Top 10 Movies by Ed Johnson

1. Wall-E
Pixar, arguably the most consistent movie studio in the world, did it again with Wall-E, combining a deft personal love story with beautiful animation, and a message of environmental ethics that rings true. It might be the most heartwarming tale set in post-apocalyptic Earth ever told.

2. The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight had a dark hold over movie-going audiences this summer, despite its raw violence and moral ambiguities. Christopher Nolan orchestrated a coup of artistry in comic-book-movie form, ascending even the specter of Heath Ledger’s untimely death to create that rare beast: a huge blockbuster that challenges rather than pacifies.

3. Milk
Gus Van Sant has spent years making difficult, artful movies that show great craft but little concern for traditional storytelling. With Milk he takes a worthy subject–assassinated gay politician Harvey Milk–and weaves a biopic full of life within his filmmaking style.

4. I.O.U.S.A
The best documentaries are timely and a little bit scary for what they reveal. I.O.U.S.A. terrifies with its graphs, and charts a nation (ours) riding a wave toward financial downfall. It also packages it all in an easily understood and well-made film.

5. Snow Angels
This quietly moving film, about love, loss and confusion in a snowy Midwestern town, showcases the dreamy focus of director David Gordon Green. The ending packs an emotional wallop, where sadness and hope intertwine.

6. Boy A
The conceit of Boy A, a British film that follows a young man with a violent past as he reenters society, is sterling. There’s interest in spades here, and this little film delivers a quality story with strong performances from new actors.

7. Cloverfield
Cloverfield might be the most tightly constructed film of the year. This monster movie carefully parses its horror into little dollops of fun, and the first-person camera style actually works. It’s pure entertainment, and a near perfect horror movie.

8. In Bruges
An existential drama about two criminals stuck in a Belgium tourist trap, In Bruges doesn’t delight as much as it despairs. But that’s OK. Director Martin McDonagh uses his debut to show a rare skill. Here’s hoping he has a long career ahead of him.

9. Slumdog Millionaire
This up-from-the-bootstraps tale of an orphan boy in India striking it rich on a television game show is a lovely piece of work. It also paints an ugly, mesmerizing picture of Indian slums, doing for Mumbai what City of God did for Sao Paulo, Brazil.

10. Pineapple Express
Judd Apatow had a few missteps this year, but tapping Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg to write this hilarious action-stoner comedy was not one of them.