Tag: Best of 2007
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2008.01.05 16:00:00 |
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 No Country for Old Men - This perfectly-made Coen Brothers film astonished me with its dusty, Texan look, its wry and sad tone, its shocking violence, and its unresolved ending. If this wins Best Picture, it will be the first time in years (if not ever) that I completely and utterly agree with the Academy.
- The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters - Thirty-something men hold onto the glory of their teenage video-gaming years in this ode to being the best at something... even if it is playing Donkey Kong. This charming documentary is also a hilarious ode to good vs. evil.
- The Host (Gwoemul) - Re-injecting much-needed humor into Asian horror, The Host had me cackling with delight and squealing at its genuine scares.
- Once - I admit, I kinda have a crush on this slight, charming, musical romance. I dare you not to buy the soundtrack after experiencing this love letter to the joy of music.
- Rocket Science - It may not be rocket science to make a comedy, but to make such a funny one full of deadpan one-liners, many uttered by a debate-team stutterer... well, you can't beat that.
 In the Shadow of the Moon - Speaking of rockets, you'd think there'd be nothing new to say about the Apollo space program, over 35 years in the past. However this doc both managed to portray the surviving astronauts as fellows that you might see at Denny's, and make your jaw drop at the astounding (some never-before-seen) images from space.
- Nina's Heavenly Delights - My vote for the spiciest and cutest romance of the year involved Nina and Lisa, who heat things up while preparing for the Best of the West curry competition in Glasgow.
- Outsourced - Sure, part of it was filmed in Seattle, and sure, I related having been laid off four times in the technology industry, but this fish-out-of-water story of a Seattle-based sales manager training Indian replacements for his entire laid-off staff was utterly enjoyable.
- Into the Wild - As rambling as an aimless road-trip, and as frustrating as watching a young person make stupidly risky decisions, Sean Penn's adaptation of Jon Krakauer's famous book stuck in my craw. Count me surprised (since I knew the ending in advance) that the film was actually one of the most inspiring of the year.
- Brand Upon the Brain! - With a live score, white-jacketed foley artists tearing at celery stalks, a celebrity narrator, and the mind-boggling singing of a real-live male castratto, Guy Maddin's experimental silent black-and-white cross-dressing, sci-fi extravaganza was a bonanza for the senses if you were lucky enough to catch it on tour.
Other movies that I liked a lot:
Juno, The Namesake, Lady Chatterly, Gypsy Caravan, Red Without Blue, The Bubble, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Films that I missed that may have made the cut (or not):
There Will Be Blood, Gone Baby Gone, American Gangster, Michael Clayton, The Kite Runner, Lars and the Real Girl, Lust, Caution, Persepolis, Away From Her, La Vie En Rose
Breast performance:
In an upset for a prize that normally would go to an outstanding performance by female mammaries, the 2007 competition was obliterated by the appearance of 300 pairs of well-oiled, well-toned man-breasts in the movie 300. "Spartans!!!"
Guilty pleasures:
Evan Almighty, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Guilty, no pleasure:
Transformers. Hated it the first time (I can't believe I paid for it!), then was trapped on a plane with the film for an unwanted (yet unavoidable) second viewing.
Most creatively shocking scene:
Seeing an eyelid being sewn shut... from the inside in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
Best non-human character:
The specially-equipped barber chair in Sweeney Todd that made a satisfying and horrifying "kaaaa-SHUNK!" sound as it tipped back and let its slit-throated contents slide off and through the conveniently located trap door.
Underrated:
Year of the Dog
Overrated:
I'm Not There, Knocked Up, For the Bible Tells Me So, Grindhouse, Transformers, Rescue Dawn, Zodiac
Movie that could have been great if it didn't collapse in the last 45 minutes:
Sunshine
Most unintentionally heartbreaking final shot:
Keri Russell's Waitress walking hand-in-hand with her onscreen daughter, played by director Adrienne Shelly's own real-life child. Shelly was tragically murdered just before her film premiered to raves at Sundance.
MVPs (aka My new cinematic crushes):
Charlotte Gainsbourg (I'm Not There, The Golden Door), Irrfan Khan (The Namesake, A Mighty Heart)
A scene that made me choke with laughter in a movie I hated:
The dramatic interpretation of John Farnham's long-lost 80's hit "You're the Voice", that starts ridiculously inspirational, then ends in violence in Hot Rod.
Worst Hair / Best Hair:
Julia Roberts' ridiculous 'do in Charlie Wilson's War made me want to scream and put pins in my eyes every time I saw her, whereas Sasha Baron Cohen's ridiculous 'do in Sweeney Todd just made me scream with laughter.
Curious thematic trends:
Cannibalism (intended, or by accident) - Sweeney Todd, Grimm Love, Severance
3-D (with apparently more to come) - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Beowulf
Best examples of seasoned actors making the most of minimal screen time:
Max Von Sydow, who rips your heart out and makes you sob in a mere two scenes in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly; and Hal Holbrook, who take Emile Hirsch's "Alexander Supertramp" under his wing in Into the Wild.
