By J.A. Montalbano, assistant news editor
It was late September, and many of us were worried. If we were going to compile our annual list of staff picks for films of the year, would there be enough to choose from?

Things seemed grim -- "Sin City" grim. "Batman Begins" was looking positively sunny. Would this "Sahara"-like drought end?

While we were still grumbling a bit at the end of the year, The Tribune film fanatics found more than a few movies worth honoring, and some of us even agreed here and there.

(Each staff list is at right.)

The film that truly kick-started my year was "Capote," which grabbed me from the establishing shot of the Kansas landscape and Philip Seymour Hoffman's opening scene holding court at a cocktail party. I was instantly transformed. Up until a few weeks ago I thought "Capote" would lead my list. But two things happened: A few movies from early in the year kept gnawing at me. (Turns out, there were a few gems from back in spring and summer.) And a late entrant knocked me out.

Suddenly "Capote" -- in many ways a perfect film -- began to fade (though no performance, not even Jeff Daniels' in "The Squid and the Whale," surpassed Hoffman's) and other movies resurfaced in my brain. In "Musical Chairs" meets Deadline, I settled on a top five that I'll defend valiantly, but it's probably the least satisfying of the lists I've compiled the past few years. Next week, if given the chance, I'd probably change my list. (And I just might do that; watch this space.)

Several factors were at work this year: Films tended to fall into pairs for me, and I had trouble picking one without the other, so I ended up picking neither. Also, too many really good films had a fatal flaw that called for disqualification. And finally, great individual performances (Like Hoffman in "Capote") seemed to come at the expense of other characters or the plot, and they either overwhelmed or distracted me.

Some of the pairs: "Keane" and "Memory of a Killer"; "Thumbsucker" and "Happy Endings"; "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" and "Kontroll"; "Capote" and "Good Night, and Good Luck."

I hated to keep "Junebug" out of the top five, but the key plot development toward the end was just a little too Hollywood maudlin. "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" charmed me to no end, but the violence and sarcasm wore me down in the last reel. George Clooney wouldn't respect me if I took "Good Night, and Good Luck" too seriously. I didn't buy the central romantic pairing in "You and Me and Everyone We Know." The plots of "A History of Violence" and "Crash" were just too silly or contrived. (Oh, how "Crash" desperately yearned to be "Magnolia." Nice try.) The great music documentaries -- Martin Scorsese's "No Direction Home: Bob Dylan," "We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen" and "Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus" -- all seemed like they were way too far up my alley to allow me any serious objectivity in evaluating them.

And my final beef with the class of 2005: Some movies didn't know when to end. Some that needed a better editor: "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (I thought three different times that the credits were about to roll), "Capote," the otherwise taut "Keane," and the bombastic "Batman Begins." And, sweet Mary, I was surveying the exit signs by the third crotch attack in "Sin City," an assault on the senses in every sense.

In the end, I picked a film with great but balanced performances; with a perfect plot arc that never wavered; realism that hit close to home; was unlike any other film this year; and clocked in at a compact 80 minutes -- in fact eliciting groans from a few who apparently wanted it to keep going a bit longer. That film is "The Squid and the Whale." You can read about it and the rest of the staff's choices for the best and the worst, the best actors and actresses, the duds of the year and our all-time favorites and more right here in The Tribune's ABQ AV Club. And you can contribute your list and take a look at our consensus picks and vote on your pick for the best of 2005.

And this is just the beginning. It's not just about 2005. Let's start looking ahead to 2006 (I'll kick it off with a look at the films that previewed at the Santa Fe Film Festival in early December). And we'll go back in time, too, into the Video Vault. Note each staffer's picks for some of the all-time great films of recent decades, which gives you an idea of where we cut our teeth.

Who knows? Perhaps years from now, "Capote" will come back around and take the decade's top honors. Or maybe I'll finally go back and finish "Pretty Persuasion" someday -- and, instead of finding it tedious and offensive, discover it to be brilliant and ahead of its time. Is the Director's Cut ever 20 minutes shorter?

Posted by J.A. Montalbano at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

We've listed our top films. Now it's your turn. What are your favorite films of the year?

