Best and Worst Films of 2008

[tapehead]

WALL-E, The Dark Knight, In Bruges, Iron Man, Son Of Rambow, The Good, The Bad, The Weird, Let The Right One In (I've seen this, it has been over-hyped, but it IS very fucking good), Man on Wire, Burn After Reading, Slumdog Millionaire, Pineapple Express, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Milk, The Wrestler, Waltz With Bashir... what else? Cloverfield? Frost Nixon? Happy GO Lucky? Doubt? Synecdoche, New York? Encounters at the End of the World? Hunger? Vicky Christina Barcelona?

I'm still catching up with this year's releases, and indeed a couple of the above aren't releaed where I am yet, but I thought it might be time to start letting people know which movies gave you the best time in cinemas this year. I'm sure there are a lot that I'm forgetting, and I haven't even started with the worst (Indy Jones and the Crystal Skulls, anyone?) I'll make a poll after there's some more suggestions. This might help get the ball rolling;

Harry's Picks

Drew McWeeney's list & also-rans

Nordling's list on the Mother site

Ebert

Film Freak Central

Razzie Nominees

Not trying to get the jump on the Zods or anything, just interested in talking about movies.

[John-Locke]

I've still got a few films to see before I can make my list (Milk, Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road) but as I said in the Golden Zods thread there have been a shit load of very good films this year but very few truly excellent ones.

There have been a lot of excellent performances though, Eastwood in Gran Torino, Will Smith in 7lbs, Rourke in The Wrestler, Michael Shannon in Shotgun Stories...

Tough year to sum up

[tapehead]

Gran Torino, Shotgun Stories and Revolutionary Road are three more I haven't seen yet.

[Spandau Belly]

REDBELT

[Leckomaniac]

Not sure if this is the place for it (or if anyone cares for that matter), but here is my top 10. (Note: I judge my top 10 based on the 10 films I expect to watch the most. It is hard to predict, but it is the only way I can judge. I make no claims of being a qualified judge on what is "good" or "bad"...only what I like and don't like.)

1) Synecdoche, New York
2) In Bruges
3) Funny Games
4) Wall*E
5) The Wrestler
6) The Good, The Bad, The Weird
7) Let The Right One In
8) Speed Racer
9) Cloverfield
10) The Fall

For those interested, my little brother saw well over 100 new films in theatres this year and he did a top 25. I'll repost it here in case anyone is interested.

25. Still Life
24. Let The Right One In
23. My Blueberry Nights
22. The Chaser
21. Ghost Town
20. Frost/Nixon
19. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days
18. Role Models
17. Funny Games (U.S.)
16. The Fall
15. The Signal
14. Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day
13. Speed Racer
12. Cloverfield
11. Red Belt
10. Mirage Man
09. JCVD
08. The Good, The Bad, The Weird
07. In Bruges
06. Elegy
05. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
04. The Wackness
03. Synecdoche, New York
02. The Wrestler
01. Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class

[John-Locke]

Interesting, I have both Elegy & The Wackness here at home but haven't watched them as I thought they weren't going to be all that good, now my expectations have been raised

[Leckomaniac]

Interesting, I have both Elegy & The Wackness here at home but haven't watched them as I thought they weren't going to be all that good, now my expectations have been raised

He was a massive fan of both. He absolutely will not shut up about The Wackness. Touching about something you said in the Golden Zods thread, namely that this was year of very good films without those "HOLY SHIT! WOW!" films...my brother feels completely different. He just adores the 5 films that make-up his Top 5 of the year. This was probably his favorite year for film in at least the last five years. That might help give you some context.

I believe Quint and company really dug The Wackness, too. And I know from conversations with Capone that he really dug Elegy. So, I would expect them to be worthwhile views.

[tapehead]

The Wackness is a cool little movie, although the story gets confused and maybe a little pointless in the final third - great 90's hip hop such as A Tribe Called Quest and the JB's on the ST, but its poorly used in as much as its shoe-horned into every scene possible - there's actually a scene where the movie soundtrack fades down so we can hear the track the main character is busting out on his beatbox. Well worth watching if only to see Sir Ben Kingsely make out with one of the Olsen Twins however. I have heard that there were two different edits of this movie released.

