my favorite movies of 2005:

(1) Match Point

(2) The Baxter

favorite of 2005:

Match Point

(Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer. Directed by Woody Allen.)

Woody Allen has made a movie almost every year for more than 50 years. When asked to name his favorites of his own movies, he doesn’t list Annie Hall (my favorite movie of 1977) or Manhattan (my favorite of 1979). But I agree with him that Match Point is one of his best. It’s the kind of movie Hitchcock might have made if he were still alive.

The man who said “I’d rather be lucky than good” saw deeply into life.

Stream Match Point on Tubi (free with ads), the Roku Channel (free with ads), Plex, or these sites.

2nd favorite of 2005:

The Baxter

(Michael Showalter, Michelle Williams, Elizabeth Banks, Justin Theroux, Peter Dinklage, Paul Rudd, Michael Ian Black, David Wain. Directed by Showalter.)

If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the dictionary for?

You won’t believe this, but it’s actually what I’m reading at the moment. …

I am also reading the dictionary! … What letter are you up to?

Right now I’m working my way through G. … I particularly liked the word “gromwell.”

The Baxter might be the worst-reviewed movie on this whole list of my favorite movie(s) from each year out of 101 years. It got only 32% positive reviews, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Sometimes the majority is wrong. Michelle Williams is the standout of this lovably dorky indie rom com.

You can stream The Baxter on these sites.

Click here for the full list of my favorite movie(s) of each year from 1920 to 2020.