In GOB We Trust

Well 2009 is in the books. It will go down as the year for some truly awful installments in money making franchises – Transformers 2, Angels & Demons, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, just to name a few. It was the year of indie sleeper hits like The Hangover and District 9. Some truly fantastic directors returned and delivered the goods like Quentin Tarantino and if you’re a fan of his, James Cameron. Because of course, who could mention 2009 without saying a bit about Avatar? The film cost like 500 million dollars, by far the most expensive movie ever made, and has thankfully already made that back. Cameron returned with his first feature film since Titanic and won over the hearts of millions with his simple tale that he borrowed from several other stories, while fulfilling a childhood fantasy of boning Smurfette.

It was also the year of over saturation in animation as so many animated films flooded the cinemas. I remember a time when it was only Disney putting out animated films. Now, they are everywhere, and some are excellent like Coraline and the two mentioned in this list. But others like Monsters vs. Aliens (so I’ve been told) just didn’t cut it.

And so 2009 ends, and we’re left with a list of 20 of IGWT’s favorite films. This was no easy task, as all four of us (Chris, Brian, Loron, and myself) are all stubborn elitist pricks with varying taste in films. But unsurprisingly, we can all agree that 2009 had some excellent, and some really crappy films. After submitting our own lists, we decided to combine them into one comprehensive list. A list I have zero qualms with, and hope you all enjoy. Let’s do it! – Tim

20. Fantastic Mr. Fox

I wasn’t expecting much out of Fantastic Mr. Fox. I had previous reservations about Wes Anderson, usually I find his films to be pretentious and severely overrated. Much to my surprise, Anderson delivers with a wonderful cast of voice actors – George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and a slew of other Anderson regulars. It’s an ensemble cast, just like every animated film these days, but the stop-animation technique used makes this a little bit different, as well as having a quirky director. I’m not a huge fan of Anderson’s but I can attest to the fact that he directs like no other. The humor is perfect, and not as subtle as Anderson’s movies usually are. A delightful comedy, fit for every taste. – Tim

19. Whip It

18. I Love You, Man

Paul Rudd is slowly becoming one of my favorite actors(along with Jason Bateman) and in I Love You, Man he does not disappoint.  I thought what made this movie funny wasn’t so much the script but had more to do with Paul Rudd & Jason Segel.  The Chemistry that they built on screen really drew the audience in, and made the story believable even though the script was a little weak.  You feel like portions of the dialogue are a little forced, but Mr. Rudd & Mr. Segel power through those and bring the characters to life, although sadly they could not overcome all the shortcomings to move this film higher on our list.  This film is still a respectable 18 on our list. – Brian

17. Public Enemies

Filmed entirely in digital, Michael Mann’s gritty gangster epic is a bit polarizing for some. It’s action sequences are place you right there in the thick of it, which for some was unbearable. A very dense narrative also left a lot of audiences and critics desiring more. That aside, there’s no denying the sheer awesome performance of Johnny Depp. He rocks the screen as John Dillinger. He owns the role and its probably the best role he’s had in years to me. Christian Bale is opposite him in this film playing Melvin Purvis. Bale’s not as incredible as Depp, but it’s great to see two heavyweight actors going head to head. It may have been polarizing, but there’s no denying just how great the performances are in this, as well as how accurate the film’s narrative is. It’s also one of the most underrated films of the year, as more people focused on the “live action” feel of the film, and less on the intricate tale that Mann helped pen. Great performances, filmed wonderfully, and worthy of Oscar consideration (at least a nomination for Depp) and you’ve got a strange summer blockbuster that was a little too dramatic for the average film goer’s taste. Even so, it’s a fantastic film, and one of the best performances to come out of Depp in some time. Also of note, the acting of Oscar winner Marion Cotillard who delivers another fine performance, especially in the films last 10 minutes. – Tim

16. Watchmen

Movies, no matter how young or old, are constantly judged upon their ability to transport their audience and sometimes there comes along a movie that succeeds both visually and orally and will be remembered by the masses for both reasons. Zack Snyder’s adaptation of Alan Moore’s Watchmen is that movie; it’s massive and uncompromising and completely its own piece of cinematic art. Trust me; I am very much aware this is a love-it-or-hate-it movie. Seriously. This is polarizing filmmaking at its finest. I highly doubt anyone will walk out of the theatre shrugging – claiming that it was just okay – and simply shuffle on down the road minding his or her business. I also think the argument that The Watchmen is unfilmable should be put to rest. Why? Because it got filmed. Yes, despite the odds against it, The Watchmen found its way onto film. This film has incited passionate responses of hatred (some called it the first major flop of 2009) or of warm, gushing acceptance and praise throughout the year. Snyder follows the opening with a unique credit sequence memorable for its use of staged “frames” as a method for backstory delivery while Bob Dylan’s The Times Are A-Changin’ plays. It is visceral, it is powerful and it is moving; all the while suggesting that the world about to be shown to you is at times familiar – yet eerily darker – and somehow less humane. The point is that something has gone horribly wrong in this world because of the existence of superheroes. – Loron

15. Pirate Radio

If you have not seen this movie yet, it is a must rent.  You probably would not recognize any of the actors except Philip Seymour Hoffman, which held a lot of appeal for me.  I enjoy watching actors that are not your typical stars, because they usually turn in a great performance as they are often auditioning for additional roles.  And it was not different in this one, I enjoyed the story and the actors (especially PSH) really brought it to life.  There where areas on which this film could have improved upon (the editing could have been tighter) and in the end that may have cost it a few spots, but overall this was a well acted film with a strong script and that is why it came in at a very strong 15. – Brian

14. The Road

No Country For Old Men was the last Cormac McCarthy novel to be adapted. And it was spectacular. The best film, to me, of the last decade. The Road was the most talked about novel of 2007, highly praised by even Oprah. This film was pushed back several times, which raised a lot of eyebrows regarding the quality – since usually a film being pushed back is a sign of poor quality. The Road is an amazing film, despite the mixed reviews it received. McCarthy’s vision is captured perfectly, and the choreography is breathtaking featuring some of the most desolate and cryptic landscapes I’ve seen. Viggo Mortensen turns in another brilliant performance, as the director of The Proposition makes another film that reminds us of why film is an art, and not just a form of entertainment. One of the more memorable aspects of it was how Hillcoat and McCarthy were able to match the emotion and care that one feels in that type of situation. Believable on all levels, the interactions and depictions of survival in The Road are harsh but yet so true. The small victories for the characters are ultimately overshadowed by the bleakness of the story, but the moment they find the bomb shelter and take baths, and eat good food, your heart swells and you realize that sometimes you have it really friggin good. – Tim

13. The White Ribbon

Filmed entirely in black & white, Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon is an artistic thriller that is sure to upset even the most disturbed minds.  Each scene is a masterpiece of light and shadow and, based on the overall quality and construct of the film and how it is dividing its audiences, a sure-thing for best foreign film this year.  Darkly mysterious and epic in scope, The White Ribbon is a story about Eichwald, a north German village of yesteryear, where adults are referred to by title only, the kids have simple names and a code of conduct governs all…until a series of murderous events unravels everything for this patriarchal society; however, the best way to enjoy the film is to go in without prior knowledge of its themes so that instinct might be ignored in favor of processing new ideas and reactions.  Know this: it makes Paranormal Activity look as bloodcurdling as an episode of The Golden Girls.  Never a victim of clichés or suckered by needing the audience’s approval, Haneke delivers a deeply unsettling film that haunts months after its initial viewing.- Loron

12. Moon

Sam Rockwell dazzles in this sci-fi thriller about an engineer on a 3 year mission to maintain a space station on the moon. Taking place in the future, the world has begun harvesting a mineral from the moon to help sustain Earth. Featuring an extremely small cast, and utilizing articulate models, this debut from Duncan Jones was exactly what the genre needed to garner more interest. It’s simple, but yet so complex at the same time, and Rockwell is incredible in one of his most challenging roles. The film also has a twist that is so unique it has to come in the middle of the movie for you to really get it. I think what really stands out about Moon is the originality of the concept. It’s so basic, but yet so engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed Moon and sincerely hope that Rockwell get’s a lot more recognition for his role here. – Tim

11. Sherlock Holmes

Some year-end critics will suggest that the real deal Sherlock Holmes has been jettisoned in favor of a brawn-over-brains modern detective story without seeing that Robert Downey, Jr. simply is the eggheaded Holmes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work. Throughout the romp, he remains a quick thinker, a careful observer of actions and reactions, and, as a result, able to dance a couple of rounds in the boxing ring, too. Yes, director guy Ritchie has infused the streets and characters of London with a scruffier look and, yes, Downey isn’t the holier-than-thou-type figure of Basil Rathbone’s era. He’s a little rough around the edges and more than a little willing to test his physical limits in the pursuit of the criminal mind – for when the game is afoot, not only is intelligence the answer, but, as is the case with Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes, intelligence is action and it makes for a high-entertainment to cap the year that was 2009. – Loron

10. 500 Days of Summer

9. Zombieland

Oh Woody Harrelson, what can you say he really did revive his career and he was perfect for the role of Tallahassee in this film.  Jesse Eisenberg was pretty good in his role but I felt like Harrelson really outshines and outperformed  in this one.  But that is not the main reason this is a top ten film of the year, this made it into the top ten because of its consistency.  It consistently provided laughs throughout the entire film.  It consistently provided a landscape that seemed realistic for the apocalyptic feel of the movie.  And finally it was consistent in its use of Columbus’s rules(which was a great touch) and proved to be an ingenious idea by writers Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick.  The combination of all this gave the writers their first block buster hit, and a firm position in our top 10.- Brian