Most fun to be had at the movies in 2007:
So much fun was to be had at the movies this year, that I can't choose just one:
And guess what? All of these awesome events happened at local film festivals... "Praise Be!" to local arts' organizations gittin' r' done!
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I hadn't thought it was possible, but 2007 found me hitting the theaters less than ever. It didn't help that one movie buddy up and moved to Orange County or that the other one had a baby, but this year a lack of compelling choices may have had more to do with keeping me home than my lack of partners in crime.
As we come to the end of the year, it's the smaller, more original movies that are still with me. The more I think about Waitress, the more I like it, and sometimes the mere thought of it is enough to make me tear up. You Kill Me was an innovative film in a classic package, and Juno was as funky and funny and heartfelt as indie movies get. I give three cheers to Johnny Depp and Tim Burton to bringing their twisted magic to the screen in Sweeney Todd. How much do you love that they're still cranking out masterpieces seventeen years after they gave us Edward Scissorhands?! They should get medals just for waking up in the morning. I feel like I've said that before, but I still mean it, so I'll just say it again. And for all the movies I missed in 2007, I promise to give them their due in 2027. After all, I still have to watch them put Viggo's balls to the wall in Eastern Promises, and I'm still waiting to see Joaquin Phoenix in We Own The Night and Reservation Road. Until then, I'll stick with something I'm sure about - my picks for the best of 1987....
Lethal Weapon - Okay, so this may not have been the *best* movie of 1987, but Shane Black's witty, action-packed script and Mel Gibson's unbridled hotness certainly rocked my world. I wouldn't be writing about movies today without it, and who doesn't look fondly upon the days when we thought Mel was only playing crazy.
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The Untouchables - Brian DePalma's take on Eliot Ness' attempt to bring down Al Capone seems to get better every time I watch it. With a powerhouse cast including Kevin Costner, Robert DeNiro, Andy Garcia, and Sean Connery, and the brilliantly placed line, "Did he sound anything like that?" you just can't go wrong.
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The Lost Boys - This is truly the two Coreys' finest hour. If you're seeking a funny, creepy, heartthrob-laden vampire-hunting adventure, look no further.
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Planes, Trains, and Automobiles- I never get tired of this bittersweet Thanksgiving treat. With Steve Martin and John Candy at the height of their comedic powers, this John Hughes' classic is as touching as it is hilarious.
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Dirty Dancing - The 80s just wouldn't have been the 80s without this romantic tour de force. The soundtrack! The pregnancy scandal! Patrick Swayze's arms! Nobody puts this baby in a corner.
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Empire of the Sun - Before Christian Bale was Batman, he wandered a god-forsaken countryside after the Japanese invaded Shanghai in this Steven Spielberg gem.
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No Way Out - Kevin Costner strikes cinematic gold again in this fast-paced thriller. I've seen it a million times, and it never fails to leave me on the edge of my seat.
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Moonstruck - Remember when Nicholas Cage looked hot even with a wooden hand? Remember when Cher could still move her face? Who can resist watching these fabulously feisty people fall in love?!
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Wall Street - A young Charlie Sheen becomes a casualty of success, access, and excess in this ultimate tale of 80's greed - and no, it's not based on his life story! Michael Douglas is deliciously evil as Gordon Gecko.
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The Princess Bride - Have the words, "as you wish," ever sounded so good? This wry modern fairy tale has become a quotable classic for an entire generation. Don't know what an R.O.U.S . is? Clearly you didn't grow up in the 80s.
Also in 1987, Danny DeVito and Billy Crystal try to Throw Mama From The Train, Sylvester Stallone goes way Over the Top to win custody of his son, and Eddie Murphy returns as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop II. Lou Diamond Phillips rocks in La Bamba, and Madonna almost doesn't suck in the silly but fun Who's That Girl?. Elisabeth Shue has some excellent Adventures in Babysitting, and John Hughes turns out his last good high school movie with Some Kind of Wonderful. Cher rounds out her big year with The Witches of Eastwick and Suspect, and the Sheen brothers can't be avoided in Stakeout, Wisdom, Three for the Road, and No Man's Land. Baby Boom and Three Men and a Baby examine parenthood in the 80s. Michael J. Fox discovers The Secret of My Success, and makes another movie that shouldn't have seen Light of Day.
The Brat Packers start slumming it in less awesome offerings like The Pick-Up Artist, Maid to Order, and Mannequin, although there's a lot to be said for Mannequin when you're laying around on the sofa on a rainy afternoon. The small but worthwhile Housekeeping and 84 Charing Cross Road are every bit as good as the blockbusters... According to www.the-numbers.com, there were only 207 movies released in 1987 compared to the 992 released this year, yet somehow it seems like there were exponentially more things to see back then. Huh.
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You know, I thought 2006 was a supremely meh year for movies, but 2007
managed to top its predecessor. Finding truly memorable films or
moments was tough. Nonetheless, let’s reflect...
10 Films I Really Enjoyed in 2007
 Death at a Funeral—a brilliant British farce that’s
wonderfully over-the-top from start to finish
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Hot Fuzz—another fantastic British comedy that made me
giddy
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Into the Wild—yes, it’s long and slow, but director Sean Penn
crafts a beautifully poetic tale
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Juno—I loved this one before ANYBODY ELSE... so there...
