Once again it’s that time – time to make silly lists of the best and most notable films of the passing year. And once again, I’ve been so busy working on actual movie sets, that I haven’t been able to see and review as many films as I’d like to. So while I say hooray for semi-steady employment, I have to shed a small tear at the missed press screenings for films such as “Juno”, Sweeney Todd”, “There Will Be Blood”, and plenty of others. (And those are just some of the December oversights.) In 2007, I was fortunate enough to see twenty-four new movies, and one re-release, “Blade Runner” (which I’m not including on my main list). So, for what it’s worth, (not much, I know,) of those precious few films screened, here are a few thoughts and recollections…
1. No Country for Old Men
Perhaps not the most original pick for best of the year, but the Coen brothers really came back in top form, and delivered a solid gut-punch of a film, chock full of unforgettable performances and moments that are somehow simultaneously visually supercharged yet understated. Without a doubt, the best work of all parties involved in quite some time. (Although Tommy Lee Jones’ 2005 film “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada” does pose righteous competition… These two films would make one heck of a double bill.)
2. Hot Fuzz
Only on this site and handful of other unabashed film geeky sites could “Hot Fuzz” be considered a predictable pick for a list such as this, but let it be known that I do not count myself among the rabid throng of Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg devotees. I’m not counting the hours until their next collaboration, I don’t have the “Don’t” Grindhouse trailer playing on a continuous loop, and I have absolutely no desire to see that getting-in-shape/marathon-running chick flick “Run, Fat Boy, Run” just because Pegg is in it. But man was “Hot Fuzz” great.
3. Into the Wild
I didn’t think Sean Penn would be the guy to back off from seriously playing up a real life tragedy on film, but surprisingly, “Into the Wild” doesn’t play like the depressing march to ones doom like one might think it might. Instead, it manages to celebrate life as well as a sort of spiritual freedom from materialism while also not over-glamorizing the protagonist and his very flawed logic, self-centeredness, and idealism. Brimming with beautiful location photography.
Other honorable mentions include “Ratatouille”, “Ocean’s Thirteen”, “The Golden Door”, “The Simpsons Movie”, “Grindhouse”, and “300”. So see those movies, and have a swell 2008.
- Jim Tudor
Wait. So you put Ocean's Thirteen, The Simpsons Movie (what? Really?)and Grindhouse (but failed to mention which of the films was good because they certainly weren't both great) as some of the best this year but you say Tears of the Black Tiger (an eight year old film) is one of the worst? Damn.
You can look at numerous other "Grindhouse" threads and see what contributors thought what about the two movies - for me, "Death Proof" was the real deal, "Planet Terror" was lacking. BUT, I don't have to differeniate squat, though. The release was "Grindhouse". And geez, what the heck's wrong with "The Simpsons Movie"???!? I'll never understand this type internet nitpicking.
Happy to see Into the Wild on that list, its too bad too few saw it I felt like a different person after seeing it.
Ocean's 13 here, and Tears of the Black Tiger in the other list, no comments indeed.
Simpsons Movie = award for most laughs per minute. No need to apologize there. And there's nothing wrong with Ocean's 13 either - just a fun time at the theater that was far more hip and entertaining than gimmicky stuff like Tears of the Black Tiger.
Grindhouse = best theater experience (for me) of the decade. It's too bad so many missed out on this experience that will never be available again.
Tears is gimmicky, but Ocean is not? That deserves a "lol" right there.