Sulmoney’s #2 – Slumdog Millionaire

Oh Hans, how juvenile is the Cookie Monster. Don’t force me to call Bert and Ernie to yapp you. Wait, too late.

The Dark Knight is a masterpiece. There is no other way to put it. For me though, I had gotten The Dark Knight overdose, having seen it 3 (and a half) times during its theatrical release, and its overly long running time really started to take away from the film, and the negatives that you pointed out started to stick out more and more, and is why I ultimately ranked it at #4 instead of higher. Having recently seen The Reader, I can see why it got the Best Picture nomination over The Dark Knight, as it is pure Oscar bait, while The Dark Knight is still in that taboo category of “comic book movie”. This was the film that would have shattered that boundary, and the members of the Academy fumbled this one.

My #2 is something that I feel more than pretty confident that will be showing up as your #1, and like every other time we have agreed on a top 10 pick, I beat you to it. Slow poke.

 

Slumdog Millionaire

The destined to be Academy Award winner for Best Picture comes in at my #2 film of 2008. Danny Boyle travels to India to bring the slums of Mumbai to life for all the world to see in what is his best film since Trainspotting. Unlike what the above poster and what the media will have you believe, this is hardly a Bollywood film that is a rousing piece of life affirming cinema. There is extreme poverty. There are men who handicap children so that they can bring in more money as beggars. There is underage prostitution. There is murder committed by individuals who would not be allowed to drive in many countries. This is the third world hidden in the shadows of what people are hyping as the next big world superpower. 

 

Can't a boy drop a deuce in peace?

Running alongside all these horrible conditions is an absolutely remarkable and wholly original piece of storytelling, based on the acclaimed Q&A by Vikas Swarup. Swarup’s, and consequently Boyle’s, greatest success is tying the love of reality television to the story of a man’s life, and how one gets to the place they get to. The main character, Jamal, sums it up perfectly when he is ridiculed for not knowing something so basic as who is on India’s currency. “Do you know how much pani puri is so and so corner?” We grow up and we learn what we are exposed to. All of our life experiences form who we are and what we know. From this, we all can dream about what our own version of Jamal’s miracle run on Who Wants to be a Millionaire would be like. 

 

Anil Kapoor needs the money to buy a razor

That is the film’s great strength; it makes us believe in Jamal, and in the end, get the girl as well. Though the ending may be pure Bollywood, it is still something that makes us go home happy. Performances from the ensemble cast are knockouts, especially from the young actors who you miss the instant Jamal and Salim tumble off the train in front of the Taj Mahal. But in the end, it all comes back to Danny Boyle, who has an eye for seeing the horrible sides of life, but at the same, seeing a glimmer of hope and happiness in those rough times. With such varied previous works as the aforementioned Trainspotting, the family film Millions, and the modern zombie classic 28 Days Later, Boyle establishes himself as one of the great directors, and he should soon add a Best Director Academy Award to his resume.

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Hans’s #2 – The Dark Knight

Even though I enjoyed Pineapple Express, I’d be remiss if I didn’t scold Sulmoney for ranking a stoner comedy higher than modern classics on his list like Wall-E, The Wrestler, and RocknRolla. BAM! See what I did there? No? Maybe cookie monster can explain it for you:

I’m actually glad that at least one big summer comedy made it onto Sulmoney’s list, though, because otherwise I wouldn’t have had a chance to discuss them. I’m a notoriously harsh critic of movie comedies, and trips to the cinema have often started with my (so-called) friends arguing over who has to sit next to me because I hardly ever laugh out loud. That said, we got some pretty decent stuff this summer with Pineapple Express (good), Tropic Thunder (better), and Forgetting Sarah Marshall (best). Unlike Sulmoney, I don’t think Pineapple Express succeeded as much as a genre-bending action-comedy, especially because a lot of the action in the last act fell flat for me, but James Franco, Danny McBride and, my personal favorite, Craig Robinson did some hilarious work that at least held up the comedy end. Even though I enjoyed Tropic Thunder more in the theater, I think Pineapple Express will age better.

