zesty_pinto's Top 10 movie list for 2008

Yes, yes, you're going to see these everywhere, but some people I know were bugging me on this, so I figured I might as well make a list. Granted, I’ve seen a lot of films, but I haven’t seen all the stuff out there, including a few I wanted to (Synecdoche: New York, The Wackness, the list goes on and on). Here’s a top 10.

10. Transiberrian
Scenery. If there’s one thing this film has that makes it superior in my opinion, it’s the gorgeous scenery that gives you the vibe that you are in a foreign land: from the babushkas in a beat-down Cold War bus, to a crowded train loaded with the mingling of young Asian businessmen and wrinkled old men with Russian accents. Emily Mortimer’s held-in secrets, like a Tell-Tale Heart waiting to burst, shows off magnificently when combined with the push-pull of Ben Kingsley, the flirtatious wiles of Eduardo Noriega, and the unrequitable acceptance of Woody Harrelson. If there’s anything that I do feel annoyed about this film, it’s that Emily’s character had some really expensive lenses that I would have killed for (aren’t I petty?).

9. Kabluey!
The entire mood of the film seems to reek intentionally of the word “fail” (not the film itself, just the mood) and what one can find so pathetic from the characters in this film just made me laugh that much harder because of it. Most noteworthy is Lisa Kudrow, who plays a justifiably bitter single mother whose husband (and protagonist Salman’s bigger and better brother) is still in Iraq. More noteworthy scenes include the many attempts by Lisa's kids to kill Salman, which include pouring Ajax cleaner into his mouth as he sleeps.

8. Tropic Thunder
Tropic Thunder is this generation’s Ghostbusters and no one can make me retract saying that. Aside from having a cast totally composed of some great characters (including the surprisingly excellent cameo of Tom Cruise), what continues to keep me believing this is the sheer number of great one-liners this film is full of. I can not emphasize this enough. Remember, going full retard is just dumb!

7. Doubt
Yes, yes, we had to see this at least once in a top 10 list. How can a film pull off something so seemingly mundane but add such character to a film? With three well-recognized actors in this production combined with strong visuals and a storyline that was already well-received from its days in theater, it should be no surprise that I would consider this film. One thing I do think specifically about this film: if any awards deserve to be given out, it should first go to Viola Davis for a heart-rendering Mrs. Miller who takes you and holds you with her pleas between Sister Beauvier’s wheedling for the truth.

6. The Promotion
Although John C. Reilly convinced me he was a good actor when he pulled off the clueless Dr. Steve Brule and people kept praising to me about Walk Hard, he showed me he was great when I saw him play the most unlikely character I ever imagined: the quiet, unsure anti-antagonist, Richard Wehlner. The Promotion succeeds for being hilarious for hitting all the reality of working as an assistant manager in retail, and made me realize that Sean William Scott isn’t just a douchebag from the American ___ series, but someone who can really show himself off for versatility. I still think it’s the most realistic film I’ve seen this year, even more than the “based on actual events” they put up on cinema.

5. And When Did you Last See Your Father?
Although it was close to going there, I didn’t cry seeing this movie, but I did feel the incredible pull this movie brings as you see the lovable flirtatious scamp of a dad wither away slowly in his final days just brought me to reflect on myself. It is powerful in how it reminds you of what it means to lose someone you love, to understand what you regret and what you can’t answer. No, I did not cry, but I always felt my eyes getting moist through half of the film as wonderful nostalgia filled me.

4. The Wrestler
It’s recent, yes, but it’s also incredible. For the 90 minutes to 2 hours I was in the theater, I became a wrestlemaniac fanwanking to Rourke’s failing days as a wrestling great. Out of all the movies I’ve seen this year, I was even driven to man tears for the first time when the subject went to his estranged lesbian daughter and the way he describes how he wants to change for her. I can not recommend this film enough.

3. The Dark Knight
Although it was not a favorite of mine compared to Batman Begins, I can not deny that the acting was solid throughout the board. The quaternity (is that a word?) of Bale/Ledger/Eckhart/Oldman was fantastic! Even minor roles were played to perfection with hardline veterans like Caine and Freeman working backup. This movie deserves recognition, if not for Ledger’s loss, then for the fact that it proved that superhero movies not only can be amazing, but someone actually could make a great one with two villains for the first time.

