Favorites of 2007

So, in my excitement to write my first yearly blog for 2006 last month, I soon realized that I skipped 2007. So now I'm going to do 2007 so that after that I can do 2005, then 2004, and so on. Make sense? Too bad! Just read and enjoy, and let me know how you would've done it differently. Or tell me how everything I have said is perfectly accurate.

10. MY KID COULD PAINT THAT (Amir Bar-Lev) - A glimpse into the life of the world-famous four-year-old artist Marla Olmstead, and her family's struggle to prove that she really does paint her own works. Nomination at Sundance for Best Documentary. Marla is the cutest avant-garde artist ever! I found myself rooting for Marla's artistic integrity (despite her age), but I couldn't get past the strange relationship between her and her artist father. Without giving too much away, the end doesn't leave you with a perfect feeling. Some of the art is really beautiful (for Pollack style art, anyways), and the family dynamic is fun to watch as Marla is praised for work she sees simply as play. FAVORITE SCENE: Marla's younger brother telling the camera about his own artwork, while Marla rubs in the fact that his won't be worth thousands of dollars.

9. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen) - A hunter (Josh Brolan) stumbles across a drug deal gone bad and two million dollars, putting Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a psychopathic killer, on his tail for the money. Oscars for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Javier Bardem). This is a film that grows on you as you leave the theatre. It can be described as an action-horror-suspense-western-dark comedy, which is just what you'd expect from a Coen Brothers film. The ending will possibly leave a bad feeling in your mouth upon first viewing, but it will make sense once you see it again. The performances by Brolan, Bardem, and Tommy Lee Jones as the sheriff who is always one step behind in the case, are perfect and completely believable. FAVORITE SCENE: The opening scene of Anton choking the deputy with the cuffs on his hands is so intense, it almost feels like a horror movie.

8. RESCUE DAWN (Werner Herzog) - A prisoner of war, during a secret mission in Laos, must escape into the wilderness in order to get away from the atrocities of his holding camp. Bale and Steve Zahn are so fun to watch in this film based somewhat on the true story of fighter pilot Dieter Dengler. It's funny, sad, and completely entertaining. The best war movie since Saving Private Ryan. FAVORITE SCENE: Zahn's character is listing the items he wants in his fridge when he gets home, but keeps getting frustrated because Dengler keeps interrupting him.

7. HOT FUZZ (Edgar Wright) - A London cop (Simon Pegg) is stationed in a small English town where things are not as calm and quiet as they seem... From the guys who brought us the best, not too mention funniest, zombie movie ever made with Shaun of the Dead, comes the best buddy cop movie since Rush Hour 2 (hahaha, oh Chris Tucker, you are too much). Pegg and Nick Frost could get an apartment together, film it, and put it in theatres, and it would be better than half the stuff normally released each year. The dark comedy genre is being kept alive through the comically over-the-top violence found in this British gem. I can't wait to see what these guys do next. FAVORITE SCENE: Frost's character walking into his movie closet to grab some movies to show Pegg's character. "Point Break or Bad Boys II?" "Which one do you think I'll prefer?" "No, I mean which one do you wanna watch first?"

6. 3:10 TO YUMA (James Mangold) - Struggling rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is hired to help get charming but dangerous outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to the 3:10 to Yuma train before Wade's gang comes to set him free. Nominated for a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (Bale, Crowe, Peter Fonda, Ben Foster, etc.). The best American Western in years stars an Aussie and a Brit?! Bale and Crowe are great as always, but the breakout performance is the sinister and sassy Ben Foster as Wade's right-hand man. Like a Jack Sparrow for the old west. The action is fun, the dialogue is darkly funny, and the ending scene keeps you on the edge of your seat. FAVORITE SCENE: Ben Wade sinisterly singing "The Arizona Killer" right before he sleeps. I won't explain why for fear of giving too much away.

