Top 10 Films of 2007

The year is 2007, and a lot has happened in the movie world. To help take you back in time, here's a look back at some of the film-related events that took place:

In September, twelve thousand writers from the Writers Guild of America go on strike, affecting both film and television in the months and years to come.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End becomes the year's highest-grossing film, earning over $963 million at the worldwide box office.

Spider-man 3 breaks the record for the largest single weekend gross by earning $151 million on its opening weekend.
No Country for Old Men wins the Academy Award for Best Picture as well as three other awards, including Best Director for the Coen brothers and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem.

The world loses the likes of Bob Clark, Joel Siegel and Ingmar Bergman, .

I've been able to see 87 films released in 2007, and from those, I've compiled my own top ten list. As one can imagine, some great films had to be left off the final list. Here's a look at some of the movies (listed alphabetically) that just missed the cut:

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Into the Wild
Reign Over Me
Surf's Up
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

But enough about the runners-up; here's the list you've been waiting to see! Counting down from number ten to number one, I've listed each film and have given the principal cast list as well as if and how fared at the Academy Awards. Also, I've listed the film's rank on my "Best Films of All-Time" list, if applicable. So without any further delay, here's my top ten movies of 2007!

*****

10. Gone Baby Gone
Rated: R
Directed by: Ben Affleck
Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Amy Ryan
Academy Awards: 1 nomination
***
When it was first announced that Ben Affleck would be moving behind the camera into the director's chair, I was a little apprehensive at this film's prospects; however, any doubts I may have had were quickly forgotten as I delved into a story of darkness and misdirection. While the supporting cast - namely Freeman, Harris and Ryan - manages to steal the show, I can't say enough about the leading performances of Casey Affleck and Monaghan, who run with the dark and, at times, depressing story and make it an effective thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.

*****

9. The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)
Rated: R
Directed by: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Starring: Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch, Ulrich Tukur, Thomas Thieme
Academy Awards: 1 nomination, 1 win
All-Time Ranking: 146
***
I was first turned onto this movie after it managed to steal the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film from Pan's Labyrinth. Because of how highly I regard that film, I figured a movie that bested it at the year's biggest awards ceremony should be quite good itself. While I personally don't think it's as good, The Lives of Others does offer a bit of a dramatic thriller that's going to keep you on the edge of your seat. It delves into ethical issues and situations that force a man to choose between doing his job for his country and doing what he thinks to be right. Brilliantly acted and well-directed, this is not one to be missed.

*****

8. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Rated: R
Directed by: Andrew Dominik
Starring: Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell, Jeremy Renner
Academy Awards: 2 nominations
All-Time Ranking: 145
***
This is the first art-house film I can remember truly enjoying. Despite its slow and methodical pace, there never seems to be a dull moment during The Assassination of Jesse James. Because the film's basic storyline is given away by the title itself, the movie works more as a character study than a plot-driven vehicle. Luckily, we're getting some fantastic turns from the likes of Brad Pitt as the titular James and Casey Affleck as the titular Ford in an Academy Award-nominated performance. Also worth mention is the pitch-perfect score composed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

*****

7. Juno
Rated: PG-13
Directed by: Jason Reitman
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney
Academy Awards: 4 nominations, 1 win
All-Time Ranking: 135
***
Jason Reitman's film about a teenage girl struggling with her unexpected pregnancy came out of nowhere to become the year's biggest surprise hit. Not only did the film resonate with audiences, but it also managed to strike a chord with critics and awards voters, most of whom awarded it graciously. It's an offbeat dramatic comedy that's full of fantastic acting performances. Page does a great job in the lead, but a lot of mention also has to go to Simmons and Bateman, who offer strong supporting roles as well.

*****

6. Hot Fuzz
Rated: R
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton
All-Time Ranking: 134
***
The second film in Pegg and Frost "Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy," Hot Fuzz takes the buddy-cop genre and turns it on its ear much in the way Shaun of the Dead turned the zombie genre upside-down. In some ways, this film outperforms the first in the trilogy, mostly in that it finds a way to come completely full circle. The story doesn't leave one stone unturned, and it manages to answer every question it supposes along the way. Aided by pitch-perfect acting from each individual character, Hot Fuzz offers a laugh a minute and only adds to the film-making legend that Pegg and Frost are slowly making for themselves.

