Best of 2007

I admit, it took me a few viewings to really warm up to this movie. There was an overwhelming amount of hype around it, and the first few times I saw it, I thought "is that it?" But thankfully I gave it another chance on DVD (with subtitles, so I could understand those thick accents!) and I finally fell completely in love. The simplicity really is what makes it such a perfect movie. The low-low-low budget camerawork and natural lighting, not to mention the performances from the non-professional actors, make the whole thing feel so real, like you're watching someone's actual love story unfold before you. And in a way you are, as the two leads began dating after their collaboration on this film, awwww. The script doesn't waste time with backstory or subplots, it's set entirely in the present, and you can speculate everything else yourself. But most of all, it's the music that will win you over. Just beautiful, it leaves me speechless everytime I listen. Easily the best movie soundtrack in a very long time.

Though simple in its construction, there are plenty of details hidden throughout this fun little film. With only two characters, one setting, and no-frills production values, the tone is indeed experimental, yet the narrative is strong throughout, and the action plays out almost like a stage production more than a movie. Neither character is particularly likable, but charisma can go a long way sometimes, and you still end up enthralled in their debates, no matter how serious or silly the topics, which range from civil unrest to plastic surgery. Steve Buscemi (who also directs) manages to create a character that is both smarmy and captivating, while Sienna Miller, a highly underrated actress, is perfectly cast as a borderline bipolar superstar, sly and seductive one moment, then hysterical and violent the next. Both are manipulative at every turn, and it's hard to choose who to side with.

One of the best thrillers in ages. Although I have enjoyed Fincher's past work (Seven, Fight Club), I wouldn't call myself a fan. I guess his reputation precedes him. But you can't deny that his work is incredibly strong, as well as entertaining. Here he presents another serial killer flick, though this one is based on a true, still unsolved mystery. The details of the case are bizarre, and have led several of it's followers to obsessive madness. Great performances from the entire cast here. The period is captured beautifully, with authentic set pieces and props throughout. If you didn't know better, you'd think this was actually filmed in the 70s. It's long, but the time flies by with all the twists being thrown at you. Watch it in the dark for full effect!

A classic study on the age-old human nature of competition, set in the world of retro video gamers. Appealing to geeks, nerds, and dorks alike, as well as anyone who thinks they are too good for such titles.

The flick follows two real-life examples of "good" and "evil." Representing the good is underdog nice guy Steve Wiebe, a family man from Seattle who decided to try breaking the Donkey Kong record one day after he was laid off from work and needed something to do. On the opposite side of the ring is defending champion Billy Mitchell, the proud, arrogant, and hypocritical slimeball salesman from Florida who should be named champion of pouts and scowls instead of this stupid game. His facial expressions are worthy of daytime soap operas, and I guarantee you will want to shave his head just because he covets his own hair.

As we cheer for Steve and boo and hiss at Billy, we learn a lot more about the game of Kong than we ever really wanted to know, but it's pure entertainment the whole way. A cast of supporting characters, including Billy's overexcitable protege, a "professional" video game referee, and Steve's supportive and loving family (his daughter has the single best line in the movie) make you wonder if this world is real. Then you remember you're watching a documentary and are frightened to realize that it is.

This doc, along with many other greats from the year, scandalously didn't make the shortlist for the Oscars, but the doc category has always been a little slanted by some really wacky rules, so don't be discouraged when the Academy doesn't consider this one of the five best docs of the year. This is WAY better than anything Michael Moore could ever make.

A brilliant throw-back/parody of all my favourite childhood flicks! Brilliant casting, especially with Amy Adams. Nicely shot, good special effects, and fantastic choreography for the musical numbers. I think I might even have fallen in love "McDreamy" Patrick Dempsey, just a little bit. I will never stoop so low as to watch that awful soap opera he's on though. Here's hoping he makes more decent movies instead. Watch for Adams on Oscar night. :)

One of the most riveting documentaries I've ever seen! Personal stories from the members of the Apollo space program, incredible footage you haven't seen before, and some hilarious insights.

WOW. Viggo and Cronenberg deliver once again. Without giving too much away, I can confidently say that fans who felt "A History of Violence" and "Spider" weren't Cronenbergian enough will be happy with the director's latest. While he continues to take his films into new territory, there are certain scenes that will surely remind hardcore fans of his older biological horror style. These scenes will also surely be the most talked about in any movie of the year. Character-driven with some great performances, this film definitely deserves some Oscar nominations. However, if you didn't like how AHoV ended, you'll hate the conclusion of this one. I loved both of course, I find ambiguity a powerful storytelling tool. Wow, can you believe I managed to write a whole review without mentioning how great Viggo was? Ooops, I mean almost...

There are a million and one reasons why this film should not work. If you read just the premise, your reaction will most likely be "WTF?" But the winning script is absolutely sincere, and Ryan Gosling's performance is so subtle and charming, you can't help but laugh (and yes, maybe even cry). He is positively the BEST actor of his generation.

