William David Lee, ESQ.

So 2008 came and went a lot quicker than I expected. I didn't think it was as strong a year for films as 2007. When critics first started posting their year-end lists at the beginning of December, I had a hard time coming up with a decent top ten at the time. But, the studios flooded the theaters for awards season and I caught a ton of great films. I think I saw more theatrical releases in 2008 than I had any year before. Even then, I still didn't see everything I wanted. Some of the movies I haven't had a chance to catch yet are Ballast, Che, Gomorrah, I've Loved You So Long, Rachel Getting Married, Revolutionary Road, Timecrimes, and Trouble the Water.

In any case, I saw a lot of great films and a lot of crappy ones and these were my favorites. My top spots are dominated by comic book superheroes come to life, cartoon robots, and Swedish vampires. Also well represented are a collection of films that highlighted the human condition and economic hardships that have marked Bush's America.

1. The Dark Knight (Dir. Christopher Nolan)


I have no hesitations at all in selecting The Dark Knight as THE best film of 2008. I called it the Citizen Kane of comic book movies, but Dark Knight is so much more than a mere superhero film, having more in common with crime epics like The Departed or Heat than Spider-Man. Buoyed by an electric performance from the late-Heath Ledger, Dark Knight gives us a Joker that is unpredictable, creepy, and darkly comical. Heavily influenced by Alan Moore's The Killing Joke and Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum, this Joker batters the heroes with his ingeniously twisted, meticulously orchestrated schemes, even if he doesn't look like a "guy with a plan."

The rest of the cast is simply fantastic with Christian Bale as the best Batman ever and Aaron Eckhart as both Harvey Dent and Two-Face. Lest not forget the always dependable Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman. Hell, even Eric Roberts was good as an odious mob boss. The biggest compliment I can give to the film, is that it was the best cinematic experience I had all year. Gorgeously shot with several spectacular action set pieces such as the opening bank robbery and the car chase through the streets ("Rack 'em up! Rack 'em up, rack 'em up."). The Dark Knight was one of the most fun times I had at the movies in years. So much so, I saw it three times in theaters and once in IMAX.

2. Iron Man (Dir. Jon Favreau)


When I said Dark Knight was only one of the most fun times I had at the movies, I was thinking about Iron Man which I wound up seeing three times at the ol' multiplex. Like Dark Knight, Iron Man gave us an A-list cast and a fantastic script which remained faithful to the source material. Unlike Dark Knight, Iron Man was a much more brighter world with a light-hearted feel. It also gave us our first taste of a socially conscious superhero on the big screen. Robert Downey Jr. owns every scene he's in with plenty of charisma and witty quips to spare. The special effects are amazing with a healthy mix of CGI and practical effects from the late-Stan Winston. Best of all, Iron Man set the foundation for a shared Marvel continuity which should (if all goes to plan) culminate in a big-screen version of The Avengers.

3. Wall-E (Dir. Andrew Stanton)


Wall-E is a remarkable achievement for the folks at Pixar and I don't just mean the beautiful animation. The first forty-five, dialogue-free minutes of the movie are simply incredible. The film takes a two robots without mouths or faces in the traditional sense and manages to create a pair of leads more expressive & compelling than the majority of Hollywood's overpriced actors. An animated film that relies on strong storytelling rather than stunt casted celebrity voices or tired pop culture references. Wall-E brings together themes of environmentalism, rampant consumerism, and complacency while centering it around a touching love story.

4. Let the Right One In (Dir. Tomas Alfredson)


I wouldn't pigeon hole The Dark Knight as just another comic book movie and I wouldn't label Let the Right One In as just another vampire movie even if it is one of the best vampire movies ever. Let the Right One In shines a spotlight on the darker recesses of humanity proving there's both innocence and darkness in all of us, regardless of age. The film is filled with such dichtotomies. Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema captures the beauty and the loneliness of the Swedish suburbs and countryside. The virgin white snow never changes amidst the blood red and black night. Apartment buildings and hospital hallways that are detached and alien. Intimate settings such as school gymnasiums and a child's bedroom feel as vast and cold as the banks of snow outside. Beauty amongst ugliness. Let the Right One In is poetic in its horror, artfully and intelligently painting death and tragedy without resorting to gore and shock value.

5. The Wrestler (Dir. Darren Aronofsky)


The more I contemplated about this film, the more I've come to appreciate it. One of the little details I loved about the film was the way Randy the Ram took a pro wrestling mentality to nearly everything he did. This goes beyond the deli counter scenes where he's playing to the crowd of customers. The scene I really love is the one where Randy is playing Nintendo wrestling with a kid in the trailer park. Most folks will probably see this as an example of the sad life he leads. To me, this was a perfect example of how you can take the man out of wrestling, but you can't take the wrestling out of the man. Randy thoroughly thrashes the kid at the game while talking trash, then asks for a rematch. The kid declines and goes off to play with his friends. You can see a look of slight disappointment on Randy's face. He wasn't looking to beat the kid up again to make himself feel better. Randy wanted to put the kid over in the rematch. The kid was the face and Randy, as the heel, needed to destroy the kid at first in order for him to look even stronger when he emerged victorious. The pro wrestling mentality.

6. Gran Torino (Dir. Clint Eastwood)


Clint Eastwood as a mean, old bastard alone is enough to make this one of my favorite films of the year. What Unforgiven was to the Man With No Name, Gran Torino is to Dirty Harry. Eastwood's Walt Kowalski prefers to sit on his porch, drinking beer, and mutter under his breath about all those damn kids and Asians. His self-involved family don't hold the same traditional, working class values as he, yet he finds kindred spirits in the Hmong immigrants that he previously had nothing but contempt for. When push comes to shove, Walt has no problem drawing his gun or putting the boots to somebody. Just like Ford's '72 Gran Torino, Walt isn't a top of the line model, but he's a classic and they don't make 'em like they used to.

7. Wendy and Lucy (Dir. Kelly Reichardt)


"You can't get an address without an address. You can't get a job without a job. The whole system is fixed." With a budget of $300,000 and a scant runtime of 80 minutes, Wendy and Lucy rings more truth and emotion than films with three times the length and thirty times the budget. Wendy and Lucy is a less-romanticized version of Into the Wild and an ideal example of minimalist filmmaking. Writer/Director Kelly Reichardt stays away from extraneous trappings to cut right to the heart and gives us a modern American answer to Bicycle Thieves. Michelle Williams' Wendy faces something far worse than cruelty, indifference. The film accentuates the importance of how our tiniest actions can have tremendous impact on the lives of strangers. Originally intended as a comment on post-Katrina America, Reichardt manages to create a timely picture that sums up the current economical turmoil. This is the struggle of the people who have slipped through the cracks of today’s society.

8. Milk (Dir. Gus Van Sant)


Milk is a straight-forward biopic that transcends its by-the-numbers narrative trappings due to an exceptional cast led by Sean Penn. Though he may be a humorless killjoy in real life, Penn is an amazing actor and he accurately portrays the late-Harvey Milk without simply relying on a mannered impersonation. Penn captures the real Milk’s charm, disarming wit, and determination as evidenced in the Oscar-winning documentary, The Times of Harvey Milk. Penn is contrasted by Josh Brolin as the straight-laced Dan White, Milk's eventual assassin, who finds himself unsettled not so much by Milk's homosexuality, but by his sudden rise in power and the progressive, liberal values of the changing times.