8. A Serious Man

The Coen Bros. are the best directors of our generation. Bottom line. And while most can only name a few of their films (Fargo, No Country for Old Men, Oh Brother Where Art Thou? ) we should all be aware of just how powerful their filmmaking is. A Serious Man flew under the radar in 2009, but it was another testament to just how powerful the Coen’s narratives are. A story resembling their father’s struggling life is probably one of the more depressing films of the year (though not nearly as depressing as Precious). Confusing as times due to the language, with lots of ancient Hebrew and Jewish terms with the ritual references, make A Serious Man difficult to digest for the casual fan. But at the root of this film is a story about the abrupt changes in our lives, which makes A Serious Man to be the most personal film of the year, even if you don’t realize it. Depressing, heart breaking, A Serious Man is probably the most accurate depiction of real life that the Coen’s have managed to capture on film. - Tim

7. Up in the Air

With Up in the Air, George Clooney leads a talented, but fairly small cast that includes Danny McBride (last seen in The Land Before Time, but is in a surprisingly serious role here), Vera Farmiga (The Departed and Orphan), Jason Bateman (Extract) and Anna Kendrick (last seen in the Twilight series). Jason Reitman exercises complete confidence and control with the cast in this his third and best film (Thank You for Smoking & Juno). He proves that he is not just a fan of quirk and is, in fact, the future of cinematic earnestness with this film. As legendary film critic Roger Ebert has declared, Reitman’s talent “represents the hope of the cinema”; however, with this film, Reitman delivers on message and medium in such a stealth-like manner that one cannot doubt his confidence behind the camera; the affect of this film upon the senses is delicate and powerful. Up in the Air is a tightly spun narrative and, at once, the perfect merging of comedy and heartfelt drama – even if its hero wrestles with the weight of his own ideas of home. This is social commentary at its best – equal parts philosophical and spiritual – with a delicate twist of human comedy and romance to take the hardest of edges off. Yet, rest assure, the hardest of all edges is completely in tact. – Loron

6. The Hurt Locker

Around July, The Hurt Locker started getting massive attention because of it’s concrete filming, and strong performances. One of the main props it was getting, was how well Kathryn Bigelow has captured the Iraq War’s unpredictable nature…despite the director being a woman. I don’t think that’s a fair assessment, since male director’s have been directing female dominated stories for a long time. But yet, here we have a female direct a film that’s an action-drama/war story with incredible depth and a captivating performance by Jeremy Renner. It’s still pretty shocking, and it’s the best thing Bigelow has done. It’s gripping and brutal, something we would expect when it comes to the Iraq War. Through The Hurt Locker though, we aren’t paid the disservice a lot of directors do with this war, and that’s depict it in either a favorable or unfavorable light. Whether you agreed with the war or not, is not the issue here. And that makes The Hurt Locker the most competent film about the subject ever. – Tim

5. The Hangover

What can you say about this film?  Mike Tyson was amazing(okay not amazing but still pretty funny).  Funny is the key part of that phrase, this was one of the most laugh-out-loud funny movies I have seen in a long time.  Whether it was watching Ken Jeong jump out of a trunk and start beating everyone with a crow bar (oh and don’t forget he was naked while doing it), or seeing Zach Galifianakis getting tasered in the face (don’t tase me bro!!).  It’s just one of those movies that has you laughing from the very beginning & if you have seen the unrated version all the way through the credits.  That is why this movie made our top 5 of the year. – Brian

4. Star Trek

This was a refreshing remake of what was becoming a drab series.  This movie made the top 5 not just because of the stunning special effects and the break out performances turned in by Chris Pine & Zachary Quinto, but because this was a new twist on the series.  Even those people who were not fans of the original Star Treks could enjoy this film, because it did not require any previous knowledge of the series.  I had never been a Star Trek fan, but I found the the revamp in this film to be one of the big surprises of the year which is what lead this to be so well received and one of the top films of the year. – Brian

3. District 9

District 9 was the most original film of 2009. It had everything that an indie film should have: no name actors, an unknown director, and most importantly, a limited budget. The build-up to District 9 was subtle, but viral marketing helped make it a blockbuster smash proving that Hollywood still had it in them to write, produce, and release an original idea. Combining science fiction with history, District 9 took the travesty of apartheid South Africa and turned into an alien/human racial divide and from it, an unlikely hero emerges. With some of the most absurd and messy violence of the year, District 9 provided audiences with a new franchise of original material, and great storytelling, filmed like a documentary and proving one more time that you can’t beat a great story. Without a doubt, one of the best films of 2009. My personal favorite because in a time of sequels and remakes, District 9 provided audiences with something simple but yet highly entertaining. It was fast, never dull, and with no name actors, and a no name director, it was a great jumping off point for a franchise, and it developed a strong fan base simply through word of mouth. I could watch this movie over and over again, and I can’t do that with a lot of movies. District 9 is a foreshadowing of what film will be like in the next few years, as the indie film becomes the staple. Indie films win Oscars usually, and don’t make money. Not so on this one, as District 9 scored a whopping $200 million at the box office. Pretty good for some no names. – Tim

2. UP

Only an animated film could capture the joys and hardships of life in 20 minutes. UP is one of the best reviewed films of the year, a box office hit, and possibly the best Pixar film to come out this decade, topping even Wall*E in my book. While not nearly as funny as the firs time I watched it, UP is still a very emotional trip through the sky with the Ed Asner voiced Carl Fredricksen, taking on the always devious Christopher Plummer. UP is all at once a heartwarming tale, a classic adventure into the skies, and a comedy riot. With top notch animation, an exciting adventure, and great voice actors, UP succeeds where Pixar films in the past have slightly failed – by creating a narrative that the average person can relate to. Rumor has it the film is on the short list for Best Picture nominees, and it’s well deserved. – Tim

1. Inglourious Basterds

Comically dark and every bit as ass-kicking as promised from the simple idea of a Tarantino-take-on-the-war-genre movie, Inglorious Basterds earns its wings through the 5 chapter structure that weaves and mangles three storylines into an epic closing arch.  It’s a complex narrative that manages to chat up its audience as well as blow shit up.  The first chapter alone is worth the price of admission and shows Tarantino’s maturity as a director; it’s tense and tight and full of fine acting from Christoph Waltz.  The film is a freewheeling masterpiece of mayhem and mercenary, but at its heart is the story of one woman’s revenge against most of the Upper class Nazi regime.  True to the anarchistic spirit of his previous works, Tarantino never blinks twice in re-imagining history and gave 2009 its first serious Oscar contender. – Loron

It’s officially 2010. And there are some films that I’m already looking for right off the bat.  There are going to be some (hopefully) excellent films to debut in 2010: a mixture of remakes as always, in addition to some sequels, and of course originals that will dazzle. Once again, this is all speculation, but the following 10 films, are what I’m most excited to see in 2010…so far!

10. Machete (4/16/10)

Way back in 2007 two directors combined their powers to create a grindhouse experience, a double feature of fun, explosions, and zombies. It was a very long affair (over 3 hours if I remember) but right between Planet Terror and Death Proof, the true show stealer wowed audiences. The fake trailers, shot by famed directors, were hysterical, and I’d be lying if I said that none of them piqued my interest, like Thanksgiving the Eli Roth contribution about a pilgrim that terrorizes a town. But of all of them, Machete sparked the most laughs, and the most interest. Danny Trejo has been a Rodriguez staple and he’s joined by Jeff Fahey, Jessica Alba, and Lindsay Lohan (what?) for this off the wall assassination story. What makes this such an interesting film, is that its conception comes from a simple fake trailer that no one ever thought would see the light of day. Leave it up to Robert Rodriguez to take this concept and run with it. I’ll be surprised if it’s a critical or box office smash, but I’m sure it’ll develop a cult following.

9. The Crazies (2/16/10)

Well, I can’t say that this will be “amazing.” It’s hard to be excited about a film that appears to simply be cashing in on the “zombie-craze.” However, zombies are very much “in” right now, along with vampires, the latter of which is simply because of their sexual undertones. But zombies…well…they are just fun. The Crazies is apparently a re-imagining of George Romero’s classic. Having seen the original, it sucks, and this looks loads better honestly. The trailer actually depicted something a bit more frightening than we’ve seen in recent years. Zombies have been portrayed as “infected” in 28 Days Later, in comedic nature in Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland, and The Crazies isn’t shying away from those recent depictions, it’s simply stripping it down to the initial first contact with the “epidemic,” and that’s where the real kicker is. The cast isn’t something to write home about, the always entertaining Timothy Olyphant (Live Free or Die Hard) is the only real notable actor, in addition to Radha Mitchell. No matter, zombie films aren’t about great acting, their about fun, and The Crazies looks like a hell of a lot of fun.

8. The Tree of Life (TBD)

Brad Pitt. Sean Penn. Two of the best actors in the world (I’m not kidding either, while I don’t like Penn, he’s a great actor). Not much is known about this project, but its got Oscar written all over it. We’ll see what happens, whether it gets a release in 2010 or not, but with a title like that, and a decent director like Terrence Malick (who did The Thin Red Line). It has the potential to be a bit of a wimpy movie though at the same time, a crier which no one really wants to see from these two dominant actors. Time will tell, but it’s got potential so we’ll see.

7. The Book of Eli (1/15/10)

Oh Denzel. I’m not a huge fan of Denzel Washington. He’s a good actor, and there are numerous films that I’ve enjoyed with him in it (Inside Man, American Gangster, and Glory). This though, looks like it has potential. Like zombies and vampires, post-apocalyptic films are in right now. 2012 to some extent, but more along the lines of I Am Legend which was dreadful. But here, we have Denzel and Gary Oldman, and I like Denzel when he’s in an action based/thriller. Not this Taking from Pelham 123 crap, but along the lines of Deja Vu (only less crappy). The trailer, as you’ll see, shows off Denzel kicking some ass like he’s doing a futuristic remake of Training Day.

6. The Expendables (8/20/10)

Gather every action star from the 80s and 90s. Put Stallone behind the camera, with a throwback script to the action films that made America great, and you’ve got The Expendables. Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Steve Austin, and cameos from Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis – it’s like Die Hard, American Ninja, Predator, Fearless, Crank, and Rambo in a giant orgy of action. Actually its Sly trying desperately to hang on to his fading stardom. Van Damme won’t be in this, so it’s not a true clash of titans, but the plot reflects the has-beens well. A group of mercenaries set out to overthrow a dictator who has…well…dictated and been a tyrant. So this should be interesting when it hits theaters at the end of the summer. Stallone’s not a bad director, but he’s not terribly amazing either. However, the supposed scene with the big 80s stars on screen together – Stallone, Arnie, and Willis – is worth the price of admission alone.

