It’s no secret that I don’t expect 2008 to be remembered as a banner year for cinema, though with that said, there are plenty of exceptional films to be remembered.
Perhaps 2007 spoiled us and got our hopes up and 2008 brought far too many let downs and disappointments from great filmmakers. Usually when I sit down to write up the year’s best, the first short list stands at around 30, perhaps 35 films that range from very good to great. This year I was at less than 20, and in some cases, I was probably stretching to allow space for this or that.
But I got it down to 10, so here they are…
10. “VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA”
This film was not vintage Woody Allen, as he has grown so much as a director for anything new from him to be considered a throw-back, but it is certainly refreshing Allen. Sexy and sleek, this film is part of the newest stage in the director’s career, moving away from the comfort and familiarity of New York to an exotic locale with Americans mixing it up and getting into all sorts of bizarre situations. Penélope Cruz all but burns a hole in the screen with her sensuality in this film, which is terrifying because she just might be psychotic. Welcome back Woody…we’ve missed you.
9. “SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE”
Danny Boyle’s latest was another Toronto Film Festival find that exploded out of the gate to become one of the best films of the year, the critics’ darling and a shoo-in for a Best Picture nomination from the Academy. Boyle uses an array of color, sound and images to create a startling view of the world inhabited by a young man who has seen his share of horrors in his life. He finds opprtunity on a popular game show, a chance to turn his life around. The film is amodern day fairy tale full of hope and dreams and the belief in what might be possible. I do not share the belief that this is the best of the year, but it is without question a part of the list.
8. “FROST/NIXON”
Earlier this year I wrote a piece asking if Ron Howard had the edge to make this film work. Did he possess the courage to present former U.S. President Richard Nixon with absolute honesty or would he candy coat the story as to not offend? I was thrilled when the director made a brilliant film out of the Peter Morgan play with powerhouse acting from Frank Langella and Michael Sheen. With dialogue-driven films, the performances must crackle and crackle they do throughout this one, with the edge going to Langella as Nixon, slowly dancing with David Frost until finally dropping his guard in front of the American people. This is Howard’s best work since “The Missing.” Only “Apollo 13” stands above it in his catalog to date.
7. “CHANGELING”
A great film is a great film is a great film, so I cannot understand why so many American critics lashed out at this work when it was released in October. Or were they perhaps lashing out at its director, Clint Eastwood, believing he had enjoyed too much success in the years previous? “Changeling” is a great film, beautifully acted and directed, telling a frightening tale of corruption and the abuse of power and the manner in which one woman driven by the anguish of losing a son fought back just to be heard. Angelina Jolie is better than she has ever been in the lead role and John Malkovich is equally superb as a preacher who believes her and comes to her aid. Don’t listen to the nay-sayers — this was a great film.
6. “CHE”
I saw the four-and-a-half-hour cut of Steven Soderbergh’s latest at the Toronto International Film Festival and watched it again recently on DVD. I believe with every fiber of my being that this is a great film. Yes, there are detractors, but I believe they are wrong, plain and simple. This is a demanding work, with no great climax to its slow-moving narrative, unfolding with great patience and detail just like life itself. Benicio Del Toro is a revelation as Che Guevera, slipping under the skin of the character to become him. He masks from his men a quiet fury, a smoldering intensity borne of an intelligence, of truly understanding what they are fighting for. Soderbergh has given us an extraordinary achievement, bold and daring, as far from manistream cinema as we can get, yet compelling and altogether brilliant.
5. “REVOLUTIONARY ROAD”
Years ago, Hector Babenco’s “Ironweed” polarized audiences and critics because, on one hand, it was a relentlessly bleak story with no hope. But it was performed with utter genius by Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep. To this day people are not sure what to make of it. Will that happen Sam Mendes’s brilliant Richard Yates adaptation? Yes it is bleak and full of marital despair and pain, but it is so beautifully acted by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, who give themselves over to their roles. The raw pain of their existence is etched in their faces as these two great actors go toe-to-toe, delivering superlative work backed by the eerie Michael Shannon and Kathy Bates. Sam Mendes again displays remarkable gifts with actors.
