2007: Top 10

What a year, what a year...

In 2007 I saw more movies than any other year. I tried my best to see every major film that was released, but ultimately a few slipped through the cracks. Most notable were Lars and the Real Girl, The Orphanage, 4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, La Vie en Rose, and Away from Her. I hope to see most of those by the time the Oscars role around, so they could conceivably make for a slight shift in my top 10. That said, it seems unlikely that this top 10 is getting shaken up. I feel like this may be the strongest top 10 I've ever had for a year.

I have in years past tried to label a year as "good" or "bad." That has come back to bite me every time. For example: I called 2005 the best year for film this decade, while I felt 2006 was lacking. I am still in love with half my top 10 of 2006 and have a hard time recalling what some of my favorites of 2005 were even about. The perspective that comes with age is a wonderful thing, but unfortunately one cannot wait a few years to do a top 10 list. Who cares what the best film of a few years ago really was? I know some of these films I am about to talk about will fade away from my memory as years pass, but I really think that this year will be one that stays with me for a long time. And right now, these ten were truly great experiences.

I have in past years had to fill out the top 10 with less than perfect films (films I enjoyed but felt were still flawed). Not here: There are a number of films I regret not being able to find a place for in my top 10. Sicko, which hit on an issue I feel needs to be addressed immediately. Ratatouille, yet another classic from the masters at Pixar. Bridge to Terabithia, a supremely mature film for children and adults alike. Sydney Lumet's return to form in Before the Devil Know You're Dead. And there were many others (25 movies out of the 70 I saw got either a 3.5 or 4 star review from me). The top 10 are an eclectic bunch, though: two westerns, two musicals, and a documentary make for the least likely top 10 I could have imagined at the start of the year. Yet they all work, and together they make for a great summary of why I really liked 2007 at the movies.

10. The Bourne UltimatumThe Bourne trilogy just got better and better with each film, and it went out on the perfect note. In a summer filled with uninspired threequels, this one reminded me that sometimes a franchise can be a rewarding experience. Director Paul Greengrass knows how to both stage great action scenes as well as explore and expand his characters. And Matt Damon is on the top of his game here, solidifying the character of Jason Bourne as the most interesting action hero since James Bond. If this really is the end of the series, it will be sad, but at least all involved knew to leave us wanting more.

9. The King of KongI wrestled with this question for a long while: which documentary of the year warranted a mention in my top 10 - the important one or the fun one? When it came down to it, The King of Kong proved to be just too wonderful to ignore. For perhaps the first time ever I saw a documentary as not just something used to teach, but something to entertain. And entertain it did. One would be forgiven if they watched this film and assumed it was a mockumentary. The idea of two men battling over who has the best score in Donkey Kong sounds like a joke, but it works on so many levels it's kind of stunning. I found myself really cheering on the hero. It is both hilarious and heartbreaking. Underdog Steve Wiebe is so sympathetic and nemesis Billy Mitchell is so odious that you may find yourself shouting at the screen by the film's end. Even the most staunch documentary hater will be won over by this one, guaranteed.

8. Gone Baby GoneCongratulations to you, Ben Affleck. I've always had an appreciation for Affleck as an actor, so it made me sad to see his career fall apart so drastically. Thankfully he is just as good of a director as he is an actor (better probably), and his debut effort is a thought-provoking meditation on the nature of right and wrong. Some have complained that the ending is too out there, too unlikely, but I think it is a brilliant conclusion that really challenges the viewer's beliefs. This also may be the only film I saw all year that at the halfway mark I honestly had no clue as to where it was going to go next. That really counts for a lot in a medium that seems more interested in familiarity than freshness.

7. 3:10 to YumaI'm not sure if we really will see a resurgence of the Western in the coming years, but 2007 sure made it seem like the genre had a lot of life left in it. One of two major Westerns released this year, 3:10 to Yuma demonstrated that the genre could be just as fun and exciting as a present day set action film. With great performances across the board, a gripping story, and a final showdown that was among the most memorable moments of the year, this really was a film that delivered everything you could want. Here's hoping that the Western trend catches on and we see more great films like this.

6. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetLeave it to Tim Burton to take my least favorite genre - the musical - and produce one of the best films of the year. In spite of the near nonstop musical numbers, I became enamored with this tale of a murderous barber out for revenge. It is one of the very, very few musicals I've seen in which I felt that the music imparted more story and depth than simple dialogue ever could have. In recent years I have found myself more and more open minded when it comes to genres I don't like, but the musical has long been the lone holdout. If Sweeney Todd (and another soon to be mentioned musical) is any indication, the barrier between me and musicals may be about to fall.

5. AtonementWhile a lot of people will disagree, I found the fall to be extremely weak for films. It seemed like every week a new film would be released and critics would fall in love with it, only for me to see it and be unimpressed. Michael Clayton, Juno, No Country for Old Men: all fell short. I was about to give up on the awards season altogether when along came Atonement. Finally an intelligent, well written, meaningful film that really fired on all cylinders. It works as a period drama, as a war film, as a mediation on art, and so much more. If you aren't in tune with the thematic undertones this film supplies, you might be left a little cold. But for me, the whole film works so perfectly because of the revelation at the ending, elevating the underlying themes to center stage and begging the question: can you really atone for your sins through art?

4. There Will Be BloodI need more time and more viewings to truly get a read on There Will Be Blood. I decided to forgo an official review of it because it wasn't a film that could be easily commented on. To be honest, I'm still not sure what it is I saw, but it affected me deeply, and that's important. Daniel Day-Lewis, it must be said, gives a performance every bit as good as you've heard, and the idea that anyone might beat him for the Oscar is a joke. He simply is Daniel Plainview in this film. Don't be fooled into thinking it's nothing more than an arthouse picture about oil drilling. It becomes something so much more as you watch it, and the final few scenes reveal what this movie was really about: the very nature of humanity and what being human entails. Family, religion, money, power; all play a part in the rise and fall of Plainview, and it is an amazing sight to behold. And that final scene: wow. It may seem over the top, but it works so well, really driving home what this bizarre masterpiece was about.

3. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert FordThe other big Western of the year was of a much more slow, deliberate breed. This isn't the kind of film you can rent on a Saturday night and passively enjoy with mom and dad. It demands a lot of you, and in return it really rewards you with its mediation on fame and envy. Casey Affleck gives another great performance, here as Robert Ford. One might think the film is anti-climatic since it reveals the climax in its title, but nothing could be further from the truth. No, it isn't filled with big shootouts or bank heists or anything else of that nature. What it is filled with is beautiful visuals, striking drama, and the best score of the year. I defy you not to be moved and wounded by the death of Jesse James, or by the downfall of Robert Ford after he has done the greatest deed in his life. It's simply filmmaking at its strongest.

2. ZodiacThe first film of 2007 I saw nearly made it the distance, falling just short of number 1. I saw 69 other films and yet it still stayed in my mind through the year: quite impressive. I went in expecting to get another David Fincher serial killer flick. What I got was anything but. Whereas Se7en was pure pulpy entertainment, this is a much more thoughtful project. It refuses to give you the easy releases that so many other films of this genre do: the search for the Zodiac killer ruins almost every character's life and he is never even caught. It becomes a film not about serial killers, but about obsession. Therein lies the genius: we see how these men become obsessed, while at the same time the film makes us become obsessed. Filled with so much detail, both factual and visual, we are almost overloaded. When the end arrives we still aren't sure who the Zodiac was; we just feel as obsessed and frustrated as the characters have become. A lot of people say they disliked Zodiac because it didn't have a resolution. That's just a testament to how successful Fincher was.

1. OnceReading my review of Once back in June, you'd probably be surprised to see it end up at number 1. Believe me, I was surprised as well. If you'd told me at the start of the year that I'd see films from the Coen Brothers, Tim Burton, David Fincher, Sydney Lumet, Quentin Tarantino, and many other masters of cinema, and that none of them would make a film as good as an independent Irish musical starring nonactors, I wouldn't have believed you. But something about this film really struck a chord (no pun intended), and I have not been able to get it out of my head all year long. No, it isn't the best looking film, nor the best acted, nor the most intricately written. But what it does have is something no other film had this year, at least not in abundance: it had one hell of a lot of heart. I have found myself listening to the soundtrack over and over, its magical web further ensnaring me (in fact I'm listening as I write this, and it makes me want to rewatch the film again for a fifth time). Once is proof that there is no formula for the best film of the year. Very few films are made with pure passion, but when they do come around, that passion really shines through. Such is the case with Once. I am simply in love with this movie.

