very simple

I found this handy dandy list of all of the movies to be released in 2005 thanks to Monty who does a year-end wrap-up of the movies he’s seen each year, and as I was perusing, I realized that I was somewhat disappointed in the movies I had actually managed to see (and half of them were only thanks to cable). A whole bunch of films that I planned to see and never got around to (thanks crazy summer of moving and fall of living in a hotel room in Italy with only CNN!).

So, to copy a bit from Monty, here’s the list of films released this year that I actually saw, ordered only by their release dates…

Assault on Precinct 13: Ok, I saw this one, like 2 weeks ago on cable. What can I say, Ethan Hawke is very very cute.

Elektra: I’m almost embarassed to admit this one – but again, it was a catch on cable. I love Alias and that Goran Visjnic guy, so it was like I was practically tied to a chair and forced to watch. But really? It was terrible.

Bride and Prejudice: Loved this one. I’ve blogged about my somewhat obsessive fascination with Pride and Prejudice before (and OK, my stepmother’s friend Wendy and I forced her and my dad to sit through the BBC production (again!) the other night when we were all hanging out – I should also point out that my stepmother had foot surgery the day before, making it impossible for her to escape our obsessive clutches – my dad escaped by falling asleep 20 minutes in). Ahem. Anyway, this was a cute update, even though I didn’t really love Martin Henderson as Darcy. He was fine, but no Colin Firth.

Fever Pitch: saw this on the plane on one of my transcontinental flights to or from Italy. It was a good airplane movie. That’s all. Again, Jimmy Fallon is fine, but he’s no Colin Firth.

The Interpreter: another plane movie. What can I say, my choices were this or the same episode of Everybody loves Raymond that had aired on the previous three flights.

Sin City: This one was pretty awesome. and different. and gruesome. I actually still have the Netflix DVD that my brother made me rent for him before he left for Palau. I should probably return it one of these days.

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: Oh come one, you saw this too.

Batman Begins: Certainly the best comic book interpretation of the year, and of the Batman ouvre (Nicholson’s scenery chewing included).

March of the Penguins: LOVE.

The Aristocrats: I almost peed my pants laughing – and bonus feature? No annoying children in the theater.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: see above re: annoying children in the theater (I can’t believe that I didn’t blog about this experience originally, because the child behind me was so out of control I almost walked out, but I did see it the week I was moving, so I guess I was preoccupied – short version – child, with both parents present, spent the entire film screaming at the top of his lungs that he wanted to go home. The parents? spent the entire film trying to bargain with the damn kid instead of dragging him out by his hair).

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: see above re:…oh whatever, I loved it.

Pride & Prejudice: I know, I need to see a therapist. But this one was…eh. The best review that I read of it pointed out that they "Brontefied" Austen. And that’s exactly it – Austen was all about the satire of conventional romance – They turned this into a straightforward romance. Oh yeah, and Matthew MacFadyen is no Colin Firth.

Syriana: I actually saw this on Sunday with my dad. It was excellent. It was also very depressing.

Walk the Line: Excellent acting. Sappy script.

Brokeback Mountain: Excellent all around. I was bawling at the end.

Wow – I really didn’t see very many movies this year. I imagine that I actually caught a bunch of the 2004 films on cable and whatnot, but I need to do some catching up – I’m pretty sure the list of films that I meant to see from this year and missed was longer than this one. I’m off to go update my Netflix queue.

Tags: movies