9. Slumdog Millionaire (Dir. Danny Boyle)


Slumdog Millionaire is so much more than just the story of a man going on a game show. It’s a film with a little bit of everything; love and heartbreak, triumph and tragedy, and all points in between. Director Danny Boyle weaves a modern day fairy tale in Slumdog Millionaire with an assist from Indian co-director Loveleen Tandan. At times, the film is more MTV than National Geographic, but this is a visually arresting film with plenty for your eyes to gobble up. If I believed in film critic hyperbole, I’d be shouting easily quotable lines like ”Slumdog Millionaire is the feel-good movie of the year.” However, it actually is a feel-good movie and a clear cut crowd pleasure with a love triumphs all, happily ever after ending. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with that.

10. In Bruges (Dir. Martin McDonagh)


Playwright Martin McDonagh makes his feature-film debut with this bastard love child of David Mamet, Federico Fellini, and Quentin Tarantino. His tale of two hitmen waiting it out in Belgium bounces between dark humor, slapstick, and heavy drama. Colin Farrell gives his best performance ever. At times, he’s child-like, petulant after being dumped in Bruges and filled with wonder at seeing a midget. Under it all, he’s deeply tormented over his part in the death of a little boy. McDonagh has a gift for gab, writing stylized and entertaining dialogue.

11. Hunger (Dir. Steve McQueen)


No, not THAT Steve McQueen. This Steve McQueen is a British artist known for his Andy Warhol-esque films. With Hunger, McQueen and co-writer Enda Walsh, tell the story of Bobby Sands, an imprisoned member of the IRA who led a hunger strike to re-classify himself and other inmates as political prisons instead of terrorists. McQueen doesn't shy away from the grotesqueries that occur within the prison walls through intimate camera work and long takes. We watch in graphic detail as the prisoners smear feces all over their cell walls and receive brutal beatings from the guards. The centerpiece of the film is a 17-minute dialogue between Sands (played by Michael Fassbender) and his priest (Liam Cunningham) which is done all in one take.

12. Tropic Thunder (Dir. Ben Stiller)


I originally saw an early screening of Tropic Thunder at Comic-Con and gave it a so-so review. I think it had more to do with convention burn-out than the quality of the movie which I've grown to appreciate more and more. I didn't care for its relentless over-the-top tone, but I do now. From its opening faux-trailers to the cartoonish violence to the hysterical performances of Robert Downey Jr. in blackface and Tom Cruise in a fat suit. How good is Tropic Thunder? Matthew McConaughey is in it and he doesn't suck!

13. The Visitor (Dir. Thomas McCarthy)


Character actor Richard Jenkins earned himself an Oscar nomination for his role as Walter Vale, an economics professor who has lost any sense of joy since the death of his wife. He finds his passions renewed by a Syrian drummer who turns out to be illegally in the country. When he's threatened with deportation, Vale faces only uncaring bureaucracy.

14. Shotgun Stories (Dir. Jeff Nichols)


Shotgun Stories marks an impressive debut for filmmaker Jeff Nichols and deserved a much wider release than it received. Nichols and his actors infuse the characters with a well-worn humanity. They are flawed characters that are sometimes likable and sometimes aggravating, just like anybody else you´ve ever met in your everyday life. What truly brings the characters to life is the dialogue which is some of the best I´ve ever heard in years. I´m not talking about the stylized monologues of David Mamet or Quentin Tarantino. Nichols´ lines are terse and succinct. These are manly men who aren´t likely to share their feelings or engage in flowery soliloquies. This is Greek tragedy transplanted into the white trash south of America.

15. Waltz With Bashir (Dir. Ari Folman)


Waltz with Bashir is a haunting, introspective look at the tragedies and costs of war. The film couldn’t have a more timely release coming off renewed violence between Israel and Palestine. I selected Waltz with Bashir as one of the best documentaries AND animated films of 2008. I don't have much more to add other than see it if you can.

16. Frozen River (Dir. Courtney Hunt)


You can read every ounce of hardship endured by Ray Eddy across the face of actress Melissa Leo. Leo plays Ray Eddy who just wants a new trailer home to keep her kids warm, but finds the task difficult due to a deadbeat husband and harsh economic realities. She turns to smuggling illegal immigrants across the Canadian border after meeting Lila Littleheart, another mom doing what she can to survive. A wonderful character study about the forgotten people who've fallen through the cracks of today's society. The film turns into a tense thriller in the third act as Ray and Lily go for one last big score.

17. Happy-Go-Lucky (Dir. Mike Leigh)


British auteur Mike Leigh has made a habit of finding the extraordinary in the lives of the ordinary. Leigh gives screen time to the working class Joes that Hollywood only hands out bit parts to (or passes over completely). Sally Hawkins’ Poppy is the type of character that would be relegated to the wacky BFF in any standard rom-com. She takes the lead in this episodic peek into her brightly colored life. Hawkins’ free-spirited turn is emboldened by Leigh’s improvisational approach which allows her to cut loose and truly allow the character to dictate where the film goes,

18. My Winnipeg (Dir. Guy Maddin)


Labeled by its director as 'docu-fantasia,' My Winnipeg is a visual avant-garde poem about Guy Maddin's hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The film is filled with insane embellishments that couldn't possibly be true and facts so strange they couldn't have possibly been made up. Maddin's odd, retro black & white style is an acquired taste, but well worth the time for the cinephile with an adventurous appetite.

19. Synecdoche, New York (Dir. Charlie Kaufman)


Acclaimed screenwriter Charlie Kaufman makes his directorial debut in this meta-textual mind twister that's as obfuscating as the film's own title. An existential journey through a surreal world full of Bunuel-esque idiosyncratic touches. Synecdoche is more bleak and pessimistic than Kaufman's over films with dashes of deadpan humor. Sometimes pretentious and sometimes oddly affecting, you won't find many films like it.

20. Frost/Nixon (Dir. Ron Howard)


I don't think anyone ever accused Ron Howard of being a visually stimulating filmmaker, but with Frost/Nixon he was able to turn the original stage play into a fully realized cinematic experience. He faithfully recreates the look and color palette of the 70's with a bit of a modern Hollywood gloss. It's a Rocky-style story transposed as an entire intellectual battle of wits with the last interview session as the final, climactic round.

21. Doubt (Dir. John Patrick Shanley)


A film less about truth than of the hazy gray area of ambiguity. Of the two award-winning plays adapted onto the silver screen, Doubt was more interesting overall, but was unable to visually expand from the stage as Frost/Nixon did. Shanley tries too hard to make things cinematic, giving us some all too obvious allusions and ill-advised canted angles. Doubt is essentially an actor's showcase led by the commanding presence of Meryl Streep who chews through her scenes and Shanley's wonderfully written dialogue.

22. Man On Wire (Dir. James Marsh)


Man on Wire takes a more conventional approach to its subject matter than the other documentaries on my list. The first two-thirds of the film unfold like a caper as tight-rope walker Philippe Petit and his co-conspirators prepare for one of the craziest stunts ever pulled off. They case the joint, grab an inside man, make up phony ID cards, and Petit himself knows how to tell a great story.