5. HOT ROD (Akiva Schaffer) - An Evil Knievel style "stuntman" (Andy Samberg)needs to make the jump of his life to raise enough money to pay for a new heart for his step dad (Ian McShane), so that he can beat him up to earn his respect... If that synopsis doesn't sound funny to you, then you shouldn't see this movie. BUT IT'S HILARIOUS! No one went to see it, and it is extremely underrated, but in my book it is up there with classics such as Anchorman and Dumb and Dumber (I am sure I will get crap for saying that). Will Ferrell was the original star of this film, but (thankfully) he backed out. Andy Smaberg is great, and the ensemble cast (Bill Hader, Will Arnett, Danny McBride, etc) throws out line after line of perfect quotes ("Pools are great for holding water." "What's that song about a grandma getting run over by a reindeer?" "It's bouncing around the Web like a beach ball at a Nickelback concert.") FAVORITE SCENE: Rico (McBride) beating up an old man for yelling at them ("I've been drinking green tea all &%$!#$&! day!")

4. HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX (David Yates) - While no one at the Ministry of Magic believes that Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has returned, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) helps to train his friends in fighting against the dark arts since their new Defense teacher, Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), is refusing to teach them anything about it and begins to change Hogwarts for the worst. People's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Drama. Maybe the best in the series so far, the Potter saga takes a dark and adult turn as we see the death of a key character and the rise of an enemy. Yates creates a much more harrowing wizarding world and leads the series in a great direction. Hopefully they will continue getting better with time. FAVORITE SCENE: The Weasley twins disrupting the order created under Umbridge's authority by shooting off fireworks and flying around the main hall during an important exam.

3. SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (Tim Burton) - A horror musical about the legendary Benjamin Barker, aka Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp), who slits the throats of his customers and puts them in Mrs. Lovett's (Helena Bonham Carter) meat pies, ultimately to seek revenge on Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman), who banished Todd from London in order to steal his wife (Laura Michelle Kelly) and daughter (Jayne Wisener). Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (Johnny Depp). Beautiful, scary, and surprisingly engaging, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp hit it right again (after the boring and pointless Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). Depp's and Carter's singing voices are far from perfect, but both fit the role's very well. The supporting cast is obviously more Broadway bound, with gorgeous voices and theatre style projection. The juxtaposition of horrific violence and light-hearted, almost comedic, singing was quite refreshing. Just talking about it makes me want to see it again! FAVORITE SCENE: Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett singing about what different types of people will taste like ("Here's the politician, so oily, it's served with a doily...", "The clergy is really too coarse and too mealy")

2. THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS (Seth Gordon) - A documentary about two grown men competing for the world record score of the classic 1980's Nintendo game Donkey Kong. So, I know this sounds boring, but this is possibly the most intense display of good (Steve Wiebe) versus evil (Billy Mitchell) captured on film since Skywalker and Vader. Seth Gordon and his team went about simply researching the lives of these world record holders of video games, and ended up focusing all their efforts on telling this story of a David going against a Goliath of classic gaming. The backing of Mitchell's disciples against the natural talents of one science teacher dad is so sinister, it doesn't seem real; the fact that it is a documentary makes it all the better. FAVORITE SCENE: Steve and Billy finally being in the same room at a gaming tournament, and the tension that mounts until their first actual encounter.

1. GONE BABY GONE (Ben Affleck) - A Boston tale about a child of a drug runner (Amy Ryan) going missing, and a young detective (Casey Affleck) questioning his own morals and ethical persuasions in order to do what is right for the young girl. Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Amy Ryan). I am as surprised as you that this was my favorite movie of 2007. I got it from a McDonald's Redbox on a whim, and was glued until the shocking end. Ben Affleck should stay behind the camera, his direction being one of the highlights of the movie and of the year. Morgan Freeman, as the Chief of Police who lost his own child, and Ed Harris, as a morally corrupt officer, give great supporting performances, while Ryan and Affleck give the performances of their young careers. Forget There Will Be Blood. Forget Juno. Forget Norbit. Go get this today! FAVORITE SCENE: Affleck's character questioning a guy in the bar about the mothers whereabouts the night the girl went missing while being harassed by the slum that are regulars at the bar.

RUNNER'S UP:
Ocean's 13, Persepolis, Ratatouille, Lars and the Real Girl, The Host