I am still firmly of the belief that 2008 has been a disappointment. Evidence of such: Three comic book movies in my top fifteen. Nothing against comic book movies, and these were all great ones, but there ought to be enough truly special material sneaking past the bean counters at studios to allow for a little more rich fare to choose from when it comes to making lists of these that have to account for films we admire as entertainment as well as ones which truly represent the finest filmmaking in a given year. We had virtuosity on display for sure, whether it coming in the form of mainstream Fincher, stripped-down Aronofsky, ever-changing Boyle, or the insanely creative toolbox of Andrew Standon and his team of genii, but the year isn’t one of the more robust ones to remember. I certainly don’t envision a wonderful Oscars showing, though there isn’t really a frontrunner.
Either way, behold my list and hopefully you find stuff to enjoy, disagree with, agree with, and get your click’s worth. Discussion of CHUD’s ‘Top Lists” is here and links to related articles and talkbacks can be found at the end of this three page (don’t forget to read them all!) article.
15. Body of Lies (Pre-Order the DVD)
Not many folks made the effort to see this film, which is surprising considered the combined pedigree of Ridley Scott, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Russell Crowe. While not the kind of wholly successful enterprise people might expect, Body of Lies is a very engaging and hard movie. DiCaprio is really compelling here as a CIA operative who is willing to go to great lengths to do his job while his mentor/handler (Crowe) sips coffee and monitors from the comfort of his home. This is a nice, gritty bit of business and though it’s not loaded with action and big moments, it showcases the continued excellence that Scott has in using his lens to tell a muscular story without going overboard like his little brother. More like the similar Spy Game (though this is better) than the Bourne movies, this is a film without a home in some ways. It’s not as dense as Syriana and not as mainstream as The Kingdom, living in this odd place that just so happens to engage me even moreso. In a world currently without anything capturing my need for good spy flicks, this is a keeper and one that should find a nice home on DVD.
Current rating: 8.0 out of 10
Contributing factors: Good filmmaking, engaging plotlines, and solid acting from all involved. This is the kind of mini-event film we need more of. Something smart and somewhat uncompromising with A-List talent.
Performance to savor: Mark Strong, who with this and the fun RocknRolla has become one of my favorite character actors.
CHUD.com Pull Quote: “Who needs Tom Clancy when you have stuff like this!”
14. Pineapple Express (Pre-Order the DVD)
I don’t this is an outright funnier film than Tropic Thunder (because sorry folks, we’ve pigeonholed people as either Tropic Thunder or Pineapple Express people in life), but it is a better film. My stance has changed over recent months. Especially having seen it four times now. There’s a lot to love, and surprisingly one of my least favorite things about it is Seth Rogen (whose acting schtick needs to evolve pronto lest he lose my love, though his writing is golden). It’s the James Franco show through and through, though some fun is to be had with Craig Robinson and Danny McBride and the like, and seeing this guy emerge as a major force in this and to a lesser extent the disappointing Milk is phenomenal. There’s a lot to love about the messy nature of this film, living between genres (though it never lives up to the action aspirations it does have fun trying) and using the freedom the Apatow brand allows to make for some truly memorable moments. Fun stuff, and definitely one with a nice long shelf life.
Current rating: 8.0 out of 10
Contributing factors: “Throw shit at the wall and see what sticks” lunacy. Bill Hader’s intro. James Franco, second funniest dude of 2008. Plenty of quotable lines and a nice mixture of laughs and oddness.
Performance to savor: James Franco, especially when he’s being all emotional.
CHUD.com Pull Quote: “Not just a drug movie! Thank God!”
13. Doubt
This is a weirdly constructed film, one that relies heavily on ambiguity and is a lot more akin to a play (on which it is based) than the traditional film narrative structure. Superficially it might come off as anticlimactic (why do people pronounce it “anticlimattic”?), but it’s part of the film’s appeal. That said, the story and denouement means nothing in comparison to the verbal sparring and unspoken tension between Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s progressive priest and Meryl Streep’s disciplinarian nun. This is absolute acting manna and a must-see for people who feel that performance is lacking in American cinema. Magnetic stuff, and a solid movie to boot!
Current rating: 8.0 out of 10
Contributing factors: Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep in absolute top-notch form. Meaty exchanges and solid work from Amy Adams in the somewhat thankless role of the neutral person between the two leads.
Performance to savor: Meryl Streep, uncorking one of the best accents she’s ever done.
CHUD.com Pull Quote: “You will believe a priest can… do priest stuff!”
12. In Bruges (Buy the DVD)
What a fun, vulgar, and nutty little oddball movie this is. The playful, violent, and distinctly “Euro” feel of this movie negates all of the bad juju from Jason Statham’s disappointing year [and yes I didn’t like the uneventful bore that was The Bank Job, sorry] and causes me to wonder why the heck Ralph Fiennes doesn’t do more comedy. The guy is insanely funny in this movie and when balanced with Colin Farrell [doing a good Colin Farrell] and the amazing Brendan Gleeson, the result is a mini-classic crime flick. Even without midget damage it’s a blast, which is saying something. Seeing this film so warmly received at the Golden Globes was a total blindsiding but a welcome bit of news despite the lunacy in the other nominations and the fact that the Golden Globes are pretty much nonsense. A really fun movie, one that folks that read this site will eat up like Natalie Portman flavored candy.
Current rating: 8.0 out of 10
Contributing factors: Extreme profanity. Great jabs at Euro culture. Some surprising violence. great work by all three leads. The emergence of Ralph Fiennes as a comedic genius.
Performance to savor: Brendan Gleeson, who is as warming a presence as a hitman could be. Also, he makes a great splash.
CHUD.com Pull Quote: “You may not be able to pronounce it but you’ll love it!”
11. The Dark Knight (Buy the DVD)
Recently Empire magazine called Quantum of Solace ‘The Dark Knight of 007 movies’, which is a testament to both this film’s immediate impact on the lexicon as well as that Magazine’s Achilles Heel in dishing out too many overzealous platitudes in their review section. The Dark Knight is a damn good movie, solid as they get but bursting at the seams to the point of rendering some of its best tools numbed and powerless. It’s not a masterpiece like many assumed, but a damn fine movie just like Batman Begins (is it wrong that I like the first one a little better?). That’s enough for me, because this is an utterly re-watchable movie loaded with great moments and the kind of movies that will allow the comic book adaptations to endure any change (while fun but overdone stuff like Wanted sizzles and disappears from the brain). The acting is terrific. Christopher Nolan is definitely the right man for the job. Warner Bros. pulls no punches in allowing the film to be whatever it wants to be. There’s so much good here. It’s just not the best thing since sliced head, so instead of being #1A on my list of the best films ever thought of it’s a very solid #11 from this year and one that has already proven it’ll stand the test of time. With The Joker out of the way, the only thing I ask for from this series is less rather than more. This is the second highest grossing film of ever and one that’ll probably win a few undeserved statues, you can’t beat it so don’t try, Batpeople.
Current rating: 8.0 out of 10
Contributing factors: Excellent dramatic work. Some great moments featuring the Joker and Two-Face. Christian Bale, aside from Batvoice, is excellent as the Dark Knight. Great supporting work. No Katie Holmes!
Performance to savor: Heath Ledger, but special attention must be also paid to Gary Oldman’s warming and classy work as the Commish.
CHUD.com Pull Quote: “It’s very good and if that isn’t good enough hyperbole for you, too damn bad!”