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