My Top 10 Films of 2008

I totally have to qualify this by saying that when I started thinking about all of the 2008 movies I saw, I realized that I only saw about 20 and that there were a ton of movies that I wanted to see, but haven't gotten to yet. So, take this list with a grain of salt or a grain of grain if you don't like salt. It will probably change once I see more 2008 films, but all of these I at least enjoyed a lot. Please feel free to tell me which great films I missed out on. Seriously. I want to know.

My Top 10 Favorite New Movies of 2008 by me

10. Cassandra's Dream
I know what you're thinking...Colin Ferrell, really!? Yeah, he doesn't make this film aweful and for that it deserves a Top 10 appointment. Plus, Woody Allen paid me $50 to have it on here...

9. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
A small qualifier to start out with again, I'm a fan-boy of defunct show Arrested Development and have, thus, been dealing with a non-sexual crush on Michael Cera. He was really funny in the movie and I probably would have liked it even more if I was 18.....and not watching it with my mom...

8. Get Smart
Well, I wasn't around for the original show, but this film was as enjoyable as Hollywood re-makes can be I suppose. Steve Carrell was surprisingly funny and the movie bested my expectations by a long shot. Plus, it had Bill Murray in it, which means that it is better than 98% of the movies made last year.

7. The Foot Fist Way
Now, I wasn't blown away by this movie as much as Will Ferrell and all of those Hollywood folks, but to be fair, if I was Will Ferrell and had made as many mediocre comedies as he has, then I would get pretty excited about this movie too. It does have some genuinely funny moments, and for the fact that it gave Danny McBride a well-deserved leading man role, I am a fan.

6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
This is another entry from the Apatow clan, and I'm not a fan of everything they've done. BUT, this movie was actually pretty funny, and I have to admit I'm a sucker for movies when the total loser guy gives the proverbial finger to the pretty girl and then runs to the loving arms of the other pretty girl. And the Dracula puppet musical....classic.

5. Son of Rambow
This one came from across the pond and is one of those heartwearming movies that make you feel good all over. While it wasn't perfect, it was actually really well done, and I did actually feel good all over.

4. Role Models
Believe it or not, this movie was actually pretty good! I try to stay pretty far away from anything Sean William Scott does, but this movie is a hilarious vehicle for one of the most under-rated actors in H-wood, Paul Rudd. He totally carries this movie, and it definitely gets bonus points for the epic battle scene in the end.

3. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
This is the best film that Woody Allen put out this year. It is actually one of the better ones he's done in a long time. The casting was perfect and Penelope Cruz is a fireball in this movie and totally takes the movie over when her character is introduced. The cinematography was beautiful and the script was different for Woody, but incredible none-the-less. I think it deserves bonus points for the weird narration, and for introducing me to the talented Rebecca Hall.

2. Snow Angels
This one probably wins the award for saddest movie I can ever remember seeing. It is also in the running for one of the most beautiful movies I've seen. David Gordon Green is a master at what he does, and this is proof.

1. The Dark Knight
OK. No big surprise here, but let's be honest, this movie was really, really great. No matter how many movies I would have watched this year, I still think this one would be at the top. It was Hollywood at its best. It was artful, intense, action-packed, and chock-full of grandeur. Too bad they don't churn movies like this out all the time instead of the standard fare.

Netflix Nebulous Vol. 3: A look at the films of David Gordon Green

For this feature of the Nebulous I wanted to put the proverbial lens to a specific director named David Gordon Green. I was first introduced to Mr. Green's work when a friend of mine took a master's degree film class and had to watch Green's 2000 masterpiece George Washington. I was struck by the beauty he captured from a part of the South that seems to have been struck by endless atrophy. His depiction of these small town scenes can safely be regarded as somewhat of a love letter to the South. He sees it crumble and sees its despair yet somehow pulls real beauty out of a world that seems to be falling apart. There is much to be said about stylistic homage to a writer/director named Terrence Malick (which is very strong in Undertow which Malick also produced), but I like to think of Green as more of a disciple of the Charles Burnett classic Killer of Sheep. Here's a closer look at 4 of the films that were written/directed by David Gordon Green.



George Washington (2000)

This is the first film that Green did and it is a phenomenal movie that absolutely floored me with its pacing, cinematography, and the texture of its characters. The movie follows a group of 12-year old friends around as they explore the world around them in rural North Carolina. The film is devastatingly raw and intimate and hurts that much more when tragedy strikes in the group of friends. The scene where Vernon and Nasia are breaking up is one of my favorite scenes of all time. Also, it has a wonderful appearance by Green favorite Paul Schneider.





All the Real Girls (2003)

This film was Green's 2nd major one after a few short films and is easily one of the most suprisingly interesting movies I've ever scene. I had skipped over this one for a long time because I thought it was just another half-hearted indie movie, but let me reassure you that this is heartbreaking and uplifting all at the same time. Its a movie about redemption and consequences. It's about love and how it doesn't fix everything. It's beautiful and hard to watch at time. It's real. Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel rack in career-best performances.






Undertow (2004)

This film is about a man who shelters his two boys in a house out in the middle of nowhere. Come to find out, this man has a brother who finds him and old rivalries flare up which sends the boys tearing through the rural Georgian countryside fighting for their lives. Near the end they find a commune of wayward folks in an abandoned factory and makes for some of the most dream-like scenery I have ever seen on film. Also, beware of the strange eating disorder the younger brother has which causes his body to reject regular food and crave things like paint, dirt, etc at the same time. Poor kid.



Snow Angels (2007)

Snow Angels was a first for DGG for a few reasons. One was that it is set in the North, presumably in Smalltown, Pennsylvania. The other new bit is that it is an adaptation of a novel written by Stewart Onan. WARNING: This movie is not for the faint at heart. It is a story about a few people in a small town as the watch their lives fall apart. It is heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time which is absolutely a trademark of DGGs. There is a plot of redemption though that stands out in the love story between the young characters brilliantly played by Michael Angarano and Olivia Thirlby. One of the most wonderful, yet haunting movies I have ever seen.


Ratings:

George Washington: A
All the Real Girls: A
Undertow: B+
Snow Angels: A-


*Interestingly enough, DGG was picked to direct the major motion picture Pineapple Express. I have not personally seen the movie so I can't say anything about it one way or the other, other than to say that I think DGG is one of the most underrated director/writers ever so I can't see it being too bad.