Top Of 2008

A Little late, but Oscars haven't happened yet so we can still talk about them.

Disclaimer: It has always been hard for me to really make lists when it comes to films. I, to this day refuse to name my favorite film or even make a top 5. So a year end top 10 is kind of hard because it is very hard for me to say #3 is better than #4 when they are completely different types of films. So, although this list is numbered, they are more just for order than rank. Also, there are still a few movies I haven't seen like Revolutionary Road, The Reader, Frost/Nixon and Doubt. As well as I have seen nowhere near the amount of films a professional reviewer sees (200-300 a year).

10. In Bruges
This film did ok when it debuted almost a year ago now, but as been largely over looked. It had a great cast lead by Colin Farrel. I felt that In Bruges redeamed Farrell for me as he has been doing a lot of crap. But this dark comedy about what hitman do in their down time and how to live with doing something aweful. If you havent seen it, check it out.


9. Burn After Reading
This film actually took me a while to like. I saw it back when it ame out and was at first quite dissappointed. I was hoping for something like No Country For Old Men, and I thought it just fell short. But after some deliberation about what this film was supposed to be and not what I wanted it to be I found that it is a return to form for the cohen brothers and a great follow up the their oscar winning film. As of late the Cohen brothers have put out some okay comedies but were kind of hit and miss with nothing too spectacular, and Burn After Reading is a great combination of Fargo and No Country For Old Men. I can't wait to see what they do next.


8. The Dark Knight
Need I say more. Yes this film has its flaws that turn some people off, fast editing, some weak plot points, but this is one of the only films I saw this year that I, as well as just about everyone else in the audience, walked out of stunned.


7. Wall-E
Pixar seems to hit a home run with every step to the plate. Cars is the only one of their attempts that seems like a loose link in the chain. But the most amazing thing to me was how much they were able to do in the first 30 minutes of the film with almost no dialogue, just a couple of robots beeping the same words over and over again, and it turns out to be more emotional, and heartfelt than most dialogue of entire films.


6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
A lot of people won't include comedies such as this on their year end lists. I thought this film was top notch, I liked Pineapple Express, and liked Role Models, and Step brothers, however FSM was the only one that was true to life and to be the first screenplay from Jason Segel is a very promising start.


5. Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona
A great return for Woody Allen. I havent liked a Woody Allen film as much as this one in years. Its funny, awkward and just about everyhting in it is beautiful. The people, the places, the food. Zac said to me when he came out of the theatre, "the only way to describe that films is 'Pimp'"


4. The Wrestler
I have loved every Darren Aronofsky film. As bizarre as they all have been their is somehting about them that delves deeper into what the themes are than most filmakers are willing to do, or atleast put it in their final realease. The Wrestler, while not my favorite of the year as I felt the store was a little worn, but the acting and the new look that Aronofsky takes with this story. As horribly depressing as it is, it is a powerful film.


3. Rachel Getting Married
Zac saw this one before me and on his first attempt walked out 10 mins in. Since we work at the Cinema playing it we can try as many times as we want. The downside is seeing patrons reactions, and after the 4th or 5th person puked in our lobby I was quite discouraged. But I did end up seeing it and I really enjoyed it. The hand held cinematography does take a little getting used to and I am a little confused to this day as to why Director Jonathan Demme decided to go with this style. It was a great story about family and the disfunction that comes with it. Tons of quirky characters that just made everything more engrossing and I was fixed to the screen for the entire 2hrs.


2. The Visitor
This film seems to have snuck by everyone. I just saw it now on DVD and I worked at a Cinema where it played almost all summer, even leaving at one point and then coming back to just as strong business. And now I know why. This is a truly great film, a very human story about a man (Richard Jenkins) who comes home to his New York apartment to find two strangers living their. He ends up befriending them and they bring about a change in Jenkins character, giving him the inspiration to enjoy life again. At the same time as being an uplifting story about finding yourself in unexpected situations it is also a story about the darkness of being an immigrant in the US, and how (especially after 9/11) the swiftness that your life here can be taken away. I am surprised this has not landed itself on more top 10's and gotten itself no award noms. I truly recommend this film as one of the greatest of the yea.r

1. Slumdog Millionaire
Hands down my favorite film of the year. I came out of the theatre simply stunned. Everything was amazing. The screenplay was very well written though I felt it dragged slightly at the end. The cinematography was beautiful, using all the colors in the sets and on shoot locations to bring a vibrance to the film that I havent seen in a long time. The score was, though I am not a huge fan of MIA, was blended seemlessly with the action and really made a lot of the film what it was. I am a huge Danny Boyle fan and have loved all of his previous attempts though I feel he has made a lot of really good genre films (28 Days Later - Great Horror, Sunshine - Great Sci-Fi) but he has yet to make a truely great film, I think he has done it with Slumdog.


Honorable Mentions-

The Band's Visit - I thought this came out in 2007, but it is a great film and should be seen regardless of when it came out.

Son Of Rambow - A great indie British film

Teeth - WTF? .... Seriously, WTF?

Cloverfield - Great new take on the overdone monster invades city, monster destroys city, poelpe run, military comes in, type of Godzilla knock-off/re-makes we have seen over the years.