Da Da DAAAAAAA!

Hey everyone! I'm back! Isn't this exciting?

So, as a sort of blog ice breaker, here are some film thoughts for 2008.

This has been a very interesting year for film. At least for me anyway. I recently typed up a list of my five favorite films this year. At the beginning of the year, I don't think I would have imagined it looking like this:

1. Twilight

Okay, so this very scandalous for me. I have avoided reading the series partially because so many people have been crazed over it (I have a tendency to be contrary like that.) However, I went to see because my girlfriend wanted to on her birthday... plus I think I was curious. I was very impressed with the film. It maybe wasn't the best technically, but I chose it not so much for technical reasons. I chose it because the film had such a positive feel about it and it gave more to chew on than anything I have seen in a long time. Twilight wrestles with temptation and shows love in a way that reminds me of God's love.

2. The Tale of Despereaux
This is another surprise for me. Recently, I have not been impressed by very many animated films outside of Pixar. However, I quickly fell in love with this unusual film. The Tale of Despereaux is taken from the book of the same name. Now, I have not read this book either and I hear that it differs considerably from the film (my younger sister has read it), but I think this film has done what few other animated films dare to do: Be serious. Shocking isn't it? This film is not a comedy and if you watch it continually hoping for it to become funny, you will probably be disappointed. It's not that the film doesn't have funny moments, but they are more true-to-life moments. Therefore, if you can't laugh at awful situations, then this movie will probably strike you as terribly serious. I could go on and on about this film: it contrasts dark and light in a refreshing way, brings in some of the darkest parts of historic cultures, and shows that a person does not have to be Hollywood gorgeous to be worthy of love and respect.

3. Kung Fu Panda
I love this film! Before the previous two came along, I think this was an easy winner for me. Why do I love this animated, also not Pixar, film? It is beautiful, funny, and has enough meaning to satisfy. Jack Black is the lead vocal talent and, like David Spade in The Emperor's New Groove, is just funny to listen to. Furthermore, anyone who is interested in martial arts and Asian culture will probably appreciate Kung Fu Panda. It manages to both parody and honor martial arts and Asian culture at the same time. When I want a film that makes me laugh, this is one of the first I turn to.

4. WALL-E
This is a film that has grown on me more and more every time I watch it. Although it may not be my favorite Pixar film (Ratatouille probably holds that spot), it is possibly in a category of it's own. One reason why is that this film is different in that it has very little dialogue for much of the film (I think the first 20 minutes have zero actual dialogue.) However, this fact only makes the film more endearing. There are many interesting things to be taken away from WALL-E, but I think the greatest is the beautiful love between the two main characters. Inspiring.

5. Iron Man or Prince Caspian
This is a difficult choice for me because these two films are very different. Therefore, I will simply leave them as a tie for now. Here is what I love about these films: Iron Man fascinates me because of the technology in the film. It doesn't matter if it's real or not. It's cool! I love that the film takes so long in setting up the character of Iron Man. Also, I LOVE the acting. Robert Downey Jr.'s performance should win him an Oscar. He plays the role of Tony Stark (Iron Man) so calmly, but I don't think it's nearly as easy as he makes it look. Truly though, it is the connection that I see between Robert Downey Jr. and Tony Stark that I think will keep me coming back for more. Robert Downey Jr. has had a very troubled career. He has fallen into substance abuse problems over and over. However, those problems seem to be over. I think Robert Downey Jr. was able to connect with the character of Tony Stark (who goes through a major focus change) because of the troubles he has experienced. I think this is the main reason of love Iron Man so much.

Why I enjoy Prince Caspian is not very difficult to explain. Unfortunately, no character in the film really gets to me personally. However, it is moments here and there that really affects my emotions. Prince Caspian is much like the book in that respect. C.S. Lewis always managed to put small but meaningful messages throughout the Narnia Series. I'm glad Prince Caspian has done that as well. It also has captured the excitement and adventure of the books (something I felt that the recent film version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was missing.) Even though it does not follow the books like many wish. It has the feel of Narnia and because of that I am glad. If you have not yet seen this film, then do.

Well, there are my top five as of right now. I say "as of right now" because I have only seen the top two once each. We will see if anything changes with further viewings.

Now it's your turn: What films did you enjoy that were released this year? What older films have you discovered?