Brendan's Favorites of 2008

My favorites of 2008 in no particular order...

In Bruges
First feature film by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. I don't think I've enjoyed watching a movie in a theater this much since Shaun of the Dead. Colin Farrell doesn't get enough credit as an actor.


Cassandra's Dream
This is the first Woody Allen movie I've really liked in years. what's interesting about this little thriller is that it's mostly made up of the moments your standard crime drama would leave out. You know, the "boring" bits in between the action and what not. Allen even goes so far as to pull the camera away from the big moment, what would normally be the scene in which an average thriller hinges upon, as if it were completely irrelevant to the story. And you know what? it is. This is a film about brothers. not the other stuff. and you've got two of my favorite actors - Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell. why aren't they in more movies together?

Slumdog Millionaire
I knew Danny Boyle still had it in him. I'd been a little disappointed in my favorite director as of late (Sunshine). He's taken the best parts of his previous work - that gritty "beautiful filth" aesthetic of Trainspotting, mixed it with the fairytale absurdity of A Life Less Ordinary, and thrown in a dash of Millions. I'm pulling for him with the Oscar noms. He deserves it.

Quantum of Solace
I'm still not convinced it's its own film and not just an epilogue to Casino Royale, but there's something you've got to admire about its unrelenting focus. Despite Roman Polanski being the villain and some dodgy CGI, it still made my list. It gets better on repeat viewings.


Iron Man
Robert. Downey. Jr. He's certainly on a roll (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Zodiac, his performance in Tropic Thunder... keep 'em coming...)

Wall-E
I cried a little bit.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe
As a fan of The X-Files, I enjoyed the hell out of this film. Partly because it's the exact opposite of what you're expecting it to be, and probably what it should have been, by which I mean if you're looking to give your long dead TV series another kick start for the big screen and make a series films, this isn't how you do it. Cold bleak landscapes, slow burning plot, and subtle character studies are not the way to go. Opening against The Dark Knight is also not a good idea. What this film is is a solid episode of the show. If you like the show, what exactly do you have to complain about? We're checking in on these characters five or so years later. Like an old friend you haven't talked to in a while, we're just giving them a ring to see what they're up to. "Hey guys - any aliens, comas, abductions, or resurrections? no? good. glad you're doing well. keep in touch!"

The Bank Job
solid, old-school British heist flick. enough said.

The Dark Knight
Yes, Heath Ledger is as amazing as you've heard he is. No one says enough about Gary Oldman though.

Son of Rambow
Adorable tale of youngsters and DIY film making. Directed by Garth Jennings of Hammer & Tongs fame. succeeds where Be Kind, Rewind failed.

-bp

NEW RELEASES - DECEMBER 30 2008

Ghost Town
The Duchess
Resident Evil: Degeneration
Longford
An American Carol
Del Baran
Surfer, Dude
Beethoven's Big Break
Battle For Haditha
Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 20th Ann. Ed.
My Heart is Mine Alone
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands
The Elizabeth Smart Story

TELEVISION:
Nip/Tuck Season 5, Part 1
Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget

REPLACEMENT DVDS:
The Pallbearer
Oliver & Company
Escape to Witch Mountain/Return From Witch Mountain
Melody Time

BEST OF 2008

There are many flicks I have not scene yet, but from what I’ve seen 2008 was not a great year, for flicks. There were lots of good- but flawed films. Only a couple of nearly perfect films.

 The best film of the year was MAN ON WIRE (1) This documentary about Frenchman Philippe Petit's 1974 tightrope walk between the two World Trade Center's twin towers plays more like an incredible thriller. Like a Frederick Forsyth novel it’s all about the intricate planning of his illegal dream stunt. It’s a stunning piece of storytelling.

 I’ll honor the January release plan and consider CHE as two different films and they definitely play like two separate films. Also with the more morose and difficult to get behind PART TWO not weighing it down PART ONE aka THE ARGENTINE (2) is the best non-doc of the year. Steven Soderbergh’s epic, visually stunning, fly-on-the-wall account of the the guerrilla overthrow of Cuba is a mesmerizing experience. It definitely helps to go in with a knowledge of the events because the movie throws you in right there. I think Benicio Del Toro out does even Mickey Rourke for the best lead actor performance of the year, but I suspect he will be overlooked when Oscar nominations are announced. Soderbergh again doing his own cinematography under the name Peter Andrews is becoming on of the most impressive DPs working today.

 On the subject of near perfect, the first half of  WALL-E (3) is a masterpiece. The second half, once people come into it looses some of that greatness and plays like a very good Pixar flick. But that first half is the best film of the year. If only they too had cut it in half and and released it as two separate films.

