Entertainment

Dwindling movie attendance made waves in 2005

12:02 PM CST on Friday, December 30, 2005

By PHILIP WUNTCH / The Dallas Morning News

In 2005, the faces were different, but sentiments were similar.

Biopics excelled after making a comeback in 2004. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon seem destined for Oscar nods for their Walk the Line performances as Johnny and June Carter Cash.

Philip Seymour Hoffman's funny, tragic incarnation of Truman Capote makes Capote a foolproof Oscar contender. And David Strathairn's Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck could go person-to-person with Oscar.

Meanwhile, last spring's Oscar winners had a mixed year. Hilary Swank was completely absent from 2005 screens, and Jamie Foxx may wish he had been. Stealth, made before his Oscar-winning Ray, bottomed out, and Jarhead is remembered more for Jake Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard than for Mr. Foxx's tough staff sergeant. But 2006's Miami Vice and Dreamgirls could bring the Terrell native a renewed glow.

As for Clint Eastwood, he's currently directing a youthful cast of Iwo Jima soldiers in Flags of Our Fathers. Let the cannons roar.

Dwindling movie attendance made waves in 2005

Forget Brangelina. Ignore TomKat. And, at least for the moment, don't even think about Brokeback Mountain.

The big news of the past year was Bad B.O. Let's quickly explain that B.O. is Hollywood trade-paper vernacular for box office. Waning movie attendance, particularly during the summer months, became fodder for talk-show hosts, water-cooler debates and even New Yorker cartoons.

There was a time when such matters were carefully guarded. The average moviegoer had a pretty good idea of a film's commercial success, but it was still just an "idea." But over the last two decades, box-office figures have gone public. The mass nationwide release of mainstream movies and the emergence of tabloid television help make such box-office buzz accessible.

And actually, there was no shortage of mega-hits during 2005. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, War of the Worlds, Wedding Crashers, Batman Begins, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire all crossed the $200 million mark domestically. And 2004's Meet the Fockers had long legs that extended into 2005.

What was sorely lacking, though, were the relatively modest successes that are the backbone of the business. Bewitched, Cinderella Man, Prime and In Her Shoes never attained the expected solid figures. For most releases, it was a sink-or-swim year, and very few films were able to simply tread water.

Various reasons were given for the lack of moviegoing momentum, including high ticket prices and the availability of home entertainment. Some pundits blamed the dominance of sequels and remakes. Yet of those $200-million-plus grossers, Wedding Crashers was the only non-sequel, non-remake. But it had a familiar sheen, honed from previous Owen Wilson buddy movies, as well as brash Vince Vaughn comedies. Audiences were definitely in the mood for films that fit into preconceived comfort zones. Movies such as Jarhead didn't offer comfort and suffered accordingly.

There's always the suspicion that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Would more moviegoers have given Cinderella Man a chance if it hadn't been labeled an instant disappointment?

Still, as has been said many times in places other than the gladiatorial box-office arena, the public has a right to know.

E-mail pwuntch@dallasnews.com

Brokeback Mountain

Deeply moving tale of a doomed love, this haunting movie is beautifully acted, exquisitely directed and economically yet powerfully written. Native son Larry McMurtry co-wrote the screenplay with the strong sense of character and environment that he brought to Lonesome Dove. And, oh, yeah, this is the one about the gay cowboys. Yup. In theaters.

Match Point

Woody Allen changes his customary locale (from New York to London) and avoids having an obvious Woody alter ego in the film. The result is a hypnotic, dark comedy-drama that puts new spins on the story of a social climber relying on wit and charm. Scarlett Johansson gives a sizzling performance as an aspiring actress who thinks she's found a soul mate in the socially ascending Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. In theaters Jan. 6.

A History of Violence

This one works as both a strong domestic drama and a stinging, provocative comment on our fascination with violence and instant celebrity. Terrific performances from Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt and Ashton Holmes. It's director David Cronenberg's most accessible film yet. Also, one of his most disturbing. On DVD March 14.

Off the Map

This full-of-love drama was filmed in 2003 and finally given a limited release in 2005. Happily, it was an art-house hit in Dallas and is now available on DVD. Campbell Scott directs Joan Allen and Sam Elliott as a husband and wife living in relative seclusion in New Mexico. It's a charming tale of family closeness, human interaction and our own unlimited capacities for change and perseverance. Well worth discovering. On DVD.

The Squid and the Whale

Funny, sad and completely engrossing, this film takes a refreshingly honest look at how divorce affects kids. Great work from Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney as the ex-mates and Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline as their offspring. All the characters are true individuals and not just pop-psychology symbols. On DVD spring 2006.

Capote

If only for Philip Seymour Hoffman's fearless portrayal of self-serving, self-aggrandizing author Truman Capote, this would be a must-see. But in telling of his struggle with his greatest work, In Cold Blood, it illuminates a time and place. In theaters.

King Kong

OK, OK, so this three-hour ape saga is a little overweight. But dynamic second and third acts compensate for the sluggish first act. It's a cinematic thrill ride from movie wizard Peter Jackson, with captivating work by Naomi Watts as the blonde in the hairy paw. In theaters.

Caché

Michael Haneke's chilling French thriller stars Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche as a self-satisfied couple stalked in a most unusual way. All sorts of family secrets unfold. This one stays with you. In theaters Jan. 27.

Don't Move

Sergio Castellitto directs and stars with Penelope Cruz in this scorching Italian drama about an upscale doctor obsessed with a passionate, penniless woman. Sexy, thought-provoking and haunting. On DVD.

