I have to get this post out of the way tonight so that I can concentrate on the Inauguration tomorrow, which is merely one of the most important events in American history. Or so I've heard.
Besides, I "only" saw 29 movies from the year 2008 (most via Netflix), so there's no point in trying to squeeze in a few more titles over the next couple of weeks to get a more representative sample to choose from because there are just too many movies to see. And most of them aren't any good.
So without any further adieu, here are my five favorite movies from the last year. (If I've written about the movie previously, I'll put an asterisk "*" by it and keep the comments very short.)
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1. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE* - A spectacular coming-of-age tale from modern day Mumbai, told in the oh-so-popular time jumping fashion that is all the rage these days. The movie is dramatic yes, and at times very dark, but it is also filled with joy, humor and some of the infectious colorful spirit that infuses the very best Bollywood films--even though this is an English language British production. Describing Slumdog doesn't do it justice--just see it.
2. MILK - Directed by Gus Van Sant. Written by Dustin Lance Black. Stars Sean Penn, James Franco, James Brolin and Emile Hirsch. The centerpiece is the fantastic performance by Penn as slain San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected public official in America. But every aspect of this film is top notch, from the evocative (but not showy) cinematography by Harris Savides, to the strong and never preachy screenplay by Dustin Lance Black (TV's Big Love) to James Brolin's surprisingly sympathetic portrait of fellow supervisor Dan White, the man who ultimately killed Milk. Moving, illuminating, funny, sexy and clear-eyed, MILK is a biopic that is never dry and leaves scarcely a dry eye.
3. THE DARK KNIGHT* - Dark and brilliant it managed to even surpass the excellent franchise reboot, Batman Begins. Heath Ledger IS the best supporting actor for his twisted, villainous and yet moving take on the Joker, but one shouldn't overlook terrific performances from Michael Caine as Alfred, Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two Face and of course Bale himself as "the Batman."
4. THE VISITOR - Written and directed by Tom McCarthy. Stars Richard Jenkins. Reminiscent of the best of the 1970's character studies that Hollywood studios used to make but really don't anymore, The Visitor is about a 50-something literature professor from Connecticut who returns to the apartment he owns in New York City and discovers that it has been rented out from under him to two illegal immigrants. But that is just where the story begins, as the professor's world slowly opens up and he finds something worth caring about greater than his humdrum life. Trust me, it's better than it sounds and the movie manages to transcend the cliches, thanks primarily to Jenkins' moving, award-worthy performance.
5. FROST/NIXON - Directed by Ron Howard. Written by Peter Morgan (based on his stage play). Stars Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt and Rebecca Hall. With just a few more character insights and a little trimming this would have been a great movie. Even so, this movie still has a great performance by Langella as Richard Nixon, perhaps still America's most misunderstood president. Also, don't think for a moment that the parallels between Watergate and Nixon and Guantanamo/Iraq and Dubya aren't made painstakingly, alarmingly clear. Still, a lot of the movie leading up to the sit down interview between David Frost and Richard Nixon felt more like background instead of buildup. However, the ultimate showdown between the playboy interviewer and the disgraced ex-president is well worth the wait.
Honorable Mentions: 6. Wall-E*, 7. Iron Man*, 8. Tropic Thunder*, 9. The Take, 10. Rachel Getting Married*.
Tomorrow, Obama Day.
Peace...
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