All in all, not a bad year for movies, was it? Whether you were digging for some monster summer blockbusters, some fresh comedy, some surprising (and incredible) acting performances, or even some snappy underground art-house flicks no one else heard of, you were bound to find something to fall in love with this year. Of course, there were reel (sic!) duds too (COUGH! crystal skulls COUGH! speed racer COUGH! day the earth stood still COUGH! prince caspian COUGH!), which provided just as much film-going fodder for us all to gather round and snark about.

So what was the best of the best of it all? You've come to the right place, because we don't discriminate here at S&H. We like pulpy underground noir. We like theater-packing, block- busting, money-raking franchise sequels (that measure up anyway). We like explosions, we like monsters, we like laughing so hard we barf our Snocaps into our popcorn. It doesn't matter what kind of movie or what kind of reviews it's getting, as long as it's a film with real, undiscriminating soul. Here at S&H, a good movie is a good movie.

And so, to join me for Scene & Heard's Best of 2008 in Film is the Ebert to my Roeper; The Mercury's own Kim Toth, who is renowned 'round these parts for her TV blog, On The Set, where she rakes her claws through the world of television, movies, and everything in between.

Lights, camera, action!

Kim Toth's Top 5 Flicks of 2008

5. WALL-E:

When I first saw the preview for this one, I thought it looked like all those cute, animated kids’ movies and immediately put it in the "rental" category. It wasn’t until it started making all the critics end-of-year lists that I finally sat down, watched it, and totally loved it! The story of a lonely Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class (WALL-E), who’s only friend is a cockroach, left behind to clean up the Earth after the humans packed up and left their wasted planet, is compelling and very well done. Appealing to both children and adults alike.

4. Cloverfield:

Yes, I’m prepared to take the heat for this choice. You either love or hate this monster flick from last January. And I loved it! I loved it so much that after watching it for free on the Internet, I actually paid with a bunch of coworkers to see it in the theater. Shot with a hand-held camera, a la Blair Witch Project, this film followed four friends trying to escape New York City after some sort of monster attack. Think 2000’s Godzilla, only much, much better! It was edge-of-your-seat entertainment from beginning to end.

3. Tropic Thunder:

In a word, Hilarious! I saw the preview ahead of Iron Man back in May and couldn’t wait for August to arrive so I could see the rest of the film. And it didn’t disappoint. Depicting the behind-the-scenes making of a "true story" of Vietnam soldiers, Tropic Thunder was by far the funniest flick of the year. Any film that puts Robert Downey Jr. in black-face and Tom Cruise in a skull cap and fat suit is OK with me. Not to mention the hilarious fake movie trailers at the beginning … I’m still hoping they make full versions of Satan’s Alley, The Fatties: Fart 2, Scorcher I-VI and, of course, Simple Jack!

2. Iron Man:

I had never heard of Tony Stark before seeing this fine flick, but the trailer was enough to hook me. The first bonafide hit of the summer, Iron Man brought back to life the career on one of my all-time fave actors. Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man along with Jon Favreau’s directing was enough to rocket this film to the top of the box office in early May. Needlesstosay I was very impressed. I highly recommend it!

1. The Dark Knight:

While this film has made just about every critic’s Best Of list, none of them have the nerve to make it No. 1, opting instead for the obligatory serious films, i.e. Slumdog Millionaire, Gran Torino or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (all of which, to be fair, I haven’t seen yet). But in the words of this flick’s villain The Joker, I ask, "Why So Serious?" The second of director Chris Nolan’s Batman movies, The Dark Knight was more than just a comic book film. It was easily the most anticipated movie of the year and featured a great story, spot on special effects and some of the best performances of the year. It’s made nearly a billion dollars worldwide and tops the Box Office for 2008, with barely any competition. And, of course, it features what is possibly the best performance of the late Heath Ledger’s career. I would never have thought that anyone could best Jack Nicholson’s Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman, but he more than managed. If you see one film this year, make it The Dark Knight.

And the Best of the Worst:
Speed Racer! I was sooo looking forward to this film, being a huge fan of the popular TV cartoon. And I was sooooo disappointed!! Wachowski Bros, what happened? How could you take such a great premise and turn it into an explosion of purple and pink computer generated effects, ruining my cherished memories of Speed, Trixie, Spridle, Chim Chim and Pops. Not to mention giving Sparky the Queer Eye! Awful, just awful! Be warned …

Chris March's Top 5 Films of 2008

5. Wall-E

I have to echo Kim's sentiments on this Disney/Pixar number. Could I be as so bold as to say this movie is the greatest love story of the 21st century? It is. Not only does our little metal trash compacting hero win over the heart of fellow robot EVE, but also the hearts of the humans he encounters stranded in space, and the hearts of us watching at home, in a truly captivating way. This little lovable pixelated robot is undoubtedly the most inspiring character of 2008, urging everyone to get back to where they once belonged. It's as political as it is comedic as it entertaining as it is brilliant as it is original.