 The last quarter of THE DARK KNIGHT (4) kinda lost me (that bomb on the boat and Harvey Dent becoming Two-Face), but still amazing film making and an iconic performance by Heath Ledger that is sure to last the test of time.

 Admittingly I have not seen many of this years acclaimed foreign films yet (The Class, A Christmas Tale, Let The Right One In, I've Loved You So Long, or Gomorrah, etc). But I did catch the Hitchcockian French thriller TELL NO ONE (5) and was rightly on the edge of my seat. One of the most suspenseful flicks in years.

ROUNDING OUT A TOP TEN I would add: 

SURFWISE (6)

CHICAGO 10 (7)

DOUBT (8)

THE READER (9)

GONZO: THE LIFE AND WORK OF HUNTER S THOMPSON (10)

15 MORE 2008 FLICKS I ENJOYED:

Baghead,  The Bank Job,  Boogie Man: Lee Atwater,  Che Part 2,  Control,  Constantine’s Sword,  The Curios Case Of Benjamin Button,  Dear Zachary,  Frost / Nixon,  Ironman,  Milk,   Roman Polanski: Wanted & Desired,  Slumdog Millionaire,  The Visitor,  The Wrestler

SOME KINDA, GUILTY PLEASURES

Babysitters

Cloverfield

Death Race 

Redbelt 

Rogue

Transiberian

VERY GOOD LEFTOVERS FROM 2007

The Counterfeiters

Mr Untouchable

The Mist

Nanking

Starting Out in the Evening 

BEST REVIVAL HOUSE FLICK 

Sicilian Clan (1969) at The Egyptian Theater

FAVORITE OLDER FILMS I SAW FOR THE FIRST TIME 

Black Narcissus  (1947)

Clair’s Knee (1970)

Classe Tous Risques (1960)

Mississippi Mermaid  (1969)

Peter Pan  (2003) 

Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie  (1969)

VIY  (1967)

OVERRATED 

I’ve seen these on some Top-Ten Lists.  

Some are not bad, none would come close to mine (though Stuck did kinda suck and Priceless was incredibly annoying).

Boarding Gate

Burn, After Reading

Priceless

Reprise

Revolutionary Road

The Signal

Stuck 

Synecdoche, New York

Tropic Thunder

Trumbo

Young @ Heart

WORST FILMS I'VE SEEN 

By Directors who have made at least one or two films of quality in the past

Be Kind, Rewind

Diary Of The Dead

Doomsday

88 Minutes

Indiana Jones & The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull

Cassandra’s Dream

Rambo (I liked Rocky 3)

Shine A Light

AND THE WORST FILM OF THE YEAR 

Even worse then his previous effort, Lady In The Water....

The Happening

-sweeneyrules

NEW RELEASES - DEC 23 2008

The House Bunny 
The Women
Burn After Reading
Death Race
Hamlet 2
Hellride
Roma
Stanley Kubrick's The Seafarers
Slacker Uprising (Michael Moore)

TELEVISION:
Lost - Season 4

REPLACEMENT DVDS:
Prime Suspect 6
Lost in America
Prince of the City
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Fox and the Hound 2
Snow White and the Three Stooges
Robin Hood (Disney)
3:10 to Yuma (Original)
Mahogany
Make Mine Music
Pocahontas II: Journey to the New World
In Search of the Castaways
The Illustrated Man
The Hills Have Eyes 2 (New)
10/Tarzan the Ape Man (Double Feature)
Fun and Fancy Free
Last Tango in Paris

NEW RELEASES - DECEMBER 16 2008

American Teen

Biography: Buster Keaton

Biography: Federico Fellini

Biography: Maria Callas

Crashing

Dr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh

Elite Squad

Hollywood Canteen 

Mamma Mia!

Mister Lonely

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor 

Poor Little Rich Girl

Statistics

Thank Your Lucky Stars

This Is The Army

Traitor

The Wedding Director

TELEVISION:

A & E: Cannibals

Aqua Teen Hunger Force 6

BLU-RAY:

The Dark Knight

Wall-E

NEW RELEASES/ REPLACEMENT DVDS:

Alias Jesse James

Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number

Breathless (Criterian)

Diabolique (Criterian)

The Doors

Expresso Bongo 

The Facts of Life

Harvey

Haven (2001)

Haven (2006)

The Hills Have Eyes Part 2 (Original)

Hitler: The Rise of Evil

I'll Take Sweden

Johnny Belinda 

The Little Mermaid II

Mae West Glamour Collection

The Others

Peaceful Warrior 

Peter Pan

Princess and the Pirate

Road to Hong Kong 

Saludos Amigos/Three Caballeros 

A Shari Lewis Christmas

Sol Goode 

They Got Me Covered 

This So-Called Disaster 

Venom

The Wedding Date

White Heat

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NEW RELEASES - DECEMBER 9 2008

