Movies Watched in 2008

It's a little late for a "Best of ...." list, but here goes. These are the movies I watched this year. There were some definite winners and losers. The "winners" include only those movies I saw for the first time this year. I did indeed re-watch favorites like "Children of Men", but that got singled out last year.

Best Movie (The Man From Earth)

This synopsis does not do the movie justice, I HIGHLY recommend watching it - very thought provoking, and fun. I found it on Netflix: After history professor John Oldman unexpectedly resigns from the university, his startled colleagues impulsively invite themselves to his home, pressing him for an explanation. They're shocked to hear his reason for premature retirement: John claims he must move on because he is immortal, and cannot stay in one place for more than ten years without his secret being discovered. Tempers rise and emotions flow as John's fellow professors attempt to poke holes in his story, but it soon becomes clear that his tale is as impossible to disprove as it is to verify. What starts out as a friendly gathering soon builds to an unexpected and shattering climax.


Worst Movie (10,000 BC)

Complete schlock. IMDb summary: A prehistoric epic that follows a young mammoth hunter named D'Leh's journey through uncharted territory to secure the future of his tribe. When a band of mysterious horse-riding warlords raid the Yaghal camp and kidnaps his heart's desire - the beautiful Evolet along with many others, D'Leh is forced to lead a small group of hunters south to pursue the warlords to the end of the world to save her. Driven by destiny, the unlikely band of warriors must battle saber-toothed cats and terror birds in the Levant.


Movie That Made Me Cry Uncontrollably (Bridge to Terabithia)

I never read this as a kid, and knew nothing of the story when I watched it. I was expecting a Narnia-esque story, sat in stunned silence when the girl dies. Cried from then till the end. Seemed cruel and unusual for a supposed kid movie!! An excellent movie, but have a box of hankies handy! Disney summary: Bridge To Terabithia, the exhilarating and heartwarming fantasy-adventure about the power of imagination and the magic of friendship. Tired of being bullied at school and neglected at home, Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke escape into the woods, where Leslie opens Jess's mind to the amazing kingdom of Terabithia. It's a secret land where they reign supreme among the giants, ogres and other fantastical creatures they create. As their imaginations soar and their friendship deepens, they discover how to rule their own kingdom, fight the forces of darkness and change their lives forever. Based on the Newbery Medal-winning book


Honorable Mentions (Ironman, The Dark Knight, Into the Wild, Lion for Lambs)

Rarely am I happy when I watch a movie after having heard a lot of hype. These few lived up to their hype. Ironman was quite fun, The Dark Knight was terrific, and Into the Wild an unexpected surprise.

Lion for Lambs almost made my "Best Movie" category, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and found the message particularly useful to professors and students.


Here's the list of movies viewed for the first time in 2008. Too many movies this year...

* 10,000 BC [2007]
* 3:10 To Yuma [2007]
* A Mighty Heart [2007]
* A Perfect World [1993]
* Annapolis [2006]
* Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford [2007]
* Battlestar Galactica: Razor [2007]
* Beowulf [2007]
* Blades of Glory [2007]
* Bridge to Terabithia [2007]
* Charlie Wilson's War [2007]
* Cloverfield [2007]
* Derailed [2005]
* Disturbia [2007]
* Dragon War [2007]
* Eastern Promises [2007]
* Elizabeth: The Golden Age [2007]
* Get Smart [2008]
* Gone Baby Gone [2007]
* Hitman [2007]
* Hulk [2008]
* In the Valley of Elah [2007]
* Into the Wild [2007]
* Iron Jawed Maidens [2004]
* Ironman [2008]
* Judgment at Nuremberg [1962]
* Jumper [2008]
* Keeping the Faith [2000]
* Lion for Lambs [2007]
* Love in the Time of Cholera [2007]
* March of the Penguins [2005]
* Meet the Spartans [2008]
* Michael Clayton [2007]
* Mongol [2008]
* My Heros Have Always Been Cowboys [1991]
* National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets [2007]
* Neverwas [2006]
* No Country for Old Men [2007]
* Once Around [1991]
* Open Water 2: Adrift [2006]
* Opposing Forces [1986]
* Other Boleyn Girl [2008]
* Prisoner [2008]
* Rambo [2007]
* Recount [2008]
* Rendition [2007]
* Rescue Dawn [2007]
* Saw IV [2007]
* Semi-Pro [2007]
* Smokin' Aces [2007]
* Something the Lord Has Made [2004]
* Stardust [2007]
* Stop Loss [2008]
* Sunshine [2007]
* Sweeney Todd [2007]
* T3: Rise of the Machines [2003]
* The Brave One [2007]
* The Dancer Upstairs [2002]
* The Dark Knight [2008]
* The Deer Hunter [1978]
* The Golden Compass [2007]
* The Hoax [2007]
* The Hours [2002]
* The Invasion [2007]
* The Kingdom [2007]
* The Man From Earth [2007]
* The Marine [2006]
* The Official Story [1985]
* The Other Boleyn Girl [2008]
* The Ruins [2008]
* The Weather Man [2005]
* There Will Be Blood [2007]
* They Are Among Us [2004]
* Trade [2007]
* Transformers [2007]
* Triumph of the Spirit [1989]
* Tropic Thunder [2008]
* Vantage Point [2008]
* Widow on the Hill [2005]