Reviewing the Year: 2008 (Animated, Sets, Suporting Actress, Documentary)

Time to continue with these. One more acting category coming up, along with a tech and two recognizing the best in their fields. But, unlike the Academy, they aren't ghettos, they might show up later in the main categories too.

Best Animated Feature Film

Bolt

Without Pixar, Disney hasn't really had anything worthy in over a decade. This, however, raises their quality from recent failures to a nice fun animated little film.

Horton Hears a Who!

Honoring one of the most beloved Seuss's books of all, plus that extra simpathy flavor added, I'm sad this was forgotten because of its early release, because it remained as one of the best animated films in a while.

Kung Fu Panda

Dreamworks has gone for comedy over....everything really, and have proved to repeat their jokes a big amount of times. Above their average silly film, it stands out as one of their best, but still...nothing amazing.

WALL•E***

It's no mystery that Pixar has learned how to master animation. Combined with their extraordinary imagintion and writing skills, their little jewels always appear with recognition in this category, and usually take the prize. This year is no exception with one of their finest so far.

Vals Im Bashir [Waltz With Bashir]

The only animated jewel I saw that can take away the gold from Pixar. Exploring delicate and harsh fields, with an impressive amount of imagery added. Being animated didn't make it any less impressive, but more easy to absorb and admire. A very big honorable mention.

BONUS: Proof that animation is not only for kids.

Best Achievement in Art Direction

Australia by Catherine Martin

Let me remind you, Mrs. Martin was also the one in charge of the previous Luhrmann production, Moulin Rouge! breathtaking sets. She has a more limited field this time, and still created some pretty awesome sets to enjoy during the movie.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by Donald Graham Burt

I want to think Fincher rellied on these to impress the audience. And well...he really did.

BONUS: Different time periods and many, many places.

Synecdoche, New York by Mark Freidberg***

Wicked, odd, crazy, and well, out of this world. You never really know if you are in a dream, the real world, or a play. Great designs and very effective.

The Fall by Gled Clark

Like the costumes, Clark takes a different approach, showing he's not afraid to go further away into unexplored territories particularly in this field.

WALL•E

After a short tour through space and the "Axiom", it's not hard to be impressed by the little details and polishing the background sets had. Creative and realistic.

Honorable Mentions (ranked)

Arrancame la Vida [Tear This Heart Out]

The Dark Knight

Okuribito [Departures]

Revolutionary Road

The Duchess

Changeling

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (looking at my nominees, this was a year for human, touching and heartfelt performances in this category)

Penelope Cruz as María Elena in Vicky Cristina Barcelona

With less than 13 minutes on screen, and appearing until the last half of the film, Cruz easily walks away with the whole movie. Her irrevent, screaming, kick-ass performance joins the group of great Allen supporting actresses.

BONUS: Her sexy work in Elegy, but that's a leading performance and the category is too crowded for her.

Vera Farmiga as Erica Van Doren in Nothing But the Truth***

What a bitch, what an agent, and what a woman! Completely fell in love with her after just 3 minutes of seeing her. You don't really know if she's a good person, a bad person, or simply...a person that's doing her job.

BONUS: Her chemistry with Kate Beckinsaly helped those raw discussion scenes.

Samantha Morton as Hazel in Synecdoche, New York

Probably having the baitiest role in the whole movie helped, but she still managed to work everything out and has a few brilliant scenes as the Hoffman's main counterpart most of the time.

Marisa Tomei as Cassidy in The Wrestler

This is not the first time we've seen Tomei go into this field, but as proven before, she can handle it quite perfectly, and once in a while she'll knock it out of the park.

BONUS: "I'm here. I'm really here."

Elsa Zylberstein as Léa in Il yes a Longtemps que Je t'Aime [I've Loved You So Long]

Now this...the true subtle masterpiece acting of the year. In a borderline leading/supporting role, Zylberstein completely broke my heart in one of my favorite performances of the year, even erasing from scene Scott-Thomas' acclaimed work, who also did her great work.

Close to the Cut

Lena Olin as Rose & Ileana Mather in The Reader

I vatly preffered her in her second role, and mostly she's here because of that last scene. Talk about A+ work in limited roles.

Michelle Williams as Claire Keen in Synecdoche, New York

Like the Milk-men, the Synecdoche-gals outshine each other and keep the film alive. It was hard to choose between her and Morton, but in the end both were as real and funny as they could've possibly been. Ask me tomorrow and I may say I prefer Williams to Morton.

Honorable Mentions (ranked)

The rest of the great gals in Synecdoche, New York, but a special mention to Dianne Weist and Catherine Keener.

Hiam Abbass as the hearbreaking outsider mother in The Visitor.

Tilda Swinton's double hits, short screentime and still being one of the best of the cast in Burn After Reading and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Debra Winger as the unlovable mother in Rachel Getting Married

Best Documentary Feature

Man on Wire*

Deserving Oscar winner. Entertaining, interesting, and keeps the audience involved in the premise.

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

Trouble the Water

Young @ Heart

Probably the one I could connect with the most. Tearing me apart while also cheering me up with good memories.

Thoughts??? Your own?

NEXT: Costumes, Film Music, Song and Film Editing + the WORST of the year (no lineups, only "winners")