What is your top ten list for the best films of 2008?

[Chris Williamson]

2008. It was a great year for movies. This year gave us a lot to talk about. 2008 certainly had a good variety for us to discuss over the year. Everything from breath taking CGI movies about adorable talking robots and cuddly pandas, to blockbuster action popcorn flicks. We had witnessed breakthrough performances by some promising newcomers, as well as stunning performances by seasoned acting veterans. And were also all honored to witness the final performance in one actors fantastic but all too short career. 2008 brought us the return of two ever aging but seemingly ageless big screen icons, as well as the return of MARVEL films in all it's glory. And did I forget to mention a little film called The Dark Knight? All in all, one hell of a year. But! The year is over, and it is time for us all to pick our own personal top ten. What really moved you this year? What films could you not stop talking about? Give us your list, and tell us a little bit about why you chose each one of your picks, and lets debate debate away. I will now start but throwing myself to the wolves with my list, starting with number ten:


10. Eagle Eye

I will probably take some heat for this one. But nevertheless it stands.

9. Marley & Me

Very rarely does a film touch me like this one did. Not a dry eye in the house.

8. Tropic Thunder

The R-Rated action comedy is back.

7. Wanted

Just pure, silly, crazy, zany, pop-corny fun.

6. Bond 22

The second best Bond film behind Casino Royale.

5. The Incredible Hulk

Big Green the way that we should have seen him the first time!

4. Ironman

Marvel's new Spiderman film franchise.

3. The Dark Knight

I know that I'll take some heat for this one two. Number 3?! I can just hear everyone now. What could possibly be better?!

2. Wall-E

Simply put...The greatest animated movie ever. Period.

1. Rambo

Rambo. John Rambo. I don't think that I even have to say anymore.

[krystle]

i will have to sit on this one for a minute and think... but i will for sure get back to you on this one :)

[Josiah Guile]

Eagle Eye?! How did I know I would see this here? Well at least it's number 10. If it was any higher I would have had to burn a building down or something. (just kidding man, hehe).

So here is my list, It's not a "best of" though. I would have had to difficult of a time with that. So I'm calling it a "Most Enjoyed" list. And even sorting that is hard. In my opinion 2008 was the best year for movies for as long as I can remember.

Keep that this list isn't a list of the only movies I liked this year, but rather a list of movies that provided me with the best film watching experience. I guess you could call it my "best of" list but I'm still sticking with "most enjoyed". It's just easier that way.

#1 The Dark Knight

I really don't feel that this choice demands much of an explanation. It was (imo) not only the greatest superhero movie of all time, But also one of the greatest crime dramas of all time. The perfect cast, The perfect Director, The perfect Composer(s), along with cutting edge film making technology and brilliant technique all add up to making The Dark Knight not only my most enjoined film of they year but perhaps of entire life.

#2 The Fall

The Fall is complete "Favorite Film Ever" material. A unique tribute to imagination and innocents. This movie took my breath away so many times and left me speechless in it's wake. The Fall is the most beautiful film i've ever seen and i'm not only talking about the awe inspiring visuals. The performance (or should I say non-performance) of 10 year old Catinca Untaru completely melted my heart and Lee Pace's performance is among the best of the year. The Fall is a rare gem that has so much to find and cherish below the surface. It is one of the few movies that I wanted to re-watch as soon as the credits rolled.

#3 Slumdog Millionaire

There should have been a disclaimer stating that "Pregnant women or those with heart conditions are not permitted to view" cause this entire film is a non-stop roller coaster of emotion! (for lack of a better term) Directed my 2nd favorite director, Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire Is the most epic, intense, beautiful, touching love story you'll have ever seen. I challenge anyone to prove that statement wrong. 2008 was, among other things, the year of the child-actor and this film leads the pack. The kids in this film are so disgustingly convincing that at times it seemed like I was not watching actors in a film but real children living there adventures lives in the slums of India. Like The Fall above, Slumdog Millionaire manages to use every single aspect of it's unique and imaginative film making tell one of the most exciting and beautiful stories i've ever seen.

