Well, it's that time of the year. Top 10 lists dominate the blogosphere, and as usual, I have my thoughts as well. Here are my Top 20 Movies from the past year, starting with 20, and ending with my favorite.
20. Easy A - Emma Stone was fantastic in this. The family dynamic with Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson were the high points. Showed that Emma Stone has a big career ahead of her, and can handle her own in a lead role.
19. The Other Guys - Say what you want, but Will Ferrell kills me. He can make me laugh in anything. Mark Wahlberg was ok in this, not bad but not great. Michael Keaton was very funny as was his love for TLC songs.
18. Dinner for Schmucks - Uncomfortable and amused. That's how I felt throughout this movie. Never quite sure which I felt more, but this movie definitely brought the funny. I didn't think Steve Carrell would consistently make me laugh throughout the movie, but he did. A testament to his talent.
17. The Kids Are Alright - A great movie. And I can see why this is in a lot of Top 10 lists this year. But I just didn't love it. The performances by Annette Benning, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo were all superb, and they should probably all be nominated, but I just didn't love this picture.
16. Unstoppable - Tony Scott's most entertaining movie in years. Denzel was typical Denzel, and Chris Pine coming off of Star Trek showed he is more than capable of handling action roles. Great action.
15. Hot Tub Time Machine - When I saw this movie in April I was confident this would be in my Top 10 at the end of the year. I didn't anticipate the great dramas that were going to be coming out, but this was my second favorite comedy of the year. Hilarious look at the 80s.
14. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I - The best Harry Potter movie yet? Methinks not yet. But paired with Part II which will be out next July, then yes it (they) will be. Very dark, just how the book was.
13. Shutter Island - A great thriller. Really enjoyed Leo in this. Nothing is as it seems. Kept me on the edge of my toes, as did the fantastic soundtrack. Not a typical score, but highly effective nonetheless. Top 5 Score/Soundtrack of the year.
12. Cyrus - My favorite comedy of the year. Dark, black humor. Jonah Hill was terrific, as was Marisa Tomei and John C. Reilly. This was more uncomfortable than Dinner for Schmucks, and was funnier.
11. Repo Men - My surprise of 2010. I loved this movie. The performances were great. The action was great (and gory). The soundtrack was great (another Top 5). Really enjoyed this film. This was 2010's "Taken" in my book -- a very surprising movie.
10. Scott Pilgrim vs the World - I wanted to see this when it came out in theaters but never got around to it. Bought in on Blu Ray, and just wow. Edgar Wright did an outstanding job making this movie. It was like watching a comic book. Definitely gets better with repeat viewings.
9. The Town - Ben Affleck has taken his talents behind the camera, and it has served him wonders. His two directorial attempts ("Gone Baby Gone" and "The Town") are very skillfully done, showing he has range beyond his acting, which is a good thing because normally his acting isn't great. But he takes center stage in this one and does a very fine job. Jeremy Renner owns his role, and Rebecca Hall is great. Jon Hamm was surprising in his role showing his range. The car chase scene after the second robbery was directed phenomenally.
8. Black Swan - Visually stunning. Musically unchallenged. Darren Aronofsky gives us an outstanding follow up to "The Wrestler." Natalie Portman brought everything to her role, which in my opinion should net her Best Actress at the Oscars. Mila Kunis was great in her supporting role and should also get a nomination.
7. Kick-Ass - Don't remember the last time I had so much fun in a theater. Nic Cage was great, and so was Aaron Johnson, but the movie will be remembered for the breakout of Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl. She was outstanding. One of the Top 5 scenes I've ever seen was her Point of View rescue attempt of Kick Ass and Big Daddy set to John Murphy's score from "Sunshine." Simply put: wow.
6. True Grit - When I saw this trailer I instantly was sold. The Coens doing a western? Sold. With this movie they made their job look incredibly easy. With a fantastic score by Carter Burwell, and Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper (the latter two in limited roles) being perfectly cast, this movie was a win. But the surprise comes from Hailee Steinfeld who went toe to toe with all of these great actors, and came away with the best performance. Kudos to her.
