The Movies of Summer 2008: The Good, The Great, and the Just-Plain-Awful.

Okay, so I know my blog has been overrun lately by daily political rants. And don't worry, there will be many more of those to come over the next several weeks - count on it. But ... as Summer turns to Fall, and as we get into September ... there comes a time when it is my sworn and sacred duty to present you, the loyal readers, with the definitive list of the Best Movies of the Summer. Because yes, there will be other lists at other blogs, but don't kid yourself - if you want to know the real deal on the Summer that was, this is the place to be.

- When I think about this summer at the movies, it is kind of a double-sided coin - and that's not just a reference to Harvey Dent. Because, on one hand, this was undoubtedly a summer that had a few high-profile disappointments, in terms of big, blockbuster, franchise films that ultimately failed to deliver on the promise of their potential. But on the other hand, to me, those few disappointments were VASTLY overshadowed by several awesome, memorable movies that in many ways raised the bar for the blockbuster. More so than any summer in recent memory, there were several big films in Summer '08 that were so good, so complete, that come December they will most likely be near the top of many year-end Best-Of lists. Especially in this upcoming strike-affected fall and winter, we will surely see some great films, but I think there is definitely that palpable feeling that many of the summer's best will also be among the *year's* best. And that's not something that is always the case, to be sure. I think you can see it in the last few week's record-lows at the box office - there were literally so many must-see films this summer that there is definitely some serious box-office fatigue setting in. But hey, in only one week we get the next film from the Coen Bros. and another potential Coens classic - Burn After Reading. And soon after that, the next wave of big Fall and Winter movies will really begin to kick in.

But back to this summer - yes, this was undoubtedly the Summer of the Bat. THE DARK KNIGHT was a genuine phenomenon, and all other films took a back seat to the epic sequel that pitted Batman against his arch-nemesis, The Joker. Meanwhile, WALL-E may have been the best overall Pixar movie yet, which in and of itself speaks volumes. HELLBOY 2 was a visual feast and another great achievement for Guillermo Del Toro, and IRON MAN kicked off the summer season with a huge bang - an amazing effort from Robert Downey Jr. and co. But not all of the summer's best films were also box-office sensations. SPEED RACER was a total tour-de-force. It bombed at the box-office but it was likely a bit ahead of its time. I can only speculate that it will eventually find the following it deserves on DVD and as a showcase for Blu-Ray. And huge, action-packed blockbusters were not the only genre that thrived this summer - we got several great comedies as well - TROPIC THUNDER, STEP BROTHERS, and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS each had me laughing from start to finish. Also, even if the summer movie season is defined by the giant blockbusters that rake in the big bucks, you can't forget the smaller movies that give some depth to the summer movie scene. This summer, SON OF RAMBOW was an instant-classic coming-of-age movie, AMERICAN TEEN was one of the most engrossing docs I've seen, and VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA was one of Woody Allen's best in ages. Were there duds this summer? Sure. INDIANA JONES showed that George Lucas may in fact have hit a creative wall, THE X-FILES had its moments, but wasn't the movie that fans had hoped would reignite a beloved franchise, and HANCOCK ... well, Hancock pretty much blew chunks. But really, it's amazing just how good some of the big blockbusters were this summer. When you look at last summer, which had not one giant action movie that fully lived up to the hype (sorry fanboys, Transformers sucked), it's "incredible" that movies like HULK and IRON MAN and DARK KNIGHT more than satisfied even the most hardcore comic geek's wish-fulfillment, even as movies like KUNG-FU PANDA and WANTED delivered surprisingly fun thrills.

Before we start, some movies I haven't seen: The Mummy 3, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Get Smart, Death Race, Mama Mia, The House Bunny, Hamlet 2 ...

So here we go - the good, the great, and the downright awful of summer '08.

DANNY'S TOP MOVIES OF SUMMER 2008:

The Best:

1.) The Dark Knight

- Like Batman Begins, TDK is a flawed movie in some respects, but the various continuity gaffes and head-scratching moments are almost completely drowned out by the sheer force and intensity with which this film comes at you. It grabs you from the first moment and doesn't let go, and even months later, so many of its scenes remain burned into my brain, now a part of my mental rolodex of amazing movie moments. When 2008 is over and done with, I think we'll still be talking about The Dark Knight. We'll still be talking about Heath Ledger as The Joker. We'll still be holding up Christopher Nolan's film as the best superhero movie ever made. In terms of Summer '08, The Dark Knight is king.

2.) WALL-E

- It took me a while to process Wall-E, but forgetting all of the moral and environmental messages for a moment, what's truly suck with me about the film is simply the amazing future-world it creates. I want to visit that world again, I want to marvel at its details, speculate on how it came to be. Because this is a great kids movie, and a great love story, but it's also pretty great science fiction - the stuff of Bradbury and Asiimov. Another crowning achievement in the still-fledgling legacy of Pixar.

