With Land of the Lost coming out this Friday– and early critical buzz seeming lukewarm at best– it reminded me of all of the other misguided film adaptations of old television shows there have been. However, in the midst of all the rubbish, there are I believe ten films based on these nostalgic programs worth watching. In this article, I will list the ten worst films based on TV shows, followed by the ten best (and Youtube trailers or clips, just because). Rules? Only one– they must be adaptations, not versions of the TV show on the big screen (a.k.a. there must be a different cast… sorry, The Muppet Movie). Without any further ado, the worst and best films based on television shows.

The Worst:

10. Lost in Space- Between the annoying CGI “cute” alien sidekick, the abrupt ending (presumably for a sequel which blissfully never arrived), and the lame attempt at making Matt LeBlanc an action star, this bloated adaptation is pretty boring despite expensive effects and hammy acting by Gary Oldman.

9. S.W.A.T.- Enormously run-of-the-mill, it’s the movie that effectively proved Colin Farrell’s intensity was not enough to carry a film. Even Samuel L. Jackson is bored in it. The only one having any fun– the Frenchman from Unfaithful as the world’s most devious French terrorist. “One hundred meeeeeellion dollarrrrrrrrs!”

8. Get Smart- Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart seemed brilliant in theory. It’s a shame the execution was so dreary. Note to film producers: the original Get Smart wasn’t full of giant expensive action set pieces… and the original Get Smart was good.

7. The Dukes of Hazzard- This is no lie– a friend of mine actually got physically ill during The Dukes of Hazzard. The only reason it’s so high on the list is due to Willie Nelson and Burt Reynolds’ cameos and Jessica Simpson’s wardrobe. But wow, her acting is PAINFUL.

6. Bewitched- Let’s hope Will Ferrell cranked it up a notch for his most recent TV-to-film project. He looks bored here. I looked even more bored in the audience watching it.

5. I Spy- Hey studio execs! Have I got a pitch for you! Remember that show I Spy? We’ll make a movie version, minus everything from the original, and instead have Owen Wilson and Eddie Murphy do their respective tired shticks for ninety minutes!

4. Rocky and Bullwinkle- I like the casting of the villains, but it’s so bad that when we get to Robert DeNiro as Fearless Leader doing a “Are you talkin’ to me?” parody, I wondered (a) what kind of gambling debt had he accrued to be in this picture and (b) what kids in the audience could possibly understand a Taxi Driver reference.

3. Car 54, Where are You?- If this seems bad just from a conceptual standpoint, consider that their supporting cast is headlined by Fran Drescher and Rosie O’Donnell. The only way I would’ve seen that movie in theaters is if AMC gave out free earplugs with their popcorn.

2. The Avengers- Looking for the worst Sean Connery performance of all time? Look no further. This movie tries so hard to be hip and ironic that it instead reeks of desperation. It also has pretty lousy effects for how much it reportedly cost.

1. Wild Wild West- Just thinking about this movie makes me cringe. Not only is it a waste of talent and money, but it’s simply mean-spirited. What genius thought that summer fun meant having a black man and a quadriplegic hurl offensive insults at each other as if it were witty banter? And the giant spider… just bad, bad, bad, bad, bad.

The Best:

10. The Flintstones- It’s not a great movie, but it captures the campy flavor of the original, with great sets and some funny cameos.

9. Starsky and Hutch- A very tongue-in-cheek adaptation, which is admittedly hit-and-miss, but the hits can be very funny, such as a Will Ferrell cameo (see? he can be in good TV-to-film works!) and a reference to David Soul’s “Don’t Give Up On Us, Baby” during a cocaine binge.

8. Transformers- Ooh, I feel like I’m gonna catch some flak for this one. It’s dumb, but no dumber than the original cartoons. Plus, the special effects are extraordinary. The sequel looks like it should be more of the same– I personally can’t wait.

7. The Addams Family- A successful earnest adaptation. Perfectly cast and perfectly executed, delivering the simple joys of The Addams Family in film form. Bonus points for Christopher Lloyd getting to unleash his kookiness as Uncle Fester.

6. The Brady Bunch Movie- Who would’ve thought this could have been so funny? Another perfectly cast and perfectly executed, delivered with a wink and a nudge to the audience, despite the actors playing the Bradys never giving away that they’re in on the joke. The best film of director Betty Thomas’ career (note: she’s also responsible for I Spy and an upcoming film based on Dallas).

