The 2008 Critics' Choice Awards - Christianity Today

Last week, we posted our Top 10 Most Redeeming Films of 2008. This week, we present our Critics’ Choice Awards for the Top 10 Films of 2008.

What’s the difference between the lists? The “redeeming” list speaks for itself—films that included a redemptive element, sometimes blatant, sometimes more subtle, but always there.

Our Critics’ Choice list, on the other hand, consists of the 10 films that our panel believes were the most excellent films of 2008, whether they carried a redeeming message or not—though seven of our top 10 choices also appeared on our Most Redeeming list. But all of the movies here are films of excellence, and many are up for various honors at the upcoming Academy Awards.

We also let each of our voters choose “One That Got Away”—a single film they wish had made the final list. Think of those extra films as sort of our “honorable mentions.”

For each of the top 10 films, we have included random comments from our critics. To learn more about the film’s synopsis, click “Our review” at the end of each summary.

1. The Dark Knightdirected by Christopher Nolan “Elevates the comic book genre with mature storytelling and grand vision.” “Few superhero films transcend the conventions of the genre to earn the accolades of great art, but Nolan’s film is strikingly relevant to urgent conversations about America’s fight against terror.” “Nolan transforms a summer blockbuster into an American epic, a mythology that brims with all the emotion and drama of the human experience.” “An exploratory film about big, tricky political and moral issues that deftly plays both sides and doesn’t allow for easy answers.” “Heath Ledger’s horrifyingly nihilistic Joker joins Darth Vader and the Wicked Witch of the West among the cinema’s greatest embodiments of evil.” “Shows that films about a man in a cape can be as artfully crafted, as moving, as deep, as powerful, and as well acted as any other film released in a year.” “This movie takes the idea of superhero and plunges it into a dark, terrifying world to discover what happens when good is confronted by true, hateful evil.” (Our review.)

2. Wall·Edirected by Andrew Stanton “Cute, exciting, clever, romantic, and hilarious.” “A practically perfect blend of sci-fi and family entertainment, with plenty of thoughtful messages to pull from it.” “Standard-setting animation, a robot who ranks among the big screen’s most charming and engaging characters, an ambitious work of storytelling that inspires us to reexamine the corrosive effects of consumer culture.” “A film with for folks with a brain as big as its beating heart.” “Bleeding-edge animation, brilliant storytelling, and an all-too timely message.” “A thing of beauty—a true artist’s picture that is entertaining, provocative, subtle, sad, and joyful.” “A stunning achievement that redefines what family entertainment can be and strive for.” “Set aside for a moment the fact that this was one of the most thought-provoking, emotionally-stirring, and sweeping films of the year, it was also arguably the most beautiful in every sense of the word.” (Our review.)

3. Rachel Getting Marrieddirected by Jonathan Demme “A surprisingly powerful performance from Anne Hathaway.” “A moving drama about the strength and delicate nature of familial bonds, as well as a young woman’s pursuit of grace and redemption in her family.” “While these characters are badly broken, and their arguments and grudges can make for painfully uncomfortable confrontations, this is a story about hope and reconciliation.” “Expertly drawn characters who fight and love and celebrate with refreshing aplomb.” “A highly compelling, superbly acted assemblage of intimate, interpersonal moments. It might be my favorite wedding movie ever.” “Deeply perceptive depictions of characters and relationships.” “You don’t really watch Rachel Getting Married. Instead, you attend the wedding. With the technique du jour of the year (handheld camera), the film invites you into the world of Rachel and her sister Kym on the blessed weekend and into all the family turmoil and triumph, awkwardness and comfort, joy and sorrow that you hope to avoid in real life. But it’s captured so well, you enjoy the ride.” (Our review.)