5. The Social Network - David Fincher has become one of my two favorite directors. When I hear that he's making a movie, I instantly get excited. When I heard he was doing this movie, I was a bit confused because he has knack for being drawn to darker movies. But after watching, I can see why this story attracted him. Jesse Eisenberg was great as the neurotic and partially crazy Mark Zuckerberg, and watching how he simultaneously grew a massive online empire and lost connection with everything else is powerful. Doesn't hurt that Aaron Sorkin's script was great and quickly paced.
4. The Fighter - Didn't think this movie would be in my Top 5 when I first heard about it, but here it sits at #4. Christian Bale was outstanding, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams were fantastic, and Mark Wahlberg was surprisingly great in his role as real life boxer Micky Ward. Not just about boxing, but about a family and the relationship between them and the sport they all love, this movie had it all. David O. Russell did a great job with this movie, and is a win.
3. How To Train Your Dragon - Ok, THIS movie was the surprise of 2010. Went into this with zero expectations, and came out in love with Toothless and everything else about this movie. The score by John Powell is simply phenomenal, and is my favorite score of 2010. Dreamworks finally showed they have talent in the storyline department as this would be a shoe-in for Best Animated Feature, had they released it in 2011. But it came out in 2010, and had to go up against...
2. Toy Story 3 - this movie. TS3 completes the best trilogy of all time (not arguable). Such a fantastic story. The ending is simply heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. I've never been able to part with my two favorite toys from my childhood because I wouldn't know how I could do it. And watching Andy do just that, and accept that this would be the end, was so moving. Not ashamed to say I teared up.
1. Inception - My favorite movie of the year was "Inception." Such a mindfuck of a film. Christopher Nolan is my other favorite director (along with D. Fincher) that when I hear he's doing a film, I get giddy. This movie made my head spin, but in the good way. The score by Hanz Zimmer was fantastic, and will probably win for Best Score. It was my second favorite of the year, only behind HTTYD (Movie #3). The gravity-less hallway fight seen with Joseph Gordon-Levitt was jaw dropping and such a pleasure to watch.
Movies not screened yet that would probably crack the Top 20: 127 Hours, Winter's Bone, Let Me In, The King's Speech, Blue Valentine.
And for kicks, my worst movies of 2010 (the one's I've seen, in order from 1-5): When In Rome (a shame because I love Kristen Bell), Clash of the Titans, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Robin Hood, Prince of Persia.
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Sunday, August 16, 2009
(1) - The Disappearance of Time
I'm going to try and blog more often now. I've said that before. But I've been thinking about it, especially today. This day marks day (1) that I shall attempt to write on my blog as often as I can.
To catch you up on what I've been doing recently: I've been going to a lot of movies (saw this weekend District 9, GI Joe, 500 Days of Summer), I've been watching the show "Torchwood" on DVD/BD, I've been trying to read more (bought three books: Youth in Revolt, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Lovely Bones), I've been listening to a lot of Phoenix.
My birthday is coming up, it's on Thursday (8/20). I'll be 23. Time has seriously disappeared. I'm out of college over a year now, still working in Real Estate Management. Not the best job, but I know a bunch of my friends who still don't have a job, so I'm definitely not complaining. I remember just graduating High School and the anxiousness and nervousness of going to college. My younger sister is currently experiencing that right now. How I envy her. Would I want to do all the work that comes with college? Definitely not, but the rest of college, I think everyone misses.
I saw 500 Days of Summer this afternoon. Great. Simply great. Go and see it right now. Magic like that is rarely shown in movies nowadays. It's not a romantic comedy, which we've seen time and time again. It's just a magical movie, it's a very truthful, honest movie.
As I'm writing this a turkey has walked onto my property.