5. Maverick- Few directors consistently deliver fun films better than Richard Donner. Maverick is perhaps the quintessential poker film, and one of the best Westerns of the past twenty years.

4. George of the Jungle- The best film in terms of toeing the line between earnest adaptation and ironic ribbing of the conventions of the old show. Brendan Fraser was a charming and funny George, showing the flair for balancing comedy and action that made him the bankable leading man he is today.

3. The Untouchables- Now we get into the legitimately great movies. Brian DePalma has two home runs in the top three, with this film containing the best acting on this list. Looking for the best Sean Connery performance of all time? It might be right here. You also have to love Robert DeNiro’s immensely quotable Al Capone. “I want him DEAD! I want his family DEAD! I want his house burned to the GROUND!”

2. Mission: Impossible- The summer this came out, Twister, Independence Day, and Mission: Impossible were the three big hit movies. This one has stood the test of time the best. DePalma uses Tom Cruise’s trademark intensity to set a non-stop edge-of-your-seat tone, and the now-oft-parodied scene where he dangles from the wire into the computer room is still a classic.

1. The Fugitive- “I DIDN’T KILL MY WIFE.” This is still one of the best action-thrillers of the last twenty years, a flawlessly composed piece of blockbuster, with Harrison Ford at his frazzled and charming best, and Tommy Lee Jones as the perfect counterpart with his no-nonsense style. If they released this in multiplexes today, despite the lack of CGI and big explosions, it would still be better than nearly everything out.

It goes without saying that Pixar is the most creative and innovative movie studio today. I don’t mean because of its animation, which is light years in front of any other animation studio’s and continuing to improve at an astonishing rate. It’s because they are committed to storytelling first and foremost, and every Pixar script is filled to the brim with full-blooded characters with heart and witty dialogue that will still make you laugh the fiftieth time you watch the film (and you’ll watch them that often, believe me). Out of their nine films, six of them have been a Top 3 film in the respective year of its release. With their newest film, Up, due out tomorrow, I thought it an appropriate time to reflect upon the studio’s past work, and I set out upon an impossible journey: ranking the films of Pixar, from worst to best– or rather, from still-very-good-but-not-as-good-as-the-rest to best. And I’ve included some Youtube clips of my favorite scenes in the films (or at least the best ones I could find online). Here we go:

9. A Bug’s Life (1998)

While still quite funny and creative, this film is the lightest of all Pixar fare, a lark about the secret life of ants. Kevin Spacey’s Hopper is one of the better villains in Pixar history, and the animation is the usual top-drawer work. However, this is the only Pixar work where the Dreamworks animation studio bested them, with Antz, which tackled similar subject matter more creatively. This is nitpicky, since, like Toy Story 2, this is still one of the better animated movies of the last fifteen years. However, it’s weightless enough to be at the bottom of this list.

8. Cars (2006)

I think Cars gets a bum rap. Sure, the message is a bit more granola than the other Pixar films– a country life has merits too, save the environment, etc.– but the car chase scenes are actually exciting, the Mater character is quite funny, and Paul Newman and Bonnie Hunt give their respective cars some serious heart. The main issue I have with the film is the ethnic stereotype cars, which are disheartening. Still, it was a Top 15 film in 2006, extremely well told, and beautifully animated per usual.

7. Toy Story 2 (1999)

Some prefer this one to the first. To me, this is lunacy. It’s a very good sequel, lots of suspense, and the characters are still full of the same life and humor as before. However, I felt that at times this one strained to be as good as the first. The highs in this movie are higher than the highs in Cars and A Bug’s Life, but the lows sink lower too. Still, it’s more ambitious than the other two, so it gets the better ranking. Also, be sure to keep in mind that Toy Story 2 is still at worst a 3-star film, better than nearly every other animated movie by a non-Pixar studio in the last fifteen years.

6. Ratatouille (2007)

How in the world did this wonderful film, a movie that made my Top 3 list in 2007, sink to #6? Truthfully, I have no idea. It’s another of Pixar’s finest achievements, one of its most beautifully animated and unconventionally told films. Brad Bird, the genius (and I don’t throw that word around) behind The Incredibles and the grossly underrated 2-D animated film The Iron Giant, came up with a third consecutive masterpiece here. It’s a bit harder to swallow in places than the rest of the 4-star Pixar classics, because of its headfirst dive into whimsy and its earnest voiceover narration. Still, just like the critic at the end of the film, it is nearly impossible for even the stoniest of critics to deny the magic of this film.