As a personal note: while I consider Ledger fantastic, I think Eckhart deserves the award most for fleshing out two completely different roles very effectively and really pulling me in.

2. The Fall
Tarsem’s film just appeals to me in all the right ways. The way they portray a child’s imagination to the screen combined with the best visuals I have seen in years just left me awestruck. Lee Pace and Catinca Untaru stole the show and all the time I spent watching it made me remember what a child’s mind brings when it sees the moving picture.

1. WALL-E
You’ll hear this everywhere, and I consider it totally justified. I love a lot of movies, but WALL-E was amazing for being not only a movie that made a strong point in encouraging you to become self-aware, but it was a film that did it while appealing to ALL AUDIENCES. This combined with gorgeous visuals left me speechless at how well done it was. I already knew Pixar was bulletproof to criticism after they made a great movie about cooking starring a rat, but WALL-E shows that they are at the top of their game. I only hope this isn’t the highest point they hit before they fall.

I was tempted to add a few others, but these I consider the star headliners. There are still a lot of great films I would recommend seeing for one reason or another, including:
Repo! The Genetic Opera
RockNRolla
Body of Lies (the film's not that good, but you have to see Mark Strong. He deserves a nomination at least)
Iron Man
What Doesn't Kill You
Son of Rambow
Redbelt

zesty_pinto's Top 10 movie list for 2008

Yes, yes, you're going to see these everywhere, but some people I know were bugging me on this, so I figured I might as well make a list. Granted, I’ve seen a lot of films, but I haven’t seen all the stuff out there, including a few I wanted to (Synecdoche: New York, The Wackness, the list goes on and on). Here’s a top 10.

10. Transiberrian
Scenery. If there’s one thing this film has that makes it superior in my opinion, it’s the gorgeous scenery that gives you the vibe that you are in a foreign land: from the babushkas in a beat-down Cold War bus, to a crowded train loaded with the mingling of young Asian businessmen and wrinkled old men with Russian accents. Emily Mortimer’s held-in secrets, like a Tell-Tale Heart waiting to burst, shows off magnificently when combined with the push-pull of Ben Kingsley, the flirtatious wiles of Eduardo Noriega, and the unrequitable acceptance of Woody Harrelson. If there’s anything that I do feel annoyed about this film, it’s that Emily’s character had some really expensive lenses that I would have killed for (aren’t I petty?).

9. Kabluey!
The entire mood of the film seems to reek intentionally of the word “fail” (not the film itself, just the mood) and what one can find so pathetic from the characters in this film just made me laugh that much harder because of it. Most noteworthy is Lisa Kudrow, who plays a justifiably bitter single mother whose husband (and protagonist Salman’s bigger and better brother) is still in Iraq. More noteworthy scenes include the many attempts by Lisa's kids to kill Salman, which include pouring Ajax cleaner into his mouth as he sleeps.

8. Tropic Thunder
Tropic Thunder is this generation’s Ghostbusters and no one can make me retract saying that. Aside from having a cast totally composed of some great characters (including the surprisingly excellent cameo of Tom Cruise), what continues to keep me believing this is the sheer number of great one-liners this film is full of. I can not emphasize this enough. Remember, going full retard is just dumb!

7. Doubt
Yes, yes, we had to see this at least once in a top 10 list. How can a film pull off something so seemingly mundane but add such character to a film? With three well-recognized actors in this production combined with strong visuals and a storyline that was already well-received from its days in theater, it should be no surprise that I would consider this film. One thing I do think specifically about this film: if any awards deserve to be given out, it should first go to Viola Davis for a heart-rendering Mrs. Miller who takes you and holds you with her pleas between Sister Beauvier’s wheedling for the truth.

6. The Promotion
Although John C. Reilly convinced me he was a good actor when he pulled off the clueless Dr. Steve Brule and people kept praising to me about Walk Hard, he showed me he was great when I saw him play the most unlikely character I ever imagined: the quiet, unsure anti-antagonist, Richard Wehlner. The Promotion succeeds for being hilarious for hitting all the reality of working as an assistant manager in retail, and made me realize that Sean William Scott isn’t just a douchebag from the American ___ series, but someone who can really show himself off for versatility. I still think it’s the most realistic film I’ve seen this year, even more than the “based on actual events” they put up on cinema.

