Cathy & Dave's fav films watched at home, 2008

OK, I know I'm late with this. The new year has gotten off to a slow start. But I want to start using this blog again, so here is something I sort of half composed over the Xmas Break, in answer to all those who send me a list of their fav books of the last year. Since I don't have time to read, here's my list of fav films.

1. Lars and the Real Girl
Quirky, funny and intelligent. Highly recommended.
2. The Pursuit of Happyness
Anyone who's followed Will Smith's career knows he's no lightweight actor - this is one of his best!
3. Shut Up and Sing
What started as a tourfilm of the Dixie Chics ends up a chronicle of their courageous fight to express opinions unpopular with many of their fans at the height of war-hype by the Bush Administration. A must-see!
4. March of the Penguins
All the hype about this film was right - makes you think thrice about Global Warming.
5. The Queen
Fabulous Helen Mirren portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II at the time of the death of Diana Spenser - you don't have to be a royal watcher to enjoy it.
6. Joyeux Noel
This French film is not new, but is based on real events during World War I, when an informal Christmas armistance by the men fighting in the trenches was brutally supressed by their superiors.
7. Downfall
Recounts the last days of Hitler as seen through the eyes of a young woman hand-picked by Hitler to be his personal stenographer, as remembered at the end of her life. Bruno Schulz, veteran of many Wim Wenders films, gives the best portrayal I have seen yet of Hitler.
8. The Lives of Others
This German portrait of life under the brutal East German "Stasi" is both historically informing and deeply moving, and a worthy film to follow the one above.
9. Recount
BTVS fans will remember Danny Strong, the actor turned screenwriter who won top awards for this re-telling of the 2000 election aftermath. Infuriating to watch if you're a liberal, but informative for everyone, especially since Strong asked for and received help from all participants on the right and left. Worth listening to the commentary.
10. Who Killed the Electric Car?
A tremendously entertaining documentary about short-sighted corporate opposition to anything which even remotely smacks of "environmentalism" - even at the expense of profits and to the delight of foreign competition. You can't afford not to watch it, especially if you've ever owned GM stock.