Saturday, December 11, 2010
Top 10 of 2008
As I've said before, I don't go to the theatres much, so it's up to Netflix to keep me up to date on the latest movies. With the length of my queue always long, it takes a while to get around to everything I want to see. So that's why I have to wait until December of 2010 to come out with my Top 10 of 2008 list. I wanted to make sure I'd seen enough movies from that year before I made my list.
So without further ado, here's the list:
10. 21
I really enjoyed Ben Mezrich's book Bringing Down the House about a bunch of MIT students figuring out a way to win big on the blackjack tables in Vegas. And the movie didn't disappoint. It's thrilling pretty much from start to finish, with a star-making turn from Jim Sturgess. It's not the type of movie that's going to win a lot of awards but is pretty entertaining.
9. In Bruges
This is a movie that most people probably haven't seen but should check out. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson (Mad-Eye Moody in the Harry Potter movies) have a great interplay as they try to lay low in a city that Farrell hates and Gleeson loves. This thriller keeps you guessing until the very end.
8. Iron Man
2008 was a good year for superhero movies, with two making my Top 10 list. Iron Man isn't your typical superhero movie, and that's why I think I liked it. Robert Downey Jr. is perfect as Tony Stark, and the movie's best scenes are not when he's in the iron suit.
7. The Bank Job
This is a great thriller that is a throwback to movies from decades ago. It's a simple premise: a group of guys trying to pull off a daring bank heist, which has been done many times before. But the execution here is top-notch.
6. Frost/Nixon
This isn't the type of movie that's going to keep you on the edge of your seat with your blood pumping. But it's a very solid drama that has a unique look into the mind of Richard Nixon. Frank Langella and Michael Sheen are terrific here in their roles.
5. Young @ Heart
I'm sure this is the least recognizable name on this list, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't check it out. Young @ Heart is a documentary about a singing group made up of people in their 70s and 80s, and is both uplifting and depressing. These people sing Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen, not what you would expect. You will not hear "Fix You" the same way again after seeing this.
4. The Dark Knight
I have always been a big Christopher Nolan fan, and he has not disappointed with the two Batman movies. The Dark Knight is the better of the two, with an unbelievable performance from the late Heath Ledger at the center. This is a pretty long and involved movie but is well worth sitting through.
3. Gran Torino
Clint Eastwood's movies have consistently made my Top 10 lists. And Gran Torino ranks right up there with the rest of them. Eastwood turns in a great performance as only Eastwood could as the curmudgeonly neighbor who doesn't hide his racism. But the sacrifice he makes at the end is unforgettable.
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
David Fincher is another consistently strong director, and has come up with another masterstroke. Benjamin Button is certainly a different kind of story, with a man aging backward. But despite its length no parts of this movie feel unimportant. I especially liked Brad Pitt's scenes with Tilda Swinton.
1. Slumdog Millionaire
For me, the pick for top movie of the year is an easy one. Slumdog Millionaire was a very deserving Best Picture winner. It is a brilliant screenplay, letting the lives of three people play out as one person is on the country's most popular game show. And the last 20 minutes is as inspiring as any I have seen in recent years. By the time you get to the closing credits you feel the joy that the characters do dancing on that train station platform.
As I've said before, I don't go to the theatres much, so it's up to Netflix to keep me up to date on the latest movies. With the length of my queue always long, it takes a while to get around to everything I want to see. So that's why I have to wait until December of 2010 to come out with my Top 10 of 2008 list. I wanted to make sure I'd seen enough movies from that year before I made my list.
So without further ado, here's the list:
10. 21
I really enjoyed Ben Mezrich's book Bringing Down the House about a bunch of MIT students figuring out a way to win big on the blackjack tables in Vegas. And the movie didn't disappoint. It's thrilling pretty much from start to finish, with a star-making turn from Jim Sturgess. It's not the type of movie that's going to win a lot of awards but is pretty entertaining.
9. In Bruges
This is a movie that most people probably haven't seen but should check out. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson (Mad-Eye Moody in the Harry Potter movies) have a great interplay as they try to lay low in a city that Farrell hates and Gleeson loves. This thriller keeps you guessing until the very end.
8. Iron Man
2008 was a good year for superhero movies, with two making my Top 10 list. Iron Man isn't your typical superhero movie, and that's why I think I liked it. Robert Downey Jr. is perfect as Tony Stark, and the movie's best scenes are not when he's in the iron suit.
7. The Bank Job
This is a great thriller that is a throwback to movies from decades ago. It's a simple premise: a group of guys trying to pull off a daring bank heist, which has been done many times before. But the execution here is top-notch.
6. Frost/Nixon
This isn't the type of movie that's going to keep you on the edge of your seat with your blood pumping. But it's a very solid drama that has a unique look into the mind of Richard Nixon. Frank Langella and Michael Sheen are terrific here in their roles.
5. Young @ Heart
I'm sure this is the least recognizable name on this list, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't check it out. Young @ Heart is a documentary about a singing group made up of people in their 70s and 80s, and is both uplifting and depressing. These people sing Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen, not what you would expect. You will not hear "Fix You" the same way again after seeing this.
4. The Dark Knight
I have always been a big Christopher Nolan fan, and he has not disappointed with the two Batman movies. The Dark Knight is the better of the two, with an unbelievable performance from the late Heath Ledger at the center. This is a pretty long and involved movie but is well worth sitting through.
3. Gran Torino
Clint Eastwood's movies have consistently made my Top 10 lists. And Gran Torino ranks right up there with the rest of them. Eastwood turns in a great performance as only Eastwood could as the curmudgeonly neighbor who doesn't hide his racism. But the sacrifice he makes at the end is unforgettable.
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
David Fincher is another consistently strong director, and has come up with another masterstroke. Benjamin Button is certainly a different kind of story, with a man aging backward. But despite its length no parts of this movie feel unimportant. I especially liked Brad Pitt's scenes with Tilda Swinton.
1. Slumdog Millionaire
For me, the pick for top movie of the year is an easy one. Slumdog Millionaire was a very deserving Best Picture winner. It is a brilliant screenplay, letting the lives of three people play out as one person is on the country's most popular game show. And the last 20 minutes is as inspiring as any I have seen in recent years. By the time you get to the closing credits you feel the joy that the characters do dancing on that train station platform.