A Look Back at 2007: The Breakout Stars

I wanted to give out an award for the actor who had the best year in 2007, but in trying to narrow it down to one I realized it was nigh impossible. Too many people had too great of a year. So I decided instead to focus on the five actors who had the biggest breakout this year. These are people who were either largely unknown or generally disregarded before 2007 rolled around. Thanks to their work this year, each is now a household name, and we can certainly expect a lot from each in the coming years. In alphabetical order:

Casey Affleck

The films: Ocean's Thirteen, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Gone Baby Gone

The less famous Affleck finally became the bigger of the two in 2007. Casey has largely been on the fringes of film, most notable for his supporting role in the Ocean's trilogy. He started his year off as the best part of Ocean's Thirteen before heading into serious fare with Assassination and Gone Baby Gone. These films demonstrated that he could hold a film on his own. No longer hidden in his brother Ben's shadow, he seems to be on his way to getting an Oscar nomination this year for his portrayal of Robert Ford.

Coming Next: Not yet announced.


Josh Brolin

The films: Grindhouse, In the Valley of Elah, American Gangster, No Country for Old Men

The former Goonie has been languishing for years in middling fare like Hollow Man and Into the Blue. But somehow he completely reinvented his image in 2007 with four major films. He has excelled this year at playing the creepy guy, be it as a villain (Grindhouse, American Gangster), or as the hero (No Country for Old Men). I can see his career taking on a similar trajectory to that of another former child star, Christian Bale. Bale seemed to be gravitating to these sorts of roles a few years back before he hit it big with Batman Begins. So long as he doesn't waste all this new found attention, he could be huge.

Coming Next: Milk, the true story of the murder of San Fran politician Harvey Milk. He plays the murderer.


Michael Cera

The films: Superbad, Juno

No actor's breakout this year makes me happier than Michael Cera. To those who knew him from Arrested Development, it felt like we had this little secret we wanted to share with the world. Well now the secret is out, and Cera seems poised to be the next big comedic actor. Impressive for a 19 year old. I realized just how much of a chord he'd struck with audiences after Superbad hit when I saw the Juno trailer for the first time. When asked who fathered her child, Juno says "Paulie Bleeker" and the trailer cuts to Cera's mug. The whole audience burst into laughter. To elicit that kind of laughter in a trailer by simply being on the screen for a split second is huge, especially for someone still so new to film. If he does prove to be a bankable comedic star, perhaps they'll finally be able to convince Fox that an Arrested Development film is viable.

Coming Next: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Emile Hirsch

The Films: Alpha Dog, Into the Wild

Hirsch is a guy I just never expected much from, career-wise. I figured he'd languish in teen exploitation films like The Girl Next Door or Alpha Dog before disappearing. But with Into the Wild he popped in a big way. Suddenly he is gaining respect as one of the best new actors of his generation. Oscar glory seems to be in the cards as well if all goes well next January. How did this happen? Well, Sean Penn certainly deserves some credit, as he was the one who discovered that Hirsch could do something big given the chance. The best comparison I can think of is Leonardo DiCaprio, who also didn't seem to get much respect as a young actor and had to work that much harder at gaining the respect he deserved. I honestly hope people continue to doubt Hirch in the future, because that kind of doubt will only push him to try more and more challenging work, something that has proved to elevate DiCaprio above the peers he was once seen as inferior to.

Coming Next: The ultra trippy looking Speed Racer.


Shia LaBeouf

The Films: Disturbia, Surf's Up, Transformers

Every decade seems to have one or two big stars. There was Jack Nicholson in the 70's, Harrison Ford in the 80's, Tom Cruise and Hanks in the 90's, and Johnny Depp and Will Smith now. Come next decade, we will be talking about Shia LaBeouf in that same manner - assuming he doesn't achieve that status in the next two years, which is entirely possible. Before you accuse me of being some Shia fanboy, a little history: I had almost no idea who he was before this year, and I wouldn't consider any of his movies this year to be among the year's best. But there is no denying that he has that star quality that so few seem to have. He was able to make the otherwise mediocre Disturbia fun, and his work in Transformers made me believe in giant transforming robots more than any special effects ever could. He has such charm and charisma that I get sucked into his films inspite of whatever misgivings I might otherwise have. It also helps that he has Spielberg in his corner. So long as his life doesn't fall apart like so many other former child actors' do, he's already on his way to superstardom.

