I definitely think it's always a good idea to look back at the past year, review the highlights (and the lowlights) and, I don't know, just think things through. Even if you had the shittiest year of your life, you should never forget that time, as it's a good reference point when times are good.
For me, 2008 was probably the best year of my life so far. My band managed to make so much progress, I (mostly) didn't have to deal with the unwanted pressures of the school life, I managed to obtain an awesome job with awesome people to work with, and of course, I still have an amazing and beautiful girlfriend who is the light of my life. Oh, and Barack Obama got elected. That was pretty great.
But mostly what I wanted to do with this blog is have some fun and focus on the entertainment side of things (which, admittedly, is a huge part of my life). So I'll do some Top 10 lists as well as big disappointments and let-downs. Let's get it going!
TOP 20 Movies (from 20 to 1; I watch and love a lot of movies, so top 10 would be leaving out a lot of great films)
20. Ghost Town
Anything with Ricky Gervais is amazing. Anyone that has seen either The Office (British version) or Extras can tell you that. However, when I first saw the trailers for the film I was a bit skeptical. I just couldn't see Gervais' talents going to proper use in what seemed to be your standard run-of-the-mill rom-com. The film, however, turned out to be great fun. It's nothing brilliant by any means, but Gervais has some laugh-out-loud moments and both Greg Kinnear and Tea Leoni are excellent in supporting roles. Go rent it if you're in the mood for a light but entertaining comedy.
19. Gran Torino
I am a huge Clint Eastwood fan. The man's probably my hero. That being said, this film is definitely not his best work as a director. It probably doesn't deserve any Academy Award noms this year, although there has been some talk of it happening.
All that being said, the film was still incredibly enjoyable. Clint plays Clint, which is always great, especially since we haven't seen it in years. He's menacing, grumpy, scary and ultimately hilarious, all at the same time. Brilliant. Don't go in expecting a Dirty Harry film though, cause you won't get it (even though it's currently being marketed this way). The film struggles from some bad acting from the supporting characters (who apparently were all amateur actors; some had never acted before) and poorly written dialogue (the script probably could've used a couple more rewrites), but seriously, who gives a shit? It's Clint Eastwood, people! That fact alone makes this movie awesome in my books.
18. The Wrestler
The Wrestler is a film about a wrestler. Yup. That's what it is. It basically follows a down-and-out wrestler who is struggling to make ends meet after falling off the professional wrestling circuit.
The real triumph of the film is the performance of Mickey Rourke who plays the title wrestler. Rourke, who is often looked upon as a washed-up actor (similarities to his character, perhaps?) has certainly rejuvenated himself here. Seriously, he just seems like a genuinely real person, which is harder and harder to pull off in movies nowadays. You feel and live every emotion with him. He breezes through the film, pulling off everything required of him with ease. Truly awesome stuff.
The rest of the film is strong too, if a little depressing. It's definitely not for everyone. It feels more like a documentary actually, which really works and helps to convey the necessary emotions to the audience. Seriously though, the film is worth it just to see Mickey in his most groundbreaking role.
17. Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. steals the show here.
As a "superhero" movie, it isn't quite as good as people make it out to be. There are only 3 real action sequences in the film, and the best one (when he first utilizes his Iron Man suit and lays waste to the baddies terrorizing the Middle Eastern village) is way too short. The villain, Obadiah Stane (played beautifully by Jeff Bridges aka "The Dude") is not given enough screentime to be "bad" and therefore we don't hate him as much as we should in the climax.
However, these small flaws are saved by a stellar performance by Downey Jr. He's unbelievably funny. A lesser actor would have made Tony Stark (a conceited womanizer) a completely unlikable character, which would have sunk the film. Not Downey Jr. He easily carries the weight of the film on his shoulders, in the process creating a surefire hit and likely a long-lasting franchise.
16. RocknRolla
A lot of film buffs really dislike Guy Ritchie. They say he can only do one thing well - the fast-talking, uber-cool, Cockney gangster films. To them I say "hell the fuck yeah".
Who really cares if he can only do one type of film well? The fact is that the films he does are way too damn fun to pass up. Lots of directors are only able to do one type of film well, but the fact is, they do them well so why the heck do people complain?
RocknRolla isn't nearly as good or clever as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels or Snatch so, in that sense, it's a bit disappointing. But once you get past that and just learn to enjoy it, you'll have a super fun time. There's not much to say about it though. If you've seen any of his films, you know what to expect. And if Ritchie follows through on his promise to bring back the two best characters in the film, Johnny Quid and Archie, to star in their own spinoff film, then we will have a real shitshow on our hands.
If you haven't seen any of Ritchie's films, get your car keys and go to Blockbuster. Now. Go.
Seriously, why are you still reading this? Piss off.
15. The Bank Job
Going into this film I wasn't expecting much to be honest. I, unlike most, love Jason Statham. I thought that this film, however, would be nothing more than a quick escape to the local cineplex. Little did I know that it would turn out to be one of the best films of the year!
The first half centers around a "bank job". Yup, only the first half. The movie dives a lot deeper than you'd think it would. The second half the film is all politics, drama, and action. Much more engaging than I expected it would be. It's more like Layer Cake than Ocean's Eleven. And since there can only be one Ocean's Eleven (not counting the original), this works much better for the film. Go see it. Even if you hate Statham.
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Alright well, this post is already considerably long so I'll end here to be continued in the next post where I will finish the movie countdown. Peace folks!
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