Critic Consensus Top Ten Films of 2005 & 2004

Okay, in order to quench my addictive personality, I had, HAD to calculate 2005 and 2004! (Don't ask why!)

After giving myself a killer mini-migraine, I felt like Paul Newman in the picture above!

Well, here it is: (this is officially IT, until, of course, 2008 tallies come in).

Critic Consensus Top Ten Films of 2005...

10. 2046 (57)
9. Cache (67)
8. Good Night, and Good Luck (88)
7. Capote (94)
6. King Kong (97.5)
5. Grizzly Man (101)
4. Munich (104)
3. The Squid and The Whale (117)
2. A History of Violence (137)
1. Brokeback Mountain (212)

Let's take a look at that year's Academy Award Nominations:

-Winner: "Crash" (15, 47)
-"Brokeback Mountain" (1, 212)
-"Munich" (4, 108)
-"Capote" (7, 94)
-"Good Night, and Good Luck" (8, 88)

Wow. How the HELL did "Crash" win that year??? I mean, it had some amazing moments and I liked the film, enough to be in my own personal Top Ten of that year, but I never, EVER thought it could win Best Picture.

"Brokeback Mountain" definitely deserved the Top Award. For Christ's sake, even Miranda July's super-indie "Me & You & Everyone You Know" (14, 51) beat out "Crash"!

Biggest Critical Miss? Uhm, can you say "The New World" (43, 15)??? I mean, that film by Malick was a masterpiece! Better than "A Thin Red Line" and definitely better than "The Devil's Rejects" (38, 18), "Kung Fu Hustle" (34, 24), and (don't get me started) "Cinderella Man" (23, 37)! Are you serious? That film was begging moviegoers to see it or they'd be given their money back! What the EFFER??

Whew. All right, let's move onto 2004 before I blow a gasket!

Critic Consensus Top Ten Films of 2004...

10. Moolade (61)
9. Bad Education (75)
8. The Aviator (76)
7. Maria Full of Grace (78)
6. House of Flying Daggers (90)
5. The Incredibles (126)
4. Before Sunset (148)
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (186.5)
2. Million Dollar Baby (196)
1. Sideways (233)

Again, and the Academy Award Nominations went to:

-Winner: "Million Dollar Baby" (2, 196)
-"Sideways" (1, 233)
-"The Aviator" (8, 76)
-"Ray" (23, 19)
-"Finding Neverland" (62, 6)

Wow. Now, I can understand the Academy digging "Finding Neverland", it was a pretty solid movie, but it was in 62nd place!!?!?!? That's like giving an Olympic track-guy, who fails to qualify for the semi-finals, a spot on the podium.

Then, we have "Ray". That movie was just plain horrible. It was like a Greatest Hits of Ray's life without any emotion or substance.

Who got Robbed in 2004?

"Eternal Sunshine" (3, 186.5)? Seriously. Was this "too difficult" for the Academy? I mean, how can you look at yourself in the mirror, and not pick this film. Critically lauded. Masterpiece.

"Maria Full of Grace" (7, 78)? Hah. Maybe they didn't want to include two indies? Who the heck knows with them.

This is fun.

I hope it is fun for you as well!

Happy New Year!

See you next week!