American Nudes, Vol I, II, II 

The Dark Knight

Europa (Criterion)

Funny Face - 50th Anniversary Edition 

Gitane Demone: Life After Death 

Here Is Always Somewhere Else 

Horton Hears a Who

Irma Vep 

Kidulthood

LA Confidential (2 Disc Special Edition) 

Man on Wire

Open Window 

Population: 1 

Red

La Scala 

Slogan (2 Disc Secial Edition) 

Sukiyaki Western Django

Total Western

Frank Capra Set:

 You Can't Take It With You

 Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

 It Happened One Night

 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

David Lynch Lime Green Set:

 Blue Velvet

 Wild At Heart

 Industrial Symphonies No. 1

 Dumbland

 The Short Films of David Lynch

 Elephant Man

 Eraserhead

 David Lynch Mystery Disc

TELEVISION:

Night Gallery - Season 2

24: Redemption

BLU-RAY:

James Bond, Volume 1 (Die Another Day, Live and Let Die, Dr. No)

James Bond, Volume 2 (For Your Eyes Only, From Russia With Love, Thunderball)

There Will Be Blood

NEW ARRIVALS/REPLACEMENT DVDS:

ATL

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery 

Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas 

Best Of Youth

Brother

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Deluxe Edition)

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (Deluxe Edition)

A Christmas Carol (1999 - Patrick Stewart)

Dog Day Afternoon 

The Fountain 

40 Days and 40 Nights 

Gigi

Green Mile

Guns n' Roses: Sex n' Drugs n' Rock n' Roll

Home for the Holidays

It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (Deluxe Edition)

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Knockaround Guys

Notorious Bettie Page 

Patton

Perfect Murder/Murder By Numbers/Murder in the First 

Postcards from the Edge

Places in the Heart

Raising Arizona

Scrooged

10 Things I Hate About You

Thirteenth Floor 

Twentieth Century

Valley Of The Dolls

Wolf

The World According To Garp

YuletideFireplace

Richard Harris On Marlon Brando

Found on filmdetail.com 

Richard Harris from an episode on Parkinson in the 70s.

ROCKET ON STAGE

Rocket's own Jeff, Brenden and Sean can be seen in 

Episode Three of the riveting new serial, the epic crime saga 

GOOD COPS DON'T CRY

It's part of the show Serial Killers 

At The Sacred Fools Theater, Saturday December 6 at 11:00 pm. 

NEW RELEASES - December 2, 2008

The X Files: I Want to Believe
Step Brothers
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Wanted
Fly Me to the Moon
Rise of the Footsoldier
Frost/Nixon: The Original Watergate Interviews

Pleasure For Sale
Pursuit of Equality
My Father My Lord
White Dog (Criterion)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2 Disc Special Edition)
Casablanca (3 Disc Ultimate Edition)
Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!
The Man Called Flintstone

TV:
SNL: Season 4
Law and Order - Season 6

New Arrivals, Replacements, & Requests:
Silent Night, Bloody Night
Christmas Present
Scarlet Pimpernel
Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman
Christmas That Almost Wasn't
Hill Number One
I Beheld His Glory
The Littlest Angel
Guys Gone Wild: Cream of the Crop
Dangerous Christmas of Little Red Riding Hood
A Christmas Without Snow

Blu-ray:
Girls Gone Wild: Spring Break Orgy

ROCKET ON STAGE

Rocket's own Jeff, Brendan and Sean

can be seen in the riveting new serial...

Good Cops Don't Cry

It's part of the show Serial Killers

at The Sacred Fools Theater.

This Saturday night at 11:00pm

NEW RELEASES - NOVEMBER 25, 2008

Atomic Cafe - Collector's Edition

The Babysitters

Beautiful Ohio

Birthday

Bottle Rocket (Criterion)

Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith

Chungking Express (Criterion)

Fantastic World of Michael Crawford

Fred Claus

Hancock

Kiss of the Spiderwoman

Madhouse

The Mark of Cain

Meet Dave

The Royal Scotsman: Luxury Train

Silence of the Sea

Slap Shot 3: The Junior League

Space Chimps

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (Criterion)

Stanley

TELEVISION:

A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All

The Mod Squad - Season 2, Vol. 1

The Sarah Jane Adventures - Series 1

NEW RELEASES - NOVEMBER 18, 2008

Arizona Sky 

DW Griffith: Father of Film 

Encounters at the End of the World (Herzog) 

