CANFIELD'S FILM 2005 IN REVIEW

Hello Everybody,

Dave Canfield, lowly member of the Chicago Film Critics Association here to post my 2005 picks and nit picks. You can check out the CFCA Award nominees and winners for this year which were voted on in two seperate ballots or you can settle to know what yours truly thought of his year in film as well as share in my thoughts on horror 2005.

This is a personal first. As part of my joining theCFCA I’m expected to come up with my list of the best in film for 2005. It’s been a chore especially catching up over the holidays on films that I didn’t even particularly want to see. But it’s been good for me too. Few things are more useless than a critic who can’t think outside the box of his own likes and dislikes.

Still you’ll notice I nodded at some things that at the end of the day have more to do with my own taste than with any sort of professional aesthetic. I thought it might be a good idea to clarify my own rational for picking films, actors, etc. for 2005. The following rambles a bit but I suspect you’ll get the gist of what it’s like to do this day in and day out and try to remain objective.

I saw 387 movies in 2005. To qualify for CFCA nomination a film had to have a theatrical run not just a festival appearance. I chose to limit my choices along those lines as well. I could waste tons of space listing films I would have gladly voted for that didn’t meet that qualification.

Beyond that it gets pretty loose. CFCA encourages independent thought amongst it’s membership. The last thing we want to be is some sort of Oscar barometer. If a critic wants to list White Chicks then we say more power to that idiot- sorry- I mean, colleague.

My own rational for choosing films was something I had to discover as I went along. Any Best Of list is a highly personal one. And in my case I’m afraid we’re dealing with an untrained eye. In other words my most difficult task wasn’t in coming up with lists but in separating my own primitive critical taste from my personal taste. I loved House of Wax, it was a throwback to the sort of horror films I grew up cringing at and laughing with. But, for instance, as good as House of Wax is at what it does I think Capote does it what tries to do better- therefore Capote and 9 other films made my list and House of Wax didn’t. Basically while I made room for own individual tastes in considering what films to pick I ultimately let the films battle it out against one another.

Sometimes those battles were fierce. This has been a great year for American cinema. Many, many truly fine films and a great many performances and technical achievements begged for recognition. Even with ten slots to fill in each category I often found myself second-guessing.

Here are some key questions I asked:

1. Have the filmmakers achieved something extraordinary? Titanic wasn’t the best movie the year it came out but it was the most monumental achievement in filmmaking. Likewise Peter Jackson’s King Kong, a much better film than Titanic, earned a place simply because it is such an amazing visual achievement.

2. Did this film represent a bold and much needed statement? In a year awash with poli-cinema I chose to recognize movies that made statements about art and media. Thus, Good Night and Good Luck and Capote won out over Syriana and The Constant Gardener.

3. As to performance I asked myself if the actor or filmmaker deliver fine performances in not just the one but in several films in 2005. Many actors this year were in more than one excellent film delivering great performances. Was it time to recognize someone who has consistently delivered the goods as a director or actor? George Clooney was an obvious choice as was David Cronenberg.

4. This may be a sticking point for some but as a Christian I find myself compelled to ask other questions that have little to do with the aesthetic or technical aspects of film. But then again those were never the driving force behind my interest in film anyway. I watch movies because they remind me of why I want to live. Love, forgiveness, redemption, a good laugh, fear and disgust of evil… these are all things film teaches. And when film puts the worst of man on display it allows me to flex my own faith, my God given sense of reason, against that display. Perhaps I will humbly recognize myself up on the screen as the villain, perhaps cautiously as a well meaning if flawed hero. Film helps me to celebrate and draw near to all that is good and helps me to grow farther away from what is not.

I tried as hard as I could to ignore whether a film was mainstream, art house, indie or of a particular genre while still keeping my eye open for movies that weren’t well marketed or opened so close to the beginning of the year that they would be easily lost.

I reluctantly chose to separate (for the most part) my personal stateside and Foreign Best Of lists into two separate lists rather than just pick the ten best films overall. The reason being that I can’t possibly have seen enough of what’s out there in the entire world to hazard what the very ten best films of 2005 were. In addition CFCA does this anyway and it allows me to name more films overall that I feel deserve recognition.

And there are films I didn’t see mainly because I have two kids under the age of six, a healthy marriage and only twenty four hours a day to make all that and a writing career work. 387 movies sounds like a lot (more than a film a day) but many, many critics see far more than this.

Finally let me offer some guidance, you can ignore it of course if you’re so inclined but I think it’s worth it to throw my two sense into the ring on a subject that is, in my opinion, too often ignored by critics. As with almost any year 2005 offered films that are intended for a wide range of audiences. Many of the most compelling films of 2005 are rated R for good reason. Are you prepared to sort through the themes and ideas offered as food for thought? Good cinema like food is intended to nourish in some way. Are you looking for hope in your life? Is it hard to believe in real love, in purpose and meaning? The movies often give us plenty of reasons to believe in, and continue searching for those things. I hope 2005 was a good year at the movies and that if you missed some of these you’ll get the chance to revisit them on DVD.