Posted by J.A. Montalbano at 09:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Montalbano is assistant news editor.
Beloved films from years past
1970s: "Godfather II"
1980s: "The Decalogue"
1990s: "The End of Violence"
2000s: "Office Space"

Top Five of 2005
1. "The Squid and the Whale" -- The way we were. Like "The Virgin Suicides," it re-created the texture of a decade.

2. "Look at Me (Comme un Image)" -- The most honest and direct film of the year.
3. "The Aristocrats" / "Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic" -- Fundamentally funny.
4. "Broken Flowers" -- Jim Jarmusch and me, we got this thing.
5. "The Dying Gaul" -- A punishing story brought alive by three amazing actors: Peter Sarsgaard, Patricia Clarkson and Campbell Scott. And I bought the ending.

The Runners-up
"Capote" -- Instantly transported me to a very real time and place.
"Junebug" -- Maybe the smartest film of the year.
"Happy Endings" -- I was mesmerized by the way Don Roos captured Lisa Kudrow in close-up, in their wonderful follow-up to "The Opposite of Sex."
"Kontroll" -- Made me ache to be a part of the world created amid the Hungarian ticket inspectors in the subway.
"Thumbsucker" -- I keep thinking about the three male role models in the film: Keanu Reeves, Vince Vaughn and Vincent D'Onofrio.

Honorable Mention
"Keane," "No Direction Home: Bob Dylan," "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang," "Memory of a Killer," "2046," "Me and You and Everyone We Know," "Touch the Sound," "The Beat That My Heart Skipped," "Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus," "We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen

Worst of 2005
"Sin City" -- What was I thinking?
("Crash" also left a bad taste in my mouth, but I wouldn't call it a bad movie.)

Best Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Capote"

Best Actresses
Joan Allen in "The Upside of Anger" and Amy Adams in "Junebug"

Best of the Santa Fe Film Festival
"The Sisters" -- One of the best screenplays ever.
"Syrian Bride" -- A moving story, maturely presented and beautifully filmed.
"In Memory of My Father" -- Wish I'd written this; the acting, which includes a lot of improv, is impressive across the board. And very funny.
"Cowboy del Amor" -- This documentary about a cowboy fetching Mexican brides is a total hoot.
"Stay Until Tomorrow" -- Another film with a texture you can feel; a deft examination of living in the moment.
"Favela Rising" -- A moving tribute to the slums of Brazil.
"Four Lane Highway" -- Another smart film about real people. Reg Rogers is a revelation.
"A Driver for Vera" and "The Thief" -- Pavel Choukrai makes beautiful films and captures male-female relationships like few others have.

Posted by J.A. Montalbano at 09:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Salem is business editor.
Beloved films from years past
1970s: "Harold and Maude"
1980s: "Blood Simple"
1990s: "The Player"
2000s: "City of God"

Best of 2005
1. "Junebug" -- Talented newcomer Phil Morrison gives us the messy but touching tale of a one-dimensional sophisticate who crosses paths with simple country folk who are anything but.

2. "Squid and the Whale" -- Every note rings true in this nuanced look at a New York family of intellectuals who have no pieces to pick up when their lives fall apart. A caustic commentary on divorce, children and people who are too smart.
3. "The Dying Gaul" -- A flawed man is caught between two diabolical forces, each more charming than the other. Great acting by Campbell Scott, Peter Sarsgaard and Patricia Clarkson.
4. "The Artistocrats" -- And what do you call this act? Hilarious. A wonderful peek into the crazy minds of comedians, through one joke.
5. "Heights" -- The lives of several complex people intersect over a 24-hour period. Secrets are revealed, hopes are dashed, careers are changed. And we get to watch.

Honorable mentions
"Thumbsucker," "Memory of a Killer," "Look at Me," "Mad Hot Ballroom," "The History of Violence," "Grizzly Man."

Worst of 2005
"The 40-Year-Old Virgin" -- Frat-house humor, painfully un-funny. Oh, Catherine Keener and Elizabeth Banks, how could you?

Best actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Capote" -- Simply amazing, not just in look and sound, but in showing us the forces that drove him down.

Best actress
Reese Witherspoon in "Walk the Line" -- Her lively portrayal of June Carter Cash made this movie work.

Best supporting actor
Peter Saarsgard in "The Dying Gaul" -- Just when you thought you knew this guy, you didn't.
William Hurt in "The History of Violence" -- In little more than a cameo, Hurt sent a shiver down my spine.