Good Night, and Good Luck

Another outstanding directing and co-starring effort, this one by George Clooney. The story of legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow's assault on hate-mongering Sen. Joe McCarthy has mesmerizing atmosphere and terrific performances from David Strathairn and, among others, Frank Langella and Robert Downey Jr. In theaters.

Honorable mentions

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, My Summer of Love, Munich, Memory of a Killer, Broken Flowers

Brokeback Mountain

Forget about the gay-cowboy angle for a moment. This is No. 1 because it's a perfectly crafted and achingly romantic love story about two people who need to be together and can't. If that makes it revolutionary, fine. Emotionally devastating and beautifully acted, especially by the clench-jawed Heath Ledger as a lonesome rancher determined to stifle his passions. In theaters.

Capote

Philip Seymour Hoffman shows us what a magnetic performance is. His Truman Capote is a force of gravity, pulling the entire film around himself in every scene. No film has better captured the selfishness and obsession required to write about the lives of others. This is the second time director Bennett Miller claimed the second spot on this list; he did it in 1998 with The Cruise. In theaters.

Nobody Knows

The quietest films can have the biggest emotional impact. Hirokazu Koreeda's minimalist drama about four siblings abandoned by their mother in a Tokyo apartment is a study in grace, courage and desolation. It builds slowly, sneaks up on you and turns into an unshakable experience. Fine acting by children who don't need to play cute to win us over. On DVD.

Murderball

Finding a great subject, wheelchair rugby, is a crucial step for a documentary. Turning that subject into a zillion powerhouse human-interest stories is art. Propulsive editing highlights this intimate sports doc, which all but threatens to slap you upside the head if you feel pity for its roughneck subjects. The thrill of competition has rarely been more thrilling. On DVD.

Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit

A stout shot of stop-motion whimsy from a stoic dog and the master he puts up with. Some have complained that it's not as pure as the dazzling W&G shorts, but it's actually a textbook case of how to handle the jump to feature length and a mass market. Gags galore and contagious good humor. In theaters.

Good Night, and Good Luck

The right movie at the right time. The black-and-white photography, accented with swirling cigarette smoke, places you smack-dab in the middle of a '50s newsroom, where scotch-swigging journalists go about the important work of speaking truth to power. Overly romantic? Sure. But also focused, tenacious and essential. In theaters.

No Direction Home: Bob Dylan

Time and again in Martin Scorsese's mischievous documentary, the enigmatic Mr. Dylan tries to build a case for his lack of direction and ambition, only to be undercut by the carefully assembled evidence. A fascinating and exhaustive look at the early career of a major artist, who, to quote the Stones, is practiced at the art of deception. On DVD.

Grizzly Man

You can keep the penguins. Werner Herzog's unassuming philosophical meditation on a man who loved grizzly bears a little too much is the year's sharpest portrait of nature red in tooth and claw (thank you, Mr. Tennyson). On DVD.

The Aristocrats

A group dissection of an impossibly filthy joke turns into the world's funniest study of improvisation and storytelling. But the palpable sense of fraternity among the comedians is what really gives The Aristocrats its high step. On DVD Jan. 24.

Kung Fu Hustle

Bruce Lee meets Bugs Bunny in this relentlessly imaginative and adrenaline-happy chop-socky comedy. Unlike any other peasant uprising you've seen. On DVD.

Honorable mentions

King Kong, Occupation: Dreamland, Munich, Broken Flowers, Me and You and Everyone We Know

E-mail cvognar@dallasnews.com

This year, the best family films were aimed at all ages. And some of my choices are, for the first time, PG-13, including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Meanwhile, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe gives a great PG-rated kickoff to a new book-based fantasy series about good vs. evil.

Nancy Churnin

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The fourth in the projected seven-movie series posed a huge challenge in so many ways. Could screenwriter Steven Kloves pull off an adaptation of a beloved 734-page book without sacrificing its integrity? Could Ralph Fiennes project the chilly evil of Voldemort? Could director Mike Newell bring in the older audience without alienating the younger one with the first Harry Potter movie to earn a PG-13 rating? The answers are yes, yes and a resounding yes. In theaters.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

Few books have been more adored by kids and more feared by producers. Shrek director Andrew Adamson had the job of doing right by C.S. Lewis' Christian themes without shortchanging the magical mix of mythological characters and the universal message about the redemptive power of love. He pulled it off with style. In theaters.

Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit

We waited and waited for the first full-length Wallace & Gromit movie. It was worth every cheese-loving moment. On DVD Feb. 7.

March of the Penguins

It's the little documentary that could. It's hard to say which is more impressive: the penguins and the sacrifices they make to mate and care for their young, or the filmmakers who lived with these creatures in the subzero Antarctic and made us feel we were right there, too (without the frostbite). On DVD.

Saint Ralph

Like Napoleon Dynamite, a straight description of this film doesn't do justice to its charm. A 14-year-old kid hears it will take a miracle to wake his mother from a coma. He's told it would take a miracle for him to win the Boston Marathon. So he figures if he wins the Boston Marathon, his mother will awaken. And while you know things just don't work like that, you're rooting for him all the way. On DVD.

Honorable mentions

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Because of Winn-Dixie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Zathura, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Star Wars Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Millions, Madagascar and Mad Hot Ballroom.

E-mail nchurnin@dallasnews.com

1. Star Wars: Episode III $380 mil
2. Harry Potter/Goblet of Fire $265 mil
3. War of the Worlds $234 mil
4. Wedding Crashers $209 mil
5. Charlie/Chocolate Factory $207 mil
6. Batman Begins $205 mil
7. Madagascar $193 mil
8. Mr. & Mrs. Smith $186 mil
9. Hitch $179 mil
10. The Chronicles of Narnia $174 mil

SOURCE: Boxofficemojo.com. Figures through Dec. 28