Best Films of 2008

In my continuing series of lists that nobody cares about, will ever read, and are incredibly outdated, here is my personal top 10 film list of 2008 in chronological order. Spoiler alert: this is one of the best years in recent memory for films, and you will see me call a lot of these my "favorite ____ film of all time". Just warning you.

10. Milk

Director: Gus Van Sant

Starring: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Emile Hirsch

In a year of relatively weak Best Picture nominees, Milk is the highest rated nominee of the bunch. Buoyed by great acting from the entire cast (including deserved nominations for both Brolin and Penn, although I don't think Penn should have won, but we'll get to that), Milk is an entertaining and informative film that will hopefully leave you more open to gay rights and homosexuals in general.

Best Moment: Milk's assassination.

9. Let The Right One In

Director: Tomas Alfredson

Starring: Kare Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar

Foreign film number two. Simultaneously creepy and touching, LTROI contrasts the will of the young girl with the reality of her vampiric circumstances. Featuring three or four truly flawless scenes, Let The Right One In is one of the best films of 2008 and my favorite vampire film of all time.

Best Moment: The climax in the swimming pool.

8. The Visitor

Director: Thomas McCarthy

Starring: Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, Haaz Sleiman

The Visitor is one of those films that make you want to change something about yourself after you watch it. Delving into themes such as post-9/11 racism, immigration, loss, and new experiences, Visitor also features great urban cinematography, which is less lauded and much harder to excel at than the nature-centric type. Richard Jenkins's great emotional performance elevates the film to another level, making The Visitor a must-see film from 2008.

Best Moment: After Tarek's mother arrives in New York.

7. In Bruges

Director: Martin McDonagh

Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes

One of the best dark comedies of all time. A story about a couple of hitmen hiding out in Bruges, Belgium after they screw up a hit, Bruges manages to tackle very dark and deep subject matter such as suicide and drug use while also incorporating midgets and racism in a comedic way. Featuring a great location and wonderful performances from Farrell and Gleeson, In Bruges is a very clever and original take on the classic hitman story.

Best Moment: The drug-fueled scene in the midget's hotel room.

6. Che: Part One

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Demian Bechir, Santiago Cabrera

Foreign film number three. Taken as a whole, Che is an above average two-part film about one of the most recognizable Latin Americans of all time, Che Guevara. Taken separately, Che: Part One is a cinematic masterpiece that stands on its own as the story of the Cuban revolutionaries and their struggle to take power in their home country. Part One is Soderbergh's best film to date and one of Del Toro's best performances of his sporadic career.

Best Moment: The Battle of Santa Clara.

5. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Director: Kurt Kuenne

Starring: Andrew Bagby, David Bagby, Kathleen Bagby, Shirley Jane Turner

The best documentary film I've ever seen. Just thinking about the story in Dear Zachary makes me teary-eyed. One of the most emotional films of any type that I've ever seen, Dear Zachary will leave you emotionally exhausted from the amount of twists the story takes and extremely angry at how a justice system could utterly fail to protect the lives of the totally innocent.

Best Moment: None of these moments are best, because they are all so depressing.

4. The Dark Knight

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart

What is there to say about The Dark Knight that hasn't already been said? One of the most beloved films of the current generation, The Dark Knight is easily the greatest superhero film of all time as well as one of the best films of our new millennium. Don't kid yourself: this film is about The Joker, not Batman. Ledger steals every single scene that he is even mentioned in and earned a rightfully deserved Academy Award for his performance. Although the story rushes a bit in the last act, The Dark Knight is still one of the must-see films of our generation.

Best Moment: The villains hideout, or "the pencil trick".

3. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Director: Nicholas Stoller

Starring: Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand

My favorite comedy since The 40 Year Old Virgin (which doesn't sound like much because that was only six years ago, but 40YOV is my favorite comedy). There is not one scene in the entire film that falters in its hilarity. Every single joke works, and every role is filled by the perfect actor. From Kunu to the religious newlyweds to the vampire puppets, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is about as close to a perfect romantic comedy as you can get.

Best Moment: The dinner scene with the two couples.

2. WALL-E

Director: Andrew Stanton

Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight

The best animated film of all time. WALL-E may be one of the most complex animated films ever created. Visually, the film boasts beautifully animated sequences from beginning to end, from the urban wastelands of the Earth to the depths of the universe. Pixar set the bar for animation with this film that I believe only they are able to surpass, and, two Pixar films later, they haven't even been able to. Thematically the film manages to create a meaningful friendship between a robot and a cockroach and a true romance between two robots. The film also focuses intently on the wastefulness of our society as well as the pervasiveness of corporations and consumerism within our culture. If you somehow haven't seen WALL-E yet, then I truly feel sorry for you.