4. Iron Man

Funny how we can sit here in this decrepit state of American economy and say that 2008 was the year for billionaire superheros, and that we spent a lot of cash on films about them. The Dark Knight's Bruce Wayne easily took the upper hand at the box office, but Downey Jr.'s entertaining turn as Tony Stark instantly made him one of our favorite new characters to cheer on in one of the year's funnest films to watch. Batman may have won this round, but if the end of Iron Man is any indication, Stark hasn't even rolled his sleeves up yet, and the future of Marvel films (Iron Man 2, Captain America, Thor, The Avengers) is brighter than it is 'dark'.

3. Be Kind, Rewind

I'll admit, it was a little weird to watch a movie about a VHS tape rental store in 2008. But this cute little Michel Gondry comedy is more than just an ode to analog culture (and some great films from the 80s and 90s like Ghostbusters, Back To The Future, etc); it's a reminder that any ol' body can do any ol' thing. It's also a sharp thumbing of the nose to the many people out there who are full of crap, armed with contracts, guidelines, and laws who will tell you that you can't do something. My kind of movie.

2. Zack & Miri Make A Porno

The reason Kevin Smith movies (particularly ones that include a word like "porno" in the title) get a bad rep, is because people generally have trouble looking past the skin and bones (pun soooo intended here) of what he's doing. On the surface, this romantic comedy is a romping raunch-fest of smut that reaaaaaally pushes the bounds of what a "R" rating stands for these days. While I haven't laughed so hard (or seen THAT many naughty parts) in a movie in a long time, it's also the sweetest movie I may have ever seen. And this is very typical of Smith's direction with his movies, not all that far from the George Carlin vein. He envelopes the greatest love stories this side of The Notebook with guys and gals who talk dirtier than your drunk uncle on Christmas. It is the perfect balance of OMGZROFLWTF! and awwwww! While Smith ditches his regular Jay & Silent Bob franchise characters, a handful of his regular actors and actresses are still here (including our fav Jason Mewes) to trade the same blend of dirty small-talk banter we're used to. Kevin Smith fans will feel right at home, and everyone else will be absolutely appalled that someone could think of crap this sick and twisted. But if you look around, the real world and it's love stories are hardly ever pretty. And with the way the economy is these days, maybe you should start thinking about making your own porno to make ends meet too. Kevin Smith's best yet, and the romantic comedy of the year (in the worst way).

1. The Dark Knight

You're fooling yourself if you think this movie is the number 2 grossing film of all time for just a reason or two. It's not just a movie, it's a symphony. There is so much meat packed into this thing, that there is just too much for anyone to devour in one sitting. You can read into the philosophy and real-world political undertones of terrorism, corruption, and politics; you can ogle at some of the slickest and sickest action sequences ever shot; or you can sit back and watch the unfolding of some of this year's most mesmerizing performances. The late Ledger's Joker is the obvious heavy-weight, but Aaron Eckhart's maddening descent from Harvey Dent into Two-Face is the central lynch pin that holds this entire movie together, in plot and performance. And thanks to the sharp writing and execution of these performances, realism in a fantasy movie doesn't get more menacing than this. A movie this intricate and bloated could EASILY go completely down the toilet. But in the visionary hands of director Christopher Nolan, it is undoubtedly the definitive movie, not just of 2008, but of the times we live in. Watch Dent's press conference when he promises "the dawn is coming." In these somewhat dark times where we all have something negative to say about the world around us, Dent's words are more than the promise of hope that we need, but the hope we deserve.

Honorable Mention: Cloverfield, The Incredible Hulk, In Bruges, Tropic Thunder.

The Movies That Look Like They Could Stand A Shot At This List If I Had Seen Them, But I Didn't
That title should be explanatory enough.

Choke--The gloriously twisted novel by Chuck Palahniuk was fantastic, so why wouldn't a movie adaption starring Sam Rockwell be awesome?
The Wrestler--Mickey Rourke as a washed up wrestler still holding onto his lifelong dream of becoming a star? I am SO sold. I was close to putting it on the best of list without even seeing it.
Cadillac Records--Well, you know me and music movies. Plus Mos Def as Chuck Berry? Oh, that's glorious.
Gran Torino--When Clint Eastwood plays a car-loving badass, it usually makes for an instant classic. So really, it's just simple math. When he says "Get off my lawn" holding a shotgun in the trailer, a chill shoots right up my little ol' spine.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button--Well the premise is pretty sweet. David Fincher directs a Forest Gump-like film about a man who ages backwards. Actually, I was supposed to see this last night, but our car sprung a flat on the way, so fate kept this from making or not making the best of 2008 list.