Shout out also to Role Models, which I still haven’t seen, but expect I’ll really dig. Here’s big #2:

The Dark Knight

This list of my top 10 films of 2008 doesn’t necessarily include the best movies, in order, of last year. It’s simply a list of those films that for whatever reason appealed to my personal tastes more than the rest. The Dark Knight is a flawed film in many ways. It’s too long, it’s a bit too ambitious, it rushes the Two Face storyline, and some of the story elements (particularly the cell-phone mapping at the end) are just a bit too preposterous for the universe it establishes. For all of those reasons, I’m not too upset that The Dark Knight failed to snag a nomination for Best Picture at the 81st Academy Awards, but it’s a complete and utter travesty that director and co-writer Christopher Nolan was not even nominated for the Best Director trophy. If you want a review of The Dark Knight, you have thousands to choose from. Instead, here’s my case for Christopher Nolan as one of the best directors of 2008.

There’s so much to talk about that I won’t be able to really do the man justice without taking up the entire page. The stellar performances across the board, the moody music, the breathtaking scope, the unbearable tension, the bold choice to shoot in Chicago over New York, the emphasis on practical effects vs. CGI and the groundbreaking use of IMAX cameras all deserve to be mentioned, so there, I just mentioned them. What I find most impressive, though, is the uncompromising vision of the man behind the camera.

I wonder how awesome my hair looks right now...

I attribute every last dollar of The Dark Knight’s nearly $1 billion box office gross to the directorial vision of Christopher Nolan in translating the epic story of Gotham City to the big screen. The film’s title may refer to Batman himself, but it may as well have been titled “Gotham City,” since the first thing that struck me when the credits started to roll was just how much of the film was not even about Batman. Brothers Christopher and Jonathan Nolan had a monumental task before them in trying to adapt the story of one of pop culture’s most recognizable heroes with 70 years and thousands of stories of history. And just to make it a little bit harder, they had to somehow capture the essence of not one, but two of the character’s most iconic villains in a way that both honored the source material and communicated ideas that strike a chord even with today’s audiences.

Didn't I have a really cool tower with a train through it last time? And before that everything glowed-in-the-dark?

But to get back to the point, it’s not the writing that’s important, because it’s a mistake to think that The Dark Knight is an original story. Like the classic Homeric poems, the story of Gotham City, its heroes and its villains has been retold for decades through many generations. The genius of the director, then, is not that he saw something in these characters that no one else had seen before, it’s in the way he was able to sift through the excess and boil down so many of these unfathomably dense and disparate elements in a way that made sense for his own medium. You think the Joker was scary? So did Alan Moore (writer of the upcoming mega-blockbuster Watchmen) when he wrote The Killing Joke back in 1988, which Christopher Nolan hand-delivered to Heath Ledger in preparation for his role. Felt for the plight of Commissioner Gordon, who had to choose between working with Batman (implicitly condoning vigilante justice) or risk letting the city fall into the hands of the mob? What about the tragic story of Harvey Dent, the man who believed so strongly in the goodness of the system that seeing it ultimately fail drove him to complete madness? Then check out Batman: Year One, Gotham Central, or The Long Halloween. Chris Nolan did.

In Japan, the Joker says, "Hai! Cheeeezu," and somehow it's still scary.

These are ideas that say an enormous amount about so many universal themes:  the greyness of right and wrong, the limits of the human psyche, our capacity to find hope in a sea of despair, and, of course, the true nature of villainy and heroism. Now try telling your friends that you learned about these things in a comic book. “Ha! You mean those kids’ books with the silly pictures and the big words that say SMASH and POW?” But tell them that you saw all of those same things in The Dark Knight, and I suspect you’ll be met with a little more respect.

Christopher Nolan has made it socially acceptable for people to argue in public over the motivations of the guy with green hair and white face-paint, the justifications of the man with a melted face and a split-personality, and the iconography of the dude in the cape and rubber suit. That deserves a trophy in my book.