5. Legion (1/22/10)

I’m not usually a fan of any films regarding religion. I hated The Passion, felt that The DaVinci Code and Angels & Demons to both be pretentious wastes of time. The controversial subject is something that needs to be handled delicately, but I’m not even a fan of religious war related movies. Legion will be the first one that I actually want to see. Keeping the whole post-apocalyptic trend going, Paul Bettany plays the archangel Michael, representing the last remaining defense against God. That’s right. God has lost faith in humanity and he’s sending his angels down to wipe us all out. And that’s something that I look forward to! Hell yeah! Dennis Quaid and Charles S. Dutton (from that old show called Rock!) support Bettany. The trailer hooked me, because at first I thought it was Fallout the movie, which would have been sweet. Still though, the special effects look great, and its wonderful to see Paul Bettany in something empowering rather than demeaning (*cough* The Da Vinci Code *cough*).

4. Nightmare on Elm Street (4/30/10)

So….yeah…this is a remake. But I love the original. And the fascinating part of this is that it’s got Jackie Earle Hayley in it, and he’s just one of the boldest actors right now. He’s going to pull of Freddy Krueger so well. I think there may be some doubt, as to how well he’ll pull the “scare tactics” off, but I’m optimistic. Hayley pulled of Rorscach well I think, in fact he was the best part of Watchmen and his appearance in Shutter Island looks creepy and completely legit. The storyline will be predictable, you can’t update a classic story at all. So this will be watched closely for ONE thing – Hayley’s performance. Robert Englund was amazing as Freddy, he revolutionized villains and truly terrified people for 20 years. Now that the characters been dormant for a few years (since Freddy vs. Jason) it’ll be interesting to see him return. I think Hayley can pull it off, in fact, dare I say, he’ll revolutionize the character again.

3. Shutter Island (2/19/10)

It’s not a good sign that this was pushed back to February, after it’s original release was supposed to be October 2nd of 2009. But instead, it’s now in February, and while pushing releases back is a sign of a poor  film, such is not the case with Shutter Island. It was announced later that the film was pushed back for competitive reasons, which could possibly be a lie. Either way, I’ll be there opening night for two reasons. 1.) Martin Scorsese – he’s the  best director of the 20th century in my book. 2.) Leonardo DiCaprio. He’s my favorite actor, and after reading the novel I think he’s perfect for the role of Teddy. Being pushed more as a psychological thriller than a drama, this is new territory for both and I think it’ll be great regardless of pushed back release dates. It’s also sporting a great supporting cast with Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo, Jackie Earle Hayley, and Emily Mortimer.

2. Iron Man 2 (5/7/10)

The whole gang is back together again….well…almost. Opting out of the sequel for whatever reasons, Terrence Howard (who was perfect as Rhodey) will not be joining the cast of Iron Man 2, instead replaced by Don Cheadle. I don’t know how I feel about that, since Cheadle is a great actor. Regardless, this sequel to the blockbuster from 2008 (that helped get Robert Downey Jr. back on the right track) is one to look out for, especially with the additions to the cast like Mickey Rourke (scorching after his Oscar nomination) as Whiplash and the physically scorching Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow. The trailers thus  far have proven what everyone was worried about to be false: this movie will not suck! Favereau returns as the unlikely director and it’s a nice cocktail of excitement given that the only ingredient missing is Terrence Howard. On the contrary though, I have faith in Favereau because he made the first one excellent, and Cheadle is a fine actor.

1. Inception (7/16/10)

Oh…My…GOD! Back in August during Inglourious Basterds I thought I was going to have a conniption with out amazing this looked. Now before everyone starts shouting “WTF? It was a minute long and didn’t give us anything!” I say this to you, that’s what it was supposed to do. It teased you, and the most recent trailer is even better giving just bits and pieces. Christopher Nolan is a masterful filmmaker, he has a flawless resume in my opinion, with his weakest film being The Prestige which is still GREAT in my book. Here he’s teamed up with so many talented actors – Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, and of course Michael Caine. I’ve already shouted it from the tops of mountains that Inception will  be the best film of 2010. Bottom line.

With 2010 right around the corner, we officially close the first decade of the new millennium. In this new millennium we were treated to thousands upon thousands of fantastic films, and some of the worst movies ever. At the start of the new century we saw a new world begin to emerge. We had a new president, one that we didn’t really vote for it seems, and then a year later, the US was rocked by September 11th. Through this decade, we had some of the craziest things happen to us, and through it all, the one thing that we all did collectively – we flocked to the movies. Whether it was for escapism, or entertainment, gut wrenching drama, or thought provoking thrills, we all went to the movies.

This list, is a composition of the films that I personally feel reflect the last decade for me. Now I’m sure some will disagree, but these are the ones that I watch more than any other films out there. So I hope you enjoy.

25. V for Vendetta (2006)

Maybe it was Natalie Portman being totally bald that did it. Or maybe it was that silly, but yet so powerful kiss that V and Evie share at the end that makes this so memorable to me. At a time when the government was sneaking behind our backs (when is it not?) the Wachowski’s brought us a slightly unfaithful adaption of a classic graphic novel. With Hugo Weaving lending the talents to V, and a very angry John Hurt providing the fuel for this anger, V for Vendetta did for me what propaganda does for the right wing party. It lights a fire underneath us, and gives me hope for the future. There’s something about the finale, the 1812 Overture playing, as parliament is destroyed. It sends chills down my spine and reminds me of why sometimes, the liberties we have, should never, ever, be taken for granted.

24. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Some can argue that a 2009 film on this list makes no sense, but lets face it…any Tarantino fan alive will tell you the same story – we’ve been waiting for this for a LONG time. The wicked retelling of World War II, as told by Quentin Tarantino, invites the audience into a new world where the bad guys are really bad, and the good guys are…really bad too. Brad Pitt is hilarious in this, and Christopher Waltz deserves an Oscar for his humorous “Jew Hunter.” I rarely walk out of a film as pleased as I did with Basterds and I’ll tell you why. Tarantino knows his audience well. He knows what they want to see. And he provided it to us well in capacity. The dialogue driven scenes, the tension, not to mention the violence that comes as strangely as it goes. Damn near 10 years in the making I believe, Basterds was well worth the wait.

23. Sin City (2005)

For awhile, this was the most faithful comic book adaptation. Frank Miller’s Sin City was rendered near perfectly by Robert Rodriguez, and while this wasn’t a giant smashing hit like I wish it had been, it was still a twisted ride through the gritty underbelly of Basin City. With an all star cast that included Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Toro, Jessica Alba, and of course Mickey Rourke, Rodriguez proved that comics didn’t always have to be crappy when adapted to the screen. Up to this point, only a few had managed to capture the true passion of their storybook source material. But this managed to, which was very surprising. Gritty, hard edged, and at times insanely offensive, no other film in 2005 was as brutal and dangerous than Sin City.

22. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

What? Leonardo DiCaprio? That’s right. The caper with Tom Hanks and Dicaprio is one of the best films of this decade and here’s why. It was the first movie, first real movie, where people looked again at Dicaprio and said “holy crap this kid can act.” He pulls off Frank Abagnale Jr. so well that you never for once doubt that he is who he claims to be. His performance sucks you in, and you buy his lies. Hanks as Carl Hanratty is the perfect antithesis for Leo’s Frank. The two have great exchanging dialogue and chemistry, and the film never feels boring or contrived. It may have ended up being a slight exaggeration, but that’s okay. In fact, you wouldn’t expect anything less from Frank, who conned millions of dollars before he was 19. Leo steals the show and solidified himself as one of the best actors of my generation.

21. 21 Grams (2003)

No I didn’t try that, it’s just how it falls. 21 Grams took a familiar story and did what Christopher Nolan did with Memento, only less focused and more chopped up. Alejandro Gonzalez took his film, chopped it up into little pieces and then spread it all over the floor and started connecting the dots. This technique seems erratic when you watch, but it flows so smoothly between scenes that you start to forget how abrupt things are. It catches you and sucks you in, how real the characters are, and how sad the story is. Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts offer wonderful supporting roles, but it’s Sean Penn as the man with a second heart who steals the show. I don’t care for Penn too much, but here, in my eyes, he redeemed himself for years Oscar grubbing (which he still does). 21 Grams captures the essence of loss so well, that it is undeniably one of the most gripping dramas of the decade.

20. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Yup, I loved this film. David Fincher, in my opinion, deserved Best Director, for filming such an elaborate epic piece of film. The story is tight and one of the best things that Brad Pitt has acted in ever. The romance between him and Cate Blanchett is story book, and the make up and set designs are damn near flawless. A project that took years to complete, but Fincher did it, and the end result was a remarkable film that while some complained about its length and its similarities to Forrest Gump (which are baseless to me), Benjamin Button is no doubt a massive accomplishment for all the parties involved. Pitt shines in a fantastic rendering of a somewhat classic in literature. It may have won few awards but it deserved so many more in my book.

19. UP (2009)

I never would have dreamed that an animated film would top my list as far as great films, but here it is. UP is the first film to truly tug at my heart in years, that was animated. The montage as the beginning, 15 minutes of an entire lifetime spent with his wife, nearly brought tears to an audience as they felt for Carl. But the remarkable animation, tight story telling, and massive heart that UP has is what really helps this story of an old man and his newest companion soar. Featuring Ed Asner as the grumpy old man, it stands as the next milestone in Pixar’s near perfect canon of animated films. UP soared at the box offices, and was quite possibly the best film of the year, one that I saw multiple times in the theater. Pixar continues to dazzle, and UP is the perfect blend of heart and humor, something that real film tends to lose sight of.

18. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Danny Boyle may have resurrected the dead in 2003 with 28 Days Later, but it was Edgar Wright who popularized the humorous side of zombies. Romero may have teased at it, but ultimately Shaun of the Dead brought zombies into the light and featured human beings doing exactly what we have longed to do with the undead – just mess with them. Throwing vinyls at them, taking pictures, singing to them, it was a riot. And Shaun of the Dead is just that, a laugh riot, with gross out humor (from the gore) and great comedic performances for Nick Frost, and of course Simon Pegg, who would go on to bigger thans afterward. Shaun of the Dead represents a jumping off point for horror/comedies and provided audiences with a new hero that was likable and trustworthy because he was so much like us.

17. American Psycho (2000)

Christian Bale had been in movies for over a decade before this, but it wasn’t until American Psycho that Bale showed off what he was truly capable of. A kick ass soundtrack, and while this isn’t 100% faithfully adapted from the Brett Easton Ellis novel, it gets the point across so well who cares! The performance of his career really, Bale plays Patrick Bateman, an iconic serial killer who is basically all of the worst killers combined into one. Dark humored, controversial, and grotesque, American Psycho set a new precedent for psychological thrillers due to Bale’s twisted but yet precise acting. “I can’t believe Bryce prefers Van Patten’s card over mine.” – it’s lines like that which bring Patrick Bateman to life through his monologues and his peculiar obsession with himself. And Bale breathes life into him, while taking away others.

16. Wall*E (2008)

Another animated film, I know! But Wall*E is truly a remarkable feature. With no dialogue for the first half it seems, Wall*E did the unthinkable and that was entertain an audience for that long using only sounds, and a little box of bolts to entertain them. And surprisingly..it worked. Audiences fell in love with Wall*E and why not? He’s the perfect hero. He’s honest. He’s caring. He’s a machine, but he still had more heart than half the people popularized by media. He didn’t lie, nor did he  cheat. He was just Wall*E, a love struck robot, who went to great lengths for EVA. He was very likable, even if he never really talked. I remember watching Wall*E and being very skeptical at first, but by the time the credits rolled I knew I had watched something special.

15. The Simpsons Movie (2007)

I know it’s just a television show, adapted to film, but come on! It’s the friggin Simpsons! I grew up with this family, and the first 10 seasons I can quote you damn near perfectly. The story wasn’t amazing but its The Simpsons, and it was credible for an animated sitcom. But what was so incredible about this movie was how FUNNY it actually was, especially when compared to the recent episodes of the show (in it’s 1000th season it seems). At one point the show lost its humor, and gone were the smart references to pop culture, and the sentimental value of the Simpsons was gone too. But here, Matt Groening and his band of writers assembled a fantastic adaption of America’s favorite sitcom family. The best line, after Homer grabs the Bible and flips through it screaming “This book doesn’t have any answers!” Classic.

14. Kill Bill 1 & 2 (2004)

Ahh the whole bloody affair. With Kill Bill Tarantino presented us with an homage to the films that he grew up on, popularizing them once again, just as he did years later with Grindhouse. Now, fans of the genre’s exploited in this double header are in rotation again at midnight matinees thanks to Tarantino. But with Kill Bill we had the first signs of Tarantino’s ability to really just cut loose. The first part, nothing but action, with thin plot. Splatter fest after splatter fest as the Bride (played wonderfully by Uma Thurman) cuts through the Crazy 88s and 2/5 of the Deadly Viper Assassins. The second part though…straight storyline building. And not thin plot, there’s depth to the revenge angle, and it progresses just as you pictured it, which isn’t to say it’s predictable, more faithful to what you want. That’s something Tarantino is very good at it. He pleases his audience. Even if his audience is a bunch of nerds.

13. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Danny Boyle’s masterpiece about the slumdog from India, and his ability to win their version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? But why was this such a spectacle? For starters, it’s the most positive Best Picture winner in years, and with an unknown cast, this Bollywood critical darling really was all it was cracked up to be. Tight storytelling and massive heart, Slumdog Millionaire lead you to the end with a double edged sword, so that you tasted the sweet with the sour at all times. But the difference between Slumdog Millionaire and so many other tales that are similar, is that the main character is so damn likable. You want him to have it all in the end. You want to see him succeed. You empathize with him more than any other hero or protagonist in recent memory. Why? Because he’s had it rough, it’s a Cinderella story, and it ends just as it should. I may not agree with it being the best picture of 2008, but it was certainly fantastic.

12. Brick (2005)

The indie film of the decade in my opinion. I mean…really indie. There are other indie films, but this one is so minimal in its presentation and its sources, its incredible to realize just what they accomplished on such a small budget. But Brick is a testament to the talents involved. Joseph Gordon Levitt does a 180 with his career, and this film helped solidify him as an indie favorite. His subtle but yet poignant performances in films like this, and even 500 Days of Summer proved this young actors ability. Revitalizing the noir genre thankfully, Brick was also a tightly constructed script, concocting its own vernacular just for the dialogue it seems. Once again, indie films out do what so many big budgets try to do, and Brick is one of the best examples of heart in film making, because it is far more intricate and delicately strewn together than some of the heaps of crap steaming in wide release.

11. Casino Royale (2006)

Reboots are common practice now. Everything from Star Trek to Friday the 13th has seen a reboot. They’ve reboot franchises that just got started (The Hulk). In the end though, they are all trying to surmount to the absurdly high standards presented by Daniel Craig’s updated version of James Bond. There were doubts, but Craig delivered on multiple levels that only Sean Connery could reach. A personal story, Bond at the beginning of his time as a 00, and the one true love of his life Vesper Lynn. Amazing car stunts, action like crazy, and a tight script by Paul Haggis (Crash) and it was no doubt that Casino Royale reinstated the legitimacy of James Bond. Quantum of Solace may not have been nearly as good, but it had incredibly big shoes to fill. Casino Royale remains the best Bond film of the last 30 years, and is a testament to accurate film making, when an actor, a screenwriter, and a director, all fit perfectly.

10. Big Fish (2003)

Tim Burton is a fairly talented director. He can sometimes be hit or miss, and his quirky form usually results in a very strange movie. Morbid films like Edward Scissorhands and the Nightmare Before Christmas are strong entries in his canon but Big Fish tops the list of Burton films in my book. Ewan McGregor plays the young Edward Bloom, as Albert Finney portrays the elder Edward Bloom, reflecting on his life and what brought him to this point, dying, as his son tries to dig up the truth about his father. For the only time in his career, Tim Burton constructs a movie more fantastical than his other projects but it is NOT gothic. There are strange things in Big Fish but nothing compared to Sleepy Hollow or even next Spring’s Alice in Wonderland. Instead, Big Fish is uniform to fantasy dreams and life rather than death. I think what draws me to this film so much are the small moments. The freeze frames when Bloom sees the woman of his dreams for the first time. The stills of a normal life at the end of a rope as Jessica Lange climbs into the bathtub with her husband, knowing that he only has days left. That’s showing the story, without having to say anything.

9. Synecdoche, New York (2008)

The greatest screenwriter of my generation takes his place behind the camera in addition to penning this completely original script. It’s not one that everyone will enjoy, and while I gave it my top nod of 2008, it’s truly a flip of a coin with this film. Living a reality inside of a reality is truly boggling, and this isn’t a film easily digested on just a single viewing. It’s strange, but it’s somewhat comforting to watch it all unfold before you. Phillip Seymour Hoffman plays Caden Cotard, a playwright who decides to adapt his life to the stage. Throughout it, he starts to cast characters to play every aspect of his life, including actors to play the parts he just cast. It’s a story, within a story, within another story, and then another story. And in the end, it reflects on self-doubt, the paths we choose, and ultimately, how legitimate our relationships are. It’s a massive achievement for Charlie Kaufman in my opinion, even if its only his second greatest script, it’s still the best (and only) film he’s ever directed.

8. Snatch (2000)

“She’s kinda partial to periwinkle blue.” Brad Pitt. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve quoted his gypsy jive talking boxer from Snatch. Guy Ritchie may not be my absolute favorite director. But with Snatch he’s woven a tale so off the wall yet intricate that if it were a kid telling it to you, you’d swear it was a lie…that you’d later believe. Jason Statham doesn’t kick any ass in this, he’s just a one liner machine in this, but as I said, it compares little to Brad Pitt’s role as the gypsy boxer who’s dialogue you can barely decipher. This was at the peak of Pitt’s career (though I believe he still has some good movies left in him) when he was churning out great films left and right, along with Fight Club, Seven, and Twelve Monkeys. Here though, Pitt steals the show completely, and with anyone else in this role, Snatch may not have been as enjoyable. But thankfully, a great plot, tweaked with British humor, some truly bad baddies, and a gypsy boxer who speaks gibberish, and you have the best film Guy Ritchie has ever done.

7. Children of Men (2006)

We can talk about how well this was adapted from the novel, but that would only bring down the mood. It’s barely even the same story. Which, I could go on and on about how well movies are adapted these days (look at the Dan Brown adaptions). But what stops this from being a poorly adaptation, is the remarkable film that was the result. Snubbed by the Oscars, Children of Men photographs a future possibly more real than 2012. The population dwindles due to sickness and terrorism, not tidal waves and ancient theories. Clive Owen, in a career establishing role, guides the only fertile woman in all of Europe to a safe haven. Pretty simple, and one may not expect it to be all that engaging…until you watch the film. And you feel the tension brought on by the continuous shots. The action that takes place, and the detail of tracking your actors through gun fire…in ONE SHOT. No cuts, just straight fly by wire filming, with no interruptions or boom mikes, extras in the way, it’s just continuous shots, from the basement to the roof, guns blazing, canon’s firing, and through it all, the rubble and ash everywhere, Clive Owen soldiers on. That’s film.

6. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

He gained critical attention with Being John Malkovich. He got nominated for Adaptation and got Chris Cooper an Oscar. But it wasn’t until Eternal Sunshine that Charlie Kaufman truly solidified his spot as the best screenwriter in Hollywood today. Jim Carey and Kate Winslet play two stressed lovers, who are apparently desperate for each other, but also desperate to forget about each other after they break up. So to get over each other, they sign up to have the other completely removed from their memory. It’s far fetched, but the reality to it, coupled with the surreal dreams and the love between the two make Eternal Sunshine one of the most unique love stories in history. Perfectly acted, and even more incredible shot by Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunshine is everything a love story should have, and it stays true to the emotions and feelings that we all confide in ourselves. I wish I could write as well as Charlie Kaufman. If I could take credit for this film, and clearly state that I wrote it, I would die a happy man. It’s seriously, that amazing.

5. City of God (2002)

Brutal. Gritty. Unforgiving. City of God was a film I caught while I was living by myself one summer, and after watching it, I knew I had just watched a film that would stay with me the rest of my life. It’s not something you can watch constantly, or often, to this day I’ve seen it three times, but it’s the most realistic story on this list. I don’t know the actors, but that doesn’t matter. They are so real. More real than Eternal Sunshine and far more real than Benjamin Button or Slumdog Millionaire. Why? Why is it that on another continent the realities of the poor, of the unfortunate, are so hard to watch? Here, the lives of youth in Rio de Janiero come to head in rebellious nature, crime, drugs, sex, and even happiness twisted in there some how. It’s brutal to see, but yet your eyes are glued to the end, hoping that the characters whose pain you are vicariously experiencing, turn out okay. It’s gripping, and while it’s in Spanish, it’s still one of the most captivating films of my generation and one of the best of the decade by far.

4. The Departed (2006)

Martin Scorsese rebounds after…well I wouldn’t say two duds, I actually enjoyed Gangs of New York as well as The Aviator. But in many people’s eyes, neither was up to par with The Departed, the crime drama from the most talented director of the last 30 years. Scorsese’s desire to depict gangsters and thieves in the modern world has always been compelling, but here he’s got two of the best actors, in their prime, going toe to toe. It’s just a constant battle, whether in the storyline, or just in acting, but Leo and Damon steal the show from one another in every scene, until they are both together on camera and light it up. They share little screen time, but like the greats before them like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, those 15 minutes of on camera chemistry make The Departed heart stopping. Best Picture, and never was there a best director win more deserving as The Departed was the most enjoyable film of the year. Scorsese knows his gangsters, he knows his underworld, and he knows who to cast and The Departed benefits from the best ensemble cast in quite some time, including Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, and Alec Baldwin. I saw this twice in the theater and it still, to this day, gets me every time. Simply put, it’s incredible.

3. The Dark Knight (2008)

You knew this was going to be on here. No other film on this captivated audiences as well as The Dark Knight. And while the leeches of the night who love vampires can flock for one night to watch some douche covered in mayonnaise sodomize a teenager (he’s like 100 years old right? That’s called rape) the true king of the box office will forever be Batman (and Titanic I guess). Christian Bale returns after surprising us all in Batman Begins but unfortunately, Bale gets outshined by  Heath Ledger, as if anyone didn’t see that coming. In his last full performance, and Oscar winning, Ledger played the Joker. And not like Nicholson before him, no, he transformed himself INTO the Joker. Unrecognizable, Ledger lost himself in the role, twisted and sick, he was the Joker, in every incarnation possible. The Dark Knight was the first time I’ve watched a comic book film and truly felt a strangehold on my attention. I could not turn away, and while some will argue there needed to be some tighter editing, I have very few qualms with this film. To put it as clearly as I can, The Dark Knight raised the bar for comic book films, and crime dramas in general. Christopher Nolan is the best director to emerge from the 2000’s and The Dark Knight was a milestone in filmmaking. It had everything anyone could want, and it was a critical and commercial success, which is a rarity in Hollywood. Very few disliked The Dark Knight, and I still believe it was unfairly snubbed the Oscars, especially for Nolan’s directing. It’s a masterpiece.

2. Memento (2000)

Speaking of Nolan…do you know how he got started? First he had a small film called Following which was short, but engaging, filmed in black and white. After seeing that, studios knew they had a promising director, and so Memento was made. The first time I watched Memento was the summer of 2005, and I had never heard of it before then. After I finished it, my mind was like a vortex. Wow. Did that just happen? Did I really just watch a movie that was two movies spliced together, from different times meeting at one point? Because that’s how it feels. Guy Pearce plays Leonard Shelby in the best role of his career as a man who has amnesia. To keep his memory fresh, he writes notes on himself in tattoo form to remember. These are his…ta da…”mementos.” Maybe it’s the technique, or even just the cleverness of the script, but Memento will forever be remembered in my mind as the cornerstone for me really like film. It changed my perspective on film and because of that, it ranks right at the top…

and…

1. No Country for Old Men (2007)

Ah yes. Some will complain. Others will cry. But make no mistake about it, No Country for Old Men is one of the greatest films ever done. A four time Oscar winner for a reason, No Country did what I thought was impossible for films. Joel and Ethan Coen adapted Cormac McCarthy’s novel 95% accurately. I didn’t even think that was possible. That’s not the only reason, the novel is fantastic in my opinion, far better than McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize winning The Road. Nowadays there seems to be a main character in every novel, film, or TV show even. Here, three men are the main characters, and their paths cross in different instances. Yes, this has one of the most unnerving endings in the history of cinema, but to stay true to the source material, the Coens had to do it this way. How many times do we complain and say “the book was better?” A lot. Dan Brown knows what we’re talking about. Adaptations are tough subjects, because a lot of writers will chop out what they consider “fat” and even change the main characters to suit American standards. The Coens didn’t treat you like a bunch of morons, they gave it to you raw, and unrelenting. No Country For Old Man is a powerful display of dominance and brutality, but also of the softness of some individuals, the frailty of ourselves. Javier Bardem won an Oscar for his portrayal of Anton Chigurh, and it’s well deserved as he transforms into the most evil killer in history. Right up there with the Joker, Chigurh is calculating and thoughtless, and he chills your bones when he cuts through the scene. The Coen’s masterpiece divided audiences, but if you’ve read the novel, I shit you not, you will see No Country for Old Men in a whole new light.

Special top ten for all you last minute tax avoiders. In honor of our nation’s most reviled day of the year we have put together the top ten films with numbers in the titles. So fill out your last minute W-2’s and stop at your local video store to enjoy the tax day.

10. 40 Year Old Virgin

The Judd Apatow comedy starts off our list as Steve Carell gets his first starring role in the breakout film. One of the better comedies to come in recent years and a catalyst for a slew of great comedies that soon followed.

9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Steven Spielberg brings us a completely different alien adventure than E.T. with this wonderful film of loss, the unknown, and the depths of our imagination. One of the best sci/fi films ever and Richard Dryfuss before he became insufferably annoying.

8. The Seventh Seal

Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman changed the landscape of film and screenwriting with this 1958 film about a man who finally gets the chance to answer all of the questions that plague mankind while playing a game of chess with Death. Unbelievable film and the ripples from it are still felt today. Plus we got the great parody scene with Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. Excellent!

7. 12 Monkeys

Terry Gilliam is easily one of the most underappreciated filmmakers working today. McG and Brett Ratner get work but not Gilliam can’t even get distribution in America for Heath Ledger’s last film. In film starring Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis its hard to tell what’s up, what’s down, and what’s real in this trippy psychological thriller.

6. 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Noticing the theme of great directors here yet? Well it continues in one of the most visionary minds in cinema history as Stanley Kubrik’s 2001: A Space Odyssey takes the 6 spot. This became a frightening look into a future which changed preception of the past, present, and future in film.

5. 8 1/2

If you don’t know Fellini than you don’t know film. Rob Marshall is set to do a new take on this classic 1963 which serves as a near autobiographical story of a director who is crippled with writer’s block and recalls the moments and more importantly the women who have impacted his career, his vision, and his life. Masterful.

4. Seven

C’mon you know this was going to be on here, not just because its an unbelievable film with one a cast full of oscar talent but because personally this was one of those movies that changed my landscape for film. Starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwynth Paltrow, and Kevin Spacey with direction from David Fincher. Yeah, if you haven’t seen it then you’re stupid.

3. Pi

I refuse to hide the fact that I am an unabashed Darren Arnofsky fan. I have loved every film he has done with a passion and believe him to be one of the best working filmmakers today. This was the film that started it all with a brilliant script and amazing visuals follow a mathmatician who finds a pattern inside of pi that unlocks a universal pattern.

2. The Third Man

Orson Wells gives us an incredibly tense mystery and the premier example of film noir. Graham Greene wrote the screenplay that tells the story of a man coming to visit his freind based on his request only to find out he was killed in a car accident. The man’s world unfolds in a dark and twisted movie with some of the best visuals ever.

1. Seven Samurai

Oh Kurosawa, how I love you. This is epic filmmaker making an epic film. Not just an epic film but one of THE epic films. A band of samurai are hired by a poor town to rid them of group of bandits and do it awesome enough that even Somali pirates would be scared. One of THOSE films that everyone who loves film and filmmaking should watch.

Honorable Mentions: These were on the list at one point but got bumped off for other films. 28 Days Later, Sixth Sense, and Ocean’s Eleven.

Enjoy the list, enjoy the films and let this be your welcome distraction as you avoid the pain that is the number crunching tax days.

10. The Energizer Bunny

      Let’s face it, this little pink bunny has been banging that little drum forever. He’s been around a long time, so we had to give some props to one of the most recognizable bunnies that isn’t the Easter Bunny. He doesn’t do much, but he does go on and on and on and on….

9. The Were Rabbit (Wallace and Grommit: Curse of the Were Rabbit)

    He’s ginormous and he eats various vegetables of any size, but what you probably don’t know if you didn’t see the movie is that he’s actually Wallace suffering from strange side effects with his invention. The Mind Manipulation-O-Matic causes Wallace and his rabbit Hutch to take on certain aspects of themselves, thus causing the Were Rabbit dilemma.

