2008 was a pretty cool year for movies. There never really was one film I really looked forward to seeing and yet was pretty amazed by a lot of under the radar films. Of course, there was Heath Ledger's death and the hype of Titanic proportions surrounding Christopher Nolan's latest sequel. I was waiting to try to get a few more movie viewings in before posting my list. I was very disappointed by Benjamin Button but admit it was pretty cool. I still need to see several very big movies including: Doubt, Revolutionary Road, Frost/Nixon, JCVD, Burn After Reading, and Man on Wire. But here are my 10 favorite films of 2008:
1. The Wrestler - Darren Aronofsky has quickly matured into one of the best directors making films today. His first two films were very powerful, but he stuck out as a gimmicky director with some tricks up his sleeve. With the Fountain, he showed he could make a very artsy, abstract film that relied heavily on beautiful in-camera effects, yet had a very compelling love story. Now, with the Wrestler, Aronofsky has stepped up his game and finally made his first generally accessible film that focuses on the essentials in a compelling story with amazing characters. Mickey Rourke gives an incredibly heart wrenching performance as a washed up professional wrestler who has kept a large fanbase within the confines of the underground wrestling circuit. His body is breaking down and he knows nothing else other than wrestling. The film shows that while professional wrestling is staged, it is far from fake. Every body slam, flip over the ropes and chair to the back all take their toll on the bodies of those involved in the ring. Aronofsky took the script and realized that Mickey Rourke could carry the entirety of the film on his own. Rourke rarely, if ever leaves frame and there is not a scene he is not in. I do not normally like long movies, and this is far from long as it clocks in under two hours, however, at the end of the film I was left wanting to see more from Rourke, as his character Randy the Ram was so likeable.
2. Slumdog Millionaire - The storytelling technique used in SM was extremely creative and captivated my attention from the start. I loved the characters, was entertained by the soundtrack and amused by the end credits. Danny Boyle might possibly be the best director alive today. I love his boldness to try a different genre every time he makes a film.
3. Son of Rambow - A great coming of age story about two unlikely friends and the importance of friendship and family. Funny and sweet.
4. Pineapple Express - It's a film about friendship. It just happens to be hidden underneath a bunch of weed dealers and involve parody like action. It's exciting, hilarous and fun as hell.
5. Dark Knight - It's been said a million times already.
6. Wall-E - PIxar made leaps and bounds with this film and their animation never ceases to amaze me.
7. Wendy and Lucy - An amazing character study about a girl in search of who she is and where she belongs in this world. A lot of people say our generation has their midlife crisis in their 20's and as a single guy at 25, I find the character of Wendy completely relatable as she attempts to travel the country with her best friend and dog Lucy.
8. Cloverfield - Revives the monster movie genre with a new twist. If you can stomach the shaky cam style, then you are in for a treat. Abrams does a good job of hiding the monster almost entirely with only a few quick glances at its complete frame (much like Alien). And one of the scariest scenes of the year takes place in the underground of NYC.
9. Be Kind Rewind - Michel Gondry takes his creative visual style of directing and creates his first film I completely enjoyed. He does not rely only on his unique visual skills and instead matures into telling a great story. The film is great at showing the closeness of a small knit community and you cannot help but feel inspired by the childlike love that average joes have for movies. Most people do not work in the entertainment industry or even have an inkling of how movie making works. People do not go to the movies to critique films or write reviews. Most people go to the movies to get lost in the story and escape into a different world and come out feeling something, if only for a moment. This film captures that emotion and while it might not be the most realistic movie, it could definitely be the most inspiring film of the year.
10. Milk - Sean Penn is amazing in the historical biopic about the first big gay rights activist, Harvey Milk. This is a film that does a great job of showing a piece of history that most people probably have no idea happened. The film is an amazing display of what one man did for homosexuals and their rights in a similar way to how other people did for the black community. It's a very personal and human showing of a true hero to a lot of people.