4. “THE WRESTLER”
Indeed this film marks the return of Mickey Rourke, but it is something much more, a merging of actor with role that allows an artist to explore his demons before our eyes. Once considered one of the greatest actors of his generation, Rourke blew it, destroying a promising career. He’s back here as Randy “The Ram,” an over-the-hill wrestler making ends meet working odd jobs and wrestling long after his body has told him to quit. Marisa Tomei is outstanding as his stripper friend in this marvelous, gritty little film from the great Darren Aronofsky.
3. “MILK”
In Gus Van Sant’s best film in years, Sean Penn delivers the finest lead performance of the year as Harvey Milk, the first openly gay official elected to office in the United States, only to be assassinated in the late 1970s. Penn is astonishing, filling the screen with warmth and love, exuding goodness and faith in his fellow man and humanity. Yep, that Sean Penn. He is surrounded by a long list of terrific supporting performers including James Franco, Josh Brolin and Emile Hirsch in this, an American masterpiece.
2. “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON”
David Fincher nails it with a haunting romance that is also a splendid fantasy film, a stunning character study of a man born aged and growing younger with each passing year. Brad Pitt gives a superlative performance, matched step-for-step by Cate Blanchett in one of the screen’s great romances. It’s a knockout that may in time edge out my number one choice for the top spot this year, but not yet.
1. “THE DARK KNIGHT”
I never thought a Batman film would sit at the top of this list, but Christopher Nolan turned comic book fantasy and wild entertainment into art this year with this superb film, one that I truly hope cracks the Academy’s Best Picture category. Heath Ledger gave a performance for the ages, truly one of the greatest film performances ever, and Christian Bale continues to grow, emerging as, hands down, the best Batman ever. Gary Oldman gives the film its heart and soul, grounding it with a conscience, while Michael Caine is a delight as loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth, who often knows and understands Bruce Wayne better than the man does himself. The film grabs you by the throat at the beginning and never lets you out of its grasp. I loved it more the third and fourth times I saw it than I did last summer and no other film brought me such pure, giddy joy as this
Runners-up: “Doubt,” “Gomorrah,” “Iron Man,” “Rachel Getting Married,” “The Visitor,” “W.” and “WALL-E”
Best unreleased film of the year: “Lovely Still”
(Check back tomorrow for my list of the year’s worst.)
Comments
89 responses to “My picks for the 10 BEST films of the year”
Whatever did happen to Lovely, Still? Wasn’t Burstyn poised for a comeback nomination?
It’s got some good films on it, but it’s not as daring as Kris’ list. I would’ve liked to see at least one or two of a bevy of smaller films from this year make the list. “The Flight of the Red Balloon”, “Ballast”, “Let the Right One In”, “Happy-Go-Lucky”, “Edge of Heaven”, “Redbelt”, etc.
Again, good list, but kind of boring.
haha because its not elitist?
Congratulations for picking Changeling.
I agree, Changeling is a great film!
Eh… any list with the Dark Knight at the top, I tend to take with a grain of salt.
Now MY list …
1. The Wrestler
2. WALL-E
3. Flight of the Red Balloon
4. Let the Right One In
5. Bigger, Stronger, Faster
6. Snow Angels
7. Happy- Go – Lucky
8. Pineapple Express
9. Ballast
10. Hunger
Milk and VCB are pretty good too.
Great list.
Sorry to be an ass, but… John Brolin?
Can’t agree with the Changeling mention. At all. That four movies in one…not one of them a particularly good one.
i still have a few to see, but…
1. The Dark Knight
2. Milk
3. Slumdog Millionaire
4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5. Doubt
6. Wall-E
7. The Reader
8. In Bruges
9. Let the Right One In
10. Happy-Go-Lucky
Dan: Honestly, any list excluding The Dark Knight entirely I tend to take with a grain of salt :-).
