2.20.2009

2008: A Year in Movies

I have not seen many films this past year. Sadly, I have only seen 12. And now, with the Oscars two days away, I will rank the 12 films of 2008.

12. Wanted - this may make it onto my list of worst movies I have ever seen. Really awful film.
11. The Fall - I would've liked this one more if it was more coherent and had I not been disappointed at the lack of a climax. It's a beautiful film, though, and Lee Pace is excellent.
10. City of Ember - This was enjoyable, but it had the scope of a TV movie for kids. Bill Murray was the best thing in the film, as usual.
9. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - It was a fun movie, and Eddie Izzard was fantastic, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the first Narnia film and it got a bit too Jesus-heavy for my liking.
8. Burn After Reading - I was really looking forward to this one and was a bit disappointed. I understand that the characters weren't supposed to be likable, but I wasn't invested in them at all. J.K. Simmons stole the show.
7. Quantum of Solace - I love Mathieu Amalric and enjoyed this movie, but I'm tired of action sequences that are shot with shaky cameras from a vantage point where you can't really see what's going on.
6. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Okay, so this was a disappointment, but it's still an Indiana Jones film.
5. Be Kind Rewind - It was a little hard to get into, but once you're there, it's very good and has some of the most creative filmmaking in recent memory.
4. Snow Angels - It's not a light, heart-warming romp, but it does have a light, heart-warming storyline with two teenagers falling in love. And it has Amy Sedaris and Sam Rockwell. Sam Rockwell.
3. The Wrestler - Also not a light, heart-warming romp, but it's executed well and you really care for the title character. Great acting as well.
2. The Dark Knight - Heath Ledger gave the best performance of the year as Joker. It's better than Batman Begins, which was also great. It comes in at a close second to...
1. Wall-E - I don't what else to say other than marvelous.

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