The Angry Projectionist Takes a Retrospective Look at a Year in Cinema
Thursday, January 1st, 2009
Well, It’s new years day and just like everybody else, I have the Twilight Zone marathon playing behind me and I’m not even paying attention to it. Instead, I’m taking a look back in the past year of cinema.
We’ve seen a lot of both fantastic films this year. We’ve seen some great documentaries like 
the Alex Gibney film, “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson.” We’ve seen some big blockbuster action films like, “Iron Man” and “Dark Knight.” And we’ve even seen some fun, goofball comedies such as “Pineapple Express,” and “Tropic Thunder.”
However, we’ve also seen some pretty terrible crap roll into theatres the past year; Stuff like the Paris Hilton film “The Hottie and the Nottie. ”We’ve also seen crappy remakes like “Death Race” and “The Day The Earth Stood Still.”
And so on and so fourth…
Now, I was going to just pick what I thought was the best and the worst films of the year, but that just didn’t seem fair. I don’t think I can make a 
decision like that on my own. It’s too much responsibility for me to handle.
That’s why I want to know what you think, Geekshow reader. Feel free to use the comments section below to nominate your own Best/Worst of 2008.
I will look over everyone’s nominations and construct a poll to see what you guys feel is the absolute best and worst films of 2008. Then I will sit down and review the winner/loser.
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I know they’re obvious choices, but Wall-E and TDK are my favorites.
I’d have to nominate Iron Man and Hell Boy 2 as my favorites. No movies I’ve seen stand out as as being bad enough to be classed as the worst. If I had to pick the one film that I know I will never watch, ever, it would have to be Sex In The City!
These are some of my favorites. I put them alphabetically since I can’t actually decide which I like best.
The Dark kight
Forgetting Sarah Marshal
funny games – Yeah I liked the American one too
Hellboy 2
In Bruges
let the right one in
Mama Mia
Wall-e
The Happening was the worst movie I’ve seen in years. I’ve seen other bad ones but the others know they’re bad.
Wow you are the first person I’ve seen who actually liked funny games. I’ll have to watch that now.
I which more people would. Its hard to watch but I think its worth it. I know a few people who have a hard time with it. While being sadistic and completely against the status quo, it dares you to like it then taunts and chastises you for it (literally).
Its a critique on our enjoyment of watching pain and suffering. Most people think its condescending but I think it makes its point.
I thought Funny Games made its point, but the movie wasn’t as good as it could have been. However, I will say that the performances in it are very good, especially Michael Pitt. I think it was a flawed film with an interesting idea that it didn’t execute properly.
Are you talking about the new one or the original. As a fan of the original I see the new one as sort of pointless. Also, I read a review somewhere that made some good points about the subtle but important differences in the new version and how they sort of undermine the film.
I am a fan of the films. Though I don’t appreciate the “important social message”(tm). It’s ironic to be scolded for enjoying a horror film by someone who bothered to make such an effective one. Twice.
I’m also a fan of the original but was speaking of the American version here. while I do like the original quite a bit I muchly prefer the performances in the new one. Speaking of mainly Micheal Pitt. Since I never read reviews for movies I have seen/ intend to see, and its been a few years since I saw the Austrian version I missed out on any changes that were not performance related (and I thought those changes were good).
Although if you think its ironic you miss the point. the reason it can be a good horror movie and scold you is that it is not a formulaic American or Japanese horror flick. It doesn’t give you a character to cheer who will always survive, kill unlikable characters and wrap it up in a nice bow at the end so you feel better. It taunts you throughout and gives you and empty realistic end. it says ‘you want to see gore for entertainment but have a happy ending? well to bad! this is reality!.’ In a climate with the Hostel movies I think Funny Games is needed.
Wall-E is the movie I seen the most on the big screen, but TDK was probly my favorite.
“Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.”
Love Amy Adams and Francis Mcdormand. I probably would have loved “Burn After Reading” more though if I had gotten the chance to see that earlier this year. I still have to catch up on a lot of films this year. I’ve been slacking really badly ever since the summer ended.
I only saw pettigrew in bits and pieces from in the booth…. i’ve been meaning to give it a proper watch
Well I really enjoyed it and found it to be quite charming. I actually saw it twice in theaters. Still doesn’t beat Enchanted though. I saw that one 5 times.
I loved Vicky Cristina Barcelona, it was a true Woody Allen movie, but that was the best film I’ve seen all year, my favourite would have to be either (I know I’ll be losing man points for saying this) High School Musical 3 or Burn After Reading.