5. And When Did you Last See Your Father?
Although it was close to going there, I didn’t cry seeing this movie, but I did feel the incredible pull this movie brings as you see the lovable flirtatious scamp of a dad wither away slowly in his final days just brought me to reflect on myself. It is powerful in how it reminds you of what it means to lose someone you love, to understand what you regret and what you can’t answer. No, I did not cry, but I always felt my eyes getting moist through half of the film as wonderful nostalgia filled me.

4. The Wrestler
It’s recent, yes, but it’s also incredible. For the 90 minutes to 2 hours I was in the theater, I became a wrestlemaniac fanwanking to Rourke’s failing days as a wrestling great. Out of all the movies I’ve seen this year, I was even driven to man tears for the first time when the subject went to his estranged lesbian daughter and the way he describes how he wants to change for her. I can not recommend this film enough.

3. The Dark Knight
Although it was not a favorite of mine compared to Batman Begins, I can not deny that the acting was solid throughout the board. The quaternity (is that a word?) of Bale/Ledger/Eckhart/Oldman was fantastic! Even minor roles were played to perfection with hardline veterans like Caine and Freeman working backup. This movie deserves recognition, if not for Ledger’s loss, then for the fact that it proved that superhero movies not only can be amazing, but someone actually could make a great one with two villains for the first time.

As a personal note: while I consider Ledger fantastic, I think Eckhart deserves the award most for fleshing out two completely different roles very effectively and really pulling me in.

2. The Fall
Tarsem’s film just appeals to me in all the right ways. The way they portray a child’s imagination to the screen combined with the best visuals I have seen in years just left me awestruck. Lee Pace and Catinca Untaru stole the show and all the time I spent watching it made me remember what a child’s mind brings when it sees the moving picture.

1. WALL-E
You’ll hear this everywhere, and I consider it totally justified. I love a lot of movies, but WALL-E was amazing for being not only a movie that made a strong point in encouraging you to become self-aware, but it was a film that did it while appealing to ALL AUDIENCES. This combined with gorgeous visuals left me speechless at how well done it was. I already knew Pixar was bulletproof to criticism after they made a great movie about cooking starring a rat, but WALL-E shows that they are at the top of their game. I only hope this isn’t the highest point they hit before they fall.

I was tempted to add a few others, but these I consider the star headliners. There are still a lot of great films I would recommend seeing for one reason or another, including:
Repo! The Genetic Opera
RockNRolla
Body of Lies (the film's not that good, but you have to see Mark Strong. He deserves a nomination at least)
Iron Man
What Doesn't Kill You
Son of Rambow
Redbelt

zesty_pinto's Top 10 movie list for 2008

Yes, yes, you're going to see these everywhere, but some people I know were bugging me on this, so I figured I might as well make a list. Granted, I’ve seen a lot of films, but I haven’t seen all the stuff out there, including a few I wanted to (Synecdoche: New York, The Wackness, the list goes on and on). Here’s a top 10.

10. Transiberrian
Scenery. If there’s one thing this film has that makes it superior in my opinion, it’s the gorgeous scenery that gives you the vibe that you are in a foreign land: from the babushkas in a beat-down Cold War bus, to a crowded train loaded with the mingling of young Asian businessmen and wrinkled old men with Russian accents. Emily Mortimer’s held-in secrets, like a Tell-Tale Heart waiting to burst, shows off magnificently when combined with the push-pull of Ben Kingsley, the flirtatious wiles of Eduardo Noriega, and the unrequitable acceptance of Woody Harrelson. If there’s anything that I do feel annoyed about this film, it’s that Emily’s character had some really expensive lenses that I would have killed for (aren’t I petty?).

9. Kabluey!
The entire mood of the film seems to reek intentionally of the word “fail” (not the film itself, just the mood) and what one can find so pathetic from the characters in this film just made me laugh that much harder because of it. Most noteworthy is Lisa Kudrow, who plays a justifiably bitter single mother whose husband (and protagonist Salman’s bigger and better brother) is still in Iraq. More noteworthy scenes include the many attempts by Lisa's kids to kill Salman, which include pouring Ajax cleaner into his mouth as he sleeps.

