More Best Films of 2005

Here's a few that I left off the original list here.

Best Superhero Film: Batman Begins
As the rise of superhero films are flying out of Hollywood, only a few have caught my interest. Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins is at the top of them. The film delves into the psyche of the superpowerless superhero, focusing on his fears and inner-turmoil that drives him to don the batsuit. The film has an excellent supporting cast (including Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, and the now seldom seen hitchhiker, Rutger Hauer) with one exception. It's nice to see Katie Holmes, but she—playing an adult assistant D.A.—was about as convincing as Tom Cruise is as a straight male. The movie is fun and exciting, yet has a brain.

Best Animated Film: Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Nick Park's animation had won him Oscars before for his excellent shorts about inventor Wallace and his intellectual dog Gromit. This first full feature length work is wonderful as well. The best thing about Park's claymation is the amount of personality each character shows from their eyes. Since Gromit doesn't talk, his emotions are demonstrated through his expressive eyes and brow. The amount of detail throughout the sets makes the movie worth revisiting. The story is silly. There's a couple exciting chase sequences that Park's films are known for. Also, who'd think that a family oriented film like this would have a plot twist? Another thing I like about it is that it is claymated, one of the most tedious and time-consuming forms of animation. And it is clear, Park and his team did not take any short cut.

Best Bill Murray Film: Broken Flowers
Jim Jarmusch's film of an aging Don Juan who's lost purpose in his life is a slow-paced drama. Jarmusch takes his time as he normally does, moving the lead character (played by a lethargic Bill Murray) on his trek after receiving an unsigned pink letter that explains that he had a son with one of his past lovers. A reluctant Murray is talked into this quest by his neighbor (a wonderful Jeffrey Wright). As Murray meets each past lover, he sees his past mistakes laid out for him to ponder and analyze. With each meeting, awkwardness gradually increases. Some would wonder what this film is about, but finding a character, who had been static throughout his entire life,who gains new perspective on his own world and his own existence is enough to show growth.

Honorable mentions
For films that were good, yet not great, and that I don't feel like doing a write up for them are as follows:

The Constant Gardener (good acting, awesome cinematography)
A History of Violence (wonderful performances, darkly comic elements, intriguing story)
The Ice Harvest (entertaining story, darkly funny, good performances)
Match Point (good story, Allen returns to solid dramatic form, surprising turn that twists stomachs)