After reviewing the movies I saw this year, I realized that for the most part, they have all been summer megacorp blockbusters.
There are a few that I still plan to see, like Eastwood's Gran Torino or Rachel Getting Married (can't pass up Eastwood as a racist curmudgeon, nor any movie about family strife, due to my professional interests).
What did you like this year? Any gems that I have missed? Feel free to be honest, because really, my list is pretty main-stream.
- The Dark Knight - No contest, at least for the IMAX version.
- Mamma Mia! - By no means a great film, but with the energy of the theater crowd I loved it.
- There Will Be Blood - Yes, it was released in 2007 (on Dec. 26th) for Oscar consideration. However, I saw it this year, and was amazed. Kind of a downer, but powerful.
- Iron Man - Burger King successfully marketed their cheeseburgers, to me anyway.
- Wall-E.
Honorable Mention: The X-Files: I Want to Believe - Mulder and Scully together again. As long as the chemistry is there, you could put them in Indiana Jones or Cloverfield and I would watch it.
Two superheroes, Pierce Brosnan singing, and Pixar? Do I need to expand my tastes a little? Other movies I considered but felt they were ultimately flawed:
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Just because it's long, doesn't mean it's a good movie. Plus, too much of it felt Forrest Gump-y. Take out 45 minutes and it would be pretty decent, with some interesting themes and a few existential dilemmas.
- Pineapple Express - Watched it on a plane. Really funny, but ultimately way too violent in a senseless B-movie kind of way, which ended up just feeling weird.
- Horton Hears a Who - Who knows? If I had not of fallen asleep, it may have been really good!
I also want to make another plug for kids-in-mind. Our ratings system is still flawed, as Benjamin Button is not for 13 year-olds (in my opinion).
Happy Go Lucky. Fabulous. As we were walking out of the theater, J remarked, "It was weird; it had no narrative, but I really liked it." A movie about happy and unhappy people, which sounds either vague or ominously sappy. But see it and you'll find it to be neither.
ReplyDeleteI've watched a bunch of girlie movies lately: Momma Mia, Jane Austin and Twilight. I have a new "worst movie": Momma Mia. The only thing I liked about the movie was the island, otherwise it was absolutely horrible (IMHO).
ReplyDeleteTwilight was very good in my opinion. I don't know that I'd put it in the top 5 for 2008, haven't really done that mental research yet. Jane Austin was pretty good actually. And I don't like Anne Hathaway at all but it was decent enough.
I watched Benjamin Button and agree with you entirely (accompanied by my 14 year old son, my bad for not doing research). I was intrigued with the story line but the story never really developed. The acting was good, just kind of dry otherwise. In truth, if it wasn't for the lightening striking clips, it would have been a total bomb...
I'll have to do some research and maybe get back on this. The Horton movie was kind of funny I thought, fun to watch with the kids.
Hah! The island was nice. :)
ReplyDeleteI did like the lightning scenes too. Kinda jolt you out of the induced slumber.
Milk. Phenomenal.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Ghost Town was pretty good. Not in the top 5 probably but good enough to recommend.
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