Top Ten Films of 2007

The top ten movies of 2007 in an unnumbered, somewhat particular of an order:

No Country for Old Man
I went through this movie a few weeks back in comparison to the mess that was Hitman but I'll repeat myself. Javier Bardem and Coen Brothers have been cleaning up at the film critic's awards for a reason. No Country for Old Men is enthralling, tense, and full of rich characters, none more memorable than Bardem's ruthless killer with a ridiculous haircut. It's just like the Coen Brothers to do something like that, add a small touch of a weird haircut to challenge the actor to raise his intensity beyond the haircut.

If you want to hear Bardem's take on it:

There Will Be Blood

A very close second. Daniel Day Lewis shows he is one of the best living actors and that any project that he becomes part becomes a possibility for an instant classic. Matched with the directing talents and skilled visual style of the auteur Paul Thomas Anderson, this story of a turmoil of a turn of the 20^th century oil man is gritty, brutal and completely arresting. Before this week, I thought there was no better performance than Bardem's but Daniel Day Lewis eclipses him. It's a good thing Bardem seems to be getting the support for the supporting actor, although I never truly understood how that can be decided. Yet while Bardem does take control of No Country, There Will Be Blood completely rests on Lewis and there is not another actor I know of that could have surpassed him. A full review is in my previous post.

Eastern Promises

David Cronenberg's latest masterwork following up last year's A History of Violence has not just one of the most innovative fight scenes in a long time but Viggo Mortensen proves he's one of the best actors working in now. His performance as a Russian mafia man in London ruthlessly working his way up the ladder is one of the strongest of the year and gives his own take on the intense, multifaceted criminal character.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

If you haven't noticed a theme here, a great film starts with a great actor, an excellent director and don't forget the brilliant script. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead has Phillip Seymour Hoffman playing the equivalent of a douchebag businessman in the middle of a fucked up caper that is told from multiple angles that perfectly melds into a fantastic film under the direction of Sidney Lumet (Dog Day Afternoon). Excellent supporting performances are in abundance with Ethan Hawke, Marissa Tomei, and Albert Finney all making strong impressions.

Juno

A very postmodern tale of the average of high school aged Minnesotan whipper snapper named Juno (Ellen Page) who gets impregnated by the dweeby but lovable track star (Michael Cera of Arrested Development and Superbad). Unlike the average movie wwhich would spend most of it's time on the decision to keep the baby, Juno follows this sharp witted hipster through her trials and tribulations in keeping the baby and giving it away as a gift to someone in need. That couple in need is excellently depicted by Jennifer Garner and especially Jason Bateman as a former wannabe rock star now commercial Jingle composer. The comparison you'll most often hear is to Napoleon Dynamite with more of a plot as well as the dark humor sensibilities of last year's inide darling Little Miss Sunshine. Both comparisons are apt and Juno is worth the praise if not for the strength of Ellen Page's performance. The one performance that will likely be overlooked is the humorous turn of acting chameleon, JK Simmons who can go from Law & Order to Spiderman to a major role in one of the more overlooked film's of the year First Snow starring Guy Pearce. His voice of reason, intelligence and fatherly advice takes Juno to another level.

The Lives of Others

An interesting tale of the invasive Socialist era in the vein of Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation. A dedicated socialist is given the task of spying on popular writer who is believed to have ties to the underground. An interesting tale of a man's fascination that develops with someone who never actually meets and the relationship that is unknowingly formed while also telling a story of a time that hasn't had mush light shone upon it.

Zodiac

I remember when seeing this in March that this is the reason that filmmakers that want award notice and accolades wait until the fall but I appreciated David Fincher giving his audience this sprawling 2 ½ hour plus tale of multiple men's intricate levels of obsession with finding the Zodiac killer. Joining the strong performances of Jake Gylenhaal and Mark Ruffalo to this task and keeping the story gripping was a task on its own. Although the film does meander at times, Zodiac was the first truly great film of 2007 and I kept my promise to myself to not forget it and reward it at the end of the year with my very valuable recommendation.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

I heard the hype. I loved the driving forces behind the film with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp but I never really thought I would get into a musical about a demonic barber who takes revenge on the politician that took his perfect life. But they pulled it off, they relaly pulled it off.

The Savages

The second Phillip Seymour Hoffman film to show up on the big countdown stars the man and Laura Linney as middle aged siblings who are called on to take over the care of their estranged father who is beginning to go senile. One of truly smaller independent films of the year that rely heavily on the performances of the leads. The Savages is a semi autobiographical tale from Tamara Jenkins, who also made the chronically underappreciated Slums of Beverly Hills. The Savages is a very personal tale full of dark humor, real characters living real ives and tackling genuine problems. A film that is emotional draining, full of the dark side of life especially in respect to the aspirations and difficulties of its main duo make The Savages a real gem from 2007 that will stick with you long after you leave the theater.