Almost making the list and the award for the one great documentary I decided to watch this year:
American Teen - It makes me wonder how much of the film was produced and set up. It is an amazing documentary that really hits home to anyone who has gone to high school, especially since I am from Indiana.
Award for Most Bad Ass film character from 2008:
Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino. The film took a long time for me to get into it. But I loved the character and the ending was very good. The film relied too heavily on stereotypes and cliches and a lot of the acting was horrendous but eastwood was able to carry the film on his own.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
The Best of TV in 2008
2008 was an interesting year in television. We saw even more stupid reality, trash TV shows. We witnessed history in political news. SNL and Mad TV were at the best they've been in a long time. And the biggest news in TV had to have been the writer's strike which screwed up the end of almost every season early in the year. Because of the strike, a lot of shows ended with shaky, if any conclusions. Scrubs ended terribly, but then got picked up by ABC in a surprising renewal. Two of my favorite shows did not return in 2008, which was unfortunate. Big Love being one, which picks back up in January and Curb Your Enthusiasm took a break and only recently began filming for a new season. The new Golden Age of television came to an end with some disappointing shows. However, there were some true bright spots in the clouds. AMC established itself among the critics as a superior network of quality shows with the amazing Mad Men and the brave Breaking Bad, which if it weren't for the writer's strike probably would have made my list of top shows. This is my first year doing a year end best of list for TV. But it makes sense because I am a TV junkie. I try to give every new show a chance. I love to be entertained and Television might be my favorite medium to do so. I also must admit that I have not yet delved into The Wire, The Shield or Battlestar Galactica, which is kind of embarrassing considering those three shows are usually flooded among year end lists...
10. The Soup - The hilarious Joel McHale is the only reason, other than the fact they they pay my bills, I can stand reality television.
9. The Office - Still nowhere on the level of Ricky Gervais' original British comedy, The Office has given life and new likeable qualities to formerly hateable characters such as Andy and Michael Scott (played by one trick pony Steve Carell...although I can't quite figure out what his trick actually is).
8. Heroes - While season 2 of Heroes was riddled with horrible new characters, cheesy romances and cut short by the writer's strike, it bounced back with Volume 3 entitled "Villians". Heroes has done what no other show has ever done before. They have created an entire empire of entertainment. Heroes by no means stops at the end of the 44 minute monday night showing. Heroes has created a slew of comic books and online media. The show has taken on the form of a live action comic book. The characters and plots are so close to the world of comics that it could easily be used in a Comic Writing 101 course. The show does an amazing job of juggling dozens of characters who are all just as important to the overall story as the next. Everyone has equal significance and without warning, any characters mission or purpose will combine or be disrupted with another character. Whether it be greed, pride or just longing to do what a hero is supposed to do, save the world, Heroes has done an amazing job of creating its own world in which everyone can get lost in. Maybe this is my way of masking what is really going on with the show. Perhaps the show has lost sight of its original plot points and storylines. Maybe the shows writers are lazy and just decide to do whatever they want every week, but I would like to think they have just decided to treat it as though they were writing a comic book about super heroes, in which you are allowed certain liberties. If you like Heroes and don't read comics, you have probably been disillusioned by society into thinking it's not a true form of art, or not as intelligent as "real novels."