[bastard_robo]

Its good to see that SPEED RACER is getting some love.

[Raziel]

The Prom Night remake is possibly the worst film of all time, never mind 2008.

[Fried Gold]

The good ones from 2008 that have stuck in my mind:
- There Will Be Blood (the bestest)
- Wall-E
- Mongol
- The Dark Knight

The stinkers:
- The Happening
- Speed Racer
- The X-Files: I Want to Believe

But to be honest, there just seemed to be a lot of plain average or disappointing mush in 2008.

[bastard_robo]

I got a stack of screeners and dvds to watch this weekend, so as soon as im done, I"m going to post. I figured it wouldnt be fair to rate the best of 08 with out seeing the last batch of movies to come out.

[John-Locke]

The Wackness is a cool little movie, although the story gets confused and maybe a little pointless in the final third - great 90's hip hop such as A Tribe Called Quest and the JB's on the ST, but its poorly used in as much as its shoe-horned into every scene possible - there's actually a scene where the movie soundtrack fades down so we can hear the track the main character is busting out on his beatbox. Well worth watching if only to see Sir Ben Kingsely make out with one of the Olsen Twins however. I have heard that there were two different edits of this movie released.

Yeah the last third loses it's way but it's still a pretty good film, it's worth it just to see Kingsley play such a weird dude, he looked like he was having a great time with his character.

Oh and Olivia Thirlby is teh h0t

[stereosforgeeks]

The best 2008 releases that Ive seen so far (Im still trying to catch some more things):

In no particular order.

My Winnipeg
Flight Of The Red Balloon
Man On Wire
Wall-E
Dark Knight
Still Life
Boarding Gate
Rachel Getting Married
Synecdoche, New York
Hunger
A Christmas Tale
The Man From London
Stuck
Summer Hours
Timecrimes
Paranoid Park
Let The Right One In
Profit Motive and the Whispering Wind
In The City Of Sylvia
Wendy and Lucy
The Edge Of Heaven
Gomorrah
Reprise
Auf Der Anderen Seite (The Edge Of Heaven / On The Other Side)
Hofshat Kaits (My Father My Lord)
Summer Palace
The Wrestler
Mukhsin
Les Temoins (The Witnesses)
Haebyonui Yoin (Woman On The Beach)
Revanche
La Mujer Sin Cabeza (The Headless Woman)
The Exiles (Re-release)
Cargo 200
Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea

[havocSchultz]

The best 2008 releases that Ive seen so far (Im still trying to catch some more things):

In no particular order.

My Winnipeg

Trust me, it's not nearly as interesting and surreal as Guy Maddin makes it out to be...

But he is apparently the best filmmaker to ever come out of Winnipeg (for now at least), so I must give it props for putting my old homeland on the map slightly...

[stereosforgeeks]

The best 2008 releases that Ive seen so far (Im still trying to catch some more things):

In no particular order.

My Winnipeg

Trust me, it's not nearly as interesting and surreal as Guy Maddin makes it out to be...

But he is apparently the best filmmaker to ever come out of Winnipeg (for now at least), so I must give it props for putting my old homeland on the map slightly...

I love Maddins brand of surreal craziness. My Winnipeg is constantly entertaining and funny. I dont imagine that the actual city is along that line however.

[bastard_robo]

Well, after watching a few more movies, I'm firmly set on what my tops are of 08'.

I base my tops on several things:

Rewatch times
and Overall Impact on viewing.

