The only top movies of 2008 list that matters (until i post mine)

So finally, after - hold on, LQ just put in the sex and the city movie and i need a moment to asphyxiate on my own vomit... okay, i'm dead now - list after list after slumdog millionaire after milk after zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... someone has released a list that suggests that its contributors actually sought out quality films rather than simply sipping on the piddle that the studios were gracious enough to share with us. and that "someone" is somewhat predictably FILM COMMENT, that last american bastion of intelligent film criticism, courtesy of the film society of lincoln center. and here is their list:

1. Wendy and Lucy Kelly Reichardt, U.S. 580 (haven't seen... yet)
2. Flight of the Red Balloon Hou Hsiao-hsien, Taiwan/France 564 (saw, minor hou, but liked it)
3. A Christmas Tale Arnaud Desplechin, France 557 (loved it)
4. Happy-Go-Lucky Mike Leigh, U.K. 538 (loved it)
5. WALL·E Andrew Stanton, U.S. 534 (loved it)
6. Still Life Jia Zhang-ke, Hong Kong/China 521 (loved it)
7. Paranoid Park Gus Van Sant, France/U.S. 465 (loved it)
8. Waltz with Bashir Ari Folman, Israel/France/Germany 424 (liked it a lot)
9. My Winnipeg Guy Maddin, Canada 406 (loved it)
10. Milk Gus Van Sant, U.S. 356 (eh)
11. Let the Right One In Tomas Alfredson, Sweden 351 (loved it)
12. The Duchess of Langeais Jacques Rivette, France/Italy 335 (only saw half, but liked what i saw)
13. The Class Laurence Cantet, France 334 (liked it)
14. Synecdoche, New York Charlie Kaufman, U.S. 297 (need to see it again, but doubt i'll ever love it as much as i admire it)
15. Hunger Steve McQueen, U.K. 289 (LOVED it)
16. Silent Light Carlos Reygadas, Mexico/France/Netherlands 286 (want to seeeeeee)
17. Ballast Lance Hammer, U.S. 283 (missed it... will buy the dvd)
18. Man on Wire James Marsh, U.K. 282 (LOVED it)
19. The Exiles Kent Mackenzie, U.S. 257 (haven't even heard of it... hello, imdb... okey dokey, it's old. sounds interesting)
20. Gomorrah Matteo Garrone, Italy 253 (want to see it tre badly)

More after the jump


now, this list is based on a point system from a large number of critics and filmmakers and the like, so it doesn't reflect a particular individual's opinion... meaning that a film that everyone liked enough is going to place higher than a film one person is obsessed with. more than anything it's just another reminder that i missed a couple of really killer films this year - I'm looking at you gomorrah. and i had tickets to see you at NYFF! BAH!

anyhoo, no dark knight. anywhere. huzzah. and some other top ten stalwarts. and the reason is not because they're bad movies, cause they ain't = not by a long shot. it's just that they're nowhere in the same REALM as the best films of the year... just completely outclassed in ambition, artisanship, and effect... in my ever so humble opinion. but i'm sad to say that my VERY favorite film of the year (that i saw) is nowhere to be found on this or any other list i've seen thus far. i'm sorry i'm sorry, the suspense i just created is gonna rob you of a few nights' sleep until i post my list. thems be the breaks.