Danny's BEST OF 2008: The Year's Best Movies

- After 2007 was unanimously heralded as one of the best years for film in modern history, could 2008 hope to compete? While it would be hard for any year to match '07's one-two punch of No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood, the great thing about the movies is that, even in a so-called off-year, there's usually no shortage of great ones. In 2008, it could be argued that, in terms of the big prestige pictures, there wasn't that one great epic drama that won widespread praise as a handful of films did in '07. But this past September, as I wrote my Summer Movie Wrap-Up post, I predicted that this would be a year where the big Summer blockbusters were so strong, so genre-defining, that come December we'd still be talking about them as some of the year's absolute best. And looking back now, I think it's clear that there was truth in that prediction. This was the year that the bar got raised for the genre film. 2008 was to comic book films as 1986 was to comic books - the year that they broke out of the cartoon ghetto and became recognized as legitimate entertainment - the year that a movie like THE DARK KNIGHT became not only one of the biggest grossing movies of all time, but also one of the most critically and popularly acclaimed. And man, is that awesome to write - who would have ever thought that, in the years following crap like Batman Forever and Batman and Robin, a Batman movie would make this kind of an impact? The road was paved with the likes of X-Men, Spiderman, and of course with Christopher Nolan's groundbreaking original, Batman Begins. But as I said, here in 2008, the bar was raised. It feels like there's really nowhere to go from here except, well, WATCHMEN. How else to follow the greatest comic book movie ever made than with an adaptation of the greatest graphic novel ever written? It really is ironic, because it was well over 20 years ago that the likes of Frank Miller and Alan Moore helped legitimize comics as a respected and adult medium, and now here we are, with adapatations of their decades-old work responsible for similar cultural shifts at the movies.

No doubt, it was a great year to be a movie geek.

And it wasn't even all due to Dark Knight. IRON MAN was a similarly awesome comic book flick, but instead of going dark, it instead embraced the sense of fun of the Marvel Universe and delivered hi-octane action aplenty. Even better, it was followed by THE INCREDIBLE HULK, a smashing good time, which tied-into Iron Man much to the delight of comic nerds everywhere, presenting, for the first time ever, the beginnings of a shared Marvel Universe on the big screen. HELLBOY 2 was another great example of superheroes done right - once again Guillermo Del Toro showed that he is one of the most visionary directors working in film today.

Perhaps the other big story of the summer was WALL-E. Pixar is the studio that can do no wrong, and Wall-E may well be their best and most ambitious movie to date. I recently re-watched the film on Blu-Ray, and was just wowed by the detail and artistry in the animation, as well as the depth and complexity of the film's themes. I'm not surprised that so many are listing WALL-E as the year's best overall movie, and I do think it will endure as a classic for years to come.

It was also a pretty phenomenal year for comedy. Once again, the alumni of a little show called Freaks & Geeks were responsible for some of the year's funniest and most memorable comedies. Last year, Seth Rogen established himself as a bankable box office star, but this year, James Franco and Jason Segal both had beakout comedic roles that couldn't help but make Freaks fans happy. Franco was awesome alongside Rogen in PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, and Segal was similarly great in FORGETTING SARAH MARHSALL, which he also wrote. Meanwhile, Kevin Smith had one of his funniest movies yet in ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO, and, even though it got its share of criticism, I have to give a shout-out to STEP BROTHERS, which I personally thought was the funniest Will Ferrell movie since Anchorman. I didn't love TROPIC THUNDER as much as some of my friends did, but I was still a big fan and found parts of it to be absolutely hilarious. I also thought that there was something really cool about THE FOOT FIST WAY, which had a great new comedic voice courtesy of Danny McBride. But perhaps the most surprising comedy hit of the year was ROLE MODELS. As a huge fan of The State and Stella, I eagerly awaited this directorial effort from David Wain. As it turned out, Role Models was drop-dead hilarious - perhaps the sleeper comedy of the year.

