I'm a self-professed foreign horror nut, but I'd never seen anything from Sweden until this masterpiece. Sure, this is a vampire movie, but it's [by far] not a typical one... after all, how many vampire movies have you seen that featured a coming-of-age love story between a 12-year-old boy and a bloodsucker? This flick was recommended to me by a few of my horror aficionado friends, and I can't thank them enough. I thought that there was nowhere left to go with vampires, but this film turned the whole genre upside down with its innovative storytelling angles, making vampirism take a back seat to a deeper, more meaningful story that is emotional, captivating, and truly beautiful... I'd never been as involved in a horror movie as I was with this one. This is definitely an instant classic that deserves a spot in the top tier of horror films alongside the likes of Dawn of the Dead '78 and Halloween.9. Cloverfield:
When I went to see Transformers, I was so psyched to see it that the trailers in front of it were an afterthought. That was, until, the head of the Statue of Liberty came crashing down in the middle of a New York borough. That's all it took to pique my interest in finding out more about the mysteriously titled J.J. Abrams project. When I finally saw the movie in theatres, I was flabbergasted. This is one of those flicks that you wish you could see again for the first time, because the impact will never be as awesome as it was then. As far as monster movies go, this surpassed Godzilla and King Kong in every way... I'd much rather run into one of those baddies than coming across the alien behemoth that wreaks all the havoc in this instant classic. The flick loses a bit of its effectiveness in the translation to DVD - and it'll never be as good as the first time I watched it - but that doesn't mean that I don't give it a special spot in my "Untouchables" (DVDs I'll never get rid of) collection.8. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull:
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an archaeologist. Why? Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr. I also wanted to be a filmmaker. Why? Steven Spielberg. Needless to say, I was champing at the bit for a fourth Indy adventure... and, unlike what other people seem to think, it delivered wholeheartedly. Forget that Harrison Ford is old enough to be my grandfather, because he could still kick my ass all over the place. As far as I'm concerned, the franchise hasn't lost a step... seeing my favorite whip-cracking, fedora-wearing badass in action once again was a defining moment in my life, since I'd been waiting almost 20 years for it. It was like a huge monkey jumped off of my back and said "Here you go, enjoy!" And indeed I did, very much so. Jonesy's back, and now I'm sitting here with renewed vigor, hoping that the fifth chapter is on its way.7. Dance of the Dead:
Gosh, what can I say about this movie? "Shaun of the Dead at the Prom" doesn't sound like a promising premise, but it worked magnificently. Everyone who knows me well knows that I'm a sucker for movies about teenage life and culture. As such, I was instantly drawn to the story this flick had to tell, especially since it involved zombies (my favorite horror monsters). Much like Let the Right One In, this is a coming-of-age tale. However, it doesn't take itself seriously, even culminating with newfound lovers/zombies making out in a bathroom stall. Seriously. This movie has to be seen to be believed. I haven't had as much genuine, good-hearted fun with a movie in a long time, but this one delivered the goods.6. Zack and Miri Make a Porno:
It's a given that I'm going to love any film that Kevin Smith makes... after all, he's my favorite filmmaker. I even enjoyed Jersey Girl, which most unjustly consider his worst film to date. When Seth Rogen joined the "Askewniverse" (Smith's canon of films), I almost crapped my pants. Smith + Rogen has to = comedy gold. And it did. Throwing the absolutely adorable Elizabeth Banks into the mix, as well as old Smith stand-bys Jason Mewes and Jeff Anderson, porn stars Traci Lords and Katie Morgan, and newcomer Ricky Mabe just made the stew all the more succulent. The biggest casting morsel, though, is scene-stealer extraordinaire Craig Robinson... everything that comes out of his mouth is gut-bustingly hilarious ("You thought it, you thought I put food on his table and clothes on his little nigga baby's backs and he ain't gonna say shit!"). Much like Chasing Amy, Smith tells an honest-to-goodness, real-life love story... Rogen and Banks have mad chemistry, and watching their relationship develop as the story goes along makes you think about your own life and loves as well. That's a sign of great storytelling, which Smith does with amazing precision with everything he does.5. Pineapple Express & Forgetting Sarah Marshall:
