Pete's Popcorn Picks: Top 10 of 2008

My thoughts on the best movies of the past year—plus plenty of runner-ups

Pete's Popcorn Picks: Top 10 2008. I went with a lot of mainstream studio fare in my top 10 list this year. That's cool, in a way, because it means studios are making smarter, worthwhile films again—rather than the dumbed-down for worldwide box-office stuff we've been seeing in years past. Still, I tried to throw a few surprises in, when smaller films stood out.

10. In Bruges. This nifty little crime movie was like Rick Steves’ Europe crossed with Pulp Fiction. Colin Farrell and Brendon Gleason are hitmen sent by mob boss Ralph Fiennes to Bruges, Belgium on an undisclosed assignment. Terrific performances and a great screenplay from director Martin McDonagh are enhanced by wonderful use of location. A sleeper for sure that will hold up nicely in years to come.
9. Tropic Thunder. Ben Stiller’s spoof of Hollywood and war movies had me laughing from start to finish. Tom Cruise’s supporting role as a foul-mouthed movie executive was a killer, and Robert Downey Jr’s tightrope walk as a Russell Crowe-esque method thesp in blackface was the comic performance of the year.
8. Wall*E. Pixar’s latest masterpiece may be its greatest yet. I was particularly pleased with all the references to story-driven1970s sci-fi movies like Silent Running.
7. The Dark Knight. The rare case of a sensationally-hyped movie that exceeded expectations, thanks to masterful direction from Christopher Nolan and a gripping, thoughtful performance by the late Heath Ledger as the Joker. Nolan deserves extra points for making the IMAX version really pop, and for making a comic book fable into a heady crime epic that reflected a spooky image of our current world.
6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I heard quite a few gripes about the nearly 3-hour run time of this fantasy starring Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse. Perhaps that lowered my expectations, but when I caught a matinee of this film at Hollywood’s charming Vista theater, I was enchanted from start to finish. As good as the cast—especially Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, and Taraji P. Henson—is, director David Fincher is the real star here. This follow-up to his best film (the unfairly overlooked Zodiac) Fincher uses cutting-edge CGI effects and a somber, not-too-saccharine screenplay by Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) to weave together an epic tale that covers nearly a century.
5. Frost/Nixon. Director Ron Howard offers his best film yet, a fascinating look at the interviews British television personality David Frost had with Richard Nixon, two years after Nixon resigned from office in disgrace. Frank Langella towers as the haunted former President, reprising the role he played on stage. Writer Peter Morgan adapts his own play into a crackling screenplay, offering the same kind of juicy, behind-the-scenes access that he dished out in The Queen.
4. The Wrestler. Watching Mickey Rourke play Randy “the Ram” Robinson is a unique thrill—the rare case of an actor letting his personal life mesh into his character’s, creating art of the highest level. Rourke, who abandoned his promising acting career to be a boxer, shines in what should be an Oscar-winning performance as The Ram, a washed up pro wrestler, whose 1980s glory days are fading quickly into the past. The movie works on so many levels, as a twist on the sports hero genre, as a character study (I can’t stand pro wrestling, but the behind-the-scenes stuff here is fascinating), and as a melodramatic tearjearker. Kudos to director Darren Aronofsky for giving Rourke the role of a lifetime.
3. Slumdog Millionaire. Of this year’s Best Picture contenders, this one is the richest and my prediction for the Oscar winner. Director Danny Boyle has been one to watch since his Shallow Grave debut in 1995, since then he’s made a bunch of classics, most notably Trainspotting and 28 Days Later. Boyle combines his strengths in myriad genres into one dynamic, moving, exhilarating crowd-pleaser. Sensational cinematography and editing make Slumdog Millionaire sizzle from start to finish.
2. Gonzo: the Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson. This documentary by Alex Gibney (Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room, Taxi to the Dark Side) is a fascinating look at a brilliant, troubled mind. Gibney’s film succeeds by recognizing both Thompson’s strengths, as an incredibly talented and influential journalist and muckraker in the 1960s and early ‘70s, and his failings, eventually being seduced by his caricature as a drugs, guns, and mayhem-fueled party dude.
1. Let the Right One In. My choice for the best film I saw in 2008 wasn’t even close. This Swedish film about the relationship between an 11-year-old boy and the vampire who moves in next door is an absolute stunner, both as a gothic horror tale and a tragic examination of adolescent loneliness and the importance of friendship. The film’s final two scenes are mind-blowing. Let’s hope the American remake, due in 2010, does this material justice.

Runner-ups. During 2008, I complained frequently to my fellow film buffs that it was a pretty poor year for cinema. But looking over my end-of-year list, I’m rethinking that criticism a bit, because there are 15 more movies that made a very strong impression on me, in addition to my top 10. I’ll give quick synopses of each.

Acting:
Milk: Sean Penn was magnificent as Harvey Milk, as was Josh Brolin as Dan White. Gus Van Sant recreated San Francisco in the 1970s with precision  and the appropriate sentiment—were the exception of a minor misstep at the film’s conclusion, this would have made my top 10.
 
The Visitor: The great character actor Richard Jenkins shines as a lonely widower who connects with a couple who have been living in his Manhattan apartment. A small film with a big heart.

Gran Torino and Changeling. I enjoyed both of Clint Eastwood’s 2008 efforts equally. Gran Torino would have been an afterschool special about inner city race relations were it not for Eastwood’s star presence onscreen and efficient storytelling skills behind the camera. Changeling’s “based on a true story” child-killer melodrama was a downer, but still interesting, and use of CGI and location recreated a realistic Los Angeles of the late 1920s.

Wendy and Lucy: This tiny-budgeted film about a homeless girl (a powerful Michelle Williams) and her dog is the poster child for less-is-more storytelling.
Frozen River: Longtime character actress Melissa Leo gives a knockout performance in this story of immigrant smuggling on the Canadian/U.S. border.

W.: Oliver Stone’s George W. Bush biopic was criticized by many by going too easy on the soon-to-be-ex U.S. president. I thought Stone’s approack was acceptable, interesting, and quite entertaining (though nowhere near as strong as his previous White House-related efforts JFK and Nixon). The film was buoyed considerably by a winning performance by Josh Brolin as Bush.

Spectacle:
Hellboy 2: This comic book fantasy by Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, the upcoming Hobbit films) nearly made my top 10 as well. It’s a visual knockout, and highly entertaining throughout.

Iron Man: Robert Downey Jr.’s performance as the man in the iron mask would have been the comeback act of the year were it not for Mickey Rourke. Smart, funny and thrilling, this was a perfect popcorn pic.

French:
I’ve Loved You So Long: Kristen Scott Thomas is magnificent in a heartbreaking performance, this film unfolds like a great novel and keeps viewers riveted until the final scene.
Roman De Gare: A fun, twisty romantic thriller that twisted once or twice too many times for its own good. Still, very entertaining and worthwhile.
Tell No One: An even twistier potboiler that would have made Hitchcock proud.

Laughs:
Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Raunchy, escapist comedy from the Judd Apatow had plenty of big laughs and a beautiful Hawaiian locale.
Religulous: Bill Maher’s documentary about organized religion was not the headiest meditation about theology, choosing instead a shooting fish in a barrel barrage of cheap shots at superstitious yokels. Still, I laughed from beginning until end.
Vicky Christina Barcelona: Woody Allen’s smart, wistful romantic comedy was top shelf stuff, terrific performances by Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, and beautiful locations made this a lovely little escape.


 

Posted at 01:38 PM in Pete's Popcorn Picks | Permalink