Adam Mast's Best Movies of 2005

"Kane" - Able to capture Adam's Apple!

MY FAVORITE FILM EXPERIENCES OF THE YEAR

While most critics are perfectly content giving a top ten list, I prefer to go a different route. Giving a list of a mere ten titles, doesn't do justice to the other titles that are completely worthy of viewing. Therefore, I've opted to give a much bigger list. I'm sure several readers out there find this sort of thing self indulgent. The truth is, there really isn't any self indulgence on my part at all. I've only done this in hopes that I might encourage some of you readers out there to seek out some of these titles (many of which are lesser known). This list represents the best time I had at the movies in 2005, and there just happened to be a lot of them. It should also be noted that there were plenty of films I didn't see. Quite obviously, this list is based on what I did get to see. I hope you enjoy it, and if I'm able to turn you on to a film that you've never heard of, well then that's what it's really all about it, isn't it? Sharing your passion!

1. NEW YORK DOLL (PG-13)
It really bothers me that this exceptional documentary hasn't found a bigger audience. Even high profile critics (i.e. Roger Ebert) have yet to review it. It's a shame, because many of you are missing out on what I truly believe to be the most effective film of the year. A beautiful, heartfelt, truthful tale of faith set to the back drop of rock n' roll. Director Greg Whiteley has fashioned an amazing documentary that proves fact is stranger than fiction, and by the end of the film, I really felt as if there's a higher power at work. While religion and rock are major themes flowing throughout this extraordinary film, you don't have to be religious or a fan of rock music to appreciate New York Doll's overall effectiveness and powerful message. SEE THIS MOVIE!

2. CRASH (R)
Paul Haggis' stunning directorial debut is a bold statement about race and perception. A stellar ensemble drama (featuring powerful performances by Terrence Howard, Matt Dillon, Don Cheadle, and Sandra Bullock) that weaves an intricate series of subplots in unforgettable fashion. Crash is punctuated by several unpredictable revelations that I wont soon forget. One of the most important and thought provoking films of the year.

3. CINDERELLA MAN (PG-13)
Cinderella Man is quite simply a work of grand beauty. It's clearly up there amongst Ron Howard's finest work (i.e. Apollo 13, Parenthood, A Beautiful Mind). Russell Crowe gives a powerful, tender performance as a man who not only boxes for himself and his family, but for a weakened nation. This depression era crowd pleaser reminded me of Seabiscuit and The Natural, and while you may know exactly where the movie is headed (it is, after all, based on a true story), it's so efficient and so inspirational, it's near impossible to not be moved by it. On final note, let's hear it for another outstanding turn by Paul Giamatti. A wonderful performance in an outstanding move.

4. LAYER CAKE (R)
Director Matthew Vaughn is no stranger to the British crime thriller. He produced most of Guy Ritchie's efforts (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, and Snatch). Layer Cake is far superior to Ritchie's films because it has the substance to match it's undeniable style. An intricate, mesmerizing crime caper with perfect timing and outstanding performances. The stand outs in this exceptional cast are Micahel Gambon who excels as an aging crime boss, and a magnetic (and likable) Daniel Craig who will soon grace the screen as James Bond. This U.K. import is one of the most surprising (and underrated) films of the year, and it's a shame that Fox wasn't able to keep Vaughn aboard X-Men 3. That sounded like a match made in heaven. By the way, technically, this movie made it's debut in 2004, but U.S. audiences didn't get a taste until earlier this year.

5. SIN CITY (R)
Robert Rodriguez has created a masterpiece in the form of his dizzying, stylized take on Frank Miller's graphic novel Sin City. Miller had long distanced himself from Hollywood after being burned one too many times, but was dazzled by Rodriguez's commitment to translate the source material rather than adapt it. The end result is a living, breathing comic book complete with stunning black and white images and bursts of vibrant color. The stellar ensemble is headed by the likes of Elijah Wood, Rutger Hauer, Clive Owen, and Benicio Del Toro, but the stand outs are Mickey Rourke as lovable thug Marv, Bruce Willis as the dedicated Hartigan, and Nick Stahl as the ultra vicious Yellow Bastard. With an assist by the brilliant Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez has fashioned a hyper kinetic work of art. This is a breathtaking film. On a side note, check out the recently released extended edition on DVD. It's even better.

6. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (R)
Ang Lee's passionate tale has been called a great gay love story, but truthfully, it's just a great love story period. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal are outstanding (as is the rest of an exceptional cast) as two cowboys engaged in what some might call a forbidden romance. There will be many people out there who find this film uncomfortable. Even I felt a little uneasy in the early goings on of the picture, but overall, Brokeback Mountain is a work of artistic beauty, and Ledger should rack up an Oscar nomination for what is easily the finest performance of his young career.

7. THE CONSTANT GARDENER (R)
Director Fernando Meirelles proves with The Constant Gardener that his first picture (the brilliant City of God) was no fluke. While this film couldn't be any more different in terms of tone, it drips with the same sort of passion. Ralph Fiennes is quietly effective as a member of the British High Commission who desperately tries to piece together clues that might lead him to the truth surrounding his wife's untimely death. Rachel Weisz gives the strongest performance of her career as Fiennes' crusading wife. Constant Gardener is a film full of startling but subtle revelations, delivered in a riveting fashion. A haunting, poetic drama that benefits from stellar acting and restraint.

8. GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK (PG)
I'm not going to sit here and praise Good Night and Good Luck for it's politics. I'm going to praise it because it's great film making. Yes, it leans to the left, but not in the same sort of way that a film like Fahrenheit 9/11 does. George Clooney's expertly crafted look at 50's broadcast journalism is much more than an indictment of Senator Joseph McCarthy. It's also a harsh look at the power the media has on us all-- then and now. David Strathairn gives a brilliant, stoic turn as the gutsy (and professional) Edward R. Murrow. The gorgeous black and white cinematography and amazing stock footage lend power to this exceptional film from the one time co-star of Facts of Life. Clooney's come a long way.

9. WALLACE AND GROMIT: CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT (G)
I'm just an absolute sucker for Nick Park and his wonderful stop motion animation creations Wallace and Gromit. While I'm first to admit that Wallace and Gromit's first feature doesn't quite pack the same punch as the shorts that inspired it (or the wildly entertaining Chicken Run for that matter), it still emerges as one of the most creative and funniest films of the year. This clever ode to the classic Universal monster movies is simply breathtaking and further proof that this style of animation is far from dead.

10. ICE HARVEST (R)
This slice of film noir from director Harold Ramis is more Coen Brothers than Bad Santa, and I absolutely loved it. John Cusack is at his deadpan best, and Oliver Platt is a scream, but the movie really soars because of great writing (courtesy of Robert Benton, Richard Russo, and novelist Scott Phillips) and sure handed direction. While this is certainly a major departure for funny man Harold Ramis (he also directed Groundhog Day), I'd call the darkly funny Ice Harvest his strongest work.

11. KUNG FU HUSTLE (R)
I don't generally like to quote others when defining a film, but in the case of Kung Fu Hustle, I think Roger Ebert said it best; "It's like Quentin Tarantino directed Jackie Chan in a Looney Tunes Cartoon." That's the perfect description of this zany, innovative, highly energetic martial arts opus from Shaolin Soccer director Stephen Chow. This is just a really fun time, and for those of you who are fans, you'll be happy to know that Chow is working on a sequel.

12. LORD OF WAR (R)
Andrew Niccol's Lord of War is one of the most misunderstood films of the year. A blazing, audacious, stylized glimpse into gun running featuring a knock out performance by Nicolas Cage. From the very opening scene in which we witness the birth of a bullet to it's ultimate firing on a most unsuspecting victim, I was hooked by this gripping and quite often satirical look at an ugly profession. Lord of War was one of the most attacked pictures of 2005. For my money, it's one of the best.

13. MUNICH (R)
I just recently watched this latest effort from Steven Spielberg, and to tell you the truth, I'm still kind of reeling from it. Munich is thought provoking in it's exploration of terrorism and killing in general, but the film also works amazingly well as an espionage thriller. After all these years, there's no doubt that Spielberg still knows how to grab an audience and not let go. He does it again here. Perhaps the most mature work from our most celebrated film maker.

14. CAPOTE (R)
Philip Seymour Hoffman's turn here is far more than a mere impersonation of author Truman Capote. This is a complete transformation. Capote is an intriguing expose on a novelist and his creative process. The focal point of the movie is, of course, the birth of one of Capote's most famed novels, In Cold Blood, and what it took to write it. This is a great movie, taken to the highest level by a mesmerizing Hoffman.

