Films from 2005

The list for 2005 is a little bit thinner than previous years. Thinner in that there were not a whole lot of films that really stood out to me. There were a couple that I loved and then a bunch of others that I just enjoyed or thought were interesting.

This year I tried to get a good mix of genres across the board and I think I accomplished that. There is one great horror film that I discovered during my time in Australia, when a family friend told me that the story the film is based on is true. Needless to say after watching the movie I didn't leave the house that night. There are two great R-rated comedies on the list that I know most of my friends loved, and I do too and there is one PG comedy as well. There are a couple of smaller films, both drama and comedy and there a couple of big, blockbuster type films. All of which I think are great films and if you have not seen them then I suggest you do. There are a couple on this list that are also family friendly. They are also ones that most might not expect to find on a list by me. Never fret, I will explain why I chose them at the end.

The first two on the list are my top two of the year and then the rest follow in no particular order.

• Batman Begins
• Hustle & Flow
• Brokeback Mountain
• The Matador
• Tsotsi
• Red Eye
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
• King Kong
• The 40-Year-Old Virgin
• Wedding Crashers
• Wolf Creek
• Kicking & Screaming
• The Devil's Rejects
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

"Hustle & Flow" has one of the best soundtracks of the decade. The music is integral to DJay and his lifestyle and you can tell that time was taken in the deliberation over what songs to include in the film and how they work with the film's subject matter. The original songs "Whoop that Trick", "Hustle & Flow (It Ain't Over)", and "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" breathe life into DJay and his struggle to make a name for himself. His words are an extension of his soul and how he is trying to cope and deal with living as a pimp in Memphis, Tennessee. Terrence Howard delivers a fantastic performance as does the rest of the cast featuring Anthony Anderson ("Law & Order"), DJ Qualls ("Road Trip"), Ludacris, and Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button").

"The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". Yes you read that right. It's on my list and I'll tell you why. It all starts with the leads. The four girls played by America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty"), Amber Tamblyn ("Joan of Arcadia"), Blake Lively ("Gossip Girl") and Alexis Bledel ("Gilmore Girls") all do exceptional jobs portraying these young girls. They are charming and charismatic as they deal with situations that more closely resemble real life drama and comedy than most teen girl movies do. The standout story comes between America Ferrera and her about to be newly remarried father, played by Bradley Whitford ("Billy Madison" and "The West Wing"). She sees that her father has become a different person and we watch her wrestle with being neglected by him as she struggles with being a girl of color with the white family her father is joining.

The girls deal with life, love, the reality of death and the struggle to fit in. Each story is presented as life and is rarely sensationalized which adds to its overall appeal. We see the girls deal with their demons, both internal and external, and how they overcome them because of their sisterhood. The bond they share extends beyond borders as they are always there for each other no matter what. This film deserves a chance to be seen and if you dismissed it earlier I suggest you go back and watch it and see what you've been missing.