7. Friday Night Lights - FNL had a bounce back year in season 3. Unfortunately, FNL has never really found a solid audience. Bad slot times and the constant shuffling to find its right place in NBC's lineup nearly got the show cancelled 2 years in a row. Luckily Direct TV was ready to take a chance with their new exclusive channel and rolled the dice with its first project Friday Night Lights. They put up the money for a third season in order to have exclusive first run several months before NBC. In season 2, the writers tried too hard to make FNL something it wasn't. I think they took cue from shows like the OC and 90210 (is there a difference?) in adding subplots involving hiding a murder, fleeing to Mexico to get illegal surgery, and stealing money from a violent meth head. Luckily, the writers saw the errors of their ways and got back to basics in season 3. With emphasis placed back on the relationships of its main characters, Friday Night Lights is back on track. A great new conflict was created when a new star Freshman quarterback moved into Dillon just to be coached by the great Coach Taylor. What great timing it was that Coach's daughter became interested in Saracen again right when it seemed as though his quarterbacking future might be coming to a halt. Not only does Coach Taylor have to deal with Buddy Garrety's hilarious harassment, but now Taylor's wife Tami, as the new Principal, has Buddy breathing down her neck, which creates some hilarious moments involving absurd requests for the football program. Buddy is such a great character, because he is a loving father that was cursed with two daughters and no son to live vicariously through in the way of sports. Tyra still rides on the fence between trailer trash and a promising future in school and Riggins is still an apathetic badass with no future in sight. What really set this season apart for me, was the added likability factor to Smash Williams character. This show is great in creating relatable qualities in each and every one of its characters and who can't love the warm hearts and good intentions of the Taylor family? FNL is back to being a good high school drama. Will it be good enough though, to pick up viewers and be renewed for another season? Perhaps if they would just write off the terrible Jason Street and all of the stupid subplots he becomes involved in, the show will stand a chance.
6. Dexter - In its 3rd season, the writers of Dexter had the opportunity to take the show in just about any direction. Instead of doing much of anything new, they basically let the show slip into the same formula they've used for the past 2 seasons. I was hoping for some new risks, but instead got the same great television and same great character from seasons 1 and 2. However, now the supporting cast and subplots come off as hokey. One of the reasons Dexter was such a gripping show in season 1 was the element of surprise and the newness of it. Dexter Morgan immediately became one of the greatest characters ever written for Television. It still remains a good show. However, the novelty has worn off and the failure to keep us guessing made for an average season full of little suspense and much predictability. And all of the loose ends were tied up so fast, it almost seemed as though the writers forgot the show was on a 12 episode season until episode 11. The only reason this show takes spots over FNL and Heroes is the love and excitement the creators put in me when the show first aired 2 years ago. I still hold onto that feeling like a child who desparately wants to believe there is a santa claus but knows in the back of his mind the true culprits behind the fat suit and rosy cheeks. I look forward to keep watching this show with each new season, but now I will wait with reluctance of the feeling it gave me in season 1.
5. Superjail - On first viewing, most people would be disgusted and find little to no value in the ridiculous humor of the new Adult Swim show. Most cartoons with such shock value or over the top humor leave me bored after only a few episodes (ie. Frisky DIngo or even Aqua Teen Hunger Force). However, every time I watch or rewatch an episode of Superjail, I find new and creative things. The deaths alone are very inventive. But what is really fun to watch, are the transitions and "camera movements" from shot to shot. Not to mention the hilarious characters (such as the twins and of course the effeminate, greedy Warden), the witty dialogue and the ingenious plots (such as the Time Police). I found Superjail to be very refreshing, even if it was probably created by a bunch of dudes tripping on acid one day.
4. The Life and Times of Tim - HBO found a great new cartoon in Tim. The animation is simple and add to the charm of the show, making it different from any "cartoon" on television. The humor is dry and the situations that Tim finds himself in are predictable. However, the dialogue is some of the funniest stuff I've heard in a while. The short length make it easy to watch and keep things new and fresh every week, even if Tim ultimately gets into the same type of situation every episode. This show is a very laugh out loud affair and it became one of my most anticipated shows every weekend.
3. Mad Men - I might venture to say that this is the best writing on television today. I can understand how a lot of people would not be that into Mad Men, with its slow pace and focus on character development and the culture of the times. Where Lost juggles hundreds of intersecting things at once, Mad Men simply lets life play out. Every week I tune in just to see what Don Draper is going to say next. Who he's going to sleep with, who he is going to demean, who he is going to backhandedly insult with such ease and smoothness. Draper has a loving family and a successful job, but is so full of problems, he never seems to be happy. And yet, every girl seems to be attracted to him and many men seem to want to be in his position or gain his praise, which he rarely gives. The production design and casting are perfect in giving us a look into what life in New York in the 1960's must have been like, a drunken macho world. Mad Men might not be the most exciting show on television, but it seems to be the most sincere and realistic period piece ever made into episodic form.
