I didn’t see everything that came out, but I did see plenty. Here are the best, in order:1) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Critic Rex Reed summed it up for me, calling it “not only one of the best films of the year, but one of the greatest films ever made.”
2) Slumdog Millionaire. Beautifully edited and directed. It’ll make you just want to be great.
3) Tell No One. French thriller that would be nominated for an Oscar had it been shot in English in America.
4) Milk. Sean Penn, who claims he doesn’t love acting, shows that doesn’t really matter; this character is ten million miles from his real persona, and he nails it.
5) Tropic Thunder. Went to this one not really wanting to see it, and was shocked. The best comedy of the year.
6) The Bank Job. Very underrated thriller, featuring the most underrated action star: Jason Statham.
7) Iron Man. Superhero movie of the year. Robert Downey, Jr. is the most charming actor around.
8) The Visitor. Terrific independent film that shows that no matter how old we are, we can change our lives for the better.
9) Boy A. Best drama no one saw. A British young man tries to assimilate back into society after being imprisoned for killing a fellow child ten years earlier.
10) The Fall. Tarsem, an amazing visual director, shows he can direct actors just as well. It’s a real guy’s film that also looks beautiful.