This is very likely going to be the surprise sleeper/cult hit of 2007, following in the tradition of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Napolean Dynamite, and Little Miss Sunshine. Except this movie is better than all of those combined. TV fans will love it for it's brilliant cast: Jason Bateman and Michael Cera from Arrested Development, Jennifer Garner from Alias, Allison Janney from The West Wing, and The Office's Rainn Wilson in an opening-scene cameo. Ellen Page stars as a pregnant teenager looking for parents to adopt her child. If this girl hasn't proven her acting chops already with Hard Candy, Mouth to Mouth, and (for you comic book geeks) X-Men 3, watch out for her to win an Oscar before she's 30, (she's 20 now, though she looks only 15 and fits the role here perfectly). A sweet, smart comedy with brilliant dialogue and wonderfully realized relationships, and even some nice, more dramatic moments. Jason Reitman creates a quirky, fun world and Diablo Cody's debut script is honest, charming, and full of likable characters you can actually relate to. Perhaps not quite Academy material, but it should get some buzz from the Golden Globes.

Powerful, haunting film. Incredible acting from the entire cast, especially Inés Efron and Ricardo Darín as lead Alex and her father. Beautifully shot on the Uruguayan coast, it made me want to visit South America even more than I already did. The character's struggles with sexual identity and orientation are fascinating to watch, heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. Her attraction and encounter with a male visitor confuse and excite them both, and the ambiguous ending makes it difficult to let go. You're left to ponder their futures well after the credits roll.

Adorable is the only way to describe it. A fuzzy, family-friendly flick with gay themes, that could also work as a TV movie-of-the-week (an above average one, that is). Tom Cavanagh (TV's "Ed") stars as a closeted former hockey player who now works as a sports broadcaster. When he and his partner unexpectedly become foster parents to a flamboyant young boy, he has to deal with long-repressed self-image issues. Interesting to note here is that the NHL and Toronto Maple Leafs endorsed the film by allowing their name and logos to be used throughout: a first for a gay-themed sports movie. :)

Beautiful photography! And what an amazing story. This will make you want to get involved, or at the very least, book the next plane to the Galapogos for a vacation!

http://www.savingsharks.com/

I wish Steve Carell would take more dramatic and romantic roles. Although he's very funny in his usual comedic fare, he truly shines in his straighter work like Little Miss Sunshine and here. The larger family scenes didn't always work, perhaps mostly because the family was just too big and each member was underdeveloped. I couldn't remember half of their names. But the romantic storyline between Carell and Juliette Binoche and especially the scenes with his daughters are honest and touching. Bonus points for the adorable folk soundtrack by Norwegian Sondre Lerche.

In some ways, it's slow-burning and incredibly intense, but in others it's just slow. A very interesting concept here, taking the story of a murdered girl, and instead of tracking the killer and the victim's family, we see how the men who find her body and their families are affected. The presumed killer is sort of included, but he's more of a menacing unknown figure thrown into a few scenes to add extra tension, we never get to know more about him or the actual crime. The victim's community plays a background role as well. Several subplots are introduced, and many of the characters have complicated backstories, but none of this is ever fully explored. It seems the writer had plenty of great ideas, but didn't know how to tie them together or come up with a resolution. Many scenes feel incomplete as they fade to black after very little has happened. Early on I thought this was simply strange editing and that we'd come back to the ideas later, but as the fade outs happened more and more, I realized this was a deliberate artistic choice and the scenes in the filmmakers' minds were complete. Perhaps some focus would have helped improve the overall story, but this isn't a miss at all. The acting is phenomenal all around. I'm always amazed at my how much I hate Laura Linney in character. I know for a fact that she's a lovely person in real life.

I've been intrigued by Christian Bale for ages (he's way better-looking than Christian Slater :P), but I haven't liked any of the movies I've seen him in, until this one. Dieter is a great character for him, and he plays off his fellow POWs very well, especially Zahn. I've always loved Steve Zahn, and was ecstatic to finally see him used in a more dramatic role. Beautifully directed too; after this and Grizzly Man, I'm eager to check out Herzog's older films.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a great agent! What an interesting bunch of movies he's done in the last few years. Keep up the good work Joseph!

Cute movie. Kind of chick-flicky, but more honest than most things you'd see from Hollywood. I felt for Felicity's Jenna, even though I usually have no sympathy for women who find themselves in bad relationships, and I totally understood her feelings for her unborn child. Adorable ending. My only major complaint was with the husband, I found him completely unlikable, and I know that's the point, but unless it's a love-to-hate type of evil villan, I always like to see some sympathy in "bad" characters, and he had none. Oh well, the rest of the cast more or less made up for it.

I enjoyed and respected this movie, and I love Sarah Polley, but it was just too slow.

Gorgeous, gorgeous film! A tad long (I should not have gotten the large Coke), but so beautiful. Despite the tragic ending, it made me want to follow McCandless's footsteps. The gorgeous scenery and adventure just might bring out the wanderlust in anybody with such an inclination. Sean Penn has definitely matured as a director, but I can still see many similarities between this film and his 1991 debut, The Indian Runner. He copied almost exactly some shooting and editing techniques from his first film, and in many scenes, Emile Hirsch channelled Viggo Mortensen's performance from the earlier film. By the way, Hirsch is definitely one to watch, this and his next big budget film (Speed Racer) could very well be his breakthrough to mainstream cinema. I hope and expect to see him in the same ranks as Ryan Gosling and Jake Gyllenhaal in a few short years. Though it's entirely Hirsch's film, all of the supporting players are also excellent, with Hal Holbrook taking the top prize.

Very slow starting out, but ultimately a really interesting and heart-breaking story. Jack committed a horrible murder when he was young, possibly 12 or 13. Having served his sentence, he is now in his early 20s and living under an assumed name, trying to start life over. While not much happens in the movie, getting to know Jack in his new life and learning about his haunting past through flashbacks make this a fascinating character study. Andrew Garfield delivers a breakthrough performance.