The Best (Dysfunctional) Movies of 2005
I love a good challenge, and this is my answer to Lori's call. While not the best movies of 2005, here are three of the best:
The Weather Man
40 Year Old Virgin
Shopgirl
The Weather Man
Well, not much to say here, just read my review. I really love seeing Nicolas Cage play the straining, self-restrained role he's born to play. And I can relate.
40 Year Old Virgin
Again, I really related to the character in this movie. No, I'm not 40. And no, I'm not a virgin, but I've shared in a couple of his hobbies and frustrations. This is a There's Something About Mary -type of movie, and in that sense it's very well done. Sweet, funny, perverse.
Shopgirl
Wow - this is a Top 5 movie for me, and it caught me completely by surprise. In fact, I had gone to the theatre to watch a different movie, but due to being overcharged for a ticket and the subsequent delay in waiting for my refund, Shopgirl was the only movie left to see. I really can't wait to see it again.
In a nutshell, this movie is a romantic version of Lost In Translation, with a dash of L.A. Story thrown in. If someone had described Shopgirl like this, then I would have purposefully seen this movie, as these are fairly realistic romantic comedies depicting the fun and despair of May-December relationships.
Steve Martin is playing subdued, as he does in The Spanish Prisoner, and he's quite effective as the emotionally unavailable savior. I found Claire Danes to be nothing short of a revelation here, a performance I didn't know she was able to give. Jason Schwartzman plays the oddball he normally plays, and though it was the weakest part of the story, I think he brought some much needed comic relief.
Sooo... These are a few of my favorite things. There are some movies I'd like to add to this list, and there are even more I've missed that could probably be on it. Hmmm... there are 5 days left in the year!
-Eric
The Weather Man
40 Year Old Virgin
Shopgirl
The Weather Man
Well, not much to say here, just read my review. I really love seeing Nicolas Cage play the straining, self-restrained role he's born to play. And I can relate.
40 Year Old Virgin
Again, I really related to the character in this movie. No, I'm not 40. And no, I'm not a virgin, but I've shared in a couple of his hobbies and frustrations. This is a There's Something About Mary -type of movie, and in that sense it's very well done. Sweet, funny, perverse.
Shopgirl
Wow - this is a Top 5 movie for me, and it caught me completely by surprise. In fact, I had gone to the theatre to watch a different movie, but due to being overcharged for a ticket and the subsequent delay in waiting for my refund, Shopgirl was the only movie left to see. I really can't wait to see it again.
In a nutshell, this movie is a romantic version of Lost In Translation, with a dash of L.A. Story thrown in. If someone had described Shopgirl like this, then I would have purposefully seen this movie, as these are fairly realistic romantic comedies depicting the fun and despair of May-December relationships.
Steve Martin is playing subdued, as he does in The Spanish Prisoner, and he's quite effective as the emotionally unavailable savior. I found Claire Danes to be nothing short of a revelation here, a performance I didn't know she was able to give. Jason Schwartzman plays the oddball he normally plays, and though it was the weakest part of the story, I think he brought some much needed comic relief.
Sooo... These are a few of my favorite things. There are some movies I'd like to add to this list, and there are even more I've missed that could probably be on it. Hmmm... there are 5 days left in the year!
-Eric
posted by Eric. Lori. at 10:42 PM
1 Comments:
I realize it's not relevant, but "Shopgirl" was also a Steve Martin novel. I mention this because when I read it, Steve Martin was very much not the guy I pictured as the lead. He did, obviously. Anyway, good to get a double-good thumbs up on this movie; now it's on the list.
Post a Comment
<< Home