As Movie Mom has already pointed out, critics and major media outlets are posting their year-end lists of the best movies of 2008. Roger Ebert has published his, as has the prestigious National Board of Review and the Los Angeles Film Critics released their list yesterday. In a year that I would label as only “so-so” for movie buffs, there are some surprising trends appearing on these influential lists.

Wall-E is appearing as the favorite movie of the year on so many of the top lists that it may actually have a legitimate shot at an Oscar nod outside of the animation category. The other early favorites seem to be “Slumdog Millionaire” and plenty of acting nods for the casts of “Doubt” and “Frost/Nixon.” There’s also lots of mentions of Heath Ledger on these lists, lending some traction to the notion he will get a posthumous Oscar. (I actually think this will happen.)
For me, the bright spot of these lists has been the championing of what I think is possibly the most overlooked movie of the year, “Frozen River.” The actresses, as well as the directorial debut of Courtney Hunt, are finally receiving recognition, though I still fear they will be snubbed at Oscar time.
Perhaps the only movie on any of these lists that still baffles me is the documentary “Man on Wire.” I understand a man completed this crazy feat of walking on a wire between the Twin Towers back in the 70s, but for me, watching this story for 90 minutes is just not the stuff of moving, inspiring docudrama.
My own top ten list for this year is temporarily on hold until I catch just a few more movies, but I will say that in addition to “Frozen River” a few other movies destined to make my list include “Benjamin Button,” “The Visitor” and the satirical “American Carol.”