Here are several films I am pleased to have watched in 2008. I’m not predicting any Oscar winners or suggesting that these films are for everyone, but I am saying they made an impact and were well-done. Two foreign, one domestic.
Man on Wire – A documentary about, Philliipe Petit, a frenchman who walked a tightrope between the two Twin Towers before they were completed and destroyed. He prepared for the clandestine ascent and daylight walk for six and a half years. His remarkable resolve would have been fruitless, were it not for his accomplices who were quickly forgotten as Petit moved into the post-walk limelight. The documentary is existentially compelling, artistically stirring, and subtly disturbing. Art meets pride, a Promethean story that tells more than it shows.
Tell No One – Part thriller, part love story, this French film based on the book by American author Harlan Coben both entertains and shocks. Unlike most thrillers produced in Hollywood, the characters possess believable depth, evoking empathy and interest. Ethical dilemmas abound and so should your conversation afterwards.
Transsiberian – a sleeper for 08. Ben Kingsly, Woody Harrelson, & Emily Mortimer. Suspense stretched across the siberian tracks, this film occurs primarily on a train. Without giving the plot away, the film takes a Christian goodie two shoes and a bad girl gone good, pairs them with shady criminals, and subjects them to personal and ethical scrutiny. There are some uncomfortable scenes, especially the torture. Another great conversational film, especially if you want to discuss the importance of truth.