I'm not calling this my "best of 2008" list, since I don't consider myself nearly cinematically well-versed enough to declare these the *best* movies of the year. (Except for #1, which clearly is.) But here, in no particular order, are some movies that moved me in 2008.
1. Milk. No surprises there. Artistically, technically and politically the best movie I have seen in ages. I've already raved quite a bit about this film, so I'll leave it at that. It's enough validation for me to know that Roger Ebert and A.O. Scott agree.
2. Man on Wire. Suspenseful, funny, and ultimately transcendent, this engaging documentary about a small group of people who put an incredible amount of energy into doing something extremely risky simply for the sake of art is a gem. I'm working on a longer post about this film, so I'll save the rest for later.
3. Standard Operating Procedure. Errol Morris can interview like no one else. This absorbing documentary about the Abu Ghraib torture scandal looks "beyond the frame" of some of what are now among the most iconic images of the Iraq war. The film is a compelling look at how ordinary people become capable of doing dehumanizing, violent things to other people, but it doesn't villify its subjects. Indeed, you end up feeling a bit sorry for Lynddie England and the other American soliders--all low-ranking--who faced charges for Abu Ghraib when the brass who gave the orders, explicitly or implicity, to "soften up" prisoners got off the hook. The film also provides a rare, insightful glimpse into the murky military soup of regular soldiers, private "security contractors" and intelligence agencies running around Iraq today. A must-watch for any antiwar activist.
4. The Dark Knight. In my opinion, proof that a "big" franchise movie can still be intelligent, brilliantly acted, philosophically engaging and genuinely disturbing. Okay, I know it was about half an hour too long. (That whole bit in Hong Kong was entirely unncessary, if you ask me.) But stuffing two incredible performances--Aaron Eckhart would have been the standout in any movie that didn't also include Heath Ledger's virtuoso last work--into one movie that also requires flipping over an 18-wheeler takes time.
5. Wall-e. Critics have been naming this the best movie of 2008. I think there were better films (see #1, above). But I have no doubt that this film will be studied for years to come--not just by critics and filmmakers, but by linguists, graphic designers and sociologists. Wall-e is a triumph of non-verbal storytelling, of anthropomorphization (is that a word?) and certainly of the lush, incredibly detailed Pixar animation style.
6. Che. Part 1 is a brilliant, perceptive portrait of the Cuban Revolution and an all-around excellent movie. Part 2 is less successful, and actually drags a bit at times, but at least partially makes up for it with three or four shots that are absolutely devastating. Again, I'm working on a longer post about this film, so I'll just say that Che, while far from perfect, deserves high priase for genuinely seeking to understand a controversial historical figure without either lionizing or demonizing him.
And finally, here are four films I've been dying to see, but haven't been able to yet. I have a hunch most of these would have made it on the list above, so I'm mentioning them here. Call these "movies I can't wait to see in 2009."
1. Waltz with Bashir. All you have to say is "animated autobiographical Israeli film about the 1982 invasion of Lebanon" and you've got my attention. But after finally seeing the absolutely mind-blowing trailer, and hearing Karen Wang of Scarlett Cinema call it a "masterpiece," it is now firmly on top of my viewing list.
2. Frozen River. Two single moms confront grinding rural poverty by smuggling undocumented immigrants across the US-Canadian border. Written and directed by newcomer Courtney Hunt, this film seems from all reviews to be one of those rare films that draws suspense not from plot contrivances, but from the utterly believable, utterly desperate circumstances in which the characters find themselves.
3. Let the Right One In. In a year full of vampires, this Swedish vampire tale, of sorts, proves there's more to be sucked from the vampire myth than Robert Pattinson's gravity-defying hairstyle.
4. XXY. Again, I thank Roger Ebert for the tip-off about this well-reviewed Argentine film about an intersex teenager growing up on a remote island. Is the protagonist Alex male or female, straight or gay; both; neither? Does it matter? This film seems to wrap these questions, which may or may not get answered, in a delicate coming-of-age tale that explores many things without feeling the need to shout its message too loudly.
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