Last Thoughts on The Oscars and 2008

Well another year has come and gone and another Awards show is in the books. Unfortunately for me I was unable to view the whole Oscar ceremony due to work related circumstances. I did however catch the fantastic musical opening with Hugh Jackman, he knocked my socks off. On the whole I would say it was one of the better Oscar openings in recent history. While I loved the monologues performed by past hosts like Steve Martin and Jon Stewart, this year was a nice change of pace. The stage was classy and elegant, I don't know what to make of the way the awards were presented. The idea of having five past winners of the acting categories present their awards seemed like a nice idea but after watching it the first time it just seemed like too much back-patting not too mention a tad self-indulgent.

As for the winners which is all I can comment on since I didn't see the whole show, everything was pretty much as expected, there were no big surprises perhaps besides Best Foreign Film.

For me 2008 will stand as a somewhat underrated year in film. The best films in my mind were mostly the ones that didn't get much recognition. Thanks to some digging I was happy to find some hidden jewels at the video store such as "The Edge of Heaven" and "Shotgun Stories" both of which I wouldn't have seen had it not been for strong recommendations from different film critics.

The best film of the year in my mind was "In Bruges" hands down, which was an early release in 2008, and I only wonder if it did come out closer to Awards season, it might've been better known. The fact that it did receive a nomination for Best Original Screenplay is quite a miracle but a small testament to the fact that it was slightly remembered.

As for 2009, here's hoping for some more quality films with proper distribution so the public doesn't have to go searching in their movie store to find something worth while. Here's also hoping that the struggling Arthouse scene doesn't fade into obscurity as so many people are predicting. Film is an artform and like all artforms it needs support to survive, so I urge everyone find some time to skip the multiplexes and go to your nearby arthouse and perhaps you'll be surprised at what you see.

The Absolutely, Positively, No Doubt About It TOP 10 BEST FILMS OF 2008!!!!!

1. In Bruges: 2008 started out with a bang. I knew when I saw "In Bruges" it would be hard for another film to top it, turned out none did. It's almost been over a year now since I saw the film but there are so many scenes that still stick out in my mind clearer than any others. The film remains unpredictable in action, and laughs, but what keeps it all together is its suprising sense of humanity among a world of violence and killing. No other film this year left me as satisfied as this film.

2. My Winnipeg This was the year I was introduced to the wonderful and weird world of Guy Maddin, and I am now hooked. In this semi-documentary, semi-fantasy, semi-surreal comic trip ride through Maddin's home town of Winnipeg Manitoba Canada, we are introduced different kinds of city folklore both real (perhaps) and made up. What the film does is show Maddin's state of mind with city and a family he can't escape. A wonderful and original trip.

3. Frozen River Melissa Leo and Misty Upham give two of the best performances of the year as two women who are at the end of their rope and turn to smuggling immigrant across the US/Canadian border for reasons of their own. The film has a limited budget but it never becomes a distraction. The story is so gripping as it becomes equal parts human drama and suspense film.

4. Wall-E The best Hollywood production of the year and perhaps Pixar's crowning achievement about a plucky robot who cleans up the Earth after humans dessert it from throwing away too much waste. The film hearkens back to the old animation days where picture came before dialogue, and Wall-E's own sentimentality shows that the spirit of Charlie Chaplin is alive and well in mainstream Hollywood.

5. The Edge of Heaven A multi-character story where everyone is connected is the kind of concept that has worked well the past few years. "The Edge of Heaven" takes it to much different places and turns it into an emotional heart-wrenching story of love, forgiveness, and kindness. The film is immaculately shot, and it never tells us more than it wants to. In the end we are left making up our own minds about what happens.
6. Shotgun Stories A haunting story of two rival families who share the same father and the blood feud between them. No other film this year deals with how violence can become uncontrollable. The film is anchored by a quiet and unassuming performance by Michael Shannon as the head of one of the families.

7. Happy-Go-Lucky I love people like Sally Hawkins' Poppy because I know so many people like her. She is the undying optimist who makes this world a better place just by her presence. I don't understand people who thought Poppy was annoying or the whole aspect of her personality being annoying. It's something to admire and something brave about it in this day and age. Hawkins along with Eddie Marsan as Poppy's polar opposite deserved Oscar nominations.

