Top Ten Films of 2008

Things have been moving a bit slowly around Tone Marrow Reviews the past couple of weeks, but, hopefully, that will change soon beginning in an unexpected way with this post. This is the introduction of a new occasional feature around here called Film Foray. I’ll post a review or an appreciation for films both classic and contemporary. However, the primary focus of Tone Marrow Reviews will continue to be on covering new music.

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I’m neither a film critic nor the son of a film critic, so I didn’t see all of the critically acclaimed films of 2008, though I did see some great ones. Of those that I got to see, here were my favorite ten.

10. Slumdog Millionaire (dir. Danny Boyle)

Is Slumdog Millionaire a fairy tale that honors the Indian culture and Bollywood cinema, or is it the other way around? It’s difficult to say because it does both so well. Slumdog was honored with the Best Picture Oscar a few weeks ago which serves as a bit of a change of pace for that award after the past two winners, 2006’s The Departed and 2007’s No Country for Old Men, were substantially darker films. Like any story of redemption, this one takes a long, arduous trek through a young man’s very hard life before he gets on a popular, Indian game show which changes his life forever. Slumdog Millionaire, despite a few flaws, is a helpful reminder that, in life, the bitter makes the sweet so much sweeter.

9. Man on Wire (dir. James Marsh)

Man on Wire is a documentary focused on what many have called “the artistic crime of the twentieth century.” French entertainer, Philippe Petit, walked on a tightrope between the Twin Towers in 1974. The story is told by those who were involved, including Petit himself, who tells his story far better than any dramatization ever could. However, the film does recreate many of the scenes leading up to and following the stunt and these scenes have the same feel as a bank heist. There are also home videos and photos used in the telling of Petit’s amazing and inspiring story which add an intimate touch to the film. Though there is no mention of the eventual fate of the Twin Towers, it is always present in the viewer’s mind which adds a layer of emotional resonance to the story. This is Petit’s tale from start to finish so it ultimately serves as a celebration of art and dreams, and yet, it’s impossible to deny the therapeutic power this documentary will have for those who remember that fateful day in 2001.

8. Rachel Getting Married (dir. Jonathan Demme)

Rachel Getting Married is about a weekend in one family’s life during which Rachel, well, gets married. Yet the focus of this story is not on Rachel but on her fresh-out-of-rehab-sister, Kym, played by Anne Hathaway in one of my favorite performances of the year. The film is shot with hand-held cameras almost like a documentary and it gives the viewer a sense of really participating in the lives of this family as well as all the baggage they’re carrying. I felt like I was sitting at the table during the rehearsal dinner which Kym nearly crashes with a terribly awkward speech; I felt like I was celebrating on the dance floor during the reception; and, for just a short time, I felt that I was a part of this severely dysfunctional family and as a result, this film provided gave me with the most emotional, heart-breaking viewing experience I had in 2008.

7. In Bruges (dir. Martin McDonagh)

In Bruges is the best movie that the Coen Brothers never made. The story of two hit men going to Bruges to wait out a botched hit back in London includes hilarious dialogue, emotional performances, and an ending that boasts shocking violence, chilly irony, and a truly bizarre scene which manages to reunite most of the characters from the film. Not a scene or line of dialogue is wasted and the script is one of the most original in years. Collin Ferrell gives a brilliant performance which is both hilarious and heart-wrenching. And yet, through all of this, the film prods deeper pondering questions about sin, forgiveness, and purgatory in a very compelling, thought-provoking way.

6. Shotgun Stories (dir. Jeff Nichols)

William Shakespeare’s tragedy meets Flannery O’Connor’s gothic South in Shotgun Stories. It’s a modern day tale of a father who had two families: one he loved and one he deserted. When the father dies, the sons try to sort through their thoughts about him and their hatred for each other. It is a movie about revenge and family ties and as things escalate and blood is shed, you just know in your gut that this can’t have a good ending. The conclusion is, indeed, unexpected and shocking.