Hot Fuzz / Superbad

Here are two films that will stick with you long after you leave but for a very different reason than The Savages and that's because they are both fucking hysterical. Superbad is basically a Judd Apatow produced version of American Pie. In more descriptive wording, it's an intelligent comedy that mixes much slapstick with heart and two bumbling high school droks who just want to have fun before they ship out to college. Most people who would see this movie had and love Mclovin like myself so I'll waste my breath on Hot Fuzz instead.

Hot Fuzz comes from the team who made Shaun of the Dead, the popular British horror film satire which I personally did not enjoy much but Hot Fuzz is right down my alley. This time they take on the ridiculousness of Hollywood cop films especially Bad Boys and the Keanu Reeves/ Patrick Swayze greatness of Point Break. Basically, a big city cop is reassigned for arresting too many criminals and making the rest of the force look bad so they send him to a small village that has no crime. The old fish out of water tale mixed with the hysterical parody scenes makes Hot Fuzz a must see for those who are a fan of the British style of humor.

Noteworthy:

Charlie Wilson's War - Phillip Seymour Hoffman gets into crazy man haired character to make a third appearance on the list in this comedic telling of a Congressman and his quest to "shoot down some helicopters."

The Lookout – Slow, brooding, moody and somewhat predictable. Joseph Gordon Levitt returns with another standout performance after last year's amazing Brick

American Gangster – Denzel and Russel Crowe go to toe toe in this year's Departed. Ridley Scott makes up for some recent faux pas with this tenacious tale of Frank

Russell Crowe also shares top billing with Christian Bale in 3:10 to Yuma. Yuma is a remake of 1957 western that rides the intensity, vigor, and viciousness of two actors that are their best are pretty much unmatched in those categories, Crowe and Christian Bale. Bale as the flawed man about to lose his land and Crowe as the ruthless criminal that Bale is hired to transport as a prisoner. I also like Hollywood's recent trend to giving us a little more western action.

Ken Loach's The Wind That Shakes the Barley tell the story of the struggle for Ireland's freedom from British occupation in the early 20^th Century. It's a gut wrenching and strong handed, politically motivated tale starring Cillian Murphy as man with a bright future pulled into the struggle.

Richard Gere stars in The Hoax, a true story of a man who fakes the writing of a Howard Hughes biography in the humorous and interesting film. I never thought I'd say this but Ben Affleck deserves some respect for bringing the gritty Mystic River junior (a book from the same author) in Gone Baby Gone. His brother Casey stars and isn't half bad and Morgan Freeman also shows some adept skill as missing child expert for the police force.

Paul Vorheoven, a man best whose career has varied wildly between made the good (Robocop, Total Recall), the bad/tacky (Starship Troopers, Hollow Man) and the ugly (Showgirls) released his two and half hour plus drama about a woman's story of survival in Holland during the holocaust entitled Black Book. The film flows from engaging to sexy to with his best effort possibly in his career. It's nice to watch a film about the Holocaust that isn't preoccupied with concentration.

Paris Je T'aime brings together a tour of Paris through about 12 plus vignettes about different sects of the population in the celebration of the city by multiple popular independent directors starring a large collection of actors from all realms. The Coen Brothers, Alexander Payne direct a plethora of actors including Steve Buscemi, Nick Nolte, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Bob Hoskins, Elijah Wood, Natalie Portman, Rufus Sewell and Gerard Depardieu.

The summer action films usually a case of dull, boring dogshit has quite a few glimmers of hope in the-more-often-than-not-atrocious direction of Michael Bay made Transformers energetic, fun and entertaining. And when those robots come on screen, it was kind of like the moment you first saw the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. You know they weren't there but you get swept away. Then there were the action sequels from two of the better series around, Live Free or Die Hard and Bourne Ultimatum, which both

Best Documentary - An Unreasonable Man

If you were unacquainted with the history of Ralph Nader's political rise and background, An Unreasonable Man should do the trick. It's interesting, informative, and showcases how Nader became Nader.

Some more lists worth checking out:

A Top 20 List I didn't do – Top 20 Nude Scenes of 2007

Metacritic's Top Reviewed Films of 2007

Rotten Tomatoes Top Films of 2007

Film Review: There Will Be Blood

There Will Be Blood
Starring: Daniel Day Lewis, Paul Dano, Dillon Freasier and Kevin J. O'Connor.
Written and Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love)
Running Time: 168 Minutes
Rated R
Rating: 9.5 out of 10

From the opening scenes, There Will Be Blood is a complete departure from any other film that has been released in recent memory. A simple title in an olde-English-style font flashes in white on a black screen. Johnny Greenwood's discordant score of predominantly primal beat arrangements plays over a view of the desolate hilly California Landscape. A non descript man (Daniel Day Lewis) becomes chipping away with intensity while sparks fly off the pick emanating small flickers of light to the in the depths of the mine. Lewis climbs in and out of the mine with chilling silence, acclimating the viewer to the claustrophobic surroundings that form the basis of the film's spatial atmosphere. No dialogue is spoken. The building tension is unmistakable.

