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Best/Favorite Films 0f 2008
by Scott Mendelson
Now that I've seen pretty much every piece of end of the year Oscar-bait, I realize that I could have written this list over Thanksgiving and been pretty on the mark. Many of the awards bait films were good, but none of them were truly great. So, with most of the major films in the bag, I can officially write the 'best films of the year' list (possibly worthy films I missed - The Reader, Rachel Getting Married, and Tell No One). However, as always, this is a list of my favorite films, not the 'best'. I guarantee there were better films in 2008 than at least a handful of entries here. But these are the most enjoyable, most moving, most compelling, and most intriguing movie going experiences from 2008. Here we go...
A social drama disguised as a popcorn thriller, this surprisingly potent film is actually a study in racism, class, and the frailty of moral absolutism. While Samuel L. Jackson has a few over-the-top moments as a racist cop who targets the mixed-race couple who moves in next door, he spends the majority of the film playing a simmering, angry man who is too proud to admit that his worldview is bathed in bitterness rather than conservative moral superiority. Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington play a young, idealistic stereotypically liberal couple who discover ugly truths about themselves, as well as the practical limits of their progressive pacifism. Like all good social criticism, in the end, no one's hands are clean and everyone is wrong. Like a few films on this list, this one is better than its reputation.
9. The Bank Job
Finally, Jason Statham gets the opportunity to do his thing in a film of real quality. Based on a true story of the Bakers Street bank vault heist, this 1970s period piece is awash in British politics and rich character work. Roger Donaldson re-establishes himself as a director of top-notch thrillers, and this film stands tall as the best caper film in many years.
8. You Don't Mess With The Zohan
The years happiest surprise, this stunningly optimistic and surprisingly thoughtful Adam Sandler comedy confronts the Israel/Palestine conundrum head on and decides to 'give peace a chance'. Starring Sandler as an ex-Israeli soldier who fakes his death and moves to New York to become a hair dresser, this film takes equal comic potshots at Israelis and Palestinians and dares offer gentle, but pointed criticism of both cultures' inexplicable need to murder each other over a random patch of land. Writers Sandler, Judd Apatow, and Robert Smigel add a sharp, socially conscious wit to the usual Sandler buffoonery. I am not a fan of Adam Sandler comedies, but this is the best film he has ever made.
7. Wall-E/Kung Fu Panda
Two great cartoons from the two biggest animation houses in the business. One is an artful, socially minded fable that is as touching and sweet as it is mournful and haunting. The other is a rip-snorting action film that happens to feature Dustin Hoffman's best performance since Moonlight Mile, as well as Jack Black's best film work ever. Wall-E takes the classic Pixar morality play ('Do I merely survive in safety or truly live in danger?') and applies it to the entire human race, a struggle seen through the eyes of two lonely robots who find love on a decimated Earth. Kung Fu Panda dares to be a real action drama, with expertly staged and emotionally intense combat scenes and the character development to match. Both films are character rich and visually gorgeous. They couldn't be more different, but they are both incredibly potent family entertainments. Why choose one?
6. Hancock
One of the more divisive movies of the year, this thoughtful and touching fable of a man in search of his own identity is cleverly disguised as a wham-bam super hero comedy headlined by the biggest star on the planet. Whether taken as a metaphor for America's relationship with the rest of the world, or simply taken as a friendship between two men who both sincerely want to help the world, this is a messy, imperfect movie that is absolutely a piece of art. Jason Bateman gives one of the best performances of the year, and Will Smith never holds back the sadness and self-pity that form the core of his ornery, irresponsible super hero. I've seen this movie a few times and it gets better each viewing. Don't hate it because of what it's not. Love it for what it is.
5. Frozen River
Melissa Leo, from Homicide: Life on the Street, finally gets a film role worthy of her talents. She and Misty Upam (no slouch herself) anchor a strikingly sparse, but brutally powerful film about the pain and stench of poverty and the desperation of the working poor. Leo stars as an impoverished mother of two, who turns to smuggling illegal aliens across the border in order to feed her family. The film works fine as a slow-paced thriller, but its core value is a stark depiction of a world all too hidden in modern America, where dinner consists of popcorn and tang, ambition consists of being promoted to full time at the Dollar Store, and families dream of living in double-wide trailers so they can be just a little warmer at night. It's a dark, morality play set in a world where people have no bootstraps to pull themselves up by in the first place.
4. Role Models
The funniest film of the year, and proof that Wet Hot American Summer was no fluke. In a year where everyone wanted to be Judd Apatow, director David Wain topped the current king of comedy by toning down the smut and adding just a touch of low-key empathy to the sorts of juvenile losers that usually exist merely as foils. Any film can toss in a medieval-role-playing-obsessed nerd and a profanity-spewing African American kid, but this film dares to treat these stereotypes as flesh and blood characters, worthy of our empathy and respect. Paul Rudd (in his first lead role) and Sean William Scott (in his best work since The Rundown) bring just enough plausibility to the film, so that by the time the climactic action scene goes down (and said climax is truly the best action scene of the year), you're laughing because you realize you're more invested in the 'comic action' than you were in the many summer action spectacles.
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I do not agree at all with this list. Don't mess with the Zohen was funny, but i laugh at everything, and it should not be counted as one of the best movies of 2008. Slumdog millionaire (getting only and honorable mention) Was a GREAT movie that not only touched on some moral issues and grey areas, but and a great story to go along with it. No where on this list do i see Milk or Frost/Nixon or Rachel Getting Married. These films were great. If you haven't seen them, then go and do that now, because the movies you've seen are pretty good, but definitely not the best of the year.