5. Toy Story (1999)

The original works not because of its animation, which was revolutionary at the time, but because of how masterfully the story is told. If the first computer-animated movie had been less than special, the Pixar name wouldn’t have this value. Good thing then that this is expertly executed cinema at its finest, including a climax that is so sensational that it always brings to mind Back to the Future. Here’s why: in Back to the Future, they’ve stacked the deck so hard against Marty, that when it looks like he’ll make it and the car won’t start, your heart sinks. You just knew he was going to make it– it’s a movie! The hero has to make it! But then the storytelling has been so immaculate that you heart sinks and you begin to think, “Oh my God, he’s not going to make it.” The film has engaged you that much that you stop thinking logically and are utterly lost in the moment. When Woody lights the match and the car whizzes by and blows it out? That’s a sinking-heart moment. Behold the magic of cinema. Toy Story has it in spades.

4. The Incredibles (2004)

One of the best superhero films, if not the best, ever told. Only a few superhero films manage to really deliver on both the action-sequence front and the fleshed-out characters you care about front. The Incredibles does both effortlessly. It’s not just about the struggles of being a hero, it’s about the importance of family. It sounds corny on paper, but it’s not. It’s the most exciting of all Pixar films, finding laughs in every unexplored corner of the superhero genre. When a remote-controlled killer robot’s controls lands in the hands of the family, and everyone is yelling at each other on how to use to remote, it’s perfection– superhero families have the same fights we have. As a comic geek, this film holds a special place in my heart.

3. Monsters Inc. (2001)

It’s mindboggling to think of the ingenuity that went into making this film. Nearly every movie that gets made is a twist on the world we know and love. This film creates an entirely new world and explores every single nook and cranny of it– most films aren’t even adventurous or smart enough to look deeply into the pre-existing world. Coming up with a concept is easy: monsters live in a world that is fueled by the screams of human children. Cool, sounds interesting. But where do these monsters live? How do they make it to our world? A creative concept usually inspires a thousand questions about that concept, and Monsters Inc. has the creative juices to tackle nearly all of them. The door sequence (which starts around 7:30 in the clip I provided) is one of the most brilliant and clever action sequences I’ve ever seen in a film. And I haven’t even mentioned the hilarious buddy-comedy repor of Billy Crystal and John Goodman. This is one of the few movies where I’d kill to have a sequel– it’s an absolute gem.

2. Finding Nemo (2003)

There is a group of great father-son films as deep as the ocean, and this one is right near the surface as one of the best there ever was or ever will be. Finding Nemo is the type of storytelling that is simple but full of heart and it achieves a magic 99% of films these days couldn’t dream of. The animation of the ocean is rich and deep– it is very easy to forget while watching this film that you’re not looking at real footage of the ocean, which is enormous praise to the animators responsible. Finally, there’s Dory, one of the sweetest, funniest, and all-around best characters created in the last decade. If you’re familiar with the film, the clip above will get you misty-eyed, regardless of how old or tough you are.

1. Wall-E (2008)

If you haven’t read my review already, do so immediately. I stand by every word written. It was the best film of last year, and I believe it is a movie that will be talked about for decades as one of the great movies of its kind. The storytelling is flawless, and while some have argued it slows down once Wall-E reaches humankind, I’d argue that’s where the satire gets darker and more adult. It’s the sheer ambition of this film that blows me away– what a gamble to create such a dystopic future in what general audiences would view from the outside as a kid’s flick! I don’t own this on DVD yet, because I don’t own a Blu-Ray player yet, and it would be a crime to watch this film in anything less than the highest picture quality. Beautifully drawn and beautifully told, it’s the best of the best.

Cheers to Hugh Jackman for being an affable classy host, who never forced the joke and kept everything moving at a very swift pace.

Jeers to the more intimate feel of the seating. The Oscars aren’t an intimate affair, they’re the biggest and most epic of the awards show and should feel as such.

Cheers to Steve Martin bringing some outstanding humor and killer comic timing to his presentation, reminding the Oscar producers that there’s a brilliant host still waiting in the wings at a moment’s notice.

Jeers to the set up of five presenters for the five nominees. The selection of the men and women behind the curtains seemed random, and some got the pleasure of being presented by their mentors, and others by actors of a younger generation. I like this idea in concept, but the execution was fairly weak. Why didn’t they have five directors come out?

