Top 10 Movies of 2008

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NowPublic is compiling an exhaustive list of critics' picks for best movies of 2008 and assorted award nomination announcements, however, I also wanted to share my personal selections for best films of the year.  

Admittedly, there are still two weeks of movie-going left in 2008, so this list is likely to be amended by the time the year is out, but as of December 15th, here are my favourite films of the year.

Top 10 Movies of 2008  

10. Note: While our neighbours south of the 49th parallel have the distinct privilege of being able to enjoy U.S. film screenings in advance of their box office debuts elsewhere, the rest of us must wait. With that in mind, I've reserved several places on this list for the addition of films due to be released in Canada in the coming weeks. I'm sure that one of the following movies will be included:

• "The Wrestler" - Darren Aronofsky's latest is being hailed as a masterpiece and Mickey Rourke's performance seems worthy of an Oscar-guarantee. Can't wait to see this. (It even has an unprecedented 100% rating on RottenTomatoes). [opens Dec. 26]
• "Doubt" - This looks incredible. With a powerhouse cast featuring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Viola Davis. [opens Dec. 19]  
•  "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" - This reverse-aging Brad Pitt film is getting plenty of buzz. Will be interested to see if it lives up to the hype [opens Dec. 25]
• "Che" - Steven Soderbergh's biopic starring Benicio del Toro as the legendary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara could be a triumph or a tragedy. [opens Jan. 2009]
• "Revolutionary Road" - Sam Mendes examines American suburbia in the 1950s. Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet reunite for the proceedings. [opens Jan. 2009] 

(Now back to the remaining top nine of '08...)

9. "Heima" - A soaring visual interpretation of Icelandic band Sigur Ros' homeland that offers an epic portrait of music as landscape and landscape as music.    

8. "Burn After Reading" - The Coen Brothers prove, yet again, their mastery of the cinematic craft. This opaquely black comedy is not only a far cry from the terse drama of last year's 'No Country', it is smart, fun, funny, and completely ridiculous. The stellar cast of Clooney, Pitt, McDormand, and Malkovich only makes the crazed proceedings even more enjoyable.

7. "Patti Smith: Dream of Life" - Steven Sebring's 11-years-in-the-making documentary does a wonderful job of creating a simple, visually beautiful, and endearingly intimate portrait of Patti Smith — not only as a legend in contemporary music, but also as a deeply inspiring human being.

6.   "Waltz With Bashir" - The most haunting animated film I've ever seen. Its gripping documentary subject matter, paired with Max Richter's visceral musical score, and the film's arresting, dream-like visual style make it impossible to forget.

5.   "The Fall" - Tarsem Singh's stunning visual masterpiece is unlike anything I've ever seen. Spanning the globe in both form and content, the film was shot in more than 20 countries over 4 years, the film explodes with rich, heart-stopping cinematography, playful mythic imagery, and a magically wide-eyed and wonderful performance by its 8 year-old star, Catinca Untaru. Pure magic.

4.   "Milk" - Gus van Sant gets better with every film. Thankfully, so too, does Sean Penn, whose performance as Harvey Milk is deeply moving, subtle, and riveting. A triumphant, sad story of love as politics in the face of unfounded societal prejudice, ignorance, and hatred.

3.   "Slumdog Millionaire" - Danny Boyle's fantastic imagining of Vikas Swarup's novel 'Q&A' transforms it into an energetic, exuberant, and impassioned love story that transcends the trappings of movie romance to offer an exhilarating expression of contemporary life in Mumbai. A whirlwind of people, sounds, colour, music, and beauty.
 
2. "Synecdoche, New York" - Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut is a stupefyingly brilliant, profoundly complex, and deeply human story of artistry, life, and love pushed to the limits of creative expression. Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance is, as ever, utterly incredible.

1.   "WALL-E" - Pixar's great animated, science-fiction triumph is impossible to resist. The film's deceptive simplicity yields a beautiful and entertaining movie that is impossibly cute without being saccharine, and darkly satirical without being cynical. An animated masterpiece.   

[ For more year-end lists and 'best of' picks check out NowPublic's Best of 2008 channel.]