Favorite movies of 2008

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

I downloaded and watched this movie at home, and it’s a film I can’t see introducing to or watching with others, similar to how I felt about Requiem for a Dream after watching it for the first time. It’s a dark, muted piece with excellent acting and the film held my attention with concern for the characters, questioning what was happening at every turn. The story follows two college-age girls in Ceausescu-era Romania, one of whom decides to get an abortion, illegal at the time. The exposition is almost non-existent, leaving the viewer disconcerted or puzzled at times. It’s a somber ride fraught with emotion, and an excellent film. It did its job so well, I’m not sure I’ll ever watch it again.

WALL-E

I’ve looked forward to every Pixar movie (save Cars) since Finding Nemo, and WALL-E did not disappoint. The prospect of having to defend Pixar’s films to increasingly older people isn’t something I look forward to, but as long as they keep making films like this (and Up makes it seem like they will), I’ll manage. I wrote about the movie at length after I saw it in July, so I’ll defer to that post for my thoughts on the film.

Doubt

Doubt is the film adapation of the play of the same name, and the movie is faithful to its predecessor, reading like a play through each scene. It’s terrifically acted (Viola Davis should win best supporting actress) and the story is captivating. I wish I had seen (or even heard of) the play first, but the material deserves the treatment it gets in this movie. It has all the aspects that make a good story, but is a bit minimal in its ability to fill the screen.

Slumdog Millionaire

The story of an orphan in Mumbai has numerous similarities to City of God, only this Indian take on the story is far less gritty, a bit more lighthearted and a lot more romantic. The storytelling device of using Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is brilliant, encasing the entire movie in drama without needing much more. The plot draws the viewer into the protagonist’s life, making for an interesting romp through the streets of Mumbai as we retrace the footsteps of his past. Some have suggested that Slumdog Millionaire was too quickly coronated, hastily pegged as a possible best picture winner. I’d agree with that assessment, but it doesn’t at all detract from the enjoyment of the movie. I didn’t have the same emotional reaction as two people I saw it with, but that may have something to do with the next movie, my favorite film of 2008, which I saw at a matinee before Slumdog.

Milk

I learned about Harvey Milk freshman year of college, attending a screening of the 1984 Academy Award-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk. Throughout that year, I had a work-in-progress black-and-white photo collage in my dorm room of people who inspired me (preserved here). When I returned to my room after watching the documentary, I immediately found a picture of Milk online, printed it out, and added it to the collage. His story is powerful and tragic, and he was an amazing figure from his life, his story and what (and who) he represented. Sean Penn, more than I could have imagined, captures that impression of Milk as a joyful individual who fights for what he believes in, ignites passion in others as a charismatic speaker, and shares the noble message of inclusion with whomever will listen.

As the film began to reach its inevitable climax, a sinking filling arose in my chest and I cried more than I have ever cried at a movie. That moment, as fictitious as it may be on film, is now etched into my mind. The movie ignited those same feelings of inspiration as The Times of Harvey Milk did, punctuating them with a sense of sadness at what a tragedy it was to lose such a figur and tempering that sadness with anger at how the world still hasn’t listened to the message Milk preached at rally after rally. One of the most incredible stories of the past generation, I believe the film does justice to the man.

So rarely am I touched by a film in the way I describe above, and in that sense Milk succeeds on every level that matters. «»