Heffie's Top Ten... er, I mean, TEN films of 2008! Part 2: The Big Last Five

[thehefner]

5.)



TROPIC THUNDER

It's not as good as it could have been. Shit, it's not as good as it should be. And it's certainly not as good as ZOOLANDER. But for all that, it's pretty goddamn fucking hilarious, with *just* enough ballsy, even vicious satire about Hollywood and the egos of actors (of all stripes) to be absolutely worth watching at least a few times. Downey is utterly brilliant in a role that could seriously have fucked up his career in ways that drugs couldn't, and Tom Cruise is mesmerizing (helped in large part by Bill Hader as his Smithers).

To really complete the experience, I urge you to check out the free mockumentary RAIN OF MADNESS, in which screenwriter (of TT and IRON MAN!) and MULHOLLAND DRIVE actor Justin Theroux plays a Herzog-filmmaker documenting the complete self-destruction of TROPIC THUNDER's cast and crew. This mostly-improvised homage to Herzog's BURDEN OF DREAMS and, of course, Coppola's HEARTS OF DARKNESS actually adds to the whole of TROPIC THUNDER's all-encompassing world, and is a total delight, especially considering that Theroux clearly understands that Herzog is both brilliant and dryly hilarious. Which brings me to...

4.)



ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD

I saw this on a date with a girl who'd never seen a Herzog film before. Afterward, she was befuddled and frustrated. Not by the film, but the audience. "They were like statues! They just sat there silently, the whole time! Didn't they realize that this film was fucking HILARIOUS?!"

No, they didn't. Nor, apparently, did the reviewers, who praised Herzog's documentary about people who live and work in the Arctic circle but didn't make note about any trace of humor. Maybe most people don't find joy in Herzog's ultra-dry German wit, which Theroux himself observed is wonderful because it's *so* dry that you don't even know if he's joking or not.

And yet, how could people not laugh when Herzog films a group in training to survive by wearing buckets on their heads to simulate whiteout conditions, to which he eventually comments, "For most of our time here we had postcard pretty conditions. This was frustrating because I loathe the sun on both my celluloid and my skin."

But one of the real gems came when Herzog broke his promise to not make a film about "fluffy penguins" (he rages against MARCH OF THE PENGUINS and all such films that try to soften and humanize nature) to interview a penguin researcher who's been there so long that he's forgotten how to socialize with humans. When Herzog narrates that he realized a change of tactic would be needed to get some conversation out of this man, that's when he springs the following question, one which could only have been asked by Werner Herzog:

With scenes like that, one gets the feeling that Herzog knows the viewer will not feel the same way that he himself does. While he neutrally observes madness and certain death, most of us--I imagine--would look at that penguin and see something... bizarrely beautiful. Sad, yes, but strangely moving. Which is exactly what Werner "Nature is not your friend, nature will destroy you" Herzog wouldn't want you to think. Or would he? I still don't know.

But yes, what seems to be the kind of bland "beauty of nature" movie by that poster is actually a brilliant, moving, and utterly hilarious series of portraits of people compelled to live in this desolate place, overseen by one of the masters of film. It'd make wonderful double-feature with either MARCH OF THE PENGUINS or Herzog's GRIZZLY MAN (which itself would go very well with INTO THE WILD; I would love to know what Herzog thinks of Christopher McCandless)

3.)



WALL*E

I still don't know if this movie could have been better than it already was. Part of me wishes that it could have kept up with the brilliant first half and been an entirely (mostly) silent film, a modern Little Tramp romance in a world that places too much value on dialogue is storytelling. But then another part of me adores the (pretty biting and harsh) satire. And like any great satire worth its salt, it pissed off plenty of people, as evidenced by The AV Club's Guide to WALL*E Controversy.

And then, there's the ending. I honestly do not know if it would have been a better, more powerful, more brilliant film if they went with the downer ending. It would have been OLD YELLER for a new generation, one way or another, and given them their own version of what we FUTURAMA fans had to endure with the goddamn dog episode. Fucking dog episode.

But then, if they'd done that, I'd never be able to watch WALL*E again. And while I'm not sure if they cheated a bit with the happier ending, it was still one of the very best films Pixar's ever made; one of the most adult films from a company that never pandered to them nor children.

Plus, Fred Willard plays the President and it ends with a new Peter Gabriel song. What's not to love?


2.)



LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

Some are calling this one of the greatest vampire movies ever made. Maybe even the greatest. Never mind that browncoating. Know that this is a wonderful, timeless film that seamlessly and perfectly works as both a coming-of-age love story and a legitimately scary vampire movie, without any of the wankification of Anne Rice and TWILIGHT. It's because of the bullshit romanticizing of vampires that I usually hate the bloodsuckers, but here, the vampire in question is not an airy angsting fop but a beast, an animal, something to be feared... and yet, in conjunction with the script and performance, is also more human than any Lestat wannabe I've seen in years.

Furthermore, without spoiling anything, I think the real enduring brilliance of LET THE RIGHT ON IN is how it is beautifully ambiguous enough to appeal to both sentimental romantics and hardened cynics. Both interpretations are equally legitimate, as are any others that people have. I'd love to discuss them with you, but I fear to do so until more of you have seen it. Which you really should, especially before the fucking CLOVERFIELD guy remakes it.

1.)



IRON MAN

Now this is how you stay true to the absolute heart and spirit of a classic superhero while breathing your own heart and soul into the film. THE INCREDIBLE HULK was like the Mark 2 armor: functional and neat, but just not final, not polished, not that extra step. But IRON MAN took it all the way, and soared with a cracking script and literally-Oscar-worthy cast.

Gwenneth Paltrow delivered what is my personal favorite performance of hers, taking a character who could so easily be a shrill love interest and creating a real three-dimensional character of strength, intelligence, and depth. Terrence Howard was rockin' in the five minutes he was in, and much as I love Don Cheadle, I'll be sad not to see him fulfill his thought of "Next time, baby." And Jeff Bridges--perhaps the most under-appreciated actor alive--plays the nicest Marvel villain ever. "Tony, hey! Gimme a hug, you! Hey, I got pizza! You can't have any! Oh, here, have a slice! Look, I got a Segway, wheeeeeeee! Oh hey, is that your heart?" *RIPS IT OUT*

And, of course, there's Downey. Nothing I possibly say can add what's already been said, what everyone already knows. Nuff said.

In light of THE DARK KNIGHT, I fear many people look back on IRON MAN as summer blockbuster fluff, as light and trivial compared to the dead-seriousness of that other film. But what people don't realize is that THE DARK KNIGHT is driven by plot, ideas, and one performance in particular, whereas IRON MAN is driven entirely by character. And in that respect, I find IRON MAN deeper and more resonant than most people would give it credit for. The crisis of Tony Stark is not one normally found in films, superhero or otherwise, and it's far from resolved. Some people criticized the film for purporting to be anti-military-industrial-complex, then having Tony go ahead and just build another weapon. What these people miss is that's exactly the point. I have absolute faith that Faverau and company be exploring that in parts 2 and 3, and perhaps THE AVENGERS as well. I cannot wait.




So that wraps up my top ten. But wait, there's more! In my third and final part, I explore the two (or maybe three) films that--for one reason or another--I could not in good conscience place in this list, but deserve mention nonetheless. I'm sure you can guess one. But wait till you hear about the other(s).