hopkins), wrestling with the possibility that she might go crazy just like he did. Hope Davis is the estranged sister who means well, but doesn't believe Katherine is the author of a genius piece of work found among their father's things, and Jake Gyllenhaal is the lovable geek caught up in everything, not sure what to think. A powerful four-character piece both on stage and on film. You don't need to like or even understand numbers to enjoy it. A few technical terms are thrown around, but the real fun here is the intrigue and the relationships forged and broken down.

I wish more Canadian flicks were like this one! Despite a tiny budget, the cinematography is gorgeous. Part of that is of course due to the beautiful Slocan Valley where the movie is set, but beyond that, rookie director Aubrey Nealon has managed to get some exquisite aerial shots -- and even incorporated a sea plane into the plot -- that take the whole movie beyond the typical "funded by the Canadian government" aesthetic. Nealon's script feels like it was written by someone with way more storytelling experience, and features finely nuanced characters, obscure historical details, and mature relationships we don't get to see enough in movies today. The casting is perfect -- Kris Lemche, Michael Hogan, and Matt Craven feel like they are these characters, not just playing them.

Awesome soundtrack. The scene with Bowie's "Space Oddity" (my all-time fave) is worth the price of admission alone.

Though it follows the same formula of every other romantic comedy, this one wins me over every time with it's abundance of charm. Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon are adorable as the court each other and develop a relationship over the frosty winter months in Boston, but then as spring arrives, he dumps the devastating news on her. He's a hard core Red Sox fan. The team of course wrecks havoc on the relationship, testing them constantly as Barrymore has other work and social commitments and Fallon has trouble giving up his tickets to accommodate her friend's birthday party, a last minute business trip, and so on. But of course like all romantic comedies do, they prevail in the end, and so do the Sox. Shot during the summer of 2004, the filmmakers changed the ending of the film when the Sox actually won the World Series for the first time in 86 years. Now, if we could get a sequel about the Cubs ....

After reading Steve Martin's memoir, I really appreciate this film. I didn't really "get it" when I saw it a few years ago, but there's a lot more to take in on second viewing. The romance with Jason Schwartzman is just the right amount of quirky. Maybe it goes a little over the top, but the fact that it's only part of a bigger story balances it out. The contrasting romance with Steve Martin is more sophisticated, and both are romantic in their own odd ways. The cinematography, by Peter Suschitzky, who collaborates regularly with David Cronenberg, is gorgeous, lighting Los Angeles in rich shades of green and red and making the city actually look beautiful and peaceful. I very rarely have the urge to read books that inspire the movies I see, but I'd definitely like to read Steve Martin's novel now.

Have you ever watched porn with 500 strangers? It's an interesting experience.

So many quirky plots, great acting all around.

One of my favourite surprises from TIFF, a film I bought tickets for despite knowing nothing about it, and then delighted in seeing it earn a few Oscar nominations a few months later. One of a rare breed of quirky little indies that can be watched again and again without getting tired. Great mix of humour and drama and fabulous performances all around.

If I took my writing more seriously, this is the kind of film I would aspire to make. A fantastic ensemble drama where relationships and careers collide, up to a shocking, ambiguous, but ultimately very satisfying conclusion. Great cast. I can't believe it's taken this long for me to see Glenn Close in a "serious" movie (101 Dalmations doesn't count). The younger players were equally impressive. I have no idea why I rented this (usually there's a reason, a particular actor or director most times), but this one just caught my eye. So glad it did!

A great satire on filmmaking, celebrity culture, and Canadian/American relations. Simultaneously humourous and poignant. Mark Rendall is a rare truly gifted young actor. Great cast all-around.

Okay, so the plot is ridiculous, particularly the entire second half, but the acting is phenomenal. Though it didn't get a theatrical release, this is the film that should be credited for breaking Anne Hathaway from her typecast princess roles.

A great piece for Bill Murray. Not for everybody, but I thought it was hilarious and touching.

Marketed as a war movie, but more of a character study of a Gulf War soldier who spent months in the Saudi desert, waiting for combat to begin, spending most of his time causing mischief and getting into trouble. The cast here is admirable, with Jake Gyllenhaal leading, hot off his acclaimed performance in Brokeback Mountain. He has great chemistry with Peter Sarsgaard, his real-life brother-in-law. They should do more work together. It's too bad they have so little to do here. The film is interesting the first time around, but tends to fall flat on subsequent viewings. The cinematography is beautiful, particularly toward the end when the desert slips into darkness caused by oil fires.

A haunting documentary about a true mad man you just love in spite of it all. Perhaps even more fasinating than Timothy Treadwell himself are the interviews with his old friends and those involved in the investigation surrounding his death. I don't know how he manages to do it, but Werner Herzog finds some truly crazy and awesome people in this world.

Pretty cute flick. A few duller moments, but overall well done. Michelle Williams is fabulous as always, and Peter Dinklage is hilarious in a cameo as a gay wedding planner. He even refers to his and Williams' previous film together, The Station Agent.

Beautifully shot, with fabulous acting from the entire cast, especially newcomer Kilcher.

Decent biopic, but the real good stuff here is in the singing. Reese, Joaquin, and the cinematography capture the stage perfectly.

Quirky, smart characters.