*****

5. King of California
Rated: PG-13
Directed by: Mike Cahill
Starring: Michael Douglas, Evan Rachel Wood
All-Time Ranking: 133
***
I was a bit of a late-comer to seeing King of California. Having seen it floating around for a couple of years, I finally managed to snag hold of a copy of the film and gave it a view. What I saw was a tale of mental instability mixed with a bit of comedy and familial renewal. Adding all those components together may seem a tad bit hectic, but director Cahill manages to bring it all together into a wonderfully-crafted story about a man who's a little bit off and his daughter who just wants to keep him happy. I personally think this is Douglas's best performance of his career, and I'm including his Academy Award-winning turn in 1987's Wall Street. If that's not enough to push you towards this film, I don't know what is.

*****

4. Once
Rated: R
Directed by: John Carney
Starring: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová
Academy Awards: 1 nomination, 1 win
All-Time Ranking: 119
***
When you take a budding romance, add a little bit of music then put it all against the backdrop of Dublin, I'd have to say you're going to have me hooked. That's exactly what the independent film Once does, and boy does it succeed. It's a quiet film that shows a slow but beautiful romance brewing between the aptly named "Guy" and "Girl," but just like real life, there aren't always going to be happy endings. It's this realism that ultimately makes this film all the more brilliant and, ultimately, all the more beautiful.

*****

3. Wristcutters: A Love Story
Rated: R
Directed by: Goran Dukic
Starring: Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Shea Whigham, Leslie Bibb, Will Arnett, Tom Waits
All-Time Ranking: 100
***
Don't let the film's title be off-putting - Wristcutters is actually a bitingly hilarious dramatic comedy. While it does deal with the theme of suicide, it offers a story different from most other films I've seen. It tells of an alternate afterlife for those individuals who decide to off themselves. This afterlife is just like normal existence, only its just a little more bleak, and the residents are incapable of producing a smile. Despite this, the characters portrayed by Fugit and Sossamon manage to find one another and, through the course of a lengthy road trip, find affection towards one another as well. Full of laughs as well as sentimental moments, this is one independent film that I must recommend highly.

*****

2. I'm Not There.
Rated: R
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Ben Whishaw, Christian Bale, Richard Gere, Marcus Carl Franklin, Heath Ledger, Julianne Moore, Bruce Greenwood, Michelle Williams, David Cross
Academy Awards: 1 nomination
All-Time Ranking: 81
***
I'm Not There. is one of the most original films I've ever had the opportunity to see. It takes the life story of musician Bob Dylan and portrays his varying personality through six different on-screen characters, ranging from young to old (and even from male to female, if you're going by the actors themselves). Blanchett gives a stellar performance in an Oscar-nominated role, but don't focus solely on her: Bale, Gere and Ledger also offer fantastic turns. Aided by a stellar soundtrack, I'm Not There. truly soars.

*****

1. No Country for Old Men
Rated: R
Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Kelly Macdonald, Woody Harrelson, Garret Dillahunt
Academy Awards: 8 nominations, 4 wins
All-Time Ranking: 55
***
This is my seventh "Top 10" of the year list, and it marks the first time that my top film matches the film that received the Academy Award for Best Picture. I was living in Santa Cruz, California when this film was released, and I can remember watching this film in the Del Mar Theatre - my favorite theatre I've ever been to, by the way - and sitting in silence as the credits rolled trying to figure out what had just happened. I immediately ran to the nearest bookstore and picked up a copy of Cormac McCarthy's source novel just so I could understand the film, and what I learned, with the help of a subsequent viewing, was utterly brilliant. The Coen brothers brought their A-game for this one, and it remains one of the better movies I've ever seen.

Ten Movies I'm Most Thankful For: A Thanksgiving Special

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Today's holiday is a time to take pause and think about everything for which we are thankful. As we celebrate with family and friends, I thought I'd take a look and see what films I was most thankful for. While I'm sure I could come up with dozens of films that I love just as much as the ones in the following list, I think these are the ten films I'm most thankful have been made over the years. So while you sit back, eat turkey and watch football, give this list a view. Once again, happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

*****

The 400 Blows
1959
This French film (originally titled Les quatre cents coup) was a bit of an eye-opener for me. I think it's one of those films that everyone needs to see at least once in their lifetime, but it's only going to have an emotional impact if you watch it at just the right time in your life. Fortunately for me, I watched it at exactly the right moment in my life's journey. The story tells of a boy who's looking to find meaning in his own life, and after a series of trials and tribulations, he is able to break away from conformity only to find himself wondering where to turn next. I was in a similar situation when I watched this film, and the boy's inner turmoil reflected my own almost exactly. While it didn't offer any explanation or advice, just seeing my own conflict portrayed so beautifully was enough to leave me in tears.

