8. JCVD:How many people expected a movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme to be on a Top Ten films list? You will once you see this film. JCVD is a very interesting experiment in filmmaking since it stars Van Damme as himself in a semibiographical light that is both illuminating and searing. It is not uncommon for a movie to portray an international “star” in a less than flattering way. However, JCVD goes a step further by having the star play himself at the lowest point of his career. Van Damme’s plight is compounded by the secondary antagonists (it can be argued that Van Damme’s past is his primary enemy) who use the cheap violent tricks used by many faceless villains from Van Damme’s filmography. However, here there are no fancy kicks or slow-mo punches from the Belgian hero to save the day. The movie is directed in a non-linear fashion and has a very real and no-frills look which suits the plot perfectly. Oh, and wait till you see “the scene”. It is impossible not to be stirred emotionally by that scene and develop a newfound respect for Van Damme’s acting chops (or, is it not really acting if it’s true? Hmmm).
"In Bruges” is a dark comedy of the highest quality. What some of the films listed above were able to do with individual performances, “In Bruges” does it with a perfectly cast ensemble. The three main actors (Collin Farrell, Brandon Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes) are so perfect in their roles that it’s impossible to replace even one of them with any other performer. Shot mostly on location in Bruges, the film features beautiful locales and breathtaking backdrops. It’s impossible to reduce “In Bruges” to a single genre because the story, direction, and acting all give the same level of respect and detail to all the genres explored. Hilarious, thrilling, and poignant, “In Bruges” is one of the most underrated films of the year. Despite the wonderfully acerbic dialogue and the non-Hollywood ending, the most memorable moment of the film may be the revealing of the nemesis (you will know what I mean when you see it).
Who would have thought that a day would come when “animated” films would make Top 10 lists? Pixar does it again with another highly acclaimed entry in “Wall-E”. The fact that this film gets you to care about what happens to a mute (mostly) robot is a testament to how much humanity the filmmakers were able to inject into the script and the nonhuman characters. The secret to why the film is so inspiring, charming, and impressive is that Pixar is not interested in making great animated films. They make great films. Period. “Wall-E” is one of the most uplifting movies of the year and the technical brilliance of the animation – as impressive as it is – takes a backseat to the sincere character development that pulls the viewers in. “UP” can’t get here soon enough!
5. Iron Man:
Just like “The Wrestler”, Robert Downey Jr. was an inspired casting choice that resulted in a performance that made a good film even better. Downey Jr. was able to capture the complexities and nuances of Tony Stark perfectly and thereby introduced viewers to a different kind of superhero (if you can call him that). Despite featuring a man encased in hi-tech armor flying at supersonic speeds, “Iron Man” offered a level of realism that spanned from its mostly accurate use of current international political climate and the sophistication of both practical and special effects. The film also delivers one of the best endings of the year because it has the best ending line of the year (not going to spoil it!) and the second best end credit sequence of the year (behind “Slumdog Millionaire”, of course).
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