Ebert's Best 10 Movies of 2005 (xhtml)

Fr what they're worth.



I was always a Gene Schiskel man....back when they were still on PBS and I watched religiously, Ebert always disliked the films I loved for no good reason...or at least none he could articulate.



And any critic who so ingloriously squirts in his undies about Clint Eastwood's profoundly average directorial ouvre is desperately suspect (Unforgiven was good, I liked the boxing one except for the fights, I remember liking the cinematography of Pale Rider....but that's about it.)



Taking a quick look over his list, he seems to be afflicted with the same moviegoing disease as my friend Pelf...."if it's depressing, it must be good!"



And I have to take exception with his mention of the excellent new version of Pride & Prejudice....

Keira Knightley is the first among equals in a gifted cast ....

Oh, PLEASE.

Keira doesn't shit the bed, but the extent of her acting prowess is flexing her collarbones and wrestling the pillows of collagen she uses for lips into a pout. It's a testament to the skills of real actors like Donald Sutherland, Brenda Blethyn and the rest of the primary roles that they don't upstage and crush her in every scene.



His listing of The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is ironic, since its mention in Film Comment's Cannes coverage led with "The best Clint Eastwood film directed by Tommy Lee Jones".



Also, I'm sticking to my guns and refusing to see Brokeback Mountain because Ang Lee must pay for the three hours of my life I wasted on The Hulk. The wife will see it and report back, because she thinks the idea of Jake and Heath making out is "hot"....I'll post her impressions.