10. Slumdog Millionaire: This has one of the most original premises of any film released this year. It has great performances from a slew of actors unknown in the U.S., and it is a strikingly real fairy tale that’s happy ending is well worth the wait. Though all the awards and acclaim may make the film seem larger than life, it shouldn’t be taken as anything more what it is.
9. Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Who knew a movie with Jason Segal and a group of fairly unknown TV actors released in April could be so hilarious? The movie made a star out of comedian Russell Brand whose character is a dense British rock star who steals Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) from her boyfriend of many years (Segal). This a winner.
8. In Bruges: Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy In Bruges stars Colin Farrell, in perhaps his first good performance, and Brendan Gleeson as two hit men who botch a job and are sent to a small town in Belgium called Bruges. Many people haven’t seen this, a crime as it is worth watching.
7. Iron Man: The first of two superhero films as well as the first of two Robert Downey Jr. films on this list, was the first big mega hit of the summer. Downey plays Tony Stark, a millionaire playboy who spends his leisure time working on a super suit to fight evil. This has action, comedy and amazing special effects. It also accomplishes the seemingly impossible task of being too bad ass to handle.
6. WALL-E: This film transcends the normal cartoon and, instead, is a film of epic proportions. The first hour is one of the most mesmerizing and beautiful feats in animation history. Pixar raises the bar for computer animation.
The final act doesn’t quite live up to the brilliance of the rest of the film, but it can’t ruin this achievement.
5. Frost/Nixon: A rare instance of a Ron Howard film that actually deserves its praise, this is a brilliant film adaptation of the award winning play. Frank Langella is great as the scandalous President Nixon, playing perfectly off of Michael Sheen’s portrayal of David Frost. It has a perfect blend of drama, humor and history.
4. Doubt: The movie flows rather awkwardly at times, but the phenomenal performances make up for it. The most notable of these performances is Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius who does whatever she can to eject Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Father Flynn, a priest who she believes violated an altar boy. She tears him and Amy Adams’s Sister James apart in her wake. Along with Viola Davis’s great performance, Doubt has the best acting showcase of the year.
3. Tropic Thunder: Ben Stiller’s Hollywood satire is the best comedy of 2008. This film continued Robert Downey Jr.’s comeback and essentially revitalized Tom Cruise’s career. A movie about making a movie, Tropic Thunder is hilarious, all the way to the closing credits of Cruise dancing to Ludacris. The film’s humor and satire mix perfectly.
2. Milk: Gus Van Sant’s biopic about the first openly gay elected official in the United States is a wonderful and emotional drama. Sean Penn is heart wrenching as Harvey Milk, who spent his last years involved in California politics not only advancing the rights of homosexuals, but also pulling to help anyone who needed it. Though the movie takes place in the ’70s, the film is just as relevant in today’s climate.
1. The Dark Knight: Christopher Nolan’s comic book adaptation transcends the normal superhero film and reaches classic status. It has it all: a mesmerizing score, great special effects, a well-written screenplay and a more than capable cast, including the late Heath Ledger in an acclaimed, award-winning performance.
