Judge me, judge me now judge me.
These are the films I enjoyed most from 2008.
In totally specific order.
20 ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
-I think there was just something about this whole movie going experience. The purchasing of the tickets, and saying the title. The Sunday afternoon Adam and I saw it on. The weird demographic in the audience being us two, one or two college aged couples and a sprinkling of males sitting alone. Plus the token old guy. The movie it self was way funny. Brandon St. Randy?? Hello! Plus I never get my fill of Seth Rogen grunt talking, and Kevin Smith is Kevin Smith. Love him or hate him. I choose t o love him, for the sick and funny fat guy he is.
19 TWILIGHT
-Whoever it is that is reading this list is probably judging me hardcore, but Twilight had some moments. I never read the book, never heard of it even until summer. All of a sudden it was everywhere, and I guess I was just engaged in the pop culture mystique that Twilight seemed to have. The effects were straight to DVD bad, the baseball scene was awkward awkward awkward, but then there were those totally brilliant (am I allowed to say that) moments between the vampire Edward and the neo-goth diary poet girl Bella. The scenes where they were so connected. I guess I love a good romance as much as the next in “tune with his emotions” dude, and the next Lifetime television for women soccer mom. I even paid Adam admission to see it. He didn’t like it, but whatever.
18 VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
-Branden and I saw this and a billion other movies as part of our movie blitz 08 we seemed to have this last year. I was glad Branden was around to participate in what seemed like a bi-weekly occurrence at the cinema. This one was great. Not fantastic, not Matchpoint Woody Allen, which is my favorite of the modern Woody Allen pictures. But it had a great story, the acting was engaging and who doesn’t mind Scarlet Jo and some hot accents? I don’t! I especially loved when Branden shouted boo super loud when one of the characters cracked a mormon joke. He always has the best ways of sharing his testimony.
17 CLOVERFIELD
- Shaky cam is overdone, hell even sitcoms are using it. But Cloverfield was a phenomenon early last year, and it actually lived up to the hype in my eyes. It was clever, fun and thrilling. It wasn’t to nauseating and it still left some huge questions open at the end, which had me and my friends talking. The monster was pretty nasty, especially the little baby versions, and the concept was ultimately fun if not anything else.
16 NICK AND NORAHS INFINITE PLAYLIST
-Michael Cera is just funny. He plays himself in everything, but that isn’t bad yet. Plus i feel we’d hang out in real life because he has the same sense of humor I do. This movie made me want to be a gay asian kid in Brooklyn. Well ok not totally, but it also made me want to have a dreamy music filled weekend where everything is simple, yet completely life altering. I think this one is on par with the great teen films of the 80’s, and if I was in 9th grade, I’d watch this everyday. Instead i’ll watch my Bit torrented copy every couple months on random sunday afternoons when I’m wishing I had a someone to love and a I was near a cool city to love them in.
15 RACHAEL GETTING MARRIED
-Heavy metal, this movie was. But it also did an incredible job of making me feel awfully awkward. Over long scenes, shaky cam technique and ad libbed scenarios combined to make this story of a girl getting out of rehab and facing her family and her life, head on. What a great and uncomfortable first few post rehab days to have too, and what a great backdrop to have them in. Weddings are sort of this phony weird emotional time, not just for the bride and groom, but the entire party.
14 THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
-This film had it’s flaws sure, but what a sweeping story. What a huge sweeping story. I love most of David Fincher, in fact Zodiac was my number one film of 07. Benjamin Button was slow to pace, but in an ok way. The development was surprising and predictable at the same time. You knew he’d die, but you wanted to watch his experience. You longed for love, like he did. I think the film especially turns gold about the period of time when Benjamin and his lost love reach the same age, and from then on the film is a haunting and beautiful piece of film making.
13 REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
-Another film that didn’t let up on the heaviness. The story of a couple’s failing marriage in 1950’s suburbia is both haunting as well as effective. I thought of a lot of things after this movie, and that’s something I love about a film. If it’s profound, you think about it for days. The best kind are the ones you aren’t sure you like or not till you dissect them. Plus the acting was just through the roof.
12 ROLE MODELS
Role Models isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, just polish it up a little. What emerges is a memorable slice of modern slapstick, with charm to spare and just a touch of soul. Plus a ton of Kiss references, which for a huge fan of Detroit Rock City and also a guy not afraid of being a nerd, this movie hit my funny bone plenty of times.