Such is life.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Top Movies of 2008 (5-1)
5. Iron Man
-Where The Dark Knight showed the evil of humanity, Iron Man shows the lighter side; everyone can be a winner. Both movies great, both using completely different tones and showing two completely different universes. RDJ begins his comeback with this movie. The characater of Tony Stark is the perfect fit for RDJ and his persona, and he pulls it off with great ease. The rest of the supporting cast was perfect, they all did their job and made this movie deeper. As opposed to making this a family film with cheap stunts and bad acting, they got a fantastic team and wanted to really make a good film, not just a good movie. I honestly didn't think the superhero Iron Man would be a great movie character, but John Favreau did a great job bringing him to life. And with Marvel now slated to make Iron Man 2, The Avengers Movie, Thor and Captain America, and these actors actually playing their characters in the other movies, I'm very excited to see how these crossover movies do (ie. RDJ is signed on to play Tony Stark/Iron Man in both Iron Man 2 and The Avengers Movie -- amazing).
4. Slumdog Millionaire
-The most uplifting movie I've seen all year and in the past few years, Danny Boyle pulled a rabbit out of his hat with this movie. This movie quietly snuck past everyone until it started screening, and then boom, rave reviews. Danny Boyle directed one of my favorite movies last year, Sunshine, and this year he doesn't disappoint. It seems absurd that a story that centers around Who Wants to be a Millionaire? can be so good, but this is what that movie proves. This is a love story. The movie takes place in India and centers around Jamal and his brother who grew up in the slums of Mumbai. They meet Latika, the love of Jamal's life, early on and from there the story takes off. Jamal is one question away from winning $1 million dollars. The police believe he is cheating somehow, so for every question answered so far, he tells the police how he knows that answer. Whether it's knowing about a colt .45 or about Benjamin Franklin, Jamal has lived every answer. And the only reason why he's on this show: Latika. Great, great movie.
3. Wall-E
-Two things really stood out for me. One, how much could be said without saying a single word. Two, how a kid's movie can be so much better than almost every other movie. Throughout the first 35+ minutes of Wall-E, there are no words. And yet, we immediately identify with the character. We love him. We watch his every movement and emotion. And yes, this robot has emotion. And that's why he's so great, and arguably the greatest character of 2008. When he meets Eva, we can see what he was missing all those years on Earth alone. We can see how much he grows in the short amount of time he knows Eva, and when she leaves, he has to follow her. His survival is now dependent on her. He loves her. Yes you can argue that when the humans start taking more of a central role in the movie, it lacks that certain something that was so present in the first part of the movie, but ultimately the movie never suffers. You root for Wall-E and Eva, you love them, you want them to be in love, you want their survival. This was my second favorite movie of the year, until my new number two came out, and that movie is...
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
-I heard nothing about this movie until I saw the trailer for it attached to the new Indiana Jones. Hands down, the greatest trailer I have ever watched. And my interest to it hasn't dropped since then. And wow did this movie not disappoint. Clocking in at just under three hours, this movie could've gone another hour and I would've loved every minute of it. I just did not want it to end. CCBB is not about instant gratification, it's about unveiling a story, character after charater, moment after moment, year after year. Brad Pitt brings his A game, Cate Blanchett is amazing as always, and is in the same category as Kate Winslet for being the greatest actresses of their generation. I could go down the list of each supporting character and say a wonderful thing about all of them. But I'll move onto three other people: David Fincher, Claudio Miranda and Alexandre Desplat. David Fincher, known for his dark side (see: Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac), really brings out this storyline. I can see why he was attracted to this story. It's not necessarily dark, but as much as its uplifting it's such a sad story. In then end, there is nothing. Claudio Miranda, thank you for creating the most beautiful looking movie I've seen in years. And Alexandre Desplat, wow, you rocked my world. My favorite score of 2008, easily. The music is just as gorgeous as the movie. The movie can be summed up in one scene: after years and years of back and forth between Benjamin and Daisy, finally, they decide to be together. As opposed to rushing into the sex, they savor every single moment they have. They slowly move on to the bed and just as their about to touch Daisy moves back her head and lies down, needing Benjamin to follow. It's just, it's beautiful, and sums the movie up. Life isn't a race, enjoy anything and everything along the way, and savor all the important moments as best you can. I desperately wanted to place this movie number 1, but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't. Read on.
