Cinephemera

Ahh, 2008. You gave us some great movies this year. You managed to get me out to the theater more often this year than any other. In all, I saw 32 movies released this year with 22 being at the theater. With average ticket prices being 10 bucks, that’s around 300 dollars I’ve shelled out to my local cineplex. You’re welcome movie industry. There’s been so many great movies that I’m actually excited to see the Academy Awards this year. I’ve got a few choices that I’ll really be pushing for but with such great choices all around, it’ll be hard to be disappointed. So here they are in ascending order: my 10 best movies of 2008.

10. Cloverfield

I think a lot of people have forgotten all about this one. Not surprising since it came out in January but what a way to kick off the year. I still remember the insane amount of hype and irritating level of secrecy that led up to its release. I must give a standing ovation to whoever was in charge of marketing this thing because he/she/they are a genious. From that first image of a decapitated Lady Liberty to the first trailer without an actual title it all just made me want to see it more and more. It seemed impossible that it would be able to live up to expectations but this movie not only met those expectations, it surpassed them. If any movie deserved the descriptor of being a rollercoaster ride, it is Cloverfield. This movie also holds the 2008 record for most times I saw a movie in the theater at 3.

9. City of Ember

I know very few people who have seen this and I only hope that it becomes a hit on DVD because it really is a fun little children’s film. I saw this at a local dollar theater one day when I was bored and had a few hours to kill. Nothing else there sounded appealing and I remembered hearing that Bill Murray was in this so I decided to give it a shot. In the theater was just me, a homeless looking guy and two young women. I propped my feet up and pretty soon, I was swept up in this fantastic adventure tale. The production designer deserves some major kudos for this. The story is a rather simple one but I was so captivated by it that I didn’t care. And honestly, sometimes you just need a break from heavy material and this is just the movie to see if you’re looking for a fun, adventure movie. I walked out of the theater an hour and a half later feeling like a kid again.

8. The Wrestler

Darren Aronofsky is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors. The Fountain is one of my favorite movies ever and The Wrestler is yet another fantastic movie on his resume. It’s been said many times before but Mickey Rourke truly does give the best performance of the year. Seriously, if he doesn’t get the Oscar, the academy is off their rocker.

7. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

David Fincher is another one of my directors and Benjamin Button is a departure from his usual work which is rather kinetic and stylish. One could almost see his previous feature Zodiac as being a stepping stone toward this film. This is not to downplay Zodiac because I love it dearly but both of these movies are rather slow and have long running times. Normally this would entail the movie would be boring but somehow he manages to keep it interesting. Despite the fact that Benjamin Button is 20 minutes shy of 3 hours in length, I never felt the length. The cinematography is absolutely stunning and special effects are fantastic. I never thought I’d be able to say it but I actually respect Brad Pitt as an actor. He’s a keeper.

6. The Fall

The Fall is one of the most visually dynamic films I’ve ever seen. The amount of imagination on display is, at times, jaw dropping. There are things in this movie that you have never seen and will probably never see again. It is a fascinating story to watch unfold as you learn more and more about this stuntman and the demons he is battling within himself and how it correlates with the story he tells to the little girl he befriends. I don’t want to give too much away here but the ending is truly a thing of beauty and incredibly moving.

5. Burn After Reading

I’ve always been more of a fan of the Coen brothers’ comedies than their serious material although I think they do both spectacularly. Burn After Reading is just absurd comedy that only gets better the more absurd it gets. Every actor in this movie is completely ridiculous and obviously having a great time. Old Coen film standby George Clooney and newtimer to the Coen world Brad Pitt are delightful to watch and side-splittingly funny. Their first meeting (you know the one I’m talking about) had me rolling for minutes afterward. This year we got to see Brad Pitt at his goofiest in this movie and at his most subdued in Benjamin Button and he’s just fantastic in both of them.

4. Slumdog Millionaire

As I said in my previous review, this movie is bursting at the seams with life, energy and optimism. Not an easy thing for a movie that also features brutality and heartbreaking sadness. It’s a story about rising up out of the dirt and grime and being alive. What really got me was the love story and the never tiring search for one’s true love.

3. The Dark Knight

Honestly, what can I say about this that hasn’t already been said a billion times before? Heath Ledger’s performance alone is enough to give this movie a high ranking but it also benefits from deep subject matter and great direction. There is simply no way that any superhero movie will be able to topple this film. Seeing this in IMAX was one of the best theater going experiences of my life.

2. In Bruges

This movie caught me completely off guard. Me and a friend were hanging out in Downtown Brea and decided we wanted to see a movie. It was still pretty early in the year so there weren’t a whole lot of standout movies yet. My friend suggested we see In Bruges because he’d heard some good things about it. First of all, I was bowled over by the fact that I actually liked Colin Farrell. Secondly, I was impressed by the both hilarious and emotionally engrossing script. I’m very glad I hadn’t seen the trailer beforehand because it makes this movie look like a rollicking madcap shoot-em-up. It’s much better and deeper than that. The dialogue is fast, fun and witty.

1. WALL-E

Who woulda thunk it? The movie that tugged my heart strings the hardest, that made me fall in love with the characters the most, that brought tears to my eyes, is a movie about two robots in love. The space dancing scene was simply the most beautiful moment of any film that I’ve seen this year and I never wanted that moment to end. WALL-E is my favorite Pixar film right before Finding Nemo. Coincidentally, both are by the same director, Andrew Stanton. This post is taking forever to write because every time I think about the movie, I start remembering different scenes and remembering just how in love I am with this movie. I just can’t convey how in love with this movie I am.

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