My Top 10 Films Of 2008.

1. Waltz With Bashir
2. The Wrestler
3. Revolutionary Road
4. I’ve Loved You So Long
5. Slumdog Millionaire
6. The Dark Knight
7. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
8.  Wall*E
9. Milk
10. Frost/Nixon

I haven’t seen “The Reader”, “Doubt”, “Man On Wire”, “Che”, “Rachel Getting Married”, “The Class”, “Changeling”, “Happy Go Lucky”, “Wendy and Lucy” or “In Bruges” (all of which I probably should see).

“Waltz With Bashir” was a surprise. I saw it last night and honestly I don’t think anything else that came out in 2008 even comes close. Well, maybe a few things do. But I don’t think “Milk” or “Frost/Nixon” or “Benjamin Button” or even “Slumdog Millionaire” should have been nominated for best picture ahead of “Waltz With Bashir”.

“Milk” was good but formulaic. Which I suppose isn’t a crime since all biopics generally follow the same type of pattern. The performances were strong, particularly Sean Penn and James Franco. But overall, I don’t think “Milk” covered any new ground as film, though if it won Best Picture, I would in no way be upset due to the highway robbery that occurred in regards to “Brokeback Mountain” (which at the time I saw it I felt was kind of underwhelming, but I feel it has aged well whereas “Crash”, well…that’s problematic for a lot of reasons). I guess in general a movie that is about Gay issues winning ‘best picture’ would be a positive, even if it isn’t actually the ‘best picutre’ of the year.

It’s far more of a crime when something generally not that great in any way wins Best Picture over far more deserving films. Example: The 76th oscars where “Lord Of The Rings 3″ won Best Picture over “Mystic River” and “Lost In Translation”. I would have definitely given it to the latter. But clearly that was an example of Hollywood thanking a major series for the cash it made.

Or the 73rd Oscars when “Gladiator” won over “Traffic”.

Or the 70th Oscars when “Titanic” won over “Good Will Hunting”, “L.A. Confidential” and “As Good As It Gets” (which I didn’t really like,  but still, it was better than “Titanic”.

Who knew “Witness”was nominated for Best Picture? Talk about a slow oscar season. Someone gets killed by a mountain of grain in that movie. Horrible.

Moving Back To Rhode Island.

I’ve lived a lot of places the last two years. Back bay, Mission Hill, Brighton, Winthrop. All in the greater Boston area.

Last week I found out that I would be moving back to the state I grew up in.

My girlfriend got a great promotion in Rhode Island and I was faced with the choice of either 1) staying in the Boston area and living with friends again, or 2) moving back to Rhode Island, a place i grew up hating and couldn’t wait to get away from.

I went with 2.

I’ll still be commuting to work up here everyday.

But I’ll be calling Providence my home.

The whole thing just made me see how quickly things can change. It was a nice reminder. A lot of things have happened lately.

I never wanted to live in Rhode Island again. I moved to Boston as soon as I could. I couldn’t wait to get away.

But now I’m going back.

I’m sure it will be a lot different this time. I’ m a lot different.

It’s funny though, everyone I know from Michigan (a surprisingly high amount of people, 6) loves Michigan. They all love it. It’s home.

People from Connecticut love being from Connecticut.

New Yorkers are always proud New Yorkers.

I never felt that way about Rhode Island.

This is sort of a second chance. I’m giving you one last chance Rhode Island. If you fuck me again I’ll never come back.