3.) Speed Racer

- I can't wait for more people to discover Speed Racer. It's a breakneck, candy-coated acid trip of an action movie that is also one of those rare, stand-up-and-cheer, good vs. evil stories. Visually, SR is like nothing that's ever come before, and to me marks the Wachowski's greatet directorial achievement yet - a perfect marriage of Japanese anime, next-gen videogames, and old-fashioned characters that are just plain cool. Because yes, this movie has heart. If you don't cheer when John Goodman socks it to the badguys with a big ol' right hand, it's time to turn in your "I Love Movies" badge.

4.) Son of Rambow

- I loved this movie, because it's the kind of film you don't see much of anymore. It's a kids movie, about kids, but it isn't afraid to be smart, dark, tragic, and complex. This isn't Hannah Montana, it's an emotionally affecting and hilarious look at boyhood friendship, and a nostalgic reminder of all the stuff that winds you up and makes you go when you're a kid. It's enough to make you want to go out, grab some friends and a camcorder, and create your own D-grade tribute to badass 80's action flicks. I am the Son of Rambow!

5.) Iron Man

- This one was a no-brainer, because from the moment I first saw the trailer for this last July in San Diego, it was clear that Jon Favreau knew what he was doing. As few others have ever done, Favreau captured the spirit of Stan Lee and Marvel comics and caught lightning in a bottle, with an all-star cast headlined by a rejuvinated Robert Downey Jr. Like a repulsor ray to the gut, Iron Man kicked all kinds of ass, and gave birth to a new version of the Marvel universe that lives and breathes not on the page, but on the screen. It's exciting, "Excelsior!"-worthy stuff.

6.) American Teen

- I've heard the criticisms and critiques - American Teen was staged, the subjects were manipulated, the storylines were scripted. I don't know all of the behind-the-scenes stories, but what I do know is that rarely have I ever seen such an engrossing and authentic-feeling look at life in highschool. To me, this was as far away from all the glossy, MTV-style stuff that you can get. American Teen was a non-glamourous, zits-and-all portrait of a teenage wasteland, and it was both heartbreaking and inspiring. It reminded you of the moments when everything looked bleakest and when anything seemed possible. I hope the movie is remembered come Oscar time.


7.) Pineapple Express

- While we got a few extremely well-done comedies this summer, to me, the best of the bunch was Judd Apatow's Pineapple Express. As a huge, huge fan of the late, great Freaks & Geeks, it brought a tear to my eye to see James Franco back doing comedy and reteamed with his old TV buddy Seth Rogen. And the two of them proved to be an instant-classic comedic duo, carrying a movie that went from laid-back stoner comedy to full-throttle action-satire with a combination of wit and charm. With a number of hilarious supporting turns from some of today's best comedic actors, and a script chock full of great lines, Pineapple Express was the best comedy of the summer, the one with the most heart, and the one that I'm most likely to revisit again and again.

8.) The Incredible Hulk

- In a summer that saw the superhero bar raised thanks to Iron Man and The Dark Knight, it's easy to forget that, in its own right, The Incredible Hulk was one badass comic book flick. And I emphasize - comic book flick. Because while I was a fan of Ang Lee's version of The Hulk, this update undoubtedly delivered the kind of giant action, fearsome villains, and yes, FUN, that Lee's version lacked. I thought Edward Norton was great as Bruce Banner, and he was surrounded by a talented cast. The action was intense and satisfying. And the script had all the little details, geek-out moments, and hearty cries of"Hulk Smash!" that a fanboy could want. A perfext follow-up to Iron Man, and a great sign of Marvel mayhem to come.

9.) Hellboy 2

- Building on the foundation of the first Hellboy, this sequel finally allowed Guillermo Del Toro to lay all his cards on the table. This was Del Toro unchained, and the result was a spectacular visual feast, with characters and monsters and worlds that harkened back to the epic fantasy heyday of master imagineers like Jim Henson and Terry Gilliam. With iconic performances from underrated actors like Ron Perlman and Doug Jones, Hellboy 2 delivered with humor and action, but mostly, it impressed with the sheer force of its director's unbridled imagination.

10.) Vicky Cristina Barcelona

- Woody Allen's latest presents a series of stunning scenes set in scenic Spain. It's a long way from his usual NYC setting, but the movie is also trademark Woody, in that it's a thoughtful look at life and love, bursting at the seems with neurotic energy. Penelope Cruz is on fire in this one, Scarlet Johaanson and Rebecca Hall are terrific, and Javier Bardem continues to be on a roll. This is a movie that's uniquely Woody Allen's, but in a manner that reminds you of the classic stuff that put him on the map in the first place.

