62 Responses for "2008’s Best Film on HBO June 13"

1. Ryan Adams June 8th, 2009 at 11:26 pm 1

   “how to irritate, alienate and annoy approximately 30% of Awards Daily readers in under 30 seconds.” …and make the other 70% of us smile. From ear to ear.

   And now instead of half us saying “No it isn’t!” and the other half saying, “Yes it is!” We can all say with equal conviction: “See? I told you so.”

2. S.T. Stevens June 8th, 2009 at 11:28 pm 2

   I’ve always wanted to see WALL-E on HBO.

3. The Natural June 8th, 2009 at 11:32 pm 3

   2008’s 9th best film.

4. Ryan Adams June 8th, 2009 at 11:33 pm 4

   Kung Fu Panda has been on HBO HD a lot this past month. In high-def, it’s so well lit and and the contrasts are so beautifully modulated, it almost looks 3-D without glasses. Highly underrated. Beautiful score, expressive characters, and maybe the funniest movie of 2008.

   It’s no WALL-E, but it does DreamWorks proud.

5. AfriKa June 8th, 2009 at 11:33 pm 5

   IMO this movie was grossly overrated. I can’t believe fanboys were actually expecting a best pic nom for this. lol.

   My best pic choice for 2008 is a tie between Rev. Road and Wall-e

6. Marble_Plum June 8th, 2009 at 11:36 pm 6

   I watch my Dark Knight DVD way more than my Wall-E DVD.

7. Ryan Adams June 8th, 2009 at 11:38 pm 7

   I watch Ratatouille more often than I watch WALL-E.

8. AfriKa June 8th, 2009 at 11:47 pm 8

   I watch my Infinite list of Nick and Norah and Charlie Bartlett DVD way more than my Dark Knight DVD…wait! I don’t have a Dark Knight DVD. bOOTLEG that shit BITCHES!!

9. JAB June 9th, 2009 at 12:15 am 9

   more than fanboys expected a Best Pic nomination for this. How many guilds had it nominated?

10. AfriKa June 9th, 2009 at 12:53 am 10

    fanboys infiltrated every spectrum of Hollywood during awards season but the Academy said “No! no! no! no! no!”

11. Douglas June 9th, 2009 at 12:58 am 11

    Simple: The Academy screwed up. There was no explanation why The Reader leapfrogged The Dark Knight in the best picture category.

    10 Years from now, People will wonder why the Academy ever made that choice to snub TDK.

12. Alfredo - Often Imitated Never Duplicated June 9th, 2009 at 1:04 am 12

    Douglas it won’t take 10 years, it’s already happened. I watched The Reader the other night…really Academy? The Fucking Reader? Over The Dark Knight or WALL*E? SMH

13. Noah June 9th, 2009 at 1:05 am 13

    While we’re on the animation topic (kind of) I’ll slip in a word for Bolt. If only Bolt were released in 06. Happy Feet wouldn’t have an oscar (ugh!)

    KFP was overlong and dull for me. Beautiful to look at, but next to Wall-E and even Bolt it wasn’t even close.

    Of course, the best animated movie won.

14. Ryan Adams June 9th, 2009 at 1:10 am 14

    I’ll watch The Reader a few more times over the next several years. I’ll never sit through Frost/Nixon again.

15. S.T. Stevens June 9th, 2009 at 1:16 am 15

    The Reader gets far too much crap for pushing TDK out of the Best Pic noms. It’s not like everybody in the Academy got together the night before sending in their ballots and said “Okay guys, we can either let in The Reader or The Dark Knight. What’s it gonna be?” Remember, there were FIVE movies that the Academy chose ahead of Dark Knight, at least. Like Ryan said, I’d say Frost/Nixon is vastly inferior to The Reader, send some criticism that way (and probably send a bit to Benjamin Button too).

16. AfriKa June 9th, 2009 at 1:23 am 16

    S.T Stevens
    you hit the nail on the head especially with Frost/nixon and the not so curious case of Benjamin’s buttons.

