Everything is Great w/ J.T. – Top 12
Time for the roundup of the top 12 movies of the year. Take that top 10 lists!!! You bunch of fucking slackers! I spent a lot of time at the theater this year, and I remember most of it… well, some of it anyway. With a little help from good ol’ Jameson and friends, it was a damn good year for movies… here ya go…
12. Tropic Thunder
Everyone made a big deal about Robert Downey, Jr.’s performance in this one, but to me the funniest parts are with Nick Nolte… I love Nolte. Great stuff, and if you have the DVD, check the commentary… apart from Step Brothers, best commentary of the year.
11. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
This movie should be called Remembering Mila Kunis When You’re Jerking Off. Seriously, if there is a more beautiful person on the planet, let me know. This is also the funniest movie of the year, hands down. I haven’t laughed out loud while watching a movie alone in a long time, and I laughed thoughout this whole thing… great, great, great movie. Did I mention Mila Kunis yet? Goddamn, so hot…
10. Be Kind Rewind
A movie for people who love movies… underrated and underwatched by most of the country. I’ve seen it about 10 times and it gets better with each viewing. Maybe it’s because I’m a movie nerd. I put it on par with Cinema Paradiso, as far as the “movie for movie lovers” thing goes. Give it a whirl.
9. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
A 3 hour movie where you never check your watch. It’s totally captivating and never gets dull. 2008’s Forrest Gump (only good), it’s a crowd pleaser without being sappy or overly emotional. A fictional biopic that doesn’t get sensational, is funny, and, best of all, is something you wouldn’t mind sitting through a second time, 3 hours and all.
8. Hellboy II: The Golden Army
A rare sequel that’s better than the first. The first movie since Pan’s Labyrinth for Guillermo Del Toro, who turned down I Am Legend, Halo, and Harry Potter in order to make this… and with good reason. You can tell he has an affinity for the character and telling his story. Every detail seems to be well thought out and catered to. I loved it.
7. Funny Games
I’ve already written about this one… scary as fuck, fucked up as fuck, sheesh… *shudder*
6. Iron Man
The best superhero movie of the year (sorry Dark Knight). Is Robert Downey, Jr. officially the coolest motherfucker in the world? I think yes… I really don’t have to say much about this because everyone already saw it and knows it’s great.
5. Tell No One
Nothing is better than a good murder mystery. I’m a sucker for a good action flick too. Gangsters? I’m for ‘em! This movie has it all… and it’s foreign so you feel smart for watching it!! Honestly though, this is one that will be seen by more and more people as the years go on and, in about 5 years, will be regaurded as a classic.
4. Slumdog Millionaire
I already wrote about this too… and what did I say then? That slowly but surely this is gonna get BIG… It was #8 last weekend, earning a little over 3 million, this week #13, earning over 4 million (5 new movies opened) in roughly the same number of theaters. When awards season is officially on, this will be in the top 5 for a month. Tizzledomus has spoken!
3. Burn After Reading
The most entertaining movie of the year. Granted I’ve got a hard on for the Coen brothers, but it’s impossible not to love this movie. Every character is so well written and acted that this has to be near the top of any of these actors’ resumes (like they need resumes). The best I’ve ever seen from Malkovich. Laugh out loud funny.
2. Let The Right One In
Coming-of-age, love-at-first-sight, neglectful-parents, school-bullies movie… WITH FUCKING VAMPIRES!!! YES, PLEASE!!!
1. WALL-E
A perfect movie. One part Buster Keaton, one part Singing in the Rain, one part 2001: A Space Odyssey, one part An Inconvenient Truth… Pixar is the truth, don’t get it twisted. It’s so goddamn cute it’s rediculous. The best film of 2008, hands down.
RUNNER UP AWARDS
Biggest Suprise: The Incredible Hulk
Biggest Disappointment: Gran Torino
Would Be in the Top 12 if I’d Seen it: The Wrestler
Soon-To-Be Cult Classic: The Foot Fist Way
Reason I Should’ve Done a Top 13: Milk
“Loom of Fate” of the Year: Wanted
Best DVD Commentary: Step Brothers (with Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Jon Brion on the Keys, and Clippers’ PG Baron Davis supplying the backup vocals… seriously)
January 1st, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Aside from the lack of Batman on this list, well played. Slumdog Millionaire and Tell No One are about to get the torrent treatment based on my trust in you (except of course for the lack of Batman).
January 1st, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Baron is on the step bros commentary? Fux yeah! I need to watch that shit…Good list you have here my friend.
January 1st, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Dark Knight was overrated, but not a bad movie… too much stuff crammed in for the sake of sub-plots… Batman didn’t even need to be in the movie. I think we’ve been over this.
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:44 am
I know it’s a late entry but The Spirit was actually really good, if you can tolerate extreme comic bookiness ala adam west batman. I was pleasantly surprised. On the flipside of that, Hell Boy 2 I really couldn’t get into for the exact same reason. Who knows, different strokes… I agree with everything else on the list.
wait
be kind rewind i didn’t like but i only saw the first half of it twice and i was drunk. so we’ll call it even.
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:58 am
TDK was a great flick..period, Anywho. Wrestler – Great, Also you didn’t mention some others you may or may have not seen that deserve some ups. In Bruges, Frost/Nixon and that “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired” documentary. Again..something for movie geeks. Need to see Che too. Del Toro looks like he beasts that role.
Has anyone seen the Crank 2 redband trailer?
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:43 am
own In Bruges, and love it… but not enough to make my top 12. and don’t act like i’m hating on the Dark Knight (i refuse to use TDK)… it was a good movie, but not great. Frost/Nixon and the Wrestler are the two i will see in the next two days… only regret is i didn’t see “Man On Wire” which would be my Doc of the year…. maybe, if it weren’t for “Air Guitar Nation”.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:46 am
PS: Rob, watch all of Be Kind Rewind, please.
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Benjamin Button. A real penis softener that one is. The first 2 hours and 45 minutes, irrefutably dope. But I couldve scrubbed my taint with the last 15. Gimme a break, really!?
January 4th, 2009 at 3:49 am
when it’s just Cate Blanchett and a non-Brad Pitt baby, yeah, it’s pretty bad… but it’s not like i put it in my top 5.
January 4th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Too true. Ive been corrected and apologize.
January 5th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Just saw Benjamin Button… liked it…. but…. the end was nothing special, and after the first 2.5 hours you’re kinda like…. okay folks, lets see the baby and wrap this thing up. It’s a very well done movie and i can appreciate any period piece done that well. Acting was good, story kept me watching but i did want a twist, i won’t lie i wanted a TWIST!