Movies 2007

Oh boy, end of the year lists! These are all of the movies released in 2007 that I saw, ranked from best to worst. Now, there are 18 movies on this list, and there was only one that was really bad, only three that I thought were flawless, and in the middle, a bunch of really good to pretty good movies. I could honestly recommend them all but the last one.

1. No Country For Old Men

As I read the book last year, the movie was already playing in my mind. In my mind, Quentin Tarantino directed, and Tommy Lee Jones plays the sheriff. Then I found out it really was going to be a movie, directed by the Coen Brothers, and starring Tommy Lee Jones as the sheriff. Awesome. The book really does read like a movie, but it's eerie how much the movie resembles exactly the movie that played in my mind. The mood and cinematography is absolutely dead on. Just a great, great film. Javier Bardem should get a best supporting actor nod for his dead on portrayal of Anton Chiguhr.

2. The King Of Kong

A documentary about the world record for Donkey Kong? Yep. And it's great. At first, you are convinced that this is a Christopher Guest-style mockumentary, but it slowly dawn's uopn you that omg these guys are for real. Starring a larger than life villain (you'll be constantly saying "this guy can't be real"), a modest hero, and a supporting cast that must be seen to be believed (A video game "referee" who wears a referee's shirt?), you have to see this.

3. Knocked Up

Not as funny as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, but still piss your pants funny at times.

4. Rescue Dawn

I love Werner Herzog, I love Christian Bale, and I loved the documentary, Little Deiter Needs To Fly, that Rescue Dawn is based on. I liked 90% of this. I hated the sappy parts, which is weird, since unlike most movies, the sappy parts here actually happened.

5. The Wind That Shakes The Barley

Beautifully filmed portrayal of showing how the Irish fight for independence morphed into a civil war.

6. American Gangster

Good flick, but was a lot of filler. If it was paired down by a half hour or so, it could have been great. Sometimes I love Denzel, sometimes he's just too Denzel for me. I liked him here.

7. Alpha Dog

I took interest in this movie because I was already quite familiar with the real life case it was based on. Then I heard Justin Timberlake was going to be in it. Ugh. Funny how things work, he was really good, and I left the movie kind of a fan.

8. Grindhouse

This would have been higher, but while I loved Tarantino's Death Proof, I didn't really care for Planet Terror. The soundtrack for Death Proof is quite good, too.

9. Zodiac

Like American Gangster, almost great, just too many unnecessary components.

10. Breach

I'm a sucker for Cold War spy dramas, especially when based on actual events.

11. Sicko

Eye opening indictment of the health care system. But some of the points were lost on me (is Moore saying the government should subsidize nannies?), and the Cuban segment was guilty of typical Moorian romanticism. But yeah, still, you should probably see this if you haven't.

12. Reno 911: Miami

Dumb. Stupid. Juvenile. Which means I was constantly lol'ing.

13. The Hoax

Overlooked, but a really entertaining true story involving a faked biography of Howard Hughes. Alfred Molina is stellar.

14. Superbad

Definitely the weaker little brother to 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, but still funnier than 95% of what's out there. Might have rated higher if I didn't despise the vile Seth character.

15. 3:10 To Yuma

Would have rated higher if I never saw Deadwood, whose brilliance will probably forever ruin all future Western related movies.

16. Michael Clayton

Good stuff, but I was thoroughly confused for the first fifteen minutes. Not as confused as Syriana, mind you, but confused nonetheless. Is confusion Clooney's new MO?

17. Juno

Oh boy, really mixed feelings here. I mean, I wanted to love it's quirkiness, but it just got annoying. The title character was just a 2007 version of Daria, and I couldn't find any room to find her likable at all. Name dropping the Melvins and Sonic Youth reeked of desperation to appear hip, and every time Juno said "hells yeah" or some other hipster phrase, I blushed with embarrassment. And the soundtrack. Oh my god it's hideously bad in it's attempted cuteness. Still though, I kinda liked it, although I am quite sure it will be the most overrated movie of the year - Napoleon Dynamite 2007, no doubt.

18. The Heartbreak Kid

God awful. The Farrelly brothers comedy reign has passed. It's Apatow time, y'all.

So that's my list. There Will Be Blood would have probably cracked my top 3 if it was playing anywhere near me, but that's how the cookie crumbles.