The good, the bad, and the guilty pleasure... (2008 Edition)

This is the time of year when everyone publishes their best of 2008 lists. But I figure that since I missed the unofficial end of year deadline I can break the rule of limiting things to just 10 films. While I'm at it I'm not going to worry too much as to when the film was released - as long as I saw it in a theater in 2008. So without further ado here are some of the best experiences I had in a theater in 2008. All lists are alphabetical and not "best" first. Like every musician ever interviewed I guess I'm just not into "labels."

Spend some time going through this stuff I watched at least 192 movies in 2008 so you didn't have to go it alone. ;-)

Some of the best

• Ballast (USA)*
• Bigger, Stronger, Faster* (USA)
• Boy A (UK)
• Brick Lane (UK)
• Cherry Blossoms - Hanami (Germany)*
• Definitely, Maybe
• Frozen River (US)
• It's Hard to Be Nice (Bosnia)
• Jar City (Iceland)
• Leroy (Germany)*
• Let the Right One In (Sweden)*
• Love and Honor (Japan)
• Mermaid (Russia)
• O'Horten (Norway)*
• Secret of the Grain (France)*
• Sita Sings the Blues (USA)*
• Still Walking (Japan)*
• Strangers (Israel)
• The Band's Visit (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret)*
• The Counterfeiters (Fälscher, Die)*
• The Edge of Heaven (Germany)*
• The Song of Sparrows (Iran)
• The Visitor*
• The Wrestler*
• Trouble the Water (USA)
• Waltz with Bashir (Israel)
• Gran Torino

The above is a pretty fantabulous list of films. I threw an extra (*) on the "top" 13 - but just 'cuz I did it doesn't mean I feel right about it. Every one of them is damn good IMHO. You can find reviews for any of these using the search feature of the blog. But I'm not sure I'd bother for the above - just put 'em on your Netflix list they're all great. The "least favorites" below may make more interesting reading. To give you a sense of each I've included a sentence or two by way of description.

Least favorites

• 21 (USA) - Awesome story, incredibly boring movie. Buy one of the two books on the subject instead. It'll probably cost you less and it's way more interesting.
• Action Boys (South Korea) - Really not that bad - but it was such a letdown because it sounded so good. Documentary about students at a Korean stunt artist school.
  
• Apollo 54 (Italy) - Great concept - but gets old very fast. But I do respect the attempt.
  
• August (USA) - Too stupid for words. 21 only bored me - this got me mad for insulting my intelligence. Even if you know nothing about technology you'll likely get that they'd completely full of BS.
  
• Battle in Seattle (USA) - The opening night film at the Seattle International Film Festival this year. With a name like this it's got to be an opening film for SIFF - but it doesn't have to be good. Too strong an example of tell me vs. show-me film making. But an audience member indicated it clearly showed "the heart of the activist" - so I may have no idea what I'm talking about. Most of the cast drives a Prius - learned that fun fact at the Q&A instead of beating the line to the after party bar. Big mistake.
  
• Control Alt Delete (Canada) - Story about a man fucking a PC - literally. Hitting one with a baseball bat I understand. Copulation, not so much. How you ask? Imagine power tools, circular holes being cut and bubble wrap. Then again, don't. It might sound entertaining enough to see.
  
• Em (USA) - Walked out - could have missed the best part of the film about a depressing as heck mental health challenged relationship. Perhaps a bit too real for my taste- so if that's your idea of entertainment you could look at this one very differently I suppose.
  
• Magnus (Estonia) - Suicidal Estonian pop-star in a film that makes us sit and wait for the inevitable. And then when you think it's over it gets even less fun.
  
• Slingshot (Philippines) - Just did not click for me. If you want a great feel for the slums on Manila it might work. Bet Collector or Blink are more entertaining films in a similar universe.
  
• Sonetuala (Italy) - The longest movie ever made. Or maybe it just seemed that way. Some beautiful shots of the Italian countryside. Covers the better part of a man's life - and feels that way.
  
• The 3 Little Pigs (Canada) - Who says Canadians can't be assholes? Three men acting like pigs in relationship sounds like it could be fun. This one wasn't for me. I've met folks who disagree - so I could have just caught it on a bad day.
  
• X-Files: I Want to Believe - I really wanted to believe - as did the investors I'd expect. But sometimes you've just got to stop when you're only significantly behind. Not a huge surprise it wasn't good - but if you're going to make a movie of a show with a solid fan base please, please, please resist the urge to ensure "anyone" can see it and appreciate it. Unless it's Batman everyone's going to be disappointed.
  

Very enjoyable to me - but your mileage may vary as these could be considered guilty pleasures (meaning an overly attractive person pushed the rating up, the presence over the top melodrama or romantic comedy I sometimes fall for, an A for effort in light of unabashed goofiness, or a passing resemblance to the Patrick Swayze masterpiece Roadhouse)

• All Inclusive (Mexico)
• American Teen (US)
• Appaloosa
• Bigger, Stronger, Faster* (USA)
• Ghost Town (USA)
• God's Puzzle (Japan) - a small caveat. This isn't really great (though with some editing it might be) but the all-in approach made for an "I can't believe they're throwing that in now" good time.
  
• Late Bloomers (Switzerland)
• My Effortless Brilliance (USA)
• Ploy (Thailand)
• The Witch of the West Is Dead (Japan)
• Timecrimes (Spain)
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona
• Welcome to the Sticks (France)

Some very solid documentaries

• A Man Named Pearl (USA)
• American Teen (US)
• Anvil! The Story of Anvil (USA)
• Bigger, Stronger, Faster* (USA)
• frontrunners
• Heavy Metal in Baghdad (USA)
• Man on Wire (UK)
• Religulous
• Trouble the Water (USA)
• Up the Yangtze (Canada)