8. Rachel Getting Married Director Jonathan Demme's look into one families fateful wedding weekend when the prodigal drug addict daughter comes home. It's an unflinching look at the families life during the weekend and Demme directs it as if it were a documentary to make it seem so real. The film is anchored by a great cast headlined by Anne Hathaway in one of the great performances of the year as is Rosemarie DeWitt as the title character.

9. Burn After Reading The Coen Brothers' black comedy of political espionage that isn't really political espionage at all was a wonderfully absurd and original piece of humour. While most comedies play it safe these days, the Coen Brothers are able to take us into the world of the strange and unusual to find their humour only for the biggest punchline to come at the end when you find out how nothing of it all mattered. I had a the biggest laugh this year from this film, but the Coens were probably laughing harder.

10.Milk An inspiring and absorbing tale of real life San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk who was the first Gay man elected into a political office. The film was inspiring to say the least, as it paints Milk as a man who didn't do much with his life till later in his career and rose to a cause that effected millions of people and changed the course of history.

If Jeremy Picked the Winners!

What can I say about this years Oscar contenders? Most of the nominees come to no surprise, and also come to not much originality on the Academy's part as well. I suppose last year we were spoiled with some very good and challenging films. "No Country for Old Men" is a film I'm convinced will be discussed in years to come and can safely be called a modern classic. "There Will Be Blood" was a challenging film which demands repeated viewing, and I am curious to see my reaction to it when I view it again. "Juno" was the indie gem that introduced us to the talented Ellen Page and gave us some great comedic characters. "Michael Clayton" was an intelligent well written mainstream legal thriller starring George Clooney in one of his best performances. "Atonement" was an above average costume drama that took unexpected chances and was wonderfully lit and photographed.

This year it seemed the Academy played it safe for the most part, particularly in the Best Picture category. However instead of dwelling too much on the mediocrity of some of the films, I've decided just to list the picks I think are the ones that stick out the most.

Best Picture: Jeremy's Pick-Milk I've just come from seeing "Milk" and really it is the only film (save for "The Reader" perhaps) that really deserves recognition. The story of Harvey Milk is probably the most inspiring film of the year. It does what movies do best and lift us out of reality and make us think we can make a difference.

Best Director: Jeremy's Pick- Gus Van Sant Van Sant has made better films, but he does tell this story with a ferocious passion which separates it from the other films. Harvey Milk is depicted a bit as a Saint, but Van Sant focuses more on the importance of his accomplishments and that's really what this film is about.

Best Actor: Jeremy's Pick-Mickey Rourke I enjoyed Sean Penn's performance in "Milk" and it was great to see Richard Jenkins nominated, however I still feel Rourke owns this category with his believable and totally natural portrayal as a washed up pro-wrestler who must face a possible life of being alone. It's a brave performance and Rourke deserves all the accolades.

Best Actress: Jeremy's Pick-Melissa Leo/Anne Hathaway This was the hardest category for me and had the Academy made the right choice in nominating Sally Hawkins I would consider this a three way tie. Leo is a pillar of strength as a single mother fighting to stay afloat by smuggling immigrants across the US/Canadian border. Hathaway is equally memorable as a drug addict out of rehab and attending her sister's wedding. Let me just say this was a strong year for actresses and I can see why all of these nominees are on the list.

Best Supporting Actress: Jeremy's Pick- Marisa Tomei Penelope Cruz stole every scene she was in, Viola Davies's performance suffered from some bad directing choices, and Amy Adams was the best part of "Doubt", but I have to go with the compelling Tomei as a stripper who is facing middle age and wondering how she's going spend the rest of her life. Tomei brings wonderful dignity and reality to her role.

Best Supporting Actor: Jeremy's Pick-Heath Ledger I will have to go with the majority on this one. I was knocked out by Ledger's performance like most everyone else. It was just great seeing the many quirks and mannerisms Ledge makes up to make this perhaps the most entertaining performance of the year.

Two Eastwoods, a Clooney, and a Gervais

I hate leaving any good movie out in my search for my top ten, and it seems to me that I missed out on a few more films worth a mention before I reveal my best list. (I swear it will come within the next few hours.)

