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The Best 2008 Recap You'll Ever See - 2008: The Cinescape

by Alex Billington
January 1, 2009
Source: Matt Shapiro

Put down whatever it is you're doing. Find somewhere comfortable to sit. And watch this video now. Last year, Matt Shapiro made one of the best cinematic recaps ever, called 2007: A Year for Drama, and he's back again with a 2008 recap called 2008: The Cinescape. This time it's not just drama, but a look at everything that has made 2008 a memorable year for movies. If there's anyone that can capture in 4-minutes the exact reasons why I love waking up every morning so happy to be doing what I do, it's Matt Shapiro. This video really does capture an entire year's worth of movies better than any words can.

Watch the 2008: The Cinescape recap:

Thank you to Matt for sending this over today - you've made my day. He's literally covered every last movie, I don't think there is one that deserves to be in this recap that isn't. Like last year, he took a montage of clips from some of the year's most unforgettable films and made me shed a tear by reminding me that it's about the joy of watching movies, not about criticism. And Matt has done that yet again, this time to the sound of Sigur Ros' "Hoppipola". And I love that Cloverfield has some time in here, because we can't forget that it was a 2008 movie, too. What a great way to kick off 2009 and also put the finishing touches on 2008.

Filed under Cool Stuff, Editorial, To Watch

From around the web:

Al

that was very well done. I'm glad Role Models, Be Kind Rewind, Australia, and Hamlet 2 made it in there.
Markmos

It was FAB-U-LOUS!!! LOVE SIGUR ROS too!
dave

that was very good. I didn't see wanted. Wanted was a good movie
Internet Speaking

At the end there, where the girl is standing in the spotlight with her hand over her mouth, what movie is that from?
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

The same image I used at the top of the post - it's from Benjamin Button...
Andrew

Very good, well done, great to see what has occurred in the movie business over one year.
Andrew

Isn't Defriance with Daniel Craig coming out until January or February, so it wouldn't count for 2008, just a question, because I thought it was coming out 2008
Mikesta

Kick off 2009 and put finishing touches to 2008 it should read I assume or it's another daaamn time paradox which I could really do without! Great vid
http://lindashortman.com Linda

That's awesome, thanks! The final shot is Cate Blanchette from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Frankly Frank

Wonderful!
Darunia

It was an ambitious year, but i fell short of what it could've been. Great year anyway.
L

I wasn't a huge fan of it, but I'm surprised I didn't see a Hellboy II clip.
Josh

I spent the last few days going over Top 10 lists and disagreeing with everyone about "Benjamin Button" and thinking, 2008 had nothing on 2007. But watching that made me stop and just think "Thank God for movies".
big r

Loved that, thank you so much Alex for putting this up here. That was awesome!
http://youtube.com/snears Nick Sears

Great Sequence!
Matt Suhu

very nice.
Tyler

superb video
Jay Selis

i had constant chills running down my spine
http://www.tomvatterott.blogspot.com Tom V

Awesome...
Ian

Although it was well done, I admit, I was quite surprised to see a lack of clips from the Incredible Hulk. I saw a couple movies in there that could have easily been replaced with some Ed Norton. Any thoughts?
Cody

word 18 chills through the whole thing, great video. Just hope 2009s a better year...for movies and especially everything else.
Galethog

juno! hulk! ... great video though
Kable

There was one scene from Hulk in there (the POV shot when Norton bailed from the helicopter). I think 2009 has some good promise as far as movies are concerned. I can't wait for Watchmen.
Will S.

@22 Juno was last year.
Ian

I just think that if they're going to pay tribute to the Hulk they can do more than show Liv Tyler.
Jeff C.

Would be great if someone could post a list of the movies like they did for the 2007 post. I could only identify a few but would love to know the rest to maybe put on my wishlist to see. Someone mentioned these: Role Models Be Kind Rewind Australia Hamlet 2 Cloverfield And I spotted: The Wrestler Iron Man Wall-E Quantum Solace There Will Be Blood Indiana 4 Six Pounds Dark Knight Milk Pineapple Express Speed Racer Burn After Reading Knocked Up The Visitor Get Smart Yes Men Hancock Day the Earth Stood Still The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Jeff C.

I think 2 others were: Revolutionary Road I'm Not There
Georg

Huh? I spotted this 2 weeks ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw-QhpS_kIs . It's a compilation of 2008 movies too and it uses the same music.....
http://www.myspace.com/deadbirdinc Stuart Mellor

Incredible Video
BahHumbug

It wasn't I'm Not There, that was '07. And why are you surprised about Cloverfield, Alex? It was an '08 movie so I guess that means that you were expecting movies that weren't in '08 (not to sound crude but January is a month)....
BahHumbug

