2008: movies

I have to admit, I didn't think that 2008 was as strong a year for movies as was 2007. In my blog post from last year (seen here), I listed a lot of movies, all of which I either loved, or really really liked. It seemed that when the end of the year came, and it was time for all the "award contenders" to come out, there were so many that I wanted to see extremely bad. I couldn't wait to see No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Sweeney Todd and others. In fact, the wifey and I saw like six movies in the theaters Christmas week of last year because there were so many.

This year didn't resonate like that for me. I wasn't really excited see that many movies. Don't get me wrong, there were some great movies, but this fall/winter, I haven't been dying to see that many shows. I'm sure that a lot of them that are out right now, the ones getting Oscar buzz (Doubt, The Reader, etc) are good, and eventually I want to see them, but I'm not exactly breaking the piggie bank to see them in the theater. They're not sucking me in, so to speak. Couple this with the fact that we are now parents, we haven't seen that many shows in the theater. We are seeing more and more of them on DVD, but since a lot of the newer films are still in the theater, we haven't caught them yet. I do want to see Frost/Nixon, The Wrestler, Milk, Doubt and others, but haven't had the chance yet. So I suppose my year in review is a little incomplete.

But all that aside, here are my thoughts.

Movie of the year:

The Dark Knight
I know, I'm biased. I love comic book movies and comic book culture. And I love Batman. But it goes beyond that. I loved Batman Begins, but I didn't say it was the best movie of 2005. The Dark Knight moved past being a great "superhero movie" into "great movie" territory. It made an astounding $530 million, and everyone loved it. But I don't hold that against it. It just was so good that people couldn't help but like it. Christopher Nolan is an amazing director. The script is fabulous, and well, I think others have said enough about what Heath Ledger brought to the table. I don't feel that there are any really weak parts to it. Is it perfect? No. But it is a damn good movie, and when people look back on 2008, I think this is the movie that they will remember, and not just because it made all that cash. I don't expect it to win Best Picture at the Oscars, but I will be very disappointed if it doesn't get at least a nomination. It deserves that much. And so does Chris Nolan for Best Director. He did that good of a job. And of course, Heath Ledger deserves Best Supporting Actor. If he were alive today I would still say this. He was simply magical in that role, it's just a shame he can't reprise it in the next one like they intended.


Best Comedy:

Pineapple Express.
If I were a teenager, and I were to text a simple review of this movie to my friends, I would simply say, ROTFLMAO, and that would succinctly describe how I felt. It was so damn funny. Mel and I laughed almost non-stop throughout the entire show. James Franco is a riot, and I think this was Seth Rogan's funniest movie, by far. Plus, I love the director, David Gordon Green. This is a huge departure from his other movies—George Washington, All the Real Girls, Undertow, Snow Angels (all of which I loved)—but he did a great job bringing it to life. It is freaking hilarious to say the least.


My other favorite movies of the year:

Slumdog Millionaire.
This show might just win Best Picture. It has been gaining a lot of steam in the past few weeks, and deservedly so. It was a very, very good movie. But I can't help but feel like it came along at just the perfect time. Like I said, this year's crop of Oscar hopefuls is not as dynamic or powerful as in years past, so it stands out. If it came out last year, I personally think it would get lost in the shuffle a little when up against No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Juno, and others. That being said, I really liked it and suggest everyone go see it. It's action packed, emotional, romantic, very well made, and, I think, a lot better than the trailers make it look (so go see it, even if you don't think it looks great). If I ends up winning Best Picture, I wouldn't be disappointed, it very well may deserve it. So go see it if you haven't.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Very good story/script. Great direction—I love David Fincher, he's directed some of my all time favorite movies (Fight Club, Seven, among others). And I think Brad Pitt is awesome in this role. It's one of his best performances, and he deserves a Best Actor nomination for it.

Iron Man
Not as good as The Dark Knight, but they shouldn't really be compared. It was one of the best superhero movies in recent memory, if not all time. Jon Favreau did a great job putting this together, the special effects were awesome, as was the script. And of course, Robert Downey Jr was flawless.


Really good movies, but not as good as the ones above:
Burn After Reading, Body of Lies, Cloverfield, The Bank Job, Paranoid Park, The Incredible Hulk, Hancock, Quantum of Solace (I really liked this, but not nearly as much as Casino Royale, which I freaking loved), In Bruges (wasn't sure what to expect from this, but it was really good. Colin Ferrel did a fine job, the best I've ever seen out of him).


Most disappointing movie:

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Let me start by saying I didn't want them to make this movie. I was adamantly against continuing the saga. But once they started it, and once I saw Harrison Ford don the fedora and crack the whip in the commercials, I'll admit, I was sucked back in and really stared looking forward to it. Then I saw it, and Lucas pulled out aliens, and Shia LeBouf swung on vines like a monkey, and it turned into a big train wreck. Thanks a lot Lucas. Thanks a lot. Damnit he makes me mad sometimes.


Most overrated movie:

Tropic Thunder
Every body raved about how funny this was. But, in that opinion, it wasn't that great. Robert Downey Jr was really good in it, and there were a few other funny parts, but overall, it was extremely disappointing. I usually LOVE Jack Black. I do. But in this show, he was so annoying, and so unfunny. It came out about the same time as Pineapple Express, so they got compared to each other a lot. But if you ask me, there's no comparison.


Movies I really want to see, but my newfound fatherhood (and lack of funds) has kept me from seeing so far:

RockNRolla, Gran Torino, The Wrestler, Changling, Milk, Frost/Nixon, Doubt, Revolutionary Road

So there is 2008 in movies. Here's hoping that 2009 is a good one. Again, like with the music, if I've forgotten anything, I'll add it later. See you at the theaters!