Changling/Gran Torino: We were privileged this year to see not one but two Clint Eastwood films in the theatre. Eastwood hasn't done that since, well his last two films "Flags of our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima". "Changling" gave Angelina Jolie one of her best performances as a mother who loses her son only for her case to be part of a police cover up. In "Gran Torino", Eastwood returns to the screen in what many call his swan song from acting (even though he made the same comment about "Million Dollar Baby"). Eastwood plays to his strengths as an aging war vet who isolates himself from his family and his multi-cultural neighbours, until he befriends one family after he helps them from gang violence. Both of these films are flawed in some little way, but Eastwood continues to intrigue with his dark tales of American history and culture, which shows why he's one of the most respected mainstream artists around.

Leatherheads: If you recall back in the spring, George Clooney came out with this little comedy gem that hearkened back to the screwball comedies of the past. The film got average reviews at best and suffered from bad box office. However I was charmed by the film which suffered a bit by its script, but the film had an intelligence to it and sophistication lost in some comedies today. It also shows Clooney growing into more of an auteur before our eyes. I'm intrigued to see what his next directing project will be.

Ghost Town: Another charming old fashioned romantic comedy that passed people by. I'm not sure if this part of the world will ever fully embrace Ricky Gervais which is a shame since he's quite possibly the funniest man on the planet. Gervais gets a great first starring role as a man who can't stand people but when he accidentally dies for seven minutes on the operating table, he wakes up able to see ghosts who do nothing but pester him. The film is somewhat predictable, but Gervais is a joy to watch and this film is just plain sweet to see.

Oscar Predictions

Tonight I'll be seeing "Milk" after which I will have seen all the films that are nominated for Best Picture. Since I don't want to pass judgement as to who I want to win till then, I will simply just go for who I think will win this Oscar season.

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire- It's hard not to bet against this surething come Oscar season. I felt the film had its charm and I always love a good Dickensian story, however I felt it was too frantic at times and wanted it desperately to slow down. That being said, it captured the hearts of film goers this year which should bring it on top.

Best Director: Danny Boyle- Seeing how all the Best Picture nominees share Best Director, it goes without saying the Best Picture winner will go side by side with Best Director. Boyle has been somewhat of a mainstream/arthouse filmmaker for many years now, and it seems the Academy has finally taken notice.

Best Actor: Mickey Rourke- I'm going out on a limb here by choosing Rourke. Sean Penn has been the odds on favorite ever since his SAG win, but I still feel somewhere in my gut it's Rourke's turn. Rourke has his Golden Globe win in his favour, plus he's had a very big comeback campaign with "The Wrestler".

Best Actress: Kate Winslet-It finally seems like her turn, after so many nominations. Winslet's turn as a former SS guard who is put on trial for war crimes is a great performance. She's picked up enough awards already for her performance she seems like a shoe-in. Meryl Streep might stroll in for an upset, but I bet the pony on Kate.

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz-Cruz was the scene-stealer in Woody Allen's intelligent comedy/drama as the ex-wife of Javier Bardem. She lifts the film out of the ordinary whenever she's on screen. Viola Davies was the favorite to win, but it seems perhaps Amy Adams might split the "Doubt" vote.

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger-Won't be much of a surprise here. Along with "Slumdog Millionaire", Ledger seems to be the other shoe-in, and he deserves it with his dark and menacing re imagining of The Joker.

The Pre Top Ten

I am very close in revealing my absolutely positively no doubt about it best films of 2008 within the week. In the mean time here is a list of films that didn't quite make the list but still warranted a mention.

The Reader: Hands down my favorite Best Picture contender (Although I've yet to see "Milk) I hesitated seeing this film as it sounded like yet another holocaust film, yet I was deeply moved by the story and the performances. Kate Winslet gives a complex performances as a former SS guard who begins with an affair with a young man. The story raises some strong questions concerning passing judgement and forgiveness of another persons crimes, and it does not sugar coat any of the solutions. Strongly acted by all involved.

The Dark Knight: A darker more complex look into a super hero genre made for a more gratifying and entertaining super hero movie. The film dares to cover depths other super hero films never tried and succeeds by giving us a more flawed hero, and perhaps the most charismatic Joker ever put on screen as portrayed by Heath Ledger. The film became this years must see movie and it never gave up on its thrills and surprises till the very end.

Man on Wire: A Shoe in for Best Documentary at the Oscars, this film plays like a heist film as it follows the story of frenchman Phillipp Petit when in the late 70s he succeeded in hanging a wire between the two World Trade Centers and then proceeded to walk across it. The film is an interesting tale of one man's obsession to achieve his dream, and the ingenious task it took for it come into fruition.