Best supporting actress
Amy Adams in "Junebug" -- A funny, heart-wrenching portrayal of a small-town girl trying with every optimistic bone in her body to make her life, and the people around her, better.

Posted by Nancy Salem at 09:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Renfroe is news editor.
Beloved films from the past
1970s: "Chinatown"
1980s: "The Untouchables"
1990s: "Unforgiven"
2000s: "The Incredibles"

Top five for 2005
1. "Capote" -- Deep, grim and adult.

2. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
3. "Wallace and Grommit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit"
4. "Batman Begins"
5. "Kung Fu Hustle"

Worst of 2005
"Sin City" -- Overblown, overwrought eye candy that shows why you should not trust critics.

Posted by Don Renfroe at 09:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Barol is La Vida editor.
Beloved films from years past
1970s: "The Way We Were
1980s: "Out of Africa"; pretty much any John Hughes film
1990s: "The English Patient"; "Four Weddings and a Funeral"
2000s: "Moulin Rouge"; "Garden State"

Top five of 2005
1. "Munich" -- With Steven Spielberg behind the lens, we're brutally reminded how the war on terror amplifies terror.
2. "March of the Penguins"
3. "Crash"

4. "Good Night, and Good Luck"
5. "Lord of War"

Honorable Mentions
"The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "The Family Stone"

Worst film of 2005
"A History of Violence" -- The sluggish pace and wandering storyline put the classic thriller genre to shame.

Best Actor
Eric Bana in "Munich"

Best Actress
Joan Allen in "Off the Map" and "The Upside of Anger"

Best Supporting Actor
George Clooney in "Good Night, and Good Luck" and Terrence Howard in "Crash"

Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Clarkson in "Good Night, and Good Luck"

Posted by jbarol at 02:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Casaus is The Tribune's editor.
Beloved films of the past
1970s: "Patton"
1980s: "Reds" and "The Big Chill"
1990s: "Dazed and Confused"
2000s: "Friday Night Lights"

Top five of 2005
1. "Crash" -- A haunting look into our national soul.
2. "Good Night, and Good Luck" -- Another parable about our time, this one set in the black-and-white (and gray) 1950s.

3. "Cinderella Man" -- The Great Depression, with a coat of varnish.
4. "Munich"
5. "Bad Girls Tease Naked Captives" -- Not really; just wanted to see if you were paying attention. My real No. 5: "Walk the Line" -- Just tell me you're not humming "Ring of Fire" when it's over.

Honorable mention
"The Interpreter." Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn -- it's all in the eyes.

Worst of 2005
"Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" -- How does one script make that many 'droids look so wooden -- I mean, plastic?

Best Actress
Reese Witherspoon in "Walk the Line"

Best Actor
Don Cheadle in "Crash"

Best Supporting Actor
George Clooney in "Good Night, and Good Luck"

Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Clarkson in "Good Night, and Good Luck"

Posted by pcasaus at 01:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Page is a copy editor.
Beloved films from the past
1970s: "Chinatown"
1980s: "Babette's Feast"
1990s: "Braveheart"
2000s: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"

Top five of 2005
1. "Capote" -- Excellent, sincere performances and a superb evocation of the early '60s.
2. "Lord of War"
3. "Grizzly Man"

4. The Clooney double feature -- "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Syriana"
5. "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang"

Worst of 2005
"Yes."
Illicit love, all in rhyme
A sweet chef; Joan Allen, sublime
But beyond the tease is only peckish art
God and politics scattered a la carte
And so
No.

Best Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Capote"

Best Actress
Sorry, still waiting for that knockout performance

Best Supporting Actor
Matt Dillon in "Crash"

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams in "Junebug"

Best performance by a moody primate
(tie) Kong in "King Kong" and "Jeff Daniels in "The Squid and the Whale"

Best ensemble
Peter Sarsgaard, Patricia Clarkson and Campbell Scott in "The Dying Gaul" -- sex, lies and instant messaging

Posted by Barbara Page at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

McBride is a page designer and TV critic.
Beloved films from years past
1970s: "Star Wars"
1980s: "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"
1990s: "The Cutting Edge"
2000s: "Bridget Jones's Diary"

Top five of 2005
1. "Batman Begins" -- Renewed my love for the Caped Crusader after "Batman & Robin" (1997) crushed it into teeny pieces.