11 THE WACKNESS
-A delightful feel good, decorated and disguised as a drug dealing downer. I really connected, for some reason. I enjoyed the soundtrack, I enjoyed Ben Kingsly and I enjoyed the amazing ode to Billy Jean scene. Also, Summer time in the city is never a bad time. The elements of a laid back main character, bits of comedy and a summer romance made this little film have the effect of a big, fat high.
10 LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
-Most definitely the anti-Twilight of 2008, this vampire romance epic from Sweden is everything that Twilight isn’t. Being a fan if the Twilight film for the scenes between the two main characters alone, this vampire saga stands a little taller, as it successfully combines horror with smart storytelling. Gory and poignant both at the same time, and done with style and mood.
9 DOUBT
-I tend to enjoy films made from stage plays. There is something about the ensemble casts and the claustrophobic settings that make the films intimate. There isn’t anything big or extravagant about this film. It’s dull color and scenery actually is a plus, and the acting is superb. The theme is carried extremely well, and the outcome is somewhat comedically creepy.
8 SEX AND THE CITY
-I know, I know. If you didn’t stop reading my list after I put Twilight on it, you should be considering stopping by now. I won’t apologize though. I loved the television series. Loved is an understatement. I couldn’t help but be entertained by the romanticism of New York City and the search for love. The film is big, glossier and less smart version of that, but still plays well. It’s actually the most riveting of romantic comedies in a long time. It has depth beneath the high fashion and product placement. It has a theme, gorgeously vibrant scenes and some gripping and painful acting by the jilted actresses. Most of all it was more of the show I wore out from watching and continue to where out when I’m feeling like doing nothing but escape to a fantasy world of over examination, questioning of the heart and the quest for true love. Sorry but everyone needs a little bit of that sometimes.
7 WALL-E
-I have only seen Wall-E once, and will never see it again. Not because I didn’t like it, because in fact I loved it. But because of the night I saw it, and the moment It was for me. It was a lonely thursday night in the summer. All friends and family were out of town, and the weather was extraordinarily perfect. I took a bike ride through old neighborhoods under a blanket of stars and space, over to the Promenade to watch the midnight showing. I felt like I was 10 again. I somehow had wonderment and awe for a moment. I somehow wasn’t a jaded 24 year old, and instead I was a curious and hopeful young boy again. This film did that for me. I can’t really explain anymore, but Wall-E truly had magic.
6 GHOST TOWN
- After a year or two of really awesome but really really crude comedies, this one came as a pleasant surprise. The jokes were funny, the scenes were paced well. Nothing was forced or to over the top. The romance was realistic and did i mention this was funny funny funny? Funny with a side of moving = one of my favorite nights at the cinema this year, and the only film I repeatedly recommended to others.
5 SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
-I really liked this movie. There were things I didn’t flip over, but the story was so gripping and cool, that the it’s flaws sort of faded. I love a film that keeps you entertained, makes you think and looks cool as well. And this is one of those films.
4 PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
-My favorite comedy of 2008, only for how unapologetically extreme it was. Dabbling in all sorts of genre, but thoroughly funny, this Seth Rogen anchored epic tells the story of un- assuming best friends, making there way out of the uncomfortable situation of witnessing a murder, all while ridiculously high. Violent, funny and a little bit moving, Pineapple Express was is the best comedy of 2008 and a million times cooler and funnier than Tropic Thunder.
3 THE WRESTLER
-The Wrestler climbed to the top of my list with as much force as Mickey Rourke’s performance of washed up 80’s pro wrestling hero. The character of Randy the Ram was brutal, heartbreaking and lovable in a strange way. While the film was as entertaining as it was heartbreaking, it also was a successful examination of three people trying desperately to get out of where they were. A Bruce Springsteen title track doesn’t hurt either.
2 THE DARK KNIGHT
- I have loved Batman and everything related to Batman since i was I small boy. I remember when I saw this, and how huge and exhilarating it was. Adam and I were sweating. My chest almost hurt and I’d felt like I had been running for miles. The Imax experience may have upped the breathtaking ante, but alone, this film is a brilliant saga of crime, crime-fighting and fighting for justice. It’s also brilliantly acted, darkly funny and eerily resembles a chaotic and corrupt world we live in already. These days, a real life Joker isn’t too unimaginable. It’s a testament to Heath Ledgers performance that as funny and cool the Joker was in this movie, you were still scared to death of him.
1 MILK
This is the best film of the year. Regardless of what you think about homosexuality, gay rights, gay marriage etc. This film is inspiring and incredibly moving. It made me want to stand up more for what I believe. It made me want to get involved more in change. Brilliantly acted, visually cool and interesting and ultimately inspiring, Milk is the best film of this year and the most moving film I have seen in quite a long while.
