7. “Ballast”
Lance Hammer self-distributed this stark, raw, deeply rich and emotional ravaged tale of a fragmented African American family in the poverty-stricken Memphis delta. Mostly unknown actor Michael Smith Sr. gives an outstandingly inward yet profoundly projecting performance as a twin quietly devastated by the suicide of his brother who has lost the will to live, yet has to guide and mentor his troublesome nephew and desperately lost sister-in-law. Pathologically unsentimental, often bleak and unnervingly spare —with the only moments of music being diegetic sound— the fractured poetry of this austere picture is viscerally gut-wrenching.
6. “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Sally Hawkins gives a fizzy tour-de-force performance as Poppy, a character filled with such bubbly levity she should float off the ground if she weren’t so grounded by the realities of the world around her. Eddie Marsan is as heartbreaking as he is terrifying as Scott, the tightly wound and paranoid driving instructor whose ill will is no match for Poppy’s eternally sunshiney attitude. The dialectic forces of these two actors’ opposing performances explode in the small confines of the car, and director Mike Leigh uses the jumping off point of Poppy’s demeanor to explore some of humanity’s darker and more interesting moments, and gets two of the best performances of 2008 in Hawkins and Marsan. To write off this film as aggressively ebullient is deeply shortsighted.
5. “Silent Light”
A transcendent, slow-moving tale of adultery set amongst deeply religious Mennonites faced with fractured morality, “Silent Light” is luminously shot and practically a religious experience in itself. Mexican arthouse director Carlos Reygadas‘ third feature film features all unknown, untrained actors; a meditative and quiet Terrence Malick-ian tone; breathtaking, patient visuals; and a stunning conclusion. Spoken entirely in Plautdietsch, the language of the Prussian Mennonites, this bewitching story of a married man who falls in love with another woman in a small community has not been widely-seen, but it’s worth the effort to track down this heavenly piece of cinema endorsed by Martin Scorsese and given award props at Cannes.
4. “4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days”
As an abortion-drama, ‘4 Months’ manages not to skimp on either side of the description. Directed by Cristian Mungiu, this raw-nerve, unflinchingly told picture takes place in the late-’80s Communist Romania, following a pair of college students (Anamaria Marinca and Laura Vasiliu), one of which needs an abortion dangerously far into her pregnancy. The harrowing chronicle becomes extra potent through the eyes of the friend trying to assist in the matter but who pays her own heavy psychic toll. As desperation sets in, a roughhewn handheld style not dissimilar from Paul Greengrass‘ docu-drama feel heightens the tension and immediacy of the girls’ situation. Fortunately never falling into the traps of an “issue film,” after the most brutal moments are over (and some of it is hard to watch), the film lets you reflect on the undeniably disturbing events.
The fact that you left The Dark Knight out of this leaves me to believe youre a 77 year old virgin.
I guess you don\’t publish negative comments.. what a pussy!
I\’m sorry. I can\’t resist, but how can it be Bergmanesque and distinctly its own? Do you even read your own shit?!
On third thoughts, its not really worth it. I just read the piece… It is so insufferably pretentious that I guess its a stretch to expect something better of you. You say that calling Reprise "Kaufman-esque" is reductive and yet almost in the same sentence go ahead and call it "Bergman-esque"
I know what you\’re going to say.. Supporting someone like Tolstoy generally entails going with the critical tide… Then I\’d say.. \’you\’re an idiot who has twisted my example out of context\’.. Charlie Kaufman\’s last film got such scant investment from viewers (not just critics) that he has not been able to finance a film ever since… He\’s your country\’s greatest writer. I feel ashamed as a foreign viewer that you guys always ignore your greatest talent…
Hey pretentious f@#kface.. Che, Silent Light over Synecdoche, New York?! If you were in 19th century Russia, I\’m pretty sure you would have placed Ostrosky and Goncharov over Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.. Stop going with the critical tide and say things for youself for a change. DO we really need another list with Che, Silent Light and all that shit?!
I was surprised to see so many films that received little-to-no love in 2008 (ballast, silent light, I\’ve loved you so long). One film I thought should\’ve at least had an honorable mention is Frozen River if only for Melissa Leo\’s performance and proof that she could compete with Hollywood\’s top actresses. Also, Chop Shop from Ramin Bahrani, who imo is sorely missing from these lists with great films like Man Push Cart. Shotgun Stories should\’ve been listed as well. Other than that, well done.
"…enjoyable entertainment like Wall-E or The Dark Knight" that hurt my feelings 🙁
Man On Wire
In Bruges is my absolute favourite film from 2008
Ahhh, there\’s "Silent Light". Also "4 Month…" is incredible. Where can we find more of Mungiu\’s films? But the surprise for me this year was "The Visitor", which knocked the wind out of me with its unerring humanism.
YesYesYes to Reprise and A Christmas Tale. Love these two films. Reprise is a great film, one of my favorites of all time. Interesting list.
Still Walking. Such a great film. Ozu\’s spirit lives on.
Still haven\’t seen: Waltz with Bashir (Ari Folman)
24 City (Jia Zhang-ke)
Gran Torino (Clint Eastwood)
1. Let the Right One In (Tomas Alfredson)
2. Hunger (Steve McQueen)
3. Christmas Tale (Arnaud Desplechin)
4. Two Lovers (James Gray)
5. Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan)
6. Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky)
7. Burn After Reading (Coen Bros)
8. Still Walking (Hirokazu Koreeda)
9. Vicky Christina Barcelona (Woody Allen)
10. Ballast (Lance Hammer)
Crazy how good 2008 was for film. There\’s a few movies that I would have loved to see in the top 10 (mainly Hunger and Synecdoche, New York) but this year was so stacked you would inevitably have to leave stuff off, so it\’s hard to complain.
Yeah, and "Rachel Getting Married" has gotta get in there.
"Wendy and Lucy" suffers from zero plot? Are you kidding?
So glad to see Reprise on the list. Just watched it the other day and was absolutely blown away. Joachim Trier is definitely one to watch as Oslo, August 31 is amazing as well.
Also, glad to see \’Hunger\’ in there. By the way, did you mean Clint Eastwood\’s \’Gran Torino\’ or \’Changeling,\’ which were in 2008. \’Hereafter\’ wasn\’t until two years later.
An absolutely ridicilous list. I\’m not even bothering to tell what\’s wrong here, but the actual best films are in the Honorable mentions. You\’re
Ballast won the Oscar for best cut and imho it really shows why.
Really have to disagree about the Wendy and Lucy suffering from zero plot comment. Also I feel like Let The Right One In and In Bruges should\’ve made the list
Ballast takes place in the Mississippi Delta.
Strongly agree with several choices: Happy Go Lucky, The Edge of Heaven, Silent Light, 4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days and The Wrestler. But I\’d substitute Milk, Wall-E and Rachel Getting Married for I\’ve Loved You So Long, Reprise and A Christmas Tale.