Our Favorite Films in 2005

Amy Rambow: With a little parody and a lot of heart, Sky High runs the superhero genre through several of its traditional themes (including adolescent angst and anti-discrimination) with a fresh, clever charm. The movie is justly confident in its characters, sure of its moral, and giddy in its spoof. No 2005 film was more fun than Sky High. I walked out of the theater smiling and wishing there were more to it -- a sequel, a TV series, a comics series, novels. In the back of my mind, I knew no continuation could sustain the cheesy clever charm, much less the character arc, but I would have been happy to try. And I normally avoid fictional teenagers.

Ben Thole: My favorite film last year was Batman Begins. It almost didn't make the cut because it has cost me way too much in renewed comic book subscriptions, but I just can't get over how perfectly this movie captured the origin of Batman and the entire Dark Knight mystique. I'm looking forward to more contributions to the Batman franchise by Director Christopher Nolan and actor Christian Bale.

Bill Stevenson: I saw Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit twice, both times against my will. And I found myself constantly answering questions from my children afterward about whether were-rabbits were real (I only caused more problems for myself when I explained that, "no, were-rabbits are just funny kinds of werewolves." Which, of course, led to a terrified chorus of "What are werewolves? Are they real?"). But it's just so darn impressive . . . not to mention funny, exciting, and heart-warming. In an era of computer-generated animation, this one is definitely old-school. I like that.

Courtney Vien: Though it left me somewhat befuddled initially, Syriana seems to improve every time I think about it. It's an intricately-patterned, beautifully-crafted film that treats a complex topic with honesty and a remarkable lack of moralizing.

Jarrod Jenkins: Wow . . . last year was a pretty bad one for film. If I had to pick a favorite, though, I’d go with Crash. Its intense scenes and racially charged dialogue captivated me more than any other movie last year.

Kevin O’Donovan: Though I didn't agree with director Stephen Gaghan's entire analysis of oil-based politics, I found Syriana to be a brilliant piece of cinematic artistry. The script was intriguingly complex, the plot timely, and the editing tight and well-executed. I'm just disappointed that it was nominated for only two Academy Awards.

Mike Sullivan: I know I watched more important, better-acted, and more fully developed films last year than Elizabethtown, but I didn't feel any others nearly as much. I just hope I can tell my dad why I appreciated this quirky little drama from one of my favorite writer-directors (Cameron Crowe) before I let the chance pass away.

Paul Marchbanks: What does it say about me that that the 2005 movie I’ll watch the most often down the road will likely be Batman Begins? Probably that my enjoyment of this great movie was deepened by all the opportunities I had last year to share my love of comics with my family. The girls and I have been watching the animated Superman show on DVD (season one of the Justice League comes out soon!), I recently read the Batman graphic novel Hush with my wife, and all four of us have been taking in the sharp and witty Batman cartoons from the early 90s. I imagine Superman Returns (2006) will only accelerate this die-hard Marvel fan’s growing appreciation for the DC universe.

Rebecca Stevenson: Why did I select Walk the Line as my favorite film of 2005? What with the failed marriage, the infidelity, the dad running after the car as the wife drives away with children in tow, the drugs, the infidelity, the emotionally abusive father, the judgmental Christian, the infidelity . . . what's not to like? Well, actually, the thing I so appreciated was the redemptive power of love. Hokey, huh? But it's possible. And the movie, to me, sets that up as an actuality and as a metaphor. In the end, knowing and being known and being loved in that knowing—that's what saves us. And we all need saving.

Steven Nicholson: I’m goinna cheat and squeeze in two movies (because Cinekklesia likes me best). I'm a sucker for seemingly random storylines that connect in the most unlikely ways, and Crash delivers this and much more. This is a movie that will haunt you into the future as you ask questions about race and class and the American Dream. Batman Begins is everything a comic book movie should be: it has wonderfully developed three-dimensional characters, moody lighting and design, perfectly executed yet subtle effects, and an actual plot to top it all off. This movie is pure entertainment, and that is what this kind of film should be.