8. All of the Rabbits from Watership Down

   Animated bunnies are so cute right? Well, don’t think these little guys will be giving you the warm and fuzzies. Full of violence and despair, these little guys make you think twice about little woodland creatures. I never really thought I would think of a bunny as being badass, but that’s the beauty of Watership Down.

7. Snowball from South Park

   In the episode mocking The Da Vinci Code entitled “Fantastic Easter Special”, Stan makes a startling and hilariously outrageous discovery about how the Easter Bunny ties into the Christian faith of Jesus rising from the dead. Hidden in a Da Vinci painting is the “real” St. Peter, who was in fact a bunny. A select group of men, including Stan’s dad Randy, worship who they believe to be the descendent of St. Peter: Snowball, a little white bunny without a clue. Call it offensive, call it stupid, but I laughed my ass off.

6. Greg the Bunny

   Partnered up with funny man Seth Green (Family Guy, Robot Chicken), Greg the Bunny was a racy puppet that originally starred in shorts on IFC and then aired on FOX, only to return to IFC again. The show featured Greg, who was the star of a children’s show and lived with a guy named Jimmy Bender (Seth Green). Greg had an attitude and several other puppet friends, whom he frequently mocked and considered beneath him.

5. Roger Rabbit

   Who doesn’t love this wacky white rabbit that goes insane when he drinks alcohol, and buddies up with a cranky investigator? The noir setting of the real world and colorful setting of Toon Town brings, shows Roger’s knack for getting into trouble. We all wish cartoons were real, and for the men out there I’m sure Roger’s wife Jessica is no exception.

4. Harvey

   Who wouldn’t want an invisible, six foot three-and-one-half-inch rabbit as a best friend? Apparently James Stewart is really desperate for some companionship. His buddy Harvey is described as a “pooka” rabbit from Celtic lore, who tends to be a bit mischievous. Though Harvey will eventually make your friends and family think you’re nuts and commit you, it beats hanging out with the annoying Trix Rabbit.

3. The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog

   Monty Python has given us some great quotes to laugh at and memorable scenes that practically made us pee our pants, and this is no exception. In Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail, Tim “the Enchanter” leads King Arthur and his knights to the Cave of Caerbannog to fight the “Legendary Black Beast of Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh”. The Rabbit decapitates one and kills two more men, only to be taken down by the “Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch”.

2. Frank the Bunny

   The infamous creepy rabbit from Donnie Darko that appears to Donnie frequently to tell him that the world is going to end. Frank tries to guide Donnie through his hallucinations with cryptic numbers and haunting words. When asking Frank, “Why do you wear that stupid bunny suit?”, Frank simply replies, “Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?”.

1. Bugs Bunny

   The MOST famous cartoon bunny of all time and number 1 in our hearts. Let’s face it, he dresses in drag and antagonizes every other Looney Tune character on screen and still remains the coolest Bunny ever. None of us can deny how much we love Bugs’ smartass antics, and I think we can all agree he’s the shit (Except for Daffy Duck). Having been created in 1940, this guy stands the test of time and never gets old. Who could forget the classic “What’s up, Doc?” or “I knew I shoulda taken that left turn at Albuquerque!”?

Well Mr.Skin is at it again counting down the top nude scenes of 2008. Sure something something Oscar’s but those awards are for people who kept their clothes on. Here’s to the true heroes of modern cinema!

20-11:

20. Amy Adams – Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
19. Maria Bello – Downloading Nancy
18. Vera Farmiga – Never Forever
17. Moran Atias – Mother of Tears
16. Jess Weixler – Teeth
15. Jenna Jameson – Zombie Strippers
14. Carly Pope – YPF
13. Willa Ford – Impulse
12. Jessica Morris – Role Models
11. Penélope Cruz – Elegy

AND NOW…THE TOP 10!

10. Angelina Jolie – Wanted

9. Laura Ramsey – The Ruins

8. Mena Suvari – Stuck

7. Amy Smart – Mirrors

6. Anna Faris – The House Bunny

5. Neve Campbell – I Really Hate My Job

4. Asia Argento – The Last Mistress

3. Heather Graham – Adrift in Manhattan

2. Sophie Monk – Sex and Death 101

1. Mischa Barton – Closing the Ring

And there’s your top ten nude scenes in movies for 2008 right there. You wanna see the scenes? I’m not some damned pimp you perverts! JEEEZ! Thanks Mr. Skin!

Alright we are here to give you who’s going to win the Oscar. We will also tell you who SHOULD win the Oscar, along with what the Academy did right, or wrong. Ready? Here we go.

BEST ACTOR: Richard Jenkins, Frank Langella, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, Mickey Rourke

WHO WILL WIN: Mickey Rourke is coming into the Oscars with the biggest momentum on his back. While he split most of the acting awards down the middle with Sean Penn, this seems to be Mickey’s year. A character piece so closely related to his own story? We all know that Oscar is a sucker for a comeback and this will be Rourke’s shining moment.

WHO SHOULD WIN: It’s hard to ignore Penn’s brilliant turn as Harvey Milk, topping even his earlier Oscar winning work in Mystic River. Lately it seems like Penn has been taking every prestige movie he can to try to capture another award but the performances felt forced, flat, and not worthy. I’m not sure if it was the script, direction, or maybe just a little of Harvey’s magic but Penn slipped into this role perfectly and was the lynch pin of a stunning film.

WHAT DID THEY MISS: Well honestly…nothing this time. I was worried that Oscar darling Clint Eastwood would slide into the fifth spot and we have heard grumblings of Leo not getting the nod for Revolutionary Road but Richard Jenkins in The Visitor was the one that got in and I couldn’t have been happier with that. Jenkins is rewarded for perhaps one of the best years for an actor as well, starting off with The Visitor, then Step Brothers, and then finally Burn After Reading. It’s great to see a character actor get his recognition.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Josh Brolin, Robert Downey Jr., Philip Seymour Hoffman, Heath Ledger, Michael Shannon.

WHO WILL WIN: Heath Ledger. This seems to be the no brainer this year, especially with other major Dark Knight snubs the by academy. Ledger will be just the second post humus Oscar handed out, Peter Finch for Network being the first, and I would like to think that his haunting and brilliant performance would have been this recognized even if he were not passed on.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Heath Ledger, like I said, no brainer. Heath was a mad dog in the film, echoes of last year’s Anton Chigurh still ringing in our ears. He made us forget about Jack Nicholson which was perhaps the first time in movie history that has happened and propelled Dark Knight to a billion dollars. Now give him the damn award.

WHAT DID THEY MISS: Dev Patel. A lot can be made of Michael Shannon’s performance in Revolutionary Road and I’m honestly not upset that he was nominated. Nixing Dev Patel and keeping Slumdog Millionaire shut out of all of the acting categories is ignoring what made the film so moving. Patel is a star on the rise and should be recognized for bringing such warmth and grace to a role that most 18 year old acting novices would not have been able to carry.

BEST ACTRESS: Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, Melissa Leo, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet.

WHO WILL WIN: Kate Winslet. The Reader was good for two very specific reasons. Kate Winslet and Kate Winslet. It was a heavy film that seemed to skim when you wanted it to plow, but Winslet was by far and away the best thing about this movie and it was the best performance by any actress this year, including topping her own performance in Revolutionary Road where most people thought she would be nominated in this category for. It’s time for Winslet to finally win her Oscar and it’s for the right movie.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Kate Winslet. Again the biggest surprise was that her performance in the Reader was nominated and not Revolutionary Road. If I were to make a case for any other actress it would strongly be for Melissa Leo, the who’s that of this year’s crop. Playing a small town mother forced to make drug runs from New York to Canada she makes every scene of this film real and powerful. This is a 44 year old actress who is going to set Hollywood on fire much like Amy Ryan did after being nominated for Gone, Baby, Gone.

WHAT DID THEY MISS: Sally Hawkins!!! Did anyone really want to see Angelina Jolie nominated for The Changeling? This was a film that was fairly universally shrugged off and to shy away from what was a brilliant turn in Happy-Go-Lucky which won her the Golden Globe is completely beyond me. I was set to make a point for Melissa Leo being ignored but am furious that Sally Hawkins was left off this list. I can think of no plausible explanation other than the tabloid kitsch of having both Jolie and Pitt nominated. Bleh.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Amy Adams, Penelope Cruz, Viola Davis, Taraji P. Henson, Marisa Tomei

WHO WILL WIN: Penelope Cruz. This was supposed to be Winslet in The Reader but with her moving up Penelope is going to sneak in and walk away with this after giving the only thing really watchable in Woody Allen’s Vicky Christina Barcelona. At times comically manic and other points beautifully sensuous Cruz gives a wonderful turn in an otherwise unremarkable movie.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Viola Davis. With Doubt we are constantly hearing about Meryl Streep’s overwrought nun performance but the grief stricken mother of a boy possibly molested is just too much to look past. Davis is amazingly understated here, somber looks and sullen eyes creating a canvas of sadness which you just drown in. I can’t wait to see more of this very very talented actress.

WHAT DID THEY MISS: Lina Leandersson. I was set to say that Tomei was the missing link here but that was before the Academy switched around Kate Winslet. So instead you have to ask me, who is Lina Leandersson? I’ve rambled on about this before, Let The Right One In. Yes we are back to that. Lina give a performance of incredible depth, beauty, and danger and she 12 damn years old. This is one of the standout performances of the year and AGAIN I implore you to watch.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: The Baader Meinhof Complex, The Class, The Departures, Revanche, Waltz with Bashir

WHO SHOULD WIN: Waltz With Bashir. Hauntingly beautiful this animated documentary that follows the journey of an Isreali infantry as they recount what went wrong with their assignment is a moving testimony to film, imagination, and timeless storytelling. This is a film that is everything right about cinema.

WHO WILL WIN: Waltz With Bashir. It’s the most deserving Foreign Language film of the year, BUT don’t count out the French submission The Class which stole the show at Cannes this year winning the Palm D’Oer. A wonderful movie with great heart and reassures us of so much. The Academy loves films like this especially from other countries. This could be a steal.