    I personally think The Reader was one of the best movies of 2008 but Rev. Road was ten times better. Kate should have won for Rev. Road and Rev. Road should have edged out the mediocre brad pitt flick and scored a best pic. nom.

17. Ryan Adams June 9th, 2009 at 1:42 am 17

    The Reader and Revolutionary Road will only grow in stature as the years pass.

    Frost/Nixon will be a relic, shown to unsuspecting 10th grade kids in civics class, fucking up their perception of Nixon forever. They’ll think he’s a cuddly old coot instead of a devious grasping bastard.

18. JAB June 9th, 2009 at 1:52 am 18

    a bunch of my friends loooooooved Frost/Nixon, and i just don’t get why. Of course they don’t obsess over the oscars in the way I do, but it just baffles me that anyone could like it that much, i found it to be completely forgettable.
    my personal best picture lineup:
    1. Slumdog Millionaire
    2. The Dark Knight
    3. The Wrestler
    4. Milk
    5. Doubt

19. Mike June 9th, 2009 at 3:30 am 19

    WALL-E is on HBO? YAY!

20. Juliua June 9th, 2009 at 4:13 am 20

    TDK was SNUBBED!

    Its still a masterpiece. I’ve watched it 10 times already and it is still masterful

    THE READER was in the BP nom because of the close relations of the producers of the reader and the Oscar members.

    It was closer to the academy.

    CCBB was great
    SLUMDOG MILL was amazing
    MILK was opera
    F/N was an average movie for the academy
    The Reader was just sex, nazis and nudity.

21. Juliua June 9th, 2009 at 4:13 am 21

    The song ruins the whole mood!

22. Jesus Alonso June 9th, 2009 at 5:05 am 22

    … and a movie for the ages. Now in a selected club with other non-bp winners as Apocalypse Now, Blade Runner, Some Like it Hot, Trainspotting, Seven Samurai, Psycho, Rear Window, etc. It’s pretty obvious that the non-winners club beats the winners any day.

23. Chamboosy June 9th, 2009 at 6:15 am 23

    As a Pixies lover, the song is the wrong choice for this clip. Still, the end of the clip is nice with the singing.

    Easily the best film of 2008. My wife likes to remember the moment my jaw hit the floor when The Dark Knight wasn’t nominated for Best Director, then Best Pic. Especially when Stephen Daldry was nominated and Chris Nolan wasn’t. Is there any other director who has been nominated for every single film they’ve made (excluding short films)? It’s insanity really that Daldry has been nominated for all of his films. Almost as insane as the day that he’ll win one – it’s inevitable.

    I think that’s a worse crime than Dark Knight not being nominated for Best Picture that Daldry was nominated over Nolan. I can handle that. I’m still yet to see Frost/Nixon, Milk or The Reader, which I’m sure are solid films. It makes me happy that Fincher and Boyle have Oscar nominated best picture films (and winners of course). But Daldry and Howard getting nominated again? Sigh. Some things just aren’t meant to be understood I guess.

24. Jesus Alonso June 9th, 2009 at 6:43 am 24

    Only Daldry at last really deserved his Director nom. It was OK with Billy Elliott and not deserving – imho – for The Hours.

25. bambi June 9th, 2009 at 7:44 am 25

    I`m certainly smiling from ear to ear. Best movie of 2008, decade,etc indeed!

    “fanboys infiltrated every spectrum of Hollywood during awards season but the Academy said “No! no! no! no! no!”

    Worked for Ledger nom, though. But trusting fanboys is looking for trouble. They convinced Zach Snyder he should keep Lower Manhattan, graphic sex and violence in The Watchmen…only to bitch that the movie sucked because Lower Manhattan was uncomfortable to endure and violence and sex were over the top graphic and shitty. They also convinced Sam Raimi that the whole world wantsa him to go back to Evil Dead roots, and Drag Me to Hell tanked,like, duh!

