yearend2008-related stories
Cinematical Seven: The Best On-Screen Chemistry of 2008?
Filed under: Fandom », Cinematical Seven », Lists »
I thought it would be an easy task to write about this year's best examples of on-screen chemistry. It's my favorite part of the cinematic experience, and one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. Without chemistry, any film is destined to fall quickly and be forgotten. Remember The Mexican? Brad and Julia might have been stars, but it takes a lot more than a big name to make a movie.
But who to choose? While I loathed the big-screen adaptation of Sex and the City, Carrie and Big have always held that certain something. Happy-Go-Lucky contained a wonderful romance, but it wasn't the thing of legend. I could certainly cite Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Dark Knight, and how she was a refreshing breath of charismatic air after the bland coupling of Christian Bale and Katie Holmes. (Heck, I can't even add in female ensembles, because the ladies from Sex and the City were too busy with romantic drama, and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 could have been called Sisterhood of the We're too Old for This Crap.)
But none of these, nor the many other couples that graced our screens in 2008, came close to the halls of bromance. The only duos that contained palpable, memorable chemistry over the last year have been men. (Funny for a nation where Proposition 8 can get passed, but I digress...) Bromance isn't usually the theme to lead chemistry lists, but when a year brings us awesome blockbusters, but barely a whiff of spine-tingling sexual tension, we have to take what we can get.
Cinematical's 25 Lamest of 2008!
Filed under: Fandom », Lists »
What good would a 25 Hottest of 2008 list be without a 25 Lamest of 2008 list to complement it? That's right, in addition to scouring all the year's news for what was hot, we did the same for what was not ... hot. What irritated us to no end? Who had a horrible year at the movies? What person, place or thing would we happily ship off to a galaxy far, far away? Chipping it to help dissect 2008 were Cinematical's Erik Davis, Scott Weinberg, Eric D. Snider, Monika Bartyzel, Jessica Barnes, Eugine Novikov, William Goss, Jette Kernion and Peter Martin. In a year that saw George Lucas take a fan beating, Harry Potter get pushed around and M. Night Shyamalan attempt an R-rating, who (or what) would go down as the lamest of 2008? Click through the gallery below to find out ...
The 25 Lamest Things in Movies
25. The New 'At the Movies'
In an effort to revitalize the former 'Siskel & Ebert' show, producers managed to cast the two dolts that would make anyone miss Richard Roeper. And you know what? I don't even want to stick it to Ben Mankiewicz nearly as much as critical void and star-sucker extraordinaire Ben Lyons. I Am Legend is one of the greatest movies ever made? You love women, but not The Women? Yeesh. It's guys like you that give guys like me a bad name. -- WG
Getty Images
24. Pushing 'Harry Potter' to 2009
All the online petitions in the world aren't going to rescue everyone's favorite boy wizard from being banished to Warner Brothers' tentpole-lacking 2009 summer (thanks, writer's strike). Me? I just wish Harry had been around to wave his wand on all the fans who would go out to shell it out for Twilight in its stead. -- WG
Warner Bros.
23. Far-From-Funny Fellatio
The saying goes that great minds think alike, but I'm afraid that those minds may also have a monopoly on good taste, as the writers of November's Soul Men and December's Yes Man each came up with and brought to the screen identical gags (pun intended) involving oral pleasure given sans dentures to respective leads Bernie Mac and Jim Carrey. And they say modern comedy is toothless ... -- WG
Warner Bros.
22. Weinstein Co. Hoarding Good Movies
Harvey Weinstein admitted over the summer that his Third Rail Releasing arm was simply for the films they didn't believe in. That's why you didn't see the decent Rogue and Eden Lake, the damn good Inside or The Promotion or the allegedly alright Death Defying Acts. And what did they see fit to give the widest releases? The pitiful likes of Diary of the Dead and Hell Ride. Talk about picking all the wrong battles. -- WG
Weinstein Co.
21. Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is the Uwe Boll of uplifting relationship dramedies, tacking on yet another duo of poorly-reviewed movies in 2008 (Meet the Browns, The Family That Preys) to a resume full of one waste of time after another. Will the cross-dressing Madea character continue to bail him out, or will Hollywood squash his rotten stench once and for all? -- ED
Lionsgate
20. Uwe Boll
Like a hyperactive child, Dr. Boll only makes loud noises when people are giving him attention. So let's stop. If his movies were half as entertaining as Boll's non-sensical ravings, Boll would be the next Joe Dante. But they're not. And he's not. -- SW
Freestyle
19. Iraq Movies
Hollywood keeps cranking out movies stemmed from the current conflict in Iraq -- both good (Stop-Loss) and pretty bad (The Lucky Ones) -- and audiences keep on ignoring them (Stop-Loss' domestic gross: $10m, The Lucky Ones: $267k). War, huh, good God, y'all. What is it good for? Not box office receipts, that's for sure. -- WG
Paramount
18. Diane Lane & Richard Gere, Together Again
After being Unfaithful in 2002, Diane Lane and Richard Gere got especially faithful on each other's ass during a North Carolina hurricane. But of course, this being a Nicholas Sparks deal, one of them has something to atone for, one of them is going to bite it, and horses are going to run wild and majestic on the beach regardless of which tears fate decides to jerk. -- WG
Warner Bros.
17. 'Australia'
I hate to say it, but Baz Luhrmann got greedy. Australia should have been a slam dunk; Jackman at his roguish and shirtless best, Kidman doing her adorably uptight routine, and one of the most inventive directors working today at the wheel. But, Mr. Luhrmann just couldn't help himself, and rather than keep it light, he just had to go for Oscar gold and ruin all the outback fun. Crikey. -- JB
20th Century Fox
16. 'The Spirit'
When Robert Rodriguez runs with Frank Miller's work, it's awesome. When Zack Snyder runs with Frank Miller's work, it's pretty cool. When Frank Miller runs with Will Eisner's work -- well, it's just downright embarrassing. Samuel L. Jackson alone seems to realize just how ridiculous this comic book adaptation was once when they handed Miller the reins, and he alone makes The Spirit the most fascinating trainwreck in ages. Seriously, folks: this thing is so over-the-top, it practically orbits the moon. -- WG
Lionsgate
Cinematical Seven: Best Ensemble Casts of 2008
Filed under: Cinematical Seven », Lists »
However, many of the movies did get it right -- and it is really hard to narrow it down to seven. I tried to avoid the obvious picks such as The Dark Knight, decided the vocal talent of Kung Fu Panda didn't count, and tried to throw in some unexpected and overlooked casts. Hey, I have to leave you something to disagree with, right?
1. Tropic Thunder
Hands down, this is the best ensemble of the year. Not only is practically everyone in Hollywood in it (and whoever isn't, they're mocking), but they all managed to be funny. There's a million ways this cast could have gone wrong, but they managed to get it right. That's pretty rare for any ensemble, let alone a comedic one.
Cinematical Seven: Overlooked Indies of 2008
Filed under: Cinematical Seven », Lists »
This list is harder to put together than it may seem, since one first needs to settle on a definition of "overlooked" and "indie." Nonetheless, I've endeavored to compile a set of seven small films, each of which had some manner of U.S. theatrical distribution, and each of which got less attention than it deserved -- or so I thought. None of these movies figures in the year's Oscar race, but they should be remembered for your DVD collection.
1. Boy A (John Crowley) - This is the movie Harvey Weinstein supposedly championed, though I suspect he only did it so that after it flopped he could point to it as an example of no one caring about whether his movies are any good. Whatever. Boy A is very, very close to being a great film, kept from the mantle by one too-on-the-nose plot thread that rears its head in the late going. Other than that it's a quiet, profound rumination on punishment, forgiveness, and our insistence on letting juvenile convictions haunt people for the rest of their lives. In a better world, Andrew Garfield would get an Oscar nomination for his heartbreaking performance. And the ending is a knock-out.
2. Transsiberian (Brad Anderson) - I don't think I saw a more effectively atmospheric movie this year -- no, not even Let the Right One In. The story is what it is (it's not too impressive), but the snowbound setting -- and the movie along with it -- constantly straddles the line between beauty and menace in a way that's truly gripping. I left the theater in a sad, unsettled funk, even though I get the sense that Anderson was going for breathless suspense. It's pitched as a thriller, and Anderson is a God among horror buffs after Session 9 (which I still haven't seen; it's creeping up my Netflix queue), but Transsiberian is beautiful and hypnotic above all else.
The Scary Bits: 2008 in Review
Filed under: Horror », The Scary Bits »
I've been sitting here for about five minutes trying to decide the best format for this year-end article. Do I just throw out a bunch of titles and then wait for the inevitable response(s) of "Dude, we've seen those ones. Got anything more obscure-ish?" Or do I list EVERY single horror film that hit the scene in 2008, and then give each one a star rating and a few pithy comments?