Great list and fock the people that talk crap about TDK, imo is the best movie of this year but i still need to see all of the top 10 except VCB because i dont care to see it.
Cant wait to see the crap talking about Watchmen next year :).
Kokushi,
Looks like Watchmen is going to get delayed. Fox won a copyright lawsuit against WB, meaning they’ll probably have a drawn out negotiation in which WB agrees to pay Fox in some form or fashion. And I highly doubt Watchmen is on TDK’s level, just like 300 wasn’t on Batman Begins’ level. Snyder simply isn’t as good as Nolan.
Agreed, Hans. Dan, any list with Pineapple Express I tend not to take too seriously.
Lolz at the tdk fanboys uniting!
regardless of your thoughts… the film certainly needed to shave of at least 30 minutes and actually be handled by someone who is competent behind the camera (swirling cameras for the loss).
Pineapple Express > any comedy released this year.
“Pineapple Express > any comedy released this year.”
That’s not really saying much. As for competence behind the camera, that is completely subjective. Pfister has been nominated twice for Best Cinematography and he might actually win for The Dark Knight.
Saying “PE” is greater than any other comedy this year does not mean it belongs on a top 10 list.
I was actually LOL at the TDK-hater, so each to his own, I suppose.
Happy-Go-Lucky. Tropic Thunder. Ghost Town. In Bruges. All of these comedies are better than Pineapple Express. Also, feel free to count Wall-E as a comedy- it was also better than Pineapple Express. I didn’t particularly like W., but I thought that it was also better than Pineapple Express.
Suffice it to say, Pineapple Express is vastly overrated, and not to be discussed when talking about the best movies of the year, unless you’re saying, “Pineapple Express is decidedly not one of the best movies of the year.”
As for my top 10:
The Wrestler
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight
Wall-E
Man on Wire
Che
Let the Right One In
Frost/Nixon
Doubt
I’m tired of hearing any “best” or “top ten” list described as either boring or daring or some similar adjective. People the ten best to a person is their ten best. Why should they try to go out and make a statement about something with their list?
If these lamentations had any merit, then you would have to say that any critic who had The Godfather, Silence of the Lambs, or No Country For Old Men as best film of the year had a boring list simply because the majority of the people thought that each was the best film in their respective year. Since when does agreeing with the majority of critics warrant any frowning upon?
The same goes for lists such as Kris’ . A list should never be rewarded, or condemned because it chooses unconverntional picks. In a very large way, the populous contradict themselves. If a list is really out there in its picks, a lot of people act like WTF. While someone who chooses a more generalized list is often times ridiculed as being lazy or having a boring eye for cinema. Sure some lists are more interesting than others, but that’s just that person’s opinion, not their agenda.
I still think Slumdog is better than Changeling, and I miss Synecdoche on this list. But other than that, I agree with almost everything else.
Oh, yeah, and “In Bruges” is also missing. To me, it was way better than “Revolutionary Road”
But like Kris said, I am afraid that a lot of the members of these groups or circles, including the AMPAS, go with, you could say the orthodox pick, whenever they are in doubt. It’s almost as if in some situations they feel their membership will be revoked if they don’t agree with the concensus.
Tropic Thunder is among the worst films of the year, with trite ridicioulous jokes such as Tom Cruise dancing being the source of laughter.. oh goodness, the hilarity!
While I consider Happy-Go-Lucky to be the superior film to Pineapple Express, that is mainly due to the characters that Leigh portrays on screen, and not so much the comedy involved.
Ghost Town is simplistic, and I don’t consider WALL-E as a comedy.
Green’s landmark step into the mainstream was ingeneious and I find it hard that people are having a hard time wrapping their minds around a… stoner comedy? Silly kids.