26. David June 9th, 2009 at 7:53 am 26

    Here’s a movie pitch: The Life of Susan Boyle, starring…. MERYL STREEP!
    The story would be similar to the Rocky arch of underdog becomes hero type! Rocky didn’t win…. so did Susan…. and with Meryl just finishing Julie & Julia, she could just keep the frumpy, dowdy demeanor and hairdo and voila – Susan Boyle perfection…. and 2nd Best Actress Oscar in 2010!!! You heard it all from me, mmmmkay, Sasha and minions?
    

27. Noah R. June 9th, 2009 at 8:06 am 27

    Even though I disagree with the title (it didn’t even make my Top 10), I do want to see it again. Now that time has passed and the hype is basically gone, it will be interesting to watch this without worrying about Oscars or Heath or anything like that.

    And I like the use of the The Pixies. It fits the Joker perfectly and IMHO indicates are far more subversive movie in terms of its tone.

28. Karen June 9th, 2009 at 9:17 am 28

    ‘“how to irritate, alienate and annoy approximately 30% of Awards Daily readers in under 30 seconds.” …and make the other 70% of us smile. From ear to ear.”

    Love it!!

    Wether you liked TDK or not, it was indeed one of the top 5 best films of the year by critical consensus. On critics’ Top 10 lists, WALL-E at #1, and TDK at #2.

29. filmboymichael June 9th, 2009 at 9:52 am 29

    I watch Girls Will Be Girls more often than ANY of the movies listed above, and it failed to receive a single nomination!

    The only thing (and it really is the only thing – it SHOULD have been nominated)that irritates me about the dark knight currently, are the ads for season 2 (yay!) of True Blood with voice over from the dark knight….doesn’t work.

30. XanderLJ June 9th, 2009 at 10:05 am 30

    I don’t know if it’s the best film of 2008 (I still need to see 5 or 6 critically acclaimed ‘08 pictures), but it’s a great film, certainly WAY better than the 3 BP noms from last year I saw (“Milk,” “BB”, “Frost/Nixon”), and it IS the best comic book film ever made!

    I also think Ledger’s phenomenal tour-de-force gets at least five times better every time I see it! I honestly think he’s a strong candidate for best movie villain EVER (he’s easily in the top five with the likes of Hannibal Lecter and Annie Wilkes).

31. bambi June 9th, 2009 at 10:44 am 31

    if Susan Boyle career survives nervous breakdowns and goes to live long and prosper, David, you are getting your wish. Any suggestions who should play Pebbles?

32. Jesus Alonso June 9th, 2009 at 11:31 am 32

    what really bothers me is that if you have this one as #1 of the year you are inmediately labelled as “fanboy”.

    That’s really, really snobbish.

33. Sam June 9th, 2009 at 11:39 am 33

    The Dark Knight should have been up for Best Picture/Director. It could have replaced Benjamin Button or Frost/Nixon. Those two films were extremely weak. It still boggles my mind that the Academy still falls for mediocrity from Ron Howard. How this guy is an industry heavy weight is beyond me. And Benjamin Button was just boring. There was no character arc for Brad Pitt, which turned me off exponentially from the film. The Reader was better than both those films, but by no means a Best Picture-type film. My preferred lineup for last year:

    The Dark Knight
    Doubt
    Milk
    Slumdog Millionaire
    The Wrestler

34. filmboymichael June 9th, 2009 at 11:58 am 34

    the only comic i ever really read with any kind of zeal was Archie’s Double Digest – I LOVED The Dark Knight – I do not fit the fanboy label….

35. tony rock June 9th, 2009 at 12:07 pm 35

    Ryan, Frost/Nixon presents the man as both devious AND sympathetic. There’s nothing wrong with that as, afterall, he was a human being…and it’s probably closer to reality than any demonized black-and-white caricature that you seem to assume is the absolute truth. Did you know Nixon personally? Most likely not. People have to accept that the politicians they loathe do in fact possess more facets than any hateful partisan bias may have them believe.

36. Jesus Alonso June 9th, 2009 at 12:13 pm 36

    My 2008 top 20, by the way – am I a fanboy?