Hmm … In no particular order, here are my favorites:
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Pineapple Express
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Wall-E
Iron man
Mamma Mia
Benjamin Button
In Bruges
& Wall E
Can I nominate The Happening as worst of 08?
I’d tell you mine, but we’re probablly going to talk about it in the next Geekeasy
the dark night
pinaple express
tropic thunder
iron man
please do zack and miri make a porno that was off da hook like totally fo shizzle type of stuff
I’ll consider it… but only because you said “fo shizzle.”
I need more nominations for WORST movie…. to get it started off i’ll put in mine in no particular order
Nobel Son
The Hottie and the Nottie
Baby Momma
Death Race
Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns
Never BAck Down
oh and “Step Up 2″
My picks for worst movie’s of 08
The Happinging
The Love Guru
Sex and the City
Disaster Movie
Meet the Spartans
My Favorites:
The Dark Knight
Wall-E
Bolt
Iron Man
Incredible Hulk
Nick and Norah
Hellboy 2
Prince Caspian
Least Favorite:
The Happening
I generally don’t watch bad movies, so any that I watched wasn’t bad enough to stick out in my mind like The Happening was..
Oh forgot all about nick and norah.
God, I should have listed more than 3….
I also loved
Zach and Miri
Pineapple Express
Wall-E
Hellboy II
In Bruges
Cloverfield
Frost/Nixon
for the worst
I really despised
What Happens in Vegas
27 Dresses
The Love Guru
Smart People
Prom Night
Hamlet 2 (mainly because it had such great potential and fell right on its arse)
Oh and I really enjoyed Man on Wire
Dark Night
Valkyrie
Rachel Getting Married
Iron Man
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Okay, I’ll try this again. It seems my first reply has been lost to the internet gremlins.
My personal top movies of 2008:
Dark Knight
Wall-E
Iron Man
The Fall (a visually stunning film)
Hellboy 2
Appaloosa (Viggo Mortensen + Ed Harris = Gold)
Tropic Thunder
Speed Racer
Kung Fu Panda
In Bruges
Disappointingly Bad Movie:
Indiana Jones and the Nuclear Fridge of CGI Prairie Dogs
(Indy should be embarrassed that the third Mummy movie was a better Indy film than this was)
My Guilty Pleasures:
Doomsday
Cloverfield
Wanted
Oops! I forgot to include Bolt in my top movies. Put it in there right after The Fall.
I have not seen The Fall… im gonna have to check it out
oh god I can’t believe I forgot The Fall.
I am in love with that movie.
My picks for worst movies:
Nobel Son
Charlie Bartlett (minus RDJ’s performance of course)
The Hottie and the Nottie
Twilight
The Happening
The Love Guru
Disaster Movie
Meet the Spartans
I wish The Fall had gotten a much wider theatrical release because I wish that I had had the chance to see it on a big screen. It is still a great film no matter where you see it though. Lee Pace is especially good, and the girl that plays opposite him seems like a typical child, not a child actor. I believe The Fall is the only movies she’s done.
Anyway, the movie is visually arresting. There is some wonderfully imaginative stuff that becomes even more amazing when you find out the movie was made with absolutely no CGI. The Fall is definitely worth checking out for anyone who likes movies as there is nothing else like it out there.
I totally agree. I bought it sight unseen because of the trailers and was amazed.
The director Tarsem piggybacked it on his international commercial shoots for three years so it was shot it in like 17 countries. Almost no special effects and all of the amazingly beautiful sets are real and mostly natural.
Actually, I was amazed at the amount of special effects that are in it. They were just pulled off in a more old school way. But yes, the sets are amazing because he can go wide on most of them. Since they weren’t made on a sound stage or anything, they are more impressive.
My favorite of the visuals are the couple of MC Escher-inspired sets.
Oooh I thought of another bad one! Didn’t the Hannah Montana movie come out this year?
oh jesus creeping christ yes….. that was a horrible memory
I also liked Changeling
I liked Changeling except for one thing… too many endings, honestly, it was worse than Return of the King
@Polygon_Wizard: My fault, I meant digital effects not special effects.
Those Escher ones were amazing. its hard to believe that they are real. I kinda get the feeling that he started the movie from a visual perspective and built from there. It worked, I loved both leads.
oh i almost forgot beverly hills Chihuahua. god what a waste of film that was