10. Redbelt (Buy the DVD)
Having missed this film theatrically, I assumed it was another middling Mamet film, something he did to pass the time between whatever his tasks on The Unit were and his lifelong attempts at forcefully shoving Rebecca Pigeon before my eyes. How wrong was I. Redbelt is an excellent film, one with a little more polish than I was expecting and a showcase for the amazing acting and physical chops of Chiwitel Ejiofor [pronounced Carl Jones]. Additionally, how on Earth does someone get a terrific performance from the quality wolfsbane [Galaxy Quest excluded] that is Tim Allen? The guy is great in this! Everyone is good in this [Alice Braga is a little sketchy], it’s got some great moments and dialogue and aside from not sticking the landing is both entertaining and intriguing work from Chicago’s finest foul-mouthed export. It’s like Mamet’s House of Games meets Bloodsport, which should be all the motivation anyone ever needs to buy eleven copies of this film, JUST IN CASE.
Current rating: 8.0 out of 10
Contributing factors: Mamet dialogue. Great supporting cast including Ricky Jay, Joe Mantegna, Max Martini, Emily Mortimer, and NO WAY… REBECCA PIGEON!
Performance to savor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, proving that chest hair and muscles are not a dealbreaker.
CHUD.com Pull Quote: “Redbelt will kick your ass, but it’ll adhere to a strict samurai code while doing so!”
9. Let the Right One In (Pre-Order the DVD)
This is a nice, deliberately paced little wonder. It’s certainly not going to win little Kåre Hedebrant any acting awards, but it’s a really cool and vicious tale of first love and lonliness. And a cool and vicious tale about secrets both big and small and how a little girl (maybe) can kick so much ass it ain’t even funny. The star of the film is the cold landscapes of Sweden and the industrial blandness of the early-80’s setting, and there are so many nice long shots that suck you in that it ripens the audience for the little moments that make the film so special. Surely limited by budget, the moments that really succeed are done with inventiveness and class and it makes Let the Right One In even better for it. I won’t spoil them. The hamlet of Blackeburg is not a happy place and seeing young Oskar’s life, it’s the kind of film that could have been a true downer if it wasn’t about a kid who befriends the vampire next door and the results of that friendship. It’s the latest upturn in fantasy and horror films featuring the connection between children and the fantastic and and unflinching one at that. Kids die and it’s great! The best horror films escalate to a conclusion that delivers and this one does so tremendously, culminating with a great climax and a really sublime coda. Really special stuff, and if I could have one action figure this year it’d be “half-trapped-in-ice-guy” from this little gem.
Current rating: 8.5 out of 10
Contributing factors: Excellent pacing, nice wide bisected static shots utilizing the snowy landscape of Stockholm (Motto: It’s not just a syndrome!). Inventive use of imagery. Bursts of terrific violence. Lots of Swedish men breathing way too loudly.
Performance to savor: Lina Leandersson, what with her sad eyes and misshapen sex organs and ability to toss folks around pools.
CHUD.com Pull Quote: “This isn’t the movie about the gatekeeper at Kitty Hawk, but still great!”
8. Frost/Nixon
Some folks dismiss this film superficially based on Ron Howard’s involvement, as if his presence alone emasculated strong material to the point of being middle of the road. Folks, this is Ron Howard, not Rob Reiner. Howard is prone to losing his grip on the edgier aspects of his work but there’s no denying his skill and ability to get performances from sometimes unexpected places. Luckily, everyone in Frost/Nixon is either well-versed from the successful stage version [ie: the leads] or an extremely capable character actor [ie: Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, and Kevin Bacon]. This is riveting, bold, and oftentimes very funny movie about a subject that isn’t as weighty as many big-time dramas. Especially since Richard Nixon is a near saint in comparison to some of his successors. Either way, this is a really solid movie loaded with great performances and little moments that elevate it from being a “Ron Howard film” to just being a great film. Almost top five material, but it may end up being one that grows better and better over the years, but at the very worst Frost/Nixon is a must-see for 2008 and possibly one of those sneaky little classics we simply don’t get enough of. And yes, Clint and Rance Howard make appearances, so you can sigh with relief.
Current rating: 8.5 out of 10
Contributing factors: Great acting work by all involved. Surprising heart and humor. Did I mention Clint Howard is in this?
Performance to savor: Michael Sheen, who is utterly engaging as the Frost in the title. Runner-Up: Emilio Estevez, for not being related to Michael Sheen or having anything to do with this film.
CHUD.com Pull Quote: “Holy shit, Skeletor can act!”
7. Iron Man (Buy the DVD)
If this was my list of the most entertaining films of 2008 or of the films I will watch the most times over the course of my lifetime from 2008, Iron Man would probably reign in at either #1 or #2. It’s such a solid movie, bursting at the seams with great moments, perfect design and execution, and possibly the best performance in a comic book movie off all time from Robert Downey, Jr. Yes, including Heath Ledger. Yes, including Vinnie Jones. Iron Man is a throwback of a movie that doesn’t try to rewrite the book in any way, just simply gliding right down the middle with glee and confidence. It works almost wholly, though the climax is flawed and at times it seems as if the film’s ambition had been scaled back by commerce and reality. Either way, Jon Favreau, Downey, and their cast and crew deliver a blast of a movie that takes a character that lacked a foothold in the public consciousness right to the top of the heap, which is a stronger achievement than folks realize.
Current rating: 8.8 out of 10
Contributing factors: Tons of great moments. A wonderful origin. Strong supporting work by all. Great effects. Robert Downey Jr. at the top of his, or anyone’s game.
Performance to savor: Robert Downey, Jr. The best actor alive.
CHUD.com Pull Quote: “Iron Man is an unabashedly joyous triumph for Marvel Studios and comic book movies in general!”
6. Hellboy: The Golden Army (Buy the DVD)
What can I say? We make no apologies about our love for the fat Mexican with the heart of gold and seemingly bottomless pit of talent. No creator becomes more hardwired to their work as Guillermo del Toro and Hellboy II: The Golden Army is the deliverance of the promise from the terrific though hampered by compromises first film. This one is awash in great moments, truly beautiful scenes [the elemental’s “death” may be the most beautiful image of 2008], and a love of the fantastic that isn’t present in today’s world of processed and homogenized products. It’s not for everyone, but it’s films like this that remind me why I love film and justifies all those years reading monster comics and cryptozoology books under the covers as an 8 year-old. Yeah, Guillermo is one of us… but no one alive can shoot film like he does and this is a giant wet kiss of monsters and magic and imagination that transcends personal tastes and genre loyalty.
Current rating: 8.8 out of 10
Contributing factors: Insane amounts of imagination onscreen and an incredible sense of wonder. Fun, colorful characters. Great monster designs. Gruff, pulpy fun all around.
Performance to savor: Luke Goss as the well-intentioned but lost at sea Prince Nuada.
CHUD.com Pull Quote: “The most relentlessly creative and inspired movie since… well, Guillermo del Toro’s last movie!”