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This list comes with a disclaimer. There are a number of movies from 2007 that I have not yet seen ("No Country For Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood" come to mind). Of the ones I have have seen, here are my favorites (in no particular order)...
Atonement
Joe Wright's film adaptation of Ian McEwan's fantastic novel is one of the best book-to-screen transformations I've ever seen. The acting is top-notch, the cinematography is beautiful and haunting (one particular five-minute take is among the greatest shots I've ever seen), and the score (which cleverly incorporates the sounds of typewriter keys) is lush and evocative. I couldn't recommend it more.
Juno
It's funny, it's irreverent, and it's sweet as can be. What else can you ask for? Ellen Page is fantastic as 16 year-old Juno, who finds herself pregnant following an unplanned (or was it?) rendezvous with her best friend Bleeker (awkward-as-ever Michael Cera). What follows is a clever and charming movie that might even have you tearing up by the end. Supporting performances by Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, J.K. Simmons, and Allison Janney are also top notch. Here's a movie that understands its tone and never strays from it.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Definitely not for the faint of heart, Tim Burton's adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical is just about as bloody as possible, but it also happens to be one of Burton's best films, next to Ed Wood and Sleepy Hollow. In fact, Sweeney's dark visuals are so similar to those of Sleepy Hollow that it almost feels like a thematic sequel. It's nice to see Burton returning to gothic horror, the genre he does best. And it doesn't hurt that the music is amazing.
Harry Potter & the Order Of the Phoenix
I certainly had my quibbles with the fifth film in the Harry Potter series, but where it fell short in staying faithful to the book, it made up for in atmosphere and tone. The director, David Yates, successfully balances style and substance, something Alfonso Cuaron struggled with on The Prisoner Of Azkaban, which was so visually inventive that it detracted from the material. Overall, I think this is one of the better Potter films.
The Host
The Host proves there can still be fresh approaches to the monster genre. Part Godzilla, part family drama, this is one unforgettable experience (that looks great in high-def, by the way). Most disaster movies have a global scope; The Host narrows it to one family caught in the midst of it all. The smaller scale draws the genre down to a human level, and makes the sci-fi elements feel almost possible, despite the sometimes less-than-convincing special effects.
Ratatouille
What a breath of fresh air, to know going into a film that is going to be worth your money. Pixar has continually proved itself to be a standard of excellence, to the point where we don't even question it anymore. Brad Bird is quickly establishing the same reputation. He made one of the studio's best films in The Incredibles and he's made another one here. Paris is breathtaking (especially in Blu-ray).
Once
I've already written about this one. A special film. See it.
Atonement
Joe Wright's film adaptation of Ian McEwan's fantastic novel is one of the best book-to-screen transformations I've ever seen. The acting is top-notch, the cinematography is beautiful and haunting (one particular five-minute take is among the greatest shots I've ever seen), and the score (which cleverly incorporates the sounds of typewriter keys) is lush and evocative. I couldn't recommend it more.
Juno
It's funny, it's irreverent, and it's sweet as can be. What else can you ask for? Ellen Page is fantastic as 16 year-old Juno, who finds herself pregnant following an unplanned (or was it?) rendezvous with her best friend Bleeker (awkward-as-ever Michael Cera). What follows is a clever and charming movie that might even have you tearing up by the end. Supporting performances by Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, J.K. Simmons, and Allison Janney are also top notch. Here's a movie that understands its tone and never strays from it.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Definitely not for the faint of heart, Tim Burton's adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical is just about as bloody as possible, but it also happens to be one of Burton's best films, next to Ed Wood and Sleepy Hollow. In fact, Sweeney's dark visuals are so similar to those of Sleepy Hollow that it almost feels like a thematic sequel. It's nice to see Burton returning to gothic horror, the genre he does best. And it doesn't hurt that the music is amazing.
Harry Potter & the Order Of the Phoenix
I certainly had my quibbles with the fifth film in the Harry Potter series, but where it fell short in staying faithful to the book, it made up for in atmosphere and tone. The director, David Yates, successfully balances style and substance, something Alfonso Cuaron struggled with on The Prisoner Of Azkaban, which was so visually inventive that it detracted from the material. Overall, I think this is one of the better Potter films.
The Host
The Host proves there can still be fresh approaches to the monster genre. Part Godzilla, part family drama, this is one unforgettable experience (that looks great in high-def, by the way). Most disaster movies have a global scope; The Host narrows it to one family caught in the midst of it all. The smaller scale draws the genre down to a human level, and makes the sci-fi elements feel almost possible, despite the sometimes less-than-convincing special effects.
Ratatouille
What a breath of fresh air, to know going into a film that is going to be worth your money. Pixar has continually proved itself to be a standard of excellence, to the point where we don't even question it anymore. Brad Bird is quickly establishing the same reputation. He made one of the studio's best films in The Incredibles and he's made another one here. Paris is breathtaking (especially in Blu-ray).
Once
I've already written about this one. A special film. See it.
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4 comments:
I loved "Waitress."
I cant help it - I just have to ask - did you get your iphone for Christmas? I loved the letter to the family!!!!
I did get the iPhone. It's a beautiful thing.
I really need to add Once to my Netflix queue
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