It was also a good year if you like your action movies pulpy, gritty, and distinctly B-grade - and I mean that in the best way possible. I mean, who doesn't love an over-the-top action movie filled with hardened badasses, killer one-liners, and bouts of videogame-like violence? To that end, RAMBO was the perfect movie with which to kick off 2008 - a crowd-pleasing, old-school style action flick from one of the masters of the genre, Sly Stallone. Soon after, we got another such throwback in the form of DOOMSDAY - an homage to all things cheesy and 80's, Doomsday was one of the best times I had in the theater in '08. And then, the year closed out with the granndaddy of B-movie badasses, Clint Eastwood, showing the young punks how it's done with GRAN TORINO, a vintage Eastwood flick that is as fun as any Dirty Harry movie but with a strong social concious to boot - hey, the guy is entitled to get a little soft in his old age, right?

Of course, not every movie in '08 exceeded expectations. In fact, some of the movies that were most-hyped at this time last year debuted to decidely mixed reviews. To put it one way, a whole lot of bigtime franchise flicks in 2008 turned out to be decent, middle of the road, or just plain mediocre. CLOVERFIELD was hyped as the movie event of last winter, but it was more of a gimicky roller-coaster ride than the next big thing in blockbuster movie-making. Soon after that, VANTAGE POINT turned out to be a waste of several great actors thanks to a time-shift gimmick that proved more annoying than innovative. I kind of liked BE KIND, REWIND, but though its heart was in the right place, the execution was simply lacking. Later on in the early Summer, I looked forward to FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, the first-ever pairing of martial arts legends Jet Li and Jackie Chan - the movie was alright, kind of an 80's kid-flick meets Hong Kong kung-fu fantasy, but it was definitely not the earth-shattering epic it should have been.

Then there was INDIANA JONES. Oy. After the Star Wars prequels, George Lucas had lost a good deal of credibility with his fans, but the continued greatness of Steven Spielberg kept fans believing that this would be yet another great Indy adventure. And yeah, the movie had its moments, and it was great just seeing Harrison Ford back in action and awoken from his years-long slumber. But then a fridge was nuked, a boy swung with monkeys, and CGI aliens made a CGI temple crumble. And it turned out that THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL was one of the summer's biggest disappointments. A lot of people felt similarly about the barely-marketed X-FILES sequel. While I argued that the movie had its merits, and praised the work of Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny in bringing their iconic characters to life, I couldn't deny that I WANT TO BELIEVE did not generate anywhere close to the excitment needed to breathe new life into the franchise. I can only hope that we get at least one more X-Files movie, so that one of my all-time favorite franchises can go out with a bang and not a whimper.

Even some of the big prestige movies couldn't quite live up their Oscar-bait potential. Oliver Stone's W. featured a great performance from Josh Brolin in the title role, but never quite came together as a cohesive movie. Similarly, Clint Eastwood's CHANGELING had a great cast, but suffered from an inconsistent tone and a messy script. I also felt let down by THE FALL, which featured amazing imagery but struck me as painfully bleak, depressing and self-indulgent, and in the end was just plain hard to watch.

What were my *least* favorite movies of the year? I usually make it a point to stay away from movies that have a pretty good shot of being a complete waste of two hours, but sometimes curiosity gets the better of me. For example, early in the year I actually held out hope that Roland Emmerich's 10,000 BC would be a fun-if-campy adventure flick. It wasn't so-bad-it's-good, it just plain sucked. But man, the one movie I saw this year that I most passionately disliked has to be HANCOCK. To me it represented Will Smith at his worst, with Smith playing a version of himself in a movie that veered from slapstick comedy to dark drama in such a messy way that you could almost hear the studio execs arguing in the background about the movie's tone and direction. Ugh. That one was just painful to watch.

Now, one of the biggest hits of the year was undoubtedly TWILIGHT, but in my opinion the movie, while decently enjoyable, was pretty flawed. Featuring spotty acting and poor f/x, I wasn't exactly wowed, although I am certainly curious to see where the series goes from here. But if there was any vampire movie in '08 deserving of critical acclaim and mainstream attention, it's the Swedish indie flick LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. While I won't go so far as to call it the best thing since sliced bread as some reviewers have, I can say that this coming-of-age story is a haunting, disturbing, and artfully made movie that features amazing imagery and atmosphere. Definitely one of the most unique and unforgettable movies I've seen.

