Reviewing the Year: 2008 (Best of the Year!)

LMAO, over 5 months since my last post. I apologize, but even if the year's over (the next one....) I thought it would have been better to finish this than leaving it incomplete. That way, I can also start up with my thought on 2009 and the whole "decade" stuff. Well, here we are...my picks for the final categories.

Best Motion Picture of the Year (my ten fave/*** indicates winner/*indicates top 5)

The Dark Knight

Well directed and put together, I'd be pretty happy if most blockbusters had the decency to at least deliver this type of quality. A gripping story that explodes in the screen making every second of it an extraordinary experience. Even if once you look closer, nothing other than Ledger's Joker (and to an extent Nolan's direction) is really impressive on its own.

Entre les Murs [The Class]*

Beautiful, touching story. Never thought one could actually come up with a film about a classroom and the people inside it and make it so damn interesting.

Gran Torino

That horrible trailer made me think we'd get an usual Eastwood drama with another Dirty Harry from him. I however, was incredibly surprised when, for the first time in years, Eastwood involved me in his (somewhat reidiculous) story creating in the end one of the most affecting and pleasing films of the year.

In Bruges*

Black humor and bloody violence. Heard about it, bought the movie, surprised myself with an absolute delight of a movie. Shame this small piece of work went unnoticed by most. Pretty much the funniest movie of the year with some of the most wittiest and interesting dialogue in a long time, plus some really great acting and an original story. What's not to like?

Rachel Getting Married

One of the most realistic portrayals of familes and the disfunctionalities in them I've seen in quite a while. Sure, many will find it terribly slow but I loved it. An intense character study with a powerhouse performance from Princess Anne Hathaway.

Revolutionary Road*

In a true showstopping acting spectacle, Jack & Rose reunited for this emotional rollercoaster that left me cold and speechless. My honorable mention as "silver medal" for the year's best work.

Slumdog Millionaire

The movie of the year. It's not hard at all to see how easily could people fall in love with it and how it went from such a small production to one of the year's biggest hits (critically and with audiences). An exciting love story, presented in an exciting way through flashbacks, with exciting linked stories and exciting characters, a more than exciting soundtrack presented in an exciting way. Yup, I'm perfectly happy with this winning Best Picture of the Year from the Academy of Motion Pictures.

***WALL•E***

Pixar's masterpiece, simple as that, and believe me that's saying something. The geniuses of geniuses this decade topped themselves in an unbelievable way combining comedy, love, drama and adventure in this unique gem that will surely go down as one of the animated masterpieces from the past 30 years. The year's best movie by quite a margin, saw it in early June, nothing really came close to taking its crown away.

The Wreslter*

Not a fan of Aronofsky's previous works but this...wow, his masterpiece that won't easily be topped. A true display of mastery filmmaking, beautiful characters, beautiful story, becautifully put together into one heck of an emotional ride guided by Rourke's superb fallen hero.

Vals Im Bashir [Waltz With Bashir]

Ahhh...can't say anything I didn't say in my other description. Perfect demonstration of animation more of a media rather than a genre.

Missing the cut just barely from the year were, both equally as good as several mentions here:

Happy-Go-Lucky

Nothing but the Truth

Those were my 10 (or 12) favorite films of 2008, what about yours? Now, on to the best performances:

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Sally Hawkins as Poppy in Happy-Go-Lucky

It's her movie, and well she's the main reason why it's so good. An uplifting (annoying to many) positive, incredibly complex and layered piece of work that gives impressive jumps from her golden comedy moments to some really dramatic ones. We should all learn from Poppy's view on life.

BONUS: The final car scene and her line delivery=perfect, every time.

Anne Hathaway as Kym in Rachel Getting Married

Who ever knew she had it in her? Hathaway delivers Kym, an ex-drug addict still haunted by her terrible past, her acts and the consequences of them. A character dead emotionally that walks with the shadow of her acts in every new decision. A close second place.

Melissa Leo as Ray Eddie in Frozen River

A heartbreaking, disfuncional woman takes over Leo's mind, body and soul. A magnificent creation. Why isn't she working more often?!

Kate Winslet as Hanna Schmitz in The Reader

Different from her comfort zone, Winslet stepped out of her "average" dramatic zone and gives this downright chilling portrayal as a cold blooded murder. Mysterious, lovable, pathetic, compassionate and horrible. As Schimtz, with a perfect accent, Winslet steps out and goes all the way to create probably the most complex character of all my 20 acting nominees. One of her finest, and a very deserving work for her to finally get an Oscar.

