Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Movies 2005: Halfway home

Now that we're just past the halfway point of 2005, why not take a look back at the best movies over the last six months. While it may be tough to put a list of 10 together -- it's been a fairly uneventful season so far -- I'll give it my best shot.

And, as always, this is just a list of films that I've personally seen, which doesn't include the well-reviewed "Batman Begins" and highly regarded documentaries such as "Mad Hot Ballroom" and "Murderball," among many others.

Anyway, if you've missed any or all of these and are looking for a night at the cinema (or available on DVD), you shouldn't be disappointed.

In alphabetical order, not preference:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: A dessert for the senses, Depp and Burton once again team up for an unorthodox winner.

Cinderella Man: Russell Crowe, as usual, was rock solid as Depression-era fighter Jim Braddock. His underdog story was noteworthy but director Ron Howard failed to deliver a knockout punch.

Crash: Well-intentioned and thoughtful look at the racial and class structure of Los Angeles. It has its faults but "Million Dollar Baby" playright Paul Haggis is on his way to an impressive directorial career.

Fever Pitch: I hate the Red Sox but still was enamored with this tale of a Boston fan who can't decide between his two passions: baseball or Barrymore.

Hitch: Who knew Kevin James could be this funny? Nothing lasting about it but at least its original and has the gorgeous Eva Mendes too.

Hostage: Bruce Willis, in one of his best roles, in a taut action thriller about a family under seige by a group of moral-less teens.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: Based on the popular teen book, this could've gone all wrong but somehow manages to charm anyway.

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: Uber-geek George Lucas closes out his "Star Wars" legacy -- finally -- with an effort that made everyone happy.

War of the Worlds: Sure, nobody's thrilled with the ending and enough with Tom Cruise already. But Spielberg's special effects wizardry overcame it all.

The Wedding Crashers: Probably the funniest film of the past couple of years. Buy stock in Vince Vaughn now.

So what did I miss? Am I totally off base?

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