So with no further adieu

10:
The Wrestler

The most accurate film on wrestling I've ever seen. My friend quoted me this "The Wrestler is more accurate about wrestling than the Passion of the Christ was about the Jews" Mikey Rourke drives home a performance of a life time. The man personified the broken, fallen hero in many of yesterdays wrestling superstars.
9.
Step Brothers

I haven't laughed as hard as I have at this film since Anchorman. I love Will Ferell and this movie only strengthens that found hetero love of this man.
8.
Iron Man

I'll admit it: I doubted RDJ when he was first announced for this project. I gladly at shit for saying that. No one else could of pull of Tony Stark so well, and John Fav is finally getting the spotlight on the talent he is. Possibly one of the best Comic movies ever!
7.
Frost/Nixon

Goddamn powerful stuff here. The man that was Skeletor gave us possibly the best Nixon ever.
6.
The Incredible Hulk

I dont give a fuck what people say. This was an awesome film! I love the Hulk, and I thought that this film NAILED the character finally. Along with the fight at the end with the Abomination, fantastic time at the movies.
5.
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

Perlman is Hercules and Del Toro is Zeus. These two cannot be stopped and Hellboy showed us why!
4.
Wall E

PIxar can do no wrong.
3.
Taken

GODDAMN IT! Just a plain fucking good movie.
2.
The Dark Knight

Best Batman movie ever. Joker will live forever after this film. Hype was worth it.
1.
Speed Racer

The best movie, NO ONE SAW! I know I'm going to catch shit for this, but I loved every second, every bit, ever 24 frames per second of this movie. I loved the visuals, I loved the story, I loved the characters, I flat out love this film. I've watched this thing stupid. I saw it 5 times during its theatrical run, and more so once it hit DVD. Everyone I've shown this film to loved it. Yet no one gave it a chance. Its a goddamn shame too.

Thats my top 10. Some Honorable Mentions go out to what was a fantastic year in film:

Slumdog Millionaire, Burn After Reading, Gran Torino, Forbidden Kingdom, Wanted, Get Smart, Tropic Thunder.

And for the stuff I didnt much care for:

The one movie that I though was ASS of the year:

CLOVERFIELD

Never have I been to a movie that just FAILED so much at everything it was trying to do. I SO BADLY wanted this movie to be great. At this point last year, I thought it was going to be my favorite film of the year from every thing I've seen, then only to be raped in the eye by how much this sucked. My first viewing was a bitter pill, just being let down so much. I gave it a second chance and hated it even more. Its my firm belief that American filmmakers will never properly make a Giant Monster movie. This film wanted to be Alien meets Godzilla as the Blair Witch filmed it. And it failed. The monster was a god awful design, the only likable charterer in the whole film was HUD, and even then, he was annoying, and the story was a SUPER STRETCH even for a giant monster film. I'll give Abrams and co another chance, but to me, this was GODZILLA 98 all over again.

Other Weak films:

The Happening
Mummy 3
Transporter 3

and thats 08!

[John-Locke]

I'm with you on Step Brothers (not that it would make my top 10) that for me was probably the funniest film of the year, I've seen it twice and could quite happily watch it again right now.

Some of the others not so much (not that I hated any of them).

[Leckomaniac]

Come on JL quit twisting our nipples. When do we see YOUR list?

Inquiring minds want know!

[John-Locke]

I've still got to see Milk, Frost/Nixon, Doubt, Synecdoche New York, Benjamin Button and a few others which might end up on the list (I hear The Escapist is meant to be very good for instance).

I've got screeners for Frost/Nixon & Milk so I suppose I can do my initial list once I've seen them.

[Leckomaniac]

I've still got to see Milk, Frost/Nixon, Doubt, Synecdoche New York, Benjamin Button and a few others which might end up on the list (I hear The Escapist is meant to be very good for instance).

I've got screeners for Frost/Nixon & Milk so I suppose I can do my initial list once I've seen them.

Hm. Well, alright. I am especially curious to see how you respond to Synecdoche. I suppose I can wait it out!

[Pacino86845]

Synecdoche, a movie about real life, is ironically devoid of life altogether. I just saved you 2+ hours of your time...

[John-Locke]

Just watched Frost/Nixon which I thoroughly enjoyed, not sure if I'd put it in my Top 10 as the drama is more manipulative than substantial but it is certainly effective and enjoyable. I'm glad I watched Oliver Stones Nixon for the first time recently, both paint a similarly human portrait of the President and compliment each other well.