BONUS: "the"

***Kate Winslet as April Wheeler in Revolutionary Road***

Amazing. Winslet proves herself once again as the top notch actress of her generation in this riveting and mature work. April Wheeler, a woman haunted by the empty hopelessness of her life, that often gives jumps between sane and crazy, frustrated at the life she's come to live with, her husband and her children, and the failure of her dream career. Heartbreaking to the point of being unberable.

BONUS: Final telephone scene, the best single acted scene of the year.

Close to the Cut

Kate Beckinsale in Nothing but the Truth

The surprise of the year. Powerful and engaging as a dedicated reporter that goes "against" the goverment.

A mother, a wife and a woman with a career.

BONUS: She really proved she has the skills, also great in Snow Angels.

Krtistin Scott-Thomas in Il yes a Longtemps que Je t'Aime [I've Loved You So Long]

Touching, subtle and restrained. Scott-Thomas walks around the streets and the house as a woman that's come out of jail to rebuild her life. Prolbem is, her soul is gone. Harsh and unlikeable character that Thomas handles delicately.

Honorable Mentions (ranked-oh and might I add, really fantastic year for the category)

Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel, the cheerful but harsh sister to Kym (and character of the title) in Rachel Getting Married.

Meryl Steeep's deliciously over the top suspicious nun in Doubt.

Lina Leandersson's vampire in love in Lat Dan Rattën Komma In [Let the Right One In]

Penelope Cruz as the sexy love conquest in Elegy

Michelle Williams' carries in such a fantastic way her one woman show in Wendy & Lucy

Cate Blanchett, for being the saving grace of the film and lifting up the whole thing whenever she was on in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

*Maybe too many, but like I said, a great year, and all these ladies were fantastic, and I still left out others I also liked a lot.

Best Achivement in Directing

Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire

Everything about the movie is good, but the reason why it's such an enjoyable ride is because of Boyle and his expertise. The man behindTrainspotting goes in a unique way with his vision for putting together the past, present, and future in an interesting combination of genres. The star of this show.

Ari Folman for Vals Im Bashir [Waltz With Bashir]

The man behind and in front of the camera shares with us his unique experience. The creative mind behind this beautiful show.

Martin McDonaugh for In Bruges

Can you actually believe it's his debut? In a genuine mix of drama and comedy, McDonaugh gives us one of the mot enjoyable rides of the year

Christopher Nolan for The Dark Knight

80% of why the film is what is was is due to Nolan. He creatively shows his ability to control whatever goes on screen and making this 2:30 hour long a complete eye feast and thrilling experience.

***Andrew Staunton for WALL•E***

This living genius created the year's best film. Letting the film, story and visuals flow naturally. For making us care about 2 little robots that can't speak and making them real life human beings. For taking us through a wonderful adventure around the universe. For teaching us a valuable lesson about nature. For making this as enjoyable for children as it is for adults. For this and many other reasons, the year's best directing achievement.

Honorable Mentions (ranked)

Darren Aronofsky, The Wrestler

Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road

Laurent Clantent, Entre les Murs [The Class]

Jonathan Demme, Rachel Getting Married

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank Wheeler in Revolutionary Road

One of his most mature works. DiCaprio continues to show his growth as an actor. As the coward, weak, noncomformist and dreamer Frank Wheeler.

BONUS: The final fight with April=the best acted scene in his whole career. "Fck you, April!!!"

Colin Farrell as Ray in In Bruges

As the hitman, Farrell (I'm surprised as much as you are) knocks it out of the park. In a sensible, hilarious and great characterization, Farrell delivers his punch lines making them comedy gold. He's one of the few hit men you can actually believe happens to exist out there. Magic.

Ben Kingsley as David Kepesh in Elegy

Pushing the boundaries once again, Kingsley delivers one of his finest work in years. As the middle aged man, full of vice and lust.

Frank Langella as Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon

Creating a walking human caricature that guides the whole film until finally, in those last scenes becoming for a few seconds a really terryfying and dramatic character, the highlight of the film. "Thiiiis guys was president?". Totally erases "Frost" Sheen from screen, should change the title to Nixon only.
BONUS: "It's not illegal when the president does it!"

***Mickey Rourke as Randy "The Ram" Robinson in The Wrestler***

The work worth a lifetime. He was born to play this. As Randy, Rourke fully immerses himself into the character. You don't see acting, you don't see Rourke, you see Randy, come to live. As much as he tries, I doubt he'll ever reach this brilliance again. A lifetime event full of soul, heart and passion. Sorry Mr. Penn, but that Oscar was his.

