This week’s Time cover story is “The List Issue”. The Time editors and writers rank the top ten everything of 2008 - top ten break-ups, top ten books, top ten scandals, top ten animal stories, under-reported stories, songs, slogans etc. The only list they forgot was the one I was really looking forward to (that they had last year) - top ten magazine covers. Oh, well.

So Time’s resident movie critic Richard Corliss ranks the top ten movies of 2008. I have no idea who Corliss is, how old he is or why he’s so cranky. In my mind he’s a bitter old coot with a shotgun, yelling at the docudramas to get off his lawn. This image of Corliss has been formed mainly by his recent rave review of Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino. Only coots truly appreciate other coots.

Here’s Corliss’s top ten list, with my descriptions:

1. WALL-E

Film critics always do this. They list an animated film as number one to try to prove they’re not cranky old bastards, but kids at heart.

2. Synecdoche, New York

Oscar-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut, starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Michelle Williams. I haven’t seen it, but I seem to remember everyone hating it.

3. My Winnipeg

Obscure Canadian film. Corliss calls it “docufantasia”. *headdesk*

4. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

This is that Romanian film (with subtitles) about a young girl trying to get an abortion in Communist-era Romania. It’s won a ton of film festival awards and it looks really interesting.

. Milk

Everybody thinks Sean Penn will win his second Oscar for playing gay icon Harvey Milk. Gus Van Sant directs, also starring Josh Brolin and James Franco.

6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett star, David Fincher directs. This will probably sweep the technical Oscars - Best Make-up, etc.

7. Slumdog Millionaire

Everybody’s talking about this British/Indian film about a an Indian teenager trying to win the heart of his true love. Danny Boyle directs, set on location in India.

8. Iron Man

Like the shark in Jaws, you can feel Gwyneth’s dark presence on the list.

9. Speed Racer

Ugh. Seriously?

10. Encounters at the End of the World

Werner Herzog’s documentary about Antarctica. My guess for the film’s tagline is “It’s Really F@#king Cold.”

Here’s a link to Corliss’s descriptions of the films.

You can read Time’s “The List Issue” online on their website
http://www.celebitchy.com/26454/the_best_films_of_2008_according_to_time...

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