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Lars and the Real Girl—way more poignant than its marketing
would let on
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Stardust—I might be the only person on Earth who liked this
movie
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This Christmas—that’s right, I’m picking This
Christmas for its huge, huggable cast of characters and perfectly
pitched holiday themes
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The Namesake—I saw it very early in the year, loved it and
knew it would be in my top 10
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Transformers—apparently, everyone else at the ‘Pie hated
this, but I loved it for all its loud, shiny, high-concept,
popcorn-movie splendor
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Nothing is Private—now, this movie blew in ways that are
borderline inconceivable... it was an awful, awful film... but seeing it
was probably THE BEST time I had at a movie in 2007, thanks entirely to
Eric and Dan, so it makes the list for that reason
[Honorable mentions: Disturbia, American Gangster, Caramel,
Dan in Real Life]
10 Films That Blew Hard in 2007 (and it was tough narrowing the list
to just ten)
- Alvin & the Chipmunks—an abomination!
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Are We Done Yet?—terrible, terrible “comedy” about home
renovation!
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The Feast of Love—boring and stupid relations!
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Ghost Rider—Nicolas Cage’s laughable interpretation!
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I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry—completely unfunny
misfire about discrimination!
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Mr. Brooks—so awful, it’s a bad-movie celebration!
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Next—defies logic and any explanation!
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Norbit—Eddie Murphy’s big-ass, lame-ass, totally crass
creation!
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Perfect Stranger—proof that winning an Oscar causes cinematic
damnation!
- Nothing is Private—two hours of a girl being sexually abused
thanks to Alan Ball’s self-important, self-adulation!
Dishonorable Mentions:
Bee Movie, Catch & Release,
Premonition, Year of the Dog
Movies Everyone Else Loved But I Did Not
Knocked Up, Ratatouille, Hairspray
Movies I’m Pretty Sure Only I Saw
Rise: Blood Hunter (Lucy Liu as an ass-kicking vampire),
Blood & Chocolate (Agnes Bruckner as an ass-kicking werewolf),
The Flying Scotsman (Jonny Lee Miller as an ass-kicking
cyclist), Smiley Face (Anna Faris as a lovable stoner who
couldn’t tell her ass from her elbow)
Proof That Docs Rock
In the Shadow of the Moon, War/Dance, Operation Filmmaker, Captain
Mike Across America, My Kid Could Paint That, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Proof That Girls Rock
Girls Rock!
Completely Forgettable Films of 2007 (in that, I literally forgot I
saw them until I researched all 2007 releases in order to compile this
list)
Sydney White, Music & Lyrics, Becoming Jane, Partition
Movies I Actually Did Miss Entirely in 2007
Sicko, Once, Enchanted and just about every Oscar contender
released in December
Scary Movies That Did Not Scare Me
1408, Vacancy and The Marsh (totally lame!), The
Orphanage (great, but tame!)
Lesbians Just Can’t Catch a Break on Film, Part One
The Jane Austen Book Club (lesbian is screwed over by her gf,
nearly killed and is the only character without a love scene), The
World Unseen (lesbians sneak around to avoid being beaten or killed
in apartheid-era South Africa and don’t get a love scene), The Feast
of Love (lesbians are portrayed as either predatory or insanely
shrill), Across the Universe (lesbian character just disappears
halfway through the movie... sans love scene before she vanishes)
I’m Sorry, But Keira Knightley’s Hot...
Atonement
And So Is James McAvoy...
Atonement, Starter For 10, Becoming Jane (quality of the film
notwithstanding)
But John Travolta is Really, Really Not...
Wild Hogs (you’re not fooling anyone into believing you’re sexy
or that that’s your real hair!), Hairspray (you’re not fooling
anyone into believing you’re a sexy “plus-sized” woman... though they
probably believe your girth is real!)
Movies With Interchangeable Lead Actors
Blades of Glory and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (is
there a difference between Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly anymore?)
Best Girl Movie
Waitress
Best Boy Movie
The Bourne Ultimatum
Best Movie About a Girl Who’s Also a Boy
XXY
The Amanda Peet Award for Biggest Waste of Amanda Peet on
Film
Amanda Peet, for her work in The Ex and The Martian Child
(she needs to find new representation)
The Don Cheadle Award for the Best Use of Don Cheadle on
Film
Don Cheadle, for his stellar turns in both Reign Over Me and
Talk to Me, and his entertaining supporting work in Ocean’s
Thirteen
Lesbians Just Can’t Catch a Break on Film, Part Deux
Itty Bitty Titty Committee, a movie chock full of lesbians AND
love scenes, was written and directed by lesbian Jamie Babbit (whose
work I usually adore), produced by POWER-UP (itself, brimming over with
the lady gays), and co-stars a whole bunch of girls who love
girls... and it still sucked
And finally, as always... the oft-misguided portent of cinematic doom...
Movies I’m Psyched to See in 2008
Wanted (OMG, have you SEEN the trailer?!)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Indy + Shia
= I’m there)
Get Smart (I ♥ Steve Carell, always)
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