And to answer the poster above... Defiance came out yesterday so it is game for '08. Here are the movies I saw (placed them in alphabetical order), did I miss any? Australia Be Kind Rewind Burn After Reading Che Choke The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Cloverfield The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Dark Knight The Day the Earth Stood Still Defiance Doubt Eagle Eye Frost/Nixon Forgetting Sarah Marshall Get Smart Ghost Town Gran Torino Hamlet 2 Hancock Happy-Go-Lucky Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay In Bruges The Incredible Hulk Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Iron Man Kung-Fu Panda Milk Miracle at St. Anna Pineapple Express Quantum of Solace Rachel Getting Married The Reader Revolutionary Road Role Models Seven Pounds Slumdog Millionaire Snow Angels Speed Racer The Strangers Synecdoche New York The Tale of Despereaux Tropic Thunder Valkyrie The Visitor W Wall-E Waltz With Bashir Wendy and Lucy The Wrestler Yes Man Zack and Miri Make a Porno
f dragonball

I didnt see transformers in there... o well still a pretty good video
steve

No Redbelt? Too bad.
BahHumbug

Why would Transformers be in there, that was '07?
Dom

Ya know Alex I criticize you more than I should. Reading your excerpt (along with this beautiful video) shows me how much you love your trade and film in general. A good 2009 to you.
http://www.myspace.com/brianriccireviewsmovies Brian Ricci

wow
rblitz7

Could someone tell me where the incredible hulk was in this video?
Hmmmm

I must say, that was pretty Uber Awesome ... I've gotten used to Hulk being left out of popular discussions on pretty much anything, ever since that started happening when I was in the first grade ... It doesn't make him any less cool, it just means that he represents an animal part of ourselves that people don't always like to talk about. That, and the movie was good, but unfortunately by no means great. I'm glad to see Iron Man in there, tho. Way to go shell-head!
Icarus

Awesome... just awesome.
darrin

beautiful
http://pursang.wordpress.com Mini-T

Below is list of movies , in order of appereance -The Dark Knight -Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull -Wall-E -Quantum of Solace -Iron Man -Defiance -Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull -Australia -Forgetting Sarah Marshall -Wall-E -The Curious Case of Benjamin -The Dark Knight -Frost/Nixon -Wall-E -The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -Slumdog Millionaire -Milk -Seven Pounds -Revolutionary Road -Pineapple Express -Speed Racer -Burn After Reading -Ghost Town -Revolutionary Road -Quantum of Solace -Rachel Getting Married -Australia -Role Models -Choke -The Tale of Despereaux -Cloverfield -Zack and Miri Make a Porno -The Visitor -Milk -Be Kind Rewind -Synecdoche, New York -The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -Doubt -Wall-E -W. -Get Smart -Iron Man -Tropic Thunder -Iron Man -Tropic Thunder -Doubt -The Reader -Happy-Go-Lucky -The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -Valkyrie -Frost/Nixon -Yes Man -The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -The Wrestler -Revolutionary Road -Snow Angels -In Bruges -Waltz with Bashir -Wendy and Lucy -Rachel Getting Married -Get Smart -Hamlet 2 -Hancock -The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian -Cloverfield -Wall-E -The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -The Day the Earth Stood Still -The Dark Knight -FADE OUT -FADE IN -The Dark Knight -The Incredible Hulk -Wall-E -Seven Pounds -Wendy and Lucy -The Wrestler -Australia -The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian -The Dark Knight -Wall-E -Cloverfield -Australia -Miracle at St. Anna -Waltz with Bashir -Valkyrie -Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay -Rachel Getting Married -Pineapple Express -The Dark Knight -Defiance -Che -Valkyrie -Australia -Defiance -Quantum of Solace -Slumdog Millionaire -The Wrestler -Revolutionary Road -The Dark Knight -Defiance -Australia -Iron Man -Cloverfield -The Strangers -Defiance -Wall-E -Slumdog Millionaire -Revolutionary Road -Synecdoche, New York -Defiance -Iron Man -The Day the Earth Stood Still -Waltz with Bashir -The Dark Knight -Australia -The Wrestler -Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull -Cloverfield -The Dark Knight -Pineapple Express -Defiance -Rachel Getting Married -Milk -Quantum of Solace -Defiance -Kung Fu Panda -Pineapple Express -Seven Pounds -The Wrestler -Iron Man -Eagle Eye -Frost/Nixon -Revolutionary Road -The Reader -Milk -Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay -Gran Torino -Che -The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Cody

What was the one with the 2 knights jumping at each other?
MovieKid10

Absoulety Fantastic! This made my day, a chill went donw my spine and tears were brought to my eyes. I love how he has mixed Sigur Ros' music, with what I would say are the top 52 movies of '08. What a awesome year!
rob

first time i heard hoppipola was on the children of men trailer, then and still on the Disneys Earth trailer and now here.. terrific song
Mr. Wizard

@22 FUCK JUNO!! Sorry I just really hate that movie.
BahHumbug

#42- The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.
zubzwank

Very enjoyable. Thanks. A moving way for movie lovers to remember the year just ended.
http://movieguyreviews4u.blogspot.com Ryan

Amazing.
http://www.firstshowing.net buddhistwisdom7

That...was fucking amazeing. Wow.
andrew

What movie was that at 0:54-0:57 with the two women showering each other?