Top 8 Films of 2008

Film wasn't that good for me this year if compared to the last. But that's probably because I'm still looking for the magic Once delivered last year, or the dark humor of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. That and I didn't had time to go to the movies. So I hope I'll be able to see a lot of films this year.

My top 8 films of 2008:

1. Slumdog Millionaire 9.2 [Review]
The best movie I've seen this year. It's just teeming with life, action, comedy and romance. The story is about Jamal, a call center coffee server, who joined the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. What I liked about this film is how the story was told. It was presented in a series of flashbacks, explaining how Jamal knew the answers to each of the game's questions.


2. The Dark Knight 9.0 [Review]
I thought this movie was going to take my "film of the year" award this 2008. But it just can't hold a candle against Slumdog Millionaire. Nonetheless, it is still an excellent film, and the greatest comics-to-film ever made because it's not campy. In fact, if you can just get past the bat suit and the raspy voice, it's a crime/action film in epic proportions.


3. Wall-E 9.0
I didn't really expect much of Wall-E when I saw the trailer. I thought it was only going to be a very entertaining and cutesy Disney movie. But it turned out to be a dystopian/post-apocalyptic movie, a much darker and grittier than I expected it to be. While it is entertaining, indeed, it also carries a very important message of how we waste our lives (guilty) and making a lot of waste.


4. Milk 8.9 [Review]
This film is based on the true to life story of Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist and the first openly gay elected to become a public servant in the state of California. I really liked the story of this film, which is about individuality and having the freedom to express that individuality. The actors here also did great. Especially Sean Penn and Emile Hirsche.



5. Iron Man 8.8 [Review]
Next to Nolan's Batman, Iron Man is another example of a comics-to-film done right. I really enjoyed this movie because it stayed loyal to the comics, especially by sticking to Iron Man's origins. On top of that, the plot is also exemplary and there's no dragging parts throughout the film. It is also backed by great actors. Robert Downey Jr., especially, was seem to be born to play Tony Stark.


6. Let The Right One In 8.8
This film is about a lonely twelve year old boy who meets and befriends a lonely twelve year old vampire girl. Although the synopsis may sound like a fantastical movie intended for young adults, trust me, it's not. It's a sad vampire story with a lot of realism. It even focuses on the weaker side of vampires. No secret societies, just a girl who wants no friends because they'll just out grow her.


7. Mongol 8.5
I like historical films, and Mongol is no exception. This movie tells the tale of Temujin, who grows up and conquers the world as Genghis Khan. It's an epic movie and it's already been dubbed as the Braveheart of Far East. Like Braveheart, however, it's not historically accurate. But I still like film's revision of Temujin, who was presented as a gentle soul and an honorable warrior.


8. Kung-Fu Panda 8.5
I didn't watch Kung-Fu Panda in theaters because I thought it was too cliched. I bought the Blu-ray disc, however, but only because it was cheap and I needed it to test my new player. Surprisingly, this was a great movie. It's funny and packed with swift moving fight scenes. I also found out that the cliche was part of the story too. Since it was all about breaking the stereotypes.


These were my favorite films of 2008. I know I missed a lot of good films so I wonder which movies made it into your list.

My other top 8 of 2008:
Top 8 Games of 2008
Top 8 Books of 2008
Top 8 Music of 2008

Similar Posts:
Top 7 Games of 2007
Top 7 Music of 2007
Top 7 Films of 2007
The Best 6 of 2006