Apparently Roger doesn’t believe in cutting off a few films to make for the traditional top 10 list. No, we must make a top 20 (ignoring the fact that it’s still put a few on the chopping block). On top of this horrendous breaking of tradition (wink), he’s listed them in alphabetical order. If you’re going to make a list Roger, just make a list. Otherwise why not just list all the movies over the year that you liked? Well whatever, what do I know? The guy makes more money and has seen more movies than I ever will. So without further ado, the most important guy in film criticism (there’s that wink again), Roger Ebert’s Top 20 Films of 2008…
Ballast
The Band’s Visit
Che
Chop Shop
The Dark Knight
Doubt
The Fall
Frost/Nixon
Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
Iron Man
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Shotgun Stories
Slumdog Millionaire
Synecdoche, New York
W.
Wall-E
I like when people break tradition, the more films the merrier!
Then again, I’ve never succumbed to making a top ten list.
Yeah, the funny thing is, last year was difficult to put together a top 10. But only because there were about 5 other films I really wanted to include.
I think Kurt and I ended up doing a top 22:
http://www.rowthree.com/2008/01/02/cinecast-74-year-end-special/
That’s a fabulous list. A few in there I still need to catch up with but overall, no major surprises. Happy to see he really liked W. I didn’t love it but it did leave me with a lot to think about when I walked away. Looking forward to revisiting that one on DVD down the road.
And I forgot to mention… that does look like a good list. I gotta get out to see Ballast while it’s playing here!
I’m still waiting for Ballast to make an appearance here. Hopefully soon!
TIME magazine has listed their Top 10:
1. WALL-E
2. Synecdoche, New York
3. My Winnipeg
4. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days
5. Milk
6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
7. Slumdog Millionaire
8. Iron Man
9. Speed Racer
10. Encounters at the End of the World.
A few of us will rejoyce: They’ve put Speed Racer in at No. 9!
Speed Racer? Speed Racer! Wow, that came outta left field!
Speed Racer will be in my top 10, yup, happy.
Speed Racer goes on the shit list.
that’s because Speed Racer is The Shit.
Game, set and match.
I gotta watch that movie to find out what all the hub-bub is about!
I have no idea what you’d think Andrew, but I’d bet more money that you’d be a naysayer based on its humor. We’ll see.
I’m still not quite sure why all the hate for Speed Racer. Not sure it’ll make my top 10 (it’s been a really great year) but it was a whole lot of fun to watch. I haven’t picked it up on DVD yet but plan to. Maybe for Christmas.
I have to still see SR with the kiddies.
I have to say that I like that My Winnipeg is so high (heck, even on, the list!)
I always have to remind myself that Roger Ebert has been touched by death so it’s natural that sometimes he would seem askew to us. With each passing day the world of flesh probably seems more and more like a fading memory.
He’s kind of like the John McCain of film critics. Sure he seems loopy and aloof (that ridiculous creationist stunt a few weeks back?) but remember his great history and show some respect.
I saw Synecdoche New York again today. At this point its definitely my no. 1 of the year. It actually did gain on another viewing, I’m happy to say. Still put in a bit of a daze, but the storytelling of it is a little more fluid and doesn’t make me squirm, and of course there’s so many little touches, including ones I should have noticed the first time but didn’t.. Like how Little Winky was turned into a feature length film and had a poster with PS Hoffman in it in the bus shelter.
I have to still see Kung Fu Panda with the kiddies.
/fixed
I caught Kung Fu Panda… not bad, visually quite impressive, some solid action sequences. Secondary characters were really under-developed, but as eye candy it was great.
Love that Time Magazine includes Speed Racer. I saw it at the Cinema twice and once, so far, on DVD. Everyone i know personally who has seen SR, loves it. Beautiful film, great story telling and a real emotional belt. Would really like to read Roger’s view of the film. My top three of the year are:
The Dark Knight
Speed Racer
Hancock
Adding Hancock to your list kinda hurts the Speed Racer cred I was going to give you
Yeah, i know that Hancock is reviled by many but Ebert also liked it, (RE’s review is at: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080630/REVIEWS/140273658) so i feel in good company
I expected Hancock to be funny but glib and found a subversive super hero film that still managed to hit all the right SH notes and even had a nice emotional punch to it. Instead of a standard origin story with a monstrous super villain, Hancock’s nemesis was loneliness and the origin issues were only touched on. This is a film of self-discovery, of re-becoming rather than originating. I know many people find the third act twist hard to swallow but it was completely telegraphed and in keeping with the genre. As for Hancock’s “I am the only one of my kind” speech, while meant as self-serving and part of his PR campaign, it actually underscores his real problem and hits home truer than he thought. I thpought the ending was perfectly in keeping with this, as it took the cliched heart monitor visuals and gave them new power and meaning.
I am, unabashedly, a Hancock fan.
While nowhere near perfect and often kind of juvenile, I quite loved HANCOCK for a number of reasons: Jason Bateman doing his thing, Charlize Theron’s character and the consequences of her character at the end.
Best superhero film remains UNBREAKABLE for me, but Hancock is somewhere up there….
Hancock spoilers for an ending that is shit.
What consequence? In the end she is with the family and hancock is doing superhero shit anyway, completely senseless but happy. I loved Will Smith complaining about a kid talking to much, and telling kids to get out of his face and telling people that they’re idiots, but the rest was boring, except Charlize Theron did look ridiculously attractive.
While I didn’t love Hancock, it was a fun time at the theater and probably worth re-watch should it pop up on the tube at some point. The ending was typical, hokey action garbage (i.e. kind of boring), but up to that point it was good fun.
Alright, so I finally finished Speed Racer. While no where near my top ten for the year, I have to say it is pretty damn good.
The script/screenplay are close to shit so the storyline is nothing we haven’t really seen before. In that way it is a crap movie.
But in terms of style and innovation, it is off the charts kick ass. This is about as ambitious as it gets for Hollywood films and even The Wachowskis’ directing style has a flare all its own.
This was like watching a live action cartoon. Even more so than something like Kung-Fu Hustle. Watching this on my iPod didn’t do the film any favors and it just made me want to see it again… on my room mate’s big screen. Yeah, this film is gutsy and beefy.
Finally Goon and I aren’t alone. More love. Bring on more love.
I liked the visuals of the fistfight in the snow. It was pretty awesome. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I like the film simply on its innovative and astounding visuals. Even the general set and costume design fit in with the motif. Can’t wait to see it on the “big screen” and turn up the volume a little.