Starting tomorrow, the writers of Screengrab will be unveiling their lists of the top 10 films of 2008. But before that begins, I’d like to post a different sort of list of highlights from the past year. For those of you who’ve only started reading recently, I used to write a bi-weekly column called “The Movie Moment,” in which I’d explore in depth some of my favorite scenes from movies both old and new. This past spring, I had to put the column on indefinite hiatus for various reasons, but I wanted to bring it back for this week only so I could celebrate some of my favorite Movie Moments of 2008. However, I had such a devil of time trying to narrow down my list that I’ve decided to simply list all of the moments that made me laugh out loud, cry like a baby, bite my nails uncontrollably, or which otherwise rocked my world this past year. This list is by no means meant to be taken as comprehensive, but merely were the moments which readily sprang to mind while I was writing the piece. So without further ado, I give you…
2008: The Year in Movie Moments:
(in no particular order)
The little boy’s confession notes- In Bruges
“No-no-no. I kill the bus driver.” - The Dark Knight
The security guard makes his rounds - Man on Wire
Sidney’s musical vows - Rachel Getting Married
The kiss that launched a thousand lens flares - Silent Light (only one of several transcendent moments in the film- the swimming-hole scene or the epic rainstorm might just as easily have qualified)
Mike’s late-night visit (or really, anytime Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” is played) - The Strangers
Peekaboo nudity - The Romance of Astrea and Celadon
Harry unveils the machine - Burn After Reading (honestly, who could possibly enjoy THAT?)
Madame Gaudens’ confession - A Girl Cut in Two
Incident at the race track - My Winnipeg
Most hilarious random line of the year: “When it comes to women, you’re Michael Jordan. I’m… Bill Laimbeer.” - Baghead
The new army suits up for battle - Role Models
Alex takes a shower - Paranoid Park
Brandi forgets her cell phone - Stuck
Black Kold Medina puts on a show - Trouble the Water
Runaway penguin - Encounters at the End of the World
Jung-rae Kim diagrams his neuroses - Woman on the Beach
Alex’s sex surprise, both inevitable and strangely erotic - XXY
The director’s big exit - Tropic Thunder
Most unlikely tearjerking moment of the year: Fred Knittle sings “Fix You”, Young@Heart
Three-way fist fight: Seth Rogen vs. James Franco vs. Danny McBride - Pineapple Express
The Richard McGuire segment - Fear(s) of the Dark
Ninjas! - In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (yes, really)
And finally, my five favorite openings and finales of the year:
Perfect openings: “Put on Your Sunday Clothes”, WALL*E; Sunrise, Silent Light; The piano, The Silence Before Bach; The Jean-Claude Van Damme Stunt Spectacular, JCVD; The Legend of Po, Kung Fu Panda
Great final scenes (no spoilers): Synecdoche, New York, The Duchess of Langeais, Shine a Light, The Visitor, Burn After Reading
I would invite all of you to share some of your favorites in the comments section. After all, I’m surely missing at least a couple of really good ones.
