The Ten Best Films of 2008

It's time to evaluate and celebrate the cinematic achievements of 2008. The year was a particularly gloomy one due to the economic collapse, Mumbai massacre, continued disbelief in global warming by some, the recent Gaza horror, and so on. There were of course some very bright, hopeful moments, such as Mr. Obama's rise to the presidency, but 2008 will likely be remembered as a mostly terrible year. However, 2008 was a very strong year for cinema. Now I'm no Roger Ebert, I certainly did not see every movie that made its debut this past year, but I saw a very healthy sample of films. Here are my choices for the ten best films of 2008.

10. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Director: Nicholas Stoller, Starring: Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis)

The Judd Apatow comedy machine churned out another classic in 2008 in the form of Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Everything clicks in this outside the box romantic comedy written by and starring Jason Segel ("Freaks and Geeks", "How I Met Your Mother", Knocked Up). Segel is a hilarious actor who finally got a leading role to show off his dry, effortless comedy style. The supporting cast is filled with outrageous characters that force Segel into the straight man role: Russell Brand practically steals the show as Aldous Snow, a recovered drug addict and current pop-superstar who believes that two people should "get lost in fuck"; Jonah Hill is an obsessive waiter with aspirations to be the next Aldous Snow; Paul Rudd is a stoner/surfer who seems to have burnt out 98% of his brain; and look for Jason Bateman in the cameo of the year. You'll bust up laughing when Brand serenades a Hawaiian restaurant with his hit "Inside of You". 

9. Religulous (Director: Larry Charles, Starring: Bill Maher)

The director of Borat shoots Bill Maher talking to some of the most interesting religious figures around the world. Bill Maher is a guy I had always been indifferent to. He's never cracked me up with his comedy, but he's certainly no slouch either. After seeing Religulous I developed a whole new appreciation for the man. He is fair with his questioning throughout, even though he makes it quite clear from the beginning that he thinks religion is pretty much the cause of most of the world's greatest problems. His end product is thus less biased than say a Michael Moore documentary. He lets people talk and what they have to say is often quite ridiculous. Maher talks to some very intelligent people throughout the film and he is never able to grasp how they can be so smart and yet still believe in a guy in the sky pulling all the strings. I think Religulous is a bold, important documentary that exposes some of the horrible exploitation that results from organized religion. 

8. Milk (Director: Gus Van Sant, Starring: Sean Penn, James Franco, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin)

I knew very little about Harvey Milk before I watched this film. This man's life is an extraordinary story and carries an unbelievably hopeful message of being yourself no matter the consequences. I think that with Milk, Gus Van Sant has finally created the masterpiece that he has been promising his entire career. This movie is more complete than even Good Will Hunting. The performances are extremely memorable and I would put this film as the favorite to win the cast award at this years Screen Actors Guild Awards. Penn is charismatic and brilliant, his range as an actor is only increasing with his age. It is evident that he is one of the best actors Hollywood has, a force of character creation that rivals the best out there. Hirsch and Franco redefine themselves yet again as the flamboyant architects of Harvey Milk's political campaigns. Brolin has yet to turn in a lousy performance in his career and his depiction of Dan White, the assassin of Harvey Milk, is frustratingly great. Brolin's Dan White is a man we don't immediately hate; because of this he is a truthful and layered villain. Milk gave me incredible goosebumps from start to finish. It is a film that everyone should see if only to remind us all of the importance of equality for all people and the absurdity of homophobia. 

7. Role Models (Director: David Wain, Starring: Paul Rudd, Sean William Scott, Elizabeth Banks)

This is my choice for the best comedy of 2008. Role Models is a true achievement for writer/director David Wain, because I believe that this is without a doubt his most accessible work. Leaving behind most of the surreal humor that drove "Stella" and Wet Hot American Summer, Wain elects instead to go for laughs with meticulously envisioned dialogue. This film is built around a screenplay that was written by Wain, Rudd, "Reno 911" star Ken marino, and a handful of others. What truly sets this film apart from its comedic rivals are the performances. Rudd is spot-on for the entire film and his interactions with his "little" (played by Superbad's 

Christopher Mintz-Plasse aka McLovin) are hilarious, especially the LAIRE scenes. But it's Scott and his little who steal the show. Little Ronnie Shields (Bobb'e J. Thompson) is a firecracker of a kid, getting Scott's Wheeler in trouble early on by telling the big brother agency director that "Honky wanted a fistful of my balls!" This is a movie that cracked me up constantly when I saw it in theaters and is sure to be a classic by the time it hits DVD.

