Best Movies 2008

The movies in 2008 were pretty slim pickings in my opinion, I hardly saw anything the first half of the year. But when it was good, it was very, very good.

• Ironman – What an unexpected treat, I am definitely a fan of Robert Downey Jr. now.


• The Dark Knight – One of the most fun movie openings EVER. I felt like I was at a rock concert. Oh yeah, and the movie actually lived up to the hype.


• Wall-E – I am a sucker for Pixar animated movies, and although this one didn’t live up to the likes of Ratatouille, it’s still more entertaining than most of what’s out there. Definitely worth the buck I spent at the dollar theater.


• Role Models – Possibly my favorite of the year. It’s in the “crude humor” genre, of the same caliber of 40 Year Old Virgin, which I consider a masterpiece.


• Twilight – My expectations were low, and Edward Cullen was sexier than expected, so I’ll give this one a pass too.


• Frost / Nixon – You’d be surprised how much more intense the conversations in this movie are, thanks to the big screen.


• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – I love David Fincher, and Brad Pitt is no slouch either. I thought this was a really interesting movie, not perfect, but definitely worth seeing. I’m frustrated that the credits say it’s based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but last year I read a novel with the same concept and have not heard it mentioned at all!

Now granted, I haven’t seen Quantum of Solace, Doubt, Revolutionary Road, Slumdog Millionare or Milk, but who has time for all these in the same couple weeks? These don’t count. I object to the practice of giving all the Academy Awards to movies released in the last week of the year, do voters have the attention spans of mice?

Do NOT see Tropic Thunder. Really, what were they thinking? Well, ok, rent it for the Tom Cruise dance, but be careful not to peek at the rest. Disaster, truly.