Another great coming-of-age movie was also an import, this time from Britain. I'm talking about SON OF RAMBOW, which seems to be getting lost in the shuffle in a lot of critics' Best Of '08 lists. I for one can't say enough about this hilarious and moving movie. "I am the Son of Rambow!" indeed. Surprisingly, a couple of teen movies also impressed me with their intelligence and humor. One was the great documentary AMERICAN TEEN. Some have criticized it for feeling overly-staged, but to me it told some of the most interesting stories of any movie this year. I came away from watching it feeling more impressed and enthusiastic than I did coming out of almost any other movie this year. I was also shocked at how much I enjoyed NICK & NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST. Michael Cera continues to be one of the best young actors working today, and Kat Dennings really wowed me in a huge breakout role.

A couple of other somewhat under-the-radar favorites: Woody Allen's enjoyable VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA, which featured a firecracker performance from Penelope Cruz, and IN BRUGES, a wickedly funny crime movie that I think has definite cult-cannon potential. APPALOOSA, Ed Harris' Western, was another good one that had yet another great performance from Viggo Mortenson. After last year's one-two punch of 3:10 to Yuma and The Assassination of Jesse James, this one seemed to complete the trifecta.

Of course, as we rolled into the Fall and Winter, a number of movies did in fact live up to the awards-season hype. The Coens worked their magic yet again with BURN AFTER READING, a hilarious satire that was an underrated yet worthy followup to No Country for Old Men. MILK featured an amazing performance from Sean Penn, and FROST/NIXON an equally impressive turn from Frank Langella. DOUBT was also a real showcase for an amazing cast that included Meryl Streep and Philp Seymour Hoffman, and while BENJAMIN BUTTON had its flaws, you can't deny the great job that both Bradd Pitt and Cate Blanchett did in the leading roles, nor the incredible f/x and makeup work that gave the movie its eye-catching aesthetics. VALKYRIE was enjoyable though not quite as great as it could have been - it will be interesting to see how it stacks up against the next batch of WWII movies slated for early '09. As someone raised on a steady diet of pro-wrestling, I've got to give huge props to THE WRESTLER - an incredible movie featuring an iconic peformance by Mickey Rourke. And if there's one movie that really blew me away this year, one movie that I came away from thinking I had just witnessed greatness - a true movie milestone - it was SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

Finally, I have to mention a little movie called SPEED RACER. Easily the most divisive movie of 2008, I've already seen Speed Racer mentioned on a number of critics' Worst of the Year lists. To which I say: are these critics on crack?! Maybe it's one of those movies that some people simply can't comprehend - but for those of us who had waited for the movies to catch up with the future-shock aesthetics of videogames and anime, Speed Racer was a pixie-stick of sugar-coated glory. It was a zoomway ride to the future and back, and I loved every surreal minute of it.

But like I said, 2008 will be remembered as the year that the comic book movie grew up. The year that Batman and The Joker reigned supreme at the box-office. The year of The Dark Knight. It was the year that a Pixar animated movie finally got canonized as one of if not the very best of the year. The year that the blockbuster movie came of age. "Why so serious?" asked The Joker - and that indeed seemed to be the question that 2008 asked of 2007.

So let's get on with the show.

- As always, I preface my picks with the warning that I am but one man, and though I do see a fairly ridiculous number of movies each year as time permits, I can't see everything. The one big one I've been dyin' to see but haven't been able to is Synecdoche, New York. I've been a huge fan of Charlie Kaufman's movies thus far, and hope to check this one out soon. I've also yet to see: The Reader, Revolutionary Road, Hamlet 2, Waltz With Bashir, Rachel Getting Married, Shotgun Stories, Man On Wire, Timecrimes, JCVD, Che, Wendy & Lucy, and several others which I'm sure I'm forgetting.

But here it is ...


DANNY'S TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2008:


1. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

- This movie hit me like a ton of bricks and never let up once, until its cathartic ending had me leaving the theater feeling elated and joyful and lost in thought. Danny Boyle knocks this one out of the park, and makes the story of a slumdog Indian boy who somehow wins the jackpot on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire into an unlikely-but-gripping epic fairytale adventure. This movie has it all - great characters, coming-of-age romance, action, humor, and a kinetic energy that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The brilliant script is matched by the dynamic direction, and the pulsating soundtrack is as of-the-moment as Trainspotting's was back in the day. SLUMDOG is the single greatest cinematic triumph of 2008 - a movie that will make you think, will make you cheer, and will leave you breathless.