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Sulmoney’s #3 – Pineapple Express

There is no doubt that Doubt (shoot me now) is a great piece of theatre, either in the playhouse, or the cinema house. Hans is spot in saying that this film is tailor made for actors to strut their craft, and with less than capable thespians, Doubt would have been a debacle. The parallels to Frost/Nixon and Doubt are inevitable, as both were originally plays that were adapted for the screen; while Frost/Nixon may have been flashier and it got the Best Picture nomination, Doubt is the picture that will last the test of time. We get just what we expect from veterans Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep, but the real surprises are Viola Davis in her lone scene, and Amy Adams, who is on the verge of becoming a huge star. The best acting of the year is on display in these tense two hours, and the four aforementioned players got their well deserved Academy Award nominations. However, what kept me from truly embracing this film as one of the year’s best is my sheer frustration with Meryl Streep’s Sister Aloysius’ motivations. Perhaps that is why she is such an effective screen villain (or hero, depending on your viewpoint), but for me, it was purely infuriating. The final scene, designed to be (or not to be) some sort of conclusion, only added to my anger. Definitely something that I will revisit in the future though.

Now, for something totally different, I present what will likely be the most controversial pick of the litter, my #3 film of the year, David Gordon Green’s Pineapple Express.

Pineapple Express

True Romance is my favorite movie of all time. If you have never seen it, well the cast alone should make you run out to get it immediately. Don’t waste your money on the rental; buy it now. Before Brad Pitt was Brad Pitt, he was Floyd the stoner, a guy who never got off his couch while everyone he ran into during the course of the film was caught up in a huge cross country chase involving drugs, guns, love, gangsters, and Elvis. The genius that is Judd Apatow had the brilliant idea of bringing Floyd from a bit character used for comic relief to the forefront and main protagonist of a story involving, well, drugs, guns, love, gangsters, and (sadly) no Elvis.

Kids, drugs are bad for you

Seth Rogen plays Dale Denton, a man who aspires to follow a different Christian Slater movie, with a habit that brings him together with the absolutely amazing James Franco as Saul Silver, a new stoner flick legend. When Dale witnesses a murder and leaves behind a blunt of the rarest weed in the city, with the murderer being the top most drug dealer in the city, the chase begins for Dale and Saul that leads them on a voyage that includes a night in the forest, a simultaneously hilarious and grimace inducing fight with the great Danny McBride as Red, selling drugs to minors to raise bus fare, a car chase unlike any you have ever seen, and a finale in an underground secret ex-army base. Oh, and don’t forget about the Asians.

I'd take my pants off for James Franco as well

What separates Pineapple Express from all the other comedies from 2008 is its perfect blend of two genres. It works as a stoner comedy, and it works as a summer action flick as well. The combination of the two works wonders, and is a welcome relief from an earlier 2008 stoner flick disaster. The laughs are constant, from the black and white introduction, to the diner epilogue, and the violence is brutal and pulls no punches. This is a movie that improves on every viewing, and credit goes to David Gordon Green for his solid direction. The  supporting roles are played to perfection, from Craig Robinson and Kevin Corrigan as two veteran enforcers who come across as a more real Jules and Vincent, to Gary Cole and Rosie Perez thoroughly enjoying their villainous turns. Danny McBride establishes himself as a player on the rise in the comedy scene, and Seth Rogen adds another notch to his comedic hits belt.

The main star of Pineapple Express, and the reason that we will be watching this for years to come, is James Franco. Franco, as we have never seen him before, fully immerses himself into Saul Silver, a role for which he garnered a Golden Globe nomination; in conjunction with his totally opposite role in Milk, he establishes himself as a bona fide movie star, capable of doing the summer blockbusters, to comedies, to rousing award worthy offerings. Missing out on this movie and especially Franco’s performance is like killing a unicorn…with a bomb.

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Hans’s #3 – Doubt

Well unfortunately, I’m not sure there’s much to bash in Sulmoney’s #4 pick of The Dark Knight. What can I say? Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

…Sulmoney is the broken clock. Here, finally, is my #3.