4. Slumdog Millionairedirected by Danny Boyle “It doesn’t have the sweet innocence of Boyle’s last film, Millions, but the heartwarming and redemptive payoff at the end is worth the gritty journey through the brutal slums of Mumbai.” “Many are calling it the feel-good movie of the year, and it certainly earns its Bollywood ending.” “Kind of a modern day, socially conscious Joseph story, with all things working out for good.” “Terrific performances and captivating direction from Boyle make it a winner.” “Full of verve, color, energy, and a distinctly humane sensibility.” “Boyle displays a mastery of pure cinema—of sound and color and uncanny film editing—in his unashamedly romantic, mythic fairy tale about love and destiny. The most gripping and suspenseful film of the year, and one of the most joyful.” “There are few true visionary and creative directors making films today that capture you into a world like Danny Boyle.” (Our review.)

5. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Daysdirected by Cristian Mungiu “Heartpounding and devastating, it forces you to view a hot-button topic—abortion—with new eyes.” “A film about a real-world nightmare, and viewers should be strongly cautioned that there are horrifying scenes of criminal misbehavior and devastating evil. But the film does not sensationalize or condone the evils of its characters—rather, it boldly exposes them in order to reveal the consequences of communism, the dangers of capitalism, and wages of selfish sins.” “A heartbreaking film, delicately told and viscerally acted. It’s about abortion, and not for the weak of heart, but it’s a film that beckons to be seen and appreciated.” “Deliberately mundane in its naturalism, crafted with subtle but rigid formal precision, 4 Months offers a true ‘fly on the wall’ perspective on appalling events surrounding an illegal abortion, making an unanswerable case for the victimization of both the mother and the unborn child.” (Our review.)

6. Man on Wiredirected by James Marsh “A compelling documentary that brings the magic of Philippe Petit’s wire-walking—and the majesty of the World Trade Center towers—back to life.” “An inspirational account about aiming high, pursuing a beautiful vision, and what is possible when people cooperate, concentrate, and dream. It also has the strange effect of redeeming the sight of the New York skyline, helping many of us learn to admire that sight again without being dragged down by dark memories.” “Its greatest masterstroke is the way it allows its central character to simply tell his story—a story so rich and exciting, it needs no embellishment to make it one of the most mesmerizing and inspiring stories seen on the big screen all year.” “A truly gripping, enthralling adventure of a film.” “A concise film with broad, life-affirming reach, though it doesn’t hammer you over the head with its significance.” “Documentaries aren’t often edge-of-your-seat affairs, but Man on Wire is. At turns fun, terrifying, mind-boggling and strange, the tale of the French artist who walked between the twin towers is a fascinating and engaging masterpiece.” (Official site.)

7. Gran Torinodirected by Clint Eastwood “Easily Clint Eastwood’s most audience-friendly movie in years. It’s another fine performance from the classic actor, recalling some of the greatest roles in his career.” “A deeply personal film with the fingerprints of its auteur all over it, Eastwood’s latest is a movie that only he could have made, and it summarizes everything he’s done up to this point.” “A marvelous finale that captures the essence of unconditional love and the very spirit of John 15:13.” “A film that is profound on a number of levels—a commentary on our contemporary zeitgeist but also a timeless story of redemption, sacrifice, and grace.” “It’s Eastwood working through his own Dirty Harry mythos, atoning for his own cinematic sins in the same way that any of us much reckon with our past as we age and the world changes.” “Despite the offensive content associated with its portrayal of a racist Detroit widower (played by Eastwood), Torino show great heart as that man finds redemption because of the unconditional love of those he discriminates against.” (Our review.)

8. The Visitordirected by Tom McCarthy “Tom McCarthy’s warm, endearing drama is a joyful experience. While the film’s political agenda is obvious, and all of the film’s immigrants are idealized as saints, the actors bring great heart and spirit to this story about the awakening of a conscience, the softening of a hard heart.” “Treats a potentially explosive issue through a deeply personal tale.” “An intimate character drama where the beauty and intrigue are written all over the characters’ faces, heard in little snatches of everyday dialogue, felt in every moment of poignancy and humor.” “Lovable characters, tangible emotions, and the solid core portrayal by Richard Jenkins.” “Oozes goodness and humanity and—especially in the love story subplot—a classy reverence for dignity and trans-cultural decorum.” “Its unhurried rhythms and compassionate humanism linger in the mind long after the thrills and shocks of flashier fare have faded.” (Our review.)