Best Moment: WALL-E's attempts to reach out to EVE through Earth's trash.

1. The Wrestler

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood

You don't need to be a fan of wrestling to see The Wrestler. Professional wrestling is only a setting for the plot to be set upon, similar to the moon in Moon or Facebook in The Social Network. Instead, the story focuses on the failures of man in the form of Mickey Rourke, who gives one of the best performances I've ever seen and was robbed in one of the biggest snubs in Oscar history. The father-daughter relationship highlighted here is one of the more emotionally realistic portrayals I've ever seen in film, as is the relationship with his stripper girlfriend. One of the best parts of the film is that, in true Aronofsky fashion, everything leads to an extremely emotional and satisfying conclusion. I'm leaving far too much of what I want to say out in this write-up for length's sake, but just know that The Wrestler is one of my ten favorite films of all time and that is a crime against yourself to not have already seen it.

Best Moment: The climax.

Best Films of 2008: Honorable Mentions

Having only ("only!") seen 74 films from 2008, and having way too much time on my hands, I've decided to do a best of 2008 list in just two parts. The first part will be films 11-25 in chronological order with a sentence or two about each film. Again, spoiler alerts.

25. Ballast

Director: Lance Hammer

Starring: Michael J. Smith, Sr., Jim Myron Ross

A very depressing, very indie film that explores the depths of poverty and family values.

Best Moment: The opening sequence.

24. Seven Pounds

Director: Gabriele Muccino

Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson

This widely-panned film is not nearly as bad as the critics made it out to be. Seven Pounds is a flawed film with a very interesting message and a fairly emotional climax.

Best Moment: Probably the climax.

23. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Director: Peter Sollett

Starring: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings

A little too cutesy for its own good, Nick and Norah is still a very funny romantic comedy with lots of good music and enough maturity to entertain the adult crowd as well as teenagers.

Best Moment: When the drunk girl wakes up and thinks she is being kidnapped.

22. Cloverfield

Director: Matt Reeves

Starring: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller

A very exciting and original take on the sci-fi genre, Cloverfield mixes the style of our Youtube generation with state-of-the-art CGI effects and a great script from one of the main writers of Lost.

Best Moment: The Brooklyn Bridge collapsing.

21. Shotgun Stories

Director: Jeff Nichols

Starring: Michael Shannon, Douglas Ligon, Barlow Jacobs

An updated version of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, Shotgun Stories is a story of raw emotion, rash decisions, and unexpected consequences.

Best Moment: The scene near the end with Shannon held at gunpoint.

20. Man on Wire

Director: James Marsh

Starring: Philippe Petit, Jean-Louis Blondeau

A documentary about a tightrope walker may not sound very entertaining. However, this documentary about a man's illegal quest to reach the top of the World Trade Center and then tightrope from one tower to another a quarter-mile in the air is simultaneously exciting and haunting.

Best Moment: Every shot of Petit while he balances between the towers.

19. Role Models

Director: David Wain

Starring: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

In a very good year for true comedies, Role Models stood out with great chemistry between all of the lead characters and an abundance of hilarious scenarios.

Best Moment: The camping trip with the Sturdy Wings group.

18. Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Director: Kevin Smith

Starring: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks

If the title of Zack and Miri sounds offensive or crude to you, do yourself a favor and skip it. To everyone else, though, Zack and Miri is a hilarious and, at times, disgusting film about love and sex.

17. Iron Man

Director: Jon Favreau

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges

Though it suffers from the same drawbacks as most superhero origin stories, Iron Man excels with quite a few great scenes, a more interesting superhero and a great cast, especially Robert Downey Jr. in a role where he basically just plays himself.

Best Moment: When Stark breaks out of the terrorist prisoner camp.

16. Gran Torino

Director: Clint Eastwood

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her

Although hindered by a terrible cast of Asian actors, Gran Torino is still a very gripping, emotional send-off to Eastwood's stellar acting career.

Best Moment: The scenes of Eastwood alone after his wife's funeral reception.