23. Changeling (Dir. Clint Eastwood)


Changeling just screams Oscar bait, a period piece with an epic runtime, renowned actors, and a woman in peril. While Eastwood may not have grown aesthetically as a filmmaker, this is his specialty and he's fashioned an old-school L.A. crime film in the vein of Chinatown and L.A. Confidential. Based on the strange, but true, story of Christine Collins whose case was immaculately researched by screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski (a comic book writer and creator of Babylon 5). Straczynski spent a year researching the material and even went as far as attaching newspaper clippings to the actual script. Would have ranked a bit higher were it not for the flat third act courtroom drama.

24. Chop Shop (Dir. Ramin Bahrani)


Iranian-American director Ramin Bahrani brings to mind the works of Vitorrio De Sica and other Italian Neo-realists with his tale of a 12 year-old Latino orphan trying to make a better life for himself and his older sister. Using real locations and non-actors, Chop Shop could easily pass for a third world nation, but no, it's set in Willets Point in Queens, NY. Nicknamed the Iron Triangle, the neighborhood has no sidewalks or sewers and consists entirely of auto body repair shops and junkyards which all sit in the shadow of Shea Stadium. Alejandro ekes a meager living hustling customers while selling candy bars and bootleg DVDs. His playground a concrete jungle of alleyways and freeway overpasses.

25. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Dir. Nicholas Stoller)


If you can get past the sight of Jason Segel's penis, you'll find yourself a great film that defies the cookie cutter conventions of the all-too idiotic romantic comedy. Segel stars as the film's lead, rolling in his own male insecurities, as well as making his debut as a screenwriter with a smart screenplay peppered with hilarious (and bawdy) one-liners. Sarah Marshall is an accurate portrayal of most relationships and doesn't paint anyone out to be the villain. Paul Rudd and Russell Brand are very funny in their respective roles as a perpetually stoned surfer and an obnoxious British rock singer. Best of all, Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis both look gorgeous in bikinis.

Honorable Mentions: The Bank Job, Bigger Stronger Faster, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Pineapple Express, Snow Angels, W.

The Top 10 Films of 2007

1. There Will Be Blood (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson) 2. American Gangster (dir. Ridley Scott) 3. Once (dir. John Carney) 4. 3:10 To Yuma (dir. James Mangold) 5. Michael Clayton (dir. Tony Gilroy) 6. Ratatouille (dir. Brad Bird) 7. Grindhouse (dirs. Robert Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino) 8. Control (dir. Anton Corbijn) 9. No Country For Old Men (dir. Joel & Ethan Coen) 10. Eastern Promises (dir. David Cronenberg)

Honorable Mentions: 4 Days 3 Weeks and 2 Days, Hot Fuzz, I'm Not There, Juno, Persepolis, The Savages, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

The Top 10 Films of 2006

1. United 93 (dir. Paul Greengrass) 2. Children of Men (dir. Alfonso Cuaron) 3. Flags of Our Fathers/Letters from Iwo Jima (dir. Clint Eastwood) 4. Casino Royale (dir. Martin Campbell) 5. Pan's Labyrinth (dir. Guillermo del Toro) 6. The Good German (dir. Steven Soderbergh) 7. The Departed (dir. Martin Scorsese) 8. Thank You For Smoking (dir. Jason Reitman) 9. The Illusionist (dir. Neil Burger) 10. Half Nelson (dir. Ryan Fleck)

Honorable Mentions: Clerks II, An Inconvenient Truth, Inside Man, The Last King of Scotland, Marie Antoinette, The Prestige, The Queen, Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story, Volver

The Top 10 Films of 2005

1. Sin City (dir. Robert Rodriguez) 2. Batman Begins (dir. Christopher Nolan) 3. The Constant Gardener (dir. Fernando Meirelles) 4. The 40-Year Old Virgin (dir. Judd Apatow) 5. A History of Violence (dir. David Cronenberg) 6. Munich (dir. Steven Spielberg) 7. Good Night, and Good Luck (dir. George Clooney) 8. Serenity (dir. Joss Whedon) 9. Crash (dir. Paul Haggis) 10. Grizzly Man (dir. Werner Herzog)

Honorable Mentions: Brick, Brokeback Mountain, The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, Junebug, The Proposition, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Tony Takitani

The Top 10 Films of 2004

1. Hotel Rwanda (dir. Terry George) 2. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (dir. Quentin Tarantino) 3. A Very Long Engagement (dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet) 4. Garden State (dir. Zach Braff) 5. Spider-Man 2 (dir. Sam Raimi) 6. Bad Education (dir. Pedro Almodovar) 7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (dir. Michel Gondry) 8. The Motorcycle Diaries (dir. Walter Salles) 9. Collateral (dir. Michael Mann) 10. Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (dir. Kang Je-gyu)

Honorable Mentions: 2046, House of Flying Daggers, Kekexili: Mountain Patrol, Kung Fu Hustle, Million Dollar Baby, The Sea Inside, Shaun of the Dead

The Top 10 Films of 2003

1. Oldboy (dir. Park Chan-wook) 2. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (dir. Quentin Tarantino) 3. The Dreamers (dir. Bernardo Bertolucci) 4. Mystic River (dir. Clint Eastwood) 5. American Splendor (dir. Shari Berman & Robert Pulcini) 6. The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (dir. Takeshi Kitano) 7. Baadasssss! (dir. Mario Van Peebles) 8. Coffee and Cigarettes (dir. Jim Jarmusch) 9. Finding Nemo (dir. Andrew Stanton) 10. Lost in Translation (dir. Sofia Coppola)

Honorable Mentions: 21 Grams, Bubba Ho-tep, The Cooler, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Open Range, The Shape of Things

The Top 10 Films of 2002

1. City of God (dirs. Fernando Meirelles & Katia Lund) 2. About Schmidt (dir. Alexander Payne) 3. Minority Report (dir. Steven Spielberg) 4. Hero (dir. Zhang Yimou) 5. 24 Hour Party People (dir. Michael Winterbottom) 6. Infernal Affairs (dirs. Lau Wai-keung & Siu Fai Mak) 7. Road to Perdition (dir. Sam Mendes) 8. Lilo & Stitch (dirs. Chris Sanders & Dean DuBlois) 9. Roger Dodger (dir. Dylan Kidd) 10. Adaptation (dir. Spike Jonze)

Honorable Mentions: Gangs of New York, The Kid Stays in the Picture, Spider-Man, Talk to Her, Together

The Top 10 Films of 2001

1. Y Yu Mama Tambien (dir. Alfonso Cuaron) 2. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (dir. Peter Jackson) 3. Memento (dir. Christopher Nolan) 4. Amelie (dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet) 5. The Man Who Wasn't There (dir. Joel & Ethan Coen) 6. Spirited Away (dir. Hayao Miyazaki) 7. The Royal Tenenbaums (dir. Wes Anderson) 8. Shaolin Soccer (dir. Stephen Chow) 9. Made (dir. Jon Favreau) 10. Ghost World (dir. Terry Zwigoff)

Honorable Mentions: Brotherhood of the Wolf, Millennium Actress, Monsters Inc., My Sassy Girl, Sexy Beast, Waking Life

The Top 10 Films of 2000

1. In the Mood for Love (dir. Wong Kar-wai) 2. Dancer in the Dark (dir. Lars Von Trier) 3. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (dir. Joel & Ethan Coen) 4. Amores Perros (dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu) 5. Requiem for a Dream (dir. Darren Aronofsky) 6. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (dir. Ang Lee) 7. Joint Security Area (dir. Park Chan-wook) 8. Battle Royale (dir. Kinji Fukasaku) 9. Unbreakable (dir. M. Night Shyamalan) 10. High Fidelity (dir. Stephen Frears)

Honorable Mentions: Almost Famous, American Psycho, Best in Show, Panic, The Princess and the Warrior, Traffic

1. Michelle Williams as Wendy (Wendy and Lucy)


"I don't live here...I'm just passing through."