Flight of the Red Balloon: A charming story set in Paris inspired by the classic short film "The Red Balloon". This film feature Juliet Binoche in another wonderful performance as a workaholic mother who's son finds magic and wonder with a red balloon that seems to follow him through Paris. She gets some help with a nanny who is a student film maker and watches the son. The film may seem somewhat mundane at first viewing, but it has a certain quietness rarely seen in a children's film.

Up the Yangtze/Still Life: Two films concerning the flooding of the Yangtze river in China and the effect it has on the people who's homes are flooded away forever. One is a documentary concerning a family who's home is lost and must force their daughter to work for a cruise ship that travels up the river. The other film is the story of two people trying to find lost loves among the ruins of China as the river levels continues to rise. Both are powerful in their own way.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: A technical achievement more than anything, but this mainstream movie doesn't hide the fact that it's all about death, but there is something very sweet and sublime in what this film is trying to say. Perhaps the most delicate and heartfelt movie Hollywood came out with this year.

Shine a Light: Martin Scorsese's concert film concerning the Rolling Stones made a believer out of me that the legendary rock group is still a force to be reckoned with, and despite all the "Old Men" jokes throughout the years, these guys still know how to put on a pretty good show. One of the most entertaining times I had at the movies this year.

Appaloosa: Perhaps I had no right in enjoying this film as much as I did. Although this western doesn't try to re imagine the cowboy film in any way it still remains entertaining if a bit slow at times. Ed Harris and Viggo Mortenssen play guns for hire and best friends who stroll into town one day to clean it up. Enough said, but the film spends more time on its characters than it does on the action which is perhaps why I liked it so much.

The Wrestler: A nice gritty character piece for Mickey Rourke who gives one of the best performances of the year by anyone. Rourke plays a former pro-wrestler who is coming to terms with the fact that he's entering the twilight of his life a broken man who is alone. Marisa Tomei is top notch as the stripper who befriends him, and could someone tell me why that Bruce Springsteen song did not get nominated?

Standard Operating Procedure: Errol Morris' latest concerning the graphic photographs taken inside Abu Ghraib prison, but Morris does more than just show us the people who took the picture as well as the ones who performed the unspeakable acts, he deconstructs the images like an investigator to give us a full picture as to what all when down in the prison. A fascinating and disturbing study.

2008 may go down as not being a very strong film year, but I would just like to say that I wouldn't be surprised to see any of these films on anyones top ten list. And as you can see, I still have ten more to go. Stay Tuned.

Special Jury Prize: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Like Roger Ebert, I would like to award a Special Jury Prize as a precursor to my Top Ten List, this year my award goes to "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"

The most fun I had at the movies this year was going to see the new Indiana Jones film. When it came out, it had many detractors, people thought the "Nuked by the fridge" part was too implausible, "South Park" had an episode where they accused Steven Spielberg and George Lucas of raping their beloved hero, and Ben Mankewitcz chose it as the worst movie of the year.

Well let's face it, Indy was never a critic's favorite, but he always had a special place for me. An Indiana Jones movie was always for kids, the hero would get hurt sometimes, but he was pretty indestructible meaning you knew he would go through rough stuff but he would always come out of it ok. Indy has now survived being chased by a huge boulder, a pit of snakes, surviving a plane crash by jumping out in a raft, came back from being possessed by an evil cult, a sewer full of rats, and God's wrath. You can now add a nuclear blast to the list, the point being Indiana Jones is a comic book hero who can not die and it's nice to know some heroes still come indestructible.

I suppose the joy I got from watching this film was knowing what to expect, I didn't want Indy to change and become more complex which is what some people complained about, I wanted the same Indy from "Raiders of the Lost Ark" so many years ago.

Perhaps we didn't need a new Indiana Jones, we could've stopped at three and no one would've complained, but it's a joy to see Indy back on the big screen where he belongs, there's something old fashioned about these films that have kept them enduring. When it all comes down to it, these films bring the kid out in me, I had a big smile on my face in the opening sequence when Indy cracks his whip, and yes when he survives the nuclear blast by hiding in a fridge, that's the world of Indiana Jones and that's what's so fantastic.

