![1145536617_22fd66b461[1].jpg_v=0 by you.](https://i0.wp.com/farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/3158393121_ce34afb5a9.jpg)
Why Are You Guys Dressed Up ? This Is An Informal Event !
~ Hello Everyone ~
Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !
Even Dick Clark Has Been Anticipating:
The Best of 2008
Happy New Year !!! 2009 is upon us… But 2008 still resounds through
the pages of “Critical Corner”. Arguably, it was one of the most notable
years for cinema since 1939 !!! (That’s when the world was treated to
such monumental gems as “Stagecoach”, “Ninotchka”, “Gone With the
Wind”, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “The Wizard of Oz”) !
2008 was indeed a year of laughter and tears… Tons of tears actually.
I can still recall seeing a grown man cry like a baby after coming out of
a late showing of “The Happening” with his family ! He fell to his knees
and wondered what “happened” to the ten dollars they put out for that
awful flick.
I will NEVER forget the look on his children’s faces. Faces filled with
despair… “Why Papa?” they asked, “Why?” It all looked like a street
urchin scene from a Charles Dickens novel ! The kids looked so cold
and hungry that I almost gave them a quarter but feared they would
just turn around and spend it on “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” or
“Journey to the Center of the Earth”. Instead, I handed them a few
copies of my fantastic reviews (which they promptly ate).
Enough of the mushy stuff… Let’s talk about the best of the best !!!
That’s right folks, it’s time for my top movies of 2008 to be exposed in
a grand fashion ! Some of you will agree. Some of you will throw up.
But in the end, a good time will be had by all !!!
And… here… we… go !
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# 1
Iron Man
You would have to be Stark raving mad not to LOVE this movie !
![url[1].jpg&usg=AFQjCNEBYUImzdXX6iezE35G2AeOWsCPTg by you.](https://i0.wp.com/farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/3157003907_efa4b5c670.jpg)
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# 2
The Dark Knight
The Joker’s Wild !!!
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# 3
Horton Hears A Who!
After playing an Ozzy Osbourne record backwards.
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# 4
Changeling
Change you can believe in !
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# 5 (Is Alive) !
Wall-E
A “spaced-out” robot finds love !
![url[1].jpg&usg=AFQjCNGcJstq6bHznsucdsUhZMaWq4w-VA by you.](https://i0.wp.com/farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/3158265186_a2d9ea413d.jpg)
This Is A Beautiful Award. Thank You !
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# 6
Cloverfield
Filmed by Katharine Hepburn !
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# 7
The Fall
Have a nice trip !
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# 8
Gran Torino
Grandpa Torino is more like it !
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# 9
The Incredible Hulk
A huge SMASH over the Banner summer of 2008 !
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What Do You Mean I’m Not Number One ?
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# 10
Kung Fu Panda
Tastes Like Chicken !
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And now, for the REST of the BEST ! Honorable Mentions:
~ Indiana Jones and the
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Speed Racer ~
~ Mamma Mia!
Forgetting Sarah Marshall ~
~ Tropic Thunder
Bolt ~
~ Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Quarantine ~
~ Milk
Hellboy II: The Golden Army ~
~ Get Smart
Death Race ~
~ Doubt
Prom Night ~
~ Slumdog Millionaire
~
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There you have it ! Feast upon the greatness of it all ! LOL !!!
Now, you are probably wondering what the WORST movies were
of 2008. So many to choose from… Here are the five BIGGEST
STINKERS in no particular odor order !!! (Please, open a window
and maybe even hold your breath).
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
Semi-Pro
Over Her Dead Body
The Strangers
The X-Files: I Want To Believe
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On a final note, I would like to say that “CriticalCorner.Net” has had
a fantastic first year thanks to YOU !!! Please come back soon and
often ! Much to my surprise, my most viewed post of 2008 was not
“The Dark Knight” or even “Iron Man”… (Drum Roll Please)…
It was “Death Race” ! Ha Ha ! Unreal. Good times, good times.
~ ~ ~
Daniel’s Critical Corner: Always a “10” out of “10” !!!
Daniel's Critical Corner 
I can’t believe Mamma Mia isn’t in your Top 10 but I am pleased at it’s Honorable Mention status. I absolutely loved Iron Man and The Dark Knight. They were hands down the best movies of the summer. You’ve got a great list! I’m glad I got to know you in 2008!
Thank you Lady Jaye ! The feeling is mutual ! 🙂
“Mamma Mia!” was one of my favorite movies of
2008, and (almost) made it into the top ten list…
What a terrific soundtrack !!!
My top soundtrack picks of 2008:
1. The Dark Knight
2. Mamma Mia!
3. Star Wars: The Clone Wars
4. Horton Hears A Who!
5. Prom Night
4 of my favorites are in the list:)
happy new year
Now you have me wondering which ones they are !
LOL !!! Happy New Year to you too Arvind !!! 🙂
Unfortunately I don’t get to the movies often enough to have seen all of these.. but, I do love Wall-E (I want a toy Wall-E!!!)
(I wasn’t that thrilled with Kung Fu Panda, could be that I have no interest in Kung Fu huh? heh)
WALL-E is an exceptional piece of work ! (I want a toy WALL-E also). It’s too late
to ask Santa so I guess we both have to hit up Amazon.com ! LOL !!! This was a
good year for CGI animation. One of the best ever. Pixar has really evolved, with
classics like “Toy Story” almost looking primitive by today’s standards. It is rare
for me to have so many animated/CGI features in a top ten list, three is a record.
