Top Films of '05: #5 Good Night, and Good Luck

Some films deserve recognition simply for their sense of innovation and audacity. That Good Night, and Good Luck turned out to be painfully relevant to our current political climate is an added bonus, but George Clooney’s masterful retelling of the showdown between CBS and Senator Joe McCarthy’s 1950’s witch hunts is compelling stuff in its own right. Compiled from, oh I don’t know, like 90 percent television transcripts (hell, a full third of it is probably actual TV footage), what should be terribly dull turns out to be completely watchable. As a commentary on the current state of network news, it’s a scathing indictment. But, gentle viewer, don’t be fooled – the spirit of Edward R. Murrow saves his most searing accusations for you and me, the addled pap-addicted masses.