This is the second part (first part here) of a list that was initially conceived back in January. Since then it has been revised to include most of the titles I didn’t manage to see until later on, so as to ensure that those later releases were also given a chance. While managing to (just about) condense the list into twenty films, there are a number of films from last year that are also worthy of mention despite not making the cut:
Dear Zachary – Heartbreaking, terrible evil, is bound to make you cry.
Tôkyô! – Colourful, metropolitan, three unique slices of Tokyo life.
The Class – Bold, boisterous, the joys of opening up young minds.
Flame & Citron - War, intrigue, and the unstoppable breeding of mistrust.
Everything is Fine – Greyish land, crippling grief, and bubbling teenage angst.
A Complete History of My Sexual Failures - Narcissistic, hilarious, untrue.
The Headless Woman – Slow, subtle, a dream-like portrait of self-destruction.
Speed Racer – Garish, sensational, like dusty Sunday morning cartoons.
Above are the eight honourable mentions that I believe to be worthy of… mention. Unfortunately, it’s been so long since I’ve seen most of them that they’ve simply been condensed into single sentence summations for now. Though please feel free to add your own. Now, back to the rest of the list. Enjoy, and be sure to look out for the 2009 edition of this list which should be posted around January/February of next year.
10. Wendy and Lucy | Kelly Reichardt
Montana-born actress Michelle Williams has come a long way since her career-propelling turn on the hit teenage drama Dawson’s Creek. That was ‘98, and a bold move for a young actress who had already made her screen debut. As with many other young talents however, the stability of a six-season run on such a popular primetime show proved to be priceless. Since then Williams has made some… [MORE]
09. Flight of the Red Balloon | Hou Hsiao-Hsien
It’s always interesting to watch talented filmmakers move away from their native land to create in a new environment. Seasoned director Hou Hsiao-Hsien was born in China, grew up in Taiwan yet has also made films in Japan. Voyage du Ballon Rouge or Flight of the Red Balloon is his first film set and shot outside Asia and is inspired by Albert Lamorisse’s 1956 classic Le Ballon Rouge. Many words… [MORE]
08. Doubt | John Patrick Shanley
John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt is a film about faith and about uncertainty. Historically, the idea of doubt has been regarded very differently by those of faith, often both as a sin and as a virtue. Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote that “Christianity has done its utmost to close the circle and declare even doubt to be a sin.” which can be seen in the poetry of Frederick William Faber; “For right is right, since God is God, … [MORE]
07. Revanche | Götz Spielmann
Götz Spielmann’s Revanche is named after the French word for “revenge”, and one would be hard-pressed to find a single word that could better sum up this slick European thriller. We open on the imposing tops of dark green trees reflected in a forest lake as the opening credits come and go, eventually leaving us with the most profound silence and stillness. After a few moments this calm is shattered… [MORE]
06. The Wrestler | Darren Aronofsky
As a concept, Darren Aronofsky’s latest outing The Wrestler is the closest this oft-misjudged director has ever been to conventional cinema, and it works for him. It’s an intelligent move. Not only will the film reassure all those fans of his that were alienated after The Fountain, it will also undoubtedly win western audiences over in the theaters. For what is more American than wrestling after all? The story… [MORE]
05. Synecdoche, New York | Charlie Kaufman
Attempting to explain the premise behind award winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut Synecdoche, New York is like rushing to unravel a new roll of sticky tape with stunted fingernails. You think you’ve got it but you never truly have. You scrabble at the most accessible point until you break through, but in your enthusiasm realise that this has only exposed a deeper and stickier layer of… [MORE]
04. Still Walking | Hirokazu Koreeda
Someone recently pointed out to me that 2008 was a year for the family film; not those intended to entertain adults and kids alike but those created to portray the family dynamic in modern society. This is true in a sense, we have been treated to such family-oriented titles as I’ve Loved You So Long, Flight of the Red Balloon and Summer Hours from France alone this year. Then again it is also true… [MORE]
03. In the City of Sylvia | José Luis Guerín
Many tend to forget that film is the only popular medium in which one may tell a story without actually telling it. We forget that our good friend dialogue wasn’t present at the birth of cinema, nor was he expected. These days it seems that the screenplay is a critical step in the production process of a film, rather than an optional one. Works of the cinematic orientation conceived merely from a whispered concept are… [MORE]
02. Milk | Gus Van Sant
It’s taken a long time for Kentucky-born filmmaker Gus Greene Van Sant Junior to step out of his oft-tagged “indie” comfort zone and tackle a project of size. With Milk, the director has not only found his feet in more conventional territory, but also reignited a passion that seemed somehow dampened during his recent efforts. Milk is the story of California’s first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, and his… [MORE]
01. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | David Fincher
Which filmmaker do you believe best represents modern American cinema? Which filmography would you choose, if you could, to represent such a great country and its ever-increasing array of films? It’s a question that I’m sure many have thought about but, of course, there is no concrete answer. There is however a general consensus as to the recognised greats of American cinema and with The Curious Case... [MORE]
Thank you for reading.