2. Lost - Season 4 of Lost was crippled a bit by the Writer's Strike, but luckily the strike came late in the game. The show still left hundreds of questions unanswered, while introducing a whole slew of new uncertainties and mind fucks. However, Lost has continued to be a ground breaking show every season. No other show has ever continued such elaborate story lines and multiple characters of such eclectic differences over such a long run. Season 4 brought to the show several heart wrenching scenes and episodes that no doubt brought tears to millions of viewers eyes (read: Penny/Desmond Storyline). Not an easy feat to do in the world of Television drama. The time that millions of people have invested in Lost and its great characters is insurmountable. While the show now has only 2 seasons left, I find it comforting to know that we will all soon know answers to such huge questions that have been racking my brain for the past several years. We will also find out answers to questions that I have completely forgot I once had about the show. It is amazing that there is never a moment of predictability and each episode seems to surprise viewers every week while advancing the story further and further every hour. Some people have complained about the so called lack of focus the show has and that they are just stringing everyone along with no end in sight. I like to believe the creators and writers have had everything planned out from the beginning and I implore you to find a show as entertaining and thought provoking as this one. When the show finally comes to a close, I can only imagine the bittersweet feeling of knowing the answers to so many questions that have been eating away at my brain, only to realize that there will never be a new episode of what might possibly be considered the most groundbreaking series in television storytelling history. And I cannot imagine a show that creates so many emotions and feelings and thought to present itself to America through our televisions again. Thank God we have 2 more years of this show.
1. True Blood - While True Blood is chock full of cliches, cheese and full blown caricatures, it is by far the most entertaining show of the year. The characters and dialogue send the viewers on a wild ride full of blood, shocks and plenty of laughs. The situations that arise in such a greatly created small town range anywhere from sexy to funny to dark and scary. None of the romances or relationships ever really seem to connect or work with the same chemistry that seasoned veteran filmmakers are able to create. However, the writers are not afraid to take risks and make major changes to the people and the plot every week. I become really frustrated with shows such as Entourage, where nothing big ever changes. They tease you with conflict for an episode or two, but every time, it gets resolved nice and neatly and no one gets their hands dirty. True Blood is not that kind of show. They are not afraid to kill anyone at any moment. No one in True Blood is safe from drugs, imprisonment, vampires or ultimately death. This is by far the most creative and unique take on Vampires and their blood I have ever watched. The mystery and intrigue they create whenever Vampire Bill Compton is on screen is marvelous. The music and suspense is laid on thick, creating a romanticism and mysterious nature I have not seen applied to past vampiric entertainment. This was the most fun I had watching TV this year.
In the coming weeks I will be posting my year end best of lists in both Film and Music.
10. The Soup - The hilarious Joel McHale is the only reason, other than the fact they they pay my bills, I can stand reality television.
9. The Office - Still nowhere on the level of Ricky Gervais' original British comedy, The Office has given life and new likeable qualities to formerly hateable characters such as Andy and Michael Scott (played by one trick pony Steve Carell...although I can't quite figure out what his trick actually is).
8. Heroes - While season 2 of Heroes was riddled with horrible new characters, cheesy romances and cut short by the writer's strike, it bounced back with Volume 3 entitled "Villians". Heroes has done what no other show has ever done before. They have created an entire empire of entertainment. Heroes by no means stops at the end of the 44 minute monday night showing. Heroes has created a slew of comic books and online media. The show has taken on the form of a live action comic book. The characters and plots are so close to the world of comics that it could easily be used in a Comic Writing 101 course. The show does an amazing job of juggling dozens of characters who are all just as important to the overall story as the next. Everyone has equal significance and without warning, any characters mission or purpose will combine or be disrupted with another character. Whether it be greed, pride or just longing to do what a hero is supposed to do, save the world, Heroes has done an amazing job of creating its own world in which everyone can get lost in. Maybe this is my way of masking what is really going on with the show. Perhaps the show has lost sight of its original plot points and storylines. Maybe the shows writers are lazy and just decide to do whatever they want every week, but I would like to think they have just decided to treat it as though they were writing a comic book about super heroes, in which you are allowed certain liberties. If you like Heroes and don't read comics, you have probably been disillusioned by society into thinking it's not a true form of art, or not as intelligent as "real novels."