2. "The Interpreter"
3. "Walk the Line"
4. "Mad Hot Ballroom"
5. "Serenity"

Worst of 2005
"Man of the House" -- Tommy Lee Jones must have angered the Hollywood gods to be stuck in this humdrum cheerleading comedy that, thankfully, I only paid $1 to see.

Best Actress
Joan Allen in "The Upside of Anger"

Best Supporting Actress
Cameron Diaz in "In Her Shoes"

Best Actor
Joaquin Phoenix in "Walk the Line"

Best Supporting Actor
Michael Caine in "Batman Begins"

Posted by Mary-Ann McBride at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A battered year limps off. A brave one waits in the wings. It's the classic crossover.

And that brings to mind another classic, the cult comedy "Harold and Maude" (1971).

Only in this case, it's Harold (Bud Cort), all of 20, who has been beaten down by wealth and a wickedly snobbish mother. And it's Maude (Ruth Gordon), on the cusp of 80, who greets each day with elfin joy.

He's a sardonic misfit who repeatedly, elaborately, fakes his demise. She's a merry prankster with a fondness for getaway cars. Together, they're crazy for each other.

But this is more than a taboo love story. The film's black humor targets the military, therapy, blind dates, death and other conventions.

All that and a jaunty Cat Stevens music score, too. What a way to go.

Posted by Barbara Page at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Parker is an assistant sports editor.
Beloved movies from years past
1970s: "The Godfather"
1980s: "Aliens" and "Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back"
1990s: "Pulp Fiction"
2000s: "Memento"

Bestof 2005

1. "King Kong" -- What movie theaters were made for.

The best monster movie since "Aliens" fluctuates between funny, sad and exhilarating. Its breathless pace extinguishes any qualms over a three-hour running time. As one brilliantly conceived scene fades into another, the passion driving the people behind the cameras of this enormous production becomes more and more apparent. Kong wasn't perfect (Did we really need Jimmy? And what was with that frozen pond
scene?) but it was closer than any other offering this year. Movies don't come more satisfying.
2. "Munich"
3. "Sin City"
4. "Cinderella Man"
5. "Serenity"

Honorable mentions
"Murderball," "The Squid and the Whale," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Batman Begins"

Worst of 2005
"Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" -- Praised by movie critics and fanboys as an instant classic or (unconscionably) the best of the six-part series, "Episode III" was the stinkiest turd of 2005. The special effects were so overdone they were ugly, but that wasn't nearly its biggest problem. What killed "Episode III" was a ceaseless parade of beyond-boring characters, not a single, discernable personality among them, spouting lines of dialogue only slightly less stupid than the plot itself. Hope George Lucas sold a lot of action figures, because any semblance of credibility went screaming toward the sun when this waste of two hours was released into theaters.

Best Director
Steven Spielberg, "Munich" -- Spielberg's holding out on the rest of Hollywood. Rival producers and directors should demand to know where he keeps those special "Steven Spielberg" movie cameras that make his films look so much better than everybody else's. This was another masterpiece from the master: a brilliant film combining heartfelt emotions and shocking violence,
with a plot that bulges with relevancy. The best race for any Oscar will be between Spielberg and "King Kong's" Peter Jackson in the best director category.Honorable mention: Peter Jackson, "King Kong"; Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, "Sin City."

Best Actor
Russell Crowe in "Cinderella Man" -- The world's best movie star vanishes into another unforgettable character. Watch the scene in which Crowe's Jim Braddock is forced to beg for money from a stuffy group of better-offs; there'll be no question who the best actor is of this, or any, year. Honorable mention: Jeff Daniels, "The Squid and the Whale"; Mickey Rourke, "Sin City"; Viggo Mortensen, "A History of Violence"; Eric Bana, "Munich."

Best Actress
Reese Witherspoon in "Walk the Line" -- You can't help but fall for June Carter right along with
Johnny Cash. Witherspoon makes it look easy as the sweet-singing Carter, but that's where the brilliance of this performance lies. She plays the part so naturally you forget you're watching a movie at all. She can sing, too. Honorable mention: Maria Bello, "A History of Violence."