Michelle Williams takes the typical actor-y approach to the role, sleeping in her car while refusing to shave her legs or wash her hair. However, her performance relies on much more than a lack of cosmetics. She's given plenty of chances to cry, but the finest moments in the film are the quieter scenes of desperation and heartache.

2. Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius (Doubt)


"Look at that. You blew out my light."

Meryl Streep is quite simply a force of nature in Doubt. With her face of stone, she's the ultimate nun of destruction. She manages to cut just about everyone down with a simple disapproving glare. Sometimes creepy and sometimes funny in an over-the-top fashion.

3. Melissa Leo as Ray Eddy (Frozen River)


"I just need one more run to get the double and then I'm outta this."

Two of the best male performances of 2008 were a pair of worn down old men having difficulties finding their place in an ever-changing world. Two of the best female performances were pair of women also having a rough go of it in Bush America. Leo got herself an Oscar nomination for her role as a mother who turns to smuggling illegal immigrants to make ends meet. Like Michelle Williams' Wendy, Leo's Ray Eddy is one of those millions of people who've undeservedly slipped through the cracks.

4. Sally Hawkins as Poppy (Happy-Go-Lucky)


"Aww...and I didn't even get to say good-bye."

Sally Hawkins snagged herself a Golden Globe, yet she was disappointingly overlooked by the Academy. Not too surprising since they tend to ignore comedic roles far too often. Hawkins is definitely a breath of fresh air amidst all the weepy actresses buried under old lady make-up. Her unwavering optimism and cheery disposition could have been annoying, but turns out to be easily infectious.

5. Cate Blanchett as Daisy (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)


"And I knew that he knew who I was. And then he closed his eyes, as if to go to sleep."

I'm a sucker for Cate Blanchett. No, her turn in Benjamin Button isn't as meaty as her role as a Bob Dylan analogue in I'm Not There, but she's absolutely luminescent as the love of Brad Pitt's reverse life.

Honorable Mentions: Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Elizabeth Banks (Zack & Miri Make a Porno), Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading), Kate Beckinsale (Snow Angels), Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

1. Mickey Rourke as Randy "The Ram" Robinson (The Wrestler)


"...the only ones that are gonna tell me when I'm through doin' my thing, is you people here."

Mickey Rourke's face. How can you ever forget Mickey Rourke's face? It's a face you couldn't create, no matter how much make-up or CGI you use. It's that beaten-up, leathery skinned face that truly defines the character of Randy the Ram. That bashed in face created by decades of punches, steel chair shots, and blade jobs. Randy the Ram is one tough SOB, but he's a loveable lug as well, especially when he's charming the pants off customers (and audience members) from behind a deli counter.

2. Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski (Gran Torino)


"We used to stack fucks like you, five feet high in Korea, use you for sand bags."

Clint Eastwood's Walt Kowalski has plenty of similarities to Mickey Rourke's Randy the Ram. Both are defined by a weathered old face and both are extensions of the actor's persona. One can easily see Dirty Harry Callahan spending his twilight years drinking beer on his porch and staring out at the world with utter contempt. He sneers and snarls and growls like an ornery junkyard dog. Only Eastwood could still make you believe a near-octogenarian can stomp a mudhole in a gangbanger and walk it dry.

3. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man (Iron Man)


"The truth is...I am Iron Man."

How good is Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man? One of the film's best scenes is Tony Stark having a conversation with an inanimate robotic arm ("If you douse me again and I'm not on fire, I'm donating you to a city college."). Downey's Tony Stark oozes charisma and has a snappy comeback for nearly every situation. He manages to make an already enormously talented supporting cast even better. His Iron Man is an even more interesting character than the original comic book incarnation.

4. Colin Farrell as Ray (In Bruges)


"They're filming midgets!"

It's Colin Farrell's best role since Daredevil. But, seriously, Farrell hits a career best for his role as an Irish hitman hiding out in Belgium. Funny, tough, and vulnerable, Farrell runs a gamut of emotions effectively. He's despondent over accidentally killing an altar boy while conveying a charming, child-like wonder over meeting a midget.

5. Josh Brolin as George W. Bush (W.)


"Is our children learning?"

Oliver Stone's W. was far from the hatchet job most audiences expected, but it didn't exactly paint a rosy picture about our now ex-president. Brolin creates a fully formed character rather than a Saturday Night Live caricature. He successfully battles his alcohol addiction only to be met with a disapproving father and overshadowed by a more accomplished brother. He's also of lazy mind, relying far too much on his cabinet of sycophants and enablers.

Honorable Mentions: Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Michael Shannon (Shotgun Stories), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt), Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Sean Penn (Milk)

1. Marisa Tomei as Cassidy/Pam (The Wrestler)


"Nineties fuckin' sucked."

The Wrestler features plenty of bone breaking, body slamming wrestling action, but one of the film's best scenes finds Mickey Rourke's Randy the Ram and the lovely Miss Tomei's Cassidy reminiscing about 80's hair metal and how crappy the nineties were. The scene certainly works for both their characters and the actors themselves. Marisa Tomei become somewhat of a punchline following her Oscar win for My Cousin Vinny, but she's proven her critics wrong in recent years. She was fantastic in 2007's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and she's even better in The Wrestler. Being nekkid in both flicks also helped.

2. Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller (Doubt)


"Sister, I don't know if you and me are on the same side. I'll be standing with my son and those who are good with my son. It'd be nice to see you there."

Viola Davis doesn't have the name recognition of her Doubt co-stars and she's only in the movie for a very brief period. Yet, she still provides one of the best performances in the film and held her own against Meryl Streep. Her short scenes utterly define the film, painting shades of gray into the black & white world of Sister Aloysius.

3. Taraji P. Henson as Queenie (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)


"You never know what's comin' for ya."

Was Benjamin Button such a great picture that it deserved all 13 Oscar nominations? Not really. I think the quality of it and The Reader were severely misjudged by the Academy. Still, there were a few things I liked about the film, one of them was Taraji P. Henson who first came to prominence in Hustle & Flow. Here, she takes the Butterfly McQueen role of the sassy adoptive mother to the title character and provides some of the film's livelier moments.

4. Jane Lynch as Gayle Sweeny (Role Models)


"You know what I used to eat for breakfast? Cocaine. You know what I used to eat for lunch? Cocaine."