#4 Speed Racer

Say hello to the most under-rated film of the last 10 years. I knew going into Speed Racer that I would, more likely then not, Enjoy it. What I did not know was that Larry and Andy Wachowski had created the film equivalent of the fountain of youth! It was at the very first scene when I realized that I was no longer a 22 year old, picky, hard to please, Film buff, But instead I was my 10 year old happy-go-lucky, wants to go fast, over-developed imagination, self from days when I just wanted to have fun. To say that I enjoined this film would be an understatement like no other. It was better then any roller coaster i've ever ridden. It was the most visually intense and captivating experience i've ever had in a movie theater. It was FUN plain and simple. All that aside from the fact that Speed Racer visuals are a film making marvel that, like Tron years before, will not be appreciated for years to come. Mark my words, When our teenage kids come home from the mall years from now they will be sporting Larry and Andy's Speed Racer shirts and watching the what will then be called, cult classic with their friends. Which will be good considering the strong but not at all preachy presence of family values and un-conditional love. Speed Racer ROCKS!

#5 Taken

You know the french really know their film making and Taken should definitely help get that fact out. Oh and Director Pierre Morel should be on everyone's Watch-List! My experience with Taken began quite a while ago with the first teaser trailer where Liam Neason kicked my teeth in without doing a thing. That's when this film popped up on my radar and I knew it was going to be good. Lucky for me it was even better. Moments of Taken may not be the most plausible but still manage to come across as convincing. The fact that I so badly wanted Liam to get his daughter and I so badly wanted the bad guys to get what they had coming was a big help to that. Taken is filmed like a bourne movie that is both viewable as well as meaningful. The whole movie is gritty, tough, and powerful. Liam Neason is like a badass superhero without the superpowers. His lack of superpower is not a weakness, he simply does not need them. The story is emotional and relevant and serves as the main course of the film not just a side dish. Morel emotionally fuses us to Liam then throws us both in one wickedly intense adventure that has us praying for justice and a victorious outcome. Taken left me satisfied and surprised, and very excited for what Morel has in store next.

#6 In Bruges

I'm going to do you a favor and not say anything about this freaking awesome film so that you can have the experience that I had the first time that I saw it. Just know that this movie is so good it'll leave you thinking about it for long after the credits roll. I LOVE THIS MOVIE.

#7 Rambo

Rambo, Just saying the name makes me feel 10% more badass. Rambo, Rambo, Rambo, Raaaammmbbooo! There we go, i'm ready to write. If there is anyone who has not seen this movie what are you waiting for?! Rambo is the action movie that the world has been waiting for 2 decades. A all out, Gritty, Raw, Action film. Non of this Michael Bay/Spielberg/lucas, Shiny CGI explosions and fake computer technology, make up techno-babel mumbo-jumbo, bullshit. This is the action film your Mothers warned you about and got made at your Dad for letting you watch when you were an impressionable child. Hell yeah! Stallone is Rambo and does it well. But even better then him being badass actor he does a brilliant job of being badass director. The man has more skill behind a camera then in front and that a compliment and not an insult by any means. Then there is his skill with a pen. The story he wrote for this Film has much more relevance to it then most if not every action blockbuster. Bringing to light the horrible state of Burma that our media chooses to continuously ignore. If Saving Private Ryan should be watched for it's historical relevance then so should Rambo. Bravo Sly, Bravo.

#8 Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Funny, Funny, Funny! Jason Segel makes this film. He portrays the most real, normal, average guy i've seen in a movie and he does it so well. In fact almost everyone in this movie was perfect, spot-on, and hilarious. To me a good comedy should provide you with at least half a dozen lines that you can recite to yourself throughout the day and make you laugh every time. Forgetting Sara Marshall has given me 3x that much. In fact i'm laughing right now just talking about it! If you haven't seen this movie yet, do it! But fair warning, this is an R rated film and deserves the rating if you catch my drift.

