#10 - The Dark Knight
directed by Christopher Nolan.
When Batman Begins hit big screens in 2005, it was proof that a respected director could make a good superhero movie. When The Dark Knight was announced, most fan boys and movie-lovers couldn't help but be excited. What was unexpected was just how good the movie turned out to be.
It's flawed, sure (I'm still bothered by the lack of a conclusion to the party scene, when Batman rescues Rachel. Seriously, what the hell happened to all those other party guests?). But it's also riveting, dark, disturbing, and features the best portrayal of comic book villainy in the history of cinema.
We mourn the loss of a talent like Heath Ledger. His Joker left some saying, "Imagine what he could have done." I look back at this performance, hi wonderfully subtle work in I'm Not There, and, of course his portrayal of Ennis del Mar in Brokeback Mountain and I can't help but be thankful for what he did do.
The Dark Knight successfully raises the bar on what a comic book film can be.
Honorable Mention: Iron Man, directed by Jon Favreau.
Part of Robert Downey Jr.'s great 2008, this stylish comic book adaptation was the light to The Dark Knight's dark.
#9 - Man on Wire
directed by James Marsh.
I am an of an age that I vaguely remembered when Philippe Petit committed the "Art Crime of the Century" by suspending a wire between the two still-under-construction towers of the World Trade Center and walking back and forth across that wire for nearly 45 minutes.
But I could not have conceivably recalled being as moved and inspired by his brazen actions as I felt when watching James Marsh's remarkable documentary, Man on Wire. Even a photo of Petit suspended 1,700 feet above ground - with no safety precautions - is enough to send chills down one's spine, but to get the behind-the-scenes details of how this incredible act of illegal circusry was actuall pulled off makes you feel a legitimate part of it. Whenever I see a documentary about a subject so far in the past, I always find myself so thankful that someone was smart enough to have a camera around. Thankfully, Petit and his may assistants did have a camera to record the hours of rehearsals, planning, and scheming that was necessary to make this stunt a success. And, of course, hanging over the film is what would happen if it didn't succeed.
What's most impressive about Marsh's direction is that he creates suspense where there really is none. The outcome of this stunt is well-known, and yet, as an audience member, you become palpably nervous for Petit and crew. One of the best documentaries of the decade.
Honorable Mention: Harvard Beats Yale, 29-29, directed by Kevin Rafferty.
Like Man on Wire, Rafferty creates suspense where there should be none (hell, the outcome is given away in the title!); and his interview subjects - players in the 1968 Harvard vs. Yale game including Tommy Lee Jones - are seemingly a crew of amateur comedians - each of them likably human with a great perspective on the game and the turbulent time in which it was played.
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Coming tomorrow: #8 & #7.
Sunday: Great performances of 2008.
Monday: #6 & #5.
Tuesday: #4 & #3.
Wednesday: #2 & #1.
Thursday: Oscar Nominations announced.
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