1. The Dark Knight
-My favorite film of 2008. The greatest comic book movie of all-time. The second highest domestic grossing film of all-time only behind the unsinkable Titanic. What can I say about this movie. Christopher Nolan has created probably my favorite Universe ever. Gotham City and its darkness is unparalleled. It was already dark, and then they decided to add The Joker to the mix. That's throwing gasoline on a forest fire. Utter chaos, and wow, was it something to see. Heath Ledger truly did an outstanding job, and if he doesn't win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, there's something wrong with this world. He was, he was perfect. Yes Batman's growling voice was a little overdone, and yes the plot at times seemed a bit ridiculous, but this was a great film, not just a great movie. I just loved this film. The score by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard was outstanding, probably my second favorite score of the year. I just can't say enough great things about this film.
So there you have it, my top twenty. Let me know what you think!!
-Where The Dark Knight showed the evil of humanity, Iron Man shows the lighter side; everyone can be a winner. Both movies great, both using completely different tones and showing two completely different universes. RDJ begins his comeback with this movie. The characater of Tony Stark is the perfect fit for RDJ and his persona, and he pulls it off with great ease. The rest of the supporting cast was perfect, they all did their job and made this movie deeper. As opposed to making this a family film with cheap stunts and bad acting, they got a fantastic team and wanted to really make a good film, not just a good movie. I honestly didn't think the superhero Iron Man would be a great movie character, but John Favreau did a great job bringing him to life. And with Marvel now slated to make Iron Man 2, The Avengers Movie, Thor and Captain America, and these actors actually playing their characters in the other movies, I'm very excited to see how these crossover movies do (ie. RDJ is signed on to play Tony Stark/Iron Man in both Iron Man 2 and The Avengers Movie -- amazing).
4. Slumdog Millionaire
-The most uplifting movie I've seen all year and in the past few years, Danny Boyle pulled a rabbit out of his hat with this movie. This movie quietly snuck past everyone until it started screening, and then boom, rave reviews. Danny Boyle directed one of my favorite movies last year, Sunshine, and this year he doesn't disappoint. It seems absurd that a story that centers around Who Wants to be a Millionaire? can be so good, but this is what that movie proves. This is a love story. The movie takes place in India and centers around Jamal and his brother who grew up in the slums of Mumbai. They meet Latika, the love of Jamal's life, early on and from there the story takes off. Jamal is one question away from winning $1 million dollars. The police believe he is cheating somehow, so for every question answered so far, he tells the police how he knows that answer. Whether it's knowing about a colt .45 or about Benjamin Franklin, Jamal has lived every answer. And the only reason why he's on this show: Latika. Great, great movie.
3. Wall-E
-Two things really stood out for me. One, how much could be said without saying a single word. Two, how a kid's movie can be so much better than almost every other movie. Throughout the first 35+ minutes of Wall-E, there are no words. And yet, we immediately identify with the character. We love him. We watch his every movement and emotion. And yes, this robot has emotion. And that's why he's so great, and arguably the greatest character of 2008. When he meets Eva, we can see what he was missing all those years on Earth alone. We can see how much he grows in the short amount of time he knows Eva, and when she leaves, he has to follow her. His survival is now dependent on her. He loves her. Yes you can argue that when the humans start taking more of a central role in the movie, it lacks that certain something that was so present in the first part of the movie, but ultimately the movie never suffers. You root for Wall-E and Eva, you love them, you want them to be in love, you want their survival. This was my second favorite movie of the year, until my new number two came out, and that movie is...