WHAT DID THEY MISS: TONS! There is nothing more flawed than the Oscar’s foreign film selection process, only allowing one entry per country and even then forcing nations to pick their most viable film instead of their best. Gommorah from Turkey was one of my favorites this year as was Sweden’s Let the Right One In, England’s The Hunger, France’s I’ve Loved You So Long and Belgium’s Tell No One. FIX THIS ACADEMY! You are ignoring too many great films that most Americans won’t know about until you give them the recognition they deserve.

BEST DIRECTOR: David Fincher, Ron Howard, Gus Van Sant, Stephen Daldry, Danny Boyle.

WHO WILL WIN: Danny Boyle. Slumdog Millionaire is a phenomenon right now. The little film that could which was supposed to be a direct to DVD release and now is the favorite to win an Oscar. Danny Boyle is the movement behind this film, especially with no acting nominations. The Academy is going to reward Slumdog and Boyle will be the man with the trophy. I can’t complain about it too much, Boyle is a brilliant director and did so much with this film. I will be glad to see him holding the Oscar this year.

WHO SHOULD WIN: David Fincher. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an undertaking nothing like Fincher has attempted before. The framing, shots, editing, music, everything about this film made it feel small and compact yet epic at the same time. You were a voyeur into this world that he had created and never once in his fairy tale did there feel like a false note. Boyle will win because he was Slumdog Millionaire, but Fincher should win because Benjamin Button was purely…Benjamin Button.

WHAT DID THEY MISS: Christopher Nolan. The Dark Knight was left out of two major catagories, this I believe it the biggest miss however. Stephen Daldry is a perfectly fine director. He doesn’t take many missteps, works with great actors and lets them work his movie. Christopher Nolan is a great director, he takes chances, risks, and the no exceptions have not had one pay off. Nolan worked magic with The Dark Knight and this is the first time that his risk warranted no reward. Shame, Academy, shame.

BEST PICTURE: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, MILK, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire.

WHO WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire. It’s the feel good movie of the year, beautifully rendered, expertly crafted, and brilliantly acted. It’s a fairy tale that is mired in the dirt, never shying away from the harsh reality while giving us the happy feelings that love can prevail. That’s the film, the story behind the film is just as moving as it struggled to get a distributer and slowly but surely won over audiences and finally is the forerunner and eventual winner of the Best Picture trophy. Can’t feel bad about this one, Slumdog Millionaire is a very deserving film.

WHO SHOULD WIN: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. There’s nothing about this film that I didn’t enjoy. It’s a sweeping epic film that is masterfully told by two of the best working actors today, one of the best writers for the past several years, and one of the best visual directors in Hollywood. Pitt, Blanchett, Roth, Fincher these people came together to give a film that surprised us and moved us despite us know exactly what was going to happen the entire time. That is the mark of true cinema and that is what made Benjamin Button such an extraordinary film.

WHAT DID THEY MISS: The Dark Knight. Did we expect it to win? No, not really. Did it deserve a nomination at least? Let’s see, widely and almost universally critically praised? Check. Box office smash giving us the largest gross since Titanic? Check. Pushed boundaries, defied conventions, and provided depth and characterization? Check, Check, Check. So why? Why are films like Wall-E and Dark Knight on the outside looking in? Is it because they don’t have period costumes, Nazi’s, and heavy debeautifying makeup jobs? Check.

Wake up Academy, Hollywood is changing. It’s filled with maniacal clowns, clever animated robots, gay cowboys, people who don’t speak English, and gasp…films with small budgets and great stories. You wonder why the Oscars Telecast is garnering lower and lower ratings every year yet you consistently pick your films not based on what people want to see, not to what is important but what is safe. Reward films that don’t aim for the golden statue but rather to entertain, move, or strive for something more, then you can have our trust and our attention back.

As many of you have learned in the short time I post here, that I am a fan of television. Especially this last decade television has become at times even better than movies. With serial, smart and engagins tv shows, it has been the dawn of a new tv era. But with so many of the shows that where born in the 2000’s already ending I guess its time I gave my top ten list.

10)Friends

Yes this one isn’t one of the 2000’s shows, but it was the one show I watched religiously back in the 90s. While critiqued at times, the live of the 6 Friends, was funny, and during the last few seasons started the whole serialized nature that we see today. With stories spanning seasons (ross and rachel), character development (Chandler from the loveable loser to married man), to great chemistry from the cast.

9)Nip/Tuck

The story of plastic surgeon’s from Miami, may seem like a superficial pitch. Yet it showed thats exactly what it isnt. It shows the price of beauty, and just how it sometimes just isn’t skin deep. It has had its up and downs, but the acting and character development has been top notch throughout the years.

Prison Break

Yes the last 2 seasons have been shit, but the first two seasons where great tv. The story of one brother intentionally getting into Prison to break his brother out, and the consecuences they had to endure because of it was good. The season season was just great drama with the FBI on their tail, and Robert Keneper as T-Bag was just pure evil and stole almost every scene he was in.

7)The Sopranos

What the Sopranos this high up? The HBO darling, that made premium cable the juggernaught it is? Yeah sorry, while it was an awesome show I was never a big fan of Mafia movies or dramas. Sure the Godfather was a great film, and I did like the interaction of the Soprano family and some behind the scenes look of the Mafia, it just didn’t do it as much for me. And let’s not even talk about that series finale.

6)Entourage

The male answer to Sex and the City. Who wouldn’t want to be best friends or creepy older brother of Hollywood’s hottest thing? The show is funny, and pretty damn good acting at the same time. From Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold, or Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama they both steal every scene they are in. A frank look at how Hollywood works at times and with some pretty awesome cameos (Gary Busey FTW) and many quoteable scenes, its one of the best comedies on TV right now.

5) House M.D.

I hate medical dramas. They honestly do nothing for me. So when I heard about House, I had no interest in watching it. Then I caught on episode, and Hugh Laurie’s title character drew me in. Here is this character who is so unlikeable, so arrogant, and egotistical your supposed to hate him, but instead you find yourself rooting for him. While the show may be formulaic, its very good. Hugh Laurie makes this show what it is, but without his supporting cast House would be nothing. From his friendship with Wilson, his flirting/non-flirting with Cuddy, and the two diagnostic teams, this ensemble show is a great look at medical mysteries and a nice 21st Century look at Sherlock Holmes.

4)The Shield

The ugly side of law enforcement. While we’ve had shows like NYPD Blue, Law and Order and others glorifying the goodness of Police, we had The Shield show you the corrupt, violent and dirty look at cops. The character done by Michael Chiklis, Vic Mackey the ultimate anti hero, and master manipulator made you watch this addicting and thrilling show. You didnt know when or if they’d ever get caught, you didn’t know when someone would be killed or how. From the very first episode when Vic kills Terry Crowley you know this is gonna be a special show. Its rare for a TV show to keep its consistency throughout its entire run, The Shield did it and built up from it. Its last 2 Seasons from the day Shane drops the grenade in Lem’s lap, to the last scene of Vic chained to a desk completely alone was just perfect television and the end of one of greatest tv shows of all time.

3)The Wire

The greatest TV show, that no one ever gave a shit about. How this show was ignored so much during awards season, by critics and the general public is beyond me. Probably the smartest show to be on tv, a raw look at the city of Baltimore from its drug trade, the ports, the politics, the schools and the media was just so well written. No one character was the central figure as much as the city itself. This show made you not want to visit this city, and gave you sympathy to what is going on here. The 4th season of the TV show is bar none the best season of tv of any show ever. Just like its sister show Homicide:Life on the Streets, this was a great look at police drama and the inner workings of beaurocracy laden deparment. I highly recommend this show to anyone.

2) 24

It was a literal toss up between this show and number 1. But this show sadly doesn’t have as many a great seasons as the first one. Its not the smartest show, its not the best acted, but it was the show that got me back into tv. Its innovation also cements it as number 2. Kiefer Sutherland revived his career with this show, and the life of Jack Bauer, played out via 7 days (at last count) of hell has been great. While the show has gone through some bad times, relying on some crutches that bring it down, their is no show that is more action packed and addiciting as 24, as each hour ends you wonder just what the hell is going to happen next. Many other shows regard 24 as the return of serialized dramas that made it possible for many of the shows on this list to even be on the air, so for its innovation, action, and story this show is my number 2.

1) Lost

As soon as I saw the first trailer from this show I knew it was a mix of survivor with the twilight zone. Even the opening theme is just as eerie as the twilight zone one. The story of 48 plane crash survivors on a remote uncharted island, and the subsequent days until their rescue has been the breath of fresh air the serious, real drama laden tv networks needed. Before this only the X-files was heralded as a great show among the non-real ones. The rest where stuck in Sci Fi hell. The narrative nature of this show, between flashbacks and on island story is creative. The characters themselves change throughout the seasons, Sawyer at first hated became one of the biggest heroe’s of the show, Locke’s turn from hunter to the leader of the others and so many more. While it had the nack of not answering questions and just adding more and more mystery, in the final 2 seasons questions have been answered, with the final 2 seasons underway, this great sci fish, mystery drama will go down as one of the greatest shows on tv.

Honorable Mentions: Dexter, Heroes, CSI.

Wave Goodbye to 2008, Wall-E

I wanted to wait to see just about every film I could get my hands on before I finally made this list. Unfortunately I have struggled to find Synecdoche, New York, Doubt, Rachel Getting Married, and Doubt so I will work without and maybe one of these will force me to reconsider. A lot of thought went into this list and I do hope that everyone takes some time out and watches a least a couple of them.

10.) Waltz With Bashir

An incredible animated documentary our of Israel which explored a young soldier trying to remember what happened during an attack on his troupe. One of the best foreign films this year.

9.) Tropic Thunder

I was torn between this movie and Happy Go Lucky. In the end I went with Tropic Thunder because as a whole works as just a great parody, a great action film, and a great comedy. Robert Downey Jr is insanely funny in this film and with perfectly placed cameos (trailers) keeps you laughing the entire time.

