Some say the true measure of a great film is how well it stands the test of time. So don't believe all those other "Best of 2008" lists that tried to tell you which of last year's movies were going to last before the year was even over. The Daily Film Staff's top 15 list covers all the can't-miss films of last year. So without further ado, who wants to see a magic trick?

1. "The Dark Knight"

Hindsight’s a valuable thing, and there’s a reason we all saw this 11 times. So much has been said about Christopher Nolan’s revisionist spectacle, but in short, “The Dark Knight” is perfect. Perfect in its mix of art and entertainment; perfect in its mass appeal and longevity. An operatic costume tragedy, it’s a money-maker with guts and brains. It was easily the greatest film experience of 2008. Forget the Oscars. In time, this film will receive the honors it really deserves.

-Blake Goble

2. "Slumdog Millionaire"

Telling the story of a young man from the slums and his quest to win “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” “Slumdog Millionaire” is sometimes a human drama, other times a romance and at all times completely magical. It beautifully details pain, suffering and, above all, the strength of the human spirit. A film that will will leave you wanting to dance out of the theater, “Slumdog” is without a doubt one of the best films of the year. And that's the final answer.

-Sheri Jankelovitz

3. "WALL-E"

The term “movie magic” has been abducted by Disney (a subsidiary of Buy n Large) as a corporate catchphrase. So it’s playing into the palm of their Mickey Mouse hand to declare this Pixar’s sci-fi robot romance as such. Yet what other possible response could one have to seeing the world’s most adorable trash compactor escape a demolished Earth, sail into the outer reaches of the galaxy on the back of a spaceship that holds his true love and outstretch his arm to brush Saturn’s rings? Very well: Magical it is.

-Andrew Lapin

4. "Milk"

To quote Harvey Milk himself, “You gotta give 'em hope” — and this film certainly takes that to heart. An absorbing look into the life of openly gay politician Harvey Milk, “Milk” is the perfect mix of humor, inspiration and strength. In the center of it all is the wonderfully human performance by Sean Penn. Years from now, audiences will still feel this film’s poignant message of tolerance and, yes, hope.

-Sheri Jankelovitz

5. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

It speaks to the quality of the film when its 166-minute running time seems to just fly by. “Benjamin Button” combines stunning CGI effects, solid acting and an intriguing fantasy story to create one of this year's best-produced films. While it’s Pitt’s film to carry, a strong supporting cast, including Taraji P. Henson as Button’s adoptive mother, keeps the audience engaged and the film enchanting.

-Annie Levene

6. "Gran Torino"

Like “The Searchers” for 2008, Clint Eastwood handed in his most aware and oddly affable performance with this contemporary “mid-western.” Seldom has an old curmudgeon been this likeable. A morality tale about traditional values fighting with progressive redemption, Eastwood puts everything he has learned over the course of his career into this film. It may be his last performance, and if that’s true, he has made his departure even harder with this movie. A crowd-pleaser with a message, as long as you stay off his lawn.

-Blake Goble

7. “Man on Wire”

“Man on Wire” covers the scheming behind the red-headed Frenchman Philippe Petit’s infamous walk between the Twin Towers. It’s funny, endearing and almost poetic at times. Petit captured the spirit of the '70s and the film brings to life the raw emotion behind his feats.

-Emily Boudreau

8. "In Bruges"

Yes, the film is charming to the extreme.