    1. The Dark Knight
    2. Camino *
    3. Let the Right One In
    4. Waltz with Bashir
    5. Man on Wire
    6. Wall·E
    7. The Reader – Oscar nominee
    8. Cloverfield
    9. Dead Set **
    10. Iron Man

    11. JCVD
    12. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Oscar nominee
    13. The Wrestler
    14. Be Kind Rewind
    15. Doubt
    16. Slumdog Millionaire – Oscar winner
    17. Frost/Nixon – Oscar nominee
    18. Tropic Thunder
    19. [rec] +
    20. Timecrimes
    21. Hellboy II: The Golden Army
    22. Valkyrie
    23. W.
    24. Milk – Oscar nominee
    25. Hancock

    * likely to be 2009 on the USA
    ** UK TV mini-series
    + likely to never be released in the USA, originally Spain 2007, on 2008 its american remake hit the screens.

    I mean, I have a wide taste and actually I tend to be more critical with the fantastique – more “demanding” – but 2008 to me, hands down, has rivaled 1982 as a great year for fantastique (Blade Runner, ET, Poltergeist, Tron, The Thing… vs. The Dark Knight, Wall·E, Iron Man, Cloverfield, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button…)

37. Ryan B June 9th, 2009 at 12:33 pm 37

    I think it’s the best of 2008 for sure. I wouldn’t put it behind much from 2000 to 2007 either.

38. The Natural June 9th, 2009 at 12:43 pm 38

    The thing with Daldry is that his track record is absolutely amazing. He’s made three films, sure, but three great films, two of which are some of the best films this decade has had to offer (Billy Elliot and The Hours).

39. harry June 9th, 2009 at 1:01 pm 39

    2008 was a weak year, but I would say The Dark Knight was probably the only thing that would have made the top 10 on my 2007 list.

40. Noah R. June 9th, 2009 at 1:09 pm 40

    Props on the Dead Set mention, Jesus Alonso. Charlie Brooker is the man.

41. Ryan Adams June 9th, 2009 at 1:31 pm 41

    “Frost/Nixon presents the man as both devious AND sympathetic. There’s nothing wrong with that as, afterall, he was a human being…”

    Devious and sympathetic are ok traits for the neighborhood crank. Less acceptable for a world leader.

42. Hans June 9th, 2009 at 1:41 pm 42

    I held my breath with a grain of salt for a BP nod, so it was a huge letdown but not completely unexpected. What really ticked me off, though, was the big fat “FUCK YOU” of a bird the academy shot at Nolan, snubbing him in all three categories he was up for despite mere weeks before honoring him with nods from the big three guilds. Good sport of him for still attending the ceremony, if anything just to honor Ledger, but few in Hollywood have a bigger IOU from the Academy than this man. When TDK2 comes in 2012 with another 94% rating and becomes the first film to break $200m in a weekend, maybe then the Academy will listen.

43. Watermelons June 9th, 2009 at 1:55 pm 43

    Um the youtube video is not from 2008’s Revolutionary Road OR 2008’s The Reader (Kate Winslet won an Oscar for her leading role in THE READER) it is from 2008’s The Dark Knight? I don’t get it.

44. DAVID June 9th, 2009 at 2:58 pm 44

    They used my favorite song in the clip. I now feel empty inside. Terrible song choice.

    *sigh*

45. Aleksis June 9th, 2009 at 3:10 pm 45

    Throwing some love in the direction of the dude who mentioned Dead Set.

    Heaping buckets of scorn on the person who thought this was a deserving BP line up:

    “The Dark Knight
    Doubt
    Milk
    Slumdog Millionaire
    The Wrestler”

    The Wrestler and The Dark Knight are both bafflingly overrated films. It only goes to prove that Christopher Nolan, Darren Aronofsky & David Fincher are the holy trinity of hilariously overrated fanboy-magnets.

46. harry June 9th, 2009 at 3:26 pm 46

    People need to stop using the term ‘fanboy’. It is the movie equivalent of calling someone a ‘cougar’.

    Film geeks overrate Nolan, Aronofsky & Fincher. Cineastes overrate Von Trier, Haneke & Almodovar. Fanboys write angry letters to movie producers for messing up their favorite comic book. Let’s get our stereotypes straight here people.