*****

2001: A Space Odyssey
1968
2001: A Space Odyssey is not a film to be enjoyed. It is a film to be watched and admired and thought about for ages. Every time I watch this film, I always get the urge to spend a month watching the movie over and over again. While I'm sure there's been countless interpretation of Stanley Kubrick's film, we may never know if any of them are actually correct. And I think that's what makes this film so brilliant. You can sit down and watch it a dozen times, and you could easily have a dozen different ideas and interpretations. It's definitely not a film for everyone; if you can't find a way to get into it, it's going to be a long, drawn-out experience for you. But for those of you who are able to see the beauty in the film, you'll realize that it isn't just a movie: it is an experience that should be taken by any true fan of film.

*****

Brokeback Mountain
2005
There's actually a fundamental and personal reason for me to be thankful for Brokeback Mountain, and I think the story will suffice as explanation. I was raised in a strict conservative household, and although I don't remember any overt concessions or statements against the homosexual community, I immediately opposed this film upon its release, claiming it was just a "gay cowboy" movie. I went so far as to cheer against it at that year's Academy Awards despite having not seen the film. It took me three more years to sit down and watch the film, and I found it to be one of the most beautiful romances I have ever seen on-screen. It may not have been the only driving force, but it completely changed my views on love and who should be allowed to love one another. In a way, I have this film to thank for my overall tolerance, and for that, I think we can all be thankful.

*****

The Cove
2009
Much in the way Brokeback Mountain opened my eyes to the world, The Cove did the same in terms of animal cruelty. I had not been much for documentaries until a few years ago, and when I heard about The Cove and its subject matter, I have to admit I was a little hesitant to give it a watch. I knew exactly what I was going to see, and that alone would be enough to keep a lot of people from watching this film. However, I will take the stance right now and say that every person - man, woman and (maybe) child - needs to see The Cove. It needs to be universally known exactly what's happening around the world in terms of animal cruelty, and even though this film only focuses on one specific happening, it talks about how prevalent such cruelty has become around the world. It made me want to rise to action, and the best way I know how to do that is to draw attention to this film's existence.

*****

Gone with the Wind
1939
This is the classic film to top all classic films, and it's also the first film to use "foul" language (although by today's standards, the use of the word "damn" isn't all that shocking). While it blazed that particular trail, it also set the standard in terms of romantic dramas, and I have yet to see a film that surpasses it in its magnitude and sheer force. It's a long film, so there may not be many people who have the patience to sit through it nowadays, but true film aficionados will know this to be one of the greatest films ever to grace the silver screen. Even seventy-two years later, it's still one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen, and it ranks very highly among my favorites.

*****

Happiness
1998
One particular friend is going to scoff at the fact that I've included this film on this list. She claims it's one of the grossest movies she's ever seen, but I can see where she's coming from with her statement. However, the dark comedy and sarcasm in which the subject matter is portrayed is so brilliantly done that I can't begin to hate this film in any regards. The reason I'm thankful for Happiness, however, is it's the first film to show me that there really are no boundaries in the film medium. In a day and age where so much is controlled by the Motion Picture Assocation of America, it's refreshing to see a film that pushes the taboos aside and just lets it all go. (Disclaimer: this film definitely isn't for everyone; it deals with a lot of sexual content that shouldn't be viewed by younger audiences, so be forewarned.)

*****

Jaws
1975
How could I possibly leave my favorite film of all time off this list? You can read my post about the film itself linked above if you want to get all my insight about the film (it's a longer post, just so you know), but at a very basic level, I think everyone has to be thankful for their favorite movie. It's a film I can come back to any day and be able to sit down and watch it in its entirety and be thoroughly entertained. What makes this movie so great for me is that it is so thoroughly entertaining, and it always finds a way to make me re-fall in love with it. It's simple yet so perfectly brilliant in its methods of filmmaking that it's hard not to like. But most importantly, Jaws reminds me that film is supposed to be about entertainment. While I can go on for ages nit-picking films in my reviews, it really comes down to whether or not a movie is entertaining. Jaws will always find a way to keep me engaged, and for that, I am thankful.

