This is by no means my argument that these are absolutely the best films made in 2007. I must qualify that I have not seen everything that has been released this year. My touring schedule kept me on the road and away from the silver screen for about 1/4th of this year. I have not seen "Michael Clayton", "American Gangster", "Atonement", "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly", "Lars And The Real Girl", and others. Some of these on this list, I did not get to see in the theater. I completely missed "Zodiac", although it was one of my most anticipated.
These are my favorite films that I watched this year. All the usual suspects are present (except for that Alaskan girl), and I cannot add much to them at this time that hasn't been written about already. That will take a little more time and definently more viewings. There is an Apatow production on the list; though not one you'd suspect. Apatow had the golden touch this year and the backlash is in effect with the mildly negative critical and internet blogging/talkbacking of "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story". I must say before this list begins, that it pained me to leave "Superbad" off of the list. It was one of the best theatrical comedy-going experiences I'd had in recent years (measured up to the "Borat" experience), and further proves to me that certain (if not all) movies need to be seen with a crowd. A large post regarding that theory will be coming (much?) later, but for now...
1.
No Country For Old Men (E. & J. Coen)
The Coens are back!(?)! I add that question mark because; did they ever really go away? I saw some of "The Ladykillers" on cable the other night and was sucked right in. It is odd (Coens=of course), with a deliciously strange performance by Tom Hanks and it got me thinking...What was all the hub-bub about them losing the plot circa. 2004...? There is not a wasted moment in "No Country For Old Men". The all-silent discovery of the Mexican shootout/money had me wondering what the Coen's all-silent movie idea would've been like. One of two movies I saw twice in the theater this year. The other being...
2.
Grindhouse: Planet Terror & Death Proof (R. Rodriguez, Q. Tarantino)
Two movies that tasted great together. The fake trailers, the scratchy prints, the missing reels. Though "Planet Terror" should not be discounted (the Carpenter-like photography, the casting, and the creative genius that is Rose McGowan's machine-gun leg make this film incredibly watchable), "Death Proof" is another Tarantino masterpiece. And we didn't have to wait six years for it. I got to have good theatrical experiences for this both times I saw it. First, opening weekend at a multiplex in Times Square in NYC, pleasantly buzzed and with my band. Second, on the Cinerama, back home in Seattle, with a guy having a coughing attack next to me the duration of "Planet Terror".
3.
Zodiac (D. Fincher)
I can never hear "Hurdy Gurdy Man" without thinking of the Zodiac coming out and killing me. Thanks alot Fincher. And thanks for giving Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo juicy roles.
4.
The Darjeeling Limited / Hotel Chevalier (W. Anderson)
I don't understand the backlash towards Wes Anderson. Could it be due in part to the imitators of his filmmaking style that starting producing knockoff films and commercials complete with subject-centered photography and British Invasion soundtrack? The general backlash towards all things "
twee"? Or when people outgrow their idols and/or move on to the "NEXT COOLEST!!" thing on the block to suck the blood from... I think this is a step up from "The Life Aquatic", whatever that means. I believe that you should watch the short film first, and then the feature. It fills out Schwartzman's character and adds a melancholy edge to him in the feature. I look forward to seeing this again on home video.
5.
There Will Be Blood (P.T. Anderson)
My most anticipated. Tied with Tarantino, but I had all year to get excited. Then all Oscar season as the early critics came all over themselves over its magnificence. I was setting myself up for disapointment. I was at risk of learning about milkshakes and all, but managed to keep myself clear and clean. I was not disapointed in the least and saw the ending as a natural evolution of character. This was a great year for silent pictures, between "No Country" and this film's opening twenty minutes.
6.
Runnin' Down A Dream (P. Bogdonovich)
I'm a Petty fan. Not hardcore or anything, but I own most the albums and hold him in very high regards as an excellent and consistent hit songwriter. He had hits through four decades and continues to conquer far and wide (witness 2008 Super Bowl). This documentary by
Captain Ascot himself (who previously had not been a Tom Petty fan!), is an in-depth four hour look at the man, his band, and their long-running history and how they keep it going. While the Heartbreakers didn't leave a life of high drama and massive excesses, they do have an interesting story to tell. I learned alot about their early history and ties with Tulsa, which I had only passing knowledge of. Petty tries to keep his music honest and true to the fans and his constant battles with the record companies (on behalf of helpless ex-Byrds too!) are as entertaining as they are admirable. The guy just wrote great songs!
7.
Breach (B. Ray)
I never thought a Ryan Phillipe movie would wow me. Like the Zodiac's story, Robert Hansen's story fascinated me when it broke on the national news in the late 1990's. I thought it woud be a great movie and was pissed when I heard one was being made (with Phillipe no less!). I didn't see this until home video, but was sucked in right away and it stayed with me for days after I finished watching it. Chris Cooper's performance is chilling as it seems like he is constantly judging everyone in scene. This film had a really great tone, and felt like one of those awesome political thrillers from the 1970's/80's I grew up watching on HBO.
8.
The TV Set (J. Kasdan)
This Apatow production flew under the radar earlier this year. After watching Kasdan's other film released this year, the aforementioned "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" it seems to me like Kasdan has two parallel movie-directing careers. "The TV Set" seems like the true follow-up to his debut feature "
Zero Effect" (in the fact that they are more subtle and biting with their humor), while "Dewey Cox" feels like a follow up to "
Orange County" (both mainstream audience studio comedies), "Zero's" real-follow-up. Confused yet?
"The TV Set" has great performances by Sigourney Weaver and David Duchovny as programming executive and aspiring showrunner respectively. This is a deft satire on what it takes to get a show up and running through the network process and onto the air. The DVD audio commentary with Kasdan and Apatow, talking about their experiences on "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared" is also worth its weight in gold.
9.
The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (A. Dominik)
I have never seen "
Chopper. It is now on the top of my Netflix queue. This film is more than it's photography. There are great moments for all the main characters involved in this film. That there are many moments given to actors like Paul Schneider and Sam Rockwell makes this film all the more meaty and developed. But, Roger Deakins does outdo himself with his photography. The "nightime train robbery/train coming down the tracks" shot should win him the Oscar alone.
10.
Hot Fuzz (E. Wright)
What I liked was that this was much more subtle than the television advertising was leading me to believe. There is a lot of quiet (and layered) humor in this film. I would've loved to have seen this in a theater in a small town in England after a couple of pints.
