2005 was not a good year for films. Every highly anticipated film seemed to turn out to be a flop. The only surprises tended to be the films with ad campaigns so terrible that it looked like they were going to summon the Antichrist. (Thankfully, Fantastic 4 did not plunge us into a million years of darkness, but rather two hours of light-hearted action-comedy). I’ll admit that I haven’t seen every film that could possibly crack the list (I still regret missing The Squid and The Whale), but of the films released in theatres in 2005, I saw 79 of them and I think that’s enough to make an informed list — more informed than you anyway (and people wonder why critics are unlikable).

So let’s begin with the hallmark of any good list: zombies and political commentary.

10. George A. Romero’s Land of the Dead

I was really worried about this film. I thought that in trying to follow up the last installment of his zombie trilogy (1985’s Day of the Dead), he would come back and like Coppola, Lucas and Friedkin, show us that his talent died long ago.

But with Land of the Dead, Romero proved the opposite. Not only were his zombies mean, they were bloody disgusting, thanks to advances in makeup and a new set of CGI toys that let Romero let the blood run wild. But unlike most horror films today, which are nothing more than gore-porn (High Tension, Saw, Hostel), Romero’s zombie pictures always attempt to be something more thoughtful and socially relevant. Even in this post-apocalyptic world, we can see a class structure at work. Eventually you want to see the zombies get some high class dining on the wealthy citizens of Fiddler’s Green, the mall/hotel that is a gated community for the rich inside a gated community for the rest of the humans.

Land of the Dead is a must for anyone that likes high-quality horror films or considers themselves a liberal (examples: the zombies get distracted by fireworks and Canada is mentioned as the land of the free).

9. Match Point

Woody Allen had pretty much entered the aforementioned ranks of broken directors after giving us a sub-par film every year for, arguably, the past seven years (I enjoyed Deconstructing Harry). But then ol’ Woody decided to finally cross the pond and make a film in England. He enjoyed it so much that he’s making his next film, Scoop, there right now. If Match Point signals a trend for Allen, then he could definitely be entering another great creative phase in his career.

While I was slightly put off by the plot regurgitation from Allen’s earlier film, Crimes and Misdemeanors, the reworking of the themes within the story made me appreciate this film even more. While Crimes functions more as a morality tale, Match Point focuses on chance and responsibility.

We have Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) as a former tennis pro who believes that while hard work is required, luck is of ultimate importance. Of course, if luck ultimately dictates destiny then what need is there to be responsible? The film has a fun time playing with this question as Chris becomes torn between a life of security and a life of indulgence.

Not only does the film not feature Allen’s token neurotic character, but the framing of scenes in this film is some of Allen and cinematographer Remi Adefarasin’s best work to date.

A triumphant return? Well, Woody certainly wins this round.

8. Capote

If you’ve read Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, then you should probably see Capote. If you see Capote without having read In Cold Blood, then you’re definitely going to read it after seeing this film.

What makes this film such a strong biopic is that unlike this year’s other big biopic, Walk the Line, it doesn’t coast on the impersonation of a famous artist but rather a fantastic character study of a master manipulator and narcissist who is trying to stay one step ahead of his own loathsome nature. The film attempts to reach the heart of Capote by focusing on the turning point of his life – the creation of In Cold Blood, a book that would shape a new literary genre and signal the beginning of the end of his life.

Some will argue that the film runs a little long and a little slow, but I actually enjoyed the lethargy of the film, as well as the limited color palette, as it all contributes to putting us inside Capote’s twisted mind.

7. Syriana

The best way to describe Stephen Gaghan’s newest film is “It’s like Traffic but with oil instead of drugs.” Gaghan tackles the incredibly difficult and complex issue of U.S. relations with the Middle East and the energy crisis in between. In doing so, he creates a film that’s smart, clear, exciting, thoughtful and depressing.

The performances are all stellar (Clooney will certainly deserve that Best Supporting Actor Oscar, should he win), the cinematography utilizes a great blend of cinema-verte mixed with washed-out colors, and even though the film has four separate story lines, each going off on their own tangents, the film never feels unfocused or wandering.

Syriana is a tough film, a long film, and a film that will make you feel bad about driving. But it’s a film you have to see.

6. Murderball / Grizzly Man (tie)

People in wheelchairs always seem to be the elephant in the room. You know they are in the wheelchair, they know they are in the wheelchair, but no one wants to mention the wheelchair. Murderball gives that elephant the finger as it documents the sport of wheelchair rugby. And rather than focus on the disability (although it’s certainly not ignored), Murderball works because of the main characters. We have the awesome Mark Zupan whose fiery, magnetic attitude makes him instantly likable and his rival, the turncoat Joe Soares, who decides to coach Canada’s team after being cut from Team USA.