Cheers to the tempo of the show during the technical categories. Funny presenters keep the show moving quickly, and the draggy pace of the major category presentations was made up for in these areas. The final runtime of the show felt pretty quick, and I think these sections were why.

Jeers to the Academy for being so predictable for costumes and rewarding the frilly corset period piece costumes again, without any thought to how costume aid the story. Kudos to the producers for having the guest explain why the suits in Revolutionary Road should even hold a candle next to The Duchess… but it’s a shame that a different film didn’t win.

Cheers to the Joaquin Phoenix parody. I seem to recall that every time Stiller presents throughout the years, I always end up laughing– usually even more than at his movies.

Jeers to the musical number. I know, this is surprising, since I’m such a musical theater guy. But it seems planted here from the Tonys, not for the Oscars. The Baz Luhrmann arrangement was confusing, and the exclamation “The musical is back!” is a lie to anyone who’s looked to Broadway for an original exciting new musical. Still, it was well-produced.

Cheers to the hero from Man On Wire for giving us our hilarious kooky acceptance speech moment. I couldn’t be more pleased that they won.

Jeers to the odd overlapping of the three songs. Having the two Indian numbers with John Legend awkwardly standing and singing in the middle made me wonder if Peter Gabriel was smugly grinning in the back. Also, why in the WORLD was Bruce Springsteen’s title track to The Wrestler not nominated?

Cheers to there being an upset tonight, when Waltz With Bashir and The Class both went down to the Japanese underdog in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Jeers to there being only one upset all evening.

Cheers to no Academy president speech!!

Jeers, and big-time jeers, to the moving camera during the memoriam montage, so that some people got zoomed up shots of their achievements, and other folks I had a legit time even reading their name on the screens. Keep it still and keep it classy.

Cheers to Sean Penn for giving a lot of time out of his speech to Mickey Rourke, who gave a phenomenal performance and should have won.

Jeers to Sean Penn for making the podium his soapbox– again– and winning in a category where he was the fifth best nominee.

Finally, cheers to me for only missing 7 predictions, two of which were in the smallest categories, and one of which was a homer pick/upset prayer anyhow. Hopefully I led y’all to a victory in your Oscar pool. I should’ve guessed that the Sound awards wouldn’t have both gone Wall-E’s way though… the Academy just hates rewarding animation. Sigh.

1. Hugh Jackman has a gigantic opening number a la Billy Crystal. These unfunny monologues the last few years haven’t been cutting the mustard. Jackman’s a terrific song and dance man, and I want to see it all in full-scale musical glory.

2. Everyone wishes that the Oscars did not last four hours– the length does not bother me, it is the wasted time that bothers me. We do not need Nicole Kidman and Patrick Dempsey going through tired canned banter. I hope we either have some funny writing (unlikely) or some more funny presenters (possible). Entertain me for four hours.

3. I hope that Sean Penn does not win the Oscar for Milk. Call me unfair, but I feel that Milk will get its award in the Screenplay category, and this was one of Penn’s showiest performances this side of I Am Sam. I would be thrilled if…

4. A huge underdog wins a major category, like Richard Jenkins or Melissa Leo. This year everyone seems to agree on most of the categories. Isn’t that sad? Shouldn’t we be in some suspense? Shouldn’t the Academy be something less than utterly predictable? I would love to see the insanely grateful speeches these actors would give, these actors who actually COULD use the publicity an Oscar victory could provide.

5. Let’s reward anything other than Milk for Best Original Screenplay. In a year where there were some incredible voices and some original films, that biopic is the most safe and simple choice for the Academy to make. I feel fairly certain Milk will win… but I hope.

6. Clearly The Dark Knight will take enough awards to make the devoted fans happy, but here is hoping that at least one of the superior superhero films this year– Hellboy 2 and/or Iron Man– takes home a Golden Man.

7. I want to see the subject of Man On Wire go up to the podium if it wins for Best Documentary. The man will somehow create some fantastic television.

8. The whole Peter Gabriel boycott was a fake and they actually let the three songs be performed in full. So they let the songs be performed in full when there are five nominees, but not now? I bet if Bruce Springsteen was a nominee, they would consider letting them play their whole songs– I’m just saying.

9. I’d also love to see longer clips of the Animated Short nominees. These always seem fascinating, and I feel like seeing more than five seconds a piece of them would allow people to root for a category that otherwise they are indifferent about.