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
-I heard nothing about this movie until I saw the trailer for it attached to the new Indiana Jones. Hands down, the greatest trailer I have ever watched. And my interest to it hasn't dropped since then. And wow did this movie not disappoint. Clocking in at just under three hours, this movie could've gone another hour and I would've loved every minute of it. I just did not want it to end. CCBB is not about instant gratification, it's about unveiling a story, character after charater, moment after moment, year after year. Brad Pitt brings his A game, Cate Blanchett is amazing as always, and is in the same category as Kate Winslet for being the greatest actresses of their generation. I could go down the list of each supporting character and say a wonderful thing about all of them. But I'll move onto three other people: David Fincher, Claudio Miranda and Alexandre Desplat. David Fincher, known for his dark side (see: Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac), really brings out this storyline. I can see why he was attracted to this story. It's not necessarily dark, but as much as its uplifting it's such a sad story. In then end, there is nothing. Claudio Miranda, thank you for creating the most beautiful looking movie I've seen in years. And Alexandre Desplat, wow, you rocked my world. My favorite score of 2008, easily. The music is just as gorgeous as the movie. The movie can be summed up in one scene: after years and years of back and forth between Benjamin and Daisy, finally, they decide to be together. As opposed to rushing into the sex, they savor every single moment they have. They slowly move on to the bed and just as their about to touch Daisy moves back her head and lies down, needing Benjamin to follow. It's just, it's beautiful, and sums the movie up. Life isn't a race, enjoy anything and everything along the way, and savor all the important moments as best you can. I desperately wanted to place this movie number 1, but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't. Read on.
1. The Dark Knight
-My favorite film of 2008. The greatest comic book movie of all-time. The second highest domestic grossing film of all-time only behind the unsinkable Titanic. What can I say about this movie. Christopher Nolan has created probably my favorite Universe ever. Gotham City and its darkness is unparalleled. It was already dark, and then they decided to add The Joker to the mix. That's throwing gasoline on a forest fire. Utter chaos, and wow, was it something to see. Heath Ledger truly did an outstanding job, and if he doesn't win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, there's something wrong with this world. He was, he was perfect. Yes Batman's growling voice was a little overdone, and yes the plot at times seemed a bit ridiculous, but this was a great film, not just a great movie. I just loved this film. The score by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard was outstanding, probably my second favorite score of the year. I just can't say enough great things about this film.
So there you have it, my top twenty. Let me know what you think!!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Top Movies of 2008 (20-11)
Wow. I haven't had a single post in over 8 months. Two reasons. One, I basically burned out. I blogged so much in such a little time I literally burned out. Two, no one was reading my blogs, and I was pretty bummed about that. But I've since made a resolution to blog more often. Not as often as I can, but when I want to. Starting with this post. My Top Movies of 2008. Read on.
20. Quantum of Solace
-Not as good as "Casino Royale." Let's get that out of the way. This sequel was driven more by the action rather than the plot. That was a strong point of CR, it balanced effectively the action against the plot. Where CR lacked in action, QS soared. Staring off with that great car chase. QUANTUM is now a legitimate enemy of MI6 for future installments, which should still star Daniel Craig, who has seriously reenergized this role. Also, Olga Kurylenko is gorgeous. Reason enough.
19. Hellboy 2
-Better than "Hellboy." Not only were the set design and effects amazing, this movie had a soul. You could connect with every major character in the movie, and it didn't matter what world they were a part of. But what really got me was Prince Nauda, who was only trying to save his people from literally being forgotten. His world was being erased, and all he was trying to do was save it. Does this really make him a bad guy? Guillermo Del Toro knocked this one out of the park, and I hope they make the final part of the trilogy, because the story could be very interesting.
18. Step Brothers
-Another great teaming of Will Ferrel and Adam McKay. John C. Reilly has really come into his own as a comedic actor. The improv by Will and John really knock off of each other and they shine. Great comedy, but not the best of the year.
