18 years later, these are the 10 best movies of 2008

As shocking as it sounds, 2008 was 18 years ago. Nearly two full decades have passed since the Great Recession, the historic Presidential campaign by Barack Obama, and the birth of our current cinematic and cultural landscape due to the launch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man and another notable comic book movie we'll talk about later. Beyond the tentpole comic book movies, 2008 had a wide variety of offerings, such as mainstream blockbusters also playing like critical darlings, overlooked flops, breakthrough surprises, and audacious achievements by masterful directors. Ranked below are the 10 best movies that 2008 had to offer, some of which have only grown in esteem since.

'Step Brothers'

It's hard to talk about Step Brothersfrom a critical lens, considering the lowbrow, juvenile nature of its subject. However, the absurdity of Adam McKay's well-oiled laugh machine is a feature, not a bug. Arguably a prime example of a genius "dumb" comedy, the film, headlined by an iconic pair of performances from Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, is an undisputed masterclass in studio comedy that stands well above the pack of its contemporaries.

What else can you say about Step Brothers that doesn't involve its copious amounts of laughs? McKay, Ferrell, and Reilly set out to do one thing: make every viewer roll on the floor laughing, and they accomplished this feat with exceptional confidence. The film's ludicrous concept, maximalist tone, and rejection of any semblance of importance is inspiring for all broad comedies, and it's a prime example of how lowbrow humor can carry a genuine artistic register. Ferrell and Reilly proverbially alley-oop each other throughout Step Brothers, delivering one hilarious line after another, and they are supported by equally amusing supporting turns by Richard Jenkins, Kathryn Hahn, and Adam Scott. Having said that, there's a vital lesson that McKay imparts to his audience: never lose your dinosaur.

'Speed Racer'

With its release overshadowed by Iron Man in May 2008, Speed Racerwas dead on arrival at the box office. Compounded by mixed to negative reviews and a visual language that baffled many critics, the most ambitious film by Lana and Lilly Wachowski was a major financial disappointment. Over time, however, Speed Racer has emerged as a beloved cult classic, and its dazzling artistry was simply ahead of its time.

For many, the Wachowskis failed to capture the greatness of The Matrix, but for the duo's most ardent fans, their uncompromising vision and cinematic ingenuity vaulted them to new heights. Speed Racer is the ultimate Wachowski experience—a deeply earnest movie about searching for exceptionalism in a cruel world and discovering one's empowered identity. A groundbreaking studio film that pushed the medium into a new phase of digital photography, no movie looked like Speed Racer upon release. While major blockbusters rely on green screen environments and digitally created worlds, they lack the Wachowskis' imagination. The film is designed to shatter your cynical selves and embrace the world with your heart on your sleeve. Both an invigorating sports movie and sly commentary on the intersection of art and commerce, this overlooked marvel implores you to reach for the sky and step on the pedal.

'Happy-Go-Lucky'

Any movie requires a modicum of tension in its plot or characterization, but Mike Leigh took on the challenge to center one of his finest works around an excessively positive and cheery individual. The acclaimed English writer-director of grounded, intimate dramedies about working-class Britain unlocked something profound about life and companionship in Happy-Go-Lucky, featuring a protagonist, Poppy, played by Sally Hawkins, that you'll either love or hate.

To the dismay of everyone around her, Poppy, a schoolteacher from North London, is so bubbly and exuberant that she rubs people the wrong way. Told through a vignette structure, Happy-Go-Lucky is Leigh's most authentic slice-of-life to date, jumping from day to day in Poppy's life, as she takes driving lessons from a dour instructor, enters flamenco dancing classes, and manages a student's aggressive behavior with a social worker. Poppy is frank and unafraid to engage in deep conversations with strangers, making her the ideal character for Leigh, a filmmaker known for his candid conversations and outward emotionality. Happy-Go-Lucky utilizes the best of Leigh's attributes as a humorist and dramatist on the screen, taking both delight and disgust towards Poppy's attitude. No matter how she makes you feel, you can't deny her status as a trailblazing person, someone so committed to a healthy mindset that she doesn't care if she is anachronistic to the modern world.

