The TV Addict 

Now that we’ve entering the month that heralds the halfway mark of the year, it seems like as good a time as any to take stock and evaluate what has been the best the year 2008 has produced so far.

1. THE BAND’S VISIT
Though at the beginning of the film THE BAND’S VISIT assures us that “not many remember” the events of the film, and that in the end “it wasn’t that important,” precisely the opposite is true. It’s a lovely told little story, an ode to the potential power of brief yet burning moments. Moments fueled by human interaction that then can culminate years of day-to-day living into a sudden burst of piercing reflection, self-awareness, and realization, before that day-to-day routine returns once again. The fact that most of that message is conveyed through the dazzling performances of both Sasson Gabai and Ronit Elkabetz is all the more impressive. It is a film that is nothing short of a revelation and revelatory.

2. THE VISITOR
Tom McCarthy’s excellent follow-up to his previous THE STATION AGENT is once again a quiet, but thoughtful and emotional story of a man who emerges from a self-imposed exile within himself. This time that man is powered by the hopefully to be Academy Award recognized performance by Richard Jenkins, as well as a strong supporting cast that infuse the film with its peaceful, delicately sweet energy that makes it film you gladly welcome into your emotional centre, and let it envelop you with its poignancy.

3. SNOW ANGELS
David Gordon Green’s film is a remarkable and tragic portrait, notable for its unwillingness to turn away from the ugly imperfections, emotional complexity, and rubble of human relationships. All the more remarkable is that in its unflinching gaze it begins to provide us that semblance of hope through one of the more realistically sweet portrayals of young love you’ll see in a film.

4. IRON MAN
Not only perhaps one of the best superhero movies ever made, it’s also undoubtedly the most quality fun I’ve had at the movie theater this year. It’s everything a comic book movie, a summer blockbuster movie, and even just a movie SHOULD be. Fun, thrilling, well-made escapism that above all else shines because of its main star: the phenomenal Robert Downey Jr.

5. IN BRUGES
It’s not just that IN BRUGES is good because of the always fantastic Brendan Gleeson and because of a great performance from Colin Farrell that reminds us why TIGERLAND made him big in the first place (i.e. he can actually act). It’s most of all because the film is just go-for-broke fun and funny, in a deliriously dark and twisted sort of way. Yet it is still grounded enough in serious dramatics that it never becomes over bearing or trite. That’s not a mean feat to pull off, but playwright Martin McDonagh does it in style.