5. Doubt (dir. John Patrick Shanley)

Doubt is adapted from a play and it’s simplicity and starkness still carry a bit of that feel. My favorite Director of Photography, Roger Deakins, photographed this movie and the straightforward manner, which he lends to the Coen Brothers so often, works perfectly here. Doubt is a film about crimes in the church, speculation, gossip, certainty, and doubt. It’s no coincidence that all four major parts here were nominated for acting Oscars, these were easily four of the best performances of the year. Philip Seymour Hoffman gives one of the most charitable portrayals of a Christian on the silver screen in quite some time (depending on how you interpret the film, of course–I’ve given away my interpretation with this sentence). The play, on which the film was based, bore a subtitle: “A Parable.” That’s appropriate because this is a story that is trying to teach us something– exactly what depends on how you view it’s ending. Allegedly, the writer/director, John Patrick Shanley, was inspired to write the play when America invaded Iraq looking for WMDs– now that opens up a whole new realm of possible meanings.

4. Synecdoche, NY (dir. Charlie Kaufman)

A sprawling mess of a movie– it is the exact opposite of Doubt, though ironically, both feature incredible performances by Philip Seymour Hoffman. This marks Kaufman’s first time behind the camera as director and we find what is perhaps the most ambitious, overwhelming film of 2008. Kaufman asks us to consider the human life and how the passing of time, the decay of the human body, and the way we view our lives affects the way we live. When I walked out of the theater I thought it was the worst film I’d ever seen, 24 hours later, I wondered if it might be the best film I’d ever seen. As it turns out, it was only the fourth best of 2008. However, this movie is so rich, so deep, and so layered with ideas and questions that it really ought to be digested on multiple viewings. If I’d had the chance to see it a second time, there’s a strong possibility that it would have placed even higher on this list.

3. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (dir. Cristian Mungiu)

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days is a Romanian film about a college student seeking an illegal abortion in Communist-controlled Romania during the 1980s. Though Gabriela is the one seeking the abortion, the focus of the film is on her friend, Otilia, who is helping her. Otilla is in nearly every scene of the film and is brilliantly portrayed by Anamaria Marinca who carries the film on her squarely on her shoulders. 4 Months, 3 Weeks is composed of these long, slow-burning shots that draw the viewer into this world with which most Westerners have little experience. The film is a stark view at how Communism strips people of human dignity and teaches them not to think in moral terms. While, the movie doesn’t appear to preach a certain agenda regarding abortion, the much-talked-about climactic shot of the film has been described by some as one of the most compelling pro-life arguments ever made.

2. WALL*E (dir. Andrew Stanton)

PIXAR is pretty much an unstoppable force in cinema these days as they have boldly proven that animated films don’t have to be just for kids. WALL*E is a special film that combines elements of the silent film era, romance, science fiction, comedy, a dash of the musical, and it’s enjoyable family film to boot! The animation is gorgeous, the characters are fully realized (though they many of them are robots), and the story is just stellar. As fun as it is, there is also a poignant message here as well– we were created for relationships and community, not for the rugged individualism that is so valued today. In Genesis God declared that it was not good for man to be alone, and WALL*E shows us that by way of a robot. PIXAR has been responsible for some spectacular films, but WALL*E is now their crowning achievement.

1. The Dark Knight (dir. Christopher Nolan)

It may seem a bit odd that a list containing a documentary, a foreign film, and a slew of independent features would be topped with the blockbuster of the year, but that is just a testament to how spectacular this movie really is. Though it isn’t a flawless film, it is my favorite of 2008 because it gave me the greatest cinematic experience of the year (twice in theaters and one unforgettable viewing in IMAX). The Dark Knight was a fearlessly dark film which got my blood pumping and had my mind reeling– a rare treat in contemporary cinema. Another compelling factor is Heath Ledger’s iconic performance as the Joker which will be stuck in our memory for years to come. This is a morality tale with many philosophical underpinnings and it’s also a very relevant movie for the world of the 21st century as it boldly asks how we are to deal with terrorists and terrorism. I’m not sure that it makes a definitive statement on the invasion and protection of civil liberties as some have claimed, but it has gotten people talking and isn’t that what great art is meant to do?

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For What It’s Worth, 11-15:
Paranoid Park, Chop Shop, Pineapple Express, Flight of the Red Balloon, The Wrestler