Conor Nolan looks back on a year of films

REFLECTING back over the past year's films, Conor Nolan breaks them down into his top 10 good, pretty good and downright ugly categories.

Over the past 12 months Conor has brought us all the best and the worst in the way of cinematic offerings, telling us which films he loved and which he hated.

Here's his final word on the films of 2008.

See page five for films to look forward to – and possibly avoid – in 2009.

Best in show, 2008

1. Wall-E is my favourite film of 2008 and this firmly demonstrated that Pixar boss John Lasseter is the rightful and natural heir to the great Walt Disney.

2. Changeling proved once more what a hugely talented director Clint Eastwood really is and Oscar glory surely beckons for both him and Angelina Jolie.

3. Juno was one of the hidden gems of the year and featured an assured performance from Ellen Page, and a truly marvellous soundtrack.

4. Wanted was the most visually stunning movie of the year and featured truly eye popping SFX and stunts. Awesome fun.

5. Iron Man was the superhero movie of the year and put everything else firmly in the shade. A hundred percent heavy metal brilliance.

6. Mamma Mia! The Movie did everything it said on the tin and more, proving that we all need a big dose of Abba – nearly £69 million worth.

7. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas was a brave and intelligent movie tackling a highly sensitive subject and deserved a wider audience.

8. Madagascar 2 proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that grown men can enjoy a children's animated movie and laugh out loud throughout.

9. Hancock was a very different blockbuster and featured a surprisingly good turn from Will Smith and the shapely Charlize Theron.

10. Ghost Town was a delicious and delightful comedy that showed that there is life outside Extras and The Office for Ricky Gervais.

Runners-up

1. The Other Boleyn Girl was a sensual pleasure featuring strong performances from Natalie Portman and Eric Bana.

2. Burn After Reading was a proper adult comedy with a standout turn from John Malkovich and proved the Cohen Brothers could do good comedy.

3. Oscar nominated Tropic Thunder was brilliant just for Tom Cruise's insane cameo and Robert Downey Jr proved to be the man of 2008.

4. Kung-Fu Panda showed Dreamworks were snapping at the heels of Pixar with this Jack Black martial arts animated delight.

Worst in show, 2008

1. The Dark Knight wins hands down as the biggest disappointment of the year – too long, too violent and an over the top performance from Heath Ledger.

2. Quantum of Solace is a close second for let down of the year and this Bond flick was a major piece of lacklustre film-making. They seriously need to up their game next time round.

3. Body Of Lies should have been so much better with the talent both in front and behind the camera and please no more movies about the war on terror.

4. Speed Racer was a very expensive flop for Joel Silver who is rapidly running out of hit movies as are the Wachowski boys – back to school for you.

5. Adulthood was a particularly nasty and unnecessary Brit flick about gang culture and knives – please do not make any more movies like this.

6. Eden Lake joins Adulthood in the same league as vicious and unpleasant film-making that should not be financed, distributed or see the light of day.

7. Sex and The City proved that a hit TV show does not make a good movie. Grim!

8. Inkheart also proved that no matter how many books you sell, this dog's dinner of a movie cannot become another Harry Potter franchise.

9. Mum and Dad is proof that we should not be using tax payers money to fund movies like this silly and stupid horror movie about a family that graphically torture a young Polish girl.

10. The Happening gets the nod of silliest movie of the year and it will be a brave man that bankrolls any more movies from M Night Shyamalan.

Runners-up

1. The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull suffered from we are just doing it for the money and this fourth Indiana Jones instalment was join the dots film-making.

2. The Cottage was another nasty, foul mouthed movie starring page three starlet Jennifer Ellison, which was just plain woeful.

3. Cloverfield was over hyped nonsense that featured a very average monster and for me showed that JJ Abrams is seriously over-rated as a director.

4. The Bank Job was duller than dull and Jason Statham looked like he was asleep throughout in this pedestrian sixties' thriller.