Left out the documentary YOUNG@HEART, which I feel was as good as any other film I've seen this year.

I've heard from a lot of people who liked WAR INC, but I haven't seen it yet myself.

I wish I understood why so many people love TROPIC THUNDER -- and why I found it boring and a waste of so much talent.

Believe me, I *wanted* to like that film, but I just. Didn't. Care. Not even about RD Jr (whom I recently enjoyed so much in both KISS KISS BANG BANG and IRON MAN -- incidentally, Beale is crazy to call the latter overrated).

Am I the only one who didn't like the characters, or even give a damn about them? Maybe it's my anti-Stiller stance (I've never found him more than merely tolerable to watch).

There were a handful of good gags (the bat-stealing-coke bit was inspired), but... yeah.

Whew. Now I'm not the only person in America who laughed at Zohan.

Vindication!

Luzid I completly agree with you about Tropic Thunder. I'm going to try and watch it with someone who actually found it funny.

I agree with most of the awards except Man on Wire which about a wirewalker walking between the twin towers in teh 70's. The documentary's purpose is not really to teach you about wirewalking or bring you into this new world you didn't know about. Rather, it's straightforward about its subject. That being said, it is well shot and beautifully photographed. Since they interview the guy in the present, there's no suspense of whether he made it or not, rather, it's more about the experience. And without being heavy handed, or even hinting at a theme, the film is seemingly also about the free spirit of the 70s. I really really liked this film.

- Ben Sahle

I'm with Luzid too, Tropic Thunder was horrible (A very lame Galaxy Quest). I have nothing against Stiller, love Zoolander and Heavyweights. Also agree with Joshua that Young@heart was great, but was that this year? Scott knows how I feel about Dark Knight, so I'm not going to spit into that wind here. And 'enough movies about the Iraq War'? Really? I was disappointed by 'Burn After Reading', but I'm not asking the Coen's to stop trying after it. Haven't seen much of the rest this year, but I've read a few scripts--thumbs up for Milk, and down for both Eastwoods, Gran Torino and Changeling, especially Changeling--which is very flat and unbelievable on the page. I'm about to watch the Visitor which I've read and expect to be good.

Sorry guys, I saw TROPIC THUNDER in a theatre in Times Square and all of us in the audience were laughing so hard it got difficult to hear the movie.

I mean, I thought it was freakin' hilarious ... I don't think it was perfect and there were moments that ... well, who cares? I laughed.

Laughed a lot.

My buddies saw it, they laughed, too. Called me up to crow about Tom Cruise, Downey jr, and of course, going full retard.

That's just me, but there ya go.

@ Joshua:

See, that's the problem -- I thought Tom Cruise was the best character in the film, and he's a total asshole!

I watched it with my best friends, and they feel the same -- and keep in mind we're people who found PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, even with its flaws, to be awesome.

Hell, I was high when I watched TROPIC THUNDER and... nothin'. A few jokes, a few grins, mostly yawns.

RE: Tropic Thunder

I didn't really enjoy it either, even though I think I understand why it was so popular/well liked.

I may be wrong, but a significant portion of the movie seemed to be "homage," (not an unusual element for smart comedy). And if you understand the details of the original scenes that Tropic Thunder is paying homage to, then much more of the movie makes sense...comically speaking.

That said, the homage elements of the movie I DID clearly recognize seemed really well done to me. And I respected them even though I didn't really laugh. The movie was VERY smart and well-done considering this element.

My problem is that I don't have enough film history/film memory to really enjoy extended homage as found in movies like Mike Myers' Waynes Word.

Plus I usually like the original stuff so much I don't find it funny when I do recognize homage.

Even so, I DID laugh VERY HARD a few times during the movie. I might have enjoyed it more in a group. For some reason Napleon Dynamite is like 5x funnier when I watch it with 4 or more people.