7. Friday Night Lights - FNL had a bounce back year in season 3. Unfortunately, FNL has never really found a solid audience. Bad slot times and the constant shuffling to find its right place in NBC's lineup nearly got the show cancelled 2 years in a row. Luckily Direct TV was ready to take a chance with their new exclusive channel and rolled the dice with its first project Friday Night Lights. They put up the money for a third season in order to have exclusive first run several months before NBC. In season 2, the writers tried too hard to make FNL something it wasn't. I think they took cue from shows like the OC and 90210 (is there a difference?) in adding subplots involving hiding a murder, fleeing to Mexico to get illegal surgery, and stealing money from a violent meth head. Luckily, the writers saw the errors of their ways and got back to basics in season 3. With emphasis placed back on the relationships of its main characters, Friday Night Lights is back on track. A great new conflict was created when a new star Freshman quarterback moved into Dillon just to be coached by the great Coach Taylor. What great timing it was that Coach's daughter became interested in Saracen again right when it seemed as though his quarterbacking future might be coming to a halt. Not only does Coach Taylor have to deal with Buddy Garrety's hilarious harassment, but now Taylor's wife Tami, as the new Principal, has Buddy breathing down her neck, which creates some hilarious moments involving absurd requests for the football program. Buddy is such a great character, because he is a loving father that was cursed with two daughters and no son to live vicariously through in the way of sports. Tyra still rides on the fence between trailer trash and a promising future in school and Riggins is still an apathetic badass with no future in sight. What really set this season apart for me, was the added likability factor to Smash Williams character. This show is great in creating relatable qualities in each and every one of its characters and who can't love the warm hearts and good intentions of the Taylor family? FNL is back to being a good high school drama. Will it be good enough though, to pick up viewers and be renewed for another season? Perhaps if they would just write off the terrible Jason Street and all of the stupid subplots he becomes involved in, the show will stand a chance.
6. Dexter - In its 3rd season, the writers of Dexter had the opportunity to take the show in just about any direction. Instead of doing much of anything new, they basically let the show slip into the same formula they've used for the past 2 seasons. I was hoping for some new risks, but instead got the same great television and same great character from seasons 1 and 2. However, now the supporting cast and subplots come off as hokey. One of the reasons Dexter was such a gripping show in season 1 was the element of surprise and the newness of it. Dexter Morgan immediately became one of the greatest characters ever written for Television. It still remains a good show. However, the novelty has worn off and the failure to keep us guessing made for an average season full of little suspense and much predictability. And all of the loose ends were tied up so fast, it almost seemed as though the writers forgot the show was on a 12 episode season until episode 11. The only reason this show takes spots over FNL and Heroes is the love and excitement the creators put in me when the show first aired 2 years ago. I still hold onto that feeling like a child who desparately wants to believe there is a santa claus but knows in the back of his mind the true culprits behind the fat suit and rosy cheeks. I look forward to keep watching this show with each new season, but now I will wait with reluctance of the feeling it gave me in season 1.
5. Superjail - On first viewing, most people would be disgusted and find little to no value in the ridiculous humor of the new Adult Swim show. Most cartoons with such shock value or over the top humor leave me bored after only a few episodes (ie. Frisky DIngo or even Aqua Teen Hunger Force). However, every time I watch or rewatch an episode of Superjail, I find new and creative things. The deaths alone are very inventive. But what is really fun to watch, are the transitions and "camera movements" from shot to shot. Not to mention the hilarious characters (such as the twins and of course the effeminate, greedy Warden), the witty dialogue and the ingenious plots (such as the Time Police). I found Superjail to be very refreshing, even if it was probably created by a bunch of dudes tripping on acid one day.
