The Year's Best - 2008

a rare kind of quality that blows the mind as it breaks the heart, spectacular artistry and a stellar adventure whose characters transcend the limits of expression and the formation of emotion, a seminal love story

great deceptions one right after the other ensure that this incredibly crafted saga of crime keeps its astounding level of action and excellent drama, ledger commands a truly wicked villain, a flawless adaptation

surprising and could be easily underrated by most, a coarse yet witty script that has its irish roots written all over it, farrell is in his element and is paired well with a wise gleeson, surreality both in heart and soul

a stunning mystery that strips down the old aesthetics leaving a fantastic story as it was, the period detail was exceptional and a full-bodied jazz score set the era in its peak, at times a nightmare and a dream

one of marvel's most overlooked figures gets some very solid filmmaking, downey adopts and crafts his role to suit him and is true to comic character, well-developed story and amazing effects give an epic ride

heightened realism is the method behind the bold madness of this poetic effort, the ambient sound at once tells of the culture and unconscious lull of adolescence, time and memory fuse in this thoughtful work

comedic optimism that borders on sweet but is never saccharine, hawkins holds a great leading female role that is dynamic beyond comparison, the plot is a little too situational but it is treated with tenderness

tightly shot and kept minimalist in tone, it is truly unlike any of its kind simply for its fresh and uncompromising voice, at once a solid historical timeline and a clever way of shifting perceptions, short yet satisfying

the miraculous attempt to pull off an artful stoner movie has finally worked, rogen and franco have comedic chemistry of a very rare kind, humourous but subtle in its treatment of cannabis culture, a real riot

an absurdist play of events that leave the viewer both baffled and in higher spirits, the leads do well on their own but when brought together, there is no significant change made, slow to start but hilarious