Jane Lynch has been bringing the funny for quite some time as a supporting character in the Christopher Guest mockumentaries and the recent flood of Judd Apatow comedies. In Role Models, she gets off some of the film's best one-liners as a no-nonsense guidance counselor for wayward youth. Whether she was putting Paul Rudd & Stifler in their place or relating her seedy past, she had a theater full of people laughing their asses off.

5. Amy Adams as Sister James (Doubt)


"You don't like it that he uses a ballpoint pen. You don't like it that he takes three lumps of sugar in his tea. You don't like it that he likes 'Frosty the Snowman.' And you're letting that convince you of something terrible..."

I've said it before and I'll say it again, nobody does wide-eyed, white bread, naivete better than Amy Adams. In Doubt, she plays rookie nun Sister James, the ping pong ball bounced back and forth by the more intense Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn. It's in her that the seeds of doubt are first planted which initiate everything else that happens in the film. With her porcelain-white skin, Adams looks like a fragile doll that could shatter at any moment by the burdens of suspicion.

Honorable Mentions: Charlotte Rampling (The Duchess), Dianne Wiest (Synecdoche, New York), Hiam Abbass (The Visitor), Kate Winslet (The Reader), Olivia Thirlby (Snow Angels)

1. Heath Ledger as The Joker (The Dark Knight)


"I'm an agent of chaos. And you know the thing about chaos? It's fair."

Well...DUH! Heath Ledger was probably the last actor I would have cast to play the Clown Prince of Crime, but when the first pictures started leaking out, I knew he would give us all something special. Sure enough, Heath gave us the most memorable and nasty villains to grace the silver screen in some time. I didn't see Heath Ledger in make-up pretending to be the Joker, I saw the Joker.

2. Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus (Tropic Thunder)


"I don't drop character until I done the DVD commentary."

What a great year for RDJ. He made a bazillion dollars and won the hearts of fanboys worldwide as Iron Man and he's received an Oscar nomination (among other accolades) for his turn as Aussie actor, Kirk Lazarus, the dude playing the dude disguised as another dude. Downey slaps on black face to poke fun at pretentious actors who take their roles far too seriously. Most importantly, he taught us to never ever go full on retard.

3. James Franco as Saul Silver (Pineapple Express)


"Fuck tha POH-lice!"

Franco had two great performances last year. He was great as Harvey Milk's lover, Scott Smith, even if he was overshadowed by co-stars Josh Brolin and Sean Penn. For me, it was another alliteratively named character that won me over. Franco showed off some serious comedic chops as the perpetually stoned pot dealer, Saul Silver, in the pot-action-comedy, Pineapple Express. He also kills Rosie Perez so extra points there.

4. Tom Cruise as Les Grossman (Tropic Thunder)




"Look, fuckstick, I'm incredibly busy. So why don't you get the hell out of here before I snap your dick off and jam it into your ass."

Tom Cruise may be a couch-jumping weirdo who believes in a religion created by a second-rate science fiction writer, but that doesn't change the fact that he rocked it as the ill-tempered Les Grossman. Buried under a hairy fat suit, Cruise is nearly unrecognizable, but it's his crazed attitude and foul-mouthed, no-nonsense methods of dealing with underlings and terrorists that make his role in Tropic Thunder a total win.

5. Josh Brolin as Dan White (Milk)


"Society can't exist without the family...can two men reproduce?"

I gave Josh Brolin props in my previous year-end lists for his trio of scumbag roles in Grindhouse, No Country for Old Men, and American Gangster. 2008 saw Brolin play two more scumbags of a very different sort. One was an overwhelmed, lazy-minded boob who just got the boot and the other was the ultra straight-laced Dan White who went on to murder Milk and SF Mayor Harvey Moscone.

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight), Jeff Bridges (Iron Man), Mos Def (Cadillac Records), Ralph Fiennes (In Bruges), Werner Herzog (Mister Lonely)

1. Wall-E (Dir. Andrew Stanton)


No surprises here as Pixar once again reigns supreme. The animation is simply gorgeous and the addition of cinematographer Roger Deakins as visual consultant gives the film a sublime big-screen quality you don't find in lesser productions.

2. Waltz with Bashir (Dir. Ari Folman)


Writer/Director Ari Folman’s choice of using a combination of hand-drawn and Flash animation was a genius decision that works on multiple levels. It gives the film a unique look that elevates the documentary from the staid reenactments and talking head interviews that has become a standard technique. The animation also accentuates the fluidity and of dreams and memories, capturing the surreal recollections of the interview subjects.

3. Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death (Dir. Nick Park)


It's not a full-length film nor did it receive a theatrical release, but I just had to put the new Wallace & Gromit short on this list. Even at twenty-eight minutes, A Matter of Loaf and Death is so much better than the derivative CG animated films that get churned out every couple months. Director Nick Park keeps stop-motion animation alive and manages to sneak in a few clever references (Aliens, Batman, and even Ghost) that work naturally with the plot.

Honorable Mentions: Bolt, Kung Fu Panda

Another new category for me as I normally don't get to see that many documentaries. Last year was different as I was able to view several great docs. Even then, I still didn't catch a few great ones like Dear Zachary, Standard Operating Procedure, and Trouble the Water. Of the short list of documentaries I saw, here are my favorites:

1. Waltz with Bashir (Dir. Ari Folman)


Waltz with Bashir is a rare breed of film. An animated documentary, Waltz with Bashir is a haunting, introspective look at the tragedies and costs of war. A must-see film that couldn't have been released at a more timely manner with the war in the Middle East still raging on and violence rising on the Gaza strip.

2. My Winnipeg (Dir. Guy Maddin)


I'm not sure if My Winnipeg could be classified as a straight documentary. I'm not even sure if I SHOULD call it a documentary and limit the film from what it truly is. What it is, I have no idea. Writer/Director/Narrator Guy Maddin calls it a 'docu-fantasia.' My Winnipeg is a visual avant-garde poem about Maddin's hometown that is full of facts, half-truths, and embellishments. I'm hesitant to do any research into the history of Winnipeg because I truly want to believe that Nazis invaded the town and renamed it Himmlerstadt. I want to believe there is a frozen lake that has become a picnic hot spot, despite the fact there are a stable full of horse heads sticking out.

3. Man on Wire (Dir. James Marsh)


Unlike my other selections, Man on Wire takes an entirely conventional approach to documentary filmmaking. Director James Marsh uses interviews, recreations, and an amazing wealth of archival footage to tell the story of Philippe Petit's historical wire-walk between the Twin Towers. But, Man on Wire was almost universally praised and has a 100% approval on Rotten Tomatoes. What makes the film stand out is the subject matter and the heist film-like planning that went in to this remarkable achievement. The charm and innate storytelling ability of the Petit is another highlight. Sure, he's incredibly self-aggrandizing, but if I had the balls to walk across a thin rope between the World Trade Center, I'd be a raging egomaniac too.

Honorable Mentions: Bigger, Stronger, Faster (dir. Chris Bell), Encounters at the End of the World (Dir. Werner Herzog), Gonzo: The Life & Times of Hunter S. Thompson (Dir. Alex Gibney)

You think it'd be easy to play yourself in a movie, but these actors showed it takes great skill and a sense of humor and humility.

