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Collaboration - Best Films of 2008

As the title of this thread indicates the point is to suggest all of the really great films from 2008. After we get lots of great contributions, or not so great ones, we can debate about which ones to keep and which ones to throw away. If someone suggests a film that you feel doesn't belong among the best of the best of 2008 please say so, and explain why.

(The 2007 list is still in progress so if you haven't contributed your own picks yet feel free to do so. Also, please keep in mind a number of films will be released in December that could potentially garner a spot in this list so this particular list will probably not be finalised till after the new year. :)

I am going to refrain from adding my own worthless 2 cents at this point. :)

Have at it folks!

Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2008

I make no effort to go to the cineplex and see the latest movies. Also, this year, many of the most promising movies are coming out in December (instead of earlier like October and November). So I have a meagre list. Consequently, I've included every 2008 production I've seen, and I've divided them into Top, Middle, and Bottom.

Top

The Dark Knight—well done!

Get Smart—intelligently updated, quite funny

Middle

Australia—too long and too influenced by other films but a rousing story

Quantum of Solace—not nearly as good as the previous Bond movie; too much action and not enough substance and/or sophistication

TransSiberian—powerful thriller with an ending that was a let down for me

Redbelt—good acting and what could have been a powerful story are undermined by  confusing action and a disjunction between the first and second halves of David Mamet’s story

Encouters at the End of the World (documentary)—competent and interesting but does not pack a punch

Bottom

The Other Boleyn Girl—a soap opera masquarading as a historical drama; factually inaccurate; irresponsibly using the names of historical people

Gonzo: The Life and Times of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (documentary)—a homage rather than a probing documentary.

I'm sure I'll see a couple of really good ones by January.

Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2008

I'm still working through many a past year, but I saw two films in the movie theaters this year that immediately went to my Wish List: The Dark Knight and Wall-E.  They were both smashingly fantastic.  So, vote 2 for TDK, and Pixar may have constructed its greatest if not one of the greatest with the cute little garbage-collecting robot.

Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2008

I actually really enjoyed Speed Racer unlike most.

My other obvious winners for this year are Slumdog Millionaire and Milk.

The Good The Bad and The Weird (played at Telluride, comes out Summer 09 I think)

The Dark Knight I enjoyed.

I'll come back with more but I think in 2008 I saw more old films than I did new releases..

I thought Nobel Son was lame.

Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2008

Liked these (in no particular order):

Cloverfield

Incredible theatrical experience. Might be hampered watching at home.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Cutesy teen flick. Had a great 80's feel to it.

Hamlet 2

Perverse and just plain hilarious throughout. Great original music.

House Bunny

I'm a sucker for Anna Faris and she plays a ditzy Playmate perfectly.

The Dark Knight

A comic geek's wet dream.

My Winnipeg

Immensely creative, original film. A flurry of emotions in a bizarre little package.

WALL-E

Heartbreakingly sentimental love story; action packed galactic adventure.

Iron Man

Another comic geek's wet dream. And Robert Downey Jr. Nuff said.

The Fall

Just insanely wondrous film. Deserves the comparisons to The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

Speed Racer

Seizure inducing fanboy fun. 

Savage Grace

Frightening 'Based on a True Story' film. Amazing performances.

The Strangers

Nothing new, but executed perfectly. Dark, abysmal terror.

My Blueberry Nights

Subtle, nuanced performances and beautiful direction. Packed with emotion.

Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

Carefree, fanciful period flick. Amy Adams and Frances McDormand are a perfect slapstick duo on screen.

Jumper

Big budget Sci-Fi blockbuster without all the annoying garnishes. 

Watching the Detectives

Made for cinephiles about cinephiles. Hokey fun.

Movies that might be on my list that I haven't seen yet:

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Spirit

Doubt

The Wrestler

The Brothers Bloom

Revolutionary Road

Repo! The Genetic Opera

Humboldt County

Just Buried

Milk

Australia

Rachel Getting Married

W.

Fear(s) of the Dark

Synecdoche, New York

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Towelhead

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

The Wackness

Brideshead Revisited

Glass: A Portrait in Twelve Parts

Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2008

I'm hoping that the end of the year push will offer some better films, but there have been a few movies from earlier this year that I loved:

The Fall (though Spout has it listed as 2006)

The Strangers,

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

The Dark Knight

That's all I've got so far.

Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2008

For me, the list is:

The Dark Knight;

Slumdog Millionaire; (review here)

Wall-E; and

Let the Right One In. 

There are others I want to see, but have not yet done so.

Tom

Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2008

mercurial:

Jumper

Big budget Sci-Fi blockbuster without all the annoying garnishes. 

Really Chris? I mean, I might have to kick you out of the maven group for liking this one. :p

Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2008

Something is screwed up in this discussion.  I can't see any of the posts.

Re:Collaboration - Best Films of 2008

A couple years ago, I started putting together top 10 lists.  I had no problem in 2006... indeed, several of my honorable mentions could easily have made the list.  2007 was more difficult, but there were some great late year entries and discoveries that made the list easier.

2008 has been difficult so far, but I'm still holding out hope.  I only have two definites for this year's list:

The Dark Knight

Timecrimes

As far as some other films I enjoyed and am considering for the list:

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

The Bank Job

Teeth

Burn After Reading

Let the Right One In

And some movies I want to see before finalizing my list:

The Counterfeiters

Slumdog Millionaire

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

Doubt

The Brothers Bloom

Kung-Fu Panda (got the DVD this week!)

Frost/Nixon

Man on Wire

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Wrestler

And probably 15 others:p  I think I'll be able to put together 10 that I consider worthy...

~Mark