15. HUSTLE AND FLOW (R)
Terrence Howard (who also appeared in Crash) is the actor of the year, and his turn in this pimp turned hip hopster underdog story is all the proof you need. Howard creates an American original in the form of DJay, a pimp with aspirations of a better life. Writer/Director Craig Brewer has fashioned one of the most entertaining (and crowd pleasing) films of the year, through rich characterzations and an extremely lively soundtrack.

16. SYRIANA (R)
Syriana is one of those rare pictures that makes you think so much, that it actually hurts your head. It's an intricate examination of the oil industry from nearly every angle, and features stunning performances all around, but the most convincing turn comes courtesy of George Clooney as a CIA operative caught in a web of political intrigue. Written and directed by Traffic scribe Stephen Gaghan, Syriana is more interested in raising questions than providing answers, and I was captivated by every second of it. A provocative movie that couldn't be any more relevant.

17. THE CORPSE BRIDE (PG-13)
Nightmare Before Christmas it ain't, but The Corpse Bride is still a magical tale told through the wonderful art of stop motion animation. Based on an old Russian folk tale, The Corpse Bride is yet another winner from the brilliant mind of Tim Burton and features lively vocal work from Johnny Depp. And in fact, I greatly prefer this to the other Burton/Depp collaboration of the year, the underwhelming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

18. BROKEN FLOWERS (R)
Indie film making veteran Jim Jarmusch fashioned one of his very best films in the form of Broken Flowers, a wonderful character study featuring a brilliant Bill Murray as a man desperately searching for the son he never knew he had. As Murray meets up with various women from his past, Jarmusch grabs us making each of the funny man's ex-flames completely unique. And in fact, each time a new woman is brought into the fold, it feels as if we're watching a completely different movie. A wonderful film featuring one of the strongest turns of Murray's outstanding career.

19. BATMAN BEGINS (PG-13)
Director Christopher Nolan (Memento) and screenwriter David S. Goyer revitalized the Caped Crusader with this character driven take on Batman. Featuring a perfectly cast Christian Bale in the tile role, this all star ensemble (featuring the likes of Tom Wilkinson, Liam Neeson, Ken Watanabe, Rutger Hauer, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, and Michael Caine) succeeds as an action piece and a character study. This is, perhaps, one of the great comic book films of all time, and certainly the strongest Batman entry since Tim Burton's Batman Returns.

20. KING KONG (PG-13)
The Eighth Wonder of the World gets the Peter Jackson treatment, and the marriage proves to be a dazzling one. Jackson has never hidden the fact that King Kong is the picture that made him want to become a film maker, so after Lord of the Rings afforded him the opportunity to pretty much do whatever he wanted, he decided to update Kong. The end result is a grand fusion of exciting thrills, jaw dropping special effects, and real drama. Naomi Watts is stunning as actress Ann Darrow, the beauty who would ultimately tame the beast. One might call this movie "Silverback Mountain".

21. JARHEAD (R)
One time theater director Sam Mendes followed his masterpieces American Beauty and Road to Perdition with this unique look at war. I call it unique because Jarhead is essentially a war film without an actual battle. And while the men this film introduces us to never actually see battle, they experience some of the same emotional and psychological turmoil that war veterans go through. A fascinating exploration that gives new meaning to the term "shell shocked".

22. WALK THE LINE (PG-13)
In 2004, Jamie Foxx blew audiences away with his picture perfect portrayal of Ray Charles. In 2005, Joaquin Phoenix did the same with his uncanny turn as the Man in Black, Johnny Cash. And as spectacular as he is, Reese Witherspoon is equally effective as his main squeeze (and rock) June Carter. If the performances weren't strong enough, these two expert performers also did their own singing. A conventional bio pic elevated by masterful performances and amazing music.

23. MARCH OF THE PENGUINS (G)
2005 was a great year for documentaries, and the breathtaking March of the Penguins emerged as the most successful documentary of the lot. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, this beautiful nature film follows the awe inspiring (and sometimes brutal) life cycle of the penguin. As this film progressed, I completely forgot that there was a camera crew out there in the middle of nowhere, freezing their butts off, in the name of education and entertainment. A wonderful film.

