|
Post by coke & comics on Mar 26, 2024 11:23:09 GMT -5
I think I'll concur with Hot Fuzz for the #1 film of 2007. Followed by Ratatouille.
It's been too long since I've seen Persepolis, but I'll stick it at #3. A great adaptation. Some local history gets explored in Fincher's Zodiac.
And then I think I'll go with Ang Lee's erotic historical spy thriller, Lust, Caution.
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Mar 26, 2024 13:37:46 GMT -5
Onward to 2008. Three weeks...oy. And let's just go ahead and get out of the way that I don't much like The Dark Knight. It's not laughably bad like the third movie, whatever its name was. But I don't think it's anything special. Iron Man - What would become the MCU started off with a bang with a great movie about, what was at that time, a second-tier Marvel hero. Robert Downey, Jr. is absolutely pitch perfect as Tony Stark. It's not a perfect movie. I don't love the villain or the fight against a doppelganger. I don't think that Gwyneth Paltrow adds a lot. But it's still a super fun movie. And Samuel L. at the end as Fury...Hell's Yeah! Wall-E - The first 1/3 of this movie is pretty much perfect. It is a Chaplin level demonstration of the power of pantomime and "semi" silent film. I don't think the last 1/2 to 2/3 of the movie are quite as good, but it's still a very good exploration of rampant consumerism, human interaction and environmental destruction. But man...the first part of this film is a masterpiece. In Bruges - This is just such a brilliant dark comedy action film. Both Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are outstanding. It's never predictable. It's sharply written, funny and occasionally touching. I do think that this is the best work I've seen from Colin Farrell...though I haven't yet seen The Banshees of Inisherin. If you haven't seen it, you owe it to yourself. "Bruges is a shithole." Tropic Thunder - Is this a great movie? Nope. Is it a funny movie? Yep. What it really has is a couple of hilarious performances by Robert Downey, Jr. and Tom Cruise (of all people. And I generally hate Tom Cruise). And there's just enough decent satire here to make it worthwhile. Pineapple Express - This is definitely not a great film. But it has just enough laughs to make it worth my time. And sometimes that enough. Man on Wire - Outstanding documentary about Philippe Petit's 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center. This one reads like a heist movie that is an actual documentary. Presto - Not a top-tier Pixar short, but a good one. This one is very clearly influenced by the classic Looney Tunes cartoons. The animation is lush and the story is fun. As usual there are many films I've either not seen or not seen in far too long. Including; most foreign films; The Wrestler; Slumdog Millionaire (haven't seen since it first came out on video); The Hurt Locker; Burn After Reading; Gran Torino (I need to re-visit this); So what's my favorite film of 2008? Close call between In Bruges and Wall-E. If the latter had been able to maintain the quality of the first 1/3-1/2 the film it likely would be the winner. But, ultimately, I'm more likely to watch In Bruges again and again. And 2008 in film for those as need a look.
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Mar 27, 2024 0:15:57 GMT -5
Tropic Thunder is, indeed, a great movie. My favorite film of 2008.
In Bruges is also pretty good! Maybe if I’d seen it more than once, I would rank it just as highly as Tropic Thunder.
The Dark Knight has its moments but it’s generally pretty silly. It takes itself way too seriously to get away with some of the dumb stuff. But it’s a heckuva lot better than The Dark Knight Rises.
|
|
|
Post by coke & comics on Mar 27, 2024 11:34:29 GMT -5
I love Christopher Nolan. I love his take on Batman. I think The Dark Knight is the best of the three and one of the best superhero movies ever and my favorite film of 2008. A close contender though for all those things is Iron Man.
After that I'll go with Taken. I mentioned a couple posts back that Casino Royale had reinvigorated an interest in the action genre, and this movie sealed that. Simple, straightforward but entirely engaging. It's absurd how many clones this movie has had in the last 15 years. It's absurd how many of those clones also star Liam Neeson.
And then Wall-E. I agree with Slam's assessment that the latter parts of the film don't live up to the glorious opening. It goes from a unique cinematic experience to a solid sci-fi yarn.
And then on the odder side of superhero movies, I'll round out my top 5 with Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.
For honorable mentions, I'll mention how Speed Racer is better than it has any right to be. And that Justice League: The New Frontier is a rather close adaptation of one of the best comics. But then, you may as well just read the comic.
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Mar 27, 2024 22:42:50 GMT -5
I love Christopher Nolan. I love his take on Batman. I think The Dark Knight is the best of the three and one of the best superhero movies ever and my favorite film of 2008. A close contender though for all those things is Iron Man. After that I'll go with Taken. I mentioned a couple posts back that Casino Royale had reinvigorated an interest in the action genre, and this movie sealed that. Simple, straightforward but entirely engaging. It's absurd how many clones this movie has had in the last 15 years. It's absurd how many of those clones also star Liam Neeson. And then Wall-E. I agree with Slam's assessment that the latter parts of the film don't live up to the glorious opening. It goes from a unique cinematic experience to a solid sci-fi yarn. And then on the odder side of superhero movies, I'll round ok out my top 5 with Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. For honorable mentions, I'll mention how Speed Racer is better than it has any right to be. And that Justice League: The New Frontier is a rather close adaptation of one of the best comics. But then, you may as well just read the comic. Oh yeah, that Speed Racer movie very much exceeded expectations! If I remember correctly, I decided to go just because the cast was so great. And I very much enjoyed it. I’ve even watched it a couple of times since then. I worked in a newspaper at the time, and we had an arts and entertainment editor who wrote most of the movie reviews, and every year she would pick one or two movies to make fun of the rest of the year, like a recurring joke. But a lot of the time, she would pick movies that she hadn’t seen and then make fun of them because of low box office or because of her rather pretentious expectations. And boy, did it fall flat for anybody who actually saw the movies. That year, she picked on Speed Racer, and it was just so lazy. There were several of us at the copy desk who would roll our eyes at so much of her copy.