47. Karen June 9th, 2009 at 4:30 pm 47

    “Overrated” is a matter of opinion and personal taste.
    I think a film that comes in with the second most Top 10 critics’ lists mentions deserves accolades IMO.

48. The Natural June 9th, 2009 at 6:11 pm 48

    ***Um the youtube video is not from 2008’s Revolutionary Road OR 2008’s The Reader (Kate Winslet won an Oscar for her leading role in THE READER) it is from 2008’s The Dark Knight? I don’t get it?***

    LOL! Brilliant.

49. Afrika June 9th, 2009 at 8:22 pm 49

    “Christopher Nolan, Darren Aronofsky & David Fincher are the holy trinity of hilariously overrated fanboy-magnets.”

    -aleksis

    PREACH aleksis, PREACH. It was hilarious to see how people went out of their way to defend The Fountain. PREACH

50. Flapp June 9th, 2009 at 9:04 pm 50

    Oh, no!!!!!!!!!

    Still this?

    Ok, let´s watch Synecdoche, NY, TCCOBB, Slumdog Millionaire or Vicky Cristina Barcelona?

51. Austin June 9th, 2009 at 9:37 pm 51

    Let’s be fair. “The Reader” and “Frost/Nixon” were both justifiably good films. Both took several successful risks in the making of the film. They were both good movies.

    The film we should all be tragically upset beating “The Dark Knight” – and “Revolutionary Road” and “In Bruges” and “The Wrestler” and “Wall-E” and “Rachel Getting Married” and just about any other film that received Award attention last year is “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”.

    The film relied solely on spectical. And I will admit, after the first viewing, you leave the theatre astonished. However, when you revisit the film, you realize it offers nothing new to cinema. Except maybe special effects, which with the right amount of money can be found anywhere in Hollywood.

    However, I am also shocked that so many are against “Frost/Nixon”. I do hope you saw the same film I did. Because it was the second best film of the five nominees, after “Milk”. Yes even better than the overrated “Slumdog Millionaire” (good movie, don’t get me wrong, but jesus, so overrated.)

    2008 was the Academy’s year of falling for cliches in cinematic storytelling. They proved it with their winner.

52. Nick K. June 9th, 2009 at 10:47 pm 52

    I’m sorry, but I just can’t call a movie good if it claims to be a true story then throws some half-assed Cheeseburger conversation that never actually happened into the mix. And “Up” taught more about life than “Benjamin Button” did in 2 and 1/2 hours.

    Also, no one really commented on the song choice in the preview. If you think about it, “TDK” and “Fight Club” actually shared many themes (Anarchy, good and evil). Both snubbed, both great.
    TDK was robbed indeed. Still my favorite film of last year, and it will be amongst the list of those that were snubbed unfairly for years to come.

53. Hans June 9th, 2009 at 10:48 pm 53

    I agree, Austin. The film made it’s way into every.single.Oscar predictor’s Top 5 list the moment that dazzling first trailer came out, and firmly stayed put while films like Milk, Slumdog, The Dark Knight, and WALL-E actually had to prove themselves in order to have a shot at a BP nod. It scored 77% and 70 on Rottentomatoes and Metacritic, respectively, well below the 90’s that Milk, F/N, TDK, WALL-E, and Slumdog were scoring. Admittedly, I do think it deserved 2 out of its 3 wins (I’m afraid I have to disagree with the Makeup win as I feel there was too much overlap between VFX and Makeup, with VFX dominating the film most of the time. And, c’mon, The Joker), as well as the nods for Pitt and Henson, and yeah, the score, and, OK, it was a very well put together film, but…I guess what I’m tring to say is it should have made a little more effort to deserve its spot in the BP lineup.

    The Reader on the other hand? Saw it, amused, moved on, decent but just nothing special (Kate Winslet aside).

54. David June 10th, 2009 at 2:51 am 54

    Peter Morgan should definitely write the script for the life story of Susan Boyle starring Meryl Streep!!

55. XanderLJ June 10th, 2009 at 2:30 pm 55

    Aleksis, you’re as much of an idiot as our other infamous “A”. Maybe the two of you could could find a nice rock to cuddle up under and never come out agan?

