Premiere.com's Best, Worst, and Everything In-Between Movies of 2008

Fuck you all.

If you thoroughly enjoyed Punisher over the Dark Knight, you're an idiot, I am sorry. Nothing else needs to be said.

It makes sense that this film is regarded so highly in our current culture. Technically, it's maybe unsurpassed but to call it the best movie of 2008 is an absurdity. It's cold without any rooting interest whatsoever. Who is there to really care about. This movie doesn't come near touching the heart. It's all about sensations. By the way, I'm not a snob who puts down comic book films but, in truth, most of them are not movies but shells of movies. I actually enjoyed THE PUNISHER more than THE DARK KNIGHT. Good villain and lots of rooting interest.

it really wasnt

Your taste is obviously in your mouth

now we know why Premiere subscriptions were replaced with Us Weekly -- that's the level the magazine now aspired to. RIP

Add to the list of movies you won't see in theaters Pirates of the Great Salt Lake. It is a shame the Weinstein Company didn't release it in theaters, nor did they even have test audiences. I happened to see it at one of many film festivals where it won crowd favorite. You can find it for rental at Blockbuster, or for sale online at Amazon. It is offbeat, quirky, and alot of fun.

Add to the list of movies you won't see in theaters Pirates of the Great Salt Lake. It is a shame the Weinstein Company didn't release it in theaters, nor did they even have test audiences. I happened to see it at one of many film festivals where it won crowd favorite. You can find it for rental at Blockbuster, or for sale online at Amazon. It is offbeat, quirky, and alot of fun.

Granted, saying who doesn't put The Dark Knight at the top of their lists is a jerk is a little pushy, it should not diminish the fact that is was a great film. I have read some of the comments here and they are laughable at best. The Dark Knight is a comic book film, but raised to a level most comic books films don't dare go. Most comic book films do not take themselves seriously. There is a wink to the audience that hey we know this is silly, but people seem to like it kind of mentality. There are the rare few movies that take a bold step to raise it above that and give a film importance. The Dark Knight is one of those. As for the comment that the film has problems....well, duh. I'll bet you could look at almost any film and say that. It is such an insipid comment I'd almost bet you never made it out of high school yet. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, the only difference is, having one doesn't make you right. It just means you have one, congratulations on that. Haters need to get a life. I love movies, period. Good ones, bad ones, really bad ones, I don't care. The great ones stand out because they go beyond entertaining us and give something more substantial. We can all eat at McDonald's but you cant live on it. Sometimes, you need to eat a good meal that has been prepared with care. Then you can appreciate what has been given to you. So haters, go back to your pathetic lives of not getting enough attention at home and leave the criticisms to those who truly love movies. And by the way, referencing movies no one has seen does not make you smart, it makes you look like a pretentious asshole, but hey, its just an opinion. It doesn't mean I'm right, or does it?

Dear "Premiere.com Staff" - whoever you are, Please step away from your keyboards, power down your computers, collect your things and please leave the film, magazine and dot-com communities forever: its over. You just jumped the shark with this, the last article of yours that I will ever read. Was this moronic, lowest common denominator list written for Maxim or FHM magazine, but somehow got printed here, at the formerly elegant, insightful and always intelligent Premiere.com instead? As many others have noted above, this site is just not the same without the amazing writers who have been gutted entirely until now we are left with just the anonymously -and ominously- named "Premiere.com staff". Goodbye Glen Kenny - thank you for your decades of incredible reviews and your encyclopedic knowledge of film. Goodbye to other great Premiere.com writers like Karl Rozemeyer and Matt Mueller who consistently came up with smart and insightful articles that I always enjoyed and that put this article to shame. But most of all I'd like to ask: How did we get here? How did the most beloved and most prestigious of all film print magazines that had been around for decades happen to slip into oblivion -- first to a sad shell of a website, and then to this article, which lists "Rambo" as best foreign film of the year? If that was supposed to be funny, then please realize that the state of this website isn't funny -- its tragic for a lot of people who really loved Premiere magazine. I just want to know - whose gross mismanagement was it (last print editor-in-chief Peter Herbst, perhaps?) that caused thousands of subscribers to lose a beloved magazine, dozens of great writers to disappear, and a fantastic, well-known brand to be dragged through the dirt? I don’t know who to blame, but I do know that with articles like this one, any former Premiere readers like me who were left visiting the sad remains of this website will probably stop visiting at all. A note to the former Premiere Magazine and Premiere.com: I’ll miss you -- RIP. And a note to the current editors of Premiere.com: Good luck with your future endeavors.

