Ostensibly serious, writer/director Len Wiseman's Underworld series is, to borrow from its choice terminology, a lycanthropic, hemo-sexual piffle whose true nature - its own meta-textual underworld - is comprised of silly characters motivated by an even sillier storyline. What rescues it from the shame of mediocrity is its consistently stylized and graphic art direction, which makes its vampire and werewolf hoo-hah halfway believable and fun. Even if it's a toothless effort, at least it looks the part, and on that level I enjoyed the charade.

Underworld: Evolution is essentially a continuation of the 2003 original, picking up mere moments after the end. Incase we've forgotten where we left off, a generous supply of flashbacks keeps us apprised. Selene (Kate Beckinsale), the disillusioned Vampire "Death Dealer," has joined ranks with Michael (Scott Speedman), a newly inaugurated Lycan, to uncover a legacy of deception within the Vampire clan and depose its leader, Viktor (Bill Nighy). Michael is a new breed of Lycan - a hybrid - whose mystery and seemingly limitless power is the titular evolution this film pretends to be concerned with. Unfortunately, it is never explored - perhaps as a cheap ploy to drag this ludicrous plot out to a third feature. Instead, another layer of back-story is revealed once Marcus (Tony Curran), a Vampire elder with the distinction of being the first and the ugliest, awakens from his slumber to retrieve his brother William, held captive by the Vampires for being the first and strongest Lycan. Meanwhile, observing this unholy reunion from his hideout is their father, Corvinus, played by the venerable Derek Jacobi with more integrity than the character is worth. He amounts to little more than the sort of limp and irresponsible parent that is afraid or unwilling to discipline his children no matter how awful they behave. This would be fine had this been purposeful, but his contribution to the story, as with Marcus and William's, arrives stillborn. (I briefly toyed with the idea that Corvinus represented a God concerned for, but reluctant to interfere in, the lives of His creations, but I'm not as generous or as cash-strapped as Jacobi.) By the end, there was not one single aspect of the plot or its characters I cared about.

So what did I watch in place of this purportedly compelling saga about warring bloodlines that some argue is an allegory for racial politics and identity? Evolution, like the original, anchors each of its plot points on violent, brassy, logic-defying action sequences that are largely successful and from which its entertainment is single-handedly derived. To this effect, Evolution is more elaborate than its predecessor in its scope and staging, book-ended by equally impressive scenes (what this film does with a helicopter toward the end is deliciously gruesome). It is also noticeably bloodier than the first, or for that matter most films I've come upon, to the point where its orgiastic abundance is almost eroticized - like porn for gorehounds. Seeing so much of it so often quickly desensitized me, though; the recent film Cache proved far more lastingly unsettling with its singular act of bloodshed than the geysers of blood here. (However, I did find the unintentionally offensive "mind-rape" scenes - penetrations of both body and mind - almost unbearably cruel.) The point of the action here is comic book-style fun, though, which it gleefully delivers. But after a year when Sin City and Batman Begins gave us both gritty and meaningful quality, a gussied-up Evolution just doesn't cut it.

(Underworld: Evolution is currently playing at the Crystal Palace 8 Cinemas, located at 499 Paul St. in Dieppe.)

This isn't a definitive Top 10 list of films from 2005. As I crossed the finish line into 2006, I found I had a list of blind spots in equal measure to my list of honourable mentions. I'll be picking away at that list well into March no doubt, so in the meantime I wanted to take the year-end opportunity to reflect and offer up my list of Ten Great Ones From 2005.

Following that list I'll include everything else I've seen this year parcelled into one of two categories: Honourable Mentions and Common Trash. Each film comes accompanied with a rating out of 10 points.

I'm also including my list of Blind Spots since most of those titles would likely have ended up on my Ten Great Ones and Honourable Mentions lists.

Finally, as a service to the loyal moviegoing public of Metro Moncton, I've included theatrical or DVD release information for those titles not already available for rental.

Please also note, this list will be continually updated (through to January 31) as I see new features from 2005. All latest additions will be marked as (NEW).

Enjoy!

