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The Elite List: Top 10 Films + Performances of 2005

This list looks a lot different than my list a couple of months ago, from a couple of new viewings, and completing most of the important 2005 films and a few revisions, this is how my final 2005 year looks like. I take back what I said about 2005 not being one of the better years of the decade, because it just might even top 2004 (sans 2046), which was my favorite year of the decade before. It certainly has more overall films in my complete 250 list (a total of 9). A truly excellent year for films.

Best Films
1. The New World - Without a doubt, the most ambitious and take-your-breath-away film of the year, scene after scene of sweeping cinematography, editing, camera movements, and storytelling devices make this one of the most remarkable films of the decade.

2. Three Times - Possibly the most thematically complex film of the year, left me awed in its themes of lost time, love, and freedom. And it left much more to be desired later on.

3. Riding Alone For Thousands of Miles - Sublime sentimentality at its best. Zhang wears his heart on his sleeve, creating sympathetic characters who we grow to love, emphasizes the importance of human dependency, and most of all, gets the tears out of the audience, not forcibly, but naturally.

4. Brokeback Mountain - Right there with Riding Alone for the most affecting film of the year. Hollywood storytelling at its best; freeflowing, melancholy, and humane, clever in its use of old themes to mold a story. Right after Far From Heaven for the best "simple" film of the decade.

5. Pride and Prejudice - Updates the 1940 version with better art direction, better cinematography, lesser importance on superfluous details and more on the central characters. But most of all, a sublime Keira Knightley performance.

6. March of the Penguins - While being criticized for it being inconsequential, this film is a sweet, touching, and beautiful. Another nature documentary? Nah.

7. Match Point - Concise and addictive drama/thriller with an excellent matching of genre elements. Allen truly returns to form, possibly his best in over fifteen years.

8. Cache - Another very addictive thriller, a psychological thriller that asks us to dive into our deepest conscience.

9. The Child (L'Enfant) - Complex morality drama in the vein of the Italian classic The Bicycle Thief; very nice art designs with the gritty urban environments.

10. Shanghai Dreams - Lost itself in the last hour, but it is a solid, if not one-of-a-kind film about society affecting a young girl's life.

Best Performances:
1. Keira Knightley - Pride and Prejudice - Explosive vocal power yet not over the top, very sensitive to her character's middle class role, and portrays sublimely Lizzie's prideful and selfish personality. A three-dimensional performance and one of my favorites of this decade.

2. Ken Takakura - Riding Alone For Thousands of Miles - Never over the top, not once indifferent, just gives the most natural performance of the year. I especially like the scene in front of the camera, where he reveals the sadness of his character with bottled emotions more sublimely than any Hollywood cry could ever do.

3. Heath Ledger - Brokeback Mountain - Along with Takatura, the most affecting male performance of the year, denotes the most subdued and sensitive gestures with the indifferent glances and the long faces.

4. Q'Orianka Kilcher - The New World - Just sunk into her role with tremendous naturalness, literally becoming Pocahontas.

5. Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line - Watching Reese and her energetic, youthful vibe, we can forget some of the film's shortcomings. Very subdued performance.

6. Joaquin Phoenix - Walk the Line - Like Reese said "he gave his heart into this role."

7. Qi Shu - Three Times - Bitchiness, coldness, repression, and playfulness. Nailed them perfectly in her multiple roles.

8. Amy Adams - Junebug - She just totally like...owned the supporting actress nominees.

9. Jake Gyllenhaal - Brokeback Mountain - Whether or not he convinced the audience that he was gay still doesn't explain the fact that he gave so much to Twist's character. I did not see him screw up a line once.

10. David Strathairn - Good Night, and Good Luck. - The cool cat, professional and objective. A very "in character role" which he nailed solidly.


Next up: Top 35 film of the decade (if you can handle it)