Scott: Thank you for the reminder to all that this is MY list — these are the films I consider to be the years best…period. Less daring than Kris’s list, nope, just different — and as for those commenting on the lack of the so-called small films not on the list, please note “Slumdog Millionaire”, “The Wrestler” and one of the runners up ‘The Visitor”???? Are you serious?? Again, agree or disagree, it is my list gang, just as the opinions given are yours, and I would never state you are wrong for your opinion. I may disagree, in fact, with many of you…but never with your right to make that choice.
The Dark Knight is overrated as hell, and even I can see Dan is a pompous baffoon.
John, you fail to grasp one of the main rules of being a movie critic (or critic of any kind). It doesn’t matter what your ACTUAL list is, you need to inject it with foreign film submissions that only played in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Your internet cred depends on it.
I’ll come in and defend Tropic Thunder, which I still have as the best comedy of the year. Admittedly, I have not seen Pineapple Express yet (one. more. week.), so I certainly won’t criticize that choice.
But Dan, I think the ridiculousness you find in people not being able to understand a “stoner comedy” is equal to you classifying Tropic Tunder as a film filled with “trite ridiculous jokes.”
I told a friend recently that I thought “TT” was the apex of low-brow comedy. It’s not smart, but it doesn’t try to be. It’s overacting, overdirecting, and overwriting, but it’s all done for the purpose of laughter. I think Ben Stiller knew exactly what he was onto the screen, and it’s that unique ambition that I respect so much. Add in an ensemble that buys into Stiller’s idea — from Robert Downey Jr. to Nick Nolte to, yes, Tom Cruise — and I think it works at every turn.
There’s quite a few flaws in the movie, but it’s the most ambitious comedy this year, and I give it a hell of a lot of respect for that. It will be in my top 10.
Also, as excited as I am to see Pineapple Express, it has a lot to live up to. This has been a damn good year for comedy, IMO. I have quite a few in my top 20:
Tropic Thunder
W.
Role Models
Vicky Christina Barcelona
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
In Bruges
None a perfect movie, but each works and is pretty damn unique. This year has been a struggle in Oscar-caliber movies, but not in comedy if you ask me.
Why people say that Changeling was a bad movie.
Changeling is 63 in Metacritic. Ben Button is 69 and RR 70. Not a big diference.
I don’t think has been a lackign year at all.
For me, Rachel Getting Married, Synecdoche, New York, Reprise, The Fall, Let the Right One In, In Bruges, Hunger, Edge of Heaven, Man on Wire, and yes, even The Dark Knight are all REALLY great movies. As great as any movies any year are going to get.
That’s my top 10 and looking at it now, it’s probably my favorite batch of film of any year this decade.
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS is tied with SYNECDOCHE as the most overrated film of the year.
I give you props for the special mention of THE VISITOR. While I certainly fall into the Roger Ebert camp on Benjamin Button, to this day, I don’t get all the IRON MAN love. I know I know…but, to me it wasn’t better than a well done comic book movie wrapped up with a weak third act.
Just saying, for me, it’s enjoyable for sure, but it’s probably my most overrated of the year.
John: Less daring than Kris’, nope?
Well it is. I can agree with you having a right to your opinion, but don’t try to throw out “Slumdog” and “Wrestler” as proof of small films when they’re on EVERY critic’s top films list. It’s just nice to see a little bit of an unconventional approach, a la “Bolt” and “Dear Zachary”. It promotes better discussion, but at the same time, I also don’t want you to put them on there if you don’t believe they deserve to be on there, so I can understand that point.
However, as a critic I thought there’d be a greater appreciation for smaller market films that don’t have as wide of an audience. It helps to encourage people to see something different other than just Oscar-buzz films.
And as a critic, aren’t you supposed to take an objective standpoint that is as removed from personal preference as possible? There is a different between BEST (which you labeled your list) and FAVORITE. Now, the justification you give for “The Dark Knight” sounds like it’s your favorite movie of the year.
For example, “Redbelt” or “TDK” is probably my favorite of the year, but I’ll acknowledge that “Slumdog” is probably the best I’ve seen so far.