[TonyWilson]

I haven't seen many bad films this year so I'm seriously considering putting Frost/Nixon on my list. It's so so obvious. Even forgetting the fact that "Secret Honor" is the first and last word on Nixon in filmdom Howard's movie feels like an afterschool special.

[tapehead]

afterschool special.

That's it, it ultimately has a tv movie kind of feel that isn't really satisfying in dramatic terms, especially if you've already seen the documentary with Frost's Watergate interviews in it. Langella is good, but the guy playing Frost (who played Blair in the Queen) pretty much just goes for 'smarmy and ambitious' again.

[stereosforgeeks]

afterschool special.

That's it, it ultimately has a tv movie kind of feel that isn't really satisfying in dramatic terms, especially if you've already seen the documentary with Frost's Watergate interviews in it. Langella is good, but the guy playing Frost (who played Blair in the Queen) pretty much just goes for 'smarmy and ambitious' again.

Ohh yes I hated this movie. Boring and bland.

[TonyWilson]

Indeed, tape and stereos. Twas as exciting as warm milk and some bread on the side for dipping.

[tapehead]

I didn't mind it so much, but it does seem like a primer for a political studies course - it's a good story, but I preferred seeing the actual Ex-Pres sweat it out under the studio lights.

[stereosforgeeks]

I didn't mind it so much, but it does seem like a primer for a political studies course - it's a good story, but I preferred seeing the actual Ex-Pres sweat it out under the studio lights.

Thats exactly the point. The film was given no life when it was brimming with potential.

[TonyWilson]

It's weird because with Apollo 13 every one knew how it ended and most of the background to it just as they do with Nixon but Howard wrung acres of tension out of the former and absolutely none out of the latter. I don't know if he was trying to be low-key and all but it just meant the film slid right off me.

[John-Locke]

Burn After Reading
Encounters at the End of the World
The Good, The Bad, The Weird
Gran Torino
Hunger
In Bruges
Let The Right One In
The Promotion
Redbelt
Revolutionary Road
RocknRolla
Shotgun Stories
Slumdog Millionaire
The Wrestler

I'm not going to do a Top 10 or even put these films in any other order. I will say that The Good, The Bad, The Weird was the most entertaining, The Wrestler had the best performance from an Actor and that Shotgun Stories is probably my favourite overall (despite it's flaws) even though Revolutionary Road is probably the best film of the year in my opinion.

[Maui]

afterschool special.

This is just all kinds of wrong!

[Maui]

I've got screeners for Rev. Road, The Wrestler and Ben Buttons - so I'll put together my best list once I'm done watching these.

Here are my Worst films of 2008:

The Love Guru
Get Smart
Fly Me to the Moon
Space Chimps
The Crappening
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The Women
Sex and the City
You Don't Mess with the Zohan

[tapehead]

Get Smart

Interesting inclusion - what was so wrong with it? It seemed like a comedy with pretty modest ambitions which it managed to fulfil, in my opinion - would have thought it was a little MOR to reach either end of the scale of Good or Bad.

Having just seen it last weekend, I would put The Day the Earth Stood Still near the top of the list of worst films I've seen this year, and I'm with Maui on including Indy 4. The Love Guru (yes, I have actually watched the whole thing, and yes I was hideously stoned at the time) doesn't even deserve to be called a movie.