9. The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttondirected by David Fincher “An entirely unique and beautiful story of the tragedy of mortality.” “Fincher’s film is an exquisitely rendered, peculiar mediation on the fact that our lives—whether lived forward or backward—are lived in time. The freshest and best parts of them are only temporary.” “Meticulously well-crafted, technically astonishing.” “A curious but emotionally distant meditation on isolation, loss and mortality.” “Highlights the ambiguous convergence of life’s beginnings and endings.” “Pitt is very good in the lead role, and Blanchett excellent as his love interest. But Taraji P. Henson almost steals the show as Queenie, the loving Christian woman who raises Benjamin from the days of his very curious infancy.” (Our review.)

10. Doubtdirected by John Patrick Shanley “Strong performances and a thought-provoking script ask us to consider the nature of doubt (and judgment).” “If we measure great movies by their artistic excellence and the thoughtful conversations they inspire, Doubt is one of the year’s best.” “Showcases the talents of four impressive actors—above all, Philip Seymour Hoffman in a nuanced performance as a man who may be guilty but he may also be repentant and loving—and it inspires us reconsider how we arrive at our judgments about other people.” “Biting, explosive performances tread the blurry line between certainty and doubt.” “Mercifully free of the Catholic-bashing excesses of many other films covering similar thematic territory.” “Subversively casts the comparatively likable liberal as the slightly creepy, perhaps innocent suspect and the dour traditionalist as the vigilant, perhaps overzealous watchdog.” “A model of economy and simplicity, this is truly a little movie with a big heart—made with restraint and control, but unafraid of probing complex issues.” (Our review.)

The Ones That Got Away

We asked each of our voters to choose one movie they wish had made our list of 10 most redeeming films.

Un conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale) Movies about dysfunctional family gatherings and the ensuing hilarity or despair have abounded in the past few years, but few treat the subject with as much dark wit and caprice as Arnaud Desplechin’s Un conte de Noel. The cast is a glittering who’s who of French cinema, and the plot deals with as disparate and distasteful topics as disease, adultery, hatred, mental illness, misguided love, drunkenness, and bitter familial feuds with a theme of blood—biological as well as ancestral—running underneath. Sound like an overwrought soap opera? A light touch and a mischievous sense of humor turn what could be misery into delight. (Official website.)— Alissa Wilkinson

Cloverfield Hard to believe it’s been over a year since this gem hit theaters, but it’s stuck with me all this time—mainly because it was one of those rare “monster movies” that actually scared the crud out of me. Shot from the perspective of a terrified New Yorker while a Very Large Beast from Who Knows How Many Fathoms rampaged through the city, the hand-held camera madness brings a true sense of dread to the viewer—far more effectively than the typical polished Hollywood horror flick. Here, instead of merely watching the terrified mobs run through the streets, you are a part of the mob, running for your life. Heart-pounding fun. (Our review.)— Mark Moring

The Fall I regret discovering this movie too late to catch it in theaters, but thank goodness for improvements in home theater technology. I’ve simply never seen a movie that looks quite like this, with visuals that are absolutely mesmerizing in their colors and fluidity. Tarsem’s opulent fantasy-drama plays like a mature-yet-fanciful blend of The Princess Bride and The Wizard of Oz, intertwining the power of adult storytelling with a child’s imagination. It’s very effective in conveying the unlikely friendship in a hospital between a depressed movie stuntman and a precocious 6-year-old girl. Though I wouldn’t recommend this for children, it still awakens the inner child within adults. (Our review.)— Russ Breimeier

Flight of the Red Balloon Few films capture the tension between childhood and adulthood as poetically as Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s tribute to Albert Lamorisse’s The Red Balloon. In 2008’s most critically acclaimed motion picture (according to indieWire’s survey), Hou may have captured the way children experience the world better than any film since Ponette. And he did it in Paris with French-speaking actors. Juliette Binoche is extraordinary as an overachieving single mother on the edge of a breakdown. In contrast with her stress, her son’s mysterious friendship with a wandering balloon inspires a powerful longing. Hou’s style is beautifully spontaneous. (Our review.)— Jeffrey Overstreet