Doubt

In Doubt, a curmedgeonly nun and Catholic school principal (Meryl Streep) works tirelessly to expel the progressive and popular priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who may or may not have molested a young boy, but let’s clear up one misconception right off the bat: this is not a movie about a Catholic priest molesting a young boy. In a way, that hot-button issue is simply what Hitchcock would call the “MacGuffin.” It’s only a device that motivates the characters and inspires the real meat of this film, which essentially boils down to 5 or 6 long, drawn-out scenes of brutally uncomfortable verbal conflicts riddled with subtext and unspoken implications. Much like Frost/Nixon, Doubt is a film about argumentation and ideological clash. Incidentally, both films draw on source material from the theater, but while Frost/Nixon adapted the subject matter with a familiar underdog structure, Doubt moves in an entirely different direction and delivers a moviegoing experience unlike any other.

Ah, child molestation. It warms the heart.

Doubt is an indictment of certainty, which seems a little obvious to say the least, so let me redo that: Doubt is an indictment of certainty. With this film, writer-director John Patrick Shanley (who also penned the play on which the film is based) has crafted a Rorschach test so ambiguous that it’s really a test of the viewer’s own biases. The film never even comes close to presenting the audience with enough evidence to make a valid assessment of guilt, but every viewer will likely come out of it with their own reasons for leaning one way or the other. It’s the ultimate form of audience participation, but anybody foolish enough to believe they’ve really “solved” the mystery has likely missed the point of the film entirely.

The scene where Father Flynn mistakes Amy Adams for a young boy.

And then there’s the cast. The film relies hugely on individual performances, so it’s very fortunate that the screen is populated with some of the best actors to ever grace the big screen.  As much as I liked watching Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio rip into each other for 2 hours in Revolutionary Road, the two of them got nothing on Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, though the Golden Globe voters would have you believe otherwise. In Doubt, these screen legends imbue every line with an intensity that’s just uncanny, and they do it all without shouting at the top of their lungs, growling all their lines, or smacking their lips while changing voices.

I haven’t even mentioned the supporting work of Viola Davis in one of the film’s most shocking reveals, the fantastic subtleties of the dialogue, or the pitch-perfect cinematography by Roger Deakins, who has made a career out of finding beauty in the mundane, but they’re all part of the laundry list of reasons why it’s a shame this film won’t receive the attention it deserves come Oscar time.

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Sulmoney’s #4 – The Dark Knight

Well, I think we have Wall-E covered pretty extensively. And I am sure that we will be seeing my #4 movie pick come up in your top 3 sooner rather than later, and I beat you to it once again. Again, Wall-E is a transcendent animated film, one that has universal appeal, and it is money in the bank for Best Animated Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards. We will find out in the morning if it has enough love to crash the presumed locked in 5 for Best Picture (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Frost/Nixon, Milk and Slumdog Millionaire).

Enough foreplay, on to the biggest blockbuster since Titanic.

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight. THE comic book movie to end all comic book movies. Nearly $1 billion in worldwide gross revenue. The movie event of not only the summer, but all of 2008. But we know all that already. We have story after story about The Dark Knight, and frankly, I overdosed on it. We have all seen it, and we all recognize the genius in every aspect of the film, from Christopher Nolan’s expert direction, the wonderful cinematography by Wally Pfister, the score by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, to the no need to mention it anymore iconic performance by the late great Heath Ledger. The only thing that I take offense to in the critical reception of the film is the seemingly forgotten performance by Aaron Eckhart in the tragic role of Harvey Dent/Two Face. Good thing I get to use this as my soap box to fight for him.

I really really believe in Harvey Dent

For all intents and purposes, the main story of The Dark Knight is the rise and fall of Harvey Dent. Even the title of the film indirectly references what Harvey Dent represented to the city of Gotham, as he was supposed to be their White Knight. For everything that Batman could do for the city in secrecy and in the cover of night, Harvey Dent could do in the light of day without hiding underneath a mask. Batman realizes this, and if there is one thing that he would want, it would be to be able to put his alter ego behind him, live his life as Bruce Wayne, and support Harvey Dent to the end of his days. One even gets the impression that Bruce Wayne wishes he was Harvey Dent. The first half of the film we are brought along through his biggest legal victories, and how he has cleaned up Gotham City to the best of his ability. This however leads to the coming out of The Joker, and we see the frustration of fighting a losing fight, the breaking of a good man’s spirit with the loss of his love, the subsequent birth of Two Face, and his final shameful acts.