01. A History Of Violence (dir. David Cronenberg, 10/10) - on DVD March 14
02. Munich (dir. Steven Spielberg, 10/10) - playing at Empire 8, Trinity Cinemas, 125 Trinity Drive, Moncton
03. Cache (dir. Michael Haneke, 10/10) - not currently playing
04. The New World (dir. Terrence Malick, 10/10) - playing at Empire 8, Trinity Cinemas, 125 Trinity Drive, Moncton (NEW)

05. The Constant Gardener (dir. Fernando Meirelles, 10/10)
06. Saraband (dir. Ingmar Bergman, 10/10)
07. Yes (dir. Sally Potter, 10/10)
08. Match Point (dir. Woody Allen, 9.5/10) - not currently playing (NEW)
09. Syriana (dir. Stephen Gaghan, 9.5/10) - no DVD announced yet
10. The Island (dir. Michael Bay, 9/10)

Honourable Mentions
- Aeon Flux (dir. Karyn Kusama, 7.5/10) - on DVD April 25
- Aliens Of The Deep (dir. James Cameron, Steven Quale, 8.5/10)
- Aurore (dir. Luc Dionne, 9/10)
- Batman Begins (dir. Christoper Nolan, 9.5/10)
- Broken Flowers (dir. Jim Jarmusch, 9.5/10)
- Capote (dir. Bennett Miller, 9.5/10) - on DVD March 14
- The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (dir. Andrew Adamson, 7/10) - playing at Empire 8, Trinity Cinemas, 125 Trinity Drive, Moncton
- Crash (dir. Paul Haggis, 8.5/10)
- Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror Of Shambala (dir. Seiji Mizushima, 7.5/10) - no release announced yet
- Good Night, And Good Luck. (dir. George Clooney, 9.5/10) - on DVD March 14
- Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (dir. Mike Newell, 8.5/10) - on DVD March 7
- Hitch (dir. Andy Tennant, 7/10)
- Howl's Moving Castle (dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 8/10) - on DVD March 7
- Hustle & Flow (dir. Craig Brewer, 9/10)
- In Good Company (dir. Paul Weitz, 7.5/10)

- King Kong (dir. Peter Jackson, 9.5/10) - playing at Empire 8, Trinity Cinemas, 125 Trinity Drive, Moncton
- Land Of The Dead (dir. George A. Romero, 8/10)
- The Matador (dir. Richard Shepard, 8/10) - opens January 27
- Me And You And Everyone We Know (dir. Miranda July, 9.5/10)
- Melinda And Melinda (dir. Woody Allen, 8.5/10)
- Murderball (dir. Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro, 9.5/10)
- North Country (dir. Niki Caro, 9/10) - on DVD February 21
- Palindromes (dir. Todd Solondz, 9.5/10)
- Proof (dir. John Madden, 9/10) - on DVD February 14
- Red Eye (dir. Wes Craven, 8/10)
- Sin City (dir. Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, 9.5/10)
- Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith (dir. George Lucas, 9/10)
- Walk The Line (dir. James Mangold, 9/10) - playing at Crystal Palace 8 Cinemas, 499 Paul St., Dieppe (NEW)
- Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (dir. Steve Box, Nick Park, 8.5/10) - on DVD February 7
- War Of The Worlds (dir. Steven Spielberg, 9/10)
- Wedding Crashers (dir. David Dobkin, 7.5/10)
- Wolf Creek (dir. Greg McLean, 8/10) - no DVD announced yet
- xXx: State Of The Union (dir. Lee Tamahori, 7.5/10)

- The Aristocrats (dir. Paul Provenza, 6.5/10)
- Chicken Litte (dir. Mark Dindal, 2.5/10) - on DVD March 21
- Corpse Bride (dir. Tim Burton, 6.5/10)
- Edison (dir. David J. Burke, 4/10) - no release announced yet
- The Family Stone (dir. Thomas Bezucha, 5/10) - no DVD announced yet
- Lemon Jelly: '64-'95 (dir. Fred Deakin, 6/10)
- Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (dir. Pete Michels, Peter Shin, 6/10)
- Transporter 2 (dir. Louis Leterrier, 6/10)
- White Noise (dir. Geoffrey Sax, 4.5/10)

