Top 10 Films of 2008

Hollywood has struggled over the past couple years. Although we saw a couple modern classics last year with the apocalyptic There Will be Blood and No Country for Old Men, 2007 and 2008 haven't brought the depth of quality we saw at the start of the new millennium.

With that said, 2oo8 wasn't a total disappointment. We've seen a revolution in the adaptation of comic books to film, Bollywood-turned-Hollywood, Pixar-turned-political, a Gay Epic, and one of the highest-performing documenaries ever.

Honorable Mentions:

Milk. Sean Penn rocks out with his ... nevermind. Whether we're desensitized to watching men have sex on screen, more accepting of the gay community, or simply enthralled with the true story of how a homosexual was elected to public office, Milk is Gus Van Sant's career-defining directorial achievement and the performance of Penn's life.

Iron Man. I've figured out how Robert Downy Jr. can say out of prison: keep him working. On top of his hilarious, Oscar-nominated performance in Tropic Thunder, and his work with Jamie Foxx in the upcoming release of The Soloist, Downy brings his wild-side personality to embody playboy billionaire Tony Stark in Iron Man. More to be said of comic-book movies later...

Fireproof. This may be the spark that launches Christian films into the limelight. Just a few short months ago, Fireproof - the story of a husband's commitment to wife, in good times or bad - etched its name as one of the top 10 highest grossing films of the week. With marriage now seen as a glorified relationship and not a commitment; with a divorce rate that's never been higher; Fireproof is a movie to all who've made a commitment to their spouse that anything is possible through Christ.

10. Gran Torino

"I got the best woman who was ever on this planet to marry me, and that was the best thing that ever happened to me. But you, you're letting Click-Clack, Ding-Dong, and Charlie Chan walk out with Miss Yum-Yum!"

No matter how old he gets, Clint Eastwood will always be a badass. Even if he plays an ignorant Korea veteran getting over the loss of his wife, he'll never back down from a fight.

Gran Torino is a western set in working class Detroit. It's a territorial struggle filled with the consequences of choosing your associations, and the how you choose to stand up for your allies. It's also touching, in an Eastwood sort of way. Despite his overarching racism, Walt will knows when to stand up for what's best, and the sacrifice it takes to preserve it.

9. Man on Wire

I'm afraid of heights. Just seeing images of the World Trade Center's construction had me on the edge of my seat; let alone watching Philippe Petit lie down on a wire 1,350 feet above death.

Just as intriguing is the formulation of the "artistic crime of the century." He knows he'll be caught; he knows what's at stake; but no one can stop a man determined to fulfil his dream.

8. Tropic Thunder

"You know Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain't retarded."

I must have quoted Robert Downy Jr. a thousand times. He and Tom Cruise. I still can't believe that was Tom Cruise. Scientologist, couch-jumping, crazy-man Tom Cruise. Asking an agent to leave his client for dead in the woods of Vietnam in exchange for a G-5 and lots and lots of money. Downy gives the performance, but Cruise steals the show. Why? Because he's a big-d!ck playa.

By far the funniest film of 2008, Tropic Thunder will give movie fans a better ab workout than a late-night infomercial. My recommendation: crack open a Booty Sweat, unwrap a Bust-a-Nut, and enjoy 2 hours of non-stop laughs.

7. Wall-E

Let me get this straight; man is lazy. If we don't clean up our act, all plants will die and we are damned to a life of space travel on a never-ending cruise.

I think William Shatner just wet himself.

Diet coke in our right hand, remote control in our right, flat-screen television in front of our propped-up feet; you don't need a futuristic CGI robot movie to let us know how mankind is now - not in the future.

Not a better time to include serious political undertones in a Disney/Pixar movie than an election year. In fact, now that I've addressed the major global warming issues that permeate Wall-E, I want to say that these issues are the only things keeping Disney/Pixar from celebrating it's best release ever.

Imagine this classic love story told without an agenda. Imagine a movie that depicted God as the catalyst to saving our world; not whether or not we can get a plant to germinate.

Or maybe that's the point. Maybe - since this is the first Disney film never to mention any of God's laws of prosperity - mankind has passed the point of being able to save its own planet.

Imagine the "theory" of evolution being taught as law. Imagine our children watching movies based on a godless society. Imagine how that'll affect their foundational behavior.

But like I said: we don't need a futuristic CGI robot movie to let us know how mankind is now - not in the future.

Wall-E is Pixar's best film, minus the issues that ruined it for me.

6. Frost/Nixon

Like we've never seen the liberal media attack a conservative president before...

The guy wasn't even President anymore - why the attack?

Here's why: a man must stand up and take responsibility for the mistakes he's made over the course of his life, including a Presidential term. You must overcome the shortcomings, not shrink from them.

Frost/Nixon exemplifies that very principle.

Headlined by powerhouse performances by Oscar-nominated Frank Langella and should-be-nominated Michael Sheen, Frost/Nixon demands from its actors what a heavyweight bout demands from its boxers. The film is set up exactly like that - a back-and-forth showdown between master rhetorists - and doesn't disappoint. If only Michael Mann could have directed it, I would have gone nuts.

