I spent seven months traveling the world this year and only managed to see a few movies while on the road. To make matters worse, the few that we did see were all big budget blockbusters (i.e. Transformers, Pirates 3, etc). So in order to make up for lost time, I have seen 27 movies since coming back to America. And luckily for both of us, I came back in time for all the best ones. Here are my favorites (I have not seen Sweeney Todd, Persepolis or There Will Be Blood):
Best Picture: Juno, Into the Wild, Gone Baby Gone,
No Country For Old Men, 3:10 to Yuma
Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen [Eastern Promises],
Javier Bardem [No Country], Casey Affleck [The Assassination of Jesse James], Philip Seymour Hoffman [Charlie Wilson's War, The Savages, Before The Devil Knows Your Dead], Josh Brolin [No Country], Brad Pitt [The Assassination of Jesse James], William Hurt [Into The Wild]
Best Actress: Keira Knightley [Atonement], Ellen Page [Juno],
Cate Blanchett [I'm Not There], Amy Ryan [Gone Baby Gone], Laura Linney [The Savages], Catherine Keener [Into The Wild]
Best Writing: Aaron Sorkin [Charlie Wilson's War], The Coen Brothers [No Country],
Diablo Cody [Juno], Judd Appatow [Knocked Up], Ben Affleck [Gone Baby Gone]
Best Director: Sean Penn [Into The Wild], Ben Affleck [Gone Baby Gone], James Mangold [3:10 to Yuma],
The Coen Brothers [No Country], Joe Wright [Atonement], Judd Appatow [Knocked Up]
Honorable Mention: Atonement [Best Cinematography], Russell Crowe [Best Actor], Michael Clayton [Best Picture], George Clooney [Best Actor], Into The Wild [Best Soundtrack], Knocked Up [Best Picture], Ethan Hawke [Before The Devil Knows Your Dead]
Worst Movie: National Treasure 2, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, I Am Legend, The Heartbreak Kid