Other than a very funny and inspired performance by James Franco, I too thought Pineapple Express was overrated. I wasn’t a huge fan of Tropic Thunder either, but it was far more enjoyable than PE. It wasn’t that Pineapple Express was a bad film, it just seemed a little too self-absorbed. And Seth Rogen is probably the least versatile actor in Hollywood…
…the best comedy of the year hands down was Vicky Cristina Barcelona. This is hands down the best Woody Allen movie in a LONG time. Not only was it entertaining, but Allen constructed really intricate characters that you truly cared about and felt for. Rebecca Hall’s performance is one of the standouts of this year–Vicky is an incredibly complex, deeply confused soul searching for something in her life that matters. Her last scene with Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem was brilliantly and tragically funny…
…props to Happy-Go-Lucky as well–with most of the credit going to a very brave and natural performance from Sally Hawkins.
Did some jackass actually call Tropic Thunder ambitious?
I’ll side with Dan on all accounts…. except that WALL-E is the best film in this awful year for cinema.
My Top 10
The Dark Knight
Changeling
The Wrestler
Revolutionary Road
Gran Torino
Slumdog Millionaire
Burn After Reading
Wall E
The Reader
Role Models
Most overrated film:TIE! The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Doubt
Most underrated film: Revolutionary Road
And going with what Zack said above: I agree last year was a much stronger year for movies.
Zan, do you realize what you said doesn’t make logical sense? A ten best list is quite subjective because it has to be. Sure, any critic who forms a ten best list is trying to look at the overall quality of a film, but everyone sees everything different, so personal preference unavoidably comes into play. If John and others were to take an “objective standpoint that is as removed from personal preference as possible,” (quoting you) then they would have to go to Metacritic or Rotten Tomatoes and simply copy and paste the ten best rated films of the year. After all, this is the only way to form a list completly void of preference, which is what you are suggesting. And if this was the case, then there could only be one best ten list of the year.
And Zan, the man was merely offering up a few words on why he liked the film. I know I could write you close to ten pages on why I think TDK is great (btw i’m not a fanboy), and I’m sure that John could go into much greater detail than me on the film.
And I’ll say it again, no list is more daring than another, which is something you need to realize. Sure an off-the-wall list will catch my eye moreso than an expected list, but only because I am curious as to their thoughts and/or defense of their picks. But this doesn’t make their list more daring. It just means that they see things differently from another guy.
And to put my two cents in for our little unofficial poll, I thought that Tropic Thunder was much, much better than Pineapple Express.
“Burn After Reading” is absolutely untouchable concerning comedies this year.
Zan: I can add the most unexpected choices in my list and that doesn’t make it a good one. “Bolt” the second best film of the year? Based on what? How good Kris felt that day, watching the movie? Good lord. “Bolt” is not a small film. It was only too conventional and lacking ambition.
Want a small film in Foote’s list? There’s “Che”. Almost undistributed, risky, unconventional and with grand scope and ambition. Four hours and still is a little film.
The Dark Knight is in a lot of top 10 lists. It’s my second favorite of the year, behind only Milk.
When can we have Guy’s Top 10 too?
And you know when someone doesn’t include TDK in their Top 10, they are either lying or playing a prank on you.
Benjamin Button a “stunning character study”? Please, please somebody give me one example of the film seriously examining or considering what it would mean emotionally and intellectually for that character to age backwards. Just one.
And “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Wrestler” as representing small or independent cinema? Please. I’m sure Danny Boyle and Darren Aronofsky were real nervous waiting on that acceptance or rejection letter from Toronto and Venice.
I for one think it’s an excellent list, John. Good job. My #1 and #2 are the same, actually.
Zan, here’s a tip: try to be a little more coherent in your argument. Top tens are SUBFREAKINJECTIVE. What would people say if I had “Wanted” on my list (I do, because it’s amazing)? It’s my opinion. Much like John’s.