8. Tropic Thunder
Tropic Thunder is this generation’s Ghostbusters and no one can make me retract saying that. Aside from having a cast totally composed of some great characters (including the surprisingly excellent cameo of Tom Cruise), what continues to keep me believing this is the sheer number of great one-liners this film is full of. I can not emphasize this enough. Remember, going full retard is just dumb!

7. Doubt
Yes, yes, we had to see this at least once in a top 10 list. How can a film pull off something so seemingly mundane but add such character to a film? With three well-recognized actors in this production combined with strong visuals and a storyline that was already well-received from its days in theater, it should be no surprise that I would consider this film. One thing I do think specifically about this film: if any awards deserve to be given out, it should first go to Viola Davis for a heart-rendering Mrs. Miller who takes you and holds you with her pleas between Sister Beauvier’s wheedling for the truth.

6. The Promotion
Although John C. Reilly convinced me he was a good actor when he pulled off the clueless Dr. Steve Brule and people kept praising to me about Walk Hard, he showed me he was great when I saw him play the most unlikely character I ever imagined: the quiet, unsure anti-antagonist, Richard Wehlner. The Promotion succeeds for being hilarious for hitting all the reality of working as an assistant manager in retail, and made me realize that Sean William Scott isn’t just a douchebag from the American ___ series, but someone who can really show himself off for versatility. I still think it’s the most realistic film I’ve seen this year, even more than the “based on actual events” they put up on cinema.

5. And When Did you Last See Your Father?
Although it was close to going there, I didn’t cry seeing this movie, but I did feel the incredible pull this movie brings as you see the lovable flirtatious scamp of a dad wither away slowly in his final days just brought me to reflect on myself. It is powerful in how it reminds you of what it means to lose someone you love, to understand what you regret and what you can’t answer. No, I did not cry, but I always felt my eyes getting moist through half of the film as wonderful nostalgia filled me.

4. The Wrestler
It’s recent, yes, but it’s also incredible. For the 90 minutes to 2 hours I was in the theater, I became a wrestlemaniac fanwanking to Rourke’s failing days as a wrestling great. Out of all the movies I’ve seen this year, I was even driven to man tears for the first time when the subject went to his estranged lesbian daughter and the way he describes how he wants to change for her. I can not recommend this film enough.

3. The Dark Knight
Although it was not a favorite of mine compared to Batman Begins, I can not deny that the acting was solid throughout the board. The quaternity (is that a word?) of Bale/Ledger/Eckhart/Oldman was fantastic! Even minor roles were played to perfection with hardline veterans like Caine and Freeman working backup. This movie deserves recognition, if not for Ledger’s loss, then for the fact that it proved that superhero movies not only can be amazing, but someone actually could make a great one with two villains for the first time.

As a personal note: while I consider Ledger fantastic, I think Eckhart deserves the award most for fleshing out two completely different roles very effectively and really pulling me in.

2. The Fall
Tarsem’s film just appeals to me in all the right ways. The way they portray a child’s imagination to the screen combined with the best visuals I have seen in years just left me awestruck. Lee Pace and Catinca Untaru stole the show and all the time I spent watching it made me remember what a child’s mind brings when it sees the moving picture.

1. WALL-E
You’ll hear this everywhere, and I consider it totally justified. I love a lot of movies, but WALL-E was amazing for being not only a movie that made a strong point in encouraging you to become self-aware, but it was a film that did it while appealing to ALL AUDIENCES. This combined with gorgeous visuals left me speechless at how well done it was. I already knew Pixar was bulletproof to criticism after they made a great movie about cooking starring a rat, but WALL-E shows that they are at the top of their game. I only hope this isn’t the highest point they hit before they fall.

I was tempted to add a few others, but these I consider the star headliners. There are still a lot of great films I would recommend seeing for one reason or another, including:
Repo! The Genetic Opera
RockNRolla
Body of Lies (the film's not that good, but you have to see Mark Strong. He deserves a nomination at least)
Iron Man
What Doesn't Kill You
Son of Rambow
Redbelt