Films of 2008

Today, there will be no to very little music discussion. Today, I'm going to discuss the films I saw in 2008. Specifically, I'll list the 10 best, in reverse order. Note: I haven't seen Milk yet, but hope to this weekend. From what I hear, Milk may be good enough to bump some of these films down. To be fair, though, this hasn't been the best year for movies - the past two were much stronger. Anyway:

#10: Be Kind Rewind. This was pretty lighthearted, but entertaining, and very clever in places. Some decent laughs to be had here. It also gets filed under 'what if', as the Mos Def part was supposed to be played by Dave Chappelle. While I like Mos Def, it's hard to say that this wasn't a missed opportunity. Still, not a bad film, fun for what it was.

#9: WALL-E. Probably the least impressive Pixar film I've seen, but still visually stunning. I don't know that I could sympathize with the characters much, and it was fairly preachy for an 'all ages' film. But it was amusing. Started strong but petered out in the second half.

#8: Burn After Reading. I couldn't decide what to make of this film, as it wasn't funny enough to be a comedy, but not really serious enough for a drama. The whole thing seemed to be one extended, violent episode of Seinfeld, really. Still, all the parts worked together well, and it had a couple genuine laughs in it. Without giving away too much, Brad Pitt's character was the best part of the movie, though the other principal players were strong.

#7: Paranoid Park. Hard to decide whether this or Rambow should be #6. This was a dark, quiet film, the kind that eventually gave some of its secrets away but not willingly. Pretty well presented. I don't know, maybe I'm just a sucker for noir. I feel like this film had potential for a much more dramatic climax, but maybe I just wanted it to be Brick too badly.

#6: Son of Rambow. This was more like what Be Kind Rewind should have been: a whimsical film that is basically fueled by the imagination of children. Not my favorite movie, by any means, but it had as much good-natured charm as anything I've seen this year. I don't know anyone else who saw it, and that's a shame.

#5: Iron Man. It's rare that I enjoy blockbuster films, the type full of 'splosions and big names. This film was very polished, but it still succeeded on a lot of levels. It was exceptionally well cast, and the special effects didn't get in the way. Also, I never really read Iron Man comics, but I have to say the ending was a pleasant surprise. I'm not against big-budget action films, but they rarely have much appeal for me. While this one might not have been impeccable, it was certainly good by any stretch of the imagination.

#4: Redbelt. This was a really well done, reserved drama that most people probably didn't see. It owes a lot of its success to the actors, Chiwetel Eijofor (spelling) in particular. This is what martial arts films should be like - character-driven and thought out, not all alpha-dog posturing and preening. I will admit that the film ends too conveniently, but it wasn't enough to spoil an otherwise fine piece.

#3: In Bruges. I came out of this film contemplative, partially impressed by how clever it was, but partially wondering why so many plots failed where this one got all the details right. It was a well-cast film, with solid characters, and a script that didn't get ahead of itself. The film itself was wonderful to watch, as the city of Bruges really elevated a film that would have suffered if set in New York City or some other generic metropolis. Perhaps the sum of the parts wasn't quite enough to endear itself to me, as it lacked something I could really connect with, but it probably had the fewest weak links of any film I saw this year.

#2: The Dark Knight. Fine. Yell at me for not putting this #1. Do it. This film had some faults, but let's start with the good points, which were not hard to find. Wonderfully shot, just enough special effects, well acted, Morgan Freeman. All the moral ambiguity and consequences were timely and completely rational. And Heath Ledger. If this wasn't one of the two or three best performances I've seen in a film, I don't know what would beat it. I wish he would have laughed a little more in the movie - I guess I'm partial to the Joker from the animated Batman cartoon of the 90's, who seemed to enjoy himself a little more - but it's a minor gripe about a mountain of gold. I think he does fit with the gritty tone of the movie exceptionally well, to be fair. If anything, the film is somewhat heavy-handed, particularly when Ledger isn't onscreen, and it could have easily been 30 minutes shorter. Still, this is exactly what a superhero film should be, with respect to Iron Man: not just tights and 'splosions, but moral consequences and questions about what is right and how far is too far.

#1: The Fall. I doubt if you saw this, either. It essentially had two films in one, and both of them were pretty great. It managed to be visually stunning without making a spectacle or losing sight of the intimate portion of the film. Yes, this film owes a fair debt to The Princess Bride, and while it isn't as light-hearted, it also isn't as tongue-in-cheek. Sometimes it was absolutely somber, other times very pulpy, but the end product was amazing. Some films manage to be epic and grand, while others strive for emotional resonance; this film managed to do both. Some of the stories I've read about this movie, specifically about the details of how it was filmed, really emphasize how wonderful it is. I suppose I might argue that it doesn't aim as high as The Dark Knight, but it also came closer to realizing its potential more often. (In comparison, I thought In Bruges had a lower ceiling than either of these two films, but came closest to reaching it.)

So there you have it. Feel free to disagree with me, or don't. Either way, this wasn't the greatest year for movies - while I liked The Fall a great deal, it didn't give me the same feeling that Once or Brick did, and my top 10 from this year felt weaker than the last two years. Hopefully Milk will be a positive experience - even if it's just fair, I appreciate the attention being given to a worthy subject. Also, I'm looking forward to the adaptation of The Road, which should be out early next year.

Coming soon: some more music news.

In Other News:
I am physically beat today. Still going to the gym, though.

Screw winter.