17. Revolutionary Road
-Haunting. Extremely haunting movie. Not a horror film, but this movie really shows the horrors of 'ordinary life.' Sam Mendes really digs into the 1950s and what it was all about. All of these families believed they were special, and wouldn't fall into the trap that the suburbs provided. Yet, they all failed. No matter how hard they tried, or what scheme they came up with (abandoning the suburbs and moving to Paris), they could not win. Everyone falls victim to that mundane life. Leo continues his superb acting, and will most likely garner a Best Actor nod. Kate Winslet is a lock for a Best Actress nod, as she continues to prove she is the best actress of her generation. But this movie doesn't even have her best performance, that comes later in my list.
16. The Wackness
-Amazing soundtrack. 1994 rap. So great. Great performances by Sir Ben and Josh Peck. Jonathan Levine really captured 1994 in a great way. The relationship formed by Sir Ben and Josh is on really to behold. They're both looking for something in very distinct points of their lives, and they can help each other out.
15. Valkyrie
-Best thriller of 2008? Easily. All of you who complain how they don't have accents, thats not the part of the movie you're supposed to concentrate on. This is a story of incredible, brave men, who literally risked their lives to assassinate Hitler. We know it didn't work, but that doesn't mask the fact that they tried. Great all-around cast, with Tom Cruise back in top form.
14. Tropic Thunder
-I just rewatched this, and appreciated it much more. First, it's a great look at the film industry and how movies are made. When I say great, I mean hilarious. Second, Robert Downey Jr. really is amazing to watch in this. His resurrection started in "Iron Man" and continued with this film. Amazing, amazing stuff. And third, Danny McBride. Wow. He is so great in this flick. And yes, Tom Cruise was great as a huge movie mogel.
13. Doubt
-Far and away the best acted movie of 2008. Superior performances by Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Viola Davis and Amy Adams. The first three are sure to get Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress nods, respectively. Amy Adams might get the bump from the Best Supporting Actress category, however she goes toe to toe with both Meryl Streep and PSH, and is definitely deserving of a nod. Very interesting storyline as well.
12. Australia
-A bust according to many people. I really enjoyed this picture. Yes, it was a bit long and you could've cut 25 minutes off the film, but I really don't think that hurt the film. Baz Luhrman is a very unique director, and his style from film to film has drastically changed. And in that, his style has changed the same. He is willing to look at a movie in a different perspective and shoot it like that. In this, he really, really, wanted to emphasize how beautiful and huge Australia really is. And he succeeds. Australia itself could be a Best Supporting Actress. He captures the magic of Australia, and that's what he was aiming to do. Nicole Kidman does a great job in the last 2/3 of the movie, and Hugh Jackman really surprised me with his acting ability in this epic.
11. The Incredible Hulk
-The third best comic book movie of the year. Which is a shame, because it really was a great film. Edward Norton gives the Hulk/Bruce Banner life, something that Ang Lee missed the first time around. It's tough to show the Hulk as a human being, with all the CGI we forget. But they really do succeed in that. Liv Tyler does a great job as Betty Ross, bringing a sense of urgency to the character. She loves Bruce, and wants to be with him. You really feel for their relationship and the strain on it. Props for bringing in Tony Stark, a tie-in to the Avengers. Marvel is really bringing their A-Game.
20. Quantum of Solace
-Not as good as "Casino Royale." Let's get that out of the way. This sequel was driven more by the action rather than the plot. That was a strong point of CR, it balanced effectively the action against the plot. Where CR lacked in action, QS soared. Staring off with that great car chase. QUANTUM is now a legitimate enemy of MI6 for future installments, which should still star Daniel Craig, who has seriously reenergized this role. Also, Olga Kurylenko is gorgeous. Reason enough.