Dave

PS. I should mention that this list was drawn up on Dec 30, 2005 and that I tried my level best to avoid reading any other critics list prior to making mine.

BEST HORROR FILMS

As usual the pickings were pretty slim when it came to North American theatrical run horror. One of the things I can’t stand (and I’m a pretty avid fan of the horror genre) is the rah-rah mentality of what passes for coverage of the scene. As such I rarely come up with a Ten Best Of list in this category preferring to recognize films more selectively.

These are all flawed films. The only one that I think may show true greatness is Pulse. But I am confident that all of the films I’ve chosen will or at least be watched and discussed for years to come.

Dark Water- At it’s heart is a film about motherhood and while I like the ending of the original better it was still a pleasure to watch such an artfully photographed mature story develop under a director not known for his work in the horror suspense field. This remake offers less chills than it’s original Japanese predecessor but has a haunting quality all it’s own.

Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist- This film was simply outstanding offering much food for thought about the finding and losing of faith and the true nature of evil. Paul Schrader has made a thoughtful prequel that is worthy of being put on the shelf next to The Exorcist.

George A. Romero's Land of the Dead- While I’ll give House of Wax more points because of it’s quick pacing Land of the Dead falls just behind. Romero was, almost unbelievably, able to carry his social commentary through a fourth zombie film and emerge with a lively, sometimes frightening, often funny take on modern society.

House of Wax- When it comes to pure fun and gruesome spectacle House of Wax stood alone in a year of rehash and remake to deliver the gruesome goods. It was also surprisingly tame on the sexual front opting instead to load atmosphere and great special effects on by the bucketload and keep it’s pacing quick.

Pulse (Kaïro) - Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s ghost story is haunting in all the ways great cinema should be and it still has the power to move the viewer despite the vast amount of Asian horror that has flooded American shores. There is the sense of encountering something truly other and of being touched at the core of our humanity. In Kurasawa films one has the sense that humanity matters, in all it’s smallest details and this makes the ghosts of Pulse all the more threatening.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose - This film has attracted a wide audience and I think deservedly so. All possession films tend to reinforce the idea that the supernatural is real but Scott Derickson’s remarkable and bold film asserts that “we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling” in the knowledge that supernatural reality is the ultimate one. The fact that this PG-13 film manages to be as frightening as it is thought provoking promises good things for this filmmaker’s future.

Three... Extremes - I’m including this film primarily because of Dumplings, which is easily the most disturbing and provocative short I have ever seen. But the other two short films are beautifully shot and any fan of Asian genre cinema will find Three Extremes exhilarating and thought provoking.

Horror isn’t for everyone. For the faint of heart or those who find cinematic violence unbearable I would still certainly recommend Emily Rose, Dark Water or Dominion. The rest of you can consider any of the preceding well worth your time.

BEST PICTURE

Munich - No doubt many will be nonplussed by Spielberg’s courageous if somewhat predictable film but I felt it beautifully captures the law of diminishing returns surrounding the increasing hostility between Palestine and Israel. It’s telling that his critics are mainly angry he didn’t take their side in a complex problem. Instead Spielberg offers average people caught up in policy, and leaders who are everywhere behind the scenes judging but never in the line of fire themselves.

Broken Flowers - Bill Murray is deadpan, and that threw a lot of viewers but this near satire of his recent performances in the films of Wes Anderson is only as deadpan as life itself. Jarmusch lays back confident that by sharing the main character’s journey we will recognize a pathway for ourselves. He’s right and his insight is what lets him end Broken Flowers on a flourish that would seem throwaway if it weren’t absolutely true

A History of Violence - Like Munich this is a film that understands the anguish built into the human condition. Violence not only begets violence in Cronenberg’s film but it becomes the unspoken current running underneath so much of our day to day lives. This film uses the exploitation genre to challenge and confound viewers looking for an easy hero.

The Squid and The Whale - A lot of films cover the territory of divorce but this neat dissection of one bohemian families perilous trek through their on moral ambiguity features some of the best and funniest performances of the year.

Mysterious Skin - Rescue comes from strange places in the story of a male prostitute and an old classmate who believes he may have been abducted by aliens. Without a preacher in sight the truth sets them both on the road to healing and freedom. Outstanding performances help bring the film’s hopeful through loud and clear despite a lot of strong disturbing content.

Good Night and Good Luck - Less a biopic of Edward R. Murrow as a McCarthy dragon slayer and more a troubling examination of how the industry treated one of it’s great prophets. George Clooney continues a quality career behind the lense making a stunning choice for the subject matter of his new film and doing a good job covering why Murrow is still important today.

