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2008 is the year of the blockbuster. This year we saw a bunch of big summer movies being received favorably by critics. In fact, the box office behemoth of the year (you know what movie we're talking about) ended up on a lot of critics' top ten lists—including ours. However, some of the best films are still in the overlooked minority. As we're merely days away from 2009, let's look back at what our movie staff consider the cream of this year's crop.

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1. THE CLASS

Laurent Cantet’s Palme d'Or-winning film is raw, bare bones, set entirely within a school building and stars only amateur actors; but that doesn’t stop it from being, bar none, the most compelling film of 2008. The perils of society's discord between classes and against authority distilled into a single classroom, this shockingly honest film shows how modern culture is shaped at an early age. It’s on par with the brilliant season 4 of The Wire when it comes to revealing how complex the inner city education system can be. - Arya

2. THE DARK KNIGHT

The Dark Knight elevated a genre once associated with nothing more than popcorn-munching entertainment into the echelons of respectable filmmaking. Top class performances from Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman and countless others pushed it into the territory of true cinematic greatness. Christopher Nolan's darker and edgier Gotham City plays host to a Batman entry that does away with happy endings in favor of a grittier detective story truer to classic comic book form. - Lex

3. THE WRESTLER

Invoking the life and talent of Mickey Rourke to tell the story of Randy "The Ram" Robinson is but the first stroke of cinematic genius used by Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. Substituting a series of handheld cameras to film the story, Aronofsky gets down and personal in all aspects of Randy's life - from his estranged daughter to his complicated relationship with a stripper named Cassidy. Rourke finds himself in his element as Randy Robinson allowing him to abandon a traditional, albeit distant, approach to the character and create the fictional experiences that represent a stark mirror to the events of his own life. - Lex

4. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Intercontinental filmmaking at its finest. Danny Boyle and crew head to Mumbai to tell the story of a lowly Chai walla (tea server) who finds himself on the final question of India's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire by using the knowledge gained from an exciting yet dangerous life on the streets. But this Chai walla isn't after the money, he has bigger things on his mind: destiny. You may see the ending coming a mile away but it's the getting there that makes Slumdog Millionaire one of the most memorable films of 2008. We'd be fools not to mention the outstanding soundtrack by A.R. Rahman. - Lex

5. THE FALL

With cinematography too gorgeous for words, The Fall could sustain an audience by the magic of its robust images alone. Tarsem’s glossy saga, however, maintains a mystical world full of wonder, as well as a charming lead in Lee Pace, to create an irresistible fantasy film both beautiful and exciting. - Arya

6. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

For every genre there exists that rare gem of a film that comes along and shakes it to its very core. While there have been countless vampire films in the last few years, none leaves such a lasting impression as Let the Right One In, a Swedish tale of unlikely friendship between a timid boy and a vampire girl. Instead of the typical infusions of gore and sexuality most vampire films feature, Let the Right One In opts for a story of tender moments cast beneath the overcast winter skies of Sweden. While not scary in the traditional horror film sense, it stirs up something else within the viewer. - Lex

7. 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS

Small, quiet and unattractive, but stunning all the same, this Romanian film bravely tackles the issue of abortion head-on. It places a human face on a political talking point, providing a blunt and highly disturbing depiction of how mistakes and bad decisions affect young women with little options to be had. A truly unforgettable film. - Arya

8. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

David Fincher has a knack for creating films with a powerful aesthetic. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button lives up to his tradition by offering a surreal life lived backwards using some of the best makeup effects to be found in the cinema all year. Based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button stars Brad Pitt as the titular character who ages backwards from birth as an old man to death as an infant. While the style of the film has the look and feel that screams "Award Material," it's the acting of Pitt and Blanchett that make Benjamin noteworthy. - Lex

9. WALL-E

A triumph in science fiction as well as in animation, Wall-E is 2001 for tykes. While there are plenty of children’s movies that give inanimate beings human personalities, Wall-E reminds us that human beings can become inanimate and mechanical if we ignore something as basic as human interaction. Perhaps not Pixar's best output by any means, but even so, it's still one of the year's highlights and worthy of the Best Picture talks it's been getting. - Arya

10. JCVD

Who would’ve thought that Jean-Claude Van Damme could star in a film that is not only genuinely good, but also one of the best of the year? JCVD is funny, engaging and even at times touching, with a performance from Van Damme that can only be described as shocking. It’s not just an actor playing himself trapped in a ridiculous bank robbery scenario, it’s also a sharp satire of the celebrity image and the grind of making bad movies as an honest living. - Arya