Scott,
I have enjoyed your blogs on the best movies and movie moments from 2008. You always seem to touch a nerve in me. You referenced one of my favorite lines from Dark Knight. It was - Sometimes people deserve more than the truth - and the end part - sometimes they deserve to have their faith rewarded.
I don't know why, but as I watch this film over and over on dvd, I always cry at this point. It just got to me. I thought it was a beautiful summing up of what this movie was all about. Yes, sometimes even moviegoers like myself, who have despaired of ever seeing a truly intelligent, brilliantly crafted comic book hero movie ever being made - well, sometimes our faith is rewarded as well.
This is my favorite film of the year. By far, no contest. It lived up to all the hype and great reviews and then some. Of course, Heath Ledger as the Joker was the heart and soul of this movie. I don't know when we will see a better portrayal of madness, evil, anarchic menace and spellbinding wicked humor. Not any time soon.
I couldn't agree with you more about Speed Racer. I even became a member of Rotten Tomatoes to counter the underserved criticism. I saw the movie 3x and loved it each time. The race scenes were magic with no deaths! It reminded me of how I felt when I first saw 2001 a Space Odyssey in the 60s.
I hope it does become a cult classic, like Ideocracy or a Christmas Story, but even more for its creativity and willingness to drive over the cliff and rise like a phoenix. The music is great and the visuals are brain-shifting. The ending was the best and most positive I've experienced in a long time.
The Wachowskis still rule!
THANK YOU SCOTT!!!
THANK YOU!
At last, I feel totally justified in my love for "SPEED RACER"!
This film was a Mattel "HOT WHEELS" set come to life. It was fast, fun, colorful, corny, and every word that comes with being a kid. And I saw it in IMAX, which made the experience even more spectacular. So much so, that I refused to buy the DVD because there's no other way to see.
At 45 years of age, "SPEED RACER" made me feel like a kid again.
Confession:
I practically cried after "THE DARK KNIGHT".
Because they finally got The Batman RIGHT!!!
One of my favorites this year: "Lars and the Real Girl". I agree on the choice of the "Ruins", the acting was superb. I also thought "Don't Mess With The Zohan" was very insightful, plus pretty funny too. I have to disgree with you on "Hancock", I just saw it on video, very disappointing!
See Scott Mendelson's Profile
Lars And The Real was technically a 2007 release (it was released in NY/LA at the end of the year for awards qualification), but I did enjoy it. As I mentioned elsewhere on the comments, one of my favorite films I saw this year, Black Book, won't be on the list, because it was a 2007 release that I caught on Blu Ray in mid-08.
Hancock was arguably the love it/hate it film of 2008. Regardless of our disagreements, I'm glad you gave it a chance.
Speed Racer was excellent and thoroughly ambitious, glad to see it getting the props it deserves. Although no 'Synecdoche, New York"? That would form the trinity for me this year with 'Wall-E' and "Let the Right One In."
See Scott Mendelson's Profile
Synecdoche, New York is another possibly worthy film that I missed out on seeing. As it is, I'm currently watching Dear Zachery (MSNBC ended up airing it on Sunday) and I may have to revise the list... it's an emotional powerhouse (free tip - don't watch it while rocking your infant daughter to sleep). I'm also seeing Doubt this morning, so we'll see if I published too early. That's always a risk for end of the year lists, no matter how long you wait (one of my favorite films of 2007, Black Book, wasn't on the list because I didn't see it until the BluRay release in mid-2008).
I'm glad to see Speed Racer on your list. It wasn't just a movie, it was An Experience, and those who didn't see it on the big screen or who saw it but with a cynical and too-critical eye are the ones who missed out. I was also glad to see The Bank Job, Hancock and Frozen River up there. The Dark Knight is on my favorites of the year list too.
My very favorite movie of the year didn't get many good reviews and it came and went in the blink of an eye, but I loved it so much I saw it 9 times in the theater, and that's Tarsem's The Fall. It wouldn't be on a list if I were to make up a "Best of 2008" list, but it sure was my favorite.
Paul Rudd also co-starred with Jennifer Anniston in "Object of My Affection".
Mr. Mendelson that was his first lead role.........
Are you a professional writer/reviewer?
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Role Models was the first comic film that Paul Rudd, current comedy star, was the top-billed (above the title) lead in and was the first film in which he was expected to help open the film by virtue of his popularity. The Object Of My Affection was no more a Paul Rudd vehicle than Rumor Has It was a star vehicle for Mark Ruffalo. Again, in this case, What Doesn't Kill You was Ruffalo's first pure lead role. Semantics perhaps, but there is no need to be snide about it.
I loved Role Models too. My favorites list includes Tropic Thunder and Iron Man, two great performances by the resurrected Robert Downey Jr. As I read in a revue of Iron Man, the best thing about it was the ACTING.(Also true of Dark Knight, and such a rarity for superhero epics). Tropic Thunder was so fearless, hilarious and I even liked Tom Cruise again.
I haven't see many of your other favorites but I'll check them out. I live in a small Oregon town so I often have to wait until films come out on DVD.
My apologies. However, with all the controversy about Ben Lyons and the credibility of critics......I would have hoped that you would be a little more thorough before you blogged.
And no matter what you say, Paul Rudd co-starred in "The Object of My Affection". He was in most scenes. The subject matter may have been more the vehicle than the stars but you still were inaccurate in calling "Role Models" his first starring role. What then was Sean William Scott's part in the movie. Paul Rudd's involvement in "Role Models" was more comprehensive since he also wrote the screenplay.
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