1. Jean-Claude Van Damme (JCVD)



It's a shame Jean-Claude Van Damme never got any recognition for his amazing performances in cinematic classics such as Street Fighter or Timecop. But, his time finally came in the surprisingly touching JCVD. No, this wasn't a vanity project for the Muscles from Brussels, it was a introspective character study of an actor struggling with age, diminishing returns, intrusive fame, and fatherhood.

2. Bruce Campbell (My Name is Bruce)



I'd like to believe Bruce Campbell truly walks around like a drunken ass and cackling like a megalomaniac while kicking wheelchair-bound fans. But, he's a much nicer guy in real life than the exagerrated Bruce Campbell on display in the self-referential horror-comedy, My Name is Bruce.

3. Bruce Willis (What Just Happened?)



"Where's Bruce Willis? There he is...the guy with the beard!" What Just Happened was a rather uninspired attempt to lampoon Hollywood, especially compared to the far superior Tropic Thunder. However, it did give us a fun turn from John McClane. The star of Hudson Hawk flipped out when producers dared to violate his artistic integrity by asking him to shave off his Grizzly Adams beard. The incident was based on an actual occurence between producer Art Linson and Alec Baldwin on the set of The Edge.

Honorable Mention: Elisabeth Shue (Hamlet 2)

The Oscar nominations went out this morning and, as usual, I have a lot to complain about. In any event, here's a category you'll never see at those stuffy Academy Awards shows. I feel these lovely actresses deserve special recognition for giving us a healthy dose of booty and each one looked even more gorgeous digitally projected on a giant silver screen. And damn any of you who utter the cursed words, 'body double.'

WARNING: NSFW

1. Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)



No, Miss Tomei didn't show off the whole thing, but I think it looks even better hidden beneath a thong. She also showed off both chesticles so that's a WIN.

2. Anna Faris (The House Bunny)



Don't know if this is true, but word has it that Miss Faris's body double failed to show up on set at the last minute. So, she decided to bare it all. THANK YOU, ANONYMOUS UNRELIABLE BODY DOUBLE!

3. Angelina Jolie (Wanted)



Long spindly arms aside, Angelina has a pretty nice butt. Luckily, it isn't blemished by any of those wacky tattoos.

Honorable Mentions: Eva Mendes (The Spirit). And kudos to Kate Winslet who won two Golden Globes for showing off her golden globes. See what I did there?

1. Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury (Iron Man)


Woe be to those who left the theater before the credits were over. Fanboys, who usually have nothing better to do, stuck around and were rewarded with a quick scene that set the foundation for a unified cinematic world where their favorite Marvel superheroes coexist side by side. Featuring dialogue written by Brian Michael Bendis, the scene was for comic fans and by comic fans. Unfortunately, recent developments may have put the kibosh on any further appearances from everybody's favorite one-eyed agent of SHIELD.

2. Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark (The Incredible Hulk)

A sauced Thunderbolt Ross sits alone in a bar only to be interrupted by a certain billionaire industrialist. Picking up where Iron Man left off, Tony Stark drops in to further plant the seeds for a future Avengers film. Originally meant to be another post-credits scene, the phenomenal success of Iron Man led to Marvel making the scene an epilogue and even using it in their Hulk advertising campaign.

3. Justin Long & Brandon Routh as Brandon St. Randy & Bobby Long (Zack & Miri)

"Like Glengarry Glen Ross?"
"Like Glen and Gary suck Ross's meaty cock and drop their hairy nuts in his eager mouth."
"Was that, like, a sequel?"

That little dialogue exchange sums up why this is makes the list. Superman and the dude who pitches Macs make a memorable appearance in Kevin Smith's latest film as a gay couple who aren't afraid to admit they love the cock.

It begins! My annual, super duper deluxe year in movies review is upon us. I'll be posting my 'best of' lists in various categories such as Best Actor, Best Director, etc. It all culminates in my Top 25 of 2008. This is a new category for me. These are my picks for 2008's Best Original Songs (written for a film). I was actually going to do just a Top 5 list, but had a bunch of honorable mentions so I said, 'What the Hell,' I'll just do a Top 10 Countdown.

10. "Chromaggia," written by Darren Smith & Terrence Zdunich. Performed by Sarah Brightman (Repo!: The Genetic Opera)


9. "Dracula's Lament," written & performed by Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)


8. "Little Person," written by Jon Brion. Performed by Deanne Storey (Synecdoche, New York)


7. "I Didn't Know I Loved You So Much," written by Darren Smith & Terrence Zdunich. Performed by Alexa Vega & Anthony Stewart Head (Repo!: The Genetic Opera)


6. "I Love Tha P****y," performed by Alpa Chino (Tropic Thunder)


5. "Uh Huh," Written & Performed by Munchausen By Proxy (Yes Man)


4. "Rock Me Sexy Jesus," written by Phoebe Strole. Performed by The Cast of Hamlet 2 (Hamlet 2)


3. "Gran Torino," written by Clint Eastwood, Kyle Eastwood, Jamie Cullum & Michae Stevens. Performed by Clint Eastwood & Jamie Cullum (Gran Torino)


2. "The Wrestler," written & performed by Bruce Springsteen (The Wrestler)

And my number one song...

1. "The Little Things," written & performed by Danny Elfman (Wanted)

The list is compiled based on the quality of the song rather than the film it was featured in. For the majority of these selections, I preferred the soundtrack over the actual movie. That’s the case for Repo!: The Genetic Opera, a twisted Gothic sci-fi rock opera that sounded like a way cooler idea than it ended up being. Still, Repo!’s soundtrack featured a diverse array of sounds and musical talents and is represented twice on my list. Don’t worry; I didn’t pick any songs featuring Paris Hilton. Both songs are from the film’s Grand Guignol finale, the first is an operatic number sung by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s former wife and muse, Sarah Brightman. The second (at No. 7) is a melancholy duet by Anthony Stewart Head (Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Alexa Vega (Spy Kids). You can read my review for Repo!: The Genetic Opera at DVD Town or Blogspot.

What can I say about, “Dracula’s Lament,” other than how awesomely awesome an idea of a Dracula musical is? And it’s made even more awesome when it’s sung by puppets. “Little Person,” a jazzy torch song that plays into the film’s themes of loneliness and disconnect. “I Love Tha P****y,” how can you not love a song with the words ‘booty sweat’ in it?

I loves me some Zooey Deschanel which is why She & Him’s Volume One was my favorite album of 2008 and which is why I went to see a lame, second-rate Jim Carrey comedy. On the bright side, it gave us Munchausen By Proxy featuring Miss Deschanel and electro group Von Iva. Their retro, New Wave-y sound had shades of Missing Persons in it and their best number was, “Uh Huh,” a catchy diatribe about a douchebag ex-boyfriend (“Happy networking, asshole!”). “Rock Me Sexy Jesus,” a Grease-style number about Jesus, a sexy Jesus, no less? Like it’s not gonna make the list.

My next two picks aren’t nearly as peppy with both songs encapsulating their respective films’ and their lead characters. “Gran Torino” stands as an ode, not so much to a car, but to the working class Joe who no seems to exist in the today’s society. The same can be said for “The Wrestler,” a tribute to the man beaten down by the world, yet still manages to dust himself off and go on.