10. For once, FOR ONCE, we won’t have the symphony awkwardly cut off a sound editor while allowing Sean Penn to drone on about who cares what for hours on end. Let’s either cut everyone off after a certain amount of time, or not play the strings. No favorites, Academy. Even though judging by the predictability of this year’s contest, it seems as if playing favorites is a proud tradition of the Oscars.

Here we are: my Top Tens in the major award categories.

Best Supporting Actress:
10. Thandie Newton- W.
9. Freida Pinto- Slumdog Millionaire
8. Gabrielle Union- Cadillac Records
7. Danai Guirira- The Visitor
6. Valentina Cervi- Miracle At St. Anna
5. Penelope Cruz- Vicky Cristina Barcelona
4. Viola Davis- Doubt
3. Marisa Tomei- The Wrestler
2. Samantha Morton- Synecdoche, New York
1. Rosemarie Dewitt- Rachel Getting Married

Best Supporting Actor:
10. Jared Harris- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
9. Michael Sheen- Frost/Nixon
8. David Wenham- Australia
7. James Franco- Pineapple Express
6. Josh Brolin- Milk
5. Columbus Short- Cadillac Records
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman- Doubt
3. Brad Pitt- Burn After Reading
2. Ralph Fiennes- In Bruges
1. Eddie Marsan- Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Actress:
10. Nicole Kidman- Australia
9. Eve- Wall-E
8. Michelle Williams- Wendy and Lucy
7. Catinca Untaru- The Fall
6. Rebecca Hall- Vicky Cristina Barcelona
5. Cate Blanchett- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Melissa Leo- Frozen River
3. Meryl Streep- Doubt
2. Anne Hathaway- Rachel Getting Married
1. Sally Hawkins- Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Actor:
10. Jason Segel- Forgetting Sarah Marshall
9. Lee Pace- The Fall
8. Robert Downey Jr.- Iron Man
7. Colin Farrell- In Bruges
6. Brendan Gleeson- In Bruges
5. Richard Jenkins- The Visitor
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman- Synecdoche, New York
3. Josh Brolin- W.
2. Frank Langella- Frost/Nixon
1. Mickey Rourke- The Wrestler

Best Director:
10. Tarsem- The Fall
9. Mike Leigh- Happy-Go-Lucky
8. Oliver Stone- W.
7. John Patrick Shanley- Doubt
6. Andrew Stanton- Wall-E
5. Martin McDonagh- In Bruges
4. Ron Howard- Frost/Nixon
3. Jonathan Demme- Rachel Getting Married
2. Guillermo Del Toro- Hellboy 2
1. Charlie Kaufman- Synecdoche, New York

Best Picture:
10. The Fall
9. Happy-Go-Lucky
8. Iron Man
7. Rachel Getting Married
6. Man On Wire
5. Frost/Nixon
4. Doubt
3. In Bruges
2. Synecdoche, New York
1. Wall-E

Agree? Disagree? Leave comments, and I’d be happy to debate any order or omission with you.

Wanna win your Academy Award pool? I’ve won four of the last six years, so hopefully I can lead you to victory. I’ll give you the rundown on the sure things, the toss-ups, and the dark horses that I think will pull it off. Read on to get my predictions.

Best Picture- Slumdog Millionaire is a lock. It’s swept nearly every major critic circle award. Put this one down for sure.

Best Director- Again, Danny Boyle has won just about everything. Vote for him with confidence.

Best Actor- This one is a tough one, because there are two major leading candidates, Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke. Penn is considered the favorite, despite Rourke’s Golden Globe won, and I personally would vote for Mickey Rourke– it’s a great comeback story, the movie deserves some sort of recognition… I think combine that with Penn’s recent win a couple years ago means Rourke should take it. However, if a huge upset occurs at the Oscars, it would be here, like, say, Richard Jenkins winning Best Actor.

Best Actress- This is another pretty tight race, but Winslet is overdue, and Harvey Weinstein has campaigned his butt off for The Reader. Hathaway or Streep could sneak in, but I think Winslet is a pretty good bet here.

Best Supporting Actor- Heath Ledger. This isn’t a totally safe lock, since there might be some backlash to the “he’s a sure thing” sentiment of the last half a year. Still, I wouldn’t pick anyone else when everyone in your room will have Ledger on their ballots. Don’t do your gambling here.

Best Supporting Actress- Viola Davis is a potential spoiler, but Penelope Cruz has paid her dues, she steals her film, and I would bet on her.