#9 Tropic Thunder

I like this film much more then I should. It is far from perfect and left a bit to be desired. But man, it was funny! Everytime I think I should remove this from my list I remember RDJ and I start cracking up. He was definitely the champion of this film. And remember what I said about comedy's providing quotes and all that? Yeah Tropic Thunder completely succeeds at the task. Ben Stiller really holds his own as Director and I think behind the camera is a better place for him most of the time. What I liked the most we're aspects that had nothing to do with the storyline at all but more so the way the characters interacted with each other..

#10 Kung-fu Panda/WALL E

Aggghhh. I can't make up my mind here. I thoroughly enjoyed both of these films and sci-fi and martial arts films are my two favorite genres. So these guys are going have to share my number 10 spot. With WALL E I expected greatness but Kung-fu Panda totally took me by surprise. Kung-fu Panda is such a respectful homage to the Martial Arts film genre it's really a special thing for a big kung-fu fan like myself. But WALL E is the same thing to the sci-fi genre. Both movies are visually breath taking, But I have to honestly say that I thought Kung-fu Panda gets the nod in the visuals department. Crazy you may think but re watch the film with the purpose of noticing the gorgeous camera work and detailed environments. This is one of the best shot action films (if I can even call it that) I've seen in years, and it's animated!! I never would have thought. Yes the storyline is predictable and cliche, but that's the point. If you've ever seen any of the classic kung-fu films you'll notice similarities too strong to ignore. In trying to emulate the kung-fu genre the film actually succeeds at becoming a very well done kung-fu film of it's own. Bravo Dreamworks. Now for WALL E, I wouldn't call WALL E the greatest animated film ever because that would be like calling The Dark Knight the greatest live action film ever. As far as i'm concerned a film is a film is a film no matter what media the movie is related with. I would say though that WALL E is the most epic animated film. It is grand without being overbearing, It is relevant without being preachy, and It is loving without being mushy. WALL E is one shiny package that will definitely hold it's place among the greatest sci-fi films.

Other Films I loved

[krystle]

bravo my love. i have a tough time trying to think of others to add, and i can't think of one yet. i need to think think think.

[Chris Williamson]

Yes a very impressive list indeed. I'm glad that we share a lot of the same tastes in films. I only hope that 2009 will be as entertaining as 2008. Let's all hope. We have some big movies coming our way. Here's to 2009!

[Mike]

I say, both very good lists. Quite the movie selection last year. I agree with both of you and there are a few on Josiahs I need to get now.. thanks lol

[Josiah Guile]

haha, enjoy!

[meatpaul]

you missed out on Redbelt. and Rambo? nigga please! the Wayans brothers did a better job of acting on White Chicks than Sly did on this.

[Josiah Guile]

Regardless of the fact that you making the choice to watch White Chicks completely devalues any film related opinion that you may have, I'll proceed to argue your above statement anyway.

Like I said in the statement preceding my list, It is not a "Best of" list but rather a "Most Enjoyed" list, and considering the fact that I did not watch Redbelt it would be impossible for that film to find it's way on my list. In fact as it stands now Redbelt is on my "least Enjoyed" list, along with all the other films that I have not seen. So no, it was not forgotten, It was just simply not even an option.

So you didnt like Rambo? Hmmmm... Do me a favor yeah? reach down between your legs and make sure your balls havent fallen off. I didnt think was was humanly possible for a male human to dis-like that asskicking of a movie. Bad actor huh? Help enlighten me, Who (in your already established silly) opinion would have been able to pull off the 60 year old, cut off from society, hard, grumpy, BUILT, character of John Rambo?
I mean dissing Stallone's portrayal or Rambo? If you watch Rambo for the acting then your doing it wrong.
But just for the record I (along with most movie goers as well as critics) thought that Sly did a SPOT ON job.

This is the part where I would apologize for sounding harsh, But I'm not gonna do it this time. You crossed the line man, you crossed the line.

Oh yeah, And where is your list pal? You just stop by to tell us that you disagree and that's it? CHICKEN!

[Josiah Guile]

Just found this online, Crazy huh?

[meatpaul]

hee hee.. your soooo cute.

[Josiah Guile]

i love you. really. i just want to be sure that you know that.

[meatpaul]

i'm so happy my sister picked you. I wuv you too snookie-poo