Wanted was also about the little guy beaten down by the world, except this time, he busts a cap in the world’s ass and says, “Fuck you.” I dare you to listen to the song and not want to go postal on all the fools pissing on your day.

”The first thing you should know about us…is that we have people everywhere.”

It may be three years since Casino Royale, but its floridly titled sequel, Quantum of Solace takes place only minutes after the conclusion. Bond interrogates Mr. White to gain more information about the ruthless terrorist organization known as Cobra…er…Quantum. I’ll skip the plot summary because I’m pretty sure you all know what the film is about.

The major complaint from the majority of critics and viewers has been that the latest Bond movie doesn’t feel like a Bond movie. My reply, is that such a bad thing? This is a grittier, nastier 007 with little time for cheesy puns and room service caviar. There’s plenty of globe-trotting, but no chance to partake in the lush scenery. Bond is more action hero-y than ever before, cutting down bad guys one after another. Would I l have liked a Bond who was less with the blunt and more with the cunning & guile? Yes. Much like, the Batman reboot we saw the ultimate fighting machine Batman before we got the detective skills.

The second piece of criticism comes is how the new Bond film apes the Bourne franchise. The fights and rooftop chases look like they came right out of the Greengrass helmed pictures. Not surprisingly, Bourne editor Richard Pearson and stunt coordinator Gary Powell both worked on Quantum as well. The film opens with a breakneck car chase. Breakneck because you’ll probably snap yours trying to follow the muddled action. The studio took a chance on hiring director Marc Forster better known for more intimate films such as Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction, and The Kite Runner. Forster isn’t as flashy as Martin Campbell, but he gets the job done. No more, no less.

Quantum also borrows heavily from past Bond pictures. Bond goes rogue on a mission of vengeance (Licence to Kill). There’s a side story involving the lead Bond girl also on a quest for revenge (For Your Eyes Only) while another ill-fated Bond girl meets her maker after being dunked in oil (Goldfinger).

Craig continues to be a perfect blend of the past iterations of Bond though he isn’t as charming as he could have been. At one point, he drops his friend’s body into a dumpster (”He wouldn’t care.”). Judi Dench as M finally gets some scenes she can really chew on. Mathieu Amalric looks the part of a super-villain with his scrawny frame and bugged-out eyes, but his Dominic Greene never feels like the larger-than-life threat he should be. Even less memorable is Olga Kurylenko who makes the least interesting love interest for 007 since Tanya Roberts. Her whole subplot feels forced into the proceedings, as if they couldn’t go one film without a woman tagging along on Bond’s adventures.

Final Thoughts: What we have is essentially Casino Royale Volume 2. While Casino clocked in as the longest Bond film, Quantum has the shortest runtime. Taken on its own, Quantum of Solace is a fun action movie that’s missing a few ingredients to really heat things up in the kitchen. The rebooted Bond films are best viewed back-to-back as one epic.

P.S. - I didn't really care for the new Bond song. I said the same thing about Chris Cornell's ditty, but it grew on me. I can't say the same for Jack White's tune. It's decent and I would have preferred Alicia Keys take it solo.

P.P.S. - For those of you who thought the whole 'evil corporation steals the water in Bolivia' plot was far-fetched should know IT REALLY HAPPENED!

I give Quantum of Solace three Pussys out of a possible five.

Rating:

Fuck, Twilight. This, my friends, is how you do a vampire love story. Leave it to director Tomas Alfredson to show that the Swedes aren’t all about the existential quandaries of Bergman.

12-year old Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) is the picture of Scandinavian perfection with his light skin, blue eyes, and mop of blond hair. Constantly picked on by school bullies, he comforts himself with revenge fantasies and clipping news articles about violent crimes. His mother and estranged father are oblivious to his problems. One night, he stabs at a tree with a switchblade, imagining the face of his tormentors when he meets Eli (Lina Leandersson), a girl of like age who has just moved in next door. She introduces herself, ”Just so you know, I can’t be your friend.” Oskar seems to be fine with that. Both kids claim they just want to be left alone, but find themselves magnetically drawn to each other. In Eli, Oskar finds the friend he so desperately wants (and needs) and an assertive voice that urges him to stand up against the bullies.

Oh, Oskar, if you only knew your new gal pal was a vampire. Eli’s “father” is behind many of the murders in Oskar’s scrapbook, but his recent fumbling have forced Eli to take action, picking off the neighbors and raising awareness of her existence.



Screenwriter John Lindqvist adapted the script from his own novel and has fashioned a story of dualities on several levels. There is innocence and darkness in both Oskar and Eli. There’s no telling how old Eli may truly be (in the novel, she’s 200), but she is still every bit the typical 12-year old (”…more or less.”), finding fascination in a Rubik’s Cube. The kids even learn Morse code as their own secret language. The film also doesn’t shy away from the naïve sexuality between the characters. The child actors (both making their film debuts) are amazing in conveying these complex emotions, never overplaying their hand as most would.

Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema captures the beauty and the loneliness of the Swedish suburbs and countryside. The virgin white snow never changes amidst the blood red and black night. Apartment buildings and hospital hallways that are detached and alien. Even more intimate settings such as school gymnasiums and Oskar’s bedroom fell as vast and cold as the banks of snow outside. It all emphasizes how small and lonely the children truly are. Much like the relationship between Oskar and Eli, there’s beauty in the film to be found among the ugliness. Alfredson throws in quite a few pillow shots, but there’s a serene quality to them and they never border on indulgence.

If you’re looking for a Saw/Hostel-type experience, you’re looking in the wrong place. Let the Right One In is poetic in its horror, artfully and intelligently painting death and tragedy without resorting to gore and shock value. Not to say this is a sterile film. There’s blood, but done in an inventive fashion. In particular, I point out the attack of the cats sequence, another scene involving human immolation, and the film’s brutal climax. We also finally learn what happens to a vampire when they come in without being invited.

Final Thoughts: Label it a horror film or a vampire movie, if you must, but Let the Right One In proves the dark side of humanity is far more frightening than blood-sucking creatures of the night. This is the kind of jolt in the arm the genre has needed after being bogged down with endless remakes and torture porn knockoffs. Arthouse horror in the vein of The Shining.

Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) has been tapped to direct the American version. It won't be a straight remake of the film, but a new adaptation of the original novel. I'm sure the Hollywood version will up the blood and action, but it won't capture the haunting emotion of the original film. I will definitely have a slot open for Let the Right One In on my Top 10 list (Top 5 even) at the end of the year.

I'd also list this as one of my five favorite vampire movies along with: From Dusk Till Dawn, The Hunger, The Lost Boys, and Near Dark. Let the Right One In gets four vampires out of five.

Rating:

I’m not a huge Chuck Palahniuk fan. I’ve only ever read Fight Club though some of his other novels are on my to-read list. After viewing the film adaptation of Choke, I can safely guess that the age-old adage, ‘the book was better’ still holds true. Actor/Writer/Director Clark Gregg (who appeared as SHIELD Agent Coulson in Iron Man) spent years developing the script and streamlined the novel into a less than 90 minute runtime. Something was certainly lost in translation.