This opening scene brings to mind of Paul Thomas Anderson's remarkable opening scene of his previous film Magnolia. That scene is about the connection between seemingly unconnected events; a series of coincidences that the narrator simultaneously lay out while questioning the veracity of the claims. An opening montage so plodding and intricate, comprised of mixed newsreel and lookalike old time footage made a point that the viewer was left to ponder for the rest of the film, sticking in your mind as a starting point for the 3 hour multitude of interconnected stories that ultimately unfolded. In stark contrast, the opening of There Will Be Blood shows another side of Anderson's filmmaking ability. It is simple, striking, and shows the ferocity of Lewis pursuing his objective, alone and driven, when most men wouldn't dare such an endeavor.

Upton Sinclair's book "Oil!" is the base material for the film which tells the story of a turn-of the-century oil prospector\driller named Daniel Plainview (Lewis) approached by a young man (Paul Dano) who claims that his family's land is rich with black gold. Plainview goes to explore this information with his young son and partner H.W. (Dillon Freasier) and finds the young man's claims to be true. He begins the process of setting up drilling leases in this town of Little Boston and convincing the local people of the importance of his work and its merits to the community. Yet the community seems primarily concerned with the wellbeing of its church and its teenage fire & brimstone healer/preacher Eli Sunday (also played by Dano).

Anderson's script has three acts. The first is the young exploits of Plainview. The second act is primarily his trials and tribulations in Little Boston. The third and final act is the post Little Boston era (I will avoid going into detail about this portion). The film explores a world of contrast from only a century that was a seemingly simpler time yet one with the same battles occurring as they occur now, albeit on a smaller, more personal scale. There Will Be Blood is a story of the will-power of one man and what is necessary for someone to make it independent of the persuasive power of mega-corporations while juggling the interests and complaints of all those involved.

So why is There Will Be Blood an instant classic of a film? The story is interesting. The direction is fantastic. But it is quite possible that the only man that can fit in the shoes of Daniel Plainview is Daniel Day Lewis. There is a reason that the poster There Will Be Blood contains the image of the focused glare of Daniel Day Lewis; he makes the film. His character is the focus of the film and every moment he is on screen your eyes gravitate towards him. He never leaves a moment empty. One can imagine after viewing this performance that Lewis would have made an excellent silent film actor. His every movement and facial expression seems to have intent and meaning to be analyzed. His character much like Johnny Greenwood's score seems to constantly have an undercurrent of possible eruption. There are moments when the tension swells only to be defused and then there are moments through the film where Lewis violently digresses into something of a caveman who is running on instinct and pure guile. Much like in his role of Gangs of New York, Lewis is the most entertaining while unpredictable violent intent rumbles inside of his gut. Some of the best scenes do also necessitate great performances from the young actors DIllon Freasier and Paul Dano, who for the most part stand toe to toe with Lewis.

Still, much of the credit must be given to Paul Thomas Anderson. There Will Be Blood boldly cements Paul Thomas Anderson's status as one of the few true American film auteurs of this generation. He mixes the beauty of the unaffected landscapes with the early industrialization of the oil industry while perfectly matching a grittiness of the film's overall look to match the cutthroat nature and dark sides that come out of most men when the proverbial oil starts flowing. Anderson can not overshadow the starring performance of Lewis so he integrates remarkable sound design the overall visual style of the film. Technically, the film is made so proficiently that these kinds of things can go unnoticed by the average viewer. An example of this interchangeability of visual and auditory landscape is the switching of auditory perspective of the heard landscape from a normal hearing capacity to that of a recently deafened person by muting the film and putting the audience in that shocked character's head. Paul Thomas Anderson must receive nominations for his directing as well as his impressive screenwriting from the adapted material.

Anderson does seem to have a penchant for making long films. Three of his last four films clock in well over 2 and ½ hours. It takes a really engaging story to truly keep the audience interested for that last hour. Many find that last hour to be the bloat of the film and that directors just don't know how to edit but for Anderson that has never really been the case. His films necessitate the running time. With Blood, the measured pace allows for the film to unfold unrushed. The length is perfectly viable. For a time during the film, I thought the audience might be in for a capitulation of a tedious half hour last act after the 2 hours of tour de force filmmaking that proceeded, all parts build up to a fitting finale. And it is perfect; a finale that validates the masterpiece-like classification of the film's first two acts. There Will Be Blood is the second best film of the 2007, coming in right behind No Country For Old Men.