15. JCVD

Director: Mabrouk El Mechri

Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme

Foreign film number one. This fictionalized heist film revolves around a group of bank robbers attempting to exploit Van Damme's celebrity status (he plays himself in the film) as leverage during a police standoff. How could that not be awesome?

Best Moment: Van Damme's monologue to the viewer.

14. Pineapple Express

Director: David Gordon Green

Starring: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride

Simultaneously intense and hilarious, Pineapple Express succeeds as both a pot-filled comedy and a mistaken identity action film.

Best Moment: When Rogen and Franco are freaking out in the woods.

13. Changeling

Director: Clint Eastwood

Starring: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan

Featuring some of the best cinematography and costumes of the year and Jolie's best acting performance of her career (by a mile), Changeling is easily the better of Eastwood's two films as a director this year. 

Best Moment: When they finally get to the bottom of what happened to Jolie's son.

12. Slumdog Millionaire

Director: Danny Boyle

Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto

Danny Boyle has done better, but Slumdog Millionaire didn't steal the Best Picture Oscar either. As time passes, I believe Slumdog will be remembered more for its very unconventional storytelling and unique look at Indian culture instead of its somewhat cheesy love story and Bollywood songs.

Best Moment: When Patel's character ignores the host's advice on the answer to a question.

11. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Director: David Fincher

Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson

Like Boyle, David Fincher has done better than Benjamin Button, but his talents transfer over well to this unconventional story about a man who ages backwards. Though a bit longer than it needs to be, Button succeeds with its beautiful and varied cinematography, understated CGI effects, and exceptional acting.

Best Moment: When Pitt and Blanchett's characters finally cross paths at the same biological age.

(Not So) Best Films of 2009

Here's a list of 15 other films from 2009 that I enjoyed. These are all worse than the worst honorable mention, but still well worth a couple of hours of time if you have some to spare. No commentary on these, just a list of films. In alphabetical order:

12 (Foreign film)

Director: Nikita Mikhalkov

Starring: Sergei Makovetsky, Nikita Mikhalkov, Sergei Garmash

35 Shots of Rum (Foreign Film)

Director: Claire Denis

Starring: Alex Descas, Mati Diop, Gregoire Colin

Adventureland

Director: Greg Mottola

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart

Bronson

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn

Starring: Tom Hardy

Brothers

Director: Jim Sheridan

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman

Crazy Heart

Director: Harriet Walter

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell

An Education

Director: Lone Scherfig

Starring: Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina

Everlasting Moments (Foreign film)

Director: Jan Troell, Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Christensen

The Hangover

Director: Todd Phillips

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis

Humpday

Director: Lynn Shelton

Starring: Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, Alycia Delmore

Silent Light (Foreign film)

Director: Carlos Reygadas

Starring: Cornelio Wall, Miriam Toews, Maria Pankratz

Sunshine Cleaning

Director: Christine Jeffs

Starring: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin

Trucker

Director: James Mottern

Starring: Michelle Monaghan, Nathan Fillion, Benjamin Bratt

Watchmen

Director: Zack Snyder

Starring: Malin Akerman, Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Billy Crudup

Zombieland

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Bill Murray

Best Films of 2009 (Part 3)

Here's the grand finale. The best of the best, the cream of the crop. Whatever. You know what I mean. Again presented in chronological order, here are numbers 10 through 1 (again again, spoiler alert).

10. Inglourious Basterds

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Melaine Laurent, Diane Kruger

Quentin Tarantino has a unique talent in his ability to flawlessly mix extremely long scenes driven entirely by dialogue with over-the-top action scenes, and he is in top form here. Bouncing back from the comparably terrible Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds is a roller coaster ride through World War II-era Germany and France, filled to the brim with a revisionist history of the war that you will wish actually happened. The cinematography is very colorful, creating many memorable scenes, and the mixing of languages between German, French, English, and Italian adds a needed hint of reality and even a few moments of comedy. This is a genuine Tarantino film, though, so if you were not previously a fan of his work, this film will likely not change your mind on him. For me, he's a cinematic genius and this is one of his best pieces.

Best Moment: When all the characters finally converge at the Nazi propaganda film screening.

9. Black Dynamite

Director: Scott Sanders

Starring: Michael Jai White

Black Dynamite is the best pure comedy of 2009. From the grainy camera filters to the purposely terrible editing to the silly kung-fu, Dynamite is an homage to the blaxploitation films of the 1970s. The dialogue is extremely cheesy from every character. All of these things sound negative, but when you see them as they are presented (satirically and with obvious jest by the actors), they become huge positives. Do not go into this film expecting to see some beautiful piece of cinema, or even a coherent plot: neither of these things will help you understand the film. However, if you are able to watch the film for what it is, a satirical account of black stereotypes and bad cinema, then you will be treated to some of the more hilarious moments of 2009.

