In 2005’s cinema, art often triumphed over box office

NEW YORK (CNS) — In spite of disappointing box-office revenues, from an artistic standpoint 2005 was a rewarding year at the movies.

Here — in alphabetical order — are our picks for the best of 2005, followed in parentheses by their USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification and Motion Picture Association of America rating:

— "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," a captivating live-action fantasy adventure based on C.S. Lewis’ beloved children’s classic set in World War II-era England about four siblings’ adventures in the enchanted realm of Narnia. Seeded with Christian symbolism and subtext, the beautifully told and faithful adaptation explores themes of good and evil. (A-II, PG)

— "Cinderella Man," the moving true-life story of Depression-era boxer Jimmy Braddock who — after several years out of the ring — took up fighting again to support his loving wife and their three young children, making a miracle comeback. The human story of Jimmy’s devotion to his family is paramount. (A-III, PG-13)

— "Crash," a powerful drama with a strong moral center about a disparate, racially mixed group of Los Angeles residents whose lives intersect in unlikely and redemptive ways. A transcendently moving essay on the benevolence that may lie beneath racial intolerance, and the interconnectedness of human beings, showing how good and bad can coexist in all of us, and how the former generally prevails. (L, R)

— "Dear Frankie," a heartwarming film set in Scotland about a loving single mother who pretends to her 9-year-old deaf son, Frankie, that his father — whom the boy has never seen — is simply away at sea, and forges letters purporting to be from the absent father, then pays a stranger to pose as the father for a day. A beautifully written story that is immensely appealing, sensitively acted and sure to bring a lump to the throat. (A-III, PG-13)

— "The Greatest Game Ever Played," an absorbing and inspiring true-life story of a young amateur working-class golfer, Francis Ouimet, who played against British golf champion Harry Vardon in the 1913 U.S. Open. The themes of class conflict, overcoming the odds, loyalty and good sportsmanship are vividly drawn. (A-I, PG)

— "Millions," a disarming fable about a 7-year-old enthralled by the lives of the saints who finds a stash of stolen money and, believing it is from God, tries to do good with it by giving it to the poor. There are delightful vignettes in which the young hero talks with various saints, and the modest film touches on themes of the corrupting influence of money and humanity’s basic decency. (A-II, PG)

— "The Ninth Day," a quietly arresting drama about an interned Catholic priest who is given nine days to convince the staunchly anti-Nazi bishop to sign a letter supporting Hitler. Based on the prison diaries of Father Jean Bernard, the film is an emotionally forceful and morally complex meditation on faith, redemption and the cost of true discipleship. (A-III, not rated)

— "North Country," a compelling drama set in northern Minnesota about a struggling single mother who takes a job at a local mine, encountering hostility and abuse from the predominantly male ranks, eventually filing a landmark sexual harassment lawsuit against the mining company. Touching on issues of gender discrimination, justice, family, community and human dignity, the film’s highlight is a tender scene with a strong pro-life undertone. (L, R)

— "An Unfinished Life," the absorbing story of an embittered Wyoming rancher who takes care of a ranch hand badly mauled by a bear and gives shelter to his son’s widow and the 11-year-old granddaughter he never knew he had, when the woman flees her abusive boyfriend. The film vividly conveys an admirable message about forgiveness and letting go of the past. (A-III, PG-13)