8.) The Wrestler

Darren Arnofsky is one of my favorite working directors. Mickey Rourke completely encompasses everything about Randy The Ram and Marissa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood put together a great small cast. While this film is essentially all Rourke all the time, the crazy cinematography and moving script make this film one of the best this year.

7.) Frost/Nixon

I love how Ron Howard shot this film and how the script from The Queen’s Peter Morgan billed this as a classic heavyweight fight between two heavyweights and Michael Sheen and Frank Langella delievered the goods like Fraiser and Ali. Another great supporting cast and I was riveted by this story and by David Frost’s character arc.

6.) Milk

I think my anger at this ineptitude of the film’s producers kinda tainted this film for me a bit. Not having it release in time for it to affect the Prop 8 vote in California is just mind boggling to me. That said, Sean Penn is once again born to play this role and with a great script from Dustin Lance Black and the visuals of Gus Van Sant its hard for this film to miss. Can’t overlook the best supporting cast of the year with James Franco, Emile Hirsche, Deigo Luna, Allison Pill, and a nomination worthy performance of Josh Brolin.

5.) WALL-E

Cmon. Part of me wants to put this at number 1 because I loved this film so much. Beautifully rendered and scripted this outshines all of the other Pixar films to date which says volumes. It’s impossible not to be moved by this love story and not to be empowered to change the world that we live in.

4.) Dark Knight

As much as I want to put Wall-E at number 1, this one is probably my geektastic FAVORITE film for the year. Never before have we seen a comic book adaptation taken as serious as it should be. The Joker was that of the comic books and not one of camp from the 1960’s. Christopher Nolan’s visual style was uncanny and the IMAX version of this film is one of the most exciting pieces of cinema i have ever seen.

3.) Let the Right One In

Genre film of the year, best horror film of the past probably 20 years. This film is beautiful, unnerving, horrifying, and moving all in the same time. I shudder to think of the american remake of this film because it will not stand the simple stubley that this small Swedish film achieved.

2.) Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle is the most eclectic filmmaker working today and this film could very well be his masterpiece. A modern day fairy tale set in Mumbai of all places and brilliant worked with an adapted screen play from Simon Beaufoy. This is the movie most likely to win best picture and its well deserved. Inspiring, moving, and wonderful, Slumdog Millionaire is just one of those films that is impossible to be unmoved by.

1.) Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The debate between putting Button or Slumdog was tough but the epic nature of Button won out over me. David Fincher has put together a fantastic movie that never feels contrived or forced or unnatural which says a lot because of the plot of the movie. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett perform beautifully but this whole film for me was David Fincher’s work. The CGI was flawless, the writing was beautiful, the acting was top notch, and in the end the film shot to the top as the best film of 2008.

Hope you enjoy the list, great year for cinema in 2008. Now make sure you get your Oscar votes in to rachel@ingobwetrust.com by January 21st at Midnight EST to be eligable for the prizes.

OKay so this’ll go without saying, but unfortunately I have not seen every film of 2008. There are still a few that I would like to see (Milk, Revolutionary Road, Frost/Nixon, Doubt and The Wrestler). Fortunately though, I don’t think they could make the list anyway b/c rarely do I find biopics to be all that incredible (they are good though). So without further delay, here are Tim’s favorite films of 2008.

10.Role Models - I had very low expectations going into this one. But one day I was watching Comedy Central a they had a snippet from the movie, that featured an interaction between Paul Rudd and some children. I nearly fell over laughing so hard. His dry delivery and pun infested dialogue makes him the king of these types of comedies. The premise is typical but its the rapport between everyone involved that makes it so memorable. This is one of those rare comedies that makes up for a loose plot by actually providing laugh out loud moments and one-liners. It may have only been a moderate success at the box office, but this was by far one of the funniest movies of the year.

9. Quantum of Solace – While not nearly as good as Casino Royale but there’s no way it honestly could have been. A lot of detractors for this James Bond film state how revenge fueled it is, and to me, that is probably what makes it so good. The action sequences are stunning, and story wise we start to see the James Bond we’ve known for decades start to take shape. It was a throwaway villain, that is agreed. But a foxy Bond chick that Bond doesn’t nail, was a nice touch. Plus the brevity of the film makes it an easy watch. The previous film needed to be long and story driven b/c that’s how you set things up. This was a follow up that needed to be more abbrasive and harsh, and be skimpy on the details. It isn’t ranked higher simply b/c there were better films this year to be honest.

8. In Bruges – I’ve never been a huge fan of Colin Farrell. But this one surprised me greatly. Part black comedy, part caper, this gangster comedy left me in stitches but also had some very graphic violence depictions that were shocking b/c of their placement in the film. It’s a very well constructed drama, with twists of comedy that will only appeal to those of us with sick humor probably. Vulgar, violent, and twisted, this film draws its humor from culture differences and its mixed with a story about escape from responsibility. How you can mix those two ideas effectively is the tricky part but writer/director Martin McDonagh does it fairly well and is a great start to his career.

7. Wall*E - I don’t really care for animated films either. There’s probably a handful of animated films that I could watch more than once, and they are very few and far between. Last year, Pixar impressed me with Ratatouillie and so I’ve come to appreciate their films more b/c they are written well and often don’t use overloads of slapstick humor geared towards children. Well Pixar does it again with Wall*E. It’s a kid’s movie granted, an animated one too, but unlike other animiated trash, this film succeeds in simplifying a theme that gets overworked often by studios. Love. And I don’t use this word often but “cute” would be the first word to describe the film, followed immediately by “smart.” An excellent script and possibly the first animated film worthy of an Oscar nomination. Wonderfully animated and written perfectly, this is a film that deserves a lot of recognition, and it’s been on a majority of top ten lists, and yes, even on mine.

6. Iron Man – It was a toss up really between this and Tropic Thunder. Both films are made by the golden performance of Robert Downey Jr. I chose Iron Man because it honestly is one of the best comic book adaptations to ever be produced by Marvel Comics. So far the long line of Marvel films have been total shit. This one is surprisingly spectactular b/c of the cast. Robert Downey Jr. steals the show in this, and Jon Favereau launches his name into the top echelon of directors with this well adapted and well constructed film. The special effects are top notch and Downey Jr. brings to life Tony Stark like no other actor could. Sadly Terrance Howard will not be back for the sequel to play Jim Rhodes, b/c in my opinion he was the perfect casting choice. All in all this was a memorable film for the year, and one of the best comic book adaptations in a long time.

5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – I will be the first to admit it, I am a fan of Brad Pitt. There are so many films that Pitt has done that I cherish for their significance to story and character development. Pitt amazed audiences in Seven, Fight Club, and 12 Monkeys but no one has ever seen him take on a role quite like this one. With the help of the severly underrated David Fincher, and a fantastic supporting cast including the lovely Cate Blanchett and Taraji P. Henson delivering a fine performance as Benjamin Button’s adoptive mother – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of the finest films of the year, and definitely a strong contender for the big Oscar next month. It’ll tug at the heart strings for a lot of people but thats a good thing. A tad long, I think there could have been some tighter editing but aside from that, a truly wonderful film. One of Fincher’s best.

4. Burn After Reading – It may come as no surprise that almost all of my favorite film makers produced top films this year for me. But what can I say? The Coens return after No Country For Old Men, without a doubt the best film of 2007 imo, with something a little less threatening but just as sadistic. A quirky tale about paranoia, online dating, espionage, and cheating, the Coen’s dark comedy doesn’t present anything new. But its not supposed to. Last year with NCFOM they were out to make you feel something. This is just a fun spoof almost of what American’s consider to be important to their lives – love, adventure, greed, etc. and it flips it on its stomach. You realize that the film isn’t really about much, but its wonderfully cast, and provides plenty of comedy for even the casual viewer. Now of course it won’t rub everyone the right way, but it has some mighty fine moments that put it in the realm with other Coen’s films. Brad Pitt and George Clooney take the cake for the portrayals in this film, and a jaw dropping scene every 20 minutes.

3. Slumdog Millionaire – Oh. My. God. Danny Boyle returns to greatness, not that he ever lost it, but he returns after being hidden for awhile. True, Sunshine was fantastic in my opinion, but very overlooked. Boyle returns to the spotlight by providing a sincere and brutal depiction of the life of a millionaire. But not the one you’d think. It’s an escapist journey through the past that sucks you in with the camera work that made Boyle famous with 28 Days Later. What I enjoy most about Boyle’s work is that no two films are alike. They are all incredible adventures, and different genres, showing that a director does not have to just stick to one area (I’m talking to you Michael Bay). This film is, as with all of Boyle’s work, a compliment to the film industry. It’s one of those films that brings you to tears, not out of pity, but out of joy. It’s an accomplishment of emotion for Jamal and the audience that marks this as one of the more uplifting films of the year. In a world of truly dark compositions, this one sticks out as a ray of sunshine. Amazing film, worthy of all praise, and even an Oscar for Best Picture I think.

2. The Dark Knight – You knew it would be on here. What else can be said about this near masterpiece of comic glory? Nothing really. The best superhero film ever. The greatest portrayal of a super villian ever. Heath Ledger’s greatest moment. Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite directors. Not a single film of his is boring or stupid to me, or even a disappointment. He’s a methodical director and he brings to life the world of Batman like no one could. Tim Burton was good, but Nolan is ultimately better. And he does it so smooth and without restraint. He doesn’t include deleted scenes on DVDs b/c he was quoted once as saying that every shot you do should be necessary. And with The Dark Knight its obvious. This would be at the top of my 2008 list if not for one film…

1. Synecdoche, New York - I’m going to spare you all of the praise. I’m just going to say this – Synecdoche, New York is the most important film of the year. No exceptions, nothing. This is the film you must watch, because it touches on the elements of your every day life and plasters them to the screen, not as a memento but as an observation. This is Charlie Kaufman’s greatest achievement to me, and while his past films are excellent, this will go be remembered for just how important the baby steps you take in life are. It’s a masterpiece to me, and the best film of the year, blowing The Dark Knight out of the top spot with ease. Go see this film.