Fanfan La Tulipe (Criterion)

Garden Party

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson 

The Gospel at Colonus 

Manhattan, Kansas 

Priceless

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

Stars and Their Guitars: A History of the Electric Guitar 

Tropic Thunder 

Wall-E

Working Class Rock Star

TELEVISION:

Bones - Season 3 

Doctor Who - Series 4 (NEW)

Doctor Who - The Infinite Quest (Animated)

Hannah Montana - Season 1

NEW RELEASES - NOVEMBER 11, 2008

And the Earth Did Not Swallow Him

Beer For My Horses 

Bigger Stronger Faster

Boys In The Band

Chronological Donald Duck Volume 4 '51-'61 

Flying: Confessions of a Free Woman 

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Holiday Affair 

It Happened on 5th Avenue 

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

Kung Fu Panda

Little Rascals: Complete Collection 

Love Songs 

Madame Bovary (1991) 

The Perfect Holiday

The Pink Conspiracy 

Quo Vadis: 2 Disc Special Edition 

Roman Holiday (Centenial Collection Special Edition)

Sabrina (Centenial Collection Special Edition)

Spellbound (Hitchcock Premiere Collection)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Sunset Boulevard (Centenial Collection Special Edition) 

We All Fall Down 

Yo-Yo Sexy Girl Cop

TELEVISION:

Chuck - Season 1

Mickey Mouse Club Presents Annette

Rocky Jones Space Ranger Collection

Tracey Ullman's State of the Union

Zoom - Back to the 70's

REPLACEMENTS:

Black Shampoo

Blood And Choclate

Boiler Room

Dave

Day the Earth Stood Still

The Dresser

Hoosiers

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun

Lost Boys

Manhattan Murder Mystery

Shampoo

Stepmom

Vanishing Point (1971)

OY-BOY! - Remake News

Is this some kind of November, April Fools prank?

The just in to the Rocket News Room in Los Angeles... 

According to Micheal Fleming at VARIETY... Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are in early discussions to collaborate on a remake of Chan Wook-Park's Oldboy. 

Not since Michael Bay’s Platinum Dune announced plans to remake Rosemary’s Baby has a remake announcement eked me out more.

What’s next... Robert Zemeckis remaking (the even better) Lady Vengeance with Natalie Portman?

In fairness, I admire both guys as being smart about their choices.

And assume Spielberg would do something interesting with the material. And he has grown a hell of a lot as a filmmaker since his unwatchable remake of A Guy Named Joe, the pathetically titled Always (and the first half of his War Of The Worlds remake was pretty good. However his Twilight Zone: The Movie remake of Kick The Can was closer to the icky sap of Always).

And Will Smith was terrific in his Omega Man remake I Am Legend and for the first hour of it was a very good movie (but oy-boy did it go down hill by the third act)

Now that I think about it, maybe these two box office titans could do something interesting with what actually is a flawed film (though it does have one of the greatest fight scenes in movie history).

Okay. Maybe I’m sold. I’m easy that way.

I’ll bet you ten bucks... in the next 10-15 years Will Smith will do a Cool Hand Luke remake. I see it. Watch, I got the shine...

-sweeneyrules

Found On The Web, Reads

Here’s a couple of the articles that I’ve come across on the net the last couple of months that I remembered to make a note of.

Good profiles of actors...

- Dan Callahan in Bright Lights George Sanders A Mitigated Cad

- The Daily Mail had a great piece on How Sean Connery seduced a movie legend and faced the wrath of the Mafia

-  Tony Curtis on his fling with Marilyn Monroe 

In the Guardian: 

- Jason Solomons helps Danny Boyal recall the talented cast of Trainspotting

- Kira Cochrane reflects on Teeth and cinema's avenging angels

- Dennis Cozzalio prepares for a screening of 1941 and I Wanna Hold Your Hand 

- And then he follows it up

- An oral history of The Rise and Fall of Chappelle’s Show

- Barbara Kopple's  favorite Docs

- Scott Marks reports on a supposed uncut print of A Night At The Opera found in Hungarian Film Archives

- I’ve only seen two of them but it’s a cute little list at IFC

 Counting Down Ten Sadly Underseen Films

-sweeneyrules

NEW RELEASES - NOVEMBER 4 2008 - A good week to read a book

Get Smart

Transsiberian

Orchestra of Piazza Vittorio

Flashbacks of a Fool

Comic Books Unbound

When Did you Last See Your Father

Man from Colorado/ Man from Laramie/ Man in the Saddle

Against All Odds/ Jagged Edge/ Starman

Awakenings/ Fisher King/ The Survivors

Popeye the Sailor 1941-1943

A Christmas Story (2 Disc Special Edition)