19. Hellboy 2
-Better than "Hellboy." Not only were the set design and effects amazing, this movie had a soul. You could connect with every major character in the movie, and it didn't matter what world they were a part of. But what really got me was Prince Nauda, who was only trying to save his people from literally being forgotten. His world was being erased, and all he was trying to do was save it. Does this really make him a bad guy? Guillermo Del Toro knocked this one out of the park, and I hope they make the final part of the trilogy, because the story could be very interesting.
18. Step Brothers
-Another great teaming of Will Ferrel and Adam McKay. John C. Reilly has really come into his own as a comedic actor. The improv by Will and John really knock off of each other and they shine. Great comedy, but not the best of the year.
17. Revolutionary Road
-Haunting. Extremely haunting movie. Not a horror film, but this movie really shows the horrors of 'ordinary life.' Sam Mendes really digs into the 1950s and what it was all about. All of these families believed they were special, and wouldn't fall into the trap that the suburbs provided. Yet, they all failed. No matter how hard they tried, or what scheme they came up with (abandoning the suburbs and moving to Paris), they could not win. Everyone falls victim to that mundane life. Leo continues his superb acting, and will most likely garner a Best Actor nod. Kate Winslet is a lock for a Best Actress nod, as she continues to prove she is the best actress of her generation. But this movie doesn't even have her best performance, that comes later in my list.
16. The Wackness
-Amazing soundtrack. 1994 rap. So great. Great performances by Sir Ben and Josh Peck. Jonathan Levine really captured 1994 in a great way. The relationship formed by Sir Ben and Josh is on really to behold. They're both looking for something in very distinct points of their lives, and they can help each other out.
15. Valkyrie
-Best thriller of 2008? Easily. All of you who complain how they don't have accents, thats not the part of the movie you're supposed to concentrate on. This is a story of incredible, brave men, who literally risked their lives to assassinate Hitler. We know it didn't work, but that doesn't mask the fact that they tried. Great all-around cast, with Tom Cruise back in top form.
14. Tropic Thunder
-I just rewatched this, and appreciated it much more. First, it's a great look at the film industry and how movies are made. When I say great, I mean hilarious. Second, Robert Downey Jr. really is amazing to watch in this. His resurrection started in "Iron Man" and continued with this film. Amazing, amazing stuff. And third, Danny McBride. Wow. He is so great in this flick. And yes, Tom Cruise was great as a huge movie mogel.
13. Doubt
-Far and away the best acted movie of 2008. Superior performances by Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Viola Davis and Amy Adams. The first three are sure to get Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress nods, respectively. Amy Adams might get the bump from the Best Supporting Actress category, however she goes toe to toe with both Meryl Streep and PSH, and is definitely deserving of a nod. Very interesting storyline as well.
12. Australia
-A bust according to many people. I really enjoyed this picture. Yes, it was a bit long and you could've cut 25 minutes off the film, but I really don't think that hurt the film. Baz Luhrman is a very unique director, and his style from film to film has drastically changed. And in that, his style has changed the same. He is willing to look at a movie in a different perspective and shoot it like that. In this, he really, really, wanted to emphasize how beautiful and huge Australia really is. And he succeeds. Australia itself could be a Best Supporting Actress. He captures the magic of Australia, and that's what he was aiming to do. Nicole Kidman does a great job in the last 2/3 of the movie, and Hugh Jackman really surprised me with his acting ability in this epic.
11. The Incredible Hulk
-The third best comic book movie of the year. Which is a shame, because it really was a great film. Edward Norton gives the Hulk/Bruce Banner life, something that Ang Lee missed the first time around. It's tough to show the Hulk as a human being, with all the CGI we forget. But they really do succeed in that. Liv Tyler does a great job as Betty Ross, bringing a sense of urgency to the character. She loves Bruce, and wants to be with him. You really feel for their relationship and the strain on it. Props for bringing in Tony Stark, a tie-in to the Avengers. Marvel is really bringing their A-Game.
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