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THE YEAR THAT WAS 2008: The Top Ten Films of the Year

Photo Credit: Freeman Montaque

by Freeman Montaque
02/16/2009

For the better part of the year, I was confident that 2008 would not be a good year for movies. Following the act of 2007 seemed like a tall order, and after the last month of summer showed little more than a handful of notable films, it seemed my original notion might be correct. But then came the fall, and an embarrassment of cinematic riches was upon us. I still wouldn’t say 2008 was a better year for movies than its predecessor, but it managed to turn into quite a memorable period that churned out some real beauties.

Yet, like every year, there were still some pretty horrid titles released that made the movies worth seeing seem even more appealing. If you can help it, I would avoid coming anywhere near the following:

College Road Trip - It’s as stupid and annoying as you think.
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! - Like 2005’s Robots, this was a bland kids movie that critics collectively found to be appealing, and I found to be unbearably stupid.
Shutter - Replace the “u” with an “i,” and you’ve got a more accurate title.
The Spirit - I wouldn’t go as far as others and call this Battlefield Earth’s competition for worst film ever made, but it’s quite awful nonetheless.
*MARK WAHLBERG DOUBLE FEATURE: The Happening and Max Payne - Marky Mark dropped two giant turds on the turnpike this year. The first showcased, more than anything, how much of the stuff M. Night Shyamalan has lost since 1999. The second, even with its expectations about as low as Sarah Palin’s approval ratings, still managed to dramatically underwhelm, and prove once more that this whole video game-to-movie transition really doesn’t work too often.

These two I wouldn’t call awful, but the biggest disappointments of the year had to have been Burn After Reading and Revolutionary Road. While the former had a hard time being funny (which is a problem if you’re a comedy), the latter was so depressing it became a hassle to sit through it, save for Michael Shannon’s brilliant (and Oscar-nominated) performance.

Now, the list. . .

10. DOUBT
Movies based on stage plays usually rub me the wrong way because they feel and look like theater productions, and I hate that. This didn’t really break the mold in that regard, but the performances were so terrific, I didn’t even care.

9. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
It sure didn’t feel like I had been sitting down for over 2 hours once this fantasy drama was over with, and truth be told, I would have stuck around a little longer if need be. I wouldn’t say this was an amazing film (and aside from a few people, I don’t know many others who would either), but it sure kept me engaged, in addition to pointing out how much more attractive Brad Pitt is than me, even as an old man... or a baby.

8. RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
I walked into this film thinking it would be a decent dramady that was more or less the Anne Hathaway show. Don’t be fooled: this is a terrific ensemble piece. Hathaway is in fact fantastic, but just as excellent are her co-stars, notably Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin and Debra Winger. Additionally, I’ve never watched a film or television show that made the prospect of going to a wedding seem like so much fun.

7. A CHRISTMAS TALE
I’m about ready to call Mathieu Amalric one of my new favorite modern actors. After his brilliant performance in last year’s best film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Amalric steals the show as an unpredictable drunk in this wildly engaging comedy that feels a little like a French Royal Tenenbaums. It clocks in at a lengthy 150 minutes, but it felt like I had been sitting down for maybe an hour and a half when it was all over.

6. FROST/NIXON
Like Doubt, this is a film based on a play, but man, you could have fooled me: no part of this resembled theater. And even though Frank Langella is clearly the standout, the rest of the cast is great in their respective parts, particularly Oliver Platt (and really, when is he ever off?). There’s humor, intense drama and thrilling anticipation, all of which flows onto the screen with amazing ease.

5. THE WRESTLER
It may have a generic title, but trust me, this is a very special film. Mickey Rourke was born to play this part. There’s no other way around it. He turns in such a raw and touching performance, it really isn’t too hard to believe that Roddy Piper cried when he watched the film. Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood are no slouches either. Everyone is in tiptop form here, including director Darren Aronofsky, who just made his best film to date with this engrossing drama.

4. WALL-E
I wasn’t captivated at all when I saw previews for this. I didn’t understand why so many awards bloggers were getting so excited over what looked to be a decent animated film. You want me to sit through a full-length movie where there’s barely any dialogue except for the occasional “Wall-E” or “Eve-a”? How would that work? Well, it worked. It worked very well.

3. THE DARK KNIGHT
Besides Jurassic Park, I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to see a movie before. And for that movie to be even better than the ridiculous expectations I had for it is just unreal. This is more than action film. It’s more than a comic book film. It’s more than a Batman film. It’s just a great, great cinematic experience, plain and simple, filled with outstanding performances, including the best portrayal anyone has had of Bruce Wayne’s biggest adversary, The Joker. It may not have made the Oscar’s Best Picture shortlist, but let’s see which film people will be talking about most 20 years from now.

2. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
I couldn’t help but be reminded of City of God while I watched this, and anyone who’s seen that gem from 2003 knows what a compliment that is. After seeing it win virtually every Best Picture award from the critics, I didn’t want to like this film because I refused to think anything would be better than The Dark Knight. Sure, it’s not a perfect film. You probably know how it will end. But even still, this is some fantastic piece of filmmaking.

1. MILK
How fitting is it that in an election year where we saw a charismatic figure promote change, and the issue of gay rights yet again came under consideration, the best film of the year addresses both issues? But that’s not why I think this is the best film of 2008. This could’ve followed the route of so many other biopics for it and, as a result, become instantly forgettable. It could’ve just put the entire weight of the film on the shoulders of virtuoso actor Sean Penn. It could’ve made Josh Brolin’s character of Dan White this one-dimensional villain with no redeeming qualities. It didn’t do any of that, and as a result, it managed to rise above some other really excellent films made this year and stand out as the most exceptional.

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