Movie wrap up for 2007
While I saw perhaps 10 films in the theater this year, I found it to be a decent year overall. The return of the adult (rated R) comedy with 'Superbad' and 'Knocked Up' ushered in some surprise hits, and Judd Apatow created from the heart characters while deftly planting one-liners. The Affleck wonder twins seem to have found their place, with Ben behind the camera and Casey in front of it during 'Gone Baby Gone'. I loved 'Into the Wild', and with a creative score by Eddie Vedder coupled with unmatched landscapes, it shows how bright Sean Penn really is. Emile Hirch is fantastic as Christopher McCandless (not perfect), and his innocence and naivete are gut-wrenching, portraying a young man similar to what a more reckless and lost pchippy might have been like 15 years ago. (Thankfully pchippy is still very much with us.)
But I really want to discuss the "Film of the Year".
It is true toss up, for me, between the Daniel Day-Lewis tour de force 'There will be Blood' and the Coen's 'No Country for Old Men'. Day-Lewis has passion and true character sense, breathing new life into Paul Thomas Anderson's reworking of 'Citizen Kane'. It was a draining story and practically a biography, though fictional. Shot superbly with an unique soundscape (thank you Jonny Greenwood!), 'There will be Blood' hits all the right notes, reminding us that some people do not change, and a protagonist need not be the "good guy". Yet when it's said and done 'No Country for Old Men' will be the DVD I reach for. All the roles are filled with intelligence, and the plot drives us through Western Texas, visually, sonically and emotionally. Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurh is a better unstoppable killer than any found in Schwarzenegger flicks. The time period and over-the-top weaponry added instead of detracted to the suspense and drama that the Coen brothers are known for. I see nothing here to complain about; editing, acting, script, and camera work are exactly what make good story telling. While 'The Big Lebowski' maybe the Coen film I've seen the most times, I won't be surprised if this soon becomes #2.
Quick note: I have not seen 'Ratatouille', which made it onto many top 5 of 2007 lists, and I bet that I love it too.
But judged alongside the other movies I've seen this year, I would have called it "average" if it were 90 minutes. But, it didn't have the substance to support its length (almost 2 hours). The last half of the movie was tiresome. I would have left early had I not been at a double feature.
I haven't (yet) seen ANY of the movies you mentioned above, save Superbad and Knocked Up. But they all seem like I would like them as well.
Movies I liked a lot from 2007:
Juno
The Lives of Others
The Darjeeling Limited
La Vie en Rose
Margot at the Wedding
Knocked Up
The Savages
The Life of Reilly
I would like to see 'Juno' also...
I am Legend
Sweeney Todd
Shoot 'Em Up
I'm sure there have been others, but they were so completely unmemorable that my mind is just looking forward to '08 as the year I enjoy popcorn and a coke again while my mind is taken elsewhere.
On the other hand, on TV I've seen several lately that were interesting this week:
Last King of Scotland
Ballad of Jack and Rose
No Country for Old Men was definitely scary but for some odd reason Heroes freaks me out more. I still don't get the oxygen gun used in No Country. Great tension though
"flip the coin"
"what will happen if I flip the coin"
"that doesn't matter"
just kill em all ready. you're killing me.
favorite movie I saw this year -
FAIL SAFE
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No one has mentioned 'Grindhouse' yet -- enjoyed all eleven hours of it, esp. the trailers. Need to see it again.
'The Simpsons Movie' was enjoyable.
'No Country' was really, really good -- i liked the ending more as I thought about it for weeks afterwards (!).
'Control' didn't have as much depth as I would have liked, but the cinematography and (especially the ) performances were rad.
I've blathered on about the Strummer flick ad nauseum elsewhere.
The first bit of 'Darjeeling' was great, and the rest felt like Anderson-by-numbers (though the tie-in to the aforementioned first bit was awesome).
And I'm the only person who dug 'Spider-Man III'.
<strong>Superbad</strong>
<strong>Die Hard 4.0</strong>
<strong>Molière</strong>
<strong>The Future is Unwritten</strong>
<strong>Notes on a Scandal</strong>
Technically <strong>NoaS</strong> was a 2006 film, but it was released in February 2007 in Europe.
I think the only two films that made any impact on me were 2006 holdovers: I too saw "Notes On A Scandal" with genuinely powerful acting despite the Texas-sized plot hole at the end. And "Pan's Labyrinth" was fan-freaking-tastic! More movies like that please!
Seeing "There Will Be Blood" tomorrow.
I can't wait to see 'There Will Be Blood'. Once again, you culturally privileged Bostonites have earlier access to that than I.
My local cable company™ made it possible to see an 'IFC In theaters' on-demand presentation of 'The Future Is Unwritten' Joe Strummer pic. I was not impressed. Not only did the Animal Farm motif seem a clone of the King Lear strategy used in 'The Filth and the Fury' (it worked there, but here it just felt like a plugged in formula), but the campfire thing felt dumb and gimmicky. The viewer is kind of tricked into believing that all the folks (if you can figure who the fuck most of them are like dyedon8 griped earlier) are all at the same outdoor gathering. I should have known that Jack Sparrow and Bono were too busy to hang out with Strummer's old school mates - but still.
And why does Scorsese and Courtney Love et. al not have to pose fireside? Too much clout?
Just kind of disjointed and long-winded. I like Julien Temple, but I expected much more.
Other great or notable 2007 efforts:
-'American Gangster' Ridley Scott rules.
-'Michael Clayton' - this was probably one of the best if not the best film for me in 2007. Tom Wilkinson's commanding performance of a manic depressive how appears to have gone out of control, but is really ultimately bringing down a fuckwad of a corporate conglomerate. George Clooney's very occasional wit added just needed moments of humor in a super taut corporate thriller. Can't wait to see this again on DVD.
-'Grindhouse' - only negative thing to say is the DVDS excise all the fake trailers. dude - wtf? Marketing strategy - "multiple bites at the same apple" We will get a grindhouse Special Edition in 2010 for some exorbiant fee I spose, but whats out in the meantime kinda sucks. They did the same thing with 'Zodiac'. Bastards.
-'Blade Runner': The Final Cut. Welcome back to an old friend. I love the documentaries on the new dvd set.
-probably several others I am forgetting about...
'culturally privileged Bostonites have earlier access'
In truth, who do I have to blame for living where I do other than myself?