Best Adapted Screenplay- Slumdog Millionaire. Yeah, put this one down in pen.

Best Original Screenplay- My suspicions are Milk is going take this one. If people are jonesing to give Wall-E some extra recognition, that could be a good spoiler here. I somehow doubt however that Milk will lose all five of the major categories it is nominated for.

Best Editing- Slumdog Millionaire. Pen.

Best Cinematography- Maybe The Dark Knight could somehow steal this, but I doubt it. Slumdog Millionaire.

Best Art Direction- Again, another thing The Dark Knight could sneak in and steal, but I think this is where Benjamin Button will finally get an award. It’s a beautiful film.

Best Sound Mixing and Sound Editing- A Slumdog sweep could happen, but I actually am going to go with Wall-E for both of these. Odds are strong you’ll at least get one of these two.

Best Costume Design- The Duchess’s entire existence is only to win this Oscar. And boy oh boy does the Academy LOVE their wigs and corsets. I’d put this one in pen.

Best Score- Slumdog Millionaire. Pen.

Best Foreign Language Film- It’s between France’s The Class and Israel’s Waltz With Bashir. Perhaps Waltz Wth Bashir is too unconventional to be a safe bet, but I think it’s the best pick here.

Best Documentary- I’m voting for Man on Wire, because it’s won so many awards and it’s such a good film, but the Academy tends to prefer documentaries like Trouble the Water. Do your research…but Man on Wire really has won just about every award there is for docs, so vote with confidence.

Best Animated Feature- Kung Fu Panda won the Annie, but don’t worry, Wall-E will win this.

Best Visual Effects- Usually, this would go to an action flick, but the use of the effects in Benjamin Button in order to create the main character is really remarkable. I’d actually put this in pen.

Best Makeup- Here’s where I’ll pick an upset. I think Ben Button uses so many computer effects that it won’t get as much recognition in this category, despite being considered the favorite. I’m voting for the visionary Hellboy 2. Guillermo Del Toro’s films usually get noticed for makeup, and this one is no exception.

Best Song- I’m partial to the Wall-E song, but I’m going to try to leave my bias behind and vote for Jaiho out of the two Slumdog songs.

Best Animated Short- Presto. Always vote Pixar, especially for this one.

Best Short- Spielzugland (Toyland).

Best Documentary Short- The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306.

So I haven’t finished seeing all of these movies. I don’t even agree with several of these nominations. However, I’ll save my commentary for my year-end post (coming end of January, giving me time to see all the late-coming wide releases), and instead merely give you the list.

Best Picture:
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Frost/Nixon
The Dark Knight
Upset special: Wall-E

Best Director:
Danny Boyle
David Fincher
Gus Van Sant
Ron Howard
Christopher Nolan
Upset special: Mike Leigh

Best Actor:
Sean Penn
Frank Langella
Mickey Rourke
Brad Pitt
*sigh* Clint Eastwood
Upset special: Richard Jenkins

Best Actress:
Anne Hathaway
Kate Winslet
Meryl Streep
Sally Hawkins
Angelina Jolie
Upset special: Melissa Leo

Best Supporting Actor:
Heath Ledger
Josh Brolin
Robert Downey Jr.
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Dev Patel
Upset special: Eddie Marsan

Best Supporting Actress:
Penelope Cruz
Kate Winslet
Viola Davis
Marisa Tomei
Taraji P. Henson
Upset special: Rosemary DeWitt

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Doubt
The Reader
Upset special: The Dark Knight

Best Original Screenplay:
Milk
The Wrestler
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Happy-Go-Lucky
Wall-E
Upset special: Rachel Getting Married

We’re getting to that point in the year where the quality of film (hopefully) steps up, and we start seeing some greatness projected onto our cinematic screens. Which films should you keep an eye out for? Here’s a short list. I posted trailers or clips where available– click on the title of the film to see them.

Frozen River (already in limited release)

I’m fairly certain this one has left theaters already, but if you get a chance to hunt it down (I’m hopeful I will), then do so, since it won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, and all accounts say that the lead actress Melissa Leo is terrific, and the entire film, written and directed by first-time auteur Courtney Hunt, is worthy of praise.

The Duchess (already in limited release)

If British corset-based costume melodramas are your thing, this should be your favorite movie of the year. Supposedly the sets and costume design are sensational, and Keira Knightley gives the performance of her career… but aside from that, it doesn’t vary greatly from any of the other British corset-based costume melodramas you’ve seen in your life. Still, the Academy loves them, and they may fetch some noms.

