The Best of Film in 2008

Okay, so the Oscars got it wrong again last night (no big surprise). Don't fret, the Poppies are here!

Last year There Will Be Blood was the big winner. This year, well... take a look:


Best Performance by a Supporting Actor (male or female)
Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler
Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder
Dianne Wiest in Synecdoche, New York
Josh Brolin in Milk
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight WINNER!

Best Performance by a Lead Actor
Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man
Jean-Claude Van Damme in JCVD
Anamaria Marinca in 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
Asia Argento in Boarding Gate
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler WINNER!

Best Ensemble Cast
Ballast - JimMyron Ross, Michael J. Smith, Sr, Tarra Riggs, Johnny McPhail, etc.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall - Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, etc.
Slumdog Millionaire - Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Freida Pinto, and "the kids"
Milk - Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, James Franco, Alison Pil, etc.
The Dark Knight - Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Ekhart, etc. WINNER!

10 Best Films of 2008
(Click the Title to see the film's trailer / Click the image to supersize)

10) Speed Racer - Fast, fun, annoying, stunning. Refreshingly touts family and community over the standard quest of the self-centred individual. Don't be fooled by the flop hype.

9) The Fall - Pure movie bombast. Somehow maintains a charm despite being stylish to the point of overload.


8) Waltz with Bashir - Don't be put off by the Waking Life-esque animation style, the film is leagues more subtle than any of its rotoscoping antecedents (besides maybe His Mother's Voice).

7) Chop Shop - The story of a poor little kid. This time with more feeling, and less sentimental manipulation. Taking it back to the streets, Bicycle Thieves style.


6) The Class - I really thought this Cannes winner was going to be a bore. Turns out it's mesmerizing. Quite a feat considering the whole film takes place in a school.


5) 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days - Works on every level - style, story, acting, historical portrait. Unbelievably grim and good.


4) Happy-Go-Lucky - This movie stuck with me for weeks after I saw it. It's simplicity is it's deadliest weapon. I like to call it, "the kitchen sink Amelie".


3) Reprise - A shockingly good first film from Danish director Joachim Trier. A coming of age story that's not puke inducing. Fascinated filmmaking in the the spirit of the French New Wave.

2) The Wrestler - The Dardenne Brothers meets professional wrestling. American decay captured truthfully and not without crazy entertainment value.


1) The Dark Knight - I can go on and on about how smart this movie is or how stylish it is or how technically proficient, and no movie this year combined all of these essential movie-ingredients so seamlessly. A picture for the ages.