Andaryl's Compilation of the Best Movies of 2008Apr 13 '09 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line 2008: The Best, Greatest, Finest and Top 10 Movies of 2008.
I originally posted my Top 10 Movies of 2008 on January 1st. It seemed as good a date as any to post a best of the year, but admittedly there were a few movies I had still to see at that time. I’ve waited patiently since then for all of my Netflix movies to come in, and having now seen all the major contenders, feel safe in offering my final draft. Not in the List: There were some excellent contenders that didn’t make the final list. Milk, Frost/Nixon, and Doubt deserve special mention most notably for the exceptional performances of Sean Penn, Frank Langella and Meryl Streep respectively. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button also made my initial top 10, and didn’t lose its spot in the updated list because of anything else I saw, but because on reflection it wasn’t as magical as I first thought it was. On first viewing I was really impressed, but after later reflection the gloss started to slip away a little. More importantly I don’t think it’s a movie I’d ever think about watching again unlike some of director David Fincher’s other more interesting efforts. The other movies that got bumped from the original list are Transsiberian, Tell No One and Hamlet 2, all of which I highly recommend. Another late contender that didn’t quite make it was The Midnight Meat Train, definitely one for the horror crowd. Andaryl’s Top 10 Movies of 2008 10. Il y’a longtemps que je t’aime (I’ve loved you so long) This was a great tale of a woman with a horrific past, trying to reintegrate into society and with her sister after a long stint in prison. It starred Kristin Scott Thomas, an English woman in a French speaking role, who was absolutely brilliant in the lead. It may well have been the outstanding female performance of the year, but she wasn’t even Oscar nominated. Read Full Review 9. Rachel Getting Married Anne Hathaway got plenty of plaudits for her portrayal. It was a break from her glamour, or fairytale roles as she plays a recovering addict, fresh out of rehab, returning home for her sister’s wedding. Hathaway plays the egotistical and self-centered diva to perfection in a role that compares greatly to Kristin Scott Thomas’ above. Jonathan Demme also brought a nice touch with his handheld digital cameras to bring an air of unease and a home video wedding feel, while his ensemble of musicians gave it all an artistic edge. Read Full Review 8. The Visitor Probably one of the most understated movies of 2008 that had so much going for it. Character actor Richard Jenkins gave a great performance as the stoic, detached widower who was inspired by the magic charisma and spirit of Haaz Sleiman, playing an illegal immigrant. It’s a touching tale of how the unlikeliest of people can have the biggest impact on another’s life. Read Full Review 7. 4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) This was a low budget Romanian movie about a female student who helps her roommate get a back street abortion. Set towards the end of the communist regime, where such an infraction could have led to lifetime in prison, we get an unnerving and disturbing tale. Director Cristian Mungiu makes clever use of a single camera, creating prolonged shots that help add tension. Read Full Review 6. Burn After Reading Once my favorite directors, I’d lost interest in The Coen Brothers in recent years, but they bounced back well with No Country for Old Man and then followed that up in 2008 with one of their best comedies. Two things the Coen Brothers have done will is dark comedy and film noir. Here they combine both to spectacular effect. They benefit from a killer cast including some fine performances from George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich. But the greatest part is the complex mess of a plot they create that just seems to have everyone baffled. Read Full Review 5. Låt den rätte komma in (Let the right one in) A dark, cold and moody Swedish vampire movie that deals with preteen disconnection and coming of age. Youth actors Kåre Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson strike up a touching relationship and director Tomas Alfredson is especially artistic and creative in his restraint from graphic gore. In a year that saw a teenage Vampire blockbuster, this was certainly “the right one” to watch. Read Full Review 4. Revolutionary Road Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio and Sam Mendes were certainly a formidable triangle and a strong recipe for success, but it was only a brief performance from Michael Shannon that received Oscar recognition. I thought everything was just about perfect with this movie. The lead acting was outstanding. Kate Winslet’s Oscar win for The Reader was undoubtedly aided by this performance too and DiCaprio looked like he was finally finding a little mature intensity. Famed cinematographer Roger Deakins also made this an artistic piece to admire. Read Full Review 3. In Bruges I’ve been impressed with Colin Farrell’s work for a few years now but it wasn’t until last year’s Cassandra’s Dream and now In Bruges that he really seemed to find his niche. He’s great entertainment as the neurotic Ray while Ralph Fiennes has a funny Sexy Beast like cameo. Bruges is a beautiful choice of location, the story is enticing, but the one liners of the lead cast steal the show. Read Full Review 2. The Wrestler This may well have been my biggest surprise of 2008. The 2009 nationwide release (a pet peeve when it comes to awards), Mickey Rourke and a wrestling movie gave me plenty of prejudice going in, but I’ve always been a big Darren Aronofsky fan. Rourke’s performance was outstanding as he epitomized the woes of the protagonist and it was really a toss up for me as to who took the Oscar between him and Sean Penn. It’s a touching, intelligent and uncompromising tale that avoids all temptation towards the usual cliché of a sports movie while Aronofsky’s reality TV camera style is a great touch. Read Full Review 1. Slumdog Millionaire This one was the true underdog of the year as it was a movie that almost didn’t get released. It did, and won every major award, including my #1 movie of the year. To say that Danny Boyle has outperformed himself on Trainspotting is a major feat in itself but somehow he just manages to conjure up everything he’s tried in the past and throw it into a single classic. Slumdog pulls together the story of two orphans scraping their way through the streets of India, a story of love continually lost and refound and how a young man gets to draw on all his experience and achieve his ultimate dream through a TV game show. It’s a fun, uplifting movie with a great soundtrack too. Read Full Review  |
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