The big movies of the summer were "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man" which dealt with more human and fallible heroes, and while I admired those films very much they sometimes took themselves too seriously. Indiana Jones was always winking to the audience and we just get to enjoy the ride with him. As an observation I saw more kids at an Indiana Jones movie actually looking like they were having fun than the kids I saw at "The Dark Knight"

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" wasn't really breaking new ground, nor did it rise above its formula to give us something new, but it was the film that had me smiling with joy the most this year and the one film that made me feel more like a kid than anything else. So I would like to put this much maligned movie to rest and say it was a joy for this fan to see his hero on the screen again.

Top 20 Actors

Here's a list of 20 of my favorite actors and their key roles.

Jimmy Stewart-It's a Wonderful life

Cary Grant- Notorious

Humphrey Bogart- Casablanca

Henry Fonda-The Grapes of Wrath

Gary Cooper- Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

Alec Guinness- The Lavender Hill Mob

Toshiro Mifune- The Seven Samurai

Jack Lemmon- The Apartment

Al Pacino- The Godfather Trilogy

Jack Nicholson-Chinatown

Harrison Ford-Raiders of the Lost Ark

Montgomery Clift-A Place in the Sun

James Dean- East of Eden

John Wayne- The Searchers

William Holden- Sunset BLVD

Charlie Chaplin- City Lights

Buster Keaton- Sherlock Jr.

Peter Lorre- M

Clint Eastwood- Unforgiven

Paul Newman- Cool Hand Luke

Some others that come to my head are Robert Redford, George Clooney, Ronald Coleman, Robert De Niro, Boris Karloff, James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, Walter Matthau, Steve Martin, Alan Alda, Woody Allen, Peter Sellers, Dustin Hoffman, Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton, Fred Astaire, Maurice Chevalier, and many more I'm probably forgetting.

Performer of the Year: Michael Shannon

2008 was a strong year for actors. Women in particular from Sally Hawkins in "Happy Go-Lucky", to Melissa Leo in "Frozen River" to Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married" were all very impressive. Then there was Kate Winslet's memorable turns in both "The Reader" and "Revolutionary Road".

As for the men we had the triuphant return of Robert Downey Jr. as a movie star with his unconventional super hero role in "Iron Man" and his no-holds barred comedic role in "Tropic Thunder". His performances in those two films made them worth watching. Three of the best male performances themselves came from one movie "In Bruges" with Colin Farrell never better along with Brendan Gleeson and a mean and nasty Ralph Feinnes. You could say Feinnes had somewhat of a banner year with his trio of supporting roles in "In Bruges", "The Dutchess", and "The Reader". But above all those performances which I think were primo, it was Michael Shannon who I was most impressed with this year with his one-two punch in "Shotgun Stories" and his supporting work in "Revolutionary Road"

In "Shotgun Stories" Shannon plays Son, the oldest brother in a family who's father was mean and abusive to them then ran out on them only to get re-married and start a new family. When Son and his two youngest brothers find out their father died, they crash his funeral which infuriates the other family and a spiral of violence occurs.

"Shotgun Stories" is for my money one of the best films of the year, and part of the reason it is so great is Shannon's subtle and nuanced performance. Shannon never does too much to gain our attention, he never has a giant meltdown or a big emotional scene, but we always know what he's thinking and feeling, and that's what great film acting is all about. We know all we need to know about Son and his family, not much is said in the film, but everything is implied. Son is the rock who holds his brothers together, and Shannon does the same thing with this film.

In "Revolutionary Road", Shannon only has a handful of scenes as John Givings, the mentally unstable son of Kathy Bates' reality worker. We learn John was once a brilliant mathematician, but after he was sent to a mental institution, electrical shocks have erased his gift forever. In the film, Givings is the one character to speak the truth all the time. "Revolutionary Road" is a film about the failing marriage of Frank and April Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) as they grasp onto their fading dreams of leaving the suburbs and moving to Paris. John Givings rips through their facade right away telling them exactly how he feels about their whole life.

"Revolutionary Road" in my opinion was somewhat average, but whenever Shannon is on screen he lifts the film up to a new level, he brings the film's tragic/comic outlook home for us to. Unlike "Shotgun Stories", Shannon's performance in this was not overlooked and he certainly deserved his Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Michael Shannon has been under the radar for awhile now. He gained some notoriety in the play "Bug" and was then cast in the film. He has just been cast in a new HBO series produced by Martin Scorsese, so here's hoping he stays on top for awhile, I can't wait to see what Shannon has in store in the future.