Crash - Incredible performances by Thandie Newton and Terrence Howard and a tight, if sometimes improbable, screenplay by Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco made Crash a natural pick. And the film’s frightening portrait of racism in here and now USA makes for great conversation. I have to admit I found the racism of the film a little cartoony at times even if Dillon plays the heck out of his role as a corrupt cop. But in the end the film offers deep character development and an opportunity for exactly the kind of empathy that empowers viewers to ask hard questions about themselves.

King Kong - As an accomplishment in filmmaking alone Jackson’s King Kong is monumental. Titanic wasn’t the Best Picture the year it came out no matter what the Oscar’s say but it was easily the greatest achievement in filmmaking. And Jackson has tackled one of the most iconic films of all time and turned in a breathtaking re-envisioning of it’s central character, ideas and themes. That Kong would fall short of being a five star story experience seems almost natural but that Jackson would reinvigorate the concept the way he has and turn in an effort that refuses to be a simple effects blockbuster

Capote - Capote offers a stunning dissection of how dangerous making great art can be. Phillip Seymor Hoffman was my pick for actor of the year and Bennett Miller has made one of the strongest directorial debut’s in years. This is filmmaking of rare intensity and intimacy.

3 Iron - The only foreign film on my best of list is simply one of the most haunting movies I have ever seen. Kim Ki Duk’s sense of the sacredness of space goes way beyond the edges of the frame and into territory that I can only describe as transcendent.

BEST FOREIGN FILM

Rather than sketch out my reasons for each I’ll save us all time, get this sucker posted and just say that each of the films below is liable to be around a lot longer than I am. I also fancy the idea that most of you have probably seen most of the films below and skipped most of the mainstream US releases because after all who wants to risk their street cred by getting caught at the mall watching the latest from Spielberg. In all seriousness the main reason I don't expound further here is that I believe all these films speak for themselves.

Oldboy
3 Iron
Cache
Downfall
Pulse
Save the Green Planet
Far Side of the Moon
Innocence
Kung Fu Hustle
Paradise Now

BEST DIRECTOR

Steven Spielberg for Munich
Peter Jackson for King Kong
Jim Jarmusch for Broken Flowers
Terrence Malick for The New World
Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain
Chan Wook Park for Oldboy
Kim Ki Duk for 3 Iron
David Cronenberg for A History of Violence
George Clooney for Good Night and Good Luck
Fernando Meirelles for The Constant Gardener

BEST SCREENPLAY

Palindromes
Squid and the Whale
Yes
Good Night and Good Luck
Broken Flowers
Far Side of the Moon
Sin City
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Crash
Mysterious Skin

BEST ACTOR

Terrence Howard- Hustle and Flow
Phillip Seymor Hoffman- Capote
Heath Ledger- Brokeback Mountain
Bruno Ganz- Downfall
Joseph Gordan Levitt- Mysterious Skin
Jeff Daniels- The Squid and The Whale
Andy Serkis- King Kong (as Kong)
Mickey Rourke- Sin City
Min Sik Choi - Oldboy
Viggo Mortenson- A History of Violence

BEST ACTRESS

Joan Allen- Yes
Noami Watts- King Kong
Maria Bello- A History of Violence
Rachel Weisz- The Constant Gardener
Thandie Newton- Crash
Helen Buday- Alexandra's Project
Tilda Swinton- The Chronicles of Narnia: Lion Witch and the Wardrobe
Q'Orianka Kilcher- The New World
Miriam Yeung Chinwak- Three Extremes (Dumpling's)
Jennifer Carpenter- The Exorcism of Emily Rose

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Stephen Adley Guirgis- Palindromes
Ciaram Hinds- Munich
Owen Kline- The Squid and The Whale
Peter Stormare- Constantine
Ralph Fiennes- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Bob Hoskins-Unleashed
Ashton Holmes- A History of Violence
William Hurt- A History of Violence
Danny Huston- The Constant Gardener
Nick Stahl- Sin City

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Qiu Yuen- Kung Fu Hustle
Corinna Harfouch- Downfall
Amanda Peet- Syrianna
Vanessa Redgrave-The White Countess
Jessica Lange- Broken Flowers
Sharon Wilkins- Palindromes
Brenda Blethyn- Pride and Prejudice
Shirley Henderson- Yes
Michelle Williams- Brokeback Mountain
Anne Hathaway- Brokeback Mountain

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The New World
King Kong
Broken Flowers
Sin City
Mirror Mask

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Brokeback Mountain
The New World
Kung Fu Hustle
Munich
Oldboy
Good Night and Good Luck
2046
Dark Water
3 Iron
Broken Flowers

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Grizzly Man
Genesis
March of the Penguins
Murderball