*****

No Country for Old Men
2007
When No Country for Old Men was released in 2007, I was living in Santa Cruz, California, and it was playing at my favorite particular theater. I remember the experience vividly: the moment the film ended, I and the eight other people sitting in the theater sat silently through the final credits. The moment the lights returned in the theater, I ran out to buy the original novel in order to understand it. The reason I'm thankful for this film is the fact that it's the movie that made me want to start writing reviews. The amount of thought I put into No Country for Old Men and exactly what it meant spurred me towards this blog, which I ultimately started three years later after I had finished my undergraduate schooling. So, for all of you who enjoy my reviews and this blog in general, you should also thank No Country for Old Men for getting me started down that path.

*****

Psycho
1960
Much in the way I couldn't leave Jaws (my favorite film) off this list, there was no way I could leave Psycho (the best film I've ever seen) off this list either. (To get the whole story behind my viewing of Psycho, check out the link given above because it's a doozy of a story.) Alfred Hitchcock's most iconic film set the tone for the rest of cinematic history. Without this film, who knows where the evolution of movies would have taken us. There are so many movie "firsts" in Psycho that it's a little bit overwhelming. It broke through taboos that filmmakers had refused to break previously. I honestly believe that the face of the cinematic landscape would be drastically different had Hitchcock not released this film back in 1960. Solely based on that, I think there's enough reason to be thankful for this film. The fact that it's also brilliant is just one more plus.

*****

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1937
There's two reasons I'm thankful for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. First, it was the first feature-length animated film ever created. Had the film proven to be terrible, there's a chance that animation might never had made much of an impact on the cinematic landscape. Fortunately, it was met by rave reviews, and only three years later, Pinocchio was released to similar reviews, forever stamping the presence of animated films The second reason I'm thankful for Snow White is that it stamped Walt Disney as a legitimate presence on the feature-film stage. While he'd had success with his short films, the success of Snow White put him at the forefront of animation - a place he, as well as the Disney company, have managed to stay until this day.

Happy Birthday, Tommy Lee Jones!

Today we're celebrating the 65th birthday of Academy Award-winning actor, Tommy Lee Jones. I think my first cinematic memory of Jones was in 1997's Men in Black, in which he starred opposite the ever-present funny-man, Will Smith. At the time, I simply thought Jones was another run-of-the-mill comedic actor, but as I continued to see more and more films, I learned that he generally delves into dramatic roles more often than comedy. Jones nabbed his Oscar in 1993 for his supporting role in The Fugitive, but he's also managed to be nominated on two other occasions: for his supporting role in 1991's JFK and for his leading role in 2007's No Country for Old Men. So, as a tribute to his acting ability, I've listed my five favorite Tommy Lee Jones roles below. I hope you enjoy the videos I've supplied. Once again, let's wish Tommy Lee Jones a happy birthday!

5. Hawk Hawkins
Space Cowboys (2000)


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4. Samuel Gerard
The Fugitive (1993)


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3. Ed Tom Bell
No Country for Old Men (2007)


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2. Warden Dwight McClusky
Natural Born Killers (1994)


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1. Agent K
Men in Black (1997)

Happy Birthday, Woody Harrelson!

It's a little ironic that I just did a DVD Challenge for Zombieland a few days ago with Woody Harrelson's birthday right around the corner, but now he's been in my consciousness for the past few days. Harrelson, who turns 50 today, made his first big break on the television show "Cheers" and rode his success from there. While he generally plays a more comedic character, he has shown that he has the ability to delve into the dramatic, garnering two Academy Award nominations throughout his career. You can currently see him in the new film Friends with Benefits. So without any further delay, here's my five favorite Woody Harrelson roles! Enjoy!

5. Carson Stone
No Country for Old Men (2007)


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4. Galaxia / Security Guard Gary
Anger Management (2003)


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3. Captain Tony Stone
The Messenger (2009)


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2. Tallahassee
Zombieland (2009)


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1. Mickey Knox
Natural Born Killers (1994)


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Awards
2003: Nominee - Best Cameo or Brief Appearance
2009: Nominee - Best Supporting Actor, Drama; Best Hero(ine)