The Year That Was 2007

[CitizenX]

as i've only seen 22 movies made in 2007 and most of them arent worth naming here, there is only a #1:
Death at a funeral
...but there are tons of 2007 films i want to see

[AFlickering]

my list will be ready on sunday, still have a few more to see, most notably the diving bell, eastern promises, into the wild, juno and away from her

[ronnie_nsu]

I figure we could try and get these forums going by everyone making one of those 'best of' lists that we all know and love. List your favorite movies of 2007 and some comments if you want. Or just link to your rankings page, but that's not as fun you party pooper.

1. There Will Be Blood - PTA is going to be a legend when he's done.
2. No Country For Old Men - If you don't like the ending, fuck you.
3. 3:10 to Yuma - had one of many great scores this year.
4. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - pretty picture show.
5. Reign Over Me - has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard personally, and the movie wasn't bad to look at either.
6. Superbad - Michael Cera > you.
7. Rescue Dawn - How can anyone not like Christian Bale?
8. Into the Wild - Sean Penn trying to be a poet got annoying, but the main character was fascinating.
9. Knocked Up - Funny.
10. Shooter - synonym for badass.

No offense...
But how come superbad is in your list...
That movie sucks a big fucking bag. (for me at least)

[KGB]

But isn't that the whole essence and beauty of Criticker?

[Bojangles]

The reason Superbad is on my list is explained very concisely. Michael Cera > you. If I was going to question my list I would start with Shooter...I didn't even like that movie all that much and it somehow squeezed in there. But I've seen Michael Clayton and a couple other 07 movies lately that would bump Shooter and Knocked Up off of my list. But Superbad STAYS.

[Jellysauce]

i haven't gotten a chance to see many new movies this year but my favorite was 3:10 to Yuma

[AFlickering]

Based on 38 films this was a pretty mighty year, considering I'm a pretty harsh marker.


"If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?"
1. No Country for Old Men (Coen Brothers) A+++
2. There Will Be Blood (P.T.Anderson) A
3. The Assassination of Jesse James (Dominik) A
4. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Schnabel) A
5. Sweeney Todd (Burton) A-
6. Ratatouille (Bird) A-
7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Yates) B+
8. 3:10 To Yuma (Mangold) B+
9. Away From Her (Polley) B+
10. The Simpsons Movie (Silverman) B+

Notably Missed:
Grindhouse, The Bourne Ultimatum, Into the Wild, I'm Not There, Paranoid Park, King of Kong, No End in Sight

Best openings
1. No Country for Old Men
2. There Will Be Blood
3. My Blueberry Nights

Best endings:
1. "And then I woke up" (No Country for Old Men)
2. Death by bowling pin (There Will Be Blood)
3. Vengeance (a close shave) Sweeney Todd

Most ridiculous ending
Rescue Dawn

Most godawful half hour
The woman onwards (I Am Legend)

Most surprisingly touching scenes
1. A critic's childhood (Ratatouille)
2. Snape's memory (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
3. A wedding video (The Simpsons Movie)

Most obnoxious scene
An upside-down American flag (In the Valley of Elah)

Best fight scene
Steam room (Eastern Promises)

Best performance
Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
Julie Christie (Away From Her)

Most underrated performance
Brad Pitt (The Assassination of Jesse James)

Best direction
No Country for Old Men

Best cinematography
No Country for Old Men

Best screenplay
No Country for old Men

Best animation
Persepolis

Best quote turned into obnoxious catchphrase by asshole kids
"I drink your milkshake!" (There Will Be Blood)

Worst quote even the asshole kids wouldn't touch
"Honest to blog!" (Juno)

Most atrocious sequel
Spider Man 3

Most atrocious prequel
Hannibal Rising

Watch with mother
300

[KGB]

Cool... I wish I would have an active cinema year like yours, right now I'm sticking to my must-see list or to whatever mediocre film I can find so I can appriciate the really good films.
Still, I agree about the surprisingly touching scene in Ratatouille, but complete disagree about the Simpsons Movie wedding scene.

[Bojangles]

That was a pretty awesome write up AFl.

I agree on almost everything especially the Rescue Dawn ending...just bizarre I thought.

[AFlickering]

Haha, yeah, but it actually kinda worked with Rescue Dawn because it just made the film even stranger. I got the impression Herzog could sense his weirdness was increasingly unblockbustering the film so he way way over-compensated. Same thing happened with some other scenes, like the ridiculously portentous music playing as he tries to flag down the helicopters, and the hyper-clichéd start. There's a real conflict there between Herzog and Hollywood's expectations, it doesn't so much balance out as veer sharply one way then another - ultimately making it just as weird as his other stuff.

I notice you haven't watched Aguirre... though man, you'd better get that sorted out. My favourite film of all time, bar none.