This is by far the worst "best of 2008" list I've ever seen assembled. I'm officially never coming back to this site again. I hadn't checked in in a while, but evidentally Glenn Kenny is gone, and he was the only redeeming writer left with the site/magazine. Good ridence.

You Don't Mess With The Zohan: not so bad, disko - disko Defiance: only interesting for Americans, i suppose (jews and all that staff). Traditionaly grey cloths, about jews - only good or nothing, etc.

Gosh, even for the fun, thats a list that makes me never read anything by Premiere.

Premiere was the only magazine I had ever subscribed to. Receiving my latest edition brought unmitigated glee (accompanied by hand rubbing and giggling). Alas...those times seem gone. Popcorn and mindlessness appear to be all that remain. Not that I dont like my popcorn along with the masses, but I do prefer a little yin with my yang people! (translation: bring balance to the force young paduans...). Therefore (with regret)I am jumping ship for Empire magazine - where wit, creativity & an obsession for ALL types of movies is always on display. Toodles! (from a South African Movie Fan)

I think my ten year brother could come up with a better top ten of the year. This site used to be intellint, erudite, and informative with Glenn Kenny. Now that he has gone , do we have frat boys compiling these top 10's? Is this top 10 meant to be a joke, are you kidding me Rambo has the best foreign film of the year! That just indicates you didn't see any foreign films of the year and your trying to be witty to make up for it.

Really? You thought Prince Caspian ruined the Narnia franchise? Why, because it made less money? I thought it was better and more entertaining than the first. But whatever, this list is a complete joke. I used to like this magazine, now it's just silly. Goodbye.

To the last poster: God forbid if readers knows who the full-time critic is for the film site that they appreciate. They must be elitists or friends of the critic, right? Hopefully the ignorant still read, b/c that is the new audience for this site. Glad you thought the list was "interesting." The question is, how many times did you actually pay to read Premiere in the past like many of us who are lamenting what it has turned into?

for the most part read like a smear campaign from friends of glenn kenny...whoever he is! i think the list was interesting and yes, virginia, there is such a thing as chick flicks!

Really? Quantum of Solace? I thought Casino Royale was the best Bond film ever ,and I think QoS is not only the worst Bond film ever, but the worst film of 2008 (that I've seen).

Oh my god! What a shame. Premiere used to be a great movie lover's magazine,now it's a website for movie jerks. What's next! Instead of possible oscars contenders your gonna show a list of MTV movie awards possible contenders. Jackass!!

I wish this list was a little more serious. Eagle Eye one of the best films of the year? Give me a break. Can you make a real list, please?

When did Premiere and Cracked merge?

This is really kind of sad. Premiere used to be a wonderful magazine combining enthusiasm for popcorn movies with intelligent discussion of serious film. Then it turned into a web site. And then it turned into this. I'll check back from time to time to see if the adult supervision has returned, but in the meantime, it seems criminal that this group of people can still use the Premiere name.

just for male-13-years-old-pop-corn-eaters ..and do you still say 'chick flick'? Should we say 'd*ck flick'?

Hey people, I think it´s a fair list, you just don´t have any sense of humour!!!!

And that explains the deep faily nature of the list!

Sin city was better than the Dark Knight.At least Rourke's bit was.I say The Wrestler is the best movie and once again Rourke delivers an amazing performance.

Looked forward to the Premiere magazine every month. After reading this all I have to say is what happened and this will be my last time reading Premiere.com. So, Goodbye!

I thought I was alone in lamenting the fact that this site has gone soft. I agree with most of you that this list seems geared to 12-year-old boys. Are movies that require any amount of thought not worthy of your list because you are incapable of any amount of thought? And one has to wonder if Batman would be getting the hype it is if Heath Ledger hadn't died soon after. I was mesmerized by his performance, but more so because I was wondering what would drive someone to become so disturbed that he would take his life (accident or not) than by the fact that it was such a great part. I will continue to search for a magazine or website that offers thoughtful, mature, musings on films and film makers--since this obviously isn't it.

Wow , is this is what has become of Premiere ? Used to buy the magazine all the time and now and again checked the web site. Feel like I left the house and when I came back a bunch of twelve year old boys had taken over and left all their garbage lying around. Pathetic. Seems like a site by people for people with no curiosity or real interest in an art form just the most commercial obvious films in town.

