Best Movies of 2008
By The Colonel
Making movies is a teamwork, whether it’s porn, crime drama or western spaghetti, it requires utilizing several people and investing capital, time and effort, it’s a group experience; while watching movies is a personal experience, you may love or hate a movie despite it’s box office status or critical applaud, for reasons that matter to you and nobody else. With that being said, here is my list of best movies of 2008, so if you like some of them, god bless you. If you don’t, again, god bless you; we agree to disagree.
1. Gran Torino: Clint Eastwood plays as Walt Kowalski, a grim, ill-tempered, beer-chugging retired Detroit autoworker, living in a run-down neighborhood that’s rapidly getting saturated by the foreigners whom he eventually becomes friend with and protects against local gangbangers. This is Eastwood’s best movie since The Unforgiven. When he points the shotgun at a bunch of gangbangers and groans: Get off my lawn, it’s not just Walt Kowalski talking, it’s Harry Callahan, it’s William Munny, it’s Frankie Dunn, and above all, it’s Clint Eastwood.
2. The Wrestler: Mickey Rourke plays professional wrestler Randy Robinson, a battered, washed up, self destructive man holding on to the last chance of his life and career. In other words, Mickey Rourke plays Mickey Rourke, and the result is simply astonishing. This is performance of a lifetime.
3. The Dark Knight: The second installment in newly re-invented Batman franchise is The GodFather Part II of comic book movies: utilized by a superb story and powerful performances, most notably the late Heath Ledger as the Joker, visually spectacular and morally compiling. The bar is raised too high, let’s just hope the next installment won’t turn into The GodFather Part III of comic book movies.
4. Quantum of Solace: The bloodiest James Bond movie ever, featuring an angry agent 007 hell bent on vengeance and destruction. Daniel Craig at the top of his game, and Mark Forster does a fine, stylish job as director. Some people complained why Bond didn’t spank Miss Moneypenny and didn’t drive an invisible car. I suggest they make time and read Bond original novels to get a better glimpse of his edgy, gritty character and the atmosphere surrounding his world. I’m sure if they do, they’ll understand and appreciate this movie better.
5. The X-Files: I Want to Believe: This is perhaps the most personal movie in my list. Is this mediocre, mythology free story what I expected from Chris Carter and Co. after a six-year hiatus? No. Do I think they could and should do better? Of course, But I love this movie for what it is: Mulder-Scully relationship, disturbed characters, haunting snow covered landscapes, and creepy music. That does it for me.
6. The Bank Job: One of the best heist movies I’ve seen in a long time. The story is based on true events, and takes place in the gritty streets and undergrond clubs of London in the 70’s. Jason Statham does what he does best: kicking ass and taking names. Gotta love him, he’s the man’s man, sharp and well dressed for action. Serve him a vodka martini, shaken not stirred, hand him the key to an Aston Martin DB5, and he could be Bond.
7. Appaloosa: Ed Harris directs this gutsy, old fashioned western and stars as Virgil Cole, gunfighter for hire turned sheriff who with help from his friend Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) tends to bring down Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons), an evil, murderous rancher and his gang. The best western I’ve seen since The Proposition in 2005. Unfortunately these days they don’t make movies like this too often.
8. Burn After Reading: The Coen brothers are back with their best comedy since The Big Lebowski. Once again, they discover and expose idiot America in a story of espionage, blackmail, love affairs and plastic surgery gone awry. The most memorable scene is where Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney) reveals his gift to his wife, which of course I’m not going to reveal here. Watch the movie, if you still haven’t, and thank me later.
9. Tropic Thunder: The most mean-spirited, outrageous and politically incorrect comedy of the year, featuring a bald, fat Tom Cruise and a black Robert Downey Jr. Perhaps the best and most notorious publicity for the movie was the retards protest at the premiere night.
10. Doomsday: This British futuristic thriller depicts a plague infested England, where the remaining of the human race must fight against zombies, cannibal anarcho punks and medieval warriors led by no other than Malcolm McDowell. 70’s science fiction combined by 21st century action and special effects. I’m sold.