Cue Daddy Yankee's Gasolina

Aaron Eckhart, lost amongst all the (well deserved) acclaim for Heath Ledger, merits recognition for what he brought to The Dark Knight. In his portrayal of Harvey Dent, Eckhart is the pulse of the film. As Two Face, he creates an absolutely terrifying villain that had too short of a shelf life in Nolan’s Bat-universe. Allowing us to come along for every rise and fall of his emotonal rollercoaster during the course of the film is a true triumph of acting, and Eckhart’s performance should elevate him to the upper echelon of Hollywood. When you rewatch The Dark Knight over and over for the rest of eternity, amidst all the wonderful pieces of the film, remember Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, Gotham’s White Knight.

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Hans’s #4 – Wall-E

Hmmm, RocknRolla… Isn’t that the movie with the multi-ethnic cast of idiotic hoodlums who sport uniquely outlandish accents and venture off on seemingly unrelated yet equally misguided criminal enterprises only to eventually cross paths in a climactic, blood-drenched flustercuck supported by alternative rock music and overly-frenetic editing that’s reminiscent of 1990s music videos from TRL with Carson Daly? You know, the one that scored a 71% on RottenTomatoes? Oh wait, that was Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. Hmm, maybe I’m thinking of that other one that was exactly the same, plus Brad Pitt. Ok, 71% on RottenTomatoes again, so far so good except– ahhh, right. Snatch. Well, I’m sure this one has much more to offer. You know, like a new single from the latest hipster “The” band like The Clash, The Sonics, The Hives, The Subways, The Scientists, or The Beat.

What’s this… IT HAS ALL OF THOSE BANDS?!? Amazon, here I come!

Wall-E

Objectively, I don’t have too much to add about this film that Sulmoney didn’t cover back in his #6 pick, so instead I’ll share some of my thoughts on the bigger story surrounding Wall-E and Pixar. It’s a testament to the strength of the films in 2008 that this movie is only #4 on my list. I absolutely love everything that Pixar touches, and I’m a huge fan of science fiction, so it’s really remarkable that I was able to find 3 movies in 2008 that I liked better than Wall-E, which could have easily been my #1 in almost any other recent year. Simultaneously the best animated film of the 2008, and the most thoughtful (but not so subtle) science-fiction tale since Minority Report, Wall-E proves the power of a simple story, beautifully told.

The 4000 Year Old Virgin

It’s also a huge credit to Pixar that Wall-E is only my second favorite film they’ve made, sandwiched between The Incredibles at #1 and Ratatouille at #3, which in no way discredits this film because Pixar has been cranking out modern-day classics almost annually for the past decade or so. Have no doubts about it, Finding Nemo, Toy Story, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Wall-E are a new generation’s fairy tales, and the creative minds at Pixar are the Brothers Grimm (the real ones, not the Matt Damon and Heath Ledger versions). In a few decades, these movies will be remembered alongside Snow White, Cinderella, and Alice in Wonderland as some of the greatest animated stories of all time, and we were all witness to their creation.

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Sulmoney’s #5 – RocknRolla

We’re getting to the parts where it’s going to be harder and harder to bash each other’s choices. Luckily, I am still here to provide controversial picks that will leave you grasping for breath from shock (and awe). But we shall get to the dawn of my top 5 in just a moment, I just need to throw in my additional praise for Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr has been my current “must see his work no matter what he is doing” actor since his career resurgence started with the criminally under viewed and under appreciated Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, probably my favorite movie from 2005. He stole the show in my aforementioned favorite Zodiac, finally achieved his fated fame with the role he was born for as Tony Stark, and capped off the year with his transcendent performance as Kirk Lazarus in the hilarious Tropic Thunder. His upcoming slate of films is a list of huge blockbusters and must sees. Here is hoping to the continued success of one of this generation’s finest.

