The 10 Best Conservative Movies of 2005

FrontPageMagazine.com ^ | 12/30/2005 | Don Feder

[Mike Bates]

It wasn’t a particularly good year for conservative cinema. It rarely is. Yet alongside the cavalcade of ideology, mediocrity and stupidity that is Hollywood today, a few gems shone forth dazzlingly.

What is a conservative film?

Let’s start with what it isn’t. It’s not about men with bulging biceps and even bigger guns. It’s not cartoonish action heroes. It isn’t revenge tales masquerading as heroism.

Conservative cinema does more than entertain; movies that do no more are visual candy. It instructs and inspires.

Conservative films celebrate virtue. They tell timeless tales of individuals overcoming all manner of adversity to achieve true greatness. They’re about honesty, loyalty, courage and patriotism. They’re concerned with conservatism’s cardinal values – faith, family and freedom.

If I were to list the best conservative movies of the last decade, they would include: “Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King (2003)” “Open Range” (2003), “LA Confidential” (1997), Mel Gibson’s “The Patriot” (2000), and “Spiderman,” I and II (2002 and 2004). But also some quieter films, like last year’s “In Good Company” and “The Family Man” (2000) would make my list.

Here, then, are my choices for The 10 Best Conservative Films of 2005.

1. Cinderella Man – The miraculous, 1930s comeback of boxer James J. Braddock became a metaphor for America’s struggle to get to its feet after the pounding it took in the Great Depression.

SNIP

2. King Kong – “King Kong” is the blockbuster movie of the 2005 holiday season. How often is a remake better than the original? Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” beats both the 1933 original and the eminently forgettable 1976 remake.

[LS]

Hysterical!

You hate to ascribe human-like characteristics to animals or birds, but there were times you would think the penguins were 'in love.'

[LS]

Team America will be one of the most quoted movies in history, mark my words.

"We have Ahhh-rek Bawwww-dwin."

"and if you try to stop me, I'll put a jihad on you, too."

"Oh no, not Hans Brix."

[Howlin]

No, it just has a promo for this movie:

http://www.theonenetwork.com/movies/Happy_Feet/6043/Trailer_300.html

[Mike Bates]

So far, 364 days into 2005 I have managed to donate not one red cent to Hollywood in this century.

There's certainly no shortage of "red" cents in Hollywood.

[LS]

I didn't like Serenity mainly because I'm completely sick of DARK, DARK, DARK movies. God! It's bad enough you have to turn out every light in the house to see something and turn up the volume to a billion to hear the wispered scenes, but this obsession with dark scenes has to end.

[b9]

Have you seen CRASH?

[LS]

Fantasic movie. Much like the TV series "Nip/Tuck," the people you think will be a-holes turn out to have character, and the people you think will have character are losers.

[frogjerk]

Murder, prostitution, adultery...not my brand of conservatism

Have you ever read the Bible? : )

It wasn't exactly approved of nor glamorized in the Bible...

[frogjerk]

What about "The Passion of the Christ"?

[b9]

CRASH is my favorite pick of the whole year.
Absolutely.

Also loved March of the Pengiuins

[FreeReign]

For Coach Carter, turning his boys into young men headed for college is far more important than turning them into star athletes. At Richmond High, only half the students graduate (and only 6% of those go to college). The rest graduate to gangs, drugs, prison and a trip to the morgue. It’s a pleasure to watch Jackson deliver his lines with manly self-assurance. “Coach Carter is a winner.

There was plenty to like about "Coach Carter", BUT didn't the movie end with one of the girlfriends having an abortion?

[DollyCali]

crash was excellent - and I also like Sin City..

[wideawake]

There were several references to the fact that the clones being killed "felt no pain,"

Which is the same claim made about unborn children.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Medved gave "National Treasure" a good review.

[b9]

They say most movies have that "one scene" around which the rest of the movie is based.
For me, that "one scene" in CRASHwas the little girl protecting her dad.
Still gives me chills, just thinking about it.

Talk about a film with impact.

[DollyCali]

I couldn't recall that. I don't listen to Michael M every day.. just if home/car during his 3-6 show. There were several this year I liked that he did have problems with that I thought were good moives.. Kingdom of Heaven was another.

Our local Clevleand reviewers considered National Treasure trite - Like I say, in general I am going less to reviewers opinions & more to my choice of cast/directors/screenwriters

[b9]

Medved also loved CRASH.

[Howlin]

What is that?

[DollyCali]

yes, that is true. It was skillful how all the characters wove around & became involved eventually. Makes it hard to follow at times. I would like to see that one again. I only saw it once on big screen

[95 Bravo]

It's a complicated movie. A lot of sub-plots going on, and "heroes" who are deeply flawed. But in the end, they make a stand against the truly evil amongst them, and win back some of their integrity and humanity.
At its core,its about the redemption of people who've taken some really wrong turns in life.
Kinda like Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul after a little incident on the road one day......