So here we are again with my top ten films of 2008. Even though it was three years ago, I still remember 2008 being a great year for film. There were a lot of great animations, comedies and also the beginning of the Marvel Universe, which will reach its pinnacle next year with The Avengers.
Speaking of which, I will hopefully do some kind of post over the next few days about Captain America: The First Avenger. I saw it on Saturday and it was very good. Unfortunately it's a lot easier to write about bad movies like Transformers 3 than it is about well-made movies.
So it can't imagine it will be too long but then again, I don't expect half my reviews to go on as long as they do. Curse my fantastic insight and opinions!
Anyway, I digress, here is my top ten films of 2008...
#10
HANCOCK
Ah Hancock, how it could've been so much more. It was a great idea, full of potential, with a great cast. I mean who doesn't love Will Smith? No-one. He's ace.
Unfortunately the execution isn't all there. The problem with this film was that it was essentially two scripts spliced together. So the first half of the movie deals with Hancock's alcoholism, his loneliness and his disregard for being a real 'superhero'. Frankly it's brilliant. Unfortunately it unravels half-way through when it reverts to a sub-par superhero flick. The second-half just doesn't follow through with the edgy satire the subject matter promised.
In the end the movie doesn't fully deliver. However, I still enjoyed it and and feel the first half of the movie alone deserves to be seen.
#9
STEP BROTHERS
As with the majority of people on this earth, I love Anchorman. It's extremely funny and endlessly enjoyable. However the follow-up from director Adam McKay and Will Ferrell, Talladega Nights, eh not so much. It had its moments but overall I felt it was exceptionally flawed.
However, Step Brothers was a welcome return to form. It's very funny with great performances from Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly (who, in my opinion, was in one of the most under-rated comedies of the last decade: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story).
#8
THE BANK JOB
"The most entertaining heist movie I've seen in years"- Richard Roeper At The Movies With Ebert & Roeper.
Sums it up pretty well to be honest. This is one of those 'good' Jason Statham movies, not one of the ones you watch because it's so bad it's good. This is generally a fantastic British film. Buy it, rent it, support it. You won't regret it.
#7
YES MAN
An adaptation of my favourite book of all time with Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel as the leads?
Mark Oliver Everett, one of my favourite musicians, doing the soundtrack?
Rhys Darby?
It was a no-brainer really.
This is by no means a perfect comedy. But it takes the core concept of the book and turns it into an enjoyable movie. Jim Carrey is close to his comedic best and Zooey Deschanel is just as adorable as ever. A charming film that never grows tired.
#6
KUNG FU PANDA
This one kind of crept up on me. I can't say I really had high-expectations going in, even with the brilliant voice cast. I think it was just that it was a Dreamworks Animation film, and other than Shrek and Shrek 2, every other film they had put out was a bit meh.
This changed it though. This was the movie where Dreamworks stopped trying to clone Pixar movies and started going in their own direction. A great story with beautiful animation, it paved the way for Monsters vs Aliens, How to Train Your Dragon and Megamind to come afterward.
It got the formula right for a great animation film: something kids and adults alike can enjoy and laugh at. I only hope Kung Fu Panda 2 is as good or better (at time of writing I have yet to see it).
#5
WALL-E
Kung Fu Panda would have been my favourite animated movie of the year, except Pixar decided to release Wall-E.
I was quite skeptical that even Pixar could pull off an animated kids film that has almost no dialogue in the first forty-minutes. But oh boy did they pull it off.
Wall-E is a truly beautiful film. You can't help but fall in love with it. Even Chuck Norris weeps at the end. There's not much else to add- this is a special film.
#4
TROPIC THUNDER
Robert Downey Jr.
He's the reason this film is at number four. His performance as Kirk Lazarus is outstanding. The best thing in Tropic Thunder by a clear distance (yes even over Tom Cruise's Les Grossman), he turns in one the best comedic performances of the past five years. This was the year he re-joined the A list of Hollywood's elite.
However, the rest of the film also delivers. A solid comedy outing, the only negative thing about this movie is Jack Black's performance. Mainly because his character is so god damn annoying. A shame really, as anyone that knows me knows I love Jack Black (I'll defend Gullivers Travels for crying out loud!).
The film hasn't quite reached the Anchorman levels of cultural love that it hoped for, but it still stands tall as one of the better comedies of the noughties.
#3
FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL
Forgetting Sarah Marshall was the best comedy of 2008.
It actually stands as one of my favourite comedies of all time and also my favourite comedy from Apatow Productions (which if you look at it is quite impressive since they produced, deep breath, Anchorman, Superbad, Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Walk Hard, Step Brothers, Get Him to the Greek and Bridesmaids amongst others).
But the fact is I love Jason Segel. He's an inspiration to me because not only is he a really nice guy, he's also a very talented writer.
As Matt Pais of the Chicago Tribune said, "it's the kind of movie you could watch all day because, like a new flame, you can't get enough of its company and are just glad to see where it takes you."
I really couldn't put it any better myself. The fact that the movie has seemingly moved into cult status makes me a very happy man indeed. This film deserves its plaudits and your love.
#2
IRON MAN
This is where the Marvel Universe began. The movie that started it all. It's funny that it was three years ago since Samuel L. Jackson popped up at the end and mentioned the 'Avengers initiative'.
Cut forward three years and we've had The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger. None of which would have been possible without Iron Man.
Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. took a superhero not really known outside of geek circles and made him a force to rival Superman and Batman. It showed Marvel that people weren't sick of superhero movies in general, just sick of the mistreatment of the source material.
Some may argue that the film suffers like many other origin stories in the second half after Tony Stark becomes Iron Man. However, I think this movie does it better than all the others, even Batman Begins. I mean Jeff Bridges is the villain! How can it not be awesome?
I can honestly admit I was never a huge Iron Man fan before this movie, but it was a great surprise and I came out the screening with a smile on my face.
Roll on May 4th 2012
#1
THE DARK KNIGHT
But you already knew this right?
Anyone that knows me knows how much I love The Dark Knight.
It's my favourite film of all time. It's perfect.
Growing up, I used to spend weekend mornings watching the 60s television series starring Adam West with my dad. I had loads of different toys and figurines. I've seen every other Batman film about 148 times each (other than Batman & Robin).
Batman was the entire definition of my childhood. It's something I hold very dear to my heart and always will. As I grow older, I only become more passionate about the entire franchise.
Batman Begins is a fantastic movie, if we were doing a 2005 list, it would be number one. But this film surpassed it.
The casting was perfect. To this day I'll argue with anyone who wants to hear how Aaron Eckhart deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination alongside Heath Ledger. Ledger, well it was the best individual acting performance in the last thirty years of cinema.
Some people argue that the second act drags in places, not to me. The film is perfectly paced, the story wonderfully told. It's the Batman film every single Batman fan waited 60 years for.
I only hope next years' The Dark Knight Rises ends the series as well as it started. I'm counting down the days already.
My favourite film of 2008.
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