Now, back to baiting Hans into a hateful response…

RocknRolla

Guy Ritchie, director of one of my top 5 all time movies, is back after a series of all around duds and disappointments. RocknRolla is a resounding return to the admittedly standard Guy Ritchie formula: wise cracking, slightly on the bad side, yet highly likeable criminals with names like One Two and Mumbles go up against the big time veteran London kingpin who has a presumed dead drug using rock star, with a sexy double crossing secretary thrown in for good measure. Oh, and of course, Russian mobsters and hitmen. And I haven’t even mentioned guest appearances by Jeremy Piven and Ludacris! There is a highly convoluted, too many characters plot involving a never seen lucky painting, an obscenely obvious reference to the suitcase in Pulp Fiction, and something to do with flipping property in London that all comes together near the end, but you know what, let the story be damned. This is pure energy and fun in filmmaking, and I loved every minute of it.

Nothing says rock star like a tattoo on your chest...and guns

Ritchie’s flashy style over substance rears its head throughout, and every member of the star studded cast delivers in the fun. Gerard Butler delivers a funny performance after his oh so serious King Leonidas in 300, Stringer Bell from The Wire is nowhere to be seen when Idris Elba is on screen, and Mark Strong and Toby Kebbell immediately grab your attention and are two to keep your eye on in the future. Particular scene standouts that will stick with you long after seeing them are the run from the Russians, the split second sex scene, and the delectably delightful dancing and dealing. And of course, like any other Guy Ritchie picture, the soundtrack is absolutely amazing, and one that I have been rocking (and rolling) out to since I saw the film.

Though it split critics on both sides of the Atlantic, here is one fan who is hoping for The Real RocknRolla.

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Hans’s #5 – Iron Man

BWAHAHA! Once again, Sulmoney old friend, you embarrass yourself by populating your top 10 list with overly pompous, formulaic dreck like– wait, Wall-E? Damn, that one was actually pretty good. But now that leaves me with two paragraphs of the snarkiest, wittiest and most obscenely malicious insults I’ve ever crafted, and no helpless victim to unleash them on. Wait, who am I kidding? I’ll just save it for the big reveal of something ridiculous like Meet the Spartans in your #1 slot.

Iron Man

In a summer packed with an unprecedented number of hundred-million dollar blockbusters, only one of them stood out to me as the classic summer popcorn-flick. Wall-E was touching, Indiana Jones was disappointing, Hancock had “cock” in the title, The Incredible Hulk was a big, stupid CGI green man in purple pants who liked to shout while he smashed things, and The Dark Knight was, well, we’ll get to that. Each of those films made millions, some of them were even pretty darn good, but none of them embraced the true spirit of the summer blockbuster like Iron Man. This is a movie that knows its audience, and, like that high-school prom date who puts out to gain acceptance, it gives the audience what they want: a dude in a bad-ass metal suit who flies around and blows shit up. Oh, and he bangs a really hot chick somewhere in there, too.

Hot Chick: Mass murderer! | Tony Stark: I fly around in a metal suit and blow shit up. | Hot Chick: TAKE ME NOW!

In previous picks we’ve discussed the fantastic work of JCVD and Mickey Rourke in roles that mirrored their own lifestyles. Well, here’s a third. Robert Downey Jr. completely owns the role of the dry, wise-cracking, alcoholic womanizer. He is Iron Man, and I can honestly think of no other actor who could’ve embodied this role so fully.

With Iron Man, director Jon Favreau took a character with very little name recognition outside of comic book geek circles and turned him into the baddest dude on the block. Is it really one of the “best” movies of 2008? No, probably not. But good luck finding me one dude who didn’t walk out of that theater, peek side-to-side to make sure no-one was looking (they were) and then declare, “I am Iron Man.”

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Sulmoney’s #6 – Wall-E

Frost/Nixon, a very solid and safe choice at #6. Here is a flick that is nearly universally acclaimed by critics, from a director that everyone knows, but in the end, no one cares to watch it. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that everyone has Nixon-on-film overload, or that the subject matter is ultimately not as interesting as people would like us to believe. The so called “knockout blow” hits more like a slight push to a dazed and stumbling opponent, and much of the intended effect is lost. A very serviceable film, with fine performances from the two main leads, and especially by Kevin Bacon as the fiercely loyal Jack Brennan, that is overall solid, but one that will be soon forgotten. Meanwhile, for a more engaging look at politics on screen this year, check out the much better Milk.

