2007 Movies: A Response

I was going to make a reply to Jill's post but it turned out to be just too long for the comment section and I also am very passionate about the discussion of best films of the year. I have made a concerted effort to view as many as I could this year, especially within the past month. That being said, there are some glaring omissions from this list which I still have yet to see but have a good idea they would have a shot at the "best of" list. There Will Be Blood looks so good it makes my teeth hurt. It has one of my favorite directors, one of the finest actors in modern history and a brilliant score composed by Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead. Unfortunately the film has yet to grace us in Rochester with its presence. I'm Not There, No End in Sight, Persepolis, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead, Michael Clayton, The Kite Runner, Gone Baby Gone, and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly all are must sees as well.

Here are my top 10 films of the year. It was a very tough choice as this was probably one of the better years for films in recent memory. Given that I have a predilection towards romantic comedies, it is no surprise that I have 3 in a row on this list. Other fun facts about my list: It has 3 foreign films, 3 films dealing with pregnancy, 5 films where I feel the soundtrack is essential to the quality of the film and 3 where death plays a major role.

10. & 9. A Mighty Heart & La Vie En Rose - I couldn't really choose between these two so they will have to share their spots with one another. They both were driven by what I consider brilliant female lead performances. Despite a lot of competition this year I feel Angelina Jolie and Marion Cotillard both deserve leading actress Oscar nominations and I would be happy if either of them won.



8. Knocked Up - This seemed to be a favorite of so many people this year and I was no different. Although I did really enjoy Superbad as well, it just didn't hit on all pistons as this comedy did. The romantic and sensitive nature of Knocked Up made it much more well rounded of a film. The fact that I've had a mini-obsession with Katherine Heigl ever since Bride of Chucky certainly helped this film's cause.

7. Dan In Real Life - I am disappointed that I have not seen this on any critics top 10 lists this year. To me it was one of the bigger surprises of the year and one of the most down to earth and realistic romantic comedies I have seen in a long time.



6. Waitress - While Waitress isn't a traditional romantic comedy it is a flawless piece of entertaining cinema. It was highly enjoyable from start to finish.



5. Once - I hope that this is the direction in which musicals are headed. There seems to be a lot of talk about the comeback of the musical, but this movie has not gotten the recognition it deserves. It should be the head of the discussion. The story itself is very simple and only a minor part of the film as a whole. The music between real-life musicians Glen Hansard of The Frames and Markéta Irglová is transcendent. Their chemistry is undeniable, as they even became a couple in real life, and it is reflected in all of the music. If you aren't completely sucked in by this music then I really can't help you with much of anything.



4. No Country For Old Men - This film is so hauntingly beautiful in its own way. It is a brilliant mix of dark comedy and murderous suspense. The performances by Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Tommy Lee Jones are ridiculously good.



3. Into The Wild - I am blown away that this is not on more critics' lists. The scenery is absolutely mesmerizing and the performances are top level. It is one of the most compelling stories of the year as it is based on truth. This should be Emile Hirsch's breakthrough performance to the next level. And yes, in living up to the hype, Hal Holbrook's performance, though short, was absolutely brilliant. If watching him in this doesn't fill you with emotions then you just aren't human.



2. The Lives of Others - This is one of the most suspenseful and dramatic films of recent years. It is set in East Berlin and focuses on an investigator in the East German secret police. Only so much can be said about it without actually seeing it. It is flawless.



1. Juno - It is hard to even describe how much I love this film. It is fantastic from every viewpoint I can think of. The writing is phenomenal, the roles are perfectly cast and the direction gives it the perfect style. It is the perfect comedy with just enough doses of sweetness and drama to make it heartfelt and genuine.



High Honorable Mentions: Paris Je T'aime, Sicko, Black Book, Atonement, Eastern Promises, Charlie Wilson's War, American Gangster

The Worst of 2007:

5. The Heartbreak Kid - This film had the expectations that Ben Stiller usually provides and was a complete letdown. It had very few redeeming qualities.

4. Because I Said So - Despite any crush I may have on Mandy Moore or Lauren Graham this was a disaster of a film. As has been stated by many critics, Diane Keaton was absolutely brutal and unbearable in this film. She barely represented a human.

3. Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer - Bad acting + lame plot = bad movie. The first one wasn't bad so this was a letdown.

2. Spiderman 3 - Spidey hit a high with the dark and introspective #2. Then the series was effectively tanked with this overdrawn mess. Instead of picking one story line and perfecting it, the film was a hodge podge of mediocre scenes.

The absolute worst movie of the year by a very wide margin is:
1. Wild Hogs - This is best summed up by my Netflix review:
Only one word is really needed to describe this movie. Brutal. It was brutal to watch and I can imagine it was brutal just to read the script. For Travolta, Allen and Lawrence this is just another in a long line of stains on their careers. Macy should have known better. The fact that this became a commercial hit in the United States is an embarrassment to the film industry and to the American public. I completely understand that not all films will be works of art. However, even as popcorn movies go, this was pathetic. I think the only time I laughed during the entire movie was when KG from Tenacious D was singing in Madrid. Perhaps this is not a movie for those younger than 40. But I would hope the older generations would have a better sense of humor than this drivel.