In Lists
So filmcritic.com just launched their Best of 2008 year-end list, compiling the opinions of our crack cadre of critics, like Bill Gibron, Chris Null, Norm Schrager, Sean O’Connell, Don Willmott, myself, and others. Some pretty good choices in there, nice attention from Bill to Revolutionary Road, and Don to Flight of the Red Balloon. For what it’s worth, here’s my top choice of the year…
The Class — Laurent Cantet vaults to the top ranks of modern filmmakers with this scrupulously observed, cinema-verite take on a year in the life of a French high school class headed up by a tough-minded teacher played by co-writer François Bégaudeau (an actual teacher). Refusing to fall into the clichés of either heartwarming success stories or hopeless nightmare — the two ways in which multiethnic urban classrooms are usually depicted — Cantet just sets up a series of short-fuse explosions between the teacher and his rambunctious kids and watches the struggle for power play itself out, with fascinating results.
Chris Barsanti 