Some DVDs I've Seen Recently

I have to say this past year of 2008 opened me up to some surprising films, most of which I had to discover at my local Blockbuster store. While I have seen some really good films in the theatre recently I was more impressed with some of these following films. Please check them out if you think you've seen everything 2008 has to offer.

The Edge of Heaven: An engrossing film of life, death, and forgiveness. The film is told in two parts, one involving an aging man who hires a hooker to live with him to fill his lonely days. Tragedy happens which brings the old man's son on an unexpected journey. The second story involves the daughter of the same hooker as she embarks on a rebellious life and falls for a German student who sympathizes with her cause. Both stories are full of unexpected turns and just when you think it would end on an emotional climax, it takes a more sublime turn. 4 stars out of 4

Shotgun Stories: Michael Shannon gave two great performances this year. One is for "Revolutionary Road" for which he received an Oscar nomination, the second and for my money the more effecting performance is in this understated and often brilliant film of escalating violence. The story centers on a group of half brothers who had the same father, but have different impressions on what kind of a man he was. The first group of brothers remember him of being a mean abusive man, while the other half remember him as a changed man. When the father dies, the three brothers crash the funeral and start off an series of violent reaction from the other family causing tragedy in many cases. The film was co-produced by David Gordon Green who has made similar films as this in theme. The film never wallows in despair even though it would be easy for it to do so, but instead becomes a film full of grace. Shannon's performance is quiet but powerful. 4 stars out of 4

Still Life: A slow but interesting piece from China involving the damming of the Yangtze and the impact it has on the people who's homes are literally flooded. The film is part social commentary and part love story as it follows a man who is trying to find his wife, and woman who's trying to find her husband. This would be a good double feature to have along with the documentary "Up the Yangtze" 3.5 stars out of 4

Vicki Christina Barcelona: Woody Allen's latest comedy as two young American women come to Barcelona and have a memorable encounter with passionate artist Javier Bardem. Penelope Cruz shows up at the half-way point as Bardem's passionate yet suicidal ex-wife and steals every scene she's in. In fact Cruz and Bardem breath some fresh air into the sometimes stuffy Woody comedy. Still the film remains clever enough and full of some great truth however perhaps it's the romantic in me but I would've preferred a different ending. Woody seems to be getting more cynical with age. 3 stars out of 4

Favorite Movie Moments

I've a new feature at "Jeremy and the Movies". Each month I will choose ten films at random and pick out a favorite moment from them. These are the moments or the images that have stayed with me and the ones that come to mind the most when I think of a film. There's something about these moments that make them special to me. I won't go into detail as to why they are important I'll just list them which I hope will encourage you to go out and see these movies yourself if you haven't already. If you guys have any favorite movie moments to share yourselves, I encourage you to list some on this blog. So here is my list for February.

Late Spring: The father at the end alone in his room, peeling an apple.

Miller's Crossing: Tom and Bernie in the woods and Bernie telling Tom to "look in his heart"

It's a Wonderful Life: George Bailey at the bridge praying to God to live again.

Do the Right Thing: Mookie throwing the trash can through Sal's window.

Rio Bravo: The Dude's shaky hand becomes steady as he hears the Mexican music outside, and he pours his drink back in the bottle.

The Smiling Lieutenant: The final shot of Claudette Colbert as she walks off with her back to the camera and gives a farewell wave with her hand.

No Country for Old Men: Chigurh's conversation with the gas station attendant.

Casablanca: When Rick sees Ilsa for the first time in the cafe.

Top Hat: Cheek to Cheek

Horse Feathers: What's the password? Swordfish.

Stay tuned next month for some more favorite moments

THIS MONTH: CELEBRATING THE BEST OF 2008!!

This month at "Jeremy and the Movies" I will forgo my usual "Director of the Month" series and instead focus most of my blogs on what I think are the best films, performances, and film moments from the past year. Since February is Oscar month, I will also talk about this years nominees and who I think should win. The month will then culminate in the "2nd Annual Absolutely, Positively, No Doubt About it Top Ten Best films...." list. So I hope you tune in all this month for this mega celebration!