The Best Films of the Year
&
2008 Oscar Predictions

Before the Top 10 List...Here're a few movies that just missed the cut.

David Fincher's Zodiac has somehow fallen completely under the radar this year, but it is undoubtedly one of the year's best movies. Filled with compelling performances, what is most impressive about Zodiac is Fincher's uncanny ability to evoke a quiet, yet startling Hitchcock-ian suspense.

Spain's Juan Carlos Fresnadillo spins his take on the Boyle masterpiece "28 Days Later" in the films' sequel 28 Weeks Later..."Weeks" is the most impressive sequel I have ever seen, most likely because it really isn't a sequel, but a borrowed premise to tell a completely different story about humanity, love, and the destructive nature of inhabiting a land with military force.

It's great to watch a film that doesn't get caught up with itself and convoluted with grandiose ideas or plot points. The Kite Runner is superb for these very reasons. It is a simple story where you want desperately just to know what will happen to the people inhabiting this world.

Gone Baby Gone, in the way that Scorsese and others are able to infuse with their abilities, is a searing look at a place and the characters inhabiting this place. Ben Affleck tells the story of the low income streets of Boston--the corruption and the familial, neighborly dedication of its police force and citizens respective that it takes to protect the underprivileged.


And with that...here are the top ten films of the year:

10. In the Valley of Elah

Paul Haggis leaves another great mark on 21st century American cinema. Tommy Lee Jones delivers one of the best performances of the year--I credit the Academy for sneaking him into the Best Actor category. Jones carries this sombre, gritty, engaging piece from the opening frame. What is really going on here in this quiet town--hand in hand with that, what is really going on in this country today?


9. Atonement

Beautiful movie, well executed. Great cinematography and score!


8. Away From Her

Tragic story of love and dedication and illness. Wonderful performances from every single person in this film.


7. Across the Universe

I will never understand the detractors from this movie. It's been a very love it or hate it kind of film. Great music, solid performances and drama circled around an outstanding message and defining moment in American History--maybe its time for our next defining moment...or maybe we need to find our Beatles of today first...


6. The Wind That Shakes the Barley

I will say a very little about this film other than I was moved greater by no other movie this year. It's politically charged storyline is as relevant in any country and at any moment in time--and, as has come to be expected, another outstanding performance by Cillian Murphy.


5. No Country for Old Men

The Coens' are not always masterful but they are always intriguing. No Country For Old Men is both masterful and profoundly intriguing. Oh, and the acting is great, too.


4. Juno

Ellen Page delivers the true best performance of the year (okay, other than by Daniel Day-Lewis) in the most fun and funniest films of the year, Juno.


3. American Gangster

The biggest snubs at the Academy Awards are the lack of nominations for this movie. Denzel gives his best performance of his career (no nomination); Ridley Scott (no nomination) directs a gritty, fast moving story of the streets of New York. Oh, well, it's still fantastic, Oscar glory or not.

2. Eastern Promises

For me, Eastern Promises is the most underrated movie of the year. David Cronenberg infects his brilliance on this slow moving tale of a Russian mobster torn between loyalty and doing the right thing (or is he). The best scenes of the year are in abundance in this movie--and Viggo Mortensen is equally as good as Daniel Day-Lewis.


1. Once

This is the reason we watch movies. For small little amazingly emotional treats like "Once". This is by far the best film of the year. The chemistry between Glen Hansaard and Marketa Irgorva is magical as is their music.

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2008

It's been a great year for great films. The list could go on and on past ten. And now, that brings us to the Oscars...

The following is a quick rundown of my Oscar predictions along with my own sentiment for what should win...

Best Supporting Actress
Will Win: Cate Blanchett-I'm Not There
Should Win: Saorise Ronan-Atonement

Best Supporting Actor
Will Win: Javier Bardem
Should Win: Javier Bardem

Best Original Screenplay
Will Win: Juno
Should Win: Juno

Best Adapted Screenplay
Will Win: No Country for Old Men
Should Win: Away From Her

Best Actress
Will Win: Julie Christie-Away From Her
Should Win: Ellen Page-Juno

Best Actor
Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis
Should Win: Daniel Day-Lewis or Viggo Mortensen (sorry for the 'OR' here, but truly they both deserve this award--Tie? Maybe?)

Best Director
Will Win: The Coens
Should Win: The Coens

Best Picture
Will Win: No Country for Old Men
Should Win: Juno

The rest of the predix...

Best Foreign Language
Will Win: The Counterfeiters

Best Doc
Will Win: No End in Sight

Animated Feature
Will Win: Ratatouille

Best Cinematography
Will Win: No Country
Should Win: No Country

Best Editing
Will Win: Bourne Ultimatum
Should Win: No Country

Art Direction
Will Win: Atonement
Should Win: There Will Be Blood

Costume Design
Will Win: Sweeney Todd
Should Win: Atonement

Makeup
Will Win: La Vie En Rose
Should Win: La Vie En Rose

Original Score
Will Win: Atonement
Should Win: Atonement

Original Song
Will Win: Falling Slowly
Should Win: Falling Slowly

Sound Mixing
Will Win: Bourne Ultimatum
Should Win: No Country

Sound Editing
Will Win: Transformers
Should Win: Borne Ultimatum

Visual Effects
Will Win: Transformers
Should Win: Transformers

Animated Short
Will Win: I Met the Walrus

Live-Action Short
Will Win: The Tonto Woman

Documentary Short
Will Win: La Corona

And that is all...I'll be back to complain about what wins and what doesn't and all rest of the hoopla after the show...