'The Wrestler'

In a filmography defined by thorny character studies about obsession and desire, The Wrestlerremains Darren Aronofsky's most thoroughly realized vision. Starring Mickey Rourke in the comeback role of a lifetime, this stirring sports drama sees the troubled actor channeling his own life as Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a washed-up professional wrestler looking to redeem himself outside the ring, while underscoring that the limelight of sports entertainment is dangerously alluring

The Wrestler strikes the perfect balance between grueling trauma and genuine emotional sympathy, whereas Aronofsky often skews heavily on the former, to his own detriment. Beautifully shot and modulated with exceptional grace, the film depicts the perverse mythical beauty of the wrestling industry and throwing your body on the line to dazzle audiences. Rourke's Oscar-nominated performance channels the actor's internal angst and extracts a palpable heart and soul that makes his journey all the more captivating. His quest for sobriety and a job at a deli are genuine arcs for Randy, and not just an excuse to pull the rug out under him. Aronofsky's punishing direction of Randy's tragic downfall, which sees him incapable of hanging up the boots, is a scathing critique of the industry and the dehumanization of people in a capitalist world.

'Rachel Getting Married'

When Rachel Getting Marriedwas released, there was no denying that Anne Hathaway was far more than just a Disney star. Receiving her first Oscar nomination for Jonathan Demme's towering family drama, Hathaway vaulted to a rare class of actors with exceptional movie star charm and heavyweight dramatic chops. The film, one of the unsung gems of the decade, is a thoroughly realized and intimately crafted portrait of a family and personal life on the rocks.

Discharged from rehab for substance addiction, Kym Buchman (Hathaway) must keep a happy face and celebrate the marriage of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt), even though tension is in the air and family grievances remain unsettled. Demme, in his final great movie, directs Rachel Getting Married with the unease and combustion of a young woman ready to lash out at the world for handing her such a bad hand. Filled with darkly humorous beats, fiery rage, and touching strokes of human bonding, the movie is a testament to Demme's fondness for interpersonal intimacy and nuanced character details. Hathaway is a sheer knock-out as Kym, the troubled but self-determined sister of a bride who seemingly has everything figured out. Rachel Getting Married is a striking text about learning to live with your flaws and still grow.

'Wendy and Lucy'

In what is the best movie about the drastic aftershocks of the Great Recession, Wendy and Lucy is a quiet story with an explosive punch. Kelly Reichardt, the acclaimed indie filmmaker best known for Certain Women and First Cow, crafted her blueprint film in 2008, which perfected her breathtaking use of slow cinema and sweeping narratives of the impoverished working class. Starring Michelle Williams as Wendy, an unemployed vagrant in the U.S. Northwest who is trying to find her stray dog, Lucy, the film is the ideal counter to all the noisy blockbusters of the year.

Wendy and Lucy's narrative is incredibly streamlined, but it shouldn't be confused for cheap. In the wake of the country's shocking economic disruption and distrust of the banks and other wealthy institutions, Americans shared Wendy's spirit as a loner wandering the everyday streets and landscapes of the nation, places that once used to offer sustainability and comfort. Rather than saving the world or embarking on a grand odyssey, Wendy and Lucy is about just trying to get by, one day at a time, one sleep at a time, and one dollar at a time. Reichardt's steady camera is hypnotic, tracking our titular lead while she immerses herself in the nomadic life in a civilized world, creating a jarring contrast. The role of Wendy is a landmark performance by one of our finest living actors in Michelle Williams, who resorts from the histrionics of poverty porn for a touching, resilient showing of human strength.

'The Dark Knight'

It's the movie that changed everything, from the Academy Awards to the framework of the entire industry. Often cited as a historic snub that forced the Oscars to expand their Best Picture lineup and the towering achievement that inspired studios to replicate its success, The Dark Knightis arguably the most important and culturally defining film of the 21st century. Despite its never-ending praise and slew of imitators, Christopher Nolan's breakthrough movie as the modern king of blockbusters is still indelible.

