Most memorable movies of 2005
Well, the year is drawing to an end, so I thought i’d make a list of my favorite movies for 2005.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
I am a dedicated fan of the Harry Potter books, so it was really exciting for me when Goblet of Fire came out. I absolutely loved it! It was a good two and a half hours, but because of all the action it didn’t feel overlong. I did think that some parts went by too quickly, particularly the Quidditch World Cup at the beginning. They get you all excited about the match, with some amazing special effects, and then suddenly it’s over and the mayhem begins. Also, people who haven’t read the book were probably confused with some plot points.
Other than that, I thought the acting from the three main leads was considerably better than their previous attempts, and guest stars Miranda Richardson and Brendan Gleeson were great in their respective roles. Finally, the Voldermort scenes toward the end were really well done. Overall, a very entertaining movie.
Favorite scene: When a tearful Hermione confronts Ron about him not asking her to the Yule Ball.
Batman Begins
I thought the first two Batman movies, which i saw a long time ago, where forgetable. It may be because I was quite young then, but regardless, I was blown away by Batman Begins. Christian Bale’s portrayal of the Dark Night was realistic, believable. The balance between seeing him in the mask and without the mask was good, and I especially liked the humorous bits in the movie that lightened the mood of a story where most things happened at night. The supporting roles were very good also, with the most memorable being Micheal Caine as Alfred, Cillian Murphy as the Scarecrow, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.
Favorite scene: When Bruce Wayne finally confronts his fear of bats inside the bat cave.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
I never read the books, but I remember loving the British TV series as a kid. When I first saw the teaser trailer for the movie I wasn’t particularly impressed, perhaps because the special effects seemed to be halfway done when they put that trailer together. I went to see the movie with some curiosity and maybe somewhat low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised. The child actors were believable as a family—the little girl who played Lucy was absolutely charming. And the lion! Oh my god, the lion was amazing. Every time he appeared on screen I couldn’t help thinking about how real he looked. Liam Neeson was an excellent choice to voice him.
Favorite scene: When Aslan comes back to life. A very heart-warming scene.
Hitch
My favorite comedy of the year, and with the most satisfying ending no less. I enjoyed all the performances, especially those of Eva Mendes and Kevin James. The dialogue and the pacing worked beautifully. It’s a challenge to take the all too common ‘guy-finds-girl-loses-girl-wins-girl-back’ formula and make it work when it has been done so many times before. It worked here.
Favorite scene: When Alex and Sarah meet each other for the first time and exchange some witty dialogue.
Red Eye
Wes Craven’s unexpected psychological thriller delivers, well, the thrills. It really kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I didn’t really care much for the plot, but the suspense more than made up for that. Great performances also by Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy.
Favorite scene: When Lisa stabs Jackson in the throat with a pen (ouch!) after the plane lands and runs to her escape. I did not see that one coming!