Comments | galactic_jack: My picks for 2008's top films (and then some other bits, too)

galactic_jack

My picks for 2008's top films (and then some other bits, too)

Feb 09, 2009 20:16

I haven't posted in an age, but I wanted to just post up my picks for the best flicks of last year. There's top 10 films, runners-up stuff, M/F acting, worst, disappointments and unexpected gems, too. Though there's no waffle about the lists this year, as I have done - or, more to the point, will do - write-ups on my film blog, which is where I do ( Read more... )

Comments 22

selvatica February 10 2009, 16:16:31 UTC

I thought I'd seen quite enough films (201) that were new to me last year and I went to the cinema for new ones just over 20 times (a record for me!), but I still have not seen (or heard) of many of the films that you mention.
I obviously need to get my act together!
You don't mention Tuesday (or was that this year?)

galactic_jack February 10 2009, 21:36:04 UTC

I am currently experiencing an ongoing mis-spent adulthood where I (seem to) live part-time in a cinema. But, sheesh, 201 for a year is plenty! I don't know if I saw 201 new films last year. Maybe?!

Tu£sday was last year, and I forgot to add it in my 'also good' section.

Yay! biberkopf_bear February 10 2009, 21:46:30 UTC

Now I know what to tune my internal memory/movie radar to for the next few years.

And btw, I just watched THE PAGE TURNER for the first time last week. Loved it!

Re: Yay! galactic_jack February 10 2009, 22:56:21 UTC

Oh good, I hope you have a good haul of some of these. Let me know if/what you get to see.

The Page Turner was ace. I need to see it again - those performances were incredible.

Re: Yay! laurainlimbo February 12 2009, 02:16:39 UTC

Now I know what to tune my internal memory/movie radar to for the next few years

that's just what I was thinking too!

(The comment has been removed)

galactic_jack February 11 2009, 19:09:30 UTC

The Bergman connection is interesting. I guess the isolated island setting and initial frostiness/character distance, perhaps? Many folk compared it to Eric Rohmer, which is kinda understandable, but a bit lazy considering the influence is all-too apparent in the title, and the film is more evocative, and has slightly more accessible or involving characters than in some of his films.

Margot was great first time around, but my another viewing cemented it as a top 2008 flick; its subtleties really emerged the second time. It's so well structured, too.

laurainlimbo February 12 2009, 02:16:05 UTC

wow great stuff - thanks for giving me lots of movies to put on my queue and also actors to post on my comm -hehe!!

I really have wanted to see Margot at the Wedding and it's on my queue at the moment. I liked the Mist up to the end - did you really like the ending??

and Pineapple Express - I so so wanted to like this better. I loved James Franco in it, and laughed in some places, but there was too much useless gratuitous violence at the end. the violence felt out of place with the rest of the movie. but james franco made it worth my time:)

many of these I haven't heard of - not surprising - but The Flight of the Red Balloon I must see if my favorite actress Juliette Binoche is in it.

you didn't like Dan in REal Life? I thought that would be good.

galactic_jack February 13 2009, 18:56:50 UTC

Always a pleasure to assist!

I did like the ending to The Mist. The first time I saw it I was unsure about a few things (mainly the heightened, slightly portentous music in the last stretch), but the second time there wasn't an issue. What was it about the ending that didn't feel right for you? I'd be very interested to hear. I mean, obviously it was all rather dispiriting and all that, but were you appalled? Bored?

Franco was the shiner in Pineapple Express, such a winsome, amiable performance. The others were good too, very fitting and they all maintained the tone nicely. I wasn't bothered by the bloodshed really. It felt a bit like it was trying to make a stronger impact because of its violence, but it didn't lurch too waywardly for me.

Dan in Real Life was ok-ish in places, but it was more disappointing than anything, since I liked the director's previous flick, Pieces of April a fair bit.

laurainlimbo February 15 2009, 02:48:18 UTC

well to be honest, I was horrified and shocked with the ending of The Mist. I haven't read Stephen King's story (though I did listen to over half of it on an audio book), but I've heard that his original ending is different. the movie's ending took me by surprise because it kind of seemed so unexpected. But I"m sure that's what the director was aiming at with that ending - I know he wanted to shock and make the viewer think - and perhaps make them angry. so in that vein, it was a very good ending. it certainly wasn't boring. it was so devastating.

maybe I need to watch Pineapple Express again. the violence at the end just didn't seem to fit the rest of the mood for me.

I loved Pieces of April - such a sweet refreshing movie!