Now, easily, my Best 2008 Comedy pick goes to “Tropic Thunder.”

Robert Downey; Jr. was totally awesome and Tom Cruise was a complete gut busting surprise!!!

Honorable pick for me, no one had seemed to mention, would have to be, “Ghost Town.” Why? Well, Ricky Gervais has the the great skill at being annoyed without even trying. Reminds me of how Woody Allen was skilled at being frantic. It just comes natural to them. Gervais should be recognized for that and hopefully he will have more films out. Again, “Ghost Town” wasn’t the Best Comedy, but should definitely be on the Best Comedies list for this year.

Oh, and I forgot to mention… John, what is your fixation on the movie, “Wanted?” It did have some cool effects and decent plot, but really the only reason most of us went out to see it was because of Angelina Jolie. With all of the other great movies out this year, “Wanted” should have been left off your Best Of list.

And ‘Let the right One In’ was not on your list at all. A is a superb film. My pick for the best film of the year. I was impresssed on many levels.

And I never thought that would happen.

The Lovely Bones
Avatar
Inglorious Basterds
Friday The 13th
Che
Bruno
Star Trek
Transformers 2
Funny People
Drag Me To Hell

1. Let The Right One In.
I have been championing this film since I saw it back in august. A beautiful film that avoids pretty much every vampire cliche. It doesn’t go on with unnecessary exposition or filling us in with the “rules” of being a vampire. Its a simple coming of age story in which one of the characters happens to be a vampire. It’s the best film of the year. By a mile. Nothing came close until I saw…..

2. The Wrestler
Loved it. It’s the type of film I am always predisposed to like and it did not disappoint. Rourkes performance is great but thats hardly a surprise. His problem was never his acting – he was always a great actor. His problem was that he was a shithead. But the film is a beutiful character piece with true heart and true soul. I shudder to think how bad it would have been if Nic Cage had played the part as originally intended.

3. The Dark Knight
Blah blah blah blah. Seriously what more needs to be said. It has been talked to death but the joker is my favorite character of all time out of any mediium and ledger was great. It does transcends its genre.

4. Kung Fu Panda
Best animated film of the year for me. The action set pieces were the best of the year. The prison escape, the bridge fight, the dumpling training – Just amazing fight scenes and while the story is hardly original its told very well.

5. Eden Lake.
British horror film. Very nasty. Short and sharp with a gut punch ending. No supernatural nonsense just a series of avoidable events getting way way out of hand. Highly recommended.

6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Fincher does it again. He is one of the best directors working today and it would take 50 panic rooms in a row before I would give up on him. (panic room is not that bad but its by far his worst film). Pitt is great. Blanchett and swinton are as well.

7. Man on Wire
When I first heard the premise I thought “how boring” but it turned out to be the best thriller of the year. Must see doco. Amazing story told incredibly well

8. The Happening
The best comedy of the year by far. Nothing made me laugh as much as this film did. I am convinced it was all intentional. A massive prank played on the studio as it is just jaw droppingly terrible but absolutely entertaining from beginning to end. I have seen it three times and I swear to god it gets funnier and funnier. Wahlbergs scene where he admits an “indiscretion” to his wife should get him an oscar. He must be so glad peter jackson cast him in lovely bones before this came out.

9. Milk
I was surprised how standard a biopic this was considering the director but its a good film. Penn is great as usual and this is a very timely film with whats happening with the stupid prop 8 situation. Not a patch on the old doco the times of harvey milk though. If you enjoyed milk seek out this doc today.

10. Slumdog Millionaire
Boyles best film to date.Shallow Grave and Trainspotting are so good that it would be tough for anyone to follow them up and stay at that quality But even without the shadow of those two great great films hanging over him life less ordinary and the beach would still be stinkers. I like sunshine a lot (until attack of the blurry man begins at the end) and 28 days later is a good little horror film.

But slumdog millionaire is something else all together. Its wonderful.
I can see why it has become the oscar dark horse and if it was to win I would not be upset.

honorable mentions:
Foot Fist Way – Hilarious
I think we’re alone now – doc about two people obsessed with 80’s pop star tiffany. Hilarious yet incredibly sad.
Bigger, Stronger, Faster – Great doco.
Iron Man
In Bruges
Doubt
Rachel Getting Married
american teen – mock me all you want but i liked it.

Biggest disappointment
frost/nixon

WORST FILM OF THE YEAR
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
they did something I thought was impossible. They made indy uncool. the whole film was so uncool. totally unhip and awful beyond imagination. People who like this and say it fits in well with the original seriously need to go and watch the originals again. It in no way sits with them at all. Its embarrassing from beginning to jaw dropping “no they fucking didn’t” stupid end. For me the series ends with them riding into the sunset at the end of crusade (which was marginal itself)

runner up worst film
WANTED.
I WANTED to walk out.

and even though it is not officially out yet I have seen the spirit is every bit as bad as you are imagining.