Last year I only had one CGI flick in my top ten: “Ratatouille”… The year before
that I had NONE… (You may be shocked but I was not a fan of 2006’s “Cars”).
“Happy Feet” and “Ice Age: The Meltdown” were both given honorable mention
status.
Semi-Pro was a bad egg even after Will Farrel. Dude you must do justice to the Bad Movies of 2008 do a separate piece on them and kill them. And as you had noticed great minds think alike 🙂
LOL ! I just might do a list of stinkers (with “Semi-Pro” at the top) !
Another LOUSY sports-themed flick from 2008 was “Leatherheads”.
What an awful title. Maybe they were referring to George Clooney’s
face ?
Ha Ha !!! 🙂
I really enjoyed your top movies of 2008 post ! > You Mustn’t Miss
That is a good list you have there. I myself have not seen quite a few of those movies. Iron Man hands down won my vote. Batman sounded like he smoked too many cigarettes for me to enjoy, and if it wasn’t for Heath’s performance that would have been a dud for me. I’m happy you put Wall-E up, great film. 🙂 Did I mention what great captions you have? 🙂 You always say the right thing!
Thank you Gayle ! I am flattered. It’s a talent, really. LOL ! 🙂
Funny… Several people are starting to come out of the woodwork saying they don’t
really care much for “The Dark Knight” ! Ugh ! Love it or hate it, that movie shall be
going down in the history books. I do hope to see Heath Ledger win an Oscar for his
role as “The Joker” !!!
Nice list! I think Speed Racer ended up being criminally under appreciated this year, it’s good to see it at least make it on to your “rest of the best” list 🙂
Thanks Russ. I agree, “Speed Racer” really did not get a fair shake this year. Rest assured,
it came very, very close to making my top ten !!! I don’t understand why it got panned by
so many critics. The movie is always in motion, and the attention to detail is amazing…
There are so many wonderful little things I caught during my second or third viewing of this
flick… I have a great appreciation for all of the hard work and obvious caring that went into
making it. 🙂
True, it did not look appealing to me when I first saw the trailers… But little did I know
I was in for a TREAT. The reverse happened with “Hancock”. That sure looked like fun,
didn’t it ? And it turned out to be a misrepresented mess.
Hey our top 2 matched! Nice one!
That is because we are both AWESOME !!! 🙂
Interesting choices Daniel! A few I haven’t seen (The Fall, Gran Torino, Changeling)and a few that I am glad to see made your list (Cloverfield, Kung Fu Panda). And where is “The Happening” on your 5 WORST list??? I have actually heard good things about The Strangers…but I took your advice and didn’t bother…
Nice list! Sorry it took me so long to respond! 🙂
This post would not have been complete without a comment from you ! LOL !
Please, catch “Gran Torino” over the next couple of weeks (if at all possible).
Clint Eastwood is going to retire from acting after this film… This may be your
last chance to see him on the big screen.
Yes, “The Happening” was bad… But the five movies listed above are so much
worse… Every time I hear mention of “The Strangers”, my lip starts to curl in
disgust !!!
Hmm… The Incredible Hulk surprises me… it was a lot of fun but it just seemed like a product of the hype machine…
The Dark Knight does not surprise me, but… sigh… that movie was all hype, too. It promised to be awesome, but the death of Heath Ledger catapaulted the movie into, in my opinion, suffocating popularity. If too many people like a movie, I end up not liking it…
“The Incredible Hulk” WAS a product of the hype machine, this is true.
But (much to my surprise) it was a film with some real substance… Ed
Norton really brought something special to the table !
Heath Ledger’s untimely passing certainly propelled “The Dark Knight”
to a level of success that no one saw coming. Even Christopher Nolan
was somewhat shocked.
A movie’s popularity will never sway my opinion one way or the other.
Daniel’s Critical Corner – I give you an 11.
🙂 Thank You !!!
Ew, SLUMDOG. I’m so repulsed that it’s been getting sooo many awards. People should go see CITY OF GOD or FORREST GUMP or something. SLUMDOG is not that special. ugh.
But apart from that, I agree with your list. All of the films you mentioned range from good to very strong. I’m sooo glad you included CLOVERFIELD on there. A lot of people forgot about it. lol. I also added it to my Top 10 of 2008 list.
As for SPEED RACER, yeah, it’s corny… but whenever I ask people “Have you seen anything like it?” They say they haven’t. Hence, my 3-star rating. It’s not perfect, but it’s not egregious either. Emile Hirsch is such a doll.
As for your worst list, I *kinda* liked THE STRANGERS and THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE… even though I was disappointed with them because I was expecting a lot. Apart from expectations, I don’t think they’re *the worst* of 2008. I would say THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR should be on that list instead.
LOL @ “Forrest Gump” ! I thought “Slumdog” was great, but it is overrated.
It’s nice to hear from yet another “Speed Racer” fan… An awesome movie
that I’ve actually seen on a couple of “Worst of 2008” lists. I am shocked !
If it didn’t make it into the top ten, that’s fine. But to be called “the worst”
is just weird… “Speed Racer” ROCKS ! So, you liked “The X-Files” ? (I want
to believe that’s not true) !