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TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2008 NA



1. AUSTRALIA - I'm quite aware that very few critics liked this film, but that's never stopped me before. It's a gorgeous film all around and highly entertaining. Don't believe everything you read ----- go see this film for yourself --- I promise you won't be disappointed!

2. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD - I was profoundly affected by this film. The acting and writing are outstanding, and director Sam Mendes does a marvelous job with this time period of 1950's suburbia.

3. WALL-E - Although I did love this film, I do not think it's the best one of 2008 --- the best animated, but I must stop there. It's definitely a movie with a message, and I adored Wall-E, the character, immensely, but not more than the two aforementioned films.

4. DOUBT - Phenomenal film with a phenomenal cast ---- it just doesn't get any better than Streep vs Hoffman. This is the type of film true moviegoers live for --- plus it has a zinger of an ending.

5. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON - I loved this beautifully poignant story of a man aging in reverse. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett are terrific together, again. Don't let its length deter you --- there is a great deal of substance here.

6. FROST/NIXON - Talk about powerful performances ---- Michael Sheen and Frank Langella are fascinating to watch as these two go at it in the re-creation of these infamous interviews.

7. THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS - An amazingly stirring film about loyalty and friendship. Asa Butterfield and Jack Scanlon are quite remarkable as the two little boys who form a bond in the most perilous of situations.

8. IRON MAN - Surprisingly, this film was a blast! Robert Downey, Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow are perfect and totally amusing as the superhero and his "Gal Friday". Everyone was initially shocked by the selection of Downey to play this role, but he certainly showed all of "them"!

9. CHANGELING - I will never understand what happened here. This is a terrific film directed by Clint Eastwood (I'll take this over "Gran Torino" any day) based on a true story from 1928 L.A. Angelina Jolie's performance is astonishing, and the costumes and set designs are amazing.

10. SEX AND THE CITY - Well, girlfriends, we showed Hollywood ---- movies about smart, attractive, sexy women, who may be a little older, can succeed and make money! Now, please make the sequel ----

Honorable Mention: MILK....THE READER.....LET THE RIGHT ONE IN.....I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG......THE VISITOR.....THE FALL.....SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.....THE BAND'S VISIT.....ROMAN DE GARE.....TELL NO ONE....SIXTY-SIX.....ELSA & FRED


1. THE READER - "The Reader" is another relevant film about a dark period in human history, giving us a different slant on the atrocities of Nazi Germany. Kate Winslet never ceases to amaze. She is becoming the Meryl Streep of her generation, and young David Kross turns in a miraculous performance.

2. CHANGELING - "Changeling" is one of those rare movies that will stay with you for days. It is Clint Eastwood's finest work, and Angelina Jolie's extraordinary achievement is a classic portrayal for the ages. It is a stunning film, the true story of a missing boy, that races along like a page-turner novel you can't put down.

3. DOUBT - Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman deserve all the acting accolades that will come their way, but it is Amy Adams' quiet, amazing performance that will sneak up on you. Remembering the final minutes of this film still gives me the chills.

4. FROST/NIXON - Can a movie with a TV interview as its main theme sustain your interest and even create white knuckle tension? The answer is a resounding yes, with flawless performances from Michael Sheen (David Frost) and Frank Langella (Richard Nixon).

5. MILK - The true story of Harvey Milk is both an historical saga and a platform for Sean Penn to showcase his amazing acting ability. He will be tough to beat at Oscar time. Penn shares the screen with a great cast, including Josh Brolin as Dan White, Milk's homophobic colleague who ends up assassinating him.

6. THE VISITOR - This is unquestionably one of the most moving motion pictures you will ever see, and yet, at film’s end, you will be left wanting for more. There is something universal about a common man who shows heroic tendencies under difficult circumstances, and Richard Jenkins as Walter Vale is that individual. An Oscar-worthy performance.

7. THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS - A rather gentle offering that builds to a devastating climax, one that may stun the moviegoer as much as any previous Holocaust-related movie. Although it is not an epic on the scale of others, the horrors of WWII and the Nazi concentration camps are driven home with the same intensity.

8. GHOST TOWN - Starring Ricky Gervais and Greg Kinnear, this is a well-written fantasy about a lonely man who falls in love, and discovers some truths about himself along the way. The result is an often hysterical chain of events, which evolves into what may turn out to be the feel good movie of the year. .......pure delight from start to finish!

9. ELSA & FRED - This little gem will have the mature moviegoer completely under its spell. Shot in Madrid and Rome, and superbly acted and written, I defy any serious lover of movies not to fall in love with its two octogenarian stars. I loved every minute of this film --- don’t miss it.

10. AUSTRALIA - "Australia" is one of those sweeping epics that takes your breath away and stirs your soul. At almost three hours in length, I can tell you this is not a dull story. With mega-stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, and a touching performance from youngster Brandon Walters, it is worthy of your time.

Honorable Mention: IRON MAN.....DEFINITELY, MAYBE....THE BAND'S VISIT.....SEX AND THE CITY....REVOLUTIONARY ROAD.....THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX.....MARLEY & ME.......VALKYRIE.....WHAT JUST HAPPENED.....THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON......SIXTY-SIX.....SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE......I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG.....ROMAN DE GARE.....WALL-E....THE LAST MISTRESS

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