I saw Benjamin Button today, and I have to say, I think it’s a little overrated. And not only am I in love with Brad Pitt, but Fincher is my favorite director. :/
Anwway, here’s the list I’ve been compiling for a while…
1. Milk
2. The Dark Knight
3. Doubt
4. Changeling
5. Frost/Nixon
6. Burn After Reading
7. Slumdog Millionaire
8. Pineapple Express
9. Iron Man
10. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
I’m still dying to see The Reader..
As a general response, what I learned in my Film Criticism class was a bit different than what you all apparently learned in school. “I liked/I loved” should never be put in a review. Sure, you’re going to feel a certain way about a film, but good critics can most of the time not look only at personal preference. For an example, “Rules of the Game” bores the hell out of me, but I put that aside because I can see the social satire and the amazing, innovative depth and light/dark contrasts that Renoir used. Therefore, it’s a great film from an objective standpoint, but I really do not like the film much at all. In fact, I wholeheartedly prefer “Grand Illusion”, even though it’s not quite as good of a film.
I digress. To direct back, I wish there was more insight into why some of these films were on here. Read the paragraphs for “Changeling”, “Milk” and “The Wrestler”. Did you honestly learn anything that you couldn’t have read on IMDb? If you’re going to call a list of films a list of the BEST films, at least try to explain WHY they are the best films.
So,
Joel: That’s fine if you have “Wanted” on your list, but I’d like to hear WHY it’s on your list.
Scott: I understand your points, but objectivity seems to be lost in this list as there is almost zero justification for the choices. I’m fine with subjective thinking as long as there is some mode of backing up said thinking.
I’m going to pass on any more “Tropic Thunder” discussion (argument), because it gets far away from the point. It was undoubtedly a movie designed for divisiveness.
John Foote: I just saw “Revolutionary Road” tonight, and I agree: masterpiece. It’s right now simmering in my head, as I search to find whether or not it goes ahead of WALL-E to top my 2008 list, or whether it merely goes before Slumdog for #2. It’s a fucking astounding ensemble of acting — talk of Leo overacting is missing the point, and Kate has improved her “Little Children” character to near perfection. Not to mention that everything Kris Tapley has written about Michael Shannon being true, and a delightful performance from Kathy Bates.
Please, please, for those that have seen the movie and didn’t like it, let’s have a discussion on why. I’m off to read negative reviews for that reason. A few more points on the movie:
1. I will never, ever understand why Eric Roth’s Ben Benjamin adaptation is considered better than Justin Haythe’s take on Richard Yates. Both tackled impossibly hard stories, but the characters in Haythe’s sing and are far more honest than Roth’s. Not to mention that Haythe never steeps to cheap tricks, and that’s one I’ll never understand.
2. This is Roger Deakins just doing his job. The man is the best in the business. ‘Nuff said.
3. I feel like I’ve heard a lot of love for the Thomas Newman’s score for RR … maybe from Kris or John or Guy on this very site. I must say, it’s the one thing that bothered me in the film. It’s far too in-your-face, which may reflect a personal preference of style more than recognition of craft. That’s another thing I’d like to discuss further.
For now, for the sake of adding my top 10 to the discussion, I’ll put RevRoad and WALL-E tied on the top of my list (they won’t end up that way):
T1. Revolutionary Road
T1. WALL-E
3. Slumdog Millionaire
4. The Dark Knight
5. The Visitor
6. Tropic Thunder
7. W.
8. Role Models
9. Vicky Christina Barcelona
10. Doubt
Next 5 Movies to see: The Reader, The Wrestler, Pineapple Express, Man on Wire, Defiance.
Also, to only inspire further discussion and proof that there’s a lot of people on here that I just don’t see eyes-to-eyes in the film department, here’s three movies I really didn’t like that have their promoters: Rachel Getting Married (terrible directing, IMO), The Fall (beautiful, but not enough focus on moving the narrative), Seven Pounds (maybe the year’s worst movie. seriously.)
I agree with this list 100%. It’s exactly my list in the exact same order.