http://fiftypeopleonequestion.com/
- The method is simple: go to a place, ask fifty people one question and film their responses.
- So far the project has asked two questions and received 1,293 responses from 689 cities.
- You can view my favorite video here.
2008 was a year of good movies. I watched and enjoyed a lot of movies this year; however, only some were standouts. It was difficult for me to rank the movies, as they are all very good in their own right. Small details are what made some movies rank higher than others.
The point of this list is to let you know 2008’s must-see movies! I suggest you write them down and rent them immediately – they are worth your time.
TOP 20 MOVIES OF 2008:
1. Milk - Are you kidding me? Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho and Paris, Je t’aime are just three reasons why you never say “no” to a Gus Van Sant movie. This movie is number one on my list because it tells the story of a man who changed lives. Also, it doesn’t hurt that the cast is full of wonderful actors who are easy on the eyes. That means you: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, James Franco.
2. Choke - When books that I’ve read are turned into movies, I rarely enjoy them. Choke is number two on my list because I absolutely loved it. The director of Choke, Clark Gregg, did a magnificent job transforming the book into a film. I love Chuck Palahniuk’s novels. In my opinion, Fight Club and Choke are good examples of book-to-movie adaptions.
3. Burn After Reading – The Coen brothers score again! Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt were a
hilarious duo.
4. The Dark Knight - Do I really have to explain myself with this one? I saw The Dark Knight twice in theatres – once in a regular theatre and once at the IMAX. This movie is 2 hours and 32 minutes of entertainment! Batman’s voice was a little too grizzly for my taste, but I love Christian Bale. Heath Ledger did his job and did it well!
5. Pineapple Express - Hilarious! I am 100% for any movie with James Franco in it. Seth Rogen is in a lot of funny movies, this is not accidental – he’s good! Danny R. McBride had me “LOL”ing every time he was on screen.
6. Towelhead - “Are you digging for oil?” Now, I must admit – I was kind of, sort of dragged to this movie. I felt bad for Jasira 90% of the time; however, the movie was wonderful. From what my friend told me, the book is even better.
7. Funny Games – 100% thriller! 100% must-see!
8. The Wackness - A + for Josh Peck. He should do more movies like this and definitely ditch Drake. Ben Kingsley creeps me out for some reason, but I love him in this movie. Mary-Kate Olsen and Ben Kingsley lip locking is just as unsettling as it sounds. Despite all of that, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and the soundtrack is a hit!
9. Changeling - The craftmanship of this film is notable. I am a huge fan of the muted color scheme. I’m impartial to Angelina Jolie, but she may have won me over with this movie. Also, John Malkovich is brilliant, but is that really anything new?
10. Australia - I was skeptical about seeing this movie. It turned out to be perfect. The little boy in this movie, Brandon Walters II, is as cute as a button. Hugh Jackman is a hunk! Nicole Kidman plays her part wonderfully (although I have a feeling she is a lot like her character).
11. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - +++ Harrison Ford ftw!
12. Vince Vaugn’s Wild West Comedy Show - I laughed so hard. My favorite comedian on the tour was Sebastian Maniscalco.
13. Charlie Bartlett - Way better than I anticipated, a modern day Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
14. Smart People - Ellen Page and Thomas Haden Church are so good. They are a major reason why Smart People made my list.
15. Strange Wilderness – I love Justin Long, don’t you?
16. Wanted - Action isn’t my favorite genre of film, yet this movie sucked me in.
17. Twilight - Honestly, I love the Twilight series. I have read all of the books and can’t get enough. Still, this movie did not do it for me. I think the director could have done a much better job. The movie was good but could have been way better. The only reason this movie made my list is because I love the books. In my opinion, the movie itself doesn’t deserve to be with any of the other great movies that I’ve listed. As a Twilight fan, I was disappointed. It was not worth sitting in a line for hours in the freezing cold for. I did love Jasper though. Let’s just hope the next one is better.
18. Doubt - Great acting! Very intense! Phillip Seymour Hoffman can do it all, can’t he?
19. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People - Two words, one man: Simon Pegg. Need I say more?
20. Quantum of Solace - Daniel Craig is so suave, all 5 feet, 10 inches of him!
Choke, based on Chuck Palahniuk’s fourth novel (Choke), is set to hit theaters on August 1st, 2008. The film was shot in New Jersey during the summer of 2007 (over approximately 30 days). Choke had its world premiere at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. At the festival it won the Best Ensemble Cast jury award.
Check out an interview with Clark Greg, the director of Choke:
For more information on the film: click here.
“Love bites” in Stephenie Meyers‘ Twilight series. After having a lucid dream about an average girl and a beautiful vampire, Meyers began to write what would eventually become the Twilight saga – Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. Each book narrates the story of star-crossed lovers and their journey through love, despair and acceptance.
The story begins in Meyer’s debut novel, Twilight. Isabella Swan (Bella) is a wallflower. Growing up, her average appearance and accident-prone behaviors never made her the center of attention. After her parents divorced when she was six months old, Bella relocated with her mother. Now, after living in California and Arizona for a great portion of her life, Bella decides to move back to her birthplace, Forks, Washington, and live with her father, Charlie Swan.
Her arrival strikes a chord among the locals, Edward Cullen in particular. He, like his family, is wealthy and unbelievably beautiful. In Twilight, Bella notices the Cullen kids on her first day of school, “I stared because their faces, so different, so similar, were all devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful. They were faces you never expected to see except perhaps on the airbrushed pages of a fashion magazine. Or painted by an old master like the face of an angel. It was hard to decide who was the most beautiful – maybe the perfect blond girl, or the bronze-haired boy.”
Initially hostility brews between Edward and Bella. However, when Bella discovers the Cullen’s family secret, their relationship quickly changes. The Cullens, the beautiful creatures that leave every one of their acquaintances in awe, are vampires.
With this new revelation, the story takes flight. Love and lust mingle. Fate and chance contest. The plot twists and turns, easily entwining the reader. A collection of intriguing characters mixed with sarcastic dialogue separate this saga from any other. With the help of her well-developed characters and creative storyline, Meyers asks the reader – what is love and does it hold boundaries?
Stephenie Meyers, an Arizona resident, has made a huge impact with her first three published novels. She has received recognition around the world for her work. Meyers’ books have drawn in an audience that stretches across several demographics.
However, there is one commonality between all Stephenie Meyers fans- they want more! The highly anticipated sequel to Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, is currently underway and is expected to be published by the fall of 2008.
The consistent and powerful writing skills of Stephenie Meyer make this series anything but a vampire love story entangled in teen angst. With each book a more compelling and genuine theme unravels.
Currently Twilight movie is in production. It is set to release on 12-12-08. View the trailer here.