Coming Next: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Seriously, do you really want to bet against this kid?

A Look Back at 2007: The Unappreciated

With less than a month left in the year, it's time to start making sense of the year that was 2007. Over the next few weeks I'll be writing a few articles looking back at the films of 2007, leading up to my Top 10 for the year. To kick things off, we'll start with the five films that deserved more love than they got. For whatever reason, these five films went under the radar, didn't get the reviews they deserved, or simply failed to catch on. None are necessarily classics, but they certainly deserved better than they got.

5. Smokin' Aces

With all due respect to Javier Bardem, the psychopath of the year award goes to the Tremor brothers from Smokin' Aces. Their all too brief screen time in this film was by far the best part of the movie. And the scene in which (spoilers) they kill Ben Affleck's character and then pretend his corpse is forgiving them for his murder (end spoilers) is both hilarious and unsettling. The rest of the movie is pretty fun as well, with an amazing cast. And this is the film that finally proves that Clint Masell is the best new composer of the decade. He delivers yet another amazing score for a movie that probably didn't even deserve such a memorable score.


4. Hot Rod

In a year of Knocked Up, Superbad, Hot Fuzz, and The Simpsons Movie, I am almost embarrassed to admit I laughed hardest at Hot Rod. Watching this film, I couldn't help but be reminded of the early films of Adam Sandler (and yes, that's a good thing). The laughs are unexpected and not as idiotic as you might have expected. Take, for example, the scene in which Rod and his buddies are purposefully walking down the street and a crowd begins to follow them. This inspiring moment goes haywire when it suddenly turns into a riot. It's out of left field, yet it's a great spoof of similar ridiculously inspiring scenes in movie musicals. I don't know if this film is a sign that Andy Samberg will be the next big comedy star, but it's certainly the first time I've had any interest in a SNL alum since Will Ferrell.


3. Severance

I saw Severance way back in 2006 at an early screening and the fact that I still think about how fun that experience was at the end of 2007 is a sign of how wonderful Severance is. If you like horror movies mixed with dark humor, this is one of the very best - I'd easily rank it up there with Shaun of the Dead. The cast of characters aren't just there to be killed, and the villain is surprisingly realistic and frightening. The film got almost no press and a small early summer release before finding its way to DVD. Next Halloween season, if you want to impress your friends with a horror movie, watch this one. You'll never look at bear traps the same way again.


2. Grindhouse

Any film on this list I would suggest you go out and watch. Except Grindhouse. Grindhouse was an experiment from directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez to try and recreate the experience of going to see a double bill of cheesy exploitation films. A big part of the experience is seeing it in the theater with other people. Grindhouse came complete with fake trailers, advertisements for neighboring restaurants, missing reels, scratched prints, and more. Unfortunately most people didn't get the point when it was released in theaters, and after bombing it has been chopped up and kind of ruined on DVD. Gone is that experience of watching an event, replaced with two stand alone movies minus all the goodies. I highly suspect that this experience (a word I keep using, but it's the only one that accurately describes Grindhouse) will become a midnight movie staple. If it does, do yourself a favor and check it out there. Don't bother with these botched DVDs, they don't do Grindhouse justice.


1. Sunshine

Of all the movies on this list, Sunshine probably came closest to being a genuinely great film. Were it not for the fact that it turns into a slasher film in the final act, it would easily be among the best sci-fi movies of recent years. It is thoughtful, humbling, exciting, tragic, and funny. While watching it, one gets the sense that director Danny Boyle wanted it to be Children of Men in space. Fox Searchlight, who have had a banner year, somehow completely botched the release of this film, never putting it in more than a handful of theaters and getting a gross of only a few million. This should have been one of the blockbusters of the summer, instead it became an afterthought. Whether you like movies to thrill you or to make you think, Sunshine offers both in ample portions.