I hope you have enjoyed or will enjoy these movies as much as I did. Now if you excuse me, I have to go see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Colonel – Thanks for the reviews. I’ve seen a few and I’ll check the others out.
I have to say Burn After Reading was one of my favorites too.
George Clooney and Brad Pitt should be nominated for Oscars because they were so good and totally played against type. That is a true actor, to shine when they are not in a shinny role. I also loved what he was making in the basement. I am sure it will be a porn movie soon, if it is not already!
I do have to plug my girlfriends movie, Last Chance Harry. Dustin Hoffman is up for a Golden Globe award, and they use the clip she is in. She is the Airline stewardess that tells him he cannot get on the plane with his carry on. It is a funny scene.
I have to say Colonel I am surprised you are going to a love story movie like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I always knew you were a romantic!
I am planning on seeing Milk and Frost/Nixon over the holiday. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
Kay my dear, I’m glad you liked the reviews. John Malkovich is also great in Burn After Reading. There is a scene where he’s practicing to an 80’s work out video in his yacht: ‘1, 2, 3, I’m back, you fuckers.’ Brilliant.
I haven’t seen Last Chance Harry yet, but if you want to see that kind of drama done right, actually more than right, superb, you have to watch HBO series In Treatment starring Gabriel Byrne. It’s not out on DVD yet, but I believe you can catch it on HBO on demand.
I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button this past weekend. It’s a fascinating movie, much more than just a love story. Performances, directing, special effects, everything is grade A. It’s a must see for all movie lovers.
Oh, and I’m not going to see Milk for obvious reasons, even though Sean Penn is one of my favorite actors. I’d rather see him in movies like Mystic River instead.
I liked John Malkovich too, but I thought he was the same character he always was in it.
And you really can’t see Milk? You can always close your eyes if there is a love scene. He truly was a very forward thinking man. If you can say that Curious Case is not only a love story, you can watch Sean Penn as Harvey Milk. To bad the other historic remembrance is the Twinkie defense, thank go that was over turned and defendants are not allowed to use it any more.
Sean Penn is said to be outstanding, he has received a Golden Globe nod along with Mickey Rourke, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio.
I’ll pay if you go see Milk!
I don’t know Kay, but the story of a gay activist just does not interest me, even though Sean Penn is in it; he’s a great character actor, sometimes he’s really good (The Assassination of Richard Nixon), and sometimes he really sucks (I Am Sam). As far as the Golden Globe and Academy awards, even if Penn gets nominated, probably he’ll be running against Clint Eastwood and Micky Rourke. I’ll bet my money on Eastwood, but I tell you what, I promise I’ll see Milk if Sean Penn wins.
Col, you might like Milk. It’s not Brokeback Mountain-gay sex style (Although there’s one in-bed scene at the beginning and another very brief one in the middle), it’s rooted more in a political view. It’s not your typical congratulatory biopic.
I find it funny that this article is accepted and commented on, because it was written by the Colonel. Anytime articles on mainstream topics or news are posted here by other writers, the first commenter always wrote- I THOUGHT THIS WAS A PORN SITE! Seems to be a double standard here. Col can write about anything, but Cindy, Darrah, Al, etc…cannot….
Yes FanBoi, that is why he is the Colonel!
Kay darling, you know the feeling is mutual.
I agree Fanboi…
I’m glad certain people agree to disagree with me, that does speak in volumes.
Colonel, my take is that everyone should stick to their strengths. You seem to have a large amount of knowledge of the adult industry and a casutic wit, however this didn’t display either. If your followers are interested and it draws traffic to the site god bless, but fanboi called a spade a spade. If Cindi or I wrote the same thing it would probably get dissed. It’s not bad, but objectively, as a crtitique of movies, it’s nothing special.
Al, I made it clear in my introductory note that I’ll write about all adult related issues including but not limited to the adult industry, this is something Cindi and I agreed upon before I started writing, and as you see it is generating interest and traffic. I can’t tell you why my stuff gets accepted while yours gets dissed, you have to ask readers that question, but I can tell you I’ll write about whatever I want, whenever I want. You don’t have to feel compelled to read all of my articles and reply to all of them.