24. MURDERBALL (R)
Here's a film I never thought I'd see. Murderball is a documentary about quadriplegic rugby players. Yes, you read the description correctly. The focal point of the picture is tough as nails auto accident survivor Mark Zupan (whom I had the pleasure of meeting at CineVegas recently), a determined athlete who breaks down every stereotype you've ever had about a guy in a wheelchair. Some of the guys on display in this movie aren't exactly nice, but damn I admire their courage.

25. WAR OF THE WORLDS (PG-13)
Steven Spielberg makes my list twice with his jaw dropping remake of War of the Worlds. While this movie took sort of a beating for it's anti climactic ending, I marveled at the film's pacing, and was particularly impressed by the genuine terror generated by the first thirty-five minutes. Once again, Spielberg dazzles with his masterful storytelling ability, and the effects in this picture are simply stunning.

26. THE UPSIDE OF ANGER (R)
Joan Allen simply soars as a middle aged alcoholic that is so upset by the fact that her husband walked out on her, that she begins to alienate her three daughters. Kevin Costner is terrific as an ex-baseball player (surprise) with problems of his own. Naturally, Allen and Costner hook up, and the relationship is...interesting to say the least. Upside of Anger is a smart drama punctuated by a twist that really heightens the entire experience. Allen is spellbinding.

27. THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN (R)
Funny! That's the best way to describe this wonderfully crude comedy starring Steve Carell. What really took by surprise in this picture though, is it's heartfelt center. The 40 Year Old Virgin is dirty and crude to be sure, but it's also a wonderful romantic comedy. Carell creates an actual three dimensional character here, and his chemistry with an amazing Catherine Keener is genuine and sweet.

28. THE SQUID AND THE WHALE (R)
An entertaining little independent film that recalls Blue Car and The Door in the Floor. The Squid and the Whale features an excellent Jeff Daniels as a smarmy intellectual whose failure to get his recent book published, puts an incredible strain on his marriage to an equally effective Laura Linney. To add insult to injury, Linney's character has a career that is flourishing. While Daniels and Linney are excellent, it is Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline that steel the show as their children. This movie is a tad on the pretentious side, but that's kind of what I liked about it. In fact, the movie sort of feels like it might have been written by Jeff Daniels' character.

29. INSIDE DEEP THROAT (NC-17)
This documentary traces the history of perhaps the most famous adult film ever made. Deep Throat is said to be the most profitable film of all time, and this fascinating little glimpse into it's genesis is both extremely funny, and enlightening. Ironically, this picture was slapped with an NC-17 most likely because it's attack on censorship and not for actual content.

30. LAND OF THE DEAD (R)
George Romero returned to the genre he created with the fourth installment in his zombie series. Land of the Dead unloads the gore, but it's also brimming with social commentary, a Romero trademark that separates him from many other genre film makers. In this outing, zombies are getting smarter while humans appear to be getting dumber. Vastly superior to that Dawn of the Dead remake from a couple of years ago. It's nice to have Romero back.

31. SERENITY (PG-13)
Joss Whedon's hip sci-fi western (based on the short lived television series Firefly) benefits from witty writing and a cast that generates genuine chemistry. The movie underperformed at the box office which is a damn shame. As far as I'm concerned, it's a stronger and much more entertaining adventure than Revenge of the Sith. With all due respect to George Lucas, his last Star Wars film was only good because the two previous installments were so weak. Serenity by comparison is a smaller picture, but far smarter.

32. MIRROR-MASK (PG)
This stunning family film from the brilliant minds of visionaries Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman fuses elements of many of my very favorite fantasy flicks (i.e. Neverending Story, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Labyrinth etc.) While Mirror Mask was shot on an extremely low budget, you'd never guess it by watching the film. This is a great picture for all ages.

33. DEVIL'S REJECTS/HIGH TENSION (R)
I've cheated a bit by putting these two films together, but they represent the best the genre had to offer in 2005 (along with Land of the Dead), so I thought I'd talk a bit about them at the same time. Devil's Rejects is Rob Zombie's gloriously perverse follow up to House of 1000 Corpses. Rejects took a beating in many circles, and people have called it everything from disgusting and pointless to amoral and despicable. While it certainly isn't a movie for everyone, I enjoyed it's sick wit and subtle little odes to the numerous films that Zombie holds dear to his heart (i.e. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Star Wars etc.). High Tension was the most primal, horrific exercise in terror that 2005 had to offer. Unlike Wolf Creek which took nearly an hour just to set up, this French import takes off in a blood soaked ball of fury inside the first fifteen minutes. This gruesome game of cat and mouse delivers in a big way, and even though High Tension offers up the most ridiculous, nonsensical, self conscious plot twist of all time in it's final act, the movie, overall, is efficient and horrific enough that I forgive it for it's huge misstep. This is one scary (and bleak) movie.