2. THE WRESTLER

- Thanks to a great script, gritty direction, and an iconic and award-worthy turn from Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler is one of the great movies of its genre. This is a movie that will have you rooting for its unlikely hero, a washed-up pro-wrestler known as The Ram. You feel his pain, both physical and emotional, as Rourke wears it all on his sleeve. This is a movie about doing what you love, about the line between reality and fantasy, about aging gracefully and about proving the critics wrong. It's sad and tragic, yet exhilirating and inspirational. More than deserving of a "Whooo!"

3. THE DARK KNIGHT

- I don't know what more I can say in praise of The Dark Knight, a movie that told as badass of a Batman story as there's ever been. The cast is universally phenomenal, but Heath Ledger really does elevate the film to whole other level. His Joker is a movie villain for the ages, and it's absolutely tragic to think we'll never get to see Ledger reprise his best-ever role. I still think that the movie's first fifteen minutes might be its best - that William Fichtner cameo makes me smile every time. So why isn't this #1? While part of me says this is the best of 2008, part of me can't fully get over some of the movie's flaws. I still don't get Christian Bale's goofy Batman voice. I still get annoyed at the choppy editing of the fight scenes. And I still dislike the ending - I hate that they needlessly killed Two Face, and that it was a lame, anticlimactic fall-off-a-building death to boot. Still, I freaking love this movie in spite of its flaws. The best superhero movie ever made, hands down.

4. WALL-E

- It's amazing to me that, with Wall-E, in one fell swoop, Pixar crafted an old-fashioned romance, a family advenure film, and a cautionary science fiction tale. I love that Pixar makes movies for smart people, that they never talk down to their audience and that they layer their movies with stuff for kids, for adults, for men, women, and every brand of movie-goer. That's the stuff that enduring classics are made of, and Wall-E is a beloved classic in the making. Aside from all that, the sheer artistry of this movie is incredible. The animation sets a new standard in quality, and the art design is phenomenal. Wall-E rocked my world in '08.

5. SPEED RACER

- Screw the critics, Speed Racer kicked ass seven ways to Sunday. Yes, I gave this movie a flat-out "A" when I reviewed it over the summer, and I stand by that praise. The Wachowski's deserve tons of credit for creating a movie that looks and feels like nothing before it, melding the aesthetics of next-gen videogames, Japanese anime, and old-school cartoons into a movie that to me represents the future of blockbuster filmmaking. All I know is this: during the movie's climactic final race, as Speed zooms towards the finish line through a swirling portal of lights and colors, crashing towards narrow victory, it was a truly visceral movie moment. I said it before and I'll say it again - Speed Racer was ahead of its time. In a couple of years, it will take its rightful place as a favorite to be rewatched over and over again.

6. GRAN TORINO

- As I said in my original review, Gran Torino is not exactly a traditionally-"great" movie. It's messy, it's dirty, it's visibly flawed. There's shoddy acting and ham-fisted writing. It can be preachy and over-the-top. But hot damn, when Clint Eastwood kicks ass and exudes gravitas as he does here, does it get much better? I think not. Eastwood is a walking classic-quote-generator here, awesomeness on a stick. And you know what? Sometimes, it's the messy, over-the-top movies that stick with you most. I won't soon be forgetting Eastwood's final fate in Gran Torino anytime soon. Though I wouldn't mind forgetting the movie's closing-credits theme song. Yikes.

7. SON OF RAMBOW

- They don't make 'em like this anymore - a kids movie that dares to be dark, a coming-of-age story that isn't sanitized and processed through the Hollywood machine. This movie exposes th best and worst of childhood - you cringe at the cruelty and the trauma, but you rejoice at the simple moments of fun and creativity, the innocent urge to create and play. Son of Rambow is one of those movies that makes you want to go out and *make* a movie, because the spirit of its characters is contagious. This movie is hilarious but full of heart - an underrated film that deserves its spot as one of the best of '08.

8. BURN AFTER READING

- I don't get those who only like the Coens when they're being serious. The Coens have now made several amazing films that are in fact off-the-wall comedies, and Burn After Reading is one of them. With their usual knack for brilliant dialogue, memorably oddball characters, and on-the-mark satire, the Coens have crafted another comedy classic in Burn After Reading. It's a darkly funny movie that I suspect will only get funnier and more quotable the more times I watch it. John Malkovich is hilarious here. So is Bradd Pitt. Frances McDormand is great as always. I can't wait to see what the Coens do next.

9. FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL

- I had a lot of internal back-and-forth over which of '08's many great comedies deserved a spot in the Top 10, but in the end I kept coming back to one thing: Dracula: The Musical. Was there any funnier and more classic comedy moment this year than when Jason Segal launches into an operatic number from his vampire-themed passion project, in full-on Transylvanian accent, cursing the name of Van Helsing with vigor and aplomb? Nope, Dracula's Lament was just a fall-down-laughing moment for me. And the rest of the movie was pretty great as well - a funny and clever look at relationships, with great turns from Segal, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand, Paul Rudd, and more. Overall, I'd say one of if not the best overall movie from the Apatow crew to date.

10. AMERICAN TEEN

- Another slot where a couple of movies each could have landed. But I thought back to when I saw American Teen in the theater this past summer - at the time, I really was pretty blown away by how funny, moving, and full of heart this documentary was. A complete 180 from the usual MTV teen "reality" shows, American Teen is filled with kids who look like people you knew in high school, and who will undoubtedly remind you of the trials and tribulations of the proverbial teenaged wasteland. You can't help but root for the movie's cast of freaks and geeks to escape their boxed-in worlds and venture out into the great wide open. Hannah, the artsy filmmaker, steals the show. In her, I think any aspiring Hollywood dreamer has to see some of their own hopes and dreams embodied.


THE NEXT BEST:


11. IRON MAN - An awesome performance from Robert Downey Jr., great f/x, and just an overall feeling that Favreau and co. got it right.

12. MILK - A remarkable performance from Sean Penn highlighted what is surely one of the most timely and relevant movies of the year - Milk is a stirring call to action and an insightful portrait of a pivotal equal-rights figure.

13. FROST / NIXON - Frank Langella is just incredibly powerful as Richard Nixon in this intense and interesting portrait of two men squaring off in the arena that is the media.

14. PINEAPPLE EXPRESS - A hilarious movie that shifts from stoner buddy-comedy to all-out action movie farce, Pineapple Express had an awesome comedic duo in James Franco and Seth Rogen, and some of the year's flat0out funniest moments. Yep, this $#%& just got real.

15. ROLE MODELS - All hail director David Wain and the random, offbeat sense of humor he brought to what could have been a generic Hollywood comedy. In fact, Role Models is absolutely drop-dead hilarious, unabashedly geeky, and features KISS. Too much awesomeness for words.

16. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN - A creepy, disturbing, and artfully-shot horror movie that gives a new twist on the vampire legend, this one is unlike any movie I've ever seen before. I'll be haunted by some of its themes and imagery for a long time to come.

17. THE INCREDIBLE HULK - Hulk Smash! This movie was just pure fun, with a great turn from Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, and tons of great comic book action.

18. HELLBOY 2 - Featuring some of '08's best costume and set design, Hellboy 2 is an absolutely amazing-looking movie that crafts and epic fantasy adventure for our big red hero. Great action, fun characters, what's not to like?

19. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA - Woody Allen is near the top of his game with this thoughtful movie about romantic relationships. The cast here is great - Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, and Rebecca Hall are all excellent, and the picturesque Spanish setting is just great to take in and get lost in.

20. IN BRUGES - A badass black comedy that's like a slightly chilled-out version of a Guy Ritchie or Tarantino crime-flick, In Bruges was one of the sleepers of '08, in my humble opinion. Funny, engaging, and just a lot of fun, this is possibly the best movie ever set in Belgium.


THE BEST OF THE REST:


21. RAMBO - Yo, tough guy, was there any more satisfying action scene in '08 than Rambo rising from the ashes and gunning down hordes of helpless badguys? I think not.

22. DOOMSDAY - An absolutely insane mashup of about 17 different 80's action flicks, this one is 100% badass. If you like over-the-top John Carpenter-style action, it doesn't get much better.
23. NICK & NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST - A great John Hughes-esque movie for the emo generation, I found this one to be a smart, funny and absorbing teen flick with two great, very un-Hollywood leads.

