2008 IS UP!
10. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Studio: Universal Pictures
US Box Office to Date: $63 Million
While this number 10 spot could have just as easily gone to Tropic Thunder or Pineapple Express, we chose Forgetting Sarah Marshall as the best comedy of the year. Written by and starring Jason Segel, this hilarious movie boasts a realistically painful break-up story, Kristen Bell in a bikini and a Dracula rock opera with puppets. What's not to like? More
9. Slumdog Millionaire
Studio: Fox Searchlight
US Box Office to Date: $141 Million
Like its central character, this unassuming indie drama from British director Danny Boyle came from seemingly out of nowhere and became a national sensation in 2008. The tale of an orphaned boy from Mumbai who becomes a prominent contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire struck a chord with mainstream audiences who had never seen anything like it before. More
8. The Strangers
Studio: Rogue Pictures
US Box Office to Date: $53 Million
A simple idea, executed simply, proves once-and-for-all that huge production values and constant, MTV-style editing aren't necessary to make a terrifying and financially successful horror film. Without pandering to the ADD film crowd, The Strangers evoked real tension through long, quiet sequences and first-rate sound design. We dare you not to scream at least once. More
7. The Wrestler
Studio: Fox Searchlight
US Box Office to Date: $26 Million
The underdog making a heartfelt comeback is a story Hollywood has often told, with varying success. But The Wrestler approaches the subject matter with an unapologetic look at a broken, not sprained, wrestler who means well, but ultimately doesn't want his comeback to have a happy ending. Watching Mickey Rourke struggle with this marks one of the best comeback performances in years. More
6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Studio: Paramount Pictures
US Box Office to Date: $128 Million
Fincher's look at 80 years in the life of a man who ages backward does share some obvious similarities with Forrest Gump -- also scripted by Eric Roth -- but Fincher's control of sentiment and presentation allowed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to be both insightful and romantic without ever falling into emotional schlock. That, plus Brad Pitt's remarkable performance and some amazing CG, makes for an overall classic drama. More
5. Let the Right One In
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
US Box Office to Date: $2.1 Million
Less a horror movie than a skewed love story, Swedish director Tomas Alfredson's vampire film reminds us that we need to get out and see more international cinema. Starring two children, one as a centuries-old bloodsucker and the other as her potential new life partner (or is that death partner?), Let the Right One In is scary for sure, but not in the usual way at all. More
4. Cloverfield
Studio: Paramount Pictures
US Box Office to Date: $80 Million
So it's a mix of Ghostbusters meets Godzilla meets 9/11 with a camera shakiness that makes you want to throw up half the time. But other than that, Cloverfield is another example of the impressive innovation that the sci-fi genre is embarking on. A bunch of yuppie New Yorkers die in it too, which is also nice. More
3. Wall-E
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
US Box Office to Date: $224 Million
Celebrated largely for its opening half-hour, WALL.E proved that adorable robotic pantomime and some well-placed, old-timey music could trump a dialogue-laden script any day of the week. The story of a lonely janitorial robot's first contact with true love, WALL.E also embraced the decade's predominant cinematic message: the environment. Stay Green, America! More
2. Iron Man
Studio: Paramount Pictures
US Box Office to Date: $318 Million
Robert Downey, Jr. and director Jon Favreau turned a mid-level Marvel hero into the decade's most welcomed new Avenger on the block. Fueled by the stuff of pure summer entertainment, Iron Man made Downey a bankable actor, as opposed to just a really talented one, and proved that Marvel has the market cornered on turning their heroes into movie stars. More
1. The Dark Knight
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
US Box Office to Date: $533 Million
The most commercially successful comic book film adaptation ever made, The Dark Knight boasts great performances across the board, not the least of which is the late, great Heath Ledger's brilliantly diabolical turn as The Joker. This is an epic crime saga and psychological drama masquerading as a superhero movie. More