34. MY SUMMER OF LOVE (R)
This little seen gem features assured performances by Nathalie Press and Emily Blunt as two young woman who develop a bond one summer in the Yorkshire countryside. Even though many frown upon what they consider to be an unhealthy connection between the two-including Press' reborn brother (played by an outstanding Paddy Considine)-the bond continues. Ultimately, however, the story switches gears and the film really turns into a story about a girl who's tired of being taken advantage by those around her. As strong as the performances are in this terrific movie, it is Press who emerges as the true revelation. Watch as she turns a moment of complete humiliation into one of absolute triumph.

35. KISS KISS, BANG BANG (R)
You remember Shane Black? The actioneer screenwriter of 80's hits Lethal Weapon and Predator? After taking a lengthy hiatus, Mr. Black returned in 2005 with this hilarious homage to film noir. Starring a stellar Robert Downey Jr. and a very funny Val Kilmer, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is one of the most clever flicks most audiences didn't even hear about. Black's screenplay is chalk full of inside jokes and this movie contained some of the biggest, most unpredictable laughs of the year.

36.. THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE (PG-13)
I've always championed a film from John Carpenter called Prince of Darkness (my friends give me crap for it all the time). I liked the whole religious/scientific debate posed by that film, but above all, I just think it's a really cool horror flick. The Exorcism of Emily Rose also presents a religious/scientific debate, but it plays as more of a drama. What's more, this picture offers up moments that seriously sent chills up my spine. When Emily's body is taken over in this picture, it generates real terror, because everything that happens to her, is physically possible. Add to that another knock out performance by Tom Wilkinson, and you have that rare scary movie that not only delivers goods, but does so with genuine smarts.

37. NOVEMBER (R)
November is one of those thrillers that doesn't really come together until the last five minutes of the picture. Think Jacob's Ladder or The Usual Suspects. While I wouldn't necessarily put it in the same league as those two outstanding movies, it is a winner in it's own special way. Featuring an effective Courteney Cox (who all but sheds her Friends image), this stylish, low budget indie was shot digitally, in a speedy fifteen days. Director Greg Harrison disorients the audience through expert sound and crisp editing, but these are merely tools to enhance the movie. They don't become the movie. By the end of the film, everything comes together, but Harrison does challenge the audience to think about what they've just watched.

38. CSA: THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA (PG-13)
This smart mockumentary (patterned after one of those History Channel documentaries) suggests what the world might have been like had the South won the Civil War. CSA offers up a shrewd, satirical edge going so far as to offer up a plethora of bizarre commercials (included-slaves for purchase on the home shopping network) in between it's telling of how the South won the war. In a strange sort of way, this odd look at a world that could have been reminded me a bit of Paul Verhoeven's Robocop. Director/screenwriter Kevin Willmott (a historian himself) doesn't shy away from anything in this picture, and it is his boldness that makes CSA so noteworthy.

39. KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (R)
Ridley Scott's visually stunning film takes place during the crusades of the 12th century and features Orlando Bloom as a man who-despite a lack of faith-becomes a leader in a time of war. I actually prefer Kingdom of Heaven to Scott's Gladiator because, quite frankly, it has a lot more to say. This picture is more of a spiritual journey than it is a story about war, and Scott's extraordinary vision deserves more respect than it's garnered. As good as it is, I'd still like to see the version that Scott really intended audiences to see.

40. WEDDING CRASHERS (R)
Wedding Crashers has the honor of being one of the most successful R rated comedies of all time, and while it suffers from being a little too long, it offers up some truly big laughs and wonderful chemistry between Owen Wilson and 2005's "it" girl, the gorgeous and extremely talented Rachel McAdams. True, this flick requires a great deal of suspension of disbelief (the way these two guys do their wedding attendee profiles is far and beyond unbelievable), but as a go for broke comedy, Wedding Crashers works far more often than not.