6. Iron Man (Director: Jon Favreau, Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow) 

2008 will be remembered as the year two careers were fully resurrected from the dead: Mickey Rourke returned to leading man status with The Wrestler and Robert Downey Jr. gave two of the most entertaining performances of the year in two of the year's top-grossing films. While Tropic Thunder was okay and Downey Jr. did steal the show in that one, Iron Man is a tour de force of a superhero film and Tony Starks is a career-defining character for Downey Jr. We've always known that Downey Jr. has more charisma than pretty much any other actor in the world (apologies to Mark Wahlberg, pick some better roles though dude) but for years we had to wait for him to get out of rehab -- or jail -- and then get his agent to convince some director or producer that he was worth the risk for a small role. Jon Favreau changed all that when he went against his studio's wishes and cast Downey Jr. as Tony Starks. Now Robert Downey Jr. is the part of what could potentially be a huge movie franchise in the tradition of Sam Raimi's Spiderman films. Like Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Downey Jr. has so much as Tony Starks that we can't help but have fun watching him. Every minute of this movie is entertaining whether it be a well-choreographed action scene or Tony Starks arrogantly rambling on about whatever. It's great to see Jon Favreau enter the next tier of directing and here's hoping that he still finds time to make hilarious buddy flicks alongside these blockbuster superhero flicks. 

5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Director: David Fincher, Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett) 

This is one of the most gorgeous films you'll ever see. Eric Rother, the writer of Forrest Gump, wrote this screenplay as an adaptation of a short F. Scott Fitzgerald story. I've never read the Fitzgerald story, but from what I've gathered it has much less substance than the tail that Roth created and Fincher committed to film. This film does have a sort of Forrest Gump fairy tale feel to it, especially in the way in which it celebrates life as narrative. Blanchett deserves the best female actor Oscar for her work in this. She is as always, stunning, as she gives a heartbreakingly beautiful performance as a woman that falls in love with a man who is aging backwards. Blanchett glows on the screen like the leading ladies of yesteryear and her performance is a true treat. Brad Pitt is subtle and extremely likable as Benjamin Button. Fincher does not force us to feel what he wants us to feel with big, dramatic moments, instead he lets the movie meander on at its pace with small moments of emotional catharsis intertwined throughout. The score is my pick for the best soundtrack of the year and hopefully will be awarded as such at this year's Oscars. The final few minutes of the film should make you weep if you are a weeper, but will surely bring everyone goosebumps and a warm, warm heart. 

4. The Dark Knight (Director: Christopher Nolan, Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhall, Aaron Eckhart)

The summer blockbuster season was atypically awesome this year as we got two superhero movies for the ages. So much has been written about The Dark Knight already that it feels a bit tired to laud Ledger's legendary performance (which will win him the Best Supporting Actor Oscar without any doubt) or Nolan's masterful pacing or even the action scenes which rank among the greatest ever put to film. This movie was simply a cultural phenomenon, a true experience that transcends the schema of movie-going. I drove down with my girlfriend and friends to see this movie the weekend it came out at a sold-out IMAX showing in Natick, Massachusetts. That event is something I will never, ever forget. As Ebert wrote, every movie should ideally be seen on the big screen with a larger audience to experience the film along with you. That's the beauty of cinema, seeing something extraordinary with loved ones and total strangers all at once. You collectively etch images and sound bites into your memory that may never retreat. The Dark Knight was the epitome of the movie going experience and its box-office success reflects that. Who will soon forget the late Heath Ledger barking "WHY SO SERIOUS?!" or screaming with absolute terror for the fake Batman to look at him. How can anyone forget the first time you see Aaron Eckhart's face tastefully CG'ed to look like the film Two Face we comic book fans have been waiting for all of our lives. I bet you remember quite well how good it felt to get adrenaline rush after adrenaline rush during each of the successive intertwined action scenes. The Dark Knight set the bar very, very high for future comic book films. Studios may want to consider hiring Francis Ford Coppola for their next try at the Incredible Hulk or perhaps Martin Scorsese for a stab at a Green Lantern film. Nolan changed the game with this movie and it will stand as his opus -- for now. 

3. The Wrestler (Darron Aronofsky, Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood)

"I'm an old broken down piece of meat and I deserve to be all alone..." Mickey Rourke will sweep the awards shows this award season and deservedly. This is one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema. There are characters that are sometimes created that belong solely to the actors that crafted them. Think of Ron Burgundy as portrayed by Will Ferrell. Think of Marge Gunderson, the pregnant cop that Frances McDormand played with precision in Fargo. Think of Daniel Day Lewis as Daniel Plainview. Now try to imagine any other actor playing any of those roles. It's impossible. Rourke replaced Nicolas Cage in The Wrestler and a million hallelujahs should be sung for that fact. Randy "The Ram" Robinson belongs to Mickey Rourke. The story is a simple one about a wrestler who knows nothing but his sport, and with his body failing him that becomes a very sad reality. "The Ram" is scheduled to wrestle "The Ayatollah" in a nostalgic rematch, a foe he defeated twenty years prior in what is remembered as one of the great matches of all time. When he addresses his audience and says "A lot of people told me I would never wrestle again" it could just as easily have been Rourke telling a reporter that a lot of people told him he would never act again. We should all be thankful that he did manage this comeback and a million praises should be given to Darren Aronofsky, the heart-wrenching director that had the vision to cast Rourke. This film reminds me a bit of Raging Bull in its treatment of violence and also in its lead actor's ability to transform completely. Watch Rourke as he tosses his hair, as he cuts his forehead with a bit of razor blade during a match, as he stands hopefully outside of his estranged daughter's house. Every mannerism, every line he speaks is absolutely perfect. The advertising campaign for this film welcomes us to "witness the resurrection of Mickey Rourke". No better tag line could have been envisioned. This is the most emotionally involving film of the year and perhaps a launching pad for a prolific and award-filled later career for Rourke. 

