As usual, my movie list does not reflect what I think are the best films of 2005 and once again, our DVD movie-watching has trumped our theater movie-watching. I’m going to have to start a DVD list; that’s where all the best movies I saw this year are.

When one movie tops another on my little list, it means that at this moment, I’d prefer to see it or I’d recommend that you see it. This year, I didn’t see any movie that really wowed me or made me want to run out and drag my friends to see it. “Serenity” gets top billing because I’m a “Firefly” fan and I know I’m going to be watching it over and over again on DVD (if it ever arrives from amazon.com). “Million Dollar Baby” is arguably the best picture of the bunch and one I would recommend, but not one I want to see again. For some reason (could it be Tilda Swindon?), AJM really likes “Constantine” which I found tepid. He’s already rewatched it a half dozen times on DVD. I didn’t like “Sin City” but I thought it was one of the most interesting movies I’ve ever seen. The visual images were technically astounding and I’d like to watch it again for that reason. No one else I saw it with liked it.

Recommended

• 2005-10-01. Serenity with AJM and JQS at the Alamo Drafthouse South.
• 2005-02-05. Million Dollar Baby with AJM at the Gateway Cinemas 16.
• 2005-10-07. Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit. $8.25
• 2005-12-09. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe with AJM, Trevor, and Stacy at the Gateway Cinemas 16. $8.50

Okay

• 2005-04-15. Dare mo shiranai. At the Dobie.
• 2005-04-09. Sin City at the Alamo Drafthouse South with AJM, M2, and Brian.
• 2005-06-24. Howl’s Moving Castle with AJM, Trevor, Stacy, and M2 at the Great Hills. $8.00
• 2005-11-19. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with AJM, JQS, M2, and Brian at the iMax theater in San Antonio. $10.76
• 2005-05-10. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy with JQS at the Gateway Cinemas 16. $6.00
• Constantine with AJM at the Gateway.
• 2005-07-22. March of the Penguins, with AJM, Trevor, Stacy, Toni, Sarah, and Mike.
• 2005-03-04. Sideways with AJM, Trevor and Stacy at the Great Hills. $8.00.

Not Recommended

• 2005-05-19. Return of the Sith with JQS at the Alamo Drafthouse South.
• 2005-06-17. Batman Begins with AJM, Trevor, and Stacy at the Gateway Cinemas 16. $8.25.
• 2005-07-08. The Fantastic Four with AJM, Trevor, and Stacy at the Gateway Cinemas 16.

Did you see any movies this year that you’d recommended to your friends?