The Next Best:

11.) Tropic Thunder

- A hilarious satire of overblown Hollywood productions, Tropic Thunder was a nonstop laugh-fest. At times, its "mock everyone else but not ourselves" humor kind of rubbed me the wrong way, but I can't deny that the movie was packed with classic bits of comedy gold, some legitimately impressive action choreography, a great soundtrack, and yet another awesome, scene-stealing, Summer '08 performance from Robert Downey Jr.

12.) Step Brothers

- In the grand tradition of smart comedies about total morons (think Dumb & Dumber ...), Step Brothers may not have been the most ambitious comedy, but it was still one of the funniest I've seen this year. There's just something about these Will Ferrell / Adam McKay collaborations that produces comedic gold, and it doesn't hurt that, between this, Talladega Nights, and Walk Hard, John C. Reilly has developed into one of the funneist guys out there in his own right.

13.) Wanted

- Talk about badass, Wanted was hardcore to the extreme. Ultra-violent and no-holds-barred, Wanted showed that comic book adaptations can be about much more than tights n' capes. Even if it ocassionally got bogged down by its own over-the-top mythology, Wanted featured a great turn by James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman ensuring that even the movie's most ludicrous lines went down smooth, and Angelina Jolie pretty much playing the kind of role she was born to play. Wanted was a great example of how a mature-audiences graphic novel can be adapted, and I hope it's a sign of more projects like this to come.

14.) Kung-Fu Panda

- Proving that Pixar is no longer the only game in town, Dreamworks animation stepped it up a notch with Kung-Fu Panda, a visually brilliant and supremely fun flick that is a great kids' film but also a nice tribute to the kung-fu classics. A nice voice-cast, cool and stylized animation, and some legitimately riveting action set-pieces made this one of the summer's most pleasant surprises.

15.) The Foot Fist Way

- This is one of those rough-around-the-edges movies that, depite its unevenness, you can't help but root for. And the reason, in this case, is that The Foot Fist Way is a veritable coming out party for the comedic talents of Danny McBride, who later in the summer appeared in some big budget comedies like Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder. McBride creates a hilarious character in this film - a delusional karate instructor who is so into his own hype that he fails to realize when his life is falling apart around him. And while the movie gets too dark for its own good at times, it's still a breakout comedy heralding the arrival of some really promising new talent. You've got to like this little movie that could.

Mixed Emotions:

* Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

- This long-awaited fouth Indy flick had its moments, especially in that it signalled a return to action-hero icon status for the long MIA Harrison Ford. But: Shia LeBuff swinging around the jungle with a bunch of monkeys? Nuking the fridge? Are you kidding me, Spielberg and Lucas?

* The X-Files: I Want to Believe

- While it was admirable that this low-budget film took The X-Files back to basics, you couldn't help but feel underwhelmed by the been-there, done-that plot and lack of memorable villains. It was great seeing David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson back as Mulder and Scully, but the movie felt more like a quiet epilogue to the series than the epic rebirth that was needed to give new life one of the 90's biggest franchises.

* Don't Mess With The Zohan

- All in all, this was probably the best and funniest Adam Sandler movie in years. But, seeing as Sandler has set the bar pretty low, that isn't exactly saying much. While the movie had a number of groan-inducing moments, especially when it tried to lecture and moralize about the middle-east, Zohan was a funny character and Sandler went all-out to bring him to life, giving him more than his fair share of Austin Powers-style quotables.

*The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

- I really thought that this movie had its moments - from some surprisingly violent action scenes to some great character bits to boot. But the movie just felt very uneven, and rushed in parts - even visually, some scenes shone while others underwhelmed. As much as I like the Narnia series and want to see it continue, and as much as I liked certain things about Prince Caspian, you know there's something a bit off when a short Tilda Swindon cameo overshadows the entire rest of the movie.

Flat-Out Sucked:

* Hancock

- You know, this summer had too many great movies to waste time with the clunkers. For that reason, I avoided most of the probable time-wasters like Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Mummy 3, and yes, The Love Guru. And Hancock, well, I thought Hancock looked like crap fro mthe moment I saw the first trailer. But when I began reading reviews, I noticed a strange pattern of surprisingly positive write-ups. I got curious, and one day I decided to see and judge for myself. It turns out that Hancock was a godawful mess, a strange mix of lighthearted comedy with oddly dark and self-serious drama. It was a reminder of the kind of crap that Will Smith is capable of when at his worst, and a textbook example of a big-budget Hollywood movie gone wrong.



- Alright, leave your comments and let me know what you think. I'm sure there are those of you reading this who think The Dark Knight wasn't all that, that I severely underrated Tropic Thunder, and that I'm nuts for praising The Incredible Hulk. But just remember: no, I am right, you are most likely wrong. See, that's the beauty of having your own blog!

Seriously though, I'll be back soon with more on movies, more Fall TV, more politics, and just more in general. If you're not checking the blog daily, get with it!