24. TROPIC THUNDER - Not the funniest movie of the year, but up there. I particularly got a kick out of Robert Downey Jr. as "the dude playing the dude who's playing a dude." Between this and Iron Man, this was truly the year of RDJ. Plus, Steve Coogan spontaneously getting blown up was comedic gold.

25. DOUBT - Crackling performances from Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, and Philip Seymour Hoffman highlight this stage adaptation. Ultimately it didn't quite wow me, but the cast is awesome to watch.

26. APPALOOSA - A badass little Western from Ed Harris, this one also has some great performances from Viggo Mortenson and Jeremy Irons. It even has a Lance Hendrickson cameo! The movie's love story never quite makes sense, but overall very enjoyable, with some great, great dialogue.

27. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON - This one never quite lived up to my lofty expectations, but it worked well for what it was - a big Hollywood romance movie. I had hoped for more adventure and thematic complexity, but I can't deny the amazing makeup and f/x work or the stellar performances from the leads.

28. ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO - A very funny movie that excelled as a classic Kevin Smith flick. It was perversely funny and at times downright wrong. Rogen, Banks, and the whole supporting cast were great. I just never quite bought into the relationship between the two leads. But otherwise, really enjoyed it.

29. WANTED - A great turn from James McAvoy in the lead, and Angelina Jolie in the kind of femme fatale role she was born to play. The plot sometimes gets a bit absurd, but the over-the-top action was a lot of fun, as was the whole "down with authority", nihilistic message of the movie.

30. KUNG-FU PANDA - Finally, a good animated movie not from Pixar! Kung-Fu Panda is a fun adventure, with a lot of fun homages to the kung-fu movies of old. There are also some really great action scenes in this one, with some amazingly staged scenes that really have you glued to the screen. A fun surprise in '08.



HONORABLE MENTIONS:


STEP BROTHERS - While there wasn't a whole lot of substance or originality here, there was a hilarious chemistry between Will Ferell and John C. Reilly. I'll freely admit that this movie had me laughing from start to finish.

VALKYRIE - The movie excels when it sticks to being a heist flick of sorts - the tension is palpable and the cast of great actors has you hanging on every twist. But soon, the lack of real characterization comes back to bite this movie, and you begin to lose interest when the movie tries for emotional resonance.

SHINE A LIGHT - There's not much here in terms of a movie, but you can't help but marvel at the sheer energy and presence of The Rolling Stones in this concert-doc. To its credit, I ran out and bought the soundtrack after seeing this one.

THE FOOT FIST WAY - I love a lot of things about this quirky comedy - it has a brilliant and hilarious cast of oddball characters and has an Office-esque ability to highlight the absurdity in the mundane. Even though I thought the movie misfired at times, I can't wait to see what Danny McBride and co. come up with next.


INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:


BEST ACTOR:

1. Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

2. Frank Langella - Frost / Nixon
3. Sean Penn - Milk
4. Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino
5. Robert Downey Jr. - Iron Man


BEST ACTRESS:

1. Frances McDormand - Burn After Reading

2. Meryl Streep - Doubt
3. Marissa Tomei - The Wrestler
4. Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5. Gwyneth Paltrow - Iron Man


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

1. Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

2. John Malkovich - Burn After Reading
3. Javier Bardem - Vicky Christina Barcelona
4. Richard Jenkins - Burn After Reading
5. Ralph Fiennes - In Bruges


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

1. Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona

2. Amy Adams - Doubt
3. Tilda Swindon - Burn After Reading
4. Evan Rachel Wood - The Wrestler
5. Viola Davis- Doubt


BEST DIRECTOR:

1. Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire

2. Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
3. The Wachowski Bros. - Speed Racer
4. Andrew Stanton - Wall-E
5. Darren Aranofsky - The Wrestler


BEST SCRIPT:

1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. The Wrestler
3. Burn After Reading
4. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
5. Son of Rambow
6. Frost / Nixon
7. Milk
8. Gran Torino
9. Appaloosa
10. Wall-E

- Alright everyone, that's a wrap. Bring on '09, baby. Bring on WATCHMEN, bring on INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, bring on PAUL BLART: MALL COP. Okay, maybe not that last one. But seriously, thanks for reading, and ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

- Stay tuned - next up is my overall 2008 Year In Review!