To make the choice of The Dark Knight as best film of the year seem like such a given makes me question the level of criticism that is taking place on this site. To add Role Models, Wanted, Eagle Eye and Forgetting Sarah Marshall to the list I now know two other things: 1) the writers are deliberately trying to go mainstream during a year that any serious filmgoers knows that they had to look for more obscure movies to find quality (ever hear of foreign films before? your list makes me wonder...), and 2) a once astute magazine and website has been destroyed by the economy. Intelligent film criticism--like any art and academic talent-just doesn't pay the bills anymore. That is why we have Ben Lyons replacing Roger Ebert on his syndicated show when his health demanded a new host, and why this website has now skewed young, immature, and ill-informed. And this is coming from a 26 yr old. The only difference is I make short films and appreciate films that weren't produced by Judd Apatow and that don't have superheroes in spandex. Rest in Peace Glenn Kenny. It might be a small consolation after you were edged out of you job, but know that other lovers of film will follow you away from Premiere.com. Best to leave this site to the kiddies. And a last thing: See how respectable critics actually have text to explain why we should trust their opinions on the year's best film, rather than just listing a bunch of summer blockbusters. I'm so glad you directed viewers to such indie darlings like Wanted and The Incredible Hulk. How would these movies ever survive without your staff of Gymboree drop-outs reminding us that these films can be currently purchased on DVD. And to think, Premiere is the magazine that first introduced me to Godard. How the might have fallen.. Now I am sure everyone will try to slime me as snobby, elitist, or as as angry film student who never got famous. There, I did it for you. But the truth remains: a great magazine and website for film fans is gone, and great writers have lost their jobs. What was the problem? Did Kenny put films on his oip Ten List that had sub-titles? that didn't star Angelina Jolie? that didn't feature CGI? Signing off Premiere, for the last time...

I just think whoever wrote this should be thankful there's no byline because this is truly embarrassing. File this under Articles We Wish We Could Unsee.

Keeping in mind I saw this at a press screening, I knew there were problems with the film from the start before people where shouting 'FOR YOU CONSIDERATION...'. And if you want more reassurance, I saw the film three times at the cinema just to be certain I was sure... ...And sorry, I was right, and this is coming from someone who really liked Batman Begins and Christopher Nolan. In my opinion, the film needs several re-drafts from becoming a film that still takes itself too seriously (pun not intended). However, those re-drafts would make the film flow more smoothly. However, I will give this: the cinematography is the main reason to watch it. The intentions are good for a film that has loads of ideas, the problem is that these ideas get in the way of the emotional engagement, a problem I didn't have with Batman Begins. Seriously, I'm not saying all this just to be devil's advocate. I'm saying this because I'm reasonable and overall I give that the film is good. BUT, it's by far and away, not a masterpiece.

It has everything. I've seen all the critics picks, and think they're great. But, overall, Dark Knight had it all. Story, performances, visually stunning... I've watched it at home a few times and it's a marvel. It's clear that people are going out of their way to make it less than it is, which is why I appreciate someone just saying: This is the best, accept it.

Come on, The Dark Knight isn't great! I'm disappointed, that's a list comprised of people that haven't seen many films this year. And by the way by saying The Dark Knight is NOT the best film of year, doesn't make us a jerk, it just means we're right and we've got opinions. If anything, it's the film that nearly everyone thinks is the second coming. "It's a psychology essay". No, it's not. "It's a crime film". No, it's not. "It's modern day classic". N...GET OVER YOURSELVES! It's a comic-book film. Why are all these sub genres being made up to make The Dark Knight look somehow superior. Plus, Why are the critics falling over this. I'm not being snobby, I'm being fair. The film has flaws, whether it be the script being overladen. The narrative being patchy. The whole film acting like one giant moral set-piece. Plus the fact that, let's face it, Harvey Dent being one character too many. Let me get this straight, I'm don't think the film is bad. It's good, just not great and to be honest I liked the film better when people were not sticking their big noses into it. You want a film of the year: Terrence Davis' Of Time and the City. I rest my case

It won't make any critics happy, and I can tell a few picks are tongue-in-cheek (Rambo as Foreign Film is sooooo funny) but it's great to see a list that speaks to the people for a change.

...pathetic.

Sad. With Glenn Kenny gone, it's like the professor left the classroom in the hands of some numnuts, frat boy undergrads. Premiere used to be my favorite magazine. I just hope this lowest-common-denominator, dipshit blog crap doesn't happen to daily newspapers.