Barbie in A Christmas Carol

Whaledreamers

Dare Not Walk Alone

Return to Sleepaway Camp

Confessions of a Pit Fighter

The Tall T

Decision at Sundown

Buchanan Rides Alone

Ride Lonesome

Comanche Station

TELEVISION:

Futurama: Bender's Game

The Howdy Doody Collection 

Spin City: Season 1

TV Commercials: The Ultimate Collection

REPLACEMENT DVD:

Vacancy

NEW RELEASES - OCTOBER 28 2008

Abbott And Costello: The Complete Universal Collection

Anaconda 3: The Offspring

Animal House: The 30th Anniversary Edition

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through A Lens

Baraka: Special Edition

Billy The Kid

Blue Eyes Of The Broken Doll

Dick Tracy Vs. Crime Inc.

Exprcism

Fanny Hill

Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot

Horror rises From The Tomb

Human Beasts

Journey To the Center Of The Earth 3-D 

Ludwig

Night Of The Flesh Eaters 

Patrick

Pieces

Poultrygeist: Night Of The Chicken Dead

The Prince And Me: Royal Honeymoon

Run For Your Life: The Fred Lebow Story

Strange Behavior

Thirst

Tinkerbell

Vengeance Of The Zombies

Zombie Strippers

TELEVISION:

According To Jim Season One

Biography: Elton John

Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav

The L word Season 5

Mystery Science Theater 3000:

   * First Spaceship on Venus * Future War * Laserblast * Werewolf

       

NEW ARRIVALS, REPLACEMENTS, REQUESTS:

Bitter Moon

Black Widow

Brother’s Keeper

Executive Decision/ Unlawful Entry

Gone Dark

The Hills Have Eyes

The Hired Hand

Logan's Run

Never Been Kissed

Of Mice And Men (1939)

Old School

The Outlaw

The Pick Up Artist

The Rocketeet

Romeo And Juliet (2002)

Terminator 2

This Film is Not Yet rated

Transamerica

Where Eagles Dare

ROCKET STAFF QUESTIONNAIRE

EMPLOYEE:  Sean    

1. WHAT ARE A COUPLE OF YOUR FAVORITE MOVIES OF ALL TIME?

Annie Hall, Godfather, Once Upon A Time In The West

2. WHAT'S A MOVIE YOU MIGHT CALL A GUILTY PLEASURE?

My classic lame flick I dig would be The Fast And The Furious.

In terms of pleasure and guilt? Thriller with my favorite Swedish actress Christina Lindberg.

3. WHAT'S A MOVIE THAT RENTS A LOT, YOU'RE NOT TOO CRAZY ABOUT?

I hate Boondock Saints. It seems to have a following with the collage crowd who have never seen seen a movie before Fight Club.

3. HOW ABOUT A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT DON'T RENT MUCH?

I’ve mentioned in the past... Baby It’s You (now on DVD), West Beirut, the PBS doc Eyes On The Prize

Today I would add The Wanders.

4. WHAT MOVIE ARE YOU STILL WAITING TO GET A DVD (REGION 1) RELEASE?

Tougher Then Leather with Run DMC.

5. WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FROM THE TELEVISION SECTION?

The first couple of seasons of Happy Days and All In The Family. Then the usual suspects The Sopranos, The Wire, The Shield. You know what I thought was good was that thing where Lisa Kudrew played a washed up actress. She was great.

6. HOW ABOUT FROM THE MUSIC SECTION?

I liked that Elton John Doc we got recently.

7. HOW ABOUT FROM THE CHILDREN'S SECTION?

I just watched this Peter Pan (2003) with Jason Issacs as Hook and Ludivine Sagnier as Tinker Bell. Loved it.

8. HOW ABOUT FROM THE FREE SECTION?

The gem in there is our copy of the amazing doc LA Plays Itself. Also amazing also is  Sean Sweeney’s Reel. 

9. OVER ALL WHO MIGHT BE YOUR FAVORITE DIRECTOR OF ALL TIME? WHAT ARE SOME OF HIS/ HER FLICKS YOU DIG?

I wanna say Billy Wilder. But hey, I love a buncha flicks by Sergio Leone and Hawks and Ford and   Robert Aldrich and John Borman and Orson Welles and Spielberg and Scorses and Melville. But the bottom line, A-Number One for me is Alfred Hitchcock. I’ll just toss out one title... Vertigo.

10. WHAT 2008 FLICKS HAVE YOU ENJOYED?

Man On Wire, Wall-E, Ironman, The Dark Knight, The Chicago Ten, Surfwise, Tell No One