Christopher Nolan's name is as strong as any IP, including that of Batman. When you make The Dark Knight, studios grant you endless creative power. This follow-up to Batman Begins, the origin story of the new Caped Crusader played by Christian Bale, was a landmark superhero movie combined with the audacious spectacle of classic comic book fare with the weighty themes and sobering emotionality of a prestige drama. It's one part a robust action epic and another part a meditation on crime and justice. Carried by a once-in-a-lifetime performance by the late Heath Ledger as The Joker, The Dark Knight is a series of unforgettable lines, sequences, and moments that have been forever canonized in modern American film history. Even with its nitpicks and apparent flaws, it's hard to watch Nolan's groundbreaking examination of superhero myth and not feel wholly captivated.

'Tokyo Sonata'

Renowned Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa is best known for horror cult classics such as Cure and Pulse, but his greatest achievement is a family drama that's just as harrowing as his movies about serial killers. Before Parasite and No Other Choice, audiences had never seen such a punishing film about economic distress and the class divide as Tokyo Sonata, a soulful yet haunting study of the psychological strain and displacement caused by unemployment.

After a Japanese man, Ryūhei (Teruyuki Kagawa), loses his job that is outsourced to China, he and his family slowly disintegrate, with the Sasaki patriarch trying to maintain his stature by still pretending to go to work every day. Tokyo Sonata is a true gem of the decade that has sadly grown in profundity over time. Our current economic crisis and mistreatment of laborers amid late-stage capitalism make Ryūhei's spiral into self-destruction more palpable to the viewer's eye. Kurosawa, channeling his horror roots, imbues the feeling of unemployment with the dread of a nightmare. Ryūhei is not only distraught over his financial instability, but also because being deprived of labor is viewed as a strike against one's masculinity. A film that balances the angst of middle age and the hope of children, oblivious to the perils of the world, Tokyo Sonata speaks to an unfortunate but universal human sensation.

'WALL-E'

After a handful of beloved and groundbreaking animated movies, there seemed to be no way Pixar could top themselves over a decade into their golden age. In 2008, they outdid themselves once again with WALL-E, a miraculous breakthrough not only in animation but popular media as a whole. Directed by Pixar staple Andrew Stanton, the film permanently stripped away all preconceived notions that animated movies are frivolous kids' entertainment.

WALL-E, which stars a sound recording artist as its lead (the legendary Ben Burtt) and explores ideas of environmentalism and technological dependency, was a wild swing for Pixar that could've easily belly-flopped. Instead, the film became a hallmark of the company's creative ingenuity and endless imagination. Inspired by the silent comedies of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, the first act of WALL-E belongs in the pantheon of American cinematic achievements. What follows are two cerebral and captivating acts that have eerily reflected our current landscape controlled by uncontrolled tech and late-stage capitalism. Somehow, its lofty ideas never derail the adventure and wonder audiences expect from Pixar. WALL-E is the kind of landmark film that future generations should be introduced to immediately.

'Synecdoche, New York'

While it may not be the most fun to revisit or uplifting experience, as a pure artistic achievement of daring and imaginative proportions, there is no topping Synechdoche, New York. After penning landmark movies such as Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Charlie Kaufman made his foray into directing and realized his most audacious, mind-bending experience yet in this emotionally punishing but profound drama starring the late Philip Seymour Hoffman at his best.

Synechdoche, New York illustrates what happens when an artist's work blends with their real life. Despite the broad concept presenting itself as a parody of a pretentious, highbrow art film, Kaufman's devastating treatise on a theater director's struggles with his complicated past and relationship woes works in mysterious ways. One minute, you'll feel pity for Caden Cotard (Hoffman), and in other instances, you'll bemoan his self-destructive and standoffish tendencies. Synechdoche, New York is a shrewd takedown of artistic obsession and hubris that is nonetheless deeply moving as a touching character study of both comedic and tragic components. Hoffman's astounding performance is layered with the weight and thematic depth of Kaufman's script and revelatory virtuosity as a visual artist. In a world where our artificially created worldviews have blended with reality, the film has never been more relevant.