I'll make a comment and then give a mark on some of the films that I saw as opposed to giving them points and leaving it at that. Then I'll give an all round conclusion, and some things that I wanted to mention that I first saw this year and had to mention. So in no order whatsoever...
King Kong
I just got back from seeing this and really enjoyed it, more than I expected. The cinematography and visual styling was lovely, and the performances were strong, making the story dazzle on the silver screen. I was surprised that I was engaged watching a movie this long (No, I don't have a disorder, but I found the similar length and same director
Lord of the Rings films a bit too long). I haven't seen the original (or the 1970s remake that flopped, which was made on the suggestion of Michael Eisner
), but I plan to, and I hope it is in the league of this. 9/10
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
I am not really a fan of the whole phenomenon, but I actually liked this film a bit. It dragged a bit at the start, but it soon began to excell as the film progressed. I think it made me appreciate the world of Potter and company a bit more, as it really was an imaginative thing. 8.5/10 maybe 9/10
Monster in Law
Whilst nothing amazing, this presented a fun little piece. Supposedly Girl-orientated films are one of my guilty pleasures, so I enjoyed this quite a bit, especially the pop princess that was interviewed at the beginning of the film. 7/10
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The small (very small) B-story about Wonka's childhood was a bit pointless and tainted this film. It's a shame, as it was pretty much perfect apart from that. Don't get me wrong, I still loved it. The art direction, the music, the performances (especially Depp's) and the sheer whimsy made this film a chocolatey treat. 8/10
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
This other Tim Burton outing, whilst not as good as
The Nightmare Before Christmas, had much to offer. It is true that at times, style overlapped substance, but this is no matter; as long as Tim Burton's amazing styles go beyond the constraints of live action in his animated works, I am happy enough. 8.5/10
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Ware Rabbit
A fun film to say the least, but it didn't seem as entertaining as past Aardman productions (watch how I don't say Dreamworks) such as the original
Wallace and Gromit featurettes,
Chicken Run and the
Creature Comforts spots on ITV. Needless to say, it had a charm and will be something that I watch again. And considering that I thought simarly to
The Incredibles this time last year and that that film is one of my favourites after second viewing, perhaps I'll like it more once I get the DVD. 7.5/10
Pride and Prejudece
I am a hypocrite. I don't mind the idea that
Corpse Bride was occasionly style over substance, but didn't care for
Pride and Prejudece due to its tedious nature under the lush visuals. Call me an unitellectual pig, but this film was essentially like watching paint dry. 4.5/10
War of the Worlds
I didn't really get much out of this. Whilst I admired the work that went into, it just felt depressing and I have to say that the ending seemed a bit half baked. On the whole, it left me somewhat cold. 5/10
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Disney has always done children in magic lands rather well (see
Alice in Wonderland, Return to Oz and
Peter Pan for further evidence), and I was looking forward to seeing them tackle Narnia. And on the whole, they did well. The special effects were some of the best in recent years, with images being spread out wonderfully across the 2:35:1 canvas. And Tilda Swinton as the White Witch rates up there with
Snow White's Queen, the Coachman that Pinocchio meets, Ursula the sea witch and the Satanic fairy Malifecant as one of Disney's most wonderfully unlikeable villains. Yet whilst I did find it enjoyable, the film did had a few obvious cons, which could be best described by the word "battle". The battles (and the surrounding scenes) in the film just seemed to suggest that Disney execs stuck their nose in and moulded the film unjustly to a
Lord of the Rings like extravaganza. And I personally think that full animation would have been a better medium for the film. Whilst a good movie, it could have been better. 7/10
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Like
King Kong, I found this film surprisingly enjoyable, being a whirlwind ride from start to finish, full of fun performances and cool visualry. And in a nice move from Disney (I know it's Touchstone, but they are essentially Disney
), non-CGI effects were utilised. As good as 3D imagery is, it's nice to know that traditional stop motion and puppetry is still used. And more brownie points are earned as Arthur (Martin Freeman) looks a bit like me, thus proving underdogs such as myself have a place in life. This is the contender for this year's best movie spot for me. 9/10
Hitch
Erm...no. Goofy, daft and forgetable. Not much to write about here. 4/10
Bewitched
I only have vague memories of the TV show from mid-morning repeats on Channel 4 around a decade ago, so I don't have that much a strong knowledge on the show, frankly. However, I found the film a fun little ride, with a cute and cuddly atmosphere that seemed enjoyable. I probably wouldn't watch it again, but I have fond memories of it at least. 6/10
Meet the Fockers
I haven't really got much to say. I saw this theatrically and wasn't well, so I wasn't really paying attention as I was poorly. So, if you want a rating from me on this, fock off. He-he, gotcha there. n/a
Little Things that I want to mention
There are some films that I saw for the first time this year and really enjoyed, so much so that I want to comment on. Animated wise, I saw three Disney animated features that I'd never seen before;
Brother Bear, Home on the Range and
Fun and Fancy Free. Whilst they weren't Disney Top 5 material, they were fun pieces, and I think that they are underrated in their own little ways. I also saw for the first time in years
Bambi and
The Great Mouse Detective after buying the DVDs. They are now new favourites of mine. I also saw
Moulin Rouge, Les Choristes and
Spirited Away for the first time, and loved all of them a lot. They too are new favourites, as is the quieter film
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. DVD wise, my favourite DVDs of the year were the 3 disc collector's edition of
The Wizard of Oz, as well as the DVD premieres of
Bambi, The Incredibles and
Cinderella.
The Simpsons: Season 6 was also a good one, and I loved the David Mirkin lead commentaries (but that's not a film
).
So overall, I personally found that the films this year were quite good. Actually, maybe better than 2004, I must say.
) Another thing to add, although some may find it strange, is that when I went to see this movie, the cinema was packed, and so we had to sit right at the front, but because I was so close, I could see Nick Park's thumbprints on Gromit, maybe that increased my respect for the movie? Who knows.