Best Moment: When they figure out the truth behind Anaconda Malt Liquor.

8. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Director: Werner Herzog

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, Xzibit

Before you dismiss this film as another in a string of terrible Nicolas Cage films, I beg you to give this one a chance. Bad Lieutenant is about, obviously, a crooked lieutenant in the New Orleans police department and his means of fighting crimes. BL is also, in its own very unique way, a cinematic treasure. Werner Herzog brings one of the most unique and off-the-wall perspectives to directing that you can find, infusing what could have been a very generic cop story with some of the weirdest scenes of 2009, including no less than three close-up shots of reptilian animals walking around and a dead man breakdancing. Nic Cage fits into this variety hour perfectly, infusing his character with so much over-the-top acting that it stops being over-the-top at all. One drawback many people have with the film is that Cage's character is too much of a bad guy to sympathize with, but I think that was Herzog's goal: he's basically a criminal with a badge, and yet he still enforces the law and fights crime. Bad Lieutenant is one of the weirdest films I've seen in a long time, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Best Moment: The scene about "Nigga Elk".

7. The Messenger

Director: Oren Moverman

Starring: Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson

Another film to throw into the "sadly underseen" pile, The Messenger is a different kind of war film. Instead of focusing on the war in terms of Iraq or Afghanistan, this film focuses on the aftermath: Foster and Harrelson play wounded in action veterans whose job is now to inform the families of soldiers when their family member was killed in combat. The extremely dark subject matter is handled perfectly by the director; in a film where there is basically no tension (we already know the soldier is dead), Moverman manages to make every house trip unique and heartbreaking enough that it doesn't matter that we know how it will end. Harrelson plays the seasoned veteran role perfectly, earning his Oscar nomination for a certain scene near the end alone. Similarly to The Hurt Locker, The Messenger creates a sense of realism for the film by portraying the soldiers as men enlisted to do a job as opposed to supermen with no feelings or opinions about anything other than war. I previously stated that The Hurt Locker ruined future war films for me because of its accurate pacing and realistic settings, but that's not completely true: The Messenger has ruined future war films for me in the exact same way.

6. The Secret in Their Eyes

Director: Juan Jose Campanella

Starring: Ricardo Darin, Soledad Villamil

Although three of the other five nominees for the 2009 Best Foreign Language Film made this list (The White Ribbon, Ajami, and A Prophet), none of them come close to the near-perfection of The Secret in Their Eyes. This is, in my opinion, one of the best pure mystery films in my lifetime. The film follows a trio of detectives as they investigate the rape and murder of a woman. Actually, that's not entirely true: the film follows two of those characters long after the murder as they recall the period of time surrounding the murder. The plot will keep you glued to your seat as you attempt to figure out the many twists and turns it takes, none of which are cheap or forced for the sake of drama. There is also a wonderful love story between the two main characters, the sort of love story in which we know, and we know that they know, but they don't know that they both know. The lead actors portray their mutually unrequited love perfectly as well as their roles as detectives and law enforcers. The cinematography of this film is also one of its many highlights, including one scene that will leave you completely baffled as to how they shot it. If you are willing to give a foreign film a chance (and you've already seen Pan's Labyrinth and Life is Beautiful), then this is the one film I wish you to see.

Best Moment: The one-shot chase scene at the soccer game.

5. A Single Man

Director: Tom Ford

Starring: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore

Yes, this film is about a gay man, and yes there is some gay stuff that happens. But, unlike Brokeback Mountain and almost every other gay-centric film, this movie isn't about being gay. A Single Man is simply about a man who cannot cope with the loss of his significant other. The story is intricately relatable to anyone who has ever been in a committed relationship and had the relationship end. A Single Man is also very visually stylistic, which makes sense because the director, Tom Ford, is also a fashion designer. Scenes tend to emphasize the feeling of the moment just as much as what is actually happening. Some of the shots linger, allowing the viewer to focus on the natural beauty of the scenes, such as the way the cigarette smoke curls away during a conversation. Color is also an important facet of the film, used to emphasize the important or meaningful moments of Colin Firth's character's life. Speaking of Firth, he gives the acting performance of the year, earning him an Oscar nomination (should've given him a win, too). Overall, if you are vehemently against gays, you obviously want to skip this film, but for everyone else, this is one of the best films of the year.

