Published on 12/31/2008

In a year when four of the best films were big screen versions of comic book adventures (including “Wanted,” “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk”), it should come as no surprise that one would emerge as this critic’s pick as the top picture of 2008. And not only did the late Heath Ledger turn in an Oscar-worthy performance in “The Dark Knight” as The Joker, but director Christopher Nolan (“Memento”) might have made the best superhero adaptation ever...

The 10 Best – No, the 100 Best Films of 2008

As usual, rather than limit my annual list to just 10 entries, I’ve expanded it to 100, and covered documentaries, independents and foreign flicks, along with the Hollywood blockbusters. So, don’t shy away from such lesser-known gems as “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Sex Drive” and “Man on Wire,” and the risk will be richly rewarded.

The 10 Best List of 2008

1. “The Dark Knight”
2. “Milk”
3. “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
4. “The Secret Life of Bees”
5. “Burn after Reading”
6. “Cloverfield”
7. “Happy-Go-Lucky”
8. “Cadillac Records”
9. “Iron Man”
10. “Twilight”

Honorable Mention

11. “Pineapple Express”
12. “Wanted”
13. “The Family That Preys”
14. “The Incredible Hulk”
15. “Stop-Loss”
16. “The Express”
17. “Doubt”
18. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
19. “Miracle at St. Anna”
20. “Last Chance Harvey”
21. “Traitor”
22. “Run Fatboy Run”
23. “Smart People”
24. “Tropic Thunder”
25. “Frost/Nixon”

Best Foreign Language Films

1. “Slumdog Millionaire” (India)
2. “Water Lilies” (France)
3. “Jellyfish” (Israel)
4. “The Edge of Heaven” (Turkey)
5. “Woman on the Beach” (Korea)
6. “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” (Liberia)
7. “Let the Right One In” (Sweden)
8. “Rape in the Congo” (Congo)
9. “Days and Clouds” (Italy)
10. “Lost in Beijing” (China)

Foreign Language
Film Honorable Mention

11. “Beauty in Trouble” (Czech Republic)
12. “The Betrayal” (Laos)
13. “We Are Together” (South Africa)
14. “Mister Foe” (Scotland)
15. “Stranded” (Uruguay)
16. “A Christmas Tale” (France)
17. “Without the King” (Swaziland)
18. “To the Limit” (Germany)
19. “Youssou N’Dour: Return to Goree” (Senegal)
20. “Priceless” (France)
21. “Maria Bethania” (Brazil)
22. “Reprise” (Norway)
23. “The Matador” (Spain)
24. “Che” (Cuba)
25. “Canary” (Japan)

10 Best Independent Films

1. “Sex Drive”
2. “Kabluey”
3. “I’m Through with White
     Girls”
4. “Gardens of the Night”
5. “The Visitor”
6. “The Tracey Fragments”
7. “Poultrygeist”
8. “In Search of a Midnight
     Kiss”
9. “Brick Lane”
10. “How the Garcia Girls
       Spent Their Summer”

Independent Film
Honorable Mention

11. “Stuck”
12. “How She Move”
13. “I Can’t Think Straight”
14. “Sex & Death 101”
15. “Chop Shop”
16. “American Zombie”
17. “Wendy and Lucy”
18. “Nights and Weekends”
19. “Ping Pong Playa”
20. “Garden Party”
21. “What Just Happened”
22. “Disfigured”
23. “Ripple Effect”
24. “All about Us”
25. “Ballast”

10 Best Documentaries

1. “Man on Wire”
2. “Hollywood Chinese”
3. “A Man Named Pearl”
4. “Standing Operating Procedure”
5. “I.O.U.S.A.”
6. “The End of America”
7. “The Souls of Black Girls”
8. “Chicago 10”
9. “America the Beautiful”
10. “Passing Poston”

Documentary Honorable Mention

11. “Meeting David Wilson”
12. “The Order of Myths”
13. “All of Us”
14. “Glass”
15. “Trouble the Water”
16. “Boogie Man”
17. “One Bad Cat”
18. “Full Battle Rattle”
19. “The Dhamma Brothers”
20. “Moving Midway”
21. “Profit Motive and the Whispering Wind”
22. “Very Young Girls”
23. “Kicking It”
24. “Bigger, Stronger, Faster”
25. “Faubourg Treme”