4. The Life and Times of Tim - HBO found a great new cartoon in Tim. The animation is simple and add to the charm of the show, making it different from any "cartoon" on television. The humor is dry and the situations that Tim finds himself in are predictable. However, the dialogue is some of the funniest stuff I've heard in a while. The short length make it easy to watch and keep things new and fresh every week, even if Tim ultimately gets into the same type of situation every episode. This show is a very laugh out loud affair and it became one of my most anticipated shows every weekend.
3. Mad Men - I might venture to say that this is the best writing on television today. I can understand how a lot of people would not be that into Mad Men, with its slow pace and focus on character development and the culture of the times. Where Lost juggles hundreds of intersecting things at once, Mad Men simply lets life play out. Every week I tune in just to see what Don Draper is going to say next. Who he's going to sleep with, who he is going to demean, who he is going to backhandedly insult with such ease and smoothness. Draper has a loving family and a successful job, but is so full of problems, he never seems to be happy. And yet, every girl seems to be attracted to him and many men seem to want to be in his position or gain his praise, which he rarely gives. The production design and casting are perfect in giving us a look into what life in New York in the 1960's must have been like, a drunken macho world. Mad Men might not be the most exciting show on television, but it seems to be the most sincere and realistic period piece ever made into episodic form.
2. Lost - Season 4 of Lost was crippled a bit by the Writer's Strike, but luckily the strike came late in the game. The show still left hundreds of questions unanswered, while introducing a whole slew of new uncertainties and mind fucks. However, Lost has continued to be a ground breaking show every season. No other show has ever continued such elaborate story lines and multiple characters of such eclectic differences over such a long run. Season 4 brought to the show several heart wrenching scenes and episodes that no doubt brought tears to millions of viewers eyes (read: Penny/Desmond Storyline). Not an easy feat to do in the world of Television drama. The time that millions of people have invested in Lost and its great characters is insurmountable. While the show now has only 2 seasons left, I find it comforting to know that we will all soon know answers to such huge questions that have been racking my brain for the past several years. We will also find out answers to questions that I have completely forgot I once had about the show. It is amazing that there is never a moment of predictability and each episode seems to surprise viewers every week while advancing the story further and further every hour. Some people have complained about the so called lack of focus the show has and that they are just stringing everyone along with no end in sight. I like to believe the creators and writers have had everything planned out from the beginning and I implore you to find a show as entertaining and thought provoking as this one. When the show finally comes to a close, I can only imagine the bittersweet feeling of knowing the answers to so many questions that have been eating away at my brain, only to realize that there will never be a new episode of what might possibly be considered the most groundbreaking series in television storytelling history. And I cannot imagine a show that creates so many emotions and feelings and thought to present itself to America through our televisions again. Thank God we have 2 more years of this show.
1. True Blood - While True Blood is chock full of cliches, cheese and full blown caricatures, it is by far the most entertaining show of the year. The characters and dialogue send the viewers on a wild ride full of blood, shocks and plenty of laughs. The situations that arise in such a greatly created small town range anywhere from sexy to funny to dark and scary. None of the romances or relationships ever really seem to connect or work with the same chemistry that seasoned veteran filmmakers are able to create. However, the writers are not afraid to take risks and make major changes to the people and the plot every week. I become really frustrated with shows such as Entourage, where nothing big ever changes. They tease you with conflict for an episode or two, but every time, it gets resolved nice and neatly and no one gets their hands dirty. True Blood is not that kind of show. They are not afraid to kill anyone at any moment. No one in True Blood is safe from drugs, imprisonment, vampires or ultimately death. This is by far the most creative and unique take on Vampires and their blood I have ever watched. The mystery and intrigue they create whenever Vampire Bill Compton is on screen is marvelous. The music and suspense is laid on thick, creating a romanticism and mysterious nature I have not seen applied to past vampiric entertainment. This was the most fun I had watching TV this year.
In the coming weeks I will be posting my year end best of lists in both Film and Music.
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