The Phantom Tollbooth - Movies Reviews Index


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Home Subscribe About Us Features News Album Reviews Movie Reviews Past Movies Movie Resources Concert Reviews Book Reviews Top 10 Contact Us	Marie Asner’s Best and Worst Films of 2008 2008 began as a mediocre year for films, but the last two months of the year brought a group of films that piqued my interest. The gamut runs from WWII to India to Canada to Germany to Gotham City and back. Some films on the list have already been screened for film critics, but will open widely in January 2009. The Best Films of 2008 (1) Defiance (Paramount Vantage)---Based on a book, the adventures are similar to those of people I have met. Daniel Craig, Jamie Bell and Liev Schreiber are the Bielski brothers who defy the Nazi’s and hide Jews in the forests of Belarus. Courage under fire and lack of food in a freezing environment make for heroes in any language. (2) Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight)---An Indian game show would make an interesting film? Guess again, as the story of the rise of a young man from dire poverty and crime to love and honor is compelling, and told with stunning photography. (3) The Wrestler (Fox Searchlight)---Mickey Rourke gives it his all. The story of a man who chose fame over family and now regrets it. Rourke’s beat-up countenance and demeanor speak volumes about wrestling and life. Marisa Tomei glows as a pole dancer who leads two lives. (4) Frozen River (Cohen Media)---A tale of our present economy is the story here, as a world-weary Melissa Leo smuggles illegal aliens across the Canadian border in mid-winter to keep her trailer house and her children. The chill of reality lingers. (5) Gran Torino (Warner Brothers)---Clint Eastwood has said that this film would be his last acting job. I don’t believe that, but this is a stellar performance as he brings Walt Kowalski to life as a haunted, lonely man who doesn’t know how to reach out for kindness until it is at his front door. (6) The Reader (Weinstein Company)---The ability to read and write has never had such an advocate as this film in which shame decides the fates of others. The young actor, David Kross, has quite a career ahead of him. Kate Winslet is intriguing. (7) Doubt (Miramax)---The pursuit of truth can be a circuitous path and here within the confines of the Catholic church and school system, it must be fraught with stealth. Such is the story as Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman pair off in a game of mental chess. (8) Frost/Nixon (Universal)---A showcase for two actors who played these roles on Broadway and now do it on the screen. Michael Sheen is believable as the energetic David Frost while Frank Langella (who won a Tony) is the glowering Nixon. Power is addictive. (9) The Dark Knight (Warner Brothers)---Who would have thought that Batman, the Joker and Two-Face would be on anyone’s Best list. However, Heath Ledger did wonders as the Joker and the darkness of Batman/Bruce Wayne’s life was fully shown. Those who fight the law and those who live in the law each pay a price. (10) Edge of Heaven (Anka Films)---A Turkish/German film telling three stories about love, rebellion and crime. If you never thought of co-incidence before, you see it now and it how it happens in many lives. Also Ran’s Milk (Focus)---Sean Penn works the screen as Harvey Milk in this biopic-type film of the gay civil rights activist in San Francisco. Wall-E (Disney/Pixar)---An animated film that says “green living” and told in the life of a little robot who labors on a trash-heap planet looking suspiciously like Earth. Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Miramax)--Telling the story of the Holocaust through the eyes of two boys is a daring and harrowing idea. Adapted from the young adult book by John Boyne. The Worst Films in Alphabetical Order Animation Show 4 (Animation Show)---This cacophony of animated shorts was puzzling, boring and sometimes vulgar. Yawnsville. Babylon A.D. (Canal+)---Vin Diesel, we know you are within reach of a good script. Find it. Get Smart (Warner Brothers)---Why re-makes of popular television series should be outlawed. Love Guru (Goldcrest Pictures) /Step-Brothers (Apatow Productions) /You Don’t Mess With The Zohan (Happy Madison Productions)---Anything with Mike Myers, Will Ferrell or Adam Sandler. Guys, it is time to sit back and regroup, the material you use is stale. Crude humor isn't always the way to go. Rachel Getting Married (Sony Classics)---Anne Hathaway poses and pouts, Debra Winger swings a mean punch and a confusing story puts this one down like a rock. Righteous Kill (Overture Films) ---Two stellar actors, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro and all they do is smile at each other and get a paycheck for it. Strange Wilderness (Paramount)---Rambling story of Steve Zahn as a television wildlife host trying to re-invent himself. It didn’t work. The Wackness (Sony Classics)---Never thought I'd see the day when Sir Ben Kingsley would be in a meandering film with Mary-Kate Olsen, no less. Well, it has happened. Apt title for a film. The X-Files: I Want to Believe (Crying Box Productions)---This plot had enough holes to use it as a sieve. Mulder and Scully were out of sync. Tropic Thunder (DreamWorks)---There were individual performances (Robert Downey, Jr. and Tom Cruise) that were creative, but Ben Stiller as both actor and director didn’t seem to know where to go. The thunder you hear is the exit door closing. Marie Asner KCUR-FM (NPR-Kansas City) film panelist Metro Voice News OnAirPrep Syndicate-Chicago/Rockford www.PhantomTollbooth.org (Chicago)