But then I remembered how much I love chronological order. My life, for example, is lived chronologically, and I wouldn't have it any other way. So let's start in January and simply slither forward. I'm including only the highlights of each month, so if you're looking for me to make fun of stuff like Pulse 2, Shutter, of freakin' Prom Night, I'm sorry to disappoint you. (OK, fine: I'll cover the crap too. I just can't say no to gorehounds.)
January -- The 18th saw the arrival of two fine genre films: One a big hit called Cloverfield and the other a little indie piece called Teeth. Obviously a monster movie and a flick about a toothed vagina don't have much in common, but indeed, both were smarter than they had to be, dark and nasty here and there, and quite a bit of fun. Also pretty surprising: The relative quality of White Noise 2. (Booo: One Missed Call, Boogeyman 2, Lake Placid 2)
February -- From overseas we got Shrooms, Storm Warning, and Black Water. All three are worthy of a rental. From the indie-makers we got Spiral, Diary of the Dead, and The Signal. Solid stuff. From Hollywood? A freakin' remake of The Eye. I've seen scarier film on old pudding.
Cinematical Seven: Top Trailers of 2008
Filed under: Fandom », Cinematical Seven », Lists »
I couldn't even begin to guess how many trailers came out in 2008, but whittling that number down to seven is no easy task. Looking down at my list of the top seven trailers of 2008, I'm noticing that most of these previews are for films I haven't seen yet -- in fact, the majority haven't even been released. It wasn't a conscious decision, mind you, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that once you've seen a film, its trailer tends to lose its mystique. After release date the magic begins to fade, like in the case of Jumper, which was a cool trailer but it gave away most of the good scenes. It's all about the anticipation, and the seven trailers I've picked have done an exemplary job of piquing my interest. So, in reverse order, here are my top seven trailers of 2008.
7. Step Brothers
Will Ferrell does a variation on his innocent man-child act from 2003's Elf with the emphasis shifting from innocent to idiot with hilarious results. Ferrell and John C. Reilly play grown men still living at home who find they are about to become step-brothers when their respective single parents wed. I love the long scene that opens the trailer with the two staring each other down across the lawn, and we see their relationship getting off to a rocky start with one step brother trying to bury the other alive. Soon, though, they're sharing secrets, karate kicking pumpkins and building bunk beds that are just not up to code.
Cinematical Seven: The Worst MPAA Ratings of 2008
Filed under: Action », Comedy », Independent », Celebrities and Controversy », Fandom », Family Films », Cinematical Seven », Comic/Superhero/Geek »
The Motion Picture Association of America does a few other things too, but its most visible impact on movie-going is its ratings system. G, PG, PG-13, R, or NC-17, you gotta have a rating for your movie if you want most theater chains to show it, and the MPAA's secretive clan of breast-counters and violence-ignorers decides which label its gets.
An overwhelming majority of films get the rating they deserve -- or, at the very least, a rating that's consistent with how the MPAA has rated other films with similar content. But some MPAA decisions are baffling, illogical, or just plain outrageous. Here are the ones that perplexed us the most this year.
The Worst MPAA Ratings of 2008
1. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (rated PG for "epic battle action and violence"). The MPAA says, "The ratings are intended to provide parents with advance information so they can decide for themselves which films are appropriate for viewing by their own children." It's all about parents looking out for their kids. So how in the name of C.S. Lewis did this film -- rife with stabbing, throat-slitting, decapitating, and large-scale slaughter, much of it perpetrated by teenage characters -- get a PG? Does the fact that most of the violence is bloodless (and therefore not realistic) somehow make it family-friendly? Had there been even one sexual reference, it would have gotten a PG-13. Thank goodness Disney only packed the film with killing instead!
Cinematical's 25 Hottest of 2008!
Filed under: Fandom », Lists »
In honor of the year that was 2008, we here at Cinematical have once again spent a whole bunch of long, hard-fought hours (days even!) slogging through the best of the best in order to present you with our list of the 25 Hottest of 2008. What were the biggest trends in the entertainment world this year? Which movies made the most money? Alternatively, which films garnered the largest fanbase? Which actor or actress enjoyed the most success? And just because they were big in 2008, does that mean we'll still remember them at the end of 2009? Chipping it to help dissect 2008 were Cinematical's Erik Davis, Scott Weinberg, Eric D. Snider, Monika Bartyzel, Jessica Barnes, Eugine Novikov, William Goss, Jette Kernion and Peter Martin. Just when you thought the year was over ... the lists have just begun. Check out the gallery below (then come back later in the week when we spin it around and present the 25 Lamest of 2008).