I've added a link to this year's Razzie Nominees to the first post of the thread, but here is a list of the major categories;

Worst Picture:

Speed Racer, Disaster Movie and Meet the Spartans, The Day the Earth Stood Still, High School Musical 3, The Hottie & The Nottie, Dungeon Siege, The Love Guru, Postal, Rambo, The happening, Meet Dave, Witless Protection

Worst Actor:

Zac Efron, Dane Cook, Larry the Cable Guy, Eddie Murphy, Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise (Valkyrie), Will Ferrell, Ashton Kutcher, Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Mark Wahlberg

Worst Actress:

Paris Hilton, Jessica Alba, The cast of “The Women,” Camilla Belle, Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson, Diane Keaton, Jennifer Connelly, Zooey Deschanel, Vanessa Hudgens, Eva Longoria-Parker, Reese Witherspoon

Worst Screen Couple:

Any couple from HSM 3, Cameron Diaz & Ashton Kutcher, Paris Hilton & Joel David Moore, Kate Hudson & Dane Cook, Kate Hudson & Matthew McConaughey, Larry the Cable Guy & Jenny McCarthy, Any couple from Mamma Mia, Eddie Murphy & Eddie Murphy (Meet Dave), Al Pacino & His Hair, Mark Wahlberg & Zooey Deschanel, Mark Wahlberg & Mila Kunis, Sylvester Stallone & His Ego

Worst Director:

Uwe Boll, Scott Derrickson, Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer, Tom Putnam, Marco Schnabel, Sylvester Stallone, Jon Avnet, Diane English, Roland Emmerich, Brian Robbins, Kenny Ortega, M. Night Shyamalan

Worst Prequel, Sequel, Remake or Rip-Off:

Indiana Jones 4, HSM 3, Rambo, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Disaster Movie, Meet the Spartans, An American Carol, The Women, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Prom Night, Speed Racer, X-Files: I Want To Believe

Worst Career Achievement:

Uwe Boll, Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer, Madonna, Keanu Reeves, Sylvester Stallone

[Leckomaniac]

Aw come on!

Rambo? That movie was all kinds of awesome. That seems exceptionally cruel. And don't get me started on Speed Racer's inclusion on that list.

There were a lot of terrible films this year that had nothing to offer of any value. Those two films are not that. For shame.

[tapehead]

Yeah, Rambo and Stallone's inclusion surprised me too. I don't think The Happening is that bad either.

[TonyWilson]

Oooh, Indy 4 is much worse than Frost/Nixon. I'd forgotten all about it until now (thank you brain, you're too kind). Not only was it turgid yet weightless, seeing Harrison Ford run around like my granddad at a cricket match was the most depressing thing I've seen all year.

[Maui]

Interesting inclusion - what was so wrong with it? It seemed like a comedy with pretty modest ambitions which it managed to fulfil, in my opinion - would have thought it was a little MOR to reach either end of the scale of Good or Bad.

Perhaps I am being a bit too harsh on this film. I had high hopes with Carrell as Smart and he just didn't deliver teh funny. I would have much preferred watching Smart and Agent 13 (Bill Murray) dialogue for 2 hours - now that would have been funny. It was like watching "America's Funniest Home Videos" starring Carrell in every clip. Not funny.

[tapehead]

I hear you - quite a few of your other 'worsts' I was lucky enough not to see - Get Smart was more just 'average' IMO.

[bastard_robo]

Aw come on!

Rambo? That movie was all kinds of awesome. That seems exceptionally cruel. And don't get me started on Speed Racer's inclusion on that list.

There were a lot of terrible films this year that had nothing to offer of any value. Those two films are not that. For shame.

Agreed on that.

The Razzies have sold out.. theyre nothing more than TMZ lite with just nominating films that had some hoopla around them. Rambo and Speed Racer were 2 films no one really saw, but ASSUMED were bad only because they didnt do so well at the BO.

SHAME...

[Maui]

The BEST in 2008

Drama/Comedy

Hunger
The Wreslter
Frost/Nixon
RocknRolla
Slumdog Millionaire
Rachel Getting Married
In Bruges
Doubt
Synecdoche New York
The Dark Knight
The Fall
Son of Rambow
Ghost Town
Vicky Christina Barcelona
Happy Go Lucky

Foreign

Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In)
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime (I've Loved You so Long)
Un Conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale)
Dung che sai duk redux (2008) (Ashes of Time Redux)

Documentary

Pray the Devil Back to Hell
Trouble the Water
Man on a Wire

Animation

*I see every animated film that hits the theatres, with the exception of "Delgo" I do have my limits. Out of all animated flicks, the below were the best of 08. "Waltz with Bashir" the animated documentary would likely be on this list too, but I can't seem to find any showings near me.

