Everybody loves year-end top 10 lists except me—at least when it comes time to reflect on the year in movies just ended. It’s a frustrating task. The majority of films reviewed in the New York Times will never reach Milwaukee cinemas and the number of non-Hollywood movies shown on local screens declined in 2008 from past years. Also, two Oscar contenders won’t open here until January: Revolutionary Road and Grand Torino. I haven’t had time in the holiday rush to drive to Waukesha for Frost/Nixon (why isn’t it being shown elsewhere in the area?). And when will The Wrestler enter the ring?
Fact is I don’t know what are my top 10 films for 2008 and may never see some of them until years from now—when I discover the more obscure titles on disc. Meanwhile, the calendar has run out of days, obligating me to issue a preliminary list, subject to revision over the next few weeks as the remaining big name releases from 2008 trickle into town. Check the Shepherd Express Jan. 22 edition for an updated roster of the year’s best.
For now, here goes:
1. Doubt
2. WALL-E
3. Appaloosa
4. Burn After Reading
5. Vicky Christina Barcelona
6. Slumdog Millionaire
7. The Dark Knight
8. The Pool
9. The Strangers
10. What Just Happened
