The Best Films of 2008

I hadn’t originally planned on putting together a list of the best films of this year, because (a) I don’t really like doing rank-order lists, and (b) I hadn’t seen many of the Oscar contenders. But I guess the temptation to put together a list won in the end (plus, I got a chance to see some more award bait). Rather than doing it alphabetically, which I normally prefer, I’m going to try to rank them. Here goes.

1. The Dark Knight

Christopher Nolan’s brilliant comic book movie is not only the best of its genre (which isn’t necessarily saying very much), but a great film on any level. He took the mythos of the series and framed it within a timely narrative focusing on good vs. evil, terror vs. tyranny, and – as he did in 2005′s Batman Begins - placed a strong emphasis on the psychological aspects of the characters. Harvey Dent was better-developed than most characters seen in any of this year’s films, while the late Heath Ledger’s portrayal of The Joker is simply astounding and worthy of the Oscar he’s sure to be nominated for.

2. Wall-E

Pixar is generally very consistent — their worst film, A Bug’s Life, is better than 90% of the crap that DreamWorks puts out — but for me, this was their most impressive film since Toy Story 2. Watching the story unfold evoked a feeling that I haven’t really felt since watching the original Toy Story in theaters at a young age. It almost sounds too cliched to write, but it taps into an element of childhood wonder, and yet its subversive adult-oriented humour works on many levels. (The inclusion of Fred Willard was also a bonus.) Ultimately, it’s ironic: one of the films that spoke most accurately about the human condition this year happened to be about a couple of robots in love. One for the ages.

3. Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle’s Dickensian tale of a Hindi “slumdog” who finds his way onto India’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? gameshow is both touching and exuberant. Few films feel so alive and vibrant, from the opening credit sequence of kids running through their local slums to the infusion of M.I.A.’s Paper Planes in a midway montage, making a song that has been beaten to death by summer hipsterism feel fun again. Great stuff, and — for as dark as it gets — it’s one of the most refreshing and “feel-good” flicks I’ve seen in years.

4. The Wrestler

The press loves a good comeback every year for awards season. The Wrestler gives us Mickey Rourke, back from acting hell, unleashing his best performance in decades — and perhaps even the best of his entire career. Darren Aronofsky has established himself as a genuine talent with this film (to those left in doubt after The Fountain’s lukewarm reception) and it’s a pleasure to watch it all unfold. Fans of gritty, working-class films like On the Waterfront will find much value here.

5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Undeniably odd and a bit clinical in approach, David Fincher’s fantasy drama is fascinating if a bit too complex for its own good. Some of the special effects are unconvincing and it seems to be trying a bit too hard in certain places to achieve “dramatic grandeur” of the Oscar variety, yet I was thoroughly moved by the film and Brad Pitt’s titular performance is perfect. There’s also a stellar scene at one point showing a timeline of events and their possible alternate outcomes that reminds us who’s directing the film. If I wasn’t completely won over by the movie, it was certainly one of the more engaging flicks I’ve seen all year.

6. Milk

Sean Penn gives one of the year’s best performances as Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician elected to office in the 1970s. The supporting cast is just as convincing, from Emile Hirsch’s daring turn to James Franco as Milk’s lover. Director Gus Van Sant’s return to the mainstream after a period of small-scale independent films couldn’t have been more self-assured or impressive.

7. Man On Wire

In all honesty, I don’t usually acknowledge documentaries as much as I should. I rarely consider them when looking back over the year’s best, for some reason or another, but Man On Wire seemed to feel more alive and engaging than most documentaries made these days. It chronicles how, in 1974, tightrope walker Philippe Petit hovered 1300 feet above ground between the Twin Towers in NYC. It provides a fascinating insight into a complex man’s mind. Compelling filmmaking.

8. In Bruges

The film that should have been a sleeper hit but wasn’t; the performance that should win Colin Farrell a nomination but won’t; the comedy that was one of the funniest of the year — and also one of the most poignant — but was left largely ignored by American audiences. British playwright Martin McDonagh makes his full-length feature transition to the big screen with assured brilliance; the only thing that bothered me about the movie was its somewhat underwhelming action-oriented conclusion. I suppose it was necessary but some of it felt too broad. Other than that, a thoroughly enjoyable comedy with surprising moments of human insight. And midgets.

9. Frozen River

Melissa Leo gives a great performance as a newly-single mother living near the border between New York and Quebec. She begins smuggling immigrants across the icy waters to help pay off her bills; the film seemingly veers towards becoming a thriller near its midpoint, yet it somehow manages to remain convincing and understated. It does have some flaws — director Courtney Hunt worked on a low budget so it’s not the most professionally shot film and some of the supporting performances (namely Misty Upham) leave something to be desired — but Leo keeps it authentic and oddly moving.

10. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

I had no real desire to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall and, frankly, expected to dislike it. Previous Apatow gang outings had left me underwhelmed (especially Knocked Up) and this didn’t look too different. What I found, to my delight, was one of the year’s most convincing and gracious comedies. The keen insight of Jason Segel’s approach to this tired formula is that he doesn’t take sides; all four main characters have their flaws. We expect to hate Aldous Snow, the ex’s new beau, because we instinctively feel the film is going to force his douchebaggery upon us; yet, by the end of the film, we like him quite a bit, because the character isn’t demonized, and in fact is given a fair amount of depth. By the end, we’re left with the impression that the “hero” is just as imperfect as the “bad” guys. All things considered, I was pretty shocked by the film’s honesty. And besides that, it’s much funnier than Knocked Up, and Segel is an infinitely more likable protaganist than Seth Rogen. Ironically, this film performed below expectations compared to previous Apatow outings; I’m not sure what that says about filmgoers, but it’s quite disheartening.

So, there you have it. End of the list. I just want to mention that, as far as this year’s biggest critical hits, I have yet to see: Che, Chop Shop, Doubt, Happy-Go-Lucky, Revolutionary Road, and The Reader. I just haven’t had time to make my way through them all.

Tagged as: 2008, best-of lists, movies