By Graham H. Moes
Graybrook Institute Film Critic

Cinderella Man — It went down for the count in the first round at the box office, but director Ron Howard's soaring tale of true grit and virtue triumphant in Depression Era America packed a huge emotional punch for those willing to give this sepia-toned "sports" film a chance. Russell Crowe, filling the big gloves of real-life boxer Jim Braddock, gives one of the best performances of his still-rising career. Ditto for Renee Zellweger, breathing life into the pillar-of-strength image of wife and motherhood that defined a generation, and Paul Giamatti, in a supporting role already reaping a harvest of awards en route to a well-deserved Oscar.
Pride & Prejudice — This umpteenth version of the classic infused the familiar story with a vitality and stark realism too often lacking in "Brit lit" adaptations. Easily the best such attempt since Zeffirelli's Hamlet (the Mel Gibson version). Keira Knightley strikes just the right tone as the independent-minded Lizzie without a trace of modernist feminism on the one hand or overbaked BBC staginess on the other. If not for my own manly "pride" in touting a chick flick over a boxing film, this work of extreme "Prejudice" could just as easily have topped my list.
The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — C.S. Lewis' classic is right up there with The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter in terms of built-in fan base, but fulfilling fan expectations that here also include tricky theological concerns seemed a near impossibility. Yet Narnia realized the book's core imagery in a way both faithful and fresh while taking the technical aspects a step beyond even Rings at times. Moving, insightful and sure to take its place alongside The Wizard of Oz as an enduring family classic.
Crash — Christ said, "Let him without sin among you cast the first stone." But as this film about race relations in urban Los Angeles points out, every last one of us, regardless of color, is hurling them as fast as we can, wounding without realizing the fact — much less caring — until those stones come crashing back down through our own glass houses. The brilliance of this meditation for discerning adults is how it reveals race isn't even the problem, it's just an excuse to ignore the bigger one — the reality of human nature in a fallen world. Screenplay by Million Dollar Baby scribe Paul Haggis, who also directs, is the year's best by far.
War of the Worlds — Another cuddly alien film from Steven Spielberg? ...Um, no. Spielberg himself has said his personal view of the Great Unknown has changed since Sept. 11. Whatever the change, we like it. Can't speak to the home-viewing experience yet, but on the big screen it was truly an awesome sight to behold. Amidst rumors of his own outer space origins, Tom Cruise played his first transitional role (as a father) with earth-shattering intensity that easily sold the whole exaggerated, effects-laden ride. All in all, out of this world.
The Great Raid — For daring to present the military in a positive light during war time, The Great Raid deserves an Independent Spirit Award alone. Despite the low budget feel, this true story of a U.S. commando raid on one Japanese POW camp in World War II offers several killer performances, a gripping finale and a rare moral clarity that, while it won't win any awards from Hollywood, easily earns a place among my favorites.
King Kong — A little long, a little self-indulgent, but no other film this year better understood why we go to the movies. Kong was a throw-down throwback to the golden age of monster movies that reconfirmed Peter Jackson as the king of big-canvas filmmaking. Equal parts high adventure and high anxiety, fueled by adrenaline and enough SPCA pathos to give Old Yeller a run for its money, this story of an ape and his girl raised the bar for multiple genres, then cleared it in a single bound.
Batman Begins — Now you're getting a little crazy, you say? (Hey, get your own list.) It isn't easy resurrecting a franchise that died a slow death on life support within recent memory. Director/co-writer Christopher Nolan was the miracle man, not only reviving, but reinventing the bat-man while simultaneously fleshing out his origins in a plausible way and delivering the most entertaining installment since Tim Burton's original. Add to that Nolan's above-and-beyond amenity of infusing real meaning into an action film...? Bat-tastic!
Walk the Line — "Different" is usually one of the few prerequisites for this list. And while The Man in Black's life story stuck too close to the generic biopic playbook — giving short shrift to complexities like Johnny Cash's spiritual journey — Joaquin Phoenix's performance fit the bill. Standard issue scenes of infidelity and pill popping soon faded, but Cash's music — sung entirely, amazingly by Phoenix himself — is still stuck in my head. As is Phoenix's interaction with an equally effective and ingratiating Reese Witherspoon as June Carter Cash.
Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit — In a year marked by dark and heavier fare, the feature debut of everyone's favorite clay-based life forms was a welcome burst of full-spectrum color. While never quite topping the genius of Nick Park's three W&G shorts (two with Oscars), it was still the freshest breath of air of 2005. Runner-up in the fun-for-adults-too category goes to Robots, another explosion at the fireworks factory well worth your while.
 

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