- 2046 (dir. Kar Wai Wong)
- The Ballad Of Jack And Rose (dir. Rebecca Miller)
- Bee Season (dir. Scott McGehee, David Siegel) - on DVD April 4
- The Best Of Youth (dir. Marco Tullio Giordana) - on DVD February 7
- Breakfast On Pluto (dir. Neil Jordan) - not currently playing
- Brokeback Mountain (dir. Ang Lee) - playing at Crystal Palace 8 Cinemas, 499 Paul St., Dieppe
- C.R.A.Z.Y. (dir. Jean-Marc Vallee)
- The Child (dir. Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne) - opens March 24 (limited release)
- Downfall (dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel)
- Game 6 (dir. Michael Hoffman) - opens March 3 (limited release)
- Grizzly Man (dir. Werner Herzog)
- Junebug (dir. Phil Morrison) - on DVD January 17
- Last Days (dir. Gus Van Sant)
- March Of The Penguins (dir. Luc Jacquet)
- Millions (dir. Danny Boyle)
- Mrs. Henderson Presents (dir. Stephen Frears) - not currently playing
- Nine Lives (dir. Rodrigo Garcia) - on DVD February 14
- No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (dir. Martin Scorsese)
- Pride & Prejudice (dir. Joe Wright) - on DVD February 28
- The Squid And The Whale (dir. Noah Baumbach) - on DVD March 14
- Sympathy For Lady Vengeance (dir. Chanwook Park) - opens March 24 (limited release)
- Transamerica (dir. Duncan Tucker) - not currently playing
- Turtles Can Fly (dir. Bahman Ghobadi)
- The Upside Of Anger (dir. Mike Binder)
- The White Diamond (dir. Werner Herzog)

With classics like Double Indemnity and The Maltese Falcon in its backpocket, Andrew Mandapat's Siren is a film noir that aspires to spin a dark and moody yarn within the confines of a short. If you're going to accomplish a challenge like that, you'd certainly do well to call on such titles. For the better part of its approximately twenty-minute running time, "Siren" successfully maintains the momentum of a suspenseful story that unravels right up until the end. It manages to be entertaining and fun to follow, due in large part to the sense of affection for the genre that informs each scene.

We begin with Ned (Gregory Pedemonte), the sort of hardboiled glourpuss who I doubt many people would be surprised to see dying from gunshot wounds. Faced with looming death, he narrates to an unnamed listener the tale of his demise. It's a halfway confessional flashback; as he intones, "I did something wrong once." That's just his wry way of referring to... well, considering his rogue's list of offences, being born I guess. But Ned pinpoints the cause of his mortal predicament to a perfect bank heist committed by imperfect partners and complicated by romantic entangelements, and viewers are enjoined to bear witness to this poor guy's pathetic circumstances.

Considering the restraints placed upon the film being a short, Mandapat's set-up is sufficiently intriguing. At the same time, sadly, Siren falls victim to its very brevity, suffering from problematic characterization and narrative shorthand that make it appear like a lightweight homage more than an autonomous feature. I never felt connected in any way to either of the film's characters, who - as corrupt and greedy as they may be - were so underdeveloped that I didn't care who lived, who died, or who the stolen money ended up with. Heroes and villains of the best film noirs resonate a soulfulness by which their vices and virtues make sense and have import beyond the superficial labels of "corrupt" and "greedy." The characters in Siren are types, and as such cannot be appreciated as people but can only represent concepts and themes. And what does the film say about its themes of adultery, betrayal, greed, and murder? Beyond one of Ned's glib comments about the Bible and the Ten Commandments, not very much except that they're bad. A stronger short could have given these characters life and handled its themes in a provocative manner, but as it stands, Siren is not that strong.

Also, without revealing too much of the film's twisty plot, I found the treatment of its female characters to bear faintly misogynistic overtones. Where the film is told from Ned's point of view, his mistress Charlie (Sarah Kordah) and his wife Sonora (Stephanie Lytle) are no more than odious temptresses - sirens - whose relationship with one another almost stands as a wellspring of malice. Ned, the gooney yet most intentionally sympathetic character, is where he is on account of the two female forces in his life who've tempted him and led him astray. This impression, which was perhaps permissible in the more sexist era of the '40s, is simply in bad form today.

In spite of my qualms with the film, Siren is still a promising showcase of talent in every respect. A great deal of care went into the look and feel of the film, and the performances - while lacking confidence at times - were generally played quite well. Oddly enough, John Mercer's brief yet scene-chewing turn as private detective Kanesworth stole the show. And to be fair, Mandapat's screenplay for Siren was condensed from a feature-length version which, I hope, fleshes out the characters and expands on its themes. The basic premise is a good one, and if this short film was a dress rehearsal for the full-length version, I believe any improvement it makes would be worth looking forward to.

(Siren is presently in the process of being made into a full-length feature film. For more information on this project and on the current short film version, please visit http://www.bajapossemovies.com.)