2. Wall-E (Director: Andrew Stanton)

I never knew that Disney-Pixar had a film like this in them. Wall-E is a masterpiece that deserves to be the first animated film since Beauty and the Beast to get a Best Picture Nomination at the Academy Awards. After my girlfriend took a group of kids she nannies for to see Wall-E, one of the kids, an eleven year old boy, asked "how is this movie for kids?" Well, that's the best part about Disney's greatest achievement ever, it's not for kids. Sure, Wall-E will be completely appealing to kids because he's damn cute and extremely lovable, but the messages of this film are aimed squarely at the adult supervision carting them to the theater to see it. The great misconception about this movie is that it had a political agenda first and foremost; that seems very incorrect to me. Wall-E is a story of loneliness and finding true love. It's about devotion, altruism, and perseverance. The social commentary that is woven into the film is not partisan. Instead, the images of skyscrapers built from trash are a warning against the continuance of the materialism and disregard for the environment that partially defines Western culture. Funny to have such a viewpoint being pushed forward by a Disney film. Aside from the political content that makes the movie so unique as a Disney entity is the fact that it joyously celebrates science-fiction film history throughout. The film is an homage to a century of sci-fi, and it makes references to Blade Runner, Star Wars, E.T., 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Trek, and many others. Sigourney Weaver even voices the spaceship's computer! Wall-E's haunting vision of the future will hopefully get through to children and plant a seed in them that could perhaps cause them to live more responsibly than previous generations of humans. The interactions between Wall-E and Eve are priceless, they recall Charlie Chaplin in City Lights. The entire first half of the movie is barren of dialogue, yet there is no way to stop watching it, it is entertainment at its finest. There is so much joy in watching this film that it had to be in my top five, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was truly one of the great achievements in filmmaking this past year. Second only in my mind to one other masterwork. 

1. Slumdog Millionaire (Director: Danny Boyle, Starring: Dev Patel)

This is it, the best of the best from 2008. A heart-stopping, edge-of-the-seat drama that will leave you breathless and spellbound. Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, The Beach, 28 Days Later) has been working towards this magnitude of filmmaking his entire career, and he has finally reached the ultimate peak: he has made the film which will win Best Picture at the Oscars. It's always an interesting experience to watch a movie in which you are unfamiliar with the entire cast, this was true of City of God and Pan's Labyrinth for me, both masterpieces which I would rank among the great films I've seen in my lifetime. However, it's even more interesting when you are unfamiliar with the cast and also the setting in which the movie takes place. I knew of Mumbai going into the film, but I was not anticipating the depth in which the film delves into the city. You choke on the acrid dust, you wince at the sight of hundreds of young beggars, you feel the dirty lukewarm water of the river. Boyle gives us Mumbai completely, we are surrounded by it and it is overwhelming for most of the film. This is perhaps an even more accurate portrayal of the city than any documentary could hope to give. Beyond the extraordinary atmosphere of the film is the plot which is both clever and compelling. Jamal Malik is a tea-server at a telemarketing agency who grew up in the slums of Mumbai and he is one question away from winning the biggest prize on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". The only problem is, the show's executives think he's cheating, so Jamal is imprisoned and tortured by police officers. He explains to one officer how he came to know the answers to each of the questions leading up to the 20 Million Rupee final question in what is essentially a flashback biography narrative. This film is an unbelievable achievement for everyone involved with it. Danny Boyle's pacing is perfect, we are given brief moments to breathe between intense scenes with lightning-quick pulses. The cast is brilliant, Dev Patel is sure to become an international star thanks to his assured portrayal of Jamal Malik. Here's an old cliche for you: if you only saw one film this year (for whatever horrible reason) this is the one I hope you saw. I was floored the first time I saw it and I wasn't exactly sure how to react. It stuck with me for days though, and never left my thoughts. The more it haunted me, the more perfect of a film I realized I had seen. This is a unique cinematic experience that will jilt you until you feel like you can't take anymore. But that experience is both rewarding and beautiful. Slumdog Millionaire is the rare type of film that is so packed with excitement you won't fidget once, and you may forget to breathe.