| Hey folks, Harry here... Last year, I didn't do a top ten - that wasn't because there weren't any good movies, but because frankly - everyone beat me to it and honestly I didn't feel I had anything really to add. This year, I'm determined to beat the rest of the staff to the punch. I will have 10 top narrative features from 10 to 1, but first I'll chat about my pick for the best Documentary of the year. BEST DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR:  MAN ON WIRE - Easily the best documentary of the year. The story of an artist that will pursue his art to the edge of death, past the realm of legality and into the land of legend. The story is poetic, breathtaking and chilling. I absolutely loved it.  10. BURN AFTER READING - Too often, the Coen Brother's comedic endeavors go unheralded by the critical community, who would seemingly prefer it if the Coens stuck to more somber affairs. Don't get me wrong, I love NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, but it is the Coen's comedies that make me love them as much as I do. I have watched my BURN AFTER READING Blu-Ray 3 times since receiving it - and I've laughed every single time. Frances McDormand has also turned in my favorite actress role of the year in the English language. Clooney, Malkovich and Pitt rule this film and again the brothers never cease to make me laugh.  9. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE - I've only seen this once and I have the feeling that the more I watch it, the higher it will rise on my list. Danny Boyle is quickly becoming the most esoteric and consistent auteur of our day. He is hitting in different genres nearly every time at bat and making wonderful films. SLUMDOG feels like a post WWII Hollywood movie set in another land in another time period, but it's a story that makes you hope, makes you cry and makes you cheer. It's a film that makes your heart soar. A really fantastic film.  8. PINEAPPLE EXPRESS - I have the distinct feeling that I'm the only critic that will put this film in their top ten movies of the year, but frankly that's a badge of honor. David Gordon Green has made films before that have appeared on critic's top spots on their various lists, but here with PINEAPPLE EXPRESS he dared to make a film wildly out of whack with his directorial oeuvre. His reward is to wallow in critical obscurity for nailing a stoner action comedy that made me laugh so hard my snot turned bloody, that made me smile as tears rolled down my face and that has me looking at its DVD release this first Tuesday of 2009 with furious anticipation. In a just world - James Franco would garner a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, not the win, mind you - that belongs to Heath. This is the very best film to have Seth Rogen in it to date - and I can not wait to own it and watch it repeatedly. This was a superior work!  7. MILK - My second favorite Sean Penn performance behind Spicoli in FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH. Harvey Milk is a complete and totally realized character and possibly the single best film by Gus Van Sant. I have to admit, I knew who Harvey Milk was, but knew next to no details about his death - so much of this story was brand new to me and in the wake of a certain proposition failing in California, I feel this movie is the exact right film to heal and unite the factions that will overturn a truly despicable piece of legislation. Every performance in the film is rock solid and Gus nailed it all. |
