4th Annual Movie Ranking

My film addiction continues, although my travel schedule made it both hard and easier to catch up on flicks. I saw almost half the films on my list this year on long flights. Some of them I would not have normally shelled dollars to see. But on a flight, you have to pass the time somehow. I managed to see the same amount of films this year as last year too!

As always, still have a handful of films I am still hoping to catch. And the following 2008 movies would have made my Top 20 last year had I watched them when they came out late in the year, but I actually saw them in early January 09, so they get honorable Top 20 on this year’s list:

The Wrestler

Revolutionary Road

The Reader

Defiance

The Indie Film continues to be my favorite genre! My two favorite actors this year were Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jessie Eisenberg who both starred in Indie Films. And my taste continues to be eclectic: indy, romance, drama, sci-fi, adventure, mystery… all found a place in my film watching adventures.

My Bottom Five are always ones I look back on and wonder, “what was that all about?!” This year is no different. I am most disappointed that I saw Bruno in the UK and paid almost double what I normally would pay in the US. And Matthew McConoughey continues to land at the bottom. Brother is making crappy, crappy movies. (Saw this one on a flight. Nothing else to do. Really!)

As always, these are my choices. I’m sure you have yours… I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

1. (500) Days of Summer – Sweet, out-of-the ordinary, beautifully acted

2. District 9 – Powerful, nuanced, original

3. The Hangover  – OK, I almost peed my pants. ‘Nuff said.

4. Star Trek – I am such a sci-fi geek… and this reboot delivered

5. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – Have not been disappointed yet

6. Zombieland – Dang, who can get made at zombies?

7. Sherlock Holmes – Clever, intelligent, fun, good pacing

8. Sunshine Cleaning – Heartbreaking and touching

9. Precious – Realistic and heart-wrenching!

10. Avatar – Political messages aside, amazing approach to film-making

11. The Hurt Locker

12. Inglourious Basterds

13. The Proposal

14. Adventureland

15. Brothers

16. I Love You Man

17. Up

18. The Twilight Saga: New Moon

19. Julie & Julia

20. Michael Jackson’s This Is It!

21. My Sister’s Keeper

22. The Great Buck Howard

23. The Blind Side

24. Duplicity

25. Obsessed

26. The Soloist

27. 17 Again

28. Bride Wars

29. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

30. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

31. Public Enemies

32. Taken

33. Push

34. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

35. Angels & Demons

36. Terminator Salvation

37. Imagine That

38. He’s Just Not That Into You

39. Confessions of a Shopholic

40. Easy Virtue

41. The Taking of Pelham 123

42. Inkheart

43. Fighting

44. Watchmen

45. The Time Traveler’s Wife

46. The International

47. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

48. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

49. The Brothers Bloom

50. Fast & Furious

51. Notorious

52. 12 Rounds

53. Paul Blart: Mall Cop

54. The Final Destination

55. The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

56. Orphan

57. The Ugly Truth

58. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

59. Bruno