A Year of Films.

Well, since the last posting back on boxing day, I've seen quite a lot of films in the award season buzz months. I always try and see as much as humanly possibly so I feel I can have a fair enough view of what should and shouldn't be up for awards. It's always fun, but now I start to wonder, what were my favourites of the 2008 films. Instead of making my judgements on the films that were released specifically in Australia in 2008, I'll make the judgements based on what I've seen within the last 12 months as my own version of the Oscars, which coincidentally features the same films that were eligible in Hollywood la la Land for all the important awards.

The competitors in contention (in alphabetical order) are (also known as all the 2008 films I saw):

Australia, Baby Mama, Body of Lies, Burn After Reading, Changeling, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspien, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Doubt, Frozen River, Get Smart, The Happening, Happy-Go-Lucky, A History of my Sexual Failures, In Bruges, In Seach of a Midnight Kiss, Iron Man, Kung Fu Panda, The Love Guru, Madagascar 2, Mamma Mia, Milk, Rachel Getting Married, The Reader, Revolutionary Road, Role Models, Quantum of Solace, Savage Grace, Sex and the City, Shutter, Slumdog Millionaire, Then She Found Me, Tropic Thunder, Trumbo, Twilight, Vicky Christina Barcelona, The Visitor, Wall-e, The Wrestler.

Best Film
As if I could just pick one. So it's a three way tie:
Doubt, Milk, and Vicky Christina Barcelona.
Best Male Actor
Sean Penn in Milk. Amazing performance. Such a versolite actor.
Best Female Actor
Meryl Streep in Doubt. Probably favouritism here, both for Streep and for nuns, but I loved her Sister Aloysius.
Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. I hate that I'm cliche and agreeing with everyone else, but I cannot think of another contender.
Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Rosemarie DeWitt in Rachel Getting Married. Absolutely stunning performance.
Best Director
Jonathan Demme for Rachel Getting Married. Such an unusual film, but Demme made something quite different and ultimately special.
Worst Film
The Happening. What the hell M. Night Shyamalan? Dishonourable mentions go to Mamma Mia and Body of Lies.
Most Disappointing Film
Twilight. I was expecting this to be my guilty pleasure film of the year. Not even. Quite disappointed.
Best Screenplay
Woody Allen for Vicky Christina Barcelona. He's back, but mind you, he never left.
Best Film from a New Filmmaker
In Search for a Midnight Kiss. So indie. So promising.
Most Overrated Film
Slumdog Millionaire. I'm not saying it wasn't a good film, I really liked it, but I'm so over hearing about it.
Most Overrated Performance
Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder. Good comedic performance, but nothing worthy of award attention.
Most Underrated Film
In Bruges. What an amazing script with unforgettable performances.
Most Underrated Performance
Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky. How was she snubbed for this performance? WTF?
Best Song used in a Film
Bruce Springsteen - The Wrestler in The Wrestler. As crucial to Rourke's performance in the film. Just amazing. As for why it got snubbed from Oscars...well, who knows!?!
Best Male Comeback
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler. Hands down. Hard choice between him and Penn for best male performance of the year. He is the movie.
Best Female Comeback
Debra Winger in Rachel Getting Married. She's back and she shows why she should be. I want more!
Most Disturbing Film
Revolutionary Road. Not for the faint hearted...
Best Guilty Pleasure Film
The Dark Knight. For me, it's a guilty pleasure film, because I tend to liken the more dramatic stories, and less for the action films, but this one was just something else.