Top 10 Movies of 2005

A decent biopic about the Man in Black was long overdue, and this drama was more than just decent. Featuring Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon as his second wife June Carter, the James Mangold-directed flick followed the country star as he rose to fame and his relationship with the singer. With incredible acting and singing performances, “Walk the Line” won Witherspoon a Best Actress Oscar and earned 4 other Academy Award nods, along with multiple other accolades and critics’ praise.

2005 was a great year for independent films and our next entry marked director/writer Noah Baumbach’s first widely-received success. Based on Baumbach’s childhood experiences, the arthouse comedy-drama recounts the story of two brothers and how they coped with their parents’ divorce in the 1980s. The film was produced by the director’s longtime pal Wes Anderson, and was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival. It went on to earn six Independent Spirit Award nominations and was even nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

Our next entry proved that Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of the finest actors of his generation. Playing the highly prolific Truman Capote, Hoffman completely disappeared in the role of the writer. Although the film only focuses on the chapter of his life during which he wrote what’s often considered the first non-fiction novel, “In Cold Blood,” the actor obsessed himself with researching Capote’s life, especially his childhood, in order to render his performance a convincing one. The biographical motion picture also marked director Bennett Miller’s Hollywood debut. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, but was only awarded one – Best Actor for Hoffman’s riveting turn.

Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller, our next entry was a praised as both a critical and a commercial success. The neo-noir crime thriller is based on the first, third and fourth book from the series and tells three different stories about revenge, lust and survival. With a stellar cast including Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Clive Owen and Mickey Rourke, “Sin City” stood out for its distinctive color processing and actually won the Technical Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

With “The Dark Knight” Trilogy, Christopher Nolan was able to single-handedly redefine the superhero movie. After years of unsuccessful and shallow attempts at a reboot of the Batman series, Nolan stepped in to give it a darker, more dramatic tone. Christian Bale put on the black cape and immediately gave the character a more serious and realistic feel. The film attracted wider audiences because people who dismissed the superhero genre were now willing to give it a try. It also received recognition for its stunning visuals. Wally Pfister was nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar.

Despite its crude title, our next entry is a sweet and smart comedy that redefined the genre. It tells the story of, you guessed it, a 40-year-old electronics store salesman who still hasn’t slept with a woman because of various obstacles that always stood in his way. Shy and socially awkward, he tries to blend in with his male colleagues, but they quickly catch on to his secret and decide to help him out. The film helped put comedian Steve Carell on the map and the role remains one of his most memorable performances to date.

This stylish drama was directed by George Clooney and recounts the conflict between broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow and U.S. senator Joseph McCarthy. Although steeped in American political history, it is the under-story about Murrow and his dedicated staff that carries the film. The black-and-white procedural flick is considered one of the best movies about journalism ever made, and it made audiences and critics consider Clooney’s gift as a director. “Good Night, and Good Luck.” was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Director for Clooney and Best Actor for David Strathairn as Murrow.

When the next movie on our list hit theaters, it was all people could talk about. Although it was far from being the first film focusing on gay themes, it was definitely the first gay love story with big production values, starring two of Hollywood’s most promising young actors – Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. Telling the story of two cowboys who fall in love while herding sheep in the Wyoming Mountains, the epic romantic drama covers their complex relationship from 1963 to 1983. It was the movie with the most Academy Award nominations that year, winning three for Best Original Score, Adapted Screenplay, and Director.

This next historical drama was based on the real events of the 1972 Summer Olympic Games, at which 11 Israeli team members were taken hostage and killed by the Palestinian group Black September. The political thriller recounts the story of Operation Wrath of God, the Israeli counter-terrorism team of assassins sent to retaliate. The film was one of Steven Spielberg’s biggest critical successes, while simultaneously being one of his lowest-grossing pictures ever. It inevitably sparked controversy for its themes, but what great movie doesn’t?

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions:
“Junebug” (2005)
“Caché” (2005)
“Wedding Crashers” (2005)
“Match Point” (2005)

This crime thriller first caused waves at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was in the main competition for the Palme d’Or. Directed by David Cronenberg, the film is based on a graphic novel of the same name and tells the story of a disgruntled diner-owner who murders two men who try to rob him. Viggo Mortensen called it the best movie he has ever been in, and critics praised Cronenberg for his straightforward depiction of the violent nature of humans. Meanwhile, “A History of Violence” was also nominated for 2 Oscars, and earned a number of other accolades as well.

Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite movie from 2005? For more entertaining top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.