Judd Apatow is a god. From Anchorman, to The 40-Year-Old Virgin, to Knocked Up and Superbad, the man and his comrades produce fabulous comedy treasures that are unrivaled by any other troupe out there. That's why I combined their two 2008 offerings into one slot on my list (cheating, I know). Knowing a thing or two about pot culture, PE instantly grabbed me (Bill Hader's cameo in the opening scene is beyond awesome... "FUCK you!"). The best thing about PE is that it takes two very disparate genres, stoner and action, and combines them perfectly. PE hits it on all cylinders once the action starts, and doesn't stop until the movie's over... well, it stops when they need to get stoned, of course. As for FSM, it's a completely different, but just as funny, bowl of pudding. Jason Segel plays the lovelorn dump victim to a tee, Mila Kunis' eccentric hotel clerk is beyond appealing, and Kristen Bell channels the clueless penis-vaulter flawlessly. The real show happens when Russell Brand is on-screen... everything he does is hilarious. Bit parts by Apatow standards Jonah Hill and Paul Rudd also threaten to steal the show back from Brand. All-in-all, Apatow's troupe has once again satiated my need for brilliant comedy with these two magnificent offerings.4. Tropic Thunder:
I'll tell you right now: this is the greatest satire I've ever seen. Period. Ben Stiller drills blockbuster moviemaking culture right up the cornhole. I wish Ben would've wrote comedy like this all throughout his career, because this was by far the funniest movie I've seen in a long, long time. Downey deserves his Golden Globe and Oscar nods. You wouldn't even know that it's him in blackface if you wasn't told it was him... he's absolutely brilliant in every way possible, and his 2008 comeback was very well-deserved (more on that in the next blurb). TT's status as a comedy masterpiece is sealed by the inclusion of Tom Cruise, heavily made-up, as a hard-nosed bastard Jew movie producer who loves to get crunk to T-Pain... his Golden Globe nod was also well-deserved. I didn't stop laughing until they finally had mercy on me and ended the movie. Movies this funny don't come along very often, which makes this a defining moment in the history of comedic filmmaking.3. Iron Man:
I put The Dark Knight on a different level of filmmaking, so I don't really classify it as a "comic book movie". That being said, Iron Man is far and away the greatest comic book film ever made. Jon Favreau was a weird choice to direct this, but my faith was earned when the news broke that the greatest casting of all-time had occurred: Robert Downey, Jr. was to take on the role of alcoholic industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man. I still withheld premature judgment until I saw the movie, though... and I was absolutely blown away. Downey's turn as Stark, along with his role in Tropic Thunder, helped him turn in the greatest comeback in movie history in 2008. IM also benefits heartily from the inclusion of Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard, and Gwyneth Paltrow (I never thought I'd say that about her, but I just did). The action's robust, the story is gritty and emotional, and you can't help but get involved in every twist and turn that Stark has to make to take down the baddies. This is everything a comic book film should be, and it should serve as the standard bearer for the genre from this point forward. Here's to Iron Man 2, Favreau! Get rolling!2. The Dark Knight:
I don't have to tell you that this is one of the greatest films of all-time. The $532 million that this film has grossed tells me that the majority of you know that fact. 2008 was the year of the Bat, and rightly so. Chris Nolan took a comic book and turned it into a legitimate film, which was previously unheard of. No one takes a comic book seriously, but the Nolan brothers made everyone stand up and pay attention with this beautiful, immaculate masterpiece. Everyone turns in the performances of their lifetimes (although Bale needed to cut back on that bad, heavy-smoker voice he had going on when playing the Bat), but one guy's performance obviously stands out above everyone else's: Heath Ledger as the greatest comic villain of all-time, The Joker. Everyone moaned and groaned when they learned that he had scored the role, but not me. I'm a Ledger fan from way back, and I knew the boy could act. I couldn't wait to see what he did with my favorite comic book character, and I was far from disappointed. What Ledger did was give the world a very, very special gift: the greatest movie villain of all-time. Screw Darth Vader, screw Hannibal Lecter, and even screw Nicholson's turn as The Joker in 1989's Batman... Ledger stomps a mud hole in all of them. The world lost an amazing thespian in Heath, and this fan sorely, sorely misses him. Rest in peace, my friend.
1. The Wrestler:
I've already blogged my feelings about this beautiful movie, but let me reiterate it's points: Mickey Rourke puts on the performance of a lifetime as Randy "The Ram" Robinson. Rourke's troubled life is no secret to anyone, but the guy has his head on straight now it seems, and I think a lot of it has to do with his role in this film. Mickey lends so much reality to the down-and-out loser he plays in this film that you just know he's channeling his own life experiences into it... you can see it in his eyes that the whole experience is therapeutic. Much like The Ram, Mickey has climbed his way back from the mat to the top rope, with the crowd roaring his name, and deservedly so. Here's to Mr. Rourke, and I hope that he hits the movie industry with a huge "Ram Jam" from here on out. Welcome back, brother.__________________________________
Don't agree with me? Screw you!
No, seriously... I love talking about movies, so drop me a line and let's get the debate on!
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