|
|
|
Post by commond on Mar 31, 2024 22:57:40 GMT -5
I don't have a lot from 2008, but I did like the Japanese films Tokyo Sonata and Still Walking.
|
|
|
Post by berkley on Apr 1, 2024 1:05:07 GMT -5
There was a good Italian movie that year, Il Divo, though I'm sure I'd appreciate it more if I were better informed about Italian politics. Ip Man was a solid HK action movie. I liked Slumdog and the Wrestler, ... my favourite of the year would probably be a toss-up between In Bruges and Burn After Reading.
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Apr 2, 2024 12:33:50 GMT -5
I don't have a lot from 2008, but I did like the Japanese films Tokyo Sonata and Still Walking. Still Walking was rather unpleasant and depressing … but unforgettable. I see why it’s so highly rated but I’m not planning on watching it again any time soon.
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on May 1, 2024 12:41:27 GMT -5
Onward to 2009. And...yeah...it's been a while. Inglourious Basterds - I really like this film a lot. Yeah, it's silly and escapist. But Christoph Waltz is brilliant as Hans Landa and Brad Pitt is a joy. If you're watching a Tarantino film for subtlety, you're filming wrong. Up - I like, but don't love this Pixar film. The opening is touching without being completely schmaltzy. Ed Asner is great voicing Carl. And the themes are great...Life can be its own adventure and Family is where you find it. I just think the reliance on the dogs and the weird bird is a bit too much. But still part of an amazing run by Pixar. Zombieland - I mostly don't like zombies. They just don't make any sense (I'm marginally better with magic zombies). But I do find this to be pretty darn funny (not Shaun of the Dead funny...but still). Just a fun movie. Fantastic Mr. Fox - Super fun stop-motion animated film by Wes Anderson. Super witty and with just enough edge to keep make it memorable for kids instead of being the same old saccharine animated junk. Coraline - 2009 was a super good year for animation. I'm a big Neil Gaiman fan and this film does justice to his book. Scary and fun the stop-motion is outstanding and it's a visual treat. The Other Mother is just nightmare fuel for kids. Sherlock Holmes - I'll be the iconoclast. Holmes generally doesn't do much for me. So I'm fine with other takes on him. I like, but don't love this movie. I find Downey to just be generally charming, Jude Law is a perfectly cromulent Watson and Rachel McAdams is adorable, if underused. Black Dynamite - I love this movie so much. But I'm also a fan of blaxploitation films in general. This movie does absolutely everything right. From the over-the top action and dialogue, to the "mistakes" in editing, boom mic placement, etc. to the necessary presence of gratuitous nudity. This is a perfect tribute to the genre while still being a wicked smart spoof. As usual there are many films I've either not seen or not seen in far too long. Including; most foreign films; Moon (I've seen this once and I know I liked it, but I don't remember a thing about it); District 9 (ditto); A Serious Man; So what's my favorite film of 2009? Kind of a close call between Black Dynamite and Inglorious Basterds. On the right day it could be either one. But most days it's going to be Black Dynamite. And 2009 in film for those as need a look.
|
|
|
Post by EdoBosnar on May 1, 2024 15:16:00 GMT -5
Looking over the list of 2009 movies, I'd probably go with Black Dynamite, too (I only got around to watching for the first time last Christmas). Although I really like Up as well. Don't like Inglourious Basterds as much as most other people seem to. And one that gets a kind-of/sort-of honorable mention from me is Julie & Julia - I may have noted this in another thread here previously, but if this had just been a straight-up biopic about Julia and Paul Child (played by Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci) during their time in Paris, I would unreservedly think it's an excellent film. I was completely uninterested in the B-plot (or is it the A-plot?) about the woman blogging her way through Child's cookbook in the early '00s.
|
|
|
Post by commond on May 1, 2024 15:33:00 GMT -5
Not a particularly memorable year for me. I had Up in my top 10 for the decade, so it must have left a big impression on me. I'd have to watch it again to figure out why. Honestly, I think my favorite film may be The Hangover.
EDIT: That Black Dynamite trailer looks fun. I might have to check that out.
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on May 1, 2024 19:21:32 GMT -5
Inglourious Basterds is my favorite film of 2009.
But I also love The Spirirt! It’s so much like a comic books and very entertaining from start to finish.
I’ve seen them both a bunch of times.
|
|