Close to the Cut

Sean Penn as Harvey Milk in Milk

His most natural work to date. I agree with DeNiro "How for so many years did Sean Penn get all those jobs playing straight men?". One of his best.

Sam Rockwell as Glen Marchand in Snow Angels

The best work of his short but already impressive career.

Honorable Mentions (ranked)

Brendan Gleeson was the perfect opposite to Ray's extravaganza for balance in In Bruges.

Richard Jenkins in his career best work in The Visitor.

Javier Bardem at the center of the love triangle in Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the aging artist in Synecdoche, New York

Last but not least, the top 5 performance of the year, from all categories...and the best performance of the year!

Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road

Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married

Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

***Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road***

Let's keep going, now....the writing.

Best Original Screenplay

***Happy-Go-Lucky***

In Bruges

Rachel Getting Married

WALL•E

The Wrestler

Honorable Mentions:

Burn After Reading

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Synecdoche, New York

Nothing but the Truth

Best Adapted Screenplay

Entre les Murs [The Class]

Lat Dan Rattën Komma In [Let the Right One In]

The Reader

Revolutionary Road***

Slumdog Millionaire

Honorable Mentions:

The Dark Knight

Snow Angels

Doubt

Frost/Nixon

Other categories that we're missing:

Best Vissual Effects

***The Curious Case of Benjamin Button***

The Dark Knight

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

Iron Man

Speed Racer

Best Makeup

***The Curious Case of Benjamin Button***

The Dark Knight

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

Synecdoche, New York

The Wrestler

Breakthrough of the Year-What does the future hold for these new young talents?

Sally Hawkins [leading lady of Happy-Go-Lucky]***

with that performance already under the belt, I'm anxious to see what she does next. Not really a breakthrough, she had small roles in films such as Vera Drake, this just finally got her to the spotlight, did I already say how much I loved her Poppy?)

David Kross [the young interest of Winslet in The Reader]

Lina Leandersson [terrifying leading lady of Let the Right One In]

Dev Patel [leading man of Slumdog Millionaire]

Brandon Walters [little boy who stole the movie in Australia]

And to close, the WORST of the year, only winners:

• Worst Film: 10,000 B.C. [God...I can't even begin to describe this disaster, it's not even mildly entertaining]
• Worst Actor: None [Thank God I didn't see nearly enough bad movies to choose this. Maybe I could have gone with Pattison inTwilight who seemed as bored as Stewart, but he didn't have a cringe worthy moment. Christian Bale's comedic gold in The Dark Knight also came up in my mind though.]
• Worst Actress: Kristen Stewart in Twilight [I have nothing against Twilight, but God, she seemed so bored and that last hospital scene? LOL]
• Worst Supporting Actor: Pierce Brosnan in Mamma Mia! [Not so much the performance, but really, this has to be the worst casting pick of the past few years. Couldn't they have at least gone with someone who could sing?]
• Worst Supporting Actress: None [Yay! I cannot think of a single performance I could include here. That's good, isn't it?]
• Worst Directing: Phyllida Lloyd, Mamma Mia! [The movie is what it is, but the amateurness of the directing is written all along with some wacky "hey!!! it's a movie not the live stage" picks. Sorry, stick to the theatre. Or at least let the theatre be the theatre and the films be films]

Aaaaaaand that's it folks. :D Your own picks? Finally can get on to 2009, and that year just finished. But given how in my location it's not as easy to get to all the films I want to see in time, the Star Awards 09 should be ready in February or March. Still, Oscar race is on and I'll start posting more reviews. Did anyone catch the so called revolution of filmmaking Avatar? Or what about Tarantino's new baby? Or Disney's return to the typical hand-drawn animation, musicals and princess fairy tales?

*Oh and just in case anyone cares, the tally of biggest winners and nominees (only top5 mentions, Honorable Mentions and such don't count) from the Star Awards 08!

• WALL•E.- 10 noms/6 wins
• Revolutionary Road.- 8 noms/3 wins
• The Dark Knight.- 8 noms/1 wins
• Slumdog Millionaire.- 8 noms/1 wins
• The Wrestler.- 6 noms/1 wins
• In Bruges.- 5 noms/0 wins [most nomination without a single win! :( It actually was my close second for Original Screenplay, and Farrell and Fiennes are both my #3]
• Synecdoche, New York.- 4 noms/1 wins [most nominated film without a "favorite of the year" mention]

That's all!