Walle
Kung Fu Panda
Bolt
Horton Hears a Who

[DaleTremont]

even though Revolutionary Road is probably the best film of the year in my opinion.

Totally agree with you there. Revolutionary Road is the best film I've seen in a very long while actually.

And Frost/Nixon wasn't bad but tapehead is totally right about that one actor doing the exact same thing he did as Blair in the Queen, except in a flashier suit and Italian leather shoes.

[Coldfire24]

Worst Film I've seen at the Theater All Year

The Spirit.


I couldn't stand that movie. Nothing worked....nothing. I liked The Shadow more than I liked the Spirit.

[Chris a.k.a StuntMike]

My Top Ten of '08:
http://coldmonk.weebly.com/top-10-of-2008.html

[MasterWhedon]

1. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
This movie is an absolute joy and I love everything about it. It plays much like City of God--but brimming with hope and as a parable about how we're changed by life experiences. All of the young actors are fantastic and remarkably authentic, and Danny Boyle's brilliant filmmaking takes you to such a high, you don't want it to ever end. This is cinematic crack at its finest.

2. THE WRESTLER
I can't tell you how many glossy, overproduced "star vehicles" I've seen that waste the talents of their leads and never seem to know what they're about. This movie is the antithesis of that, a perfect matchup of performer and character that has so, so much to say. It's tragic and ugly but beautiful and warm, and somewhere right in the middle of all that there's Mickey Rourke, delivering one of the best, most complete performances I've ever seen.

3. THE DARK KNIGHT
I've been a Batman geek for a long time and I've seen many, many different approaches to the character, a great deal of which I've liked a lot. But the reason this one is my favorite is because it's Batman with a Big Idea. It's about more than punching the bad guy; it's about the nature of heroes and villains, and holy shit is it ever pretty to see cerebral fisticuffs filmed in glorious IMAX.

4. WALL-E
There's a lot of magic in this movie, most especially the first, nearly-wordless half. I'm still not entirely sure why they chose to have a live-action Fred Willard as the President when the rest of the humans are CG, but that's a small gripe in an otherwise fabulous movie.

5. RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
What I love so much about this movie is how unflinchingly candid it all is. You feel like you're at this wedding, like you know these people, like every moment is actually happening instead of it feeling like a movie. These characters speak and argue and act like real people do, with old wounds creeping into the present and suddenly, irreparably damaging otherwise perfect moments. Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel is a knockout.

6. IRON MAN
Iron Man has become one of my favorite characters in comics of late, so it's nice to see him translated so faithfully to the screen. There's not too much else to say about this one other than it's a hell of a lot of fun, Robert Downey, Jr. owns as Tony Stark, and I couldn't be more pleased with how they're setting up the Movie Marvel Universe.

7. KUNG FU PANDA
The biggest surprise of the year for me by far. It's just such a badassily funny movie, and I love how it's constantly twisting and playing on your expectations. Some of the subplots and side characters get a little shortchanged, but I don’t mind so much if it means we get more time for Po to kick ass.

8. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
This is a flawed film, but still a pretty astounding one. I don't know that there's a better director out there than David Fincher, and I admire him for not steering this one into the schmaltz. Overall, I guess the message of appreciating what you have while you have it--because nothing lasts--strikes a particularly strong chord with me at this point in my life.

9. MILK
Probably one of the best biopics I've ever seen. I love how they integrate the stock footage to sell the period and how Harvey's relationships with men aren't "Dumbledore relationships" but rather... relationships. This movie gives me hope that the Prop. 8's of the world only have so much time before they're a thing of the past.

10. IN BRUGES
A great little gangster movie that's surprisingly less cynical than most other gangster movies--and damn funny too.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
The Bank Job
Cloverfield
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Quantum of Solace
Redbelt
Role Models
Snow Angels
Tropic Thunder
U23D
Wanted