Going in a totally different direction, we have what is currently the #1 movie of the year, based on the cumulative top 10 list to end all top 10 lists, with Pixar’s Wall-E.

Wall-E

Andrew Stanton brings to the silver screen Pixar’s best film to date. Simultaneously a throw back to a simpler time in movie history, an intergalactic love story between robots, and a harrowing warning on the future, Wall-E is truly a masterpiece. Starting off with the now famous 40 minute silent movie homage, we grow to fall in love wth the lonely robot left on Earth to do his menial chores for centuries. When EVE enters, we grow to love her as well, and we root for the two inanimate objects to get together, however ludicrous as it may sound. Great voice work by the ever hilarious Jeff Garlin as the Captain, as well as a guest appearance by Fred Willard as the CEO of Buy n Large add tremendously to the goings on once the action reaches the giant space ship Axiom.

Robot lovers...in space!

Despite all the meanings that people have tried to find in the film (America’s obesity, over reliance on technology, the polluting of the planet, etc), the movie boils down the simply being the best love story of the year, and the fact that it is between two robots, Wall-E and EVE, makes it all the more remarkable, and a true testament to the story telling ability of the Pixar animators and Andrew Stanton. A true joy to watch in the theatres, Wall-E is the standard that all future animated features will be measured against henceforth.

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Hans’s #6 – Frost/Nixon

Brad Pitt is not a great actor. He was awkward and stilted in Se7en, terrible in Troy, cartoonish in Burn After Reading, and he’s pretty much played himself in every other notable movie he’s made (Fight Club, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Ocean’s Everything). Sorry Sulmoney, but his performance in Benjamin Button was not “wonderful” and “subdued,” it was boring and blank-faced. Despite its enormous promise (and premise), Benjamin Button was ultimately a fairly empty love story with a deceptively narrow scope set against a disappointingly lackluster backdrop. I guess the film was pretty striking from a visual and technical standpoint, though, so if you’ve got the mind of a raccoon that’s content with collecting shiny objects from the garbage heap, I could see it finding its way to #7 on your list.

And did I mention Brad Pitt is terrible with accents? Because he is. Here’s my #6:

Frost/Nixon

I heart the craft of politicking, and I heart the art of argumentation, so Frost/Nixon, a movie that’s literally about two people sitting in a room and arguing about politics, was a no-brainer for me. Sure, when you put it that way the story really doesn’t sound very cinematic at all, but what the premise lacks in showiness, the execution makes up for with a tried and true formula that’s worked for one famous film franchise at least 6 times. In one corner you’ve got Richard Nixon: master intellectualizer and heavyweight champion of the world with the hurting bombs to prove it (literally), and in the other corner sits David Frost: the underdog with nothing to lose and everything to prove. Who will win? Well, we kinda already know the answer, but we knew Rocky wouldn’t lose, either (at least in part II), and it didn’t stop us from enjoying that one.

You wanna know what napalm really smells like in the morning? Pull my finger.

The underdog structure is brilliant, but it’d be nothing without Frank Langella’s uncanny performance as Nixon. Langella deserves credit for refraining from playing Nixon as a complete douchebag, which deserves an Oscar nod in itself. Instead, he gives us a pretty rounded and surprisingly hilarious picture of one of the oddest political figures in our nation’s history. Like Rocky’s heavyweight adversary, Apollo Creed, we don’t necessarily hate Nixon, but after watching his arrogance slowly build through the course of the movie, we can’t help but cheer when the knockout blow finally lands.

Frost/Nixon is far from a perfect movie, but really nothing on this list is without flaw. It didn’t need the documentary style, it pushed the boxing metaphors a little too far, and the acting does get a bit hammy at times. The good far outweighs the bad, though, and the climactic clash of wits and words is so satisfying, you’ll forget where it went wrong.

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