Best Moment: Either the first scene or the last scene when Firth's character is at home.

4. Up in the Air

Director: Jason Reitman

Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick

Many people have called Up in the Air the "film of the moment" (well, before The Social Network came out, they did). I believe this to be a fair assessment: the film is about a guy whose job is to fly around the country to companies and fire people. This theme resonates very soundly with the current status of our economy, creating an immediate relevancy to the film. However, Up in the Air is more than that. The film also touches on subjects such as sexual morals, loneliness, family values, and change. Many of the funniest moments of the film stem from Clooney's character (an older businessman who trusts his own judgment better than a computer's) attempting to teach Kendrick's character (a recent graduate who relies heavily on electronically- and computer-operated devices) the simple task of empathy. Though I laughed out loud more at other movies this year, none of the jokes in Up in the Air seem cheap or unoriginal (sorry, no fart jokes), and the film itself is charming. The film is beautiful in an architectural type of way, and the opening credits are easily the best of the year. I really can't think of a person who wouldn't like this film.

Best Moment: The scene where they crash the party.

3. You, The Living

Director: Roy Andersson

Starring: Jessica Lundberg, Elisabet Helander, Bjorn Englund, Leif Larsson

The final of the eight foreign films on this list is You, The Living, one of the oddest films I've ever seen. It's really a collection of short sketches that are extremely loosely related. Some of the characters transfer over from different sketches, but not usually. In fact, remember when I said The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was the most unique film on this list? I lied. It's this one. I will admit without hesitation that this film is not for everyone. It is hard to understand at times, the characters do inexplicable things, and the comedy is very dry. To me, though, this film is nearly flawless. One of my favorite parts of the film is the look of it; Andersson intentionally made the sets look unrealistic, and the end result is a painted feeling, like you are watching an animated film that real actors accidentally walked into. I also thoroughly enjoy the randomness of the film. Some of the sketches include a woman on a park bench singing her sorrows, a man executed for failing to do a parlor trick correctly, and a dream about a woman marrying a rock star on a housecar as they travel through their crowd of adoring fans. The final scene is somehow the most powerful of all while also being the most uneventful. As I said, this film is definitely not for everyone. But if any of this interests you at all, I highly recommend that you give You, The Living a chance.

Best Moment: Maybe the barbershop scene, maybe the end sequence.

2. Fantastic Mr. Fox

Director: Wes Anderson

Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman

In a year filled to the brim with great animated films, Fantastic Mr. Fox still led the pack by a long shot. The film follows the story of Mr. Fox, who can't stop robbing from the farmers nearby. Eventually the farmers catch on to Mr. Fox's schemes and decide to kill him, which leads to a host of shenanigans involving the Foxes and other forest animals. The film has the best stop-motion animation that I've ever seen (including The Nightmare Before Christmas). Characters express themselves through hilarious stop-motion movements that are hard to explain if you haven't seen the film. One of the best parts of the film are the comedic spots that come out of nowhere sometimes, such as the opossum being overtaken by anxiety or the random guy playing a song on the banjo. One of the best animated films of the new millenium (along with WALL-E), Fantastic Mr. Fox is a must see film.

Best Moment: You cussin' with me?

1. (500) Days of Summer

Director: Marc Webb

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

Here it is: the best film of 2009. 500 Days of Summer follows the romance of two people, Tom and Summer, from their beginnings and past their breakups. This film, like a less depressing version of A Single Man, is really about the inability to let go of someone. It is also about the miscommunications prevalent in most relationships when the couple doesn't really listen to one another.What sets this film apart from basically every other romantic comedy in history is its brilliant and original script. The film is told completely out of order, with story progression focusing mainly on the mirroring of different phases of a relationship's lifespan as opposed to a cohesive order of what exactly happened. Surprisingly, the film is still very easy to follow even with the nonlinear plotline. Aside from this, there are other artistic techniques that Marc Webb employs, including a musical number in the middle of the film, split screens comparing imagination to reality, and ambiguity about who is really at fault in the relationship. To me, this film is almost flawless and I am disheartened that so few people have actually seen it.

Best Moment: Probably the split screen scene.

Welp. That's it. I might post some other good films from 2009 to wrap it up, but that's it for the official best films.