Rachel Getting Married (already in limited release)

This flick is getting some terrific buzz, including a 4-star review from Ebert. By the time this trickles down to wherever you live, the Oscar talk for Anne Hathaway and screenwriter Jenny Lumet should be deafening.

Happy-Go-Lucky (already in limited release)

A film by acclaimed writer/director Mike Leigh that has gotten universal praise and has left many film critics (astonishingly enough) happy. It’s probably the type of film that would get noticed solely with a nom for its lead actress, Sally Hawkins, but when you watch the trailer, it’s hard to imagine not leaving with a smile.

W. (already in wide release)

I haven’t seen it yet– that’s an assignment for this week– but everyone has raved about Brolin’s portrayal of our current commander-in-chief. He’s an actor very much on the rise, with terrific appearances in big films like No Country For Old Men and American Gangster last year… hopefully he gets some due. As for the film itself, reviews are mixed, but some positive notices (including, again, a 4-star review from Ebert) have left me anticipating my screening.

Changeling (opens limited this week, wide October 31st)

Another dark Clint Eastwood drama, another Oscar season. The notices have not been particularly good for this one, and for a man as well liked as Eastwood (and a man as overpraised as Eastwood– neither Mystic River nor Million Dollar Baby were as good as critics would want you to think), that sets off alarm bells. Still, Jolie is trying her hardest to wrap up another nomination for playing a weeping mournful woman.

I’ve Loved Yo So Long (opens limited this week)

Kristen Scott Thomas stars as a woman reunited with her sister after serving 15 years in prison. This seems like typically standard dramatic fare, but apparently the lead performance by Thomas carries the film beautifully. 

Synecdoche, New York (opens limited this week)

I cannot WAIT for this film. Charlie Kaufman has written three of the best films of the last twenty years (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), and this is his first outing as director, with a dynamite cast led by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and a truly bewitching concept that isn’t quite clear to me even after seeing the trailer numerous times. This should be at the top of the To-See list of anyone who cares about original, thought-provoking cinema.

Slumdog Millionaire (opens in limited release November 12)

Danny Boyle, one of the more consistently interesting filmmakers alive and working, has allegedly come closer to Oscar gold with this film than anything else he’s made in his career thus far. It’s about a young street orphan from India, one question away from winning a million dollars on India’s version of the game show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”, and the people who accuse him of cheating during the break, because how could a street orphan possibly know so much? The concept is extremely intriguing, and Boyle is overdue.

Australia (opens wide November 26)

Baz Luhrmann. Nicole Kidman. Hugh Jackman. It will either work on an epic level, or fail on an epic level. Only time will tell.

Milk (opens limited November 26, wide December 12)

The story about the first openly gay man to ever hold public office in America is certainly Oscar-fodder on its own. Mix Sean Penn and director Gus Van Sant into the mix, and the entire Academy will lean forward in their chair. This might be one of the closest things to a sure bet for Oscar season that there is.

Frost/Nixon (opens limited December 5, goes wide December 12)

I am familiar with the play, and it’s a powerhouse. If the film packs any of the punch of the stage performance, we’ll be hearing about it a LOT come Oscar nomination time. Plus, the Academy loves director Ron Howard, and the cast is full of terrific character actors including Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, and Sam Rockwell.

Che (Parts 1 and 2 open limited December 12, go wide January 2009)

This epic by Steven Soderbergh, which is more than four hours in length and will be released in two separate parts, is likely far too ambitious a project to receive any noms from the Academy other than for Benicio Del Toro’s performance as the man himself. It could be a brilliant, astonishing, unforgettable epic… or it could just be really, really long.

Doubt (opens limited December 12, goes wide Christmas Day)

Nothing say Christmas cheer to me like the story of a priest who might be molesting a small child in a Catholic church! The play manages to be thought-provoking without taking sides, and with actors of the magnitude of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Meryl Streep, and Amy Adams, John Patrick Shanley has put together an all-star lineup for his directorial debut. Hopefully it will not be overly theatrical and will translate well to the screen.

The Wrestler (opens limited December 17)

Darren Aronofsky, never short on cerebral concepts or ambitious ideas, has reportedly turned in a fantastic portrait of a washed-up wrestler, played by Mickey Rourke. It won the top prize at Venice Film Festival, and Rourke has allegedly given the performance of his career, with the allusions between himself and the wrestler being nearly inescapable. As someone who’s never failed to be captivated by Aronofsky (even when his films don’t quite work), I can’t wait for this one.