Choke feels like five different films semi-coherently edited into one movie. Sam Rockwell plays a sex addict who works as a colonial re-enactor, is best friends with a chronic masturbator dating a stripper, visits his sick mother in a mental hospital (where old ladies believe he’s the messiah) while falling for her doctor. He also chokes in restaurants on purpose to scam money from his rescuers. Someone should have told Gregg he needed more than 89 minutes. Flashbacks involving the protagonist’s childhood are awkwardly shoehorned in.

Rockwell has perfected these kinds of sleazy, damaged roles, but he’ll be remembered for his performance in Snow Angels rather than this forgettable stab at dark comedy. The always adorable Kelly McDonald brings a small ray of sunshine to an otherwise flat and dreary production. I give it two chokes out of a possible five.

Rating:

Big Bob and Big Al team up for the first time since Heat. Unlike Heat, Pacino and DeNiro are on the same side of the law. Also unlike Heat, this movie sucks. Righteous Kill was disappointing on so many levels. You’d think putting DeNiro and Pacino together on screen would easily equal electricity. It doesn’t, at least, not here. Both actors are given bland roles that could have easily gone to any other performer. They essentially sleepwalk through the film with as minimal amount of charisma as will do. The script was unoriginal and ridiculously predictable which comes as a shock considering it was written by Russell Gewirtz who penned Inside Man, one of my favorite films from 2006. I suppose being directed by the man behind 88 Minutes canceled that out.

Carla Gugino appears in a supporting role as DeNiro’s girlfriend, a fellow officer into rough sex. Her character is tacky, tacked on, and misogynistic.

Final Thoughts: 2008 seems to be the year of the crappy cop movie thanks to stinkers like this, Street Kings, and the recently released, poorly reviewed Pride and Glory. You’d be better served turning on any random episode of The Shield. Righteous Kill gets only one and a half Pacinos out of five.

Rating:

Those wacky Coens are at it again. Emphasizing the black in black comedy, the Coens weave humor that is alternately dark and broad within all the twists and turns you come to expect from them. Brad Pitt brings the funny as a dullard fitness who quite possibly might have once been Floyd from True Romance. Everyone else in the cast hit all the right notes from John Malkovich as an embittered ex-CIA agent to Tilda Swinton as his ice-cold wife. And Clooney is the usually entertaining idiot he’s been as seen in past Coen films O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Intolerable Cruelty.

While the CD of sensitive information is the McGuffin that ignites the plot, the real story is about a group of slightly unlikable, slightly sympathetic characters desperately seeking love and companionship in their empty lives. Yet, not a single one of them actually knows how to go about it.

I really wanted to like Burn After Reading. It lacks the out and out wackiness of The Big Lebowski, choosing instead to go the darkly comic route of Fargo. But, it never quite connects the way you want it to. Individual components unable to gel as a solid whole. Burn After Reading gets two and a half Brads out of five.

Rating:

Wow…a video game movie that sucks. What. A. Fucking. Shock. Max Payne may not have been directed by Paul W.S. Anderson or Uwe Boll, but John Moore does nothing to distinguish himself from either hackmeister. Moore captures the atmosphere with a stylish, Sin City-esque setting, but lacks any emotional connection whatsoever. Perhaps, the film’s biggest downfall is the miscasting on nearly every level. Mark Wahlberg plugs into the stoic action roles well, but whose bright idea was it to cast Meg Griffin as a badass, Russian mafia assassin? Ludacris as an internal affairs investigator? Chris O’Donnell as…well, anybody?

The paper-thin story, cardboard characters, and goofy dialogue could have been forgiven if it weren’t for the fact that Max Payne is an action movie almost devoid of any action. The finale features some good shoot-em-up moments, but it’s too little, too late. An hour and a half of Mark Wahlberg talking to donkeys would have been infinitely more entertaining. ”Say ‘hi’ to your mother for me, all right?”

Max Payne only gets one and a half Mark Marks and likes it.

Rating:

Allen travels a road already frequented by Pedro Almodovar in this breezy comedy about intertwined relationships set in the breathtaking Spanish countryside. The real question: is hot girl-on-girl action between Scarlett Johansson & Penelope Cruz enough of an incentive to check out the new Woodsy Allen movie? Not really and you don’t see that much anyway. Plus, you’ll have to sit through an unending torrent of the most forced dialogue I have ever heard. You expect talky from Allen and I remember once when his words were clever and insightful. Here, there’s not an ounce of authenticity. I know the actors are reading lines, but they shouldn’t sound like they’re reading lines.

Though the buzz has been around the performances of Rebecca Hall and Penelope Cruz, it is Javier Bardem who is the true star of the picture. Bardem pulls a complete about face from Anton Chigurh as a suave as fuck painter. As for Cruz, I’m not sure where all the Oscar talk is coming from. She does fine as the fiery Latina which is usually the same role she always plays.

Final Thoughts: Allen may never reach the Annie Hall/Manhattan heights he once rose to, but he can do better than Vicky Cristina Barcelona. A dull comedy that shines sporadically and survives on the charisma of Javier Bardem. I can only give it two of Scarlett's boobies out of a possible five.

Rating:

The always controversial Oliver Stone courts more of the same with the first biopic focusing on a sitting president. In a similar fashion to Nixon, Stone takes a not-so-beloved figure and breaks him down into a sympathetic light. W. isn’t the hatchet job most believed it would be. Stone’s Gee-Dub certainly isn’t an eloquent man, but he’s far from the greedy warmonger many liberals paint him out to be. He’s a man desperate to get out of the shadow of a far more successful, far more renowned father. A man born of privilege who still enjoys burgers, beer, and Cheetos. A simple man overwhelmed and ill-equipped to handle the position of power he finds himself in. The whole film hinges on Josh Brolin whose superb performance could have easily slipped onto the level of a bad SNL sketch. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role, especially Stone’s first choice, Christian Bale, who actually spent months studying “Bushy” to hone his take.

Stone paints a far less favorable picture of Bush’s inner circle. The actors may not capture the look of their real-life counterparts, they capture their essence. Condoleezza Rice is a sycophant parroting everything the President says. Rumsfeld is full of self-assurance and arrogance even past the point when its proven Iraq has no WMDs. Even worse is Dick Cheney. In the film’s most over-the-top moment, the Vice-President steps up to the plate in the war room, extorting the importance of oil and the building of an American empire. ”There is no exit strategy. We stay. Nobody will fuck with us.” It’s a sequence more fitting for a James Bond villain, yet may not stray too far from the truth. It is Cheney and Karl Rove who pull the strings of the gullible and easily swayed Dubya. Only Colin Powell is shown in any sort of positive light as the circle’s sole voice of conscience.

Final Thoughts: Is it a perfect film? Definitely not. The weakest moments of the picture come from Stone’s usual flourishes into the metaphysical. The main narrative is framed around a fantasy of Bush in an empty Arlington Park which never gels with the rest of the film. Obviously, much of the film should be taken with a grain of salt. It’ll be interesting to see what audience W. finds. Liberals may be disappointed by the lack of Bush bashing while conservatives won’t bother with what they think will be more of the same from bleeding heart Hollywood types.

I say it's a solid entry into Stone's ouvre and Brolin should be seeing plenty of acting nominations come awards season. I give W. three Dubyas out of a possible five.

Rating:

You can also check out my review for Barry Levinson's new Hollywood satire, What Just Happened?, starring Robert DeNiro over at DVD Town.