A Look Back at 2008 – The Movies

I love movies, TV, music, books, and I love finding out what's made an impact on people and why. So, for the next few days I'm going to take a look back at the things that moved me – for better or worse – in 2008. Starting with movies...

Favorite Musical Featuring Non-Musical People: Mamma Mia!
With the exception of Amanda Seyfried (who has a lovely pop voice) none of the people in this movie can sing. Okay, Meryl Streep can carry a tune, but if Oscars were given out just on singing ability, she'd be in trouble. But that's okay, cuz this movie's not about singing. This movie's for anyone who's ever sang into a hairbrush at the top of her lungs. It's for people like me who wish life came with a soundtrack. I love this movie for the pure joy of it (and the lovely Greek scenery).

Favorite Animated Movie Containing No Animals (except for the cockroach, which I don't consider an animal but my son is making me mention): WALL-E
The Pixar folks continue to amaze me. I shouldn't be so surprised considering all the emotion they've been able to wring out of toys, ants, rats, cars... but YOWZA, they blew me away with this touching tale of a little waste clean up robot who just wants someone to love.

Favorite Animated Movie with Nothing BUT Animals: Kung Fu Panda
Casting Jack Black as Po, the panda with grand aspirations, was inspired. Paired with the sharp dialogue and a touching core, and this movie's on my "keep after my son leaves home" list.

Movie That Left Me Most Conflicted: I Am Legend
I wrote a review of this when it first came out. (You can read it here if you're interested.) I thought about this movie a lot after I saw it, and the more I thought about it, the more unhappy I was. I still think it was an overall good movie, but those darned mutants really ruined the end. Why do mutants always end up with super powers? Really, what is it in the mutation process that enables once ordinary folk to jump twenty feet in the air and cling to walls as if their finger tips had become toilette plungers? I want to know, cuz it's bugging the heck out of me!

Movie I Wish I'd Skipped: Wanted
Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy... I'm a fan. Really. Love you guys. Wish I could have saved you from this mess of a movie. Few things are as unsettling as hearing the men who have played God and Mr. Tumnus say the F-word. Repeatedly.

I did see other movies this year, but those are the ones that made the biggest impression on me. What about you? What did you see in 2008 that stayed with you after you left the theater?