And while this rivalry forms the line of the story, we also learn about other players on the team; we learn about the mechanics of paralysis, and we see that all these guys are absolutely insane — playing a game that certainly earns the nickname, “Murderball.” As Soares puts it, “What are we going to break our necks? Oh, we did that already!”

As for Grizzly Man, I believe that it should be mandatory viewing for anyone studying the documentary form. Werner Herzog’s film about amateur documentary filmmaker Timothy Treadwell and his work with bears in the Alaskan wilderness works not because of the macabre nature of Treadwell’s demise (he was eaten by a bear), but because it’s such a fascinating examination of the relation of artist to subject.

And just as Treadwell saw himself as the protector of the bears, Herzog sees himself as the protector of Treadwell’s story. It’s a film that’s introspective but accessible, and while Treadwell may be one of the most annoying people ever captured on film, it still makes for one extremely entertaining and interesting film.

5. Brokeback Mountain

Oh hey, that gay cowboy movie... I hope that people who haven’t seen this film will be able to look beyond the hype. It’s been the subject of parody (check the Internet for the hilarious Brokeback to the Future), of controversy and, more than anything, misunderstanding.

And to resolve this misunderstanding, let me make something clear: the gay cowboy aspect is not a gimmick. This movie is a love story and a well-written one at that. But as this is an Ang Lee film, you can pretty much count on the characters not getting what they want, and the fact that they have a homosexual relationship is the tragedy that keeps them apart.

I know that it is hard to go into this film with an open mind, especially with the Academy Awards approaching with Brokeback as the forerunner, but if you leave the hype at the door, I guarantee you will see a film which features beautiful cinematography, an iconic score, brilliant performances and a love story everyone can relate to, gay cowboy or not.

4. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

Shane Black was a wildly successful screenwriter in the late-80s and early-90s. The violence, cursing and humorous banter of Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout were all him. Then, after 1996’s The Long Kiss Goodnight, he disappeared. Now, there are plenty of people in the film business who should disappear, but Black wasn’t one of them.

Well, he reemerged this year with his first script in almost ten years with his directorial debut. While pretty much no one saw it (that will happen when your widest release is 226 theatres), I guarantee you, it is destined for cult greatness.

It has Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer doing some of the best work of their careers, it has some really dark, but funny humor (like accidentally peeing on a corpse), and it also showcases the lovely Michelle Monaghan doing some fine supporting work. But really, it’s Black’s show and the fire and flair he puts into the film makes it an unforgettable 102 minutes of highly re-watchable comedy-noir.

3. The 40-Year-Old Virgin

When I caught an early screening of this film last June, I knew that it would be the funniest film of the year. If anything were funnier, it would kill you. You would die laughing, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin is about as close as humor can come without sending you toward the bright shiny light.

What makes this film work isn’t the premise (although it is a good one), but rather, like all Judd Apatow works (see his previous television shows Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. Seriously – see them), it’s a success, because it’s about the characters and their relationships. Andy’s (Steve Carell in the role that has rightfully earned him his A-list status) sexual mishaps are funny, but they would be hollow if he didn’t have the friendship of his co-workers, all expertly played by the always reliable Paul Rudd, the secret weapon of Seth Rogen and the breakthrough performance of Romany Malco.

This was my most-watched film of 2005 and it will continue to feature heavily in my DVD comedy rotation.

2. Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride failed me. It was a beautiful, luscious film that had a weak plot and half-hearted music. I love stop-motion animation, but I love a good story even more. Wallace & Gromit finally resurfaced after a long absence and provided both.

For not having a mouth and not being real, Gromit certainly gave one of the best performances this year. The film is a loving homage to classic horror films, and it is a joy to catch the little references thrown in throughout the film.

Of course, the real reason this film is so high on the list is because the image of claymation bunnies floating in a vacuum is absolutely sublime. If I could get that as my screensaver, I would die happy as I rotted away in front of it due to malnutrition (note: I am nowhere near as charming as this film).

1. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

And, yet again, another film probably no one saw and probably won’t see until it hits DVD, but it’s in the short list of great Westerns. I’m not a big fan of Westerns, but when a good one comes along, I absolutely fall in love with it. While this western takes place in the modern day, the story of honor, loyalty, and redemption is all old-school.

In his directorial debut, Tommy Lee Jones shows us that he is not just Man of the House and The Hunted (i.e., worthless crap), but rather has a keen eye for the Southwest and for intimate human drama. I was absolutely entranced watching Jones’ character torture Melquiades’ killer (Barry Pepper in yet another great performance) and lovingly protect Melquiades’ body as they all try to cross the border into Mexico.

No film last year was as soulful, as emotional and as rich as this criminally under-distributed gem. The good films always manage to find their audience and the last line of dialogue in the film is one of the best closers for a film I’ve heard in a long time.

I don’t care if you hate Westerns, hate films or hate humanity. See this film.