Best/Worst Films of 2008

What does a trash compactor, Swedish vampire, porno films, and two comic book superheroes have in common? Well, they all fall into my selections as the best films released theatrically in 2008. On the flipside, there is a cartoonish race car driver, a victim of circumstance, a cop with an identity crisis, bendable flight paths, and no aliens which comprise my choices for the worst films of the year. By all means, I am sure I missed a few stinkers and conversely missed some good one. Hopefully, you will find my list helpful.

On a side note and for better or worse, 2008 may have been the Chinese year of the Rat. But, for me, it might have well been the year of the zombie. Having watched no less than 11 zombie films, my opinion may be tainted. Without further adieu and in no particular order, here are my choices for the best and worst films of 2008.

Best

1. WALL•E - The folks at Pixar keep churning out high quality entertainment. With WALL•E, the imagery is awesome and visually pleasing. There are aspects to the story surely to delight all age groups. It is cerebral, you not in an arrogant way. The characters were enchanting and engaging. The story line spoke on many levels including a social commentary about the continuing laziness of people and hot its negative impact could ruin the future. All in all, it is an excellent film.

2. Let the Right One In - This little gem of a film comes from Sweden. It is about a 12 year old vampire girl who moves into an apartment complex and becomes friends with a 12 old boy who is bullied by others. Stark landscapes set against a snowy backdrop provide the bleak environment to a poignant story. Through series of events the boy learns how to fend from himself and the girl gets to recapture a bit of her lost humanity.

3. The Dark Knight - A strong contender for Oscar's Best Picture award. Solid performances abound in Christian Bale's second outing as Gotham's mysterious and vengeful citizen. More elaborate gadgets, an improved Bat suit, and a sociopathic villain who puts the town on a precarious perch of impending doom impressively fill the screen. Will good prevail? I implore anyone who has not seen The Dark Knight to get a copy. I am looking forward to another installment in the series.

4. Iron Man - Another comic book hero came to life in 2008 and it was a ferrous clad humanoid (ha ha) or Iron Man. Stylish and well paced action film with good character driven story line made for an interesting thrill ride. I could have done without a bald-headed Jeff Bridges, but he did play a good corporate warmongering executive. I did not expect much out of this film, but was completely enthralled with how well everything was done. A must see for anyone who enjoys superhero movies.

5. Zack and Miri Make a Porno - Do not let the title fool you. Making a porno is only the cover story. It is the innocent façade on the neighborhood coffee shop. Scratch beneath the surface and you will see the struggles of people simply trying to make ends meet. Please forgive the pun. Along the way, they discover much more than a friendship as happiness has eluded them for all their lives. Some laugh out loud (LOL) scenes make this a screamer. Sorry, for another pun. If nudity and excessive language offend you, do not see this one. However, if it does not, you might just enjoy this diamond in the ruff. Could have made another pun, but didn't.

Worst

1. Speed Racer - If I had dropped a tab 30 minutes prior to this screening, I probably would have really enjoyed watching all the pretty colors. However, that is not legal anymore. Therefore, two margaritas had to do. Unfortunately, the margaritas lacked the enormous power needed to lift this film out of its Technicolor vomit. It was like they ate twelve boxes of 128 crayons and then barfed on the film. Speed Racer is hyper kinetically flawed, boring, and painful to watch. The only positive was the performance of the kid and the monkey. Speed Racer would be better served as a warning to future film makers.

2. Witless Protection - With this movie, you get what is expected of a Larry the fill-in-the-blank Guy movie...nothing more, nothing less. For what it was worth, Witless Protection was enjoyable. Unfortunately, it wasn't worth much.

3. Max Payne - The title alone suggests how the film will affect your brain after sitting through this merciless onslaught of violence and mayhem. So, the pain in my head was maxed out so to speak. I felt intellectually dirty after watching this piece of cinematic trash.

4. The X-Files: I Want to Believe - What, no aliens!!! What the heck were they thinking!!! Let's throw a pizza party and only serve sushi. It was like going to the beach only to sit in the shade. Why bother!!! What a letdown!!! Sorry for the excessive !!!s, but this one deserves them...all of them!!!

5. Wanted - I wanted it to be good. I wanted to enjoy myself. I wanted to feel good about spending hard earned money on this film. But, in the end, all I wanted to do was leave with my head shaking in agonizing disappointment. At least, I got that.