Five Most Underrated Films of 2008
Batman Gotham Night, The Visitor, Son of Rambow and More
Feb 3, 2009
2008 was a fantastic year for film with the writers strike safely in the past the industry quickly got back to business with huge box office successes such as The Dark Knight, Quantum of Solace, and Mama Mia! to name a few. However, with so much to choose from it is easy to miss great films that fly under the radar. Below are five underrated films released in 2008 that are definitely worth checking out before heading to the cinema this year.
Batman Gotham Knight
Batman fever swept the nation this summer with the hugely anticipated Dark Knight garnering fine critical acclaim. Lower on the radar, but no less action packed was the animated film Batman Gotham Knight. Sadly not released in theatres, but available on DVD Gotham Knight comprises of six short stories, all by different directors, spanning Batman’s beginnings as a heroic vigilante shrouded in mystery, to his lonely status as the Dark Knight of a decaying landscape.
The film was intended to be viewed as a whole, yet each segment bears the individual mark of its creators in writing and artistic vision and can just as easily stand alone. Actor Kevin Conroy (Batman the Animated Series) voices the title character in each short, lending a sense of partnership and continuity throughout.
This film is definitely a must see for anyone who cannot wait for the next Christopher Nolan installment in the Batman franchise, and for fans of superhero movies who are looking for something a bit more interesting than Iron Man.
The Visitor
The Visitor is writer/Director Tom McCarthy’s follow up to his acclaimed directorial debut The Station Agent. The story follows widowed College Professor Walter Vale (played by Richard Jenkins), who seems to walk through life like a shadow. On a conference trip to New York Walter finds a young immigrant couple have taken up residence in his neglected apartment, and an unlikely friendship develops. The film is heartrending without being sappy and bleak without proving difficult to watch. Walter is a character who could easily be viewed unsympathetically, but Jenkins imbues him with a tender pathos that makes the audience immediately fall in love with him. The Visitor hardly gained as much recognition as McCarthy’s first film, yet with its haunting story and raw humanity it proves itself a worthy successor.
Son of Rambow
Technically released on January 22nd 2007 this film had its cinematic debut in 2008. Following the story of two young boys from very different backgrounds who decide to make enter a filmmaking contest, Son of Rambow was last year’s surprise hit. The Film’s success is largely due to standout performances from newcomers Bill Milner and Will Poulter, whom the director found by casting at schools rather than through agencies. The script by Garth Jennings is near perfection, capturing the humour and severity of growing up flawlessly. Shot over 8 weeks with a budget of only 4 million pounds and a houseboat for an office and editing suite, this film is well worth supporting.
Is There Anybody There?
Michael Caine gives one of his best performances to date in this low profile film about a boy growing up in a retirement home who befriends a grouchy old widower unable to come to terms with his own aging. Bill Milner again turns in a surprisingly mature performance for an actor with little experience, playing off Michael Caine with deft agility. Writer Peter Harness also shows prodigious skill, with a screenplay that is at once jauntily comedic and painfully touching without sliding into syrupy territory.
Most surprising are writer Harness and director John Crowley’s ability to let the actors do the work, rather than rely on dialogue, score, and editing to manipulate a response from the audience.
Tokyo Gore Police
It may seem somewhat surprising to include a horror film as one of the top five films of 2008; however Tokyo Gore Police is far superior to any of the artistically void teen-horror films that littered mainstream theatres this past year. Yoshihiro Nishimura’s satirical look at power and corruption is creative and intelligent. Beneath the prosthetic make-up and copious amounts of fake blood Tokyo Gore Police is a film that examines the acceptance and exploitation of violence in Japanese Society.
This film is worth watching both for its hilariously grim depiction of what human’s have the possibility of becoming and for its exquisite make up and special effects. Totally unpretentious and exactly what the title suggests Tokyo Gore Police definitely deserves to be hailed as one of the most underrated films that the past year had to offer.