2005! A GREAT YEAR FOR FILMS!

PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
I'm going with Terrence Howard. Not only is his turn in Hustle and Flow the single strongest performance by an actor in 2005, but he also dazzled in several other movies (see Crash, Four Brothers, and Get Rich or Die Tryin"). With Djay, a pimp turned rap star, Howard fashioned the most interesting character of the year. It's the type of performance that elevates a picture and furthermore, Howard is the ultimate team player. He makes those around him better. This was his breakout year for this gifted actor and I can't wait to see what he does next.

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
This was tough one, and it ended in a tie for me. First up is Paul Haggis who, after winning an Oscar for his outstanding Million Dollar Baby screenplay, toped himself by writing and directing the extraordinary Crash, a multi layered character study set to the backdrop of racial tension. Crash was the most thought provoking film of the year, and Haggis is a film maker to keep your eye on. A director that we've already had our eye on (for many years) is veteran film maker Steven Spielberg. Known early in his career for his heartwarming tales of wonder and adventures of awe inspiring grandeur, Spielberg has become a true artist is the past two decades, and what a year he had. While War of the Worlds met with some hostile reaction from many fans, it was still a blockbuster, and personally, I thought it was a jaw dropping spectacle, even if it was a tad flawed. Munich, on the other hand, is perhaps the director's most mature work. It's a sometimes cold, but always thoughtful expose on terrorism and the moral repercussions that come with taking a life. What's most mind boggling about the year that Spielberg had though, is just that; IT WAS ONLY A YEAR! Within twelve months, Spielberg delivered a huge, special effects heavy extravaganza and followed it up with a provocative, powerhouse epic. This brought back memories of 1994 in which the legendary film maker released Jurassic Park and followed that up with his masterpiece, the Holocaust tragedy Schindler's List only six months later. With War of the Worlds and Munich, Spielberg proves once again, that he is one of our greatest directors. Even in a world of Peter Jacksons, "The Beard" still has it.

THE BEST MOVIE OF 2005 THAT YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T SEE!
This should come as no surprise to anyone, as it topped my best of list. Greg Whiteley' New York Doll hit me like a ton of bricks. It's a small film, but no other movie in 2005 gave me the same sort of feeling that this sweet, charming, passionate and enlightening documentary did. It seems like every year a movie comes out of nowhere and just blind sides you with it's truthfulness. In 2005, that movie was New York Doll. Sadly, this film didn't get a nationwide release, and why I'm not certain. I'd like to think it has nothing to do with the LDS theme that runs throughout the film. If it is, that would just be a shame, because I've said it before and I'll say it again; you don't have to be religious or a fan of rock n' roll to be effected by this wonderful movie.

THE WORST OF 2005!
I don't see any point in writing a list of the worst movies of 2005. Giving needless exposure to what I believe to be crappy films makes zero sense to me. Therefore, I'll just give you my pick for the single worst movie of 2005. Should you seek the film out and decide for yourself, don't come crying to me if you hate it. You have been warned.

THE MAN
This movie is so terrible, I couldn't even find the energy to write a review for it. It is simply a waste of celluloid on every level and what really makes the entire experience so disheartning, are those involved. Samuel L. Jackson is an actor with enormous talent. In The Man, he goes through the motions and constantly has a look on his face that suggests he's thinking "Give me my paycheck and let me go home muthafucka!" His partner in crime is the hilarious Eugene Levy, a comedian whose made a comeback of sorts with extremely funny supporting turns in The American Pie franchise ant the comedies of Christopher Guest (Waiting For Guffman, Best in Show, and The Mighty Wind). In this film, he has nothing to contribute. The Man is so stale, so completely void of anything remotely resembling funny, and so lacking in any kind of energy, that I thought about walking out on several occasions.

COMING IN 2006!

2006 promises to be an exciting year in film, but the movie I'm most excited about is Superman Returns. Richard Donner's take on Superman and Richard Lester's take on Superman II are, perhaps, my favorite comic book adaptations ever, and the idea that Bryan Singer is rejuvinating the franchise puts a great big smile on my face. Singer promises to keep the comic book fans happy but he also suggests that fans of Donner's film won't be disappointed either. Superman Returns will feature newcomer Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel/Clark Kent, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and Kevin Spacey as the villainous Lex Luthor. It opens in June.