Happy-Go-Lucky It may not be the best film Mike Leigh has ever made, and in some ways it is rather reminiscent of his earlier works, but there is still something fresh and unique about its depiction of a relentlessly cheery, upbeat woman who tries to brighten the lives of those around her. The film itself puts this woman’s perkiness to the test, and hints strongly at the strengths and weaknesses that lurk beneath her smiling facade, but her sheer ebullience is so infectious that even Leigh can’t help indulging in the odd playful, absurdist bit of humor. (Our review.)— Peter T. Chattaway

Jodhaa Akbar One of the year’s most exuberant, joyous cinematic experiences, Jodhaa Akbar offers a Mumbai movie mashup of the first rank: war, romantic conflict, political intrigue, martial arts and of course singing and dancing. Director Ashutosh Gowariker, whose acclaimed Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India was nominated for a foreign-language Oscar, whips up a lavish, fictionalized historical epic depicting the romance of 16th-century Muslim emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar (Hrithik Roshan) and Hindu princess Jodhaa Bai (Bollywood queen Aishwarya Rai Bachchan). Jalaluddin’s imperial aspirations are leavened by humanistic ideals, and his self-possessed beloved acts as a catalyst for religious tolerance. Exhilarating, satisfying entertainment. (Official website.)— Steven D. Greydanus

Milk One of the most profound and inspiring presentations of an American political leader I have ever seen. It is not the tale of a life, but rather a calling. Whether you agree with Harvey Milk’s crusade or not, his triumph was not simply a victory for gay rights—he fundamentally altered the very nature of what it means to joust for one’s rights on a field of battle swollen with ferocious resistance. Everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, owes men and women like Milk a debt of gratitude. So too, we should celebrate those vehicles that illuminate their lives for us. (Our review.)— Brandon Fibbs

Paranoid Park This film—the lesser seen of Gus Van Sant’s 2008 releases (the other being Milk)—has stuck with me more than any that I have seen in the year. It’s one of those films that had me silent and stunned for the entire duration of the closing credits. Though it is highly sensory and aggressively artistic, Paranoid also has a plot—a simple, devastating plot that will grab you and shake you and make you think about the deep interiors of your life that rarely get glimpsed. It’s a totally unique, thoroughly American masterpiece of the cinematic form that demands to be seen in HD and surround sound. (Official website.)— Brett McCracken

Speed Racer The latest mind-melding joint from the directors of The Matrix is a movie that’s just about being a movie. Look for profundity and you’ll be disappointed, but expect a tireless flash of color and sound, whiplash action and sly humor, and you’ll experience a ride like no other. It’s a big-screen, live-action cartoon that’s drunk on its own outlandish sense of fun, a masterpiece of style and spectacle—and oh yeah, it happens to be a visual triumph, a cinematic feat like no other. (Our review.)— Josh Hurst

Tell No One In the opening moments of Tell No One, we witness a crime. We spend the rest of the film trying to figure out what happened, as the film parses out this tautly told story in real time and flashback sequences. Yes, this French thriller is at times confusing. But when you piece it all together with your movie-going companions afterward, you’ll like the film even more than you already do. And the final scene is both surprising and surprisingly moving. See it. Love it. Tell everyone. (Official site.)— Camerin Courtney

The Wrestler It’s not easy to watch director Darren Aronofsky’s character study about a fictional former pro-wrestling star, The Ram, who once owned the world and now struggles to pay his rent. After all, the film’s subject is an empty guy in a bleak world—and the film shows that very real emptiness with awkwardness, heartbreak, and a good portion of nudity, bloody violence, language, and drug use. As hard as it is to watch The Ram’s difficulties unfold, you can’t look away because of Aronofsky’s spellbinding style, Mickey Rourke’s centerpiece portrayal, and the film’s ponderings of age, identity, and our desperate search to find meaning and to feel loved. (Our review)— Todd Hertz