Reel Life Blog

2008 wasn't much of a leap year.  Things crashed in 2008, like stock markets, fuel prices, media sales, Gustav, and the Republican Party, causing people to reconsider what matters in their lives.  Movies were no escape, as The Dark Knight symbolically dominated the movie box office.  As the world reflects and resets itself for brighter days, our #1 quote from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull offers a reminder that these changes happen as things age.  Chosen from 150 nominated quotes, here are the ten smartest movie quotes of 2008.

Although this was not an epic year for great movies, there were many outstanding acting performances from men in leading and supporting roles.  However, no performance compares to Heath Ledger's purely evil characterization of The Joker.  Ledger's villain dominated The Dark Knight like few characters have in the history of film.  For his performance, and those of other great actors, Reel Life recognizes the following men for their outstanding performances in 2008.

An increasing number of screenplays feature female characters with more to offer than a concern about love and men.  As a result, 2008 provided some excellent choices for quality acting by two-X chromosome performers.  Forget Sex and the City.  Look instead to Frozen River, Vicki Cristina Barcelona, Happy-Go-Lucky, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day and other similar films featuring females in the leads.  Congratulations to these actresses, who are Reel Life Wisdom's selections for the top ten female acting performances from the films of 2008. 

2008 was a dark year for the movies.  Led by The Dark Knight, the year included a variety of excellent-but-dark films, including In Bruges, Frozen River and Revolutionary Road.  As usual, most of the best films were crowded into end-of-the-year-releases, each hoping to be the last film lingering on the minds of award voters.  From us at Reel Life Wisdom, here are our top 10 flicks of 2008.

The Reel Life Wisdom site features approximately 100 inspirational and/or thought-provoking quotes from 2008.  On January 6th, we will release our Top Ten Smartest Quotes of 2008.  Most films in any year feature one or two quotes that have something to say beyond the context of the movie.  However, some films are full of meaningful quotes.  Here are the top six quote-providing 2008 movies featured on the Reel Life Wisdom website. 

Just when you thought it was safe to go to work, the annual office Christmas party rolls around.  Another year, another opportunity to socialize with people you hardly know, dance wildly to big hair 80’s music, and watch management behaving in ways they hope doesn’t end up on YouTube.  To add a little color to your office Christmas party this year, here are the 14 best movie quotes to slip into your between-drink conversations.

2001’s space oddity was the Russian space station Mir falling into the Pacific.  It was also the year Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings duked it out at the box office, Apple introduced the iPod, Tom and Nicole broke up, West Wing took home the postponed Emmy’s, Winona forgot to pay, Enron filed for bankruptcy, and the tragedy of 9/11 changed us all.  Here are the 10 best quotes from the films of 2001.

Ronald Reagan never got to play a President of the United States until he was one.  However, many actors have played the Commander-in-Chief, including Charleton Heston, Henry Fonda, Robin Williams, George Clooney, Tom Selleck, Jeff Bridges, Michael Douglas, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, and Anthony Hopkins (twice - he played Adams and Nixon).  Real and fictional Presidents have offered some useful advice for President Elect Barack Obama.  Here are six tips from movie Presidents for America's next leader. 

Movies do not portray politics in a positive light.  Despite its vital importance to a country’s well being, the American film view of politics is always cynical.  Ever since Mr. Smith went to Washington and his hopeful optimism ran into the manipulations of polarized political power, the atrocities of authority have been featured in film.  Here are twelve sample screen quotes that reveal the great difference between real leadership and what politics has become.

Movie quote from: The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) – Chris Gardner (Will Smith)

The Pursuit of Happyness is a film about the value of resilience.  While playing basketball with his son, Chris Gardner (as played by Will Smith) tells his son to forget basketball and do something useful.  Realizing the mistake of what he just said, Chris tells his son, “Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. Not even me.”  He wants his son to know what he knows, that a persistent pursuit of your own dreams is the best way to bring a sense of happiness to your life.