Film and Book Reviews
for 2005
Films released in 2005
Batman Begins directed by Christopher Nolan

The story of the origins of the Dark Knight is retold.
Mirrormask directed by Dave McKean

Weirdness abounds in this story of a girl, her mother, and a very peculiar dream.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire directed by Mike Newell

Harry discovers the joy of Yule Balls. The fourth film in the Harry Potter series.
The Brothers Grimm directed by Terry Gilliam

This is one fairy tale that defies our expectations.
Serenity directed by Joss Whedon

Why is capturing River Tam so important to the Alliance?
Star Wars Episode III : Revenge of the Sith directed by George Lucas

Darth Vader rises, and everything goes pear-shaped for the Jedi.
Primer directed by Shane Carruth

A couple of engineers build a machine in their garage which turns out to have astonishing powers.
Night Watch directed by Timur Bekmambetov

The Night Watch guard against the forces of darkness in this Russian supernatural fantasy.
Constantine directed by Francis Lawrence

John Constantine struggles to avoid the clutches of Hell and solve a supernatural mystery.
Beowulf and Grendel directed by Sturla Gunnarsson

This is a version of the legend of Beowulf as the hero takes on the bloodthirsty troll, Grendel.
The Island directed by Michael Bay

Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johannson fight to stay alive when they discover they are spare part clones.
Stealth directed by Rob Cohen

An AI controlling a stealth fighter plane goes haywire, bringing the world to the brink of a major war.
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy directed by Garth Jennings

Wherever you go in the galaxy, somebody wants you to fill in a form.
Infestation directed by Edward Evers-Swindell

After a virus forces most of humanity underground, a group of people return to the surface to find out what has happened to a team who went up and failed to report back.
Books published in 2005
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Not even the offspring of a god can escape the shame of an embarrassing parent.
Toxin: The Cunning Of Bacterial Poisons by Alistair Lax

How bacterial toxins break down our defences so effectively, and the stories of people who have struggled to understand them.
Thud! by Terry Pratchett

In this Discworld novel the Watch have to contend with species divisions in the city as well as within their ranks.
Crash Deluxe by Marianne de Pierres

Parrish Plessis sets out to take down the media in a future Australia where the gulf between rich and poor is vast. This is the third book in the series.
Priestess of the White by Trudi Canavan

This trilogy begins with a priestess facing a magical war.
Learning The World by Ken Macleod

Two alien cultures make first contact. But will the experience harm the less advanced civilisation?
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

In the first of the Study series Yelena Zaltana finds herself trapped in the dangerous job of food taster.
Microbe: Are We Ready For The Next Plague? by Alan P. Zelicoff and Michael Bellomo

An analysis of how well the west is prepared to cope with new and deadly infectious diseases.
Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris

Harper Connolly is especially good at detecting the dead, and not only because of the way they smell.
Chill Factor by Rachel Caine

A teenager in Las Vegas has the strongest Djinn in the world in his power, and is causing chaos. The third of the Weather Wardens series.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

When Bella moves to the small town of Forks she notices Edward Cullen is not like other young men.
Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop

Men with magical powers and leather pants who live only to serve women? It must be The Black Jewels.
Eldest by Christopher Paolini

In the second episode of the Inheritance series Eragon and his dragon deal with politics, evil, and growing pains.
Crimson City by Liz Maverick

Can vampire Fleur Dumont trust herself with a human?
The Walking Dead: Safety Behind Bars by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn

Survivors of a zombie outbreak seek shelter in a prison. The third graphic novel in The Walking Dead series.
Atlas' Revenge by Robyn and Tony DiTocco

The Greek gods come to California in this light-hearted fantasy for young adult readers.
Shelby and the Shifting Rings by A. M. Veillon

A young girl's adventures in time travel.
Pleasant Valley by Eralides E. Cabrera

Eralides E. Cabrera's uncanny valley.
The People of the Sea by Scott Marcano

This fantasy follows two young lovers fighting to save their sea-dwelling race from destruction.