Seven Pounds (opens wide December 19)

Will Smith will win an Oscar one day. He’s the biggest star of the last few years, and his acting only gets better and better. With this, he reunites with the team that made The Pursuit of Happyness. The trailer is intriguing, and certainly is hook-y enough to pack the seats… but will it be worthy of Oscar?

Nothing But The Truth (opens limited December 19)

Rod Lurie returns with his first film in over half a decade, a great cast (Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Alan Alda, Angela Bassett, David Schwimmer), and the true story of the female reporter who outs a CIA agent and then refuses to reveal her source, so she’s thrown into prison. The last time Lurie did a political thriller, he put out The Contender. If this one is half as good as that outing, we will be lucky.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (opens wide Christmas day)

David Fincher has always been a director with lots of potential but who made disappointing, overly stylized films… up until Zodiac, which I thought was astounding. Hopefully this film is a continued step in the right direction, with the tale of a man born in his eighties who ages backwards. Brad Pitt’s been aching for an Oscar nomination (hopefully he’ll be nominated for his hilarious turn in Burn After Reading), and perhaps this is the one that pushes him over the edge.

Revolutionary Road (opens wide December 26)

Sam Mendes, director of American Beauty, knows how to make the struggles of family life seem epic. And with the reunited Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet both on board, and longing for that role that finally earns them both their much-deserved Oscars, we might be in for a really special film.

Valkyrie (opens wide December 26)

So Tom Cruise clearly isn’t the most popular man in showbiz. He might still have a winning team behind him on this flick, which reunites the writer and director of The Usual Suspects, boasts an enormously talented supporting cast, and a killer story (Nazis plot the assassination of Hitler). Oscar worthy? Probably not. Still, it’s being released in Oscar season, and with so many acclaimed parties on board, I’m excited for the prospects of what this film can be.

Waltz With Bashir (opens limited December 26)

Israel’s foreign-language film submission for Oscar consideration has gotten raves– it’s a wildly unconventional combination of documentary and animation. If watching the preview doesn’t intrigue you, then I’m not sure you’re stretching your imagination enough to see that cinema really does have an unlimited number of stories to tell and ways to tell them. I hope this film is as good as its potential.

Defiance (opens limited December 31, goes wide January 2009)

There’s talk that this may get pushed back even further… but if it sticks around, director Edward Zwick is a man who knows how to make Oscar bait– he did Glory, The Last Samurai, and Blood Diamond. I found Blood Diamond to be especially heavyhanded and preachy, so hopefully this tale of three Jews who fight back in revenge against Nazis will strike the right chord.

So most of you by now have seen the New Classics movie list at Entertainment Weekly. Needless to say, I have my own opinions on the matter. I’ve been mulling these over for some time now, and I can’t commit to anything past a 50-movie list. These are my 50 best films since 1983. Are they simply my favorites, or do I find them to be the highest quality films? It’s too difficult to separate the two– although I’m sure The Pianist is probably a “better film” than a Norm MacDonald comedy, but there must be some logical reason why I’m compelled to leave it off in favor of Norm. There’s no analysis here unfortunately, just my list. Agree, disagree, tell me how it compares to EW’s list, give me feedback.

50. Dirty Work
49. Purple Rain
48. School of Rock
47. High Fidelity
46. A Mighty Wind
45. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
44. Iron Man
43. Ratatouille
42. Return of the Jedi
41. Superbad
40. King Kong
39. South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut
38. This is Spinal Tap
37. Jackie Brown
36. The Big Lebowski
35. The Princess Bride
34. The Truman Show
33. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
32. There Will Be Blood
31. No Country For Old Men
30. Men In Black
29. Hoop Dreams
28. Finding Nemo
27. Full Metal Jacket
26. 25th Hour
25. Malcolm X
24. Wall-E
23. X2: X-Men United
22. Children of Men
21. Hannah and her Sisters
20. Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
19. Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
18. Murderball
17. Barton Fink
16. The Incredibles
15. Waiting For Guffman
14. Being John Malkovich
13. Brazil
12. Rushmore
11. Jerry Maguire
10. Toy Story
9. Boogie Nights
8. Ran
7. Almost Famous
6. Die Hard
5. Back to the Future
4. Fargo
3. Groundhog Day
2. Goodfellas
1. Do the Right Thing