The 25 Hottest Things in Movies 2008
25. 'The Hobbit'
What do you do when your geek base demands a prequel to one of their biggest fantasy trilogies, and that it be done right? You hire Guillermo bleepin' del Toro to get around to it, as soon as he's done with eighteen other projects. Two things are sure: he'll find a place for Doug Jones, which is always welcome, and the thing can't help but end less times than Return of the King did. -- WG
New Line
24. 'Cloverfield'
I initially praised Cloverfield as being "dazzlingly, dizzyingly, thrillingly, thoroughly now." Later viewings on screens of all sizes have only reinforced my admiration for the ambition and execution of J.J. Abrams' monster movie, a roller-coaster ride that tapped into our zeitgeist and yet will hold up beyond its considerable web hype. We should at least be grateful for that uber-geeky Michael Giacchino suite at the end. -- WG
Paramount
23. James Franco as a Stoner Dude
You might only know James Franco as angst-y Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man series, but his stoner-ific comic role was one of the best parts of Pineapple Express ... and it won him a Golden Globe nomination. He also plays against type in Milk, as the title character's lover. Keep taking a variety of roles, especially in comedies, dude. Can't wait for Howl. -- JK
Sony
22. Angelina Jolie
She played two fine assassins over the summer -- in Wanted and Kung Fu Panda -- and even made time to bait the Academy as a distraught mother in Clint Eastwood's Changeling. Say what you will about the woman, but she keeps get hired for a reason. -- WG
Universal
21. Elizabeth Banks
As much as I harp on about Anna Faris being one of the sharpest comediennes around, 2009 should keep her in the spotlight. This year, though, belongs to the equally beautiful and talented Elizabeth Banks, who demonstrated her capacity for all manner of comedy over the course of no less than six films: February's Definitely, Maybe; April's Meet Bill; July's Meet Dave; October's W. and Zack and Miri Make a Porno; and November's Role Models. -- WG
Weinstein Co.
20. Good Horror Films
Teeth, Diary of the Dead, The Signal, The Ruins, Frontier(s), The Strangers, Midnight Meat Train, Eden Lake, Splinter, Repo, and LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. Enough said!"
Universal
19. Josh Brolin as 'W'
After kicking around Hollywood for years, Brolin struck pay dirt in No Country for Old Men. But it's his indelible portrayal as a very different Texan, the oft-caricatured George W. Bush in Oliver Stone's biopic, that's made him white hot. Charming and surprisingly likable, Brolin was, by turns, presidential, goofy and romantic. He'd win our vote for whatever he wants to do next. -- PM
Lionsgate
18. Male Full-Frontal Nudity
In the history of cinematic sex romps, a little skin is nothing new that is, unless the skin belongs to a man. 2008 was the year that filmmakers finally decided to play fair and showed us dudes (dudes that don't spend their life at the gym) baring it all for laughs -- making Jason Segel and Jason Mewes the patron saints of schlubs everywhere. -- JB
Universal
17. 'Sex and the City'
Women may have earned the right to vote back in 1920, but only in 2008 did they opt to vote with their moviegoing dollar, and they turned out in droves for this epic estrogen session, a big-screen mini-season with their favorite gal pals, plenty of purses, and an amount of flowing alcohol worthy of such superficial lifestyles and the occasional crotch gags. Good thing this came out when the economy was in vogue... -- WG
New Line
16. Comic-Con
Some would argue that this year's San Diego Comic-Con may have gotten too big for its fanbase, skewing more and more to movies and less to, y'know, comics. The rest of us just want you to sit down already so we can watch these bootlegged clips of these potentially badass coming geek attractions. -- WG
Getty
_thumbnail.jpg)
Michael Bay Trashes Megan Fox, Talks 'Transformers 3' and 3D_thumbnail.jpg)
First Look: Stewart, Fanning and More Are 'The Runaways'
Actor Needed to Crush Hearts of Innocent Little Kids
500 Days of ... Jenny Beckman?
Karl Malden Dies at 97
_thumbnail.jpg){kind=spacer}
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg){kind=spacer}