5. The Wrestler

Talk about a tragic hero; Mickey Rourke is just that. And then there's the character he plays... Instead of a washed-up 80's movie star, he's a washed-up 80's wrestler. And boy, does he play the part.

Remember Napoleon Dynamite's uncle? The 40 year old ex-high school football star who can't escape the regret of not winning the state title? That's The Wrestler.

If Mickey Rourke and director Darren Aronofsky didn't pave the way in making this film, I guarantee The Wrestler would end up like the story of Napoleon Dynamite's uncle - a little funny, but totally stupid. Instead, Rourke gives the performance of a lifetime; and by the end of the film, the audience will have taken a journey filled with cheers, disappointments, and tragedy. Surely not to be missed, The Wrestler is one of the best pictures of the year.

4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

It's hard enough to tell the story of a man's life in less than 3 hours, especially a life as curious as Benjamin Button's.

An epic Christmas-time fantasy, this parable on love and loss reminds us that our lives are defined by the memories we create, the dreams we pursue, and the ones we choose to love along the way.

All true Christmas movies should motivate their audience to go out with a purpose and make the most of their lives. Benjamin Button's biography reminded me of how my time on earth is but a blip on the radar of eternity, and that each moment should be savored and never thrown to waste.

Also, it'll keep you wondering how they made Brad Pitt look like a 3'6" 80 year old child...

3. Revolutionary Road

There couldn't be a more important movie released this year. I just pray that enough people see it, and those people interpret the story correctly.

Although it takes place in 1950s Suburbia, Revolutionary Road is a perfect reflection of today's society, and the impact a failed dream can have on a marriage. DiCaprio and Winslett shine as a tarnished couple growing apart as each choose separate detours from their destiny. Kate and Leo are to marriage what Mickey Rourke is to wrestling. Each excel when giving it all they got and staying focused on living an extraordinary life. However, once they make the decision to go forward, simple temptations and distractions snowball into an avalanche of tragic mistakes.

This story should be the catalyst for every viewer to take a stand against compromise and mediocrity. "A man only gets a couple chances in life; if he doesn't grab them by the balls, before long he's sitting around wondering how he got to be second rate." If you don't believe me, take a look around your office or cube and take inventory of the amount of dreamers around you. Then read the mission statement at http://www.golivethedream.com/ and see if you don't get pissed off in a good way.

The biggest critique I've heard of this film was that nothing actually happens; that it's a constant downward spiral that'll leave audiences disappointed and heartbroken.

My message to all those critics: you are just like the Wheelers.

2. The Dark Knight

You can kiss corny comic movies goodbye in The Godfather Part II, Batman style.

Simple, yet deep. Entertaining, yet haunting. Observant, yet tragic. The Dark Knight packs the full punch.

It's simple in that it polarizes everything.

It's Good vs. Evil. The Good is tarnished and the Evil is pure. There is no humanity in Heath Ledger's Joker, yet there is some lacking in Bruce Wayne.

It's one side or the other. In one boat: criminals; the other boat: innocent civilians. In one location: your city's last hope; the other location: the love of your life. On one side of the coin: life; the other side of the coin: death. Only one thing's for certain: it's your choice.

The Joker's ambition isn't based on his own morals; instead it's the breaking point of an individual's sanity. His simple 50-50 tests have extraordinary consequences, which turns up the pressure on making the "right" decision. The real "joke" is that there is no right decision - only to not play the game.

I could go on for hours comparing Ledger's performance to the greatest of screen history, commending Christopher Nolan's vision of injecting realism into comic books adaptations, and figuring out the facial similarities between Katie Holmes and Maggie Gyllenhaal (it's the cheek bones); but I'll stop here by saying that this is the best blockbuster popcorn flick I have ever seen.

1. Slumdog Millionaire

Knowledge: The ability to regurgitate facts. (This is how most of us were able to pass multiple choice tests in college without ever learning anything.)

Intelligence: The ability to interpret facts for an intended purpose. (It's not knowing; it's understanding.)

Wisdom: The application of intelligence. (Lessons learned only from living life; the discovery of knowledge though experience.)

How has God proven his existance in your life? Chance occurances? Gut feelings? Miracles?

Although no life is pre-determined, each of us have a destiny. What's cool is this: God gave us the power to choose how we achieve it. Our eternity will be measured by the decisions we make during this short stint on Earth; and it's when you act on total faith and dedication does your destiny reveal itself.

In the case of Jamal Malik, he's on a journey to find her.

Slumdog Millionaire questions the acquisition of knowledge; emphasizes the power of love; and lets us know that God can put it all into action.

Jamal can only answer the questions he's given based on the wisdom he brings to the table. It just so happens that his life's experiences are in direct link to the questions he's given on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Why?

Because that's the only way he can find her. He didn't ask to be on the show; he had to be. He didn't ask to win all that money; he had to answer the questions so that the nation would tune in and she could watch. He didn't ask to stay in touch with Salim; he had to find him to get his phone number.

He didn't have to chase Latika; but he chose to fulfill his destiny.