Best Supporting Actor
William Hurt in "A History of Violence" -- The ever-reliable Hurt makes the most of very little screen time by being simultaneously ominous and friendly. The film doesn't make much sense, really, but its strong performances more than compensate for any lapses in believability. Hurt's is the best of the bunch, including a pitch-perfect delivery of the line that should go down in the annals of all-time greats: "How did you $#*$ that up?!" Honorable mention: Paul Giamatti, "Cinderella Man" (too bad Oscar hates him); Don Cheadle, "Crash"; Michael Caine, "Batman Begins."

Best Supporting Actress
Laura Linney in "The Squid and the Whale" -- Linney makes herself look so plain and normal in the role of a fed-up writer who struggles with motherhood after separating from a loser husband. As her loved ones crack under the pressures brought on by hard times, her character stays grounded and strong, fighting back tears but persevering nonetheless. Honorable mention: Tilda Swinton, "The Lion the Witch and
the Wardrobe"; Thandie Newton, "Crash."

Posted by Phil Parker at 09:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Beloved films from the past
1970s: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
1980s: "Stand By Me"
1990s: "The Shawshank Redemption"
2000s: "Amelie" and "Best in Show"

Best of 2005
1. "Crash" -- Riveting and stomach-turning all at once. From start to finish, I was fascinated and challenged.

2. "Millions" -- Sincere, sweet and one of the most imaginative and well-told stories in years.
3. "Mad Hot Ballroom" / "March of the Penguins" -- Two dazzling, darling documentaries. I fell in love with every one of the kids -- and penguins, too.
4. "Capote" -- The writer's own whys and hows are as fascinating -- and nearly as deplorable -- as his subjects'.
5. "King Kong" -- Take absurd idea. Add charm, wit, adventure, Naomi Watts. Blend well. Yields three hours of fun and drama.

Best Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Capote"

Best Actress
Reese Witherspoon in "Walk the Line"

Best Supporting Actor and Actress
Matt Dillon and Thandie Newton in "Crash"

Worst of 2005
"Sahara" -- I didn't think this would be great, but I didn't expect it to be boring.

Posted by Tamara Shope at 08:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What would you do if millions in currency -- well, at least tens of thousands -- fell from the sky and you had only a handful of days to spend it?

If you're 9-year-old Anthony, you'd opt for snazzy sunglasses, the latest in walkietalkies, payouts to pals and maybe an investment property. But if you're 7-year-old Damian, a sweet boy who regularly talks with the saints, you'd want to help the poor. But the only needy ones in the two brothers' British suburb are young Mormon missionaries who don’t have an automatic dishwasher.

Set at Christmastime, "Millions" (2005) offers faith, hope and chaos. And it all comes with a child's delightful perspective. (Screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce is the father of seven, at last count.)

This movie is destined to be a holiday classic. Watch it with children of the wondrous years.

Posted by Barbara Page at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You go for a popcorn refill, and they're gone. That's almost how quickly some films zip in and out of Albuquerque. But if you missed these gems earlier this year, you can end 2005 seeing them anyway -- in the snug comfort of home:

"Saving Face": A pregnant widow and her adult lesbian daughter search for common ground in their Chinese-American community. Genuine and funny.

"Murderball": Young wheelchair athletes triumph on all counts in this documentary.

"Look at Me": A neglected daughter finds her voice amid jaded French intellectuals. Gorgeous music.

"Junebug": Newlyweds visit, and the kinfolk bring out the dysfunction. A radiant performance by Amy Adams as a Southern naif. Oscar, y'all?

Posted by Barbara Page at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Nick: "Oh, I'm a hero. I was shot twice in the Tribune."

Nora: "By my record, you were shot five times in the tabloids."

Nick: "It's not true! He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids."

Ah, Nick and Nora Charles, the wry banter, the rye liquor, the wiry pooch Asta. And their clever detective work, not that it matters. Nick and Nora's first adventure, "The Thin Man" (1934), and its five sequels are now available in a snazzy DVD collection from Warner, along with a bonus disc on their delightful stars, William Powell and Myrna Loy.

No mystery here: It's gift-giving season.

Oh, by the way, the "thin man" was a suspect in the first film. Nick and Nora are roundly, fully, their screwball selves.

Posted by Barbara Page at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)