Editor’s note: Taken from my old blog to be posted here. Anachronisms are present to keep the integrity of the piece.
1. Zodiac
David Fincher’s finest film to date, even surpassing ‘Seven’ and ‘Fight Club.’ Here is a movie that is split almost two ways — the first half about the killings, the second half about the obsession. Both halves are amazing and together form this perfect movie. Sadly, the movie came out too early in the year, and will most likely be looked over come Oscar time.
Editor’s note: ‘Zodiac’ is discussed in more detail in the Movies to Study column.
2. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
There are very few movies that I would make everyone see if I possibly could. This would be one of them. The movie is inspired by Jean-Do Bauby’s “locked-in syndrome,” in which he blinks out an entire memoir with only his left eye. He is completely paralyzed and somehow manages to accomplish that. Jean-Do is a witty man (even more-so in the memoir itself), and that helps offset the deeply serious subject matter. Yet, at the same time, the scenes of his family coping with his immobility are overwhelming. It is perfect and innovative the way this story was filmed, and supreme credit goes to the director, cinematographer, and writer. I will write a more lengthy review at a later date.
Editor’s note: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly can be found as a Movie to Study.
3. No Country For Old Men
A movie that will not be overlooked come Oscar time is the Coen Brothers’ latest. Seeing this twice in theaters, the movie is smart, clean, and altogether flawless. People bitch about the ending. The first viewing it caught me off-guard, but when I saw it a second time I liked it a lot better, and think it’s the only way the film could have ended. I feel this movie will be studied for years to come.
4. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Where most movies would falter, ‘Devil’ rises up and becomes that much better. There are no questions of motivation, there are no flaws in pacing, and the acting is completely top-notch. Sidney Lumet is the mastermind behind this picture, but a fabulous script by Kelly Masterson and the always-great Philip Seymour Hoffman take this film out of the standard ‘jewelry store robbery movie’ genre and elevate it to greatness.
5. Juno
You would have to try really hard not to love Juno. The character, specifically — but also the movie. I would try to describe scenes in this movie, but it would lose all effect. But ever since Juno accuses her ~4 year-old sister of puking blue slurpee into the vase, I couldn’t help it. It’s rare when I laugh at parts in a movie that are in the trailer, but I was that guy. It seems like Juno is the female version of any of the characters from ‘Knocked Up’ or ‘Superbad.’ But the real success here, where those movies have good one-liners, it’s the stupid jokes that are endearing. Here, Juno herself is what the movie is about — her quirky personality comes second to the movie as a whole.
6. Atonement
Atonement is a movie that on first glance seems to be all about love, but people forget to factor in ignorance, betrayal, lust, jealousy, and self-loathing. The twisting of this movie is delicate and perfectly executed. Visual art of the highest form, the whole movie is a pleasure to look at and just take in. Gotta love British period pieces.
7. La Vie en Rose
A one-woman show for Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf, and how great that show is. The music aside, this is pure storytelling in a creative way. Taking the life of a person and re-ordering it for increased effect is risky, but here works extremely well. Perhaps there is a reason Edith Piaf was the pride of France.
8. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tim Burton is very hit-or-miss for me. On the one hand is Batman and Big Fish, but then there’s also Planet of the Apes and Sleepy Hollow. Here I think is his best work to date, with an eerie movie/musical that lifts well from the source material. Johnny Depp also shines, showing he has more range than most working actors today. A great movie, but not for everyone.
9. Ratatouille
I’ll be honest — I liked the Incredibles, but not so much as everyone else. Here Brad Bird steps up again for Pixar and produces the best animated film in years. A great blend of wit, passion, and cooking detail, the movie could have been twice as long and I still would’ve watched it three times.
10. The Bourne Ultimatum
The third installment in the series, and the best of the bunch (which we all know is rare). The plot is a bit flimsy, but still strong enough to justify the endless action sequences that put many imitators to shame. Believe the hype when they say, “You are glued to the screen.”
I will not do a ‘honorable mentions’ because that is a cop-out, though in a year like this it would be more than justified. 2007 was a phenomenal year for movies, with so many great flicks. I could have probably made a top 20 and felt strongly about all of them.
And as with all top 10 lists, let me say that I know people will gripe. Really, I just do these so whoever may stumble across the list will feel a tiny bit more inclined to see a few of these, and I know that they will appreciate it. Any time I can get people to see these films instead of ‘Epic Movie’ or ‘The Bucket List’ I am pleased.
And lastly — I stand by these rankings. Isn’t No Country For Old Men a better movie than Zodiac? How can you rank perfect movies that are so different? It’s like judging any kind of art: When you’re stuck in the middle, go with the one that makes you feel something.
The New Calamity 