    TDK and THE WRESTLER were great films. Hardly think all the critics who praised them count as “fanboys”.

56. Matt June 10th, 2009 at 10:12 pm 56

    Sorry, that wasn’t an advertisement for WALL-E, please re-label post to “2008’s Most Overrated Film on HBO June 13″ in order to be accurate.

57. Alex June 11th, 2009 at 6:37 pm 57

    Unfortunately it won’t be very enjoyable because it doesn’t translate very well to the small screen (which is enough to make it decidedly not the best movie of 2008).

58. Dan June 12th, 2009 at 1:15 am 58

    Oh, cool, a Swedish film, with subtitles, about a 12 year old vampire boy (girl), and on HBO to boot! Outstanding!

59. William June 12th, 2009 at 10:49 am 59

    It maybe something that touches you and you know it should have been there, it earned the most view move.

60. Denton June 15th, 2009 at 1:29 am 60

    Well I definitely believe TDK was one of the gr8s of last year and did deserve a nom 4 BP and BD. It is so much better than BB which I saw a few weeks ago. That was too long and boring and it felt like a wannabe Forrest Gump. Have also seen Wall E and Slumdog both of which were great but IMO TDk was better than them (don’t shoot me)

61. Brian June 20th, 2009 at 12:38 pm 61

    I used to be that guy who would bitch and moan endlessly about TDK being snubbed. I posted here like every day for a few weeks. I was “bitter beer face” 24/7

    And then it happened…
    I got annoyed with who I had become, so, I returned to who I was, and ceased with the bitching and moaning. Feel much better now. It was really rather childish of me to waste so much energy on a dumb award.

    That being said, I can say now with a level head that I still don’t think Slumdog millionaire was the best movie of 2008. But that’s cool, enough people thought it was, so congrats. Good cinema doesn’t have to please everyone to be good cinema. =)

    My feelings about TDK have not changed. I feel it was the best movie of 2008, however, I do think it shares the top spot with two other movies.

    Having watched Rev Road once more and Wall-E several more times, TDK, Wall-E and Rev Road share “best cinema of 2008″ honors for me.

    What I learned is that best cinema honors are so individual, and I respect everyone’s individual opinion. I’m not quite sure why I used to get so riled up when someone’s opinion wasn’t exactly what mine was. It’s probably a narcissistic, ego-driven kind of thing.

    Maybe what we can all agree on is that 2008 was one of the best years for movies in quite some time.

    I really liked The Reader as well, but Rev Road was just a masterwork. Kate has never been better. The way she just completely dissociated at the end of the movie was startling, goosebump inducing acting. Leo’s portrayal of a man with narcissistic personality disorder was also brilliant. The power of that movie’s acting is on par with Ledger’s performance in TDK.

    Wall-E just flat-out warms my heart like no movie ever has. I’m 37 years old, I’ve watched a lot of movies, and nothing moves me more than Wall-E. Simply put, Wall-E makes a 37 year old, fantasty sports playin’, boob-lovin’ frat guy like me feel on the verge of tears every time he watches it. The courtship sequence is etched in memory forever. Remember when he kicks the stack of lead pipes and they roll onto him? Or when the shopping carts come cascading down the escalators at him while Eve looks on and shakes her head? It gets me every time.

    Who can forget the scene from TDK when the mobsters meet together for the first time to gripe over “the clown”….and then…..we hear that eerie laugh, that eerie joker laugh, and in walks Heath. And what follows is my favorite scene from the movie. “Want to watch me make this pencil dissappear?”

    In sum, I’m thankful for the year in cinema that was 2008. A glorious year for films it was…..

    Peace……

62. JR June 20th, 2009 at 1:25 pm 62

    The Reader was just an okay film and yes I’m still frustrated that it was nominated. I mean not just for The Dark Knight, but for all the other films that were ten times better. Well that’s Harvey Weinstein for ya.

    Best Film of 2008 – The Wrestler
    Grossly Overrated Film of 2008 – Revolutionary Road