Alex in Movieland

My Top 5s for 2008

I always make these lists towards the end of the year, and fill them up all the way through awards season as I get to see more movies. These are my favorites for 2008. I thought I should just post them to keep them here.

On my rough list I usually have top 15 or 20, but I'll name just the 5s without further comments. In the main 10 categories. So here they are:

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BEST PICTURE

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1. Let the Right One In

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2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

3. Doubt

4. WALL E

5. Happy-Go-Lucky

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almost made it: The Dark Knight

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BEST DIRECTOR

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1. Tomas Alfredson, for Let the Right One In

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2. David Fincher, for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

3. Christopher Nolan, for The Dark Knight

4. Andrew Stanton, for WALL E

5. Sam Mendes, for Revolutionary Road

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almost made it: John Patrick Shanley, for Doubt

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BEST ACTOR

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1. Mickey Rourke, for The Wrestler

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2. Sean Penn, for Milk

3. Colin Farrell, for In Bruges

4. Brendan Gleeson, for In Bruges

5. Philip Seymour Hoffman, for Synecdoche, New York

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almost made it: Leonardo DiCaprio, for Revolutionary Road

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BEST ACTRESS

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1. Sally Hawkins, for Happy-Go-Lucky

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2. Meryl Streep, for Doubt

3. Anne Hathaway, for Rachel Getting Married

4. Melissa Leo, for Frozen River

5. Kate Winslet, for Revolutionary Road

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almost made it: Kate Winslet, for The Reader

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

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1. Heath Ledger, for The Dark Knight

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2. Eddie Marsan, for Happy-Go-Lucky

3. Robert Downey Jr., for Tropic Thunder

4. Michael Shannon, for Revolutionary Road

5. Bill Irwin, for Rachel Getting Married

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almost made it: Ph. Seymour Hoffman, for Doubt

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

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1. Penelope Cruz, for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

[a very very close #2]

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2. Amy Adams, for Doubt

3. Lena Olin, for The Reader

4. Debra Winger, for Rachel Getting Married

5. Rosemarie DeWitt, for Rachel Getting Married

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almost made it: Viola Davis, for Doubt

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BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

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1. WALL E

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2. In Bruges

3. Happy-Go-Lucky

4. Vicky Cristina Barcelona

5. Rachel Getting Married

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almost made it: Milk

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BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

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1. Let the Right One In

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2. Doubt

3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

[the next are just category fillers]

4. Slumdog Millionaire

5. Revolutionary Road

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almost made it: Frost/Nixon

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BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

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1. Revolutionary Road

[can't choose between these two, really]

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2. Let the Right One In

3. The Dark Knight

4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

5. Slumdog Millionaire

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almost made it: Milk

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BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

[not sure about this category, except for the winner]

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1. Slumdog Millionaire

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2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

3. Changeling

4. The Reader

5. Synecdoche, New York

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almost made it